Monadnock Country Club is open for the season

By ROWAN WILSON

Monadnock Ledger-Transcript

Published: 05-23-2022 1:06 PM

Golf season is underway, and Monadnock Country Club in Peterborough has opened its greens and sold its first memberships.

Bob Taylor is operating the business on the High Street property that the MacDowell artist residency owns.

Taylor was a member at Hilltop last year, the business Annie Card owned and ran on the property from 2017 through the 2021 season. He spent last season getting back into the sport.

“We were here three to four times a week. I just loved it,” he said. 

Card was hoping to sell the business, but ultimately was unable to. 

“While I am disappointed that it worked out this way, I am happy the course is open,” she said. “Bob Taylor purchased a few mowers and other equipment; I sold the remainder to others.” 

Taylor had been interested in purchasing the golf course business in the fall. After Hilltop closed, he established a relationship with MacDowell directly.

“I didn’t want to be driving by it the rest of my life wondering,” he said.

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This year, his focus will be getting the greens in good shape, and he’s waiting on a food and liquor license for the clubhouse.

Monadnock Country Club is the original name, dating back to 1901 when the course first opened. It’s a 32-acre area with a nine-hole course. Card explained that it’s unusual to find a “golf course with trees all around it and no houses or condos.” She said it’s an “old-school golf course.” The greens aren’t huge, it’s hilly, short enough for beginners but challenging and rugged enough for experienced golfers.

It hasn’t been easy to keep the course open. Card said that in 2016 the club, then a nonprofit run by a board of directors, had to close for good. They were in too much debt and had to file for bankruptcy. In 2017, a group of three locals reopened the course and got people playing again with volunteers working to keep the grounds in shape, but they didn’t want to extend the lease through the winter, so the future was again uncertain.

Card had helped them manage that season and said, “I had a good idea what it would take to make it a viable business.” So she decided to sign onto the lease in October of 2017 and started Hilltop. For years, Card said she worked hard, long hours to build up the golf course, even during the pandemic when she had no idea what to expect. Events took a major hit, but Card explained that golf was actually an excellent pandemic activity and interest in the sport grew as people searched for safe outdoor recreation and socialization.

“It was with the goal of making the business profitable and positioning it for its next chapter with an owner who would commit for the long haul,” Card explained.

And she did make it profitable, improving the grounds and bringing back members. Events were on the rise before COVID, as well.

“After four years, I had reached my original goal, and it was time to move on,” Card said.

Resident director of MacDowell David Macy said, “I’m thankful to Annie Card for having saved the golf course from the precipice. Everyone who wants to play golf owes her a debt of gratitude.”

This year, Taylor is hoping to get events back up and running. He said getting the event hall ready to host is a priority. He’s expecting to have weddings, meetings, maybe people coming to watch Patriots games.

“I really hope that it’s like it used to be when I was growing up,” he said.

Macy explained that “the event space historically meant a lot to a lot of people. Events are going to be back and that space is primed to be important to the community. The golf course has been a good neighbor to MacDowell for 100 years. I’m excited to see it grow.”

“I purchased my membership and look forward  to seeing friends and neighbors out enjoying this wonderful golf course,” Card said. “Members have always been the lifeblood of this club,” and she’s “wishing all the best for the future  of Monadnock Country Club.”

For Taylor, this business is  a family commitment. His children, wife and extended family are all going to be involved. 

“We’re going to be here every day,” he said and is excited about the season and the opportunity to  run the business. 

Monadnock Country Club’s membership rates and additional information can be found at monadnock.golf. Taylor can be reached over email at robert@monadnock.golf or by phone at 603-924-7769.

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