15 Best Golf Courses in Vermont
Vermont has 76 golf courses, and a handful of them are some of the most distinctive in the Northeast. The state holds Walter Travis's first work as a course architect, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Design that the club bills as the first of its kind in New England, and a public course that Golf Digest and Golfweek both rank No. 1 in the state. The terrain does most of the heavy lifting. Tight mountain corridors, elevation changes, and a season that closes before fall is out push the difficulty well past what the yardage suggests. These are the 15 best golf courses in Vermont.
The Mountain Course at Spruce Peak (Stowe)
The Mountain Course at Spruce Peak is one of the most technically demanding layouts in Vermont, playing 6,411 yards from the championship tees with a course rating of 72.1 and a slope of 141. Designed by Bob Cupp and opened in 2007, the course climbs to over 1,800 feet in elevation along the slopes of Mount Mansfield, with rocky outcroppings and severe grade changes on nearly every hole. Golf Magazine ranked it among the top 10 new courses in the United States. Access is reserved for club members and guests with a qualifying stay at The Lodge at Spruce Peak, which offers over 250 rooms and residences, a full-service spa, and several dining options. Green fees range from $150 to $250, and the course includes a full clubhouse and pro shop on site. Burlington International Airport is approximately 45 minutes away. The course runs from mid-May through mid-October.
Green Mountain National Golf Course (Killington)
Green Mountain National Golf Course has been ranked Vermont's top public course by both Golf Digest and Golfweek, a distinction that carries weight in a state with 62 public layouts. Designed by Steve Durkee and opened in 1997, the course plays 6,589 yards with a rating of 72.1 and a slope of 138 through dense forest near Killington ski resort. Tree-lined corridors and rolling elevation changes reward precise shot placement over distance, making it a genuine test for experienced players. Green fees run from $90 to $140, with season passes available for those who want to make it a home course. The on-site clubhouse includes a restaurant and a practice range with six tee positions, while the Killington Grand Resort Hotel sits roughly two miles away as the nearest lodging option. The course runs from May 1 through November 1.
The Golf Club at Equinox (Manchester)
Walter Travis designed The Golf Club at Equinox in 1926, and when Rees Jones completed a full restoration in 1992, the course retained its classic routing while becoming one of the more playable historic layouts in New England. It plays 6,423 yards with a rating of 71.3 and a slope of 129, and Golf Digest has listed it among the top 75 courses in the United States. As part of The Equinox Golf Resort & Spa, golfers have access to 195 rooms and suites, three dining venues including the historic Marsh Tavern, a full-service spa, and a pro shop beside the course. Green fees run from $120 to $200, and the course is open to both resort guests and the public. Golfweek has ranked it among Vermont's top three courses. Rutland Airport is about 45 minutes away, and peak season runs from late spring through early fall.
Jay Peak Resort Golf Course (Jay)
No public course in Vermont produces a more demanding scorecard than Jay Peak Resort Golf Course. Designed by Graham Cooke and opened in 2006, it plays 6,908 yards with a rating of 75.2 and a slope of 153 from the championship tees, figures that exceed Bethpage Black's shorter tee configurations. Golfweek named it Vermont's top public layout for multiple consecutive years. Jay Branch Brook crosses several holes, and the elevation shifts add difficulty well beyond what the raw yardage suggests. The pro shop is one of the few exclusive TaylorMade Adidas dealers in New England and carries rental clubs, apparel, and accessories. Golfers can eat at the Foundry Pub & Grille after their round, and the resort also offers on-site lodging, an indoor water park, and an outdoor heated pool. Green fees run from $75 to $130, and packages with unlimited golf make the resort a strong value for overnight stays. Burlington International Airport is approximately 90 minutes away. The course plays best from late June through September.
The Golf Club at Basin Harbor (Vergennes)
The Golf Club at Basin Harbor offers something rare in Vermont: an open, lakeside layout with wide sightlines rather than tree-lined corridors. Established in 1927 on the eastern shore of Lake Champlain, it was the first course in Vermont to become a certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, a designation that reflects its commitment to preserving the surrounding wetlands and wildlife habitat. The course plays 6,518 yards with a rating of 71.5 and a slope of 122, the lowest on this list, and six tee box options allow golfers of different abilities to calibrate their own challenge. After a round, the Fairway Cafe in the clubhouse serves breakfast sandwiches and cold drinks, and the BHC Golf & Resort Shop carries apparel from Vineyard Vines, FootJoy, and Holderness & Bourne. The practice facility includes a grass-tee driving range with three elevated target greens, a short-game area, and a putting green. Basin Harbor Resort guests can also access boating, kayaking, and lakeside dining. Green fees generally range from $80 to $140, and Burlington International Airport is approximately 45 minutes away.
Ekwanok Country Club (Manchester)
Ekwanok Country Club opened in 1899 and was Walter Travis's first work as a golf course architect, completed in collaboration with the well-known designer John Duncan Dunn. At more than 6,000 yards, the course was longer than most American layouts of the era. Francis Ouimet won the 1914 U.S. Amateur Championship here, a year after his famous U.S. Open victory at Brookline, and the club has carried that legacy quietly ever since. The course now plays 6,568 yards with a rating of 72.0 and a slope of 134. Golf Digest has ranked it the best course in Vermont for multiple years, and Golfweek consistently lists it among the top classic courses in the country. Ekwanok is the only course in Vermont that still assigns caddies, who carry bags and read the course for players instead of relying on carts, a practice most American clubs abandoned decades ago. Access requires a membership or member invitation, and The Equinox Golf Resort & Spa in Manchester is the nearest full-service lodging option for non-member visitors. The season runs from late spring through early fall.
Vermont National Country Club (South Burlington)
Vermont National Country Club opened in 1998 with a Jack Nicklaus and Jack Nicklaus II Signature Design that the club bills as the first of its kind in New England. The 7,035-yard, par-72 layout is divided into two distinct nines: the front winds through open meadows in a links-influenced style, while the back turns rugged with rock outcroppings and panoramic views of Camel's Hump from the 13th and 14th holes. The course rates 74.2 and has a slope of 133, placing it among the most difficult layouts in the state. Golf Digest has awarded it "Best in State," and Golfweek has listed it among the top 100 courses in the Northeast. The 14,000-square-foot clubhouse includes a full-service dining room, a pro shop, and practice facilities with a driving range and short-game area. Vermont National is a private club, with guest play available through members, and Hotel Vermont in Burlington is approximately 15 minutes from the course.
Rutland Country Club (Rutland)
Rutland Country Club has hosted the Vermont Amateur Championship more than two dozen times, a record that reflects both the quality of the layout and the consistency of its conditions. George Low designed the original nine holes in 1902, and Stiles & Van Kleek expanded the course to 18 holes in 1927. It plays 6,134 yards with a rating of 69.7 and a slope of 125. A river splits the two nines, giving each side noticeably different terrain. The older holes are tighter and more contoured, while the newer nine opens up across broader ground. Baxter's Restaurant, which is open to the public year-round, sits inside the clubhouse alongside a fully stocked pro shop and a putting green. As a semi-private club, green fees run from $70 to $120, and the Hampton Inn Rutland is approximately one mile away. Best play runs from May through October.
Quechee Club: Highland Course (Quechee)
The Highland Course at Quechee Club is the more demanding of the two Geoffrey Cornish-designed layouts at Vermont's 36-hole facility. Opened in 1970 and restored by Brian Silva following damage from Hurricane Irene in 2012, the course plays 6,765 yards with a rating of 73.1 and a slope of 129. It climbs along a mountainside with elevation changes that alter club selection on nearly every approach shot. Golf Digest has consistently ranked it among Vermont's top ten courses. The Quechee Club's facilities include a clubhouse with dining, a driving range, practice greens, and racquet sports courts available to members and approved guests. Green fees run from $80 to $140, with access available through approved inns, including the Quechee Inn at Marshland Farm, a short drive from the course. Conditions peak from July through early October.
Quechee Club: Lakeland Course (Quechee)
Where the Highland Course climbs, the Lakeland Course at Quechee Club runs flat along the Ottauquechee River and Lake Pinneo. The course plays 6,569 yards with a rating of 72.4 and a slope of 127. Water borders 17 holes, making it the kind of course where a well-placed 180-yard drive scores better than a wild 250-yard one. That contrast in design makes it a logical companion round to the Highland Course, and the Quechee Club's shared facilities, including dining, practice areas, and a pro shop, serve both layouts. Guest access is available through approved local inns, including the Quechee Inn at Marshland Farm, and green fees are in line with those of the Highland Course. Conditions are best from late spring through early fall.
Ralph Myhre Golf Course (Middlebury)
Ralph Myhre Golf Course is one of the few courses in Vermont designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and among the highest-rated public tracks in the state. Owned and operated by Middlebury College, it plays 6,376 yards with a rating of 70.8 and a slope of 124. The course has improved considerably in recent years through drainage renovations on several greens, the removal of over 200 trees to open sightlines and strengthen turf conditions, and the addition of a new short-game practice area. Tavern on the Tee inside the clubhouse serves lunch and dinner with views from an outdoor deck, and the pro shop carries equipment and apparel. Green fees range from $60 to $100, and the Swift House Inn in Middlebury is a nearby lodging option for out-of-town visitors. The course is open from April through November 1.
Fox Run Golf Club (Ludlow)
Fox Run Golf Club was designed by Steve Durkee and opened in 2000 on a former dairy farm in Ludlow, originally as Okemo Valley Golf Club before a later rebrand. The course plays 6,500 yards with a rating of 71.1 and a slope of 130. Rather than reshaping the land, Durkee used native grasses, existing elevation changes, and the natural contours of the valley to define each hole, giving the course a less-constructed feel than many resort layouts of its era. The club has earned a five-star rating in the New England Golf Guide. Calcutta's restaurant in the clubhouse serves meals with views of Okemo Mountain, and the pro shop carries Polo, Vineyard Vines, and Cutter & Buck alongside a full range of equipment. Green fees range from $70 to $130, and Okemo Mountain Resort is adjacent to the property. Rutland Airport is approximately 30 minutes away.
Montague Golf Club (Randolph)
Montague Golf Club opened in 1913 and is among the oldest golf venues in Vermont. At green fees from $40 to $80, it is the most affordable round on this list. The front nine winds through red oaks and pines in a wooded parkland style with tightly bunkered greens, while the back nine opens along the Third Branch of the White River in a links-influenced layout that plays differently depending on wind direction. That shift in character across 18 holes is uncommon at this price point. The clubhouse has a bar and restaurant on-site, and the course is open to the public without a reservation. Randolph is approximately 45 minutes from both Burlington and White River Junction, and conditions are best from June through September.
Champlain Country Club (Swanton)
Champlain Country Club was founded in 1915 by St. Albans-area railroad executives and professionals, and several of the original greens from that layout remain in play today. The course plays 6,287 yards with a rating of 71.0 and a slope of 128. Those original greens are compact and well-bunkered, noticeably more interesting than the holes added in later decades, and they give the course a historical character that is rare among public options in northern Vermont. The clubhouse includes a full-service dining room and a pro shop, and green fees run from $60 to $100. The Inns at St. Albans is a short drive away. Burlington International Airport is approximately 30 minutes from the course, making it an accessible day trip from the city.
Cedar Knoll Country Club (Hinesburg)
Cedar Knoll Country Club grew out of a working dairy farm that the Ayer family converted into a golf course in 1994, with Raymond Ayer laying out the original 18 holes using the existing cow pastures as the framework. The 27-hole facility on Route 116 in Hinesburg runs three nine-hole combinations, the West, North, and South courses, giving golfers flexibility based on the day's conditions or available time. The course holds up consistently through the season and includes a driving range, practice greens, a clubhouse restaurant, and a banquet hall. Green fees range from $50 to $90, and at 14 miles from Burlington off Interstate 89, it is one of the most convenient options for city-based golfers. The Hilton Garden Inn Burlington Downtown is the nearest full-service hotel, and Burlington International Airport is approximately 25 minutes away.
Where Vermont's Best Golf Stands Apart
What makes Vermont distinctive as a golf destination is less its volume than what has accumulated in a small state over time: a Travis original still assigning caddies, a Nicklaus Signature Design that has held a Best in State ranking since opening in 1998, and a public course that has held the top spot in two national publications for years. These are the courses that set the standard.
