Lake Winnipesaukee Golf Club – Played June 2020
- Rankings: None of my four lists
- Location: 1 Lake Winnipesaukee Drive, New Durham, New Hampshire
- Year: 2004
- Architect: Clive Clark
- Course Access: Private
- Walking Rules: Carts Available
Score Card Information:
- Black: 6,887 yards, Par 72, 73.8 Rating/141 Slope
- Black/Blue: 6,591 yards, Par 72, 72.4 Rating/136 Slope
- Blue: 6,307 yards, Par 72, 70.7 Rating/133 Slope
- Blue/White: 6,061 yards, Par 72, 69.6 Rating/132 Slope
- White: 5,827 yards, Par 72, 68.4 Rating/127 Slope
- Red/White: 5,307 yards, Par 72, 71.6 Rating/132 Slope
- Red: 4,905 yards, Par 72, 69.4 Rating/125 Slope
The last stop on my visit to the Northeast was the scenic Lake Winnipesaukee Golf Club. This is about 50 minutes from our family’s place, which qualifies as a short drive for me up here. My GPS took me on some dirt roads unnecessarily but it added to the adventure of the day!
The history of Lake Winnipesaukee Golf Club is a bit interesting. Previously, this site was home to a golf course called Perry Hollow. Enter Bernard Chiu (note: most information sourced from a golfcourseindustry.com article)
Chiu got into golf when he retired in 1998. Unlike most, his passion progressed to golf course ownership and design. Also unlike most, he had the cash to do just that. Chiu had sold his company, Duracraft, to Honeywell for a tidy sum.
He invested in a course but wanted more. So he purchased the old Perry Hollow property and brought in Clive Clark to design the course. Clark had a solid professional playing career, amassing five wins and playing in the 1973 Ryder Cup. In the golf architecture world, he is probably best known for designing Belgrade Lakes in Maine.
Chiu’s vision for Lake Winnipesaukee Golf Club was for it to be the premier golf course in New England. That was perhaps a bit too lofty but in reaching for that goal he made some serious investments in the property. Some of these investments/choices include the following…
* Imported white bunker sand (actually ground marble) from Virginia
* Kentucky bluegrass for the rough, along with varying forms of bentgrass for all the tees, fairways, and greens
* Eight holes with elevation drops of more than 100 feet
* 1,400 sprinkler-head, computer-controlled irrigation system – more than twice the typical allocation for private courses
* Four-acre nursery section for growing grasses and for training course workers before they take mowers onto the course.
* Estimated $9 million clubhouse renovation
I’m not sure the state of all of these now in 2020 but I can speak to the scenic views and dramatic holes. Let’s get into the course tour!
As you arrive, you see this sign to let you know you’re here.
I played the Black/Blue combo set of tees. All distances reflect those tees.
Hole 1 – 364 yards – Par 4 – Flyin High
Remember the eight holes with 100 feet of elevation change? I didn’t measure it but I’m pretty sure you get one of them out of the gate.
Hole 2 – 558 yards – Par 5 – Bottle Neck
Placement is more important than distance on this hole. A good tee shot may allow some to get home in two but the rest of us need to watch out for a hidden hazard 120 yards from the green.
Hole 3 – 335 yards – Par 4 – Bear Right
You have a generous fairway here but the best line is inside the bunkers on this dogleg right.
Beware the false front on this green or you’ll be pitching from some distance away!
Hole 4 – 188 yards – Par 3 – Silica
I was lucky to get a front pin on this hole, as it’s the easiest to attack. Staying out of the sand is the objective.
Hole 5 – 373 yards – Par 4 – Cat Tail
This risk/reward hole is purported to be Clive Clark’s favorite at Lake Winnipesaukee Golf Club. The more you can bite off on this dogleg left, the less wetlands you have to carry on your second shot.
Hole 6 – 173 yards – Par 3 – Turtle Shell
This one plays moderately uphill to a semi-blind green. You don’t want to chunk your tee shot.
Hole 7 – 515 yards – Par 5 – Double Blender
The name for this hole describes the double dogleg. From the tee, it goes to the right and then swings back to the left for the approach. The second shot must be precise with wetlands all along the left side.
You can really see the shape of the hole below.
Hole 8 – 544 yards – Par 5 – Freedom Run
The second par five in a row is arguably the tougher of the two. It plays uphill for much of the way.
Once you get up the hill you get the view below. The bunker and long of the green are spots to avoid.
Hole 9 – 366 yards – Par 4 – Nursery
Keep it between the sand on your full swings on this one and a birdie or par is in your future.
Hole 10 – 361 yards – Par 4 – Black Diamond
Like the first nine, the back nine starts with a downhill par four, albeit a bit less severe. The fairway is wider but driver is still probably not the play.
The green is a bit small and has contouring you can utilize to feed the ball back to the hole.
Hole 11 – 139 yards – Par 3 – Bunker Hill
With all the trouble around this one, I’m glad it is on the shorter side. The forced carry isn’t too bad, belying the true trouble in the form of the bunker and wetlands to the right. Once you get to the green, you realize the severe slopes that will influence approach shots and putts.
Hole 12 – 470 yards – Par 4 – Sliver
An accurate drive is absolutely necessary here. If you succeed on the tee ball, you must avoid the right side for the approach.
Hole 13 – 507 yards – Par 5 – Tombstone
I promise there is more fairway out there than it looks. Playing close to the bunkers shortens the hole but you must carry a water hazard if you plan to get home in two.
The green sits among the trees and bunkers.
Hole 14 – 408 yards – Par 4 – Peace
Favoring the left side will shorten this dogleg left. You can always flair one out to the tree as I did.
I enjoyed the view from behind the green.
Hole 15 – 149 yards – Par 3 – Rockslide
The green is sitting there for the taking on this downhill shot. Try to regulate your spin, however, because there is more slope in front of the green than it appears.
Hole 16 – 388 yards – Par 4 – Double-T
The hole name here is a bit on the nose but I like it. There is an additional tee up and to the left, where you play down to the fairway on a straighter hole. From my tee (below), the hole is a slight dogleg right that plays uphill to the green.
Here is the view from behind the green.
Hole 17 – 399 yards – Par 4 – Wild Turkey
You’re greeted with a tough tee shot where you must get to the top of the hill. I recommend favoring the right side.
You can see the slope all down the left side of the hole in the photo below that looks back down the fairway.
Hole 18 – 354 yards – Par 4 – Looking Back
Don’t be fooled but the yardage, this hole plays longer up the hill.
The uphill slope continues on the approach shot where you play to a generous green.
Below is a sampling of the mountain views you can get at Lake Winnipesaukee Golf Club.
Here is the expansive clubhouse that looms over the putting green.
My day at Lake Winnipesaukee Golf Club was peaceful as I made my way around the secluded course. It followed a familiar model of not usually seeing any other hole from the one you’re playing. I appreciated the scenery and the holes had plenty of variety and challenge to keep me interested. I can definitely see why this is one of the sought after tee times in New Hampshire.