Equinox Resort Golf Club
A 1926 Walter Travis classic in the valley beneath Mount Equinox, restored by Rees Jones, the historic heart of golf in Manchester and one of New England's most charming resort rounds.
Photo: The Golf Club at Equinox via Google.
The verdict
The Golf Club at Equinox is a window into golf's golden age. Walter Travis, winner of the 1900 U.S. Amateur and one of the finest architects of his era, laid out the course in 1926 in the Battenkill valley beneath Mount Equinox, and Rees Jones gave it a careful restoration in 1991, adding modern drainage, bunkering and green construction while keeping the classic character intact. The result is a par 71 of about 6,423 yards that plays as a strategic, walkable parkland course rather than a power test.
This is a round to enjoy as much for its setting and history as its challenge. The fairways roll through a tidy valley framed by the Green Mountains, the bunkering is plentiful and clever after Jones's work, and the whole experience is tied to one of Vermont's grand old resort towns. For a traveling golfer, Equinox is the elegant, accessible counterpoint to the state's high mountain courses.
Equinox Resort Golf Club at a glance
- Opened
- 1926
- Designer
- Walter Travis, restored by Rees Jones
- Type
- Classic parkland
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- About 6,423 yards
- Green fee
- From about 90 dollars
Designer and details verified June 2026: the Golf Club at Equinox was designed by Walter Travis and opened in 1926, then restored by Rees Jones in 1991, a par 71 of roughly 6,423 yards in Manchester, Vermont, beneath Mount Equinox. Indicative 2026 green fees run from around 90 dollars in the shoulder season to roughly 140 to 180 dollars at peak summer and fall foliage, cart included; fees change by season and day, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Travis was a master of strategy and a notorious genius on and around the greens, and his fingerprints remain all over Equinox. The course asks the player to think from the tee, favoring the right side of a fairway to open up an approach and punishing the lazy line with bunkers and slope. Rees Jones's restoration more than doubled the number of bunkers and rebuilt the greens, so the modern course defends par with placement and a deft short game rather than length.
The setting is a constant pleasure: the fairways sit in a gentle valley with Mount Equinox rising above and the surrounding Green Mountains framing the round. The greens are the heart of the test, true and subtly contoured in the Travis tradition, and several holes use the rolling terrain to give a classic, timeless feel. It is a course that rewards a sound game and a sense of history.
For traveling golfers, Equinox is the heritage round of a Vermont trip: a Walter Travis design beautifully restored, walkable and welcoming, and tied to one of the state's most storied resort towns.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Public resort course; open to all, with stay and play packages through the Equinox resort |
| Green fee | From about 90 dollars in the shoulder season to 140 to 180 dollars at peak, cart included, indicative 2026 |
| Booking | Book online or through the golf shop; resort guests get priority tee times |
| On the day | Walkable parkland; carts available; standard golf dress |
| Getting there | In Manchester, southern Vermont, about an hour from Albany and within reach of Boston in roughly three hours |
| Best months | Roughly May to October; summer and fall foliage are prime |
Access and fees verified June 2026; resort pricing changes by season and day, so always confirm current rates and availability directly before booking.
Where to stay nearby
The obvious base is the Equinox resort itself, the grand historic hotel in the center of Manchester, which offers golf packages and sits a short distance from the first tee. Manchester is one of Vermont's most appealing towns, with inns, restaurants and shopping, and Albany, with the nearest major airport, is about an hour away.
For a wider Vermont golf trip, Equinox pairs the heritage of southern Vermont with the best public mountain course in the state at Green Mountain National Golf Course near Killington and the high alpine drama of Stowe Mountain Club at Spruce Peak.
Looking for a base nearby? See our recommended hotels and resorts.
Build a Vermont golf trip
We arrange tee times at the Golf Club at Equinox, pair it with the best golf in the Green Mountains and book the lodging around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Equinox golf questions
Who designed the Golf Club at Equinox?
The course was designed by Walter Travis, winner of the 1900 U.S. Amateur, and opened in 1926 in Manchester, Vermont. Rees Jones restored and modernized it in 1991. It plays a par 71 of roughly 6,423 yards.
Is the Equinox golf course open to the public?
Yes. The Golf Club at Equinox is a public resort course, booked online or through the golf shop, with stay and play packages through the Equinox resort.
How much does it cost to play the Equinox golf course?
Indicative 2026 green fees run from around 90 dollars in the shoulder season to roughly 140 to 180 dollars at peak summer and fall, cart included. Rates change by season and day, so always confirm directly before booking.
What is the Golf Club at Equinox like to play?
It is a classic, walkable parkland course in the Vermont valley beneath Mount Equinox. Walter Travis's strategic design, sharpened by Rees Jones's bunkering and green work, rewards placement and a sound short game more than raw length.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year and restoration history verified June 2026; yardage and indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.