I have an embarrassing admission. My only request, dear friends, is that when it is done, please don’t think less of me.
I have proudly lived two-thirds of my life in New England (that 22-year exile in Minnesota) and I have to let you know that until last week I had never been to the Mount Washington Resort. Oh, I sailed Lake Winnipesaukee, camped in Franconia Notch and skied Cannon Mountain.
But Mount Washington never made my bingo card. This means that I have never played Donald Ross’s northernmost golf course in the United States, the Mount Washington Resort Course.
Until last week, that is.
Before discussing whether it should be yours bingo card, let me say this. The golf course itself is considered one of the best public access courses in the Granite State. It’s a fun resort course with enough challenge to keep it interesting, but without the usual dose of self-loathing Donald Ross courses tend to inflict (Don’t be over the damn hole. Always). The hotel itself, the Omni Mount Washington Resort & Spais borderline spectacular. The setting, although not quite the Rockies, is a mountainous Paradise on Earth.
Is it, however, a suitable golf destination “Buddy Trip”? It is a little more difficult to answer, but, please, we will try.
What is the Omni Mount Washington Resort?
Located in Bretton Woods at the northern end of Crawford Notch, the Omni Mount Washington it is a wonderful masterpiece of the Golden Age. Opened in 1902, it is an official National Historic Landmark and features all the modern conveniences, attractions and luxuries you could want.
As a golf destination, however, it deserves an asterisk.
I don’t mean that in a negative way, though. U Donald Ross courseand at Mount Washington is as fun a course as you can play. It’s challenging without being punishing and playable without being vanilla. It’s not “Bucket List” worthy, but if you’re in the Northeast and looking for a Buddy Trip destination, you could do worse.
Perhaps it fits a narrower window better: the “Buddy Trip with Significant Others.” That, my friends, is where it shines. First of all, the Ross course (plus the nine-hole Mount Pleasant course) is perfect for couples. The five tee boxes range in length from 5,200 yards to just over 7,000, making it playable for both the longest and shortest of hitters. Second, there is plenty for the non-golfers in the group to keep them engaged and occupied far beyond the stereotypical ‘spa treatments’. If you’re tired of Mount Washington, well, it might just be a “you” problem.
A classic from a different age
If you’re into history, you’ll love it Omni Mount Washington history Coal magnate and New Hampshire native Joseph Stickney invested $1.7 million ($66 million today) to build his resort. At the inauguration in 1902, he is said to have greeted his first guests by saying, “Look at me, gentlemen, for I am the poor fool who built all this.”
Unfortunately, the “poor fool” died just a year later, leaving his wife Carolyn to take over. In an era when women didn’t do such things, Carolyn was a hands-on property manager and, by all accounts, U Boss. Under his leadership, the resort grew to offer a variety of activities for its wealthy summer guests, including tennis, squash, horseback riding and mountain recreation.
Known as “The Princess” after marrying a French aristocrat, Carolyn realized that golf had become essential for luxury resort travel. The growing popularity of Pinehurst proved so much that he commissioned Donald Ross to build a golf course. At that time, Ross was already a top architect in demand. Hiring him was a commitment to create a golf experience to rival other summer resorts in Newport, the Adirondacks, the Poconos and the Alleghenies.
The resort reached its historic peak in July 1944 when it hosted the Bretton Woods International Monetary Conference. More than 700 delegates from 44 allied nations gathered at Mount Washington to organize the post-WWII global economy. This meeting established the gold standard, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
(Editor’s note: If you visit the resort, don’t miss the historic Jim Early walking tour. It might be the most interesting thing you do during your stay)
Enough history. What about the golf course?
U Mount Washington resort course it is considered one of Ross’ most underrated works. It is remarkably flat and walkable for a mountain course, and is considered an archetype for “resort style” courses. It’s friendly without being a pushover and challenging without stealing your will to live. You can score well here, but careless play can lead to a string of double bogeys.
Signature holes include the par-3 fifth hole. it’s long –ish with a bunker that seems to hug the front of the green (it doesn’t), all against the magnificent backdrop of the hotel itself. The par-5 11th it’s the big photo op. The hotel is located in the bottom with a strategic landing area. If you’re aggressive, you can hug the left side and maybe capture the hill, but that’s typical Ross risk/reward. The second shot is also typical Ross. There is a good sized bunker on the right and plenty of fescue on the left. What looks like a generous landing zone is quickly tightening, with Ross saying, “Go here, not there, or you’ll pay.”
The par-4 18thth is a gem of a finisher. It’s less than the driver off the tee with a scary approach over the Ammonoosuc River. The green is harder to hit than it looks, with the clubhouse running right behind it. Typical of Ross, it’s pitched sharply from back to front, so don’t be over the damn hole.
Always.
The course underwent a major restoration in the early 2000s. Time and nature took their toll so the resort hired Brian Silva to bring it back to Ross’ original design. The upgraded course reopened in 2007 and is still ranked among the top five public access courses in New Hampshire.
How does Mount Washington fit into a White Mountains golf trip?
U Mount Washington course it’s not a top-tier Ross design, but it might be one of his most enjoyable to play. The views are unparalleled. As mentioned, the hotel looms like a giant red and white cruise ship in one direction while the presidential mountain range, including Mount Washington, stands guard in the other.
If you’re planning a “Buddy Trip with Significant Others,” the Omni Mount Washington can serve as an excellent home base. When you’re not golfing, the resort offers horse-drawn carriage rides, horseback riding, mountain hiking, rock climbing, zip lines, fly fishing, tennis and other activities. The historic cog railway can take you all the way to the top of Mount Washington, as long as you don’t mind a 37-degree incline. There are many dining options at the resort and in the area.
For a more complete golf itinerary, Mount Washington assistant pro Braxton Brown recommends Waumbek Golf Club in Jefferson, NH and nearby Maplewood Golf Club, 20 minutes away in the town of Bethlehem. Both are also Donald Ross designs.
About 45 minutes south is Owl’s Nest in Thornton, NH It’s a more modern golf destination with better overall conditions, but you’ll miss the old-school charm of Ross. Head further south and you can add Lake Winnipesaukee and another Ross course, Laconia Country Club, to your itinerary. Other public access courses worth playing in that area include The Ridge at Castle Pines in Moultonborough and Lochmere Country Club in Tilton.
How much does it cost?
As you would expect, the Omni Mount Washington it is not low-end or even budget-priced. It is a luxury resort and is priced as such. As a four-season destination, the area offers many less expensive hotels and motels.
The golf course itself uses “dynamic pricing” which, depending on your point of view, allows you to choose the price you want or inflate the prices for your preferred tee times. However, prices will fluctuate. For resort guests, prices fluctuate from $150 on weekdays to $210 on weekends. Non-resort guests will pay $175 to $230.
In comparison, Waumbek and Maplewood are usually under $100. In that light, three rounds of Donald Ross golf in the White Mountains for less than $450 sounds more digestible.
There is also a Mount Washington Unlimited Golf Package that includes resort accommodations and unlimited golf every day from the day of arrival to the day of departure. The package includes the Ross course and the surprisingly challenging nine-hole Mount Pleasant course that is also on the property. Prices for 2027 have yet to be set.
As a four-season resort, the best time to go is now, right after Labor Day and before the last week of September. Summer is over and the leaf season hasn’t started, so prices and availability will be better. The course is open until the middle to the end of October, and when the leaves turn, the views of the Presidential Range promise to be unforgettable.
MyGolfSpy Experiences: Final Verdict
Mount Washington It’s definitely not a “Bucket List” golf trip. It could be described as a “Buddy Trip” destination for New Englanders looking for a Donald Ross Northern adventure. His sweet spot, we feel, is in that “Buddy Trip/Significant Other” category. The golf is worth the trip and there are plenty of activities to keep the non-golfer entertained.
And for love, you can’t beat the scenery.
We hope you enjoyed this trip to the White Mountains. While the course Donald Ross at the Omni Mount Washington Resort & Spa Not Ross’s greatest architectural statement, it’s still a very good Ross course. His biggest achievement is that he passed the test of the resort course. It balances strategy, playability and challenge with scenery, hospitality and fun.
This, we believe, is the exact recipe the Princess was after when she hired Ross in the first place.
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