About Hooper Golf Course
George Levi Hooper’s will left his property at the top of Prospect Hill Road, known as Meeting House Farm, to the Town of Walpole. The trust he established stipulated that an institute be formed to provide programs in the fields of agriculture, forestry, botany, soils, and environmental science for Walpole’s youth. A new Colonial-style building, The Hooper Institute, was built on the site of the old meeting-house, across the street from the old Watkins Tavern.
The Hooper Golf Club (named in honor of Mr. and Mrs. George L. Hooper) was formed on June 26, 1926. The club proposed to the selectmen (Trustees of the Trust) to lease part of the property to build a golf course. A special meeting was held on July 10, 1926, and the proposal was accepted. The old Watkins Tavern became the clubhouse when the course officially opened at 10:00 am on July 2, 1927. Dinner was served at the clubhouse to 130 guests, who then danced away the evening. Recently, Ron Whitten, Golf Digest Architecture Editor, ranked the Hooper Golf Course as number 11 on his list of the twenty-five best 9-hole golf courses in America.
via the Walpole Clarion
Internationally Ranked ~ Community Driven ~ Perfectly Playable
Internationally Ranked
There are a lot of golf courses in the world but there are very few that have received the same level of recognition and praise as the Stiles and Van Kleek designed, Hooper Golf Course. Hooper has been ranked by various golf magazines, institutions, and golf luminaries on both the national and international stage. Hooper is consistently ranked in the top fifteen for 9 hole courses in America, and as high as #2 in the view of internationally acclaimed golf architect, Tom Doak. In his Confidential Guide to Golf, Volume 3, Doak said this about Hooper’s opening holes: “I racked my brain trying to think if I’d ever seen a better pair of opening holes and in the moment, anyway, I could think of none.” Hooper was recently ranked 7th in America in the excellent 2018 book, The Finest Nines, by Anthony Pioppi and in Golf Magazine internationally rankings of 9 hole courses, Hooper came in at #13. Whether it is Always Time for Nine’s, golf course of the year as it was in 2021, or when The Golfers Journal hosted an event at Hooper and golfers flocked from all across America, Hooper’s reputation continues to grow on the national and international stage; Hooper GC is… Internationally Ranked.
Community Driven
Walpole, New Hampshire is truly a special place. A classic New England village, at one point the home to authors such as Louisa May Alcott and James Michener; Currently it is home to Burdick’s Chocolates, acclaimed filmmaker Ken Burns, Hooper Golf Course. When Hooper fell on tough times financially in the late 2000’s the future was uncertain, and the beautiful rolling hills/fairways of Hooper went up for sale. Rumors of condominiums or private homes stirred the community into action; through donations large and small the Monadnock Conservancy was able to place the golf course and surrounding areas under a conservation easement, thus guaranteeing the land would remain undeveloped. Over the next three years Hooper was maintained by a group of volunteers on a shoe string budget and in 2018 long-time Walpole resident Fred Dill bought the golf course, Watkins Tavern, and surrounding land to ensure Hooper’s survival as a golf course. In 2019 twenty-six local community members came together to purchase Hooper. Over the last three years the diverse group of owners have utilized their talents and sweat equity, along with the work of Hooper’s top notch grounds crew, and have not only revived Hooper, but allowed Hooper to grow & thrive. Along with the loyal support of Hooper’s members and Walpole residents, Hooper is truly, Community Driven.
Perfectly Playable
Golf can be hard. However, Hooper strikes the perfect balance of challenging and attainable, and most importantly fun! Scratch golfers will relish the unique questions the undulating greens and angles of the fairways ask. Beginners will enjoy the wide fairways, options for playing the ball on the ground onto the green, and everyone will appreciate the friendly and accommodating Pro Shop staff and members. Our Friendly tees, which cut the distance of each hole by about half, cater to beginners and those looking to enjoy a shorter route to the greens. For those looking to play 18 holes Hooper has White tees for the front and separate Blue tees for the back, as well as Red and Gold Forward tees. Hooper’s architectural design, tees for every skill level, friendly and welcoming faces make any round at Hooper Perfectly Playable.