Ekwanok Country Club is a
golf course
A golf course is the grounds on which the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a tee box, a fairway, the rough and other hazards, and a green with a cylindrical hole in the ground, known as a "cup". Th ...
in
Manchester, Vermont
Manchester is a town in, and one of two shire towns (county seats) of, Bennington County, Vermont. The population was 4,484 at the 2020 census.
Manchester Village, an incorporated village, and Manchester Center are settlement centers within ...
. It was built by
Walter Travis
Walter J. Travis (January 10, 1862 – July 31, 1927) was an American amateur golfer during the early 1900s. He was also a noted golf journalist and publisher, an innovator in all aspects of golf, a teacher, and golf course architect.
Golfing ca ...
.
Early history
Ekwanok is among Walter Travis' best-known works.
The Ekwanok Country Club is very "old school," and it was Travis's first involvement in golf course architecture.
Today, it is recognized as the finest course in the Green Mountain State by Golf Digest.
Ekwanok was one of the longest courses in the country when it opened in 1899, at a mere 6,082 yards.
In 1914,
Francis Ouimet
Francis DeSales Ouimet () (May 8, 1893 – September 2, 1967) was an American amateur golfer who is frequently referred to as the "father of amateur golf" in the United States. He won the U.S. Open in 1913 and was the first non-Briton elected ...
won the
United States Amateur Championship, defeating Jerry Travers 6 & 5 in the 36-hole final. After that US Amateur Championship, Ekwanok Country Club, of its own volition, quietly withdrew from the national golf scene.
Restoration
Since 2011, the Ekwanok Club has begun a restoration of the course's original bunkers and greens, some that had been lost or modified over the years. Bruce Hepner of Renaissance Designs was hired to complete these change
Ekwanok's restoration followed many of the original principles of Walter Travis. Ekwanok preserved the unique Travis features and history of the course for the enjoyment of future generations.
Seventh hole
The most famous hole is the seventh hole, which is a par 5 playing 595 yards. It is an extremely long hole considering the time that it was built and "Travis worked with the land and the result is a uniquely memorable hole with a hill that bisects the fairway from the 300 to 370 yard mark."
References
External links
* {{official, http://www.ekwanok.com/
Golf clubs and courses in Vermont
Manchester, Vermont
1899 establishments in Vermont