Dublin Lake Club (9 holes) is the most exclusive private club in NH. Northern New England is blessed with many fabulous 9 holers and this is one of them. Hooper Golf Club (Wayne Stiles) in Walpole NH is one of the best 9 holers in the country (ranked 11th by major golf mag). Both these courses are within 20 minutes of my home in Keene NH (southwest Nh). I love 9 holers. Dublin Lake does not have any beginning history available. Built sometime in the early 20's, they have no clue as to who designed the course.
Does anyone here in this august body of GCA have any info on Dublin Lake Club???
Thanks.
Hi Pete,
My wife's family are members of Dublin Lake Club. It was started at the end of the 19th century by wealthy New Yorkers and Bostonians who spent their summer months in the Dublin area. You still see the occasional Auchincloss and Cabot at club events.
As you're driving along 101 towards Keene, most of the large houses surrounding the lake at one time belonged to the founding families of the club. (Most of the current owners are members too, from what I've heard.)
The course–which is about a mile and half away from the lakeside HQ–sits right at the foot of Mt. Monadnock, the highest point in Southern NH. I think the course opened for play in the first decade of the 20th century, although perhaps not in it's current form. The layout you see today does not appears not to have undergone too much in the way of renovations since the 20s however. Considering there is a stream running through the bottom part of the course that floods at least once during the five month golfing season, fast and firm are not really options for DLC. (As it commonly referred to by the members.)
They do not list an architect on the scorecard... to he best of my knowledge, one of the original pros bought over from Scotland had the job for quite a few years and was most responsible for the layout of the course. It's a sporting track that measures right around 3000 yards, with about 3-4 holes that have true merit.
I just took a quick scan through my iPhoto and I don't have any pics of the course. Most likely, I'll play it a couple of more times before the end of the season and will endeavor to post some pics then.
Is Hooper at Walpole a private club? Ken Burns is a part owner in really good restaurant in Walpole and i have been meaning to get over that way before Halloween.