Golf Course Review-Rutland Country Club

North Grove Street, Rutland 05701 tel. #773-3254

Lying just a mile or so out from the center of the state's second largest city, the Rutland Country Club is one of the grand dames of Vermont golf. It opened to play in 1896 on a nine hole layout designed by George Low. It was expanded to eighteen in 1928 under the guiding hand of Wayne Stiles. The course has been "growing in" ever since. Relatively few changes have been made to the layout. They haven't been necessary. Few clubs in the entire state receive higher all-around marks from the golfing public than does Rutland.

Greenside at the Clubhouse

This esteemed venue is the favorite course of quite a few good Central Vermont golfers. It is a course that players look forward to playing again and again. Comments and feedback by players are surprisingly consistent when it comes to this venue. Few courses generate such uniform reports: "Rutland is tough and tight… Rutland is not long, but is very challenging… The greens are on the small side… they are fast and tricky; very tough to putt… Rutland is a beautiful course." What all golfers seem to recall best about their Rutland playing experiences is the trouble they had putting some of the small, canted greens. Approach shots that come to rest past the pin all but guarantee a bogey on some holes.

The course and grounds of the Rutland Country Club have the feel of a low-keyed, "old money," suburban country club - the kind you'd find on the outer fringes of Philadelphia or Boston. The main difference being, of course, that this club is open to the public at reasonable prices and has impressive views of Killington and Pico. This venue provides the general public with a chance to experience a country club feel without the expense of annual dues.

Number Twelve

The front nine has a relatively "suburban" feel to it. North Grove Street and the surrounding neighborhood homes are in view from most locations. The golf is interesting, but is not overly distinctive on most holes. Often, a suburban tightness is felt on the narrow fairways and sheltered teeing areas.

The back nine changes the mood of the course almost completely. Starting with Number 11, the holes start wending their way up along the ridge that backs the course. The feel becomes much more open and airy. Picturesque and expansive views appear at many locations. Where the front nine is attractively appealing, the back nine becomes very beautiful. There exists an inherent gracefulness to the rolling ridge-side terrain that enchants the eye. The flowing fairways and cloistered greens exploit that gracefulness in a most elegant manner. Contact is made with the road on the eleventh and eighteenth tees. Aside from that, the journey through the back nine is well isolated in the forests and hills. This back stretch of holes lifts the Rutland Country Club well above the ordinary.

White Fairway Bunkers

One of the nicest aspects of this country club is the cloistered ambience that has developed over the years. Many less sensitive establishments would have hacked down most of the vines and extraneous growth which surrounds many of these holes. They would have cleared away all of the shrubs, brush and dead trees which borders the little river. They would have put in wide, modern bridges surrounded by wide, flat grassy areas and banks. The old dirt road that passes through a weedy, rough, little valley would have been removed. Many clubs would have "cleaned everything up" and in so doing, damaged an aesthetically marvelous, little golfing journey. Hats off to Rutland for realizing just what they have and not succumbing to the temptation to "modernize" and expand their course.

Looking Northwest

Visitors can rest assured that the golf at Rutland C.C. will always be interesting and good. The conditions are consistently quite fine. Rutland weighs in at less than 6,200 yards from the tips, so length off of the tee is not crucial here. Accuracy and putting skills are paramount, however. A good sand wedge is helpful as there are lots of greenside bunkers. In several locations on the back nine, players will be confronted with some devilish traps that are very steeply banked. Those that are unable to cut their sand wedges high and soft will find a lob wedge to be a useful addition to their bags. Water is present throughout the course, but comes into direct play only rarely.

In spite of some lost ball searches in the brooks and forests, and some frustration with the tricky greens, most mid- to high-handicappers should find the course readily manageable. Walking is a pleasant and desirable option. The back nine is hilly, but can be easily negotiated by all but the laziest golfers.

Number 3 - Well Fortified

This clubhouse is small, modern and attractive. A full menu is served. The lower level of the clubhouse is home to the offices of the Vermont Golf Association. The well stocked pro shop is in a separate building. There is no driving range on the premises.

The public may call in for available tee times, but this course is truly semi-private. It is a club that allows visitors, not a public course that also has memberships available. Rutland is a very popular course immediately adjacent to one of the state's most populous areas, so do not expect to find your preferred tee times readily available to you. There are dress codes and playing time restrictions for non-members. Visitors should check in advance for details and be prepared for an attitude and ambience more private than public. Traditions run deep here.

Autumn Fairway

The Rutland Country Club can be a bit tricky to find if you are not familiar with the area, so call ahead for directions and a tee time. Odds are, you'll have an enjoyable outing, albeit, with a score a bit higher than you'd wish. After the regular season ends, the clubhouse and pro shop close, but the course remains open for play. Rates are greatly reduced and no tee times are taken. Many locals avail themselves of this after-season opportunity to play Rutland. Some years the course remains playable well into November. The fairways and greens are not kept mowed, but the fun remains. More than a few players actually prefer the course that way.

Distance and slope/rating are moderate. Prices are moderately high.