Hooper Golf Club, Walpole, NH

[Malcolm Mckinnon]

Here we go!

Stiles and Van Kleek circa 1927. A real gem in New England!

Nine Holes, 3033 yards, par 36 Now semi-private (open to the public after 10:30 AM) My weekday greens fee was $18.

Hole 1: Par 5, 458 yards

From the Teebox. Left is bad!

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From the fairway...

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The green slopes severely from back to front.

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Looking back.

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2nd Hole, Par 4, 427 yards

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From the fairway

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Looking back

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3rd Hole, Par 4, 285 yards

From the tee

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Fairway view

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The Green

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Just a bit of slope here

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4th Hole, Par 3, 155 yards uphill

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And the green

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5th Hole, Par 5, 474 yards

Things cant severely to the left from the tee

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Fairway view

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From behind

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6th hole, Par 3, 194 yards

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Approaching the green

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The Green

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7th hole, Par 4 311 yards

View from the tee

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Fairway view

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Fairway view

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Looking back

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Hole 8, Par 4, 381 yards

From the tee

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Fairway view

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Looking back

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This Road divides the 8th and ninth fairways and plays as out of bounds

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Hole 9, Par 4, 350 yards uphill

From the tee

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Fairway view

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Clubhouse overlooks the 9th

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Looking back

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One last look at the vista from the 1st tee

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[Chris_Blakely]

Thank you for the pictures of this wonderful Stiles and Van Kleek course.  I played it a couple of years ago on a whirlwind New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine trip.  I also like Brattleboro Coutry Club down the road which I believe is also attributed to Wayne Stiles (at least the 9 original holes).

Chris

[Mark McKeever]

If you're a fan of Stiles and Van Kleek, make sure you get down to Brockton to play Thorny Lea CC.  Some really great green sites out there too!

Mark

[Mike Sweeney]

Thanks for posting. Drove in their one day on the recommendation of Mr Moore but did not have time to play. Will make a point to get out there.

[Sean_A]

Malcolm

Thanks for the tour.  The greens look especially interesting, but not stupid in trying to figure out what to do from the fairway.  There seems to be a Jekyll & Hyde deal going on with trees - any reason?

Ciao

[Willie_Dow]

This being the home course for my prep school where I attended from 1944 thru1947 - and staying in the Walpole Inn during the 60th reunion, I can say every hole you pictured is still in my mind.  We didn't have golf at Vermont Academy in those days, but I bet a good number of good players will develop from the present relationship offered by this wonderful establishment.

Thank you Vermont, and thank you Hooper Golf Club, we need more locations that think like you these days.

[Malcolm Mckinnon]

Sean,

Ok, Ill bite. What do you mean by a Jekyll & Hyde deal with the trees? Except for the Third hole, tee and second shot, I hardly noticed them while at play. Reviewing the photos I noticed some perhaps a few ill advised new plantings around holes Five, Six and Seven.

Willie,

My prep school in CT didn't offer golf either. In my opinion some of these small New England locales, which seemed so remote and tedious  as a youth, now revisited shine in a Norman Rockwell-esque way that is hard to describe. Perhaps it is because they are so unchanged over time as opposed to most of the other places I have come to know in my life which are so very changed.

I love places like this!

Malcolm

[Willie_Dow]

Your comment is well taken.

Golf needs this exposure right now, and secondary education is not leading the way.  Big time sports, team sports, are the highlight.

It is up to the individual to make his or her demand!

[Michael Moore]

The incredible first hole has to be one of the best openers in New England.

Sure, one could take a chain saw to this place.  The second hole is claustrophobic, and the trees in play on one and eight have gotten too big. The third hole has just a small chute, no problem there.

Overall, the staff, clubhouse, aura, routing, scenery, rock walls, road, and most of all the down-home all-natural golf holes had me in the palm of Hooper's hand. To me a hidden gem has to be really hidden and really a gem, and there is no doubt here.