Green Mountain National Golf Course, Killington, Vermont - The State's #1 Public Golf Course for 2009, According to Golf Digest

Green Mountain National Golf Course was the state of Vermont's first municipal course, opening in 1997. The course is situated in Central Vermont in the mountains not far from the Killington Ski Area, and features some stunning vistas, including centuries-old rock formations carved by glaciers.

As a municipal course, some budget considerations went into its design, which led to the close proximity of cart paths, boulders and trees to the fairways. That has led some players and reviewers to describe the course as "infuriating,'' since tee shots must really be kept under control and in the short grass with the hazards so close by. On some holes, such as No. 12, the fairways have been described as "constricted by the cart paths.''

The 18-hole, par-72 course plays to 6,598 yards from the tips, with a USGA rating of 72.1 and a slope rating of 138. The course is carved out of the Green Mountains, and features gently sloping fairways with some generous landing areas, distinctive elevation changes and undulating greens.

The course has been said to include its fair share of stunning holes. Some of the most noteworthy include No. 2, a par-4 that plays to 412 yards. This hole features a completely blind tee shot, along with a button players must push as they're leaving the tee, lest they get hit in the head by the next foursome teeing off. Once golfers pass over the crest, the hole features a "Cape style'' with a lot of uneven lies and a fairway that curves around a pond with the green tucked behind it.

Hole No. 6 is a par-5 that plays to 510 yards and has been called "a strategic gem.'' The hole features a split fairway that forces players to choose the shorter-tighter route and greenside bunkers, or the longer but wider route with a clearer approach to the green.

On the back nine, it's been said that this is where the course really comes into its own. Hole No. 10 is a par-4 that plays to 423 yards and provides quite the view from its elevated tees. Players must tee off over rocky outcroppings to a fairway that appears about as wide as a narrow street from the tee. That's not just hyperbole, as trees and rocks line the fairway just yards from the short grass. And Hole No 16 has been described as a "jaw-dropping beauty,'' a short par-4 that plays to only 374 yards from the tips.

Since opening, Green Mountain National has received several prestigious awards, including being named by Golf Digest in 2009 as the #1 Public Golf Course in the State.

Practice facilities include a full-size driving range, large putting green and short-game area. Lessons and clinics are also available. There's also a clubhouse with is home to a golf shop and Gracie's Grille, which offers an assortment of dining choices and snacks.