A friend lives in the northern part of Mount Washington Valley and, to be honest, one of her long-time choices has long baffled me.
Why, with so many courses within a few minutes of her home, did she choose to play regularly at Center Ossipee’s Indian Mound Golf Club? What could be so great about a place that one would drive past others great spots to play?
I found my answer in just one recent round at the club. Indian Mound Golf Club (https://www.indianmoundgc.com/) delivers a delightful blend of all the things a good golf round should be made of.
A chill and cheerful staff, meticulously maintained playing surfaces and splendid scenery. Top that off with a dollop of great dining at their on-site pub and, gosh, I can see why she makes the drive.
We chose a warm early-summer day to play at The Mound. The drive from our base camp, The Inn at Thorn Hill in Jackson (https://innatthornhill.com/), was a quick half hour and we left early enough to score an on-the-way bagel at Big Dave’s Bagels (https://www.bigdavesbagels.com/), the perfect fuel for our round.
The club sits just off busy Route 16 but as soon as you pull into the course area, you feel away from the hustle of regular life. There are lovely water views in lots of spots, from cute little ponds with vocal bullfrogs to the edge of the Bearcamp River that winds up against more than a few fairways.
Founded in 1978 and updated in 2010, it plays well. It’s walkable, but we chose a cart and were happy to find them modern and comfortable (charging ports are always a plus).
As I’d heard, the front nine plays relatively flat, with hole designs that warm you up well. The first hole looks for accuracy and the second, a par 5, gives you a chance to reach in regulation, always a boost early in a round.
The scenery draws you in. Tall pines cool you with their shade and bright floral bursts accent the course all along the way. I particularly love the flower boxes on the wooden cart bridges over the river. It’s just a lovely look.
The second nine is hillier and ups your required focus. The number one handicap 13th and then the 15th will demand precision in your drives. And the 18th? Don’t let that par 3 designation fool you: It takes enough skill that regulars feel a par is like a birdie here.
As is often the case in New Hampshire, there’s history along the way as well. First, the Mound. You’ll spot it just off the eighth hole; an eight-foot-tall, 75-foot wide mound that is thought to have been the site The Abernaki used for ceremonies and/or a solar calendar.
(While people once thought it was a burial mound, archaeologists confirmed it is not).
And for me, a skier, there’s another cool spot. The ninth hole played a big role in skiing back in the 1930s: famous Austrian ski pro Beno Rybizka used this steep fairway to teach early ski lessons at the Carroll Reed Eastern Slope Ski School located there.
Indian Mound is clearly a local favorite. Everyone seems to know one another, players and staff alike. But unlike the off-putting feel that can give one at a private club, this place feels like giant open arms ready to embrace most any golfer.
Indian Mound Golf Club in Center Ossipee, N.H., offers plenty of beauty. (Moira McCarthy photo)
Oh, and then there’s the food. The club’s onsite River’s Edge Tavern is popular for non-golfers as well. Play on a weekend and you’ll end your round with live entertainment as well.
We chose to order up hot dogs (quarter pound dog in a perfectly soft classic bun, a win) and sit outside overlooking the first tee – a chance to watch drives and relive our round in a fun spot.
Located in Center Ossipee, Indian Mound is an easy day trip for most. It’s just under two hours from Boston proper. But go and stay. There are all the other courses in the region (https://www.Golfmwv.com), the beauty of Mount Washington Valley in the summer and fall, and so many shopping and dining spots to check out.
You’ve got time: Indian Mound takes pride in opening early and staying open well into November. You can afford it, too. Rates top out at $75 for 18 holes with a cart, and drop considerably on weekdays.
Flower boxes on a bridge at Indian Mound Golf Club are a nice touch. (Moira McCarthy)