Golf Course Review-Lake St. Catherine Country Club

POULTNEY, VERMONT 802-287-9341
Located on Rt. 30 south of Poultney; northeast of the lake.

Lake St. Catherine is a pretty golf course that inhabits an attractive piece of real estate in a charming, out-of-the-way part of the state. Originally a nine-hole venue, the course was expanded to eighteen in the early 1990's. It is now a full-length course that plays to a respectable slope/rating. The facility is open to the public.

The actual terrain on which this course rests creates a unique playing experience. The course plays up, down and over two ridges - one small, the other quite sizeable. The changes in elevation provide for some very interesting and quirky challenges. Opinions vary as to the desirability of the resulting layout, however. There are many sidehill fairways. Tee shots are often to landing zones that are narrow and ill-defined. The first trip around Lake St. Catherine can be a particularly vexing one for newcomers given the number of blind and confusing tee shots. Learning what club to pull can be an interesting experience for the first couple rounds. Once the lines and angles are learned, a golfer can relax and enjoy the numerous plusses offered by this interesting venue.

How this varied terrain is utilized is what distinguishes Lake St. Catherine from other courses. Holes 11 through 15, the heart of the new nine, have particularly narrow fairways and greens built into the side of, and over the top of, the larger ridge. Each hole provides dire consequences for most wayward shots. A miss to the side can roll way, way down any number of tall, steep banks. Big hitters with marginal accuracy might be in for a miserable time through this stretch of holes. Accurate players and individuals willing to back down to 5-woods off of the tee will not, however, be hard pressed to hit the narrow landing zones.

The new nine at Lake St. Catherine was designed by Ray Keyser, a former governor of Vermont. Both this project, and his Proctor-Pittsford expansion to 18, were brought about at a very low cost compared to the construction costs accrued by some courses. Mr. Keyser does not believe in doing too much earth cutting and dirt moving. Instead, he prefers to lay holes down over existing terrain. Many admire his efforts. He has created some fine golf holes in both locations. However, with these sidehill, fairway alleys come certain difficulties. Some poll respondents cite these narrow hillside holes as their dominant memory of the course - and it is not a particularly pleasant one for them. On the other hand, more than a few players have grown to love the distinctive characteristics present here and elsewhere on the layout.

After golfers wend their way to the top of the dominate ridge they will encounter two of the nicest holes in all of Southern Vermont. The 15th is a marvelous par 4 with a sensational second shot down to an invitingly beautiful green. The view of the distant lake and mountains is absolutely stunning. The par-3 16th is one of the most interesting in all of the state. It is a medium-length hole made baffling by the staggering elevation of the teeing area. Golfers will rarely encounter a hole that requires so much attention to windage. The fact that a golfer could be hitting an eight or nine-iron to a target far below his feet creates the wonderful situation of needing to launch the ball high in the air so that it ends up descending straight down to the large, inviting target below, provided the wind cooperates, that is. It s like firing mortar shots. This is the kind of hole that makes the golfer want to hit three or four extra tee shots just to watch the balls fly.

The remainder of the course is comprised of holes which, while not spectacular, are uniformly interesting and varied. Uphill, downhill and sidehill lies are commonplace. The course provides substantial enough challenge and distance for all but the very highest caliber of golfer. Some greens are well-protected and the bunkering is more than adequate throughout. The approach to 18 is an awesome one, guarded as it is by a steep-walled, Scottish-style trap of menacing proportions.

The staff at Lake St. Catherine has done a good deal to elevate the status of their out-of-the-way venue. Many trees and gardens have been planted across the layout. Conditions are better than average for low-keyed, public golf courses of this nature. Most of the greens are of moderate size with minimal undulations. They are not particularly challenging, but they are very pleasant to putt. Their condition has been quite good during our visits. Fairways and cart paths have been upgraded in the recent past. They have also been in fine shape.

While conditions are quite nice overall, two problem areas exist. First, there is the rock-hard nature of many teeing areas that have not been aerated or groomed in quite some time. In dry weather, they can be unsettling. Secondly, more than a few of the newer traps have an overabundance of small, gravel-like rocks in them. This problem apparently resulted from a front end loader that was scraping too low while collecting sand from the master pile. Those with forged sand wedges may want to take a free drop or two to spare their clubfaces from damage.

In summary: Most find Lake St. Catherine to be a lovely, enjoyable place to play. Numerous return visits can be made without any risk of boredom setting in. Those familiar with the quirky nature of certain holes enjoy it more than do newcomers, however. The course is not particularly long or difficult, but more than enough challenge exists for most golfers. There is a good variety of holes. Forced carries are few allowing seniors and short-hitters to negotiate the course easily. Walking is made taxing by numerous very steep grades. Most will prefer to take golf carts.

A casual and friendly atmosphere exists at Lake St. Catherine. The pros and staff are warm and helpful. The clubhouse is small and facilities are rather meager. Dining choices are limited to basically just snacks and burgers at the bar, or on the screened in porch. Pricing is always moderate to low at Lake St. Catherine, but off-season rates can be particularly attractive.

A full-scale range is present near the clubhouse. Private and group lessons are available. A branch of the United States Golf Schools operates at this facility. The other recreational areas of Lake St. Catherine, itself, are close to hand.

Slope ratings, distance and price are all moderate to low.