This summer I'm trying to combine day trips with golf & brewery visits. I'm thinking of making another trip up to Foley Brothers in the next week or so and noticed it's right next door to Neshobe golf course. Has anyone ever played it?
This is a great topic to start, by the way. I love golf with a couple beers (or many, so that I can blame my triple bogey on being too drunk).
Typical Vermont former cow pasture. Some elevation change, nice course. Wide enough that my balls don't spend too much time in the woods, nice stream through the middle (lost a couple there).
Kwiniaska is a semi private course a couple of miles from Fiddlehead. Ralph Myhre Next to Middlebury College in Middlebury, close to otter Creek and just up the road from Brandon.
My brother and I did a trip to Alchemist/HF in 2013 and ended up playing Blush Hill in Waterbury and Stowe Country Club (not the Stowe Mountain Club). Blush Hill is so cheap you can't even be disappointed, especially if you are playing with a few Heady Toppers in your bag, but it was in rough shape and very short. Stowe CC was over $100 to play, soaking wet, and frustrating to play, but might be better in more arid conditions. With apologies for a bit of highjack, we are considering another beer/golf trip this year, this time with a bit more attention to the quality of the golf courses. My thought was a Maine excursion, possibly playing Belfast Lakes, then hitting Maine Beer on our way back to down to Portland, enjoying the Portland beer scene for an evening and following morning/lunch time, then hopefully getting in 18 more at twilight rates somewhere like Dunegrass (Old Orchard Beach) or The Ledges (York) on our way back to greater Boston. Anyone got an opinion on any of those tracks (or other good ones within an hour or so of Portland)?
Granite links and Trillium would be a nice, but pricey combo. http://www.granitelinksgolfclub.com/Club/Scripts/Home/home.asp
I second Kwiniaska, super long course so get a cart but an awesome course and really fun to play. Its really close to fiddlehead too.
Not sure about the other courses in the Merrimack Valley of Massachusetts, but Bradford Country Club always seems to have something good in bottles or on draft. I've had Hoponius Union, Not Your Father's Root Beer, Tap Brewing Co., and Allagash.
Cape Arundel is a good course. $40 (I believe) after 3pm for 18. It's in Kennebunkport and you can go to the Clam Shack afterward and get the best lobster roll you'll ever have.
Dunegrass had fallen into serious disrepair but is now under new ownership and last year they really turned around- it is now owned by the same group as Nonesuch River in Scarborough. Ledges is a solid layout, but I feel they have let the conditioning fall the past couple of years and they are living off their reputation. They still hold all the big tournaments in the area but it's not as good as it should be (especially the rough, where I usually am so I am an expert on this, ha ha) My favorite course in the area by far is Old Marsh in Wells. It plays like a resort course but is a really good challenge. I'd also recommend the Links at Outlook in Berwick. The front 9 is a difficult links test and the back 9 is a standard parkland course - UNH used this as their home course. Another local that has evolved into a great course in Breakfast Hill in Rye, NH (near Smuttynose). Cape Arundel is known as George Bush's course and being 100 years old it is a very different style - very short holes (you don't need driver at all), berms everywhere with no level lies, tricked out greens, and stodgy old members. These grumpy codgers all use fore caddies and hit into you when they damn well feel like it. The management caters to them so you play fast or get out of their way.
And to make this more relevant: If you go to Old Marsh in Wells, it is right next to Tully's which may be the best bottle shop in the state. If you're in Wells in the morning be sure to swing by Congdon's for doughnuts as well - they are homemade and beyond awesome (their chocolate coconut is the best doughnut I have EVER had and it's not a close contest). If you play Cape Arundel in KPT, you can visit Federal Jack's, which is Shipyard's brew pub. Their food is only mediocre- instead head across the bridge to Dock Square and go to Allisson's. If you are looking for lunch in the area I'd recommend Bennett's Subs on Ocean Rd and Rt 9- great steak sandwiches and homemade sodas as well (you want the raspberry lime rickey, trust me). But if you have time the best idea is to head south a few more miles to Kittery and go to Black Birch for dinner and a great craft taplist. Or visit Tulsi, which has amazing Indian food and carries a few craft beers including Tributary. York River House also has a large number of craft beers on tap but they are much more expensive - their clientele is predominantly well heeled tourists.
Wow, thanks for all of the tips. Looking at their website, I don't see a daily fee option for Old Marsh - is it possible to play there without staying overnight?
You should be able to get on without difficulty - it's usually $87 with a cart but there is a 2-for-1 pass you can buy now and use anytime in the summer: http://harrisgolf.wix.com/access
I haven't made the trip yet, but great things have been said about Ebenezer's Pub and Lake Kezar Country Club in Lovell, Maine
