Stowe Mountain Club Set to Open in June

Big changes are afoot in Stowe, Vt. Perhaps none is more symbolic of this ski town's transformation to a four-season destination is Stowe Mountain Club, set to be unveiled this June.

Designed by Bob Cupp, the 18-hole par-72 "wilderness" course winds along the lower reaches of Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak. At an elevation of more than 1,800 feet, the layout offers stunning views of the mountains, a lake, and Stowe Mountain Resort. The course will be open to Stowe Mountain Club members, as well as guests of the new Stowe Mountain Lodge, a luxury hotel being built at the base of Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak that's set to open later this fall.

Stowe Mountain Club is a four-season private club with golf, alpine and spa facilities located at Spruce Peak, Stowe's newest luxury resort and residential community. All homeowners at Spruce Peak, including owners of the Front Four residences at Stowe Mountain Lodge, are eligible to join the golf club.

Stowe Mountain Club was designed in an environmentally-conscious manner, and is slated to become the first course in Vermont to achieve Audubon International Signature Program certification. The layout is surrounded by 2,000 protected acres. No homes will be built along the course, affording a natural golfing experience and allowing for protected habitat within the surrounding woodlands. Another contributor to the environmental effort is an irrigation system that will use water recycled from the man-made Peregrine Lake, which also serves as the source of snowmaking water for Stowe Mountain Resort.

Involving 400 feet of elevation change, the course stretches nearly 6,500 yards from the tips. It contains two par-5s and two par-3s on each nine, and makes good use of its sloping topography, occasionally making the short holes seem longer.

Of the course, Cupp said: "Once every few decades, a spectacular site for golf appears. Such is the case at the foot of Mount Mansfield in Stowe, Vt. This land provides a feeling of grandeur in the long views, and yet a certain coziness within the engulfing cradle of Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak. It provides members and guests with unforgettable golf in the hills of Vermont." The designer added, "There may be no finer collection of great short par-4s anywhere in America."

Golfers will face many shot options. Many of the longer holes stretch across level ground and are bordered by the lake. Other holes require strength off the tee to play up hillsides or good strategy for getting the proper angles into the greens. On several holes, elevated tees offer spectacular vistas of the Little River Valley.

Additional amenities include a 6,500-square-foot practice green and chipping area, and a Golf Cottage with a pro shop, dining area, lounge and terrace. Complimentary bag storage and locker facilities are available to members and resort guests. The course will be overseen by Operations Manager Walter Frame and Director of Golf David Bennett.

For more information about joining Stowe Mountain Club, call 888/403-7739, or visit www.stowemountainclub.com. For information about playing the course as a Stowe Mountain Lodge guest, call 802/253-3560 or visit www.stowemountainlodge.com.     

About Stowe Mountain Resort

Stowe is enjoying a dramatic resurgence fueled by Spruce Peak at Stowe, a new community, and ski-facility enhancements at Stowe Mountain Resort that involve Mt. Mansfield and Spruce Peak. Spruce Peak at Stowe encompasses fine residences, a new luxury hotel called Stowe Mountain Lodge, a spa and wellness center, an 18-hole golf course, performing arts center, dining and retail esplanade, swimming pool and ice skating rink. Started in 2003, the environmentally-friendly facility is concentrated on only 35 of the development's 2,000 acres. Stowe Mountain Resort itself has just completed a $40 million transformation that involves a new transfer gondola linking Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak. For more information, visit www.stowe.com.

About Stowe Mountain Lodge

The new Stowe Mountain Lodge is located at the heart of Spruce Peak. Upon opening this fall, the 139-room lodge will offer the alpine golf course created by Cupp, a spa and wellness center, 12,100 square feet of meeting space, concierge services, twice-daily housekeeping, and 24-hour in-room dining. For more information, contact Stowe Mountain Lodge at 802/253-3560. For real estate inquiries, call 877/786-9368 or 802/253-0076.