A One Nighter @ Stratton
Written: May 15 '01 (Updated May 18 '01)
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Pros: Nice layout, beautiful views, challenging course, package deals
Cons: Spring 01: Winter damage
The Bottom Line: Challenging well laid out and extremely well-maintained golf course. Beautiful views of the surrounding mountains.
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| UpNy99's Full Review: Stratton Mountain CC - Forest/Lake |
Spent Mother's Day weekend 2001 at Stratton. Our deal was a "One Nighter" for Friday night( included 2 rounds, 1/2 cart and lodging for $ 100 per person ) and we decided to stay Saturday night to fill out the weekend. We were the first couple to register for this deal this season since the golf course just opened on Friday May 11th.. The course was still covered by snow the previous week.
Stratton has 27 holes ( the Forest, Mountain & Lake courses) and we played the Forest and Mountain. Many of the tee boxes on both sides were severely damaged by winter kill and were being overseeded. The fairways and greens were generally in good shape. Conditions were very dry which is unusual in this part of Vermont in May. The month of May is generally called "muck" season in Vt..
There were very few people on the nines on both Friday and Saturday. We completed both rounds in less than 4 hours ( we shot around the Mountain course in an hour and half on Saturday)!
Stratton is a well laid out course and does not rely on gimmicks. The Forest is the oldest of the nines and although all the nines have a slope rating of 122/123 from the whites, the Forest course seems tougher. The Forest course is very fair but ball placement is at a premium. This is definitely a course that must be played more than once. There is a lot more vertical on the Forest course than either of the other nines and you will not have a flat lie unless you hit the fairways. The rough is very rough on this nine. The fifth hole on this course is the signature hole and although it's only 467 yards from the whites it is a tough par 5. Fairways are narrow on this side and there are a lot of trees, creeks and sand that come into play.
The Mountain course is more wide open and has fewer blind holes than the Forest. The greens are the real challenge on this side. They are large and deceptively easy but can easily be 3 putted because on the slope, etc. There is a fair amount of both water and sand on this side. The sand is very playable but some of the traps are deep like pot bunkers. As usual it's best to stay out of them!
The Stratton Clubhouse is a small but well designed facility with a great covered deck (porch). Pricey but the food is very good. The staff are very friendly and helpful.
Stratton can be pricey but they have some good weekday package deals that are worth looking at. The "One Nighter" deal( 2 rounds of golf with a cart and an overnight at the Liftline Lodge for $ 75 a person) is the best but is available only in May for weekends ( in June it is a weekday deal ).
We stayed at the Long Trail House for a few dollars more than the base $75 price. This is a new facility which is located right across the street from the Stratton Mountain village. We had a studio room on the 1st floor which made accessing the outdoor heated pool and jacuzzis very easy. The room was very nice and well equipped but the construction and noise abatement seemed lacking. During a busy weekend this could be a noisy building. Might be worth saving a few bucks to stay at the older Liftline Lodge and use the facilities of the Sports Center which are practically next door.
Stratton is well worth a visit and we look forward to another Mother's Day deal next year.
Recommended:
Yes
Green Fees Paid (US$): $ 100 for 4
Speed of Play (typical weekend): 3 to 4 Hours
Look Out For: Trees
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Epinions.com ID:
UpNy99
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Location: Upstate, New York
Reviews written: 47
Trusted by: 7 members
About Me:
Have traveled extensively in and around Vermont.
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