The Killington Golf Course: A Closer Look

Most avid golfers spend their summers traveling to traditional golfing destinations in the southern United States like Florida or South Carolina without realizing that golfing gems await them in the northern states as well. Mountain golf is quite a unique experience, and 18 holes at a true mountain course such as the Killington Golf Course in Vermont is sure to be a rewarding challenge for golfers at all levels. While most Tours de Sport customers are familiar with the Killington experience in winter, few probably realize that a top-notch golf course sits just a few hundred yards from the main lifts and condominiums.

It speaks volumes to say that the Killington Golf Course demands accuracy over distance. The course is very short compared to most off-mountain resort courses: 6,168 yards from the back tees. As a result, all golfers will be using a variety of clubs all over the course, and especially on the tee boxes. For those players unfamiliar with mountain golf, one should expect many blind shots, elevation changes, and a variety of different lies no matter where a shot is played from. Another aspect making the course difficult is that it is heavily wooded, and many greens are elevated with drop-offs to the side and back that can cause havoc for inaccurate approach shots. While there are just two lakes on the course, rivers and creeks wind through nine other holes, which makes club selection and shot strategy all the more important.

There a number of holes on the Killington Golf Course which represent these aspects of mountain golf perfectly. The first such hole is the second, a 510-yard par 5. The tee box sits very high, overlooking a straight fairway. The tee shot need not be very accurate, unless players wish to go for the green in two shots. A river runs through the width of this hole, about 50 yards from the green. Even worse, the green sits well above the fairway, and anything short of the green has a tendency to roll back into the hazard. Even those players reaching the green in two shots are not assured a birdie. Once on the putting surface, players will have to deal with a two-tiered green that can make putting treacherous.

Immediately following that hole is the 183-yard, par-3 third hole. This is easily the most difficult par-3 on the course, with a narrow green that has a steep drop-off into the hazard on the right side. Furthermore, the prevailing wind will push a player’s tee shot right, meaning that most players will have to flirt with the trees on the left side of the green to ensure a putt for birdie.

After looking at the scorecard, long hitters may be salivating at the thought of the 286-yard, par-4 ninth. However, chances of reaching the green from the tee are very slim, as the hole is a sharp uphill rise the entire way. Even long hitters may be as much as 50 yards from the green. Take in a round at Killington or any of the summer mountain resorts on the Tours de Sport website.

Mountain Golf

Do you like the mountains of the northeast in winter? If so you should see them in the summer. As you know, ski season in the northeast usually lasts four to five months on a good year. Some years ago many of those who operate eastern ski resorts decided to try to attract visitors during the other seven months of the year. These resorts have lift rides and on-mountain activities as well as some great golf. Many of the resort golf courses were designed by such noted architects as Robert Trent Jones JR, Geoffrey Cornish & Graham Cooke. As you would imagine, given the terrain surrounding ski resorts, most of these tracks are mountain courses. What you will find are championship courses with many blind shots, undulating (ok, hilly) terrain and some great views. For many golfers, used to southern, flatter courses, this will be a new experience.

Tours De Sport / Golf Zoo is now working with many of our partners in the northeast United States and eastern Canada in designing golf and family activities trips for the coming spring, summer & autumn seasons. Go to our web sites & check out the offerings: www.toursdesport.com ; www.golfzoo.com. If blind shots, varying fairway lies & undulating greens sound interesting to you, you’ll find that and more at the mountain courses. If flatter, more traditional tracks suit you better we have that also. We have partnered with courses within short drives of the resorts and the lodging properties we work with to give you several golf options at each resort.

The ski season has ended, golf season has begun and we have some great early season packages available. Or get a jump on that summer vacation planning. Log on or call one our vacation specialists and we’ll take it from there.