Great food, great golf, and a river runs through it.
At the outer edge of town, heading down Randolph Road to the very end and turning up a short dirt road, you find one of the area’s most surprising destinations: Montague Golf Club. Tucked just far enough off the beaten path to feel like a discovery, yet only minutes from downtown, Montague offers sweeping river views, a revitalized course, and one of the most enjoyable seasonal restaurants in central Vermont.
If you have not been to Monty’s, the clubhouse restaurant, you are missing one of the region’s best kept secrets. The deck looks out over the hills, the burgers and sandwiches are local favorites, and Friday nights fill up fast with golfers and non-golfers alike. Chef Ben Bibeau returns for his second season, and a new menu is on the way, promising even more reasons to head up the hill for dinner.
Pair that with a round of golf on a historic public course, and you have a uniquely Vermont experience: good food, good company, and a landscape that feels both peaceful and alive. And with downtown just minutes away, it’s easy to turn an afternoon on the course into a full day in Randolph — whether that means catching a show, grabbing a bite, or simply enjoying the pace of a small town that has plenty to offer.
A course with a story, carried forward by its people
Montague has been part of Randolph since 1913, and its survival has never been guaranteed. During a difficult period after Hurricane Irene and the 2023 flood, Sam Sammis stepped in and kept the course operating when it was at real risk of closing. Many longtime members credit him with preserving Montague long enough for a new chapter to take shape.
That chapter began when a local partnership of Jeff Barry and the Dimmick family purchased the course. Their investment brought stability and a renewed commitment to Montague’s future. “We’re investing in the long game,” Barry said. “Better conditions, more programs, more reasons for people to come up here and feel like they belong.”
At the center of daily operations is Director of Golf Chris Curley, who grew up playing at Montague before spending years teaching golf in Arizona. When Barry asked if Curley would consider returning to run the course, he came home. He knows the course not just as Director but as someone who has walked every fairway under the pressure of competition. Curley now oversees operations, teaches players of all ages, and has helped rebuild a strong, inclusive club culture. “Golf is growing again,” he said. “We’re seeing younger players, families, and people who just want to be outside.”
(Peter Koval, Superintendent; Bill Wilkinson, eight-time club champion and Marketing Guru; Mark Hutchinson, local golf legend)
But the person who keeps the course itself alive is Superintendent Peter Koval, now in his second year at Montague. His work is less a technical assignment and more a kind of art — the practiced and intuitive craft of reading land, water, weather, and turf the way a painter reads light. Koval manages everything the public rarely sees: irrigation systems, turf health, storm recovery, tree management, and the unpredictable personality of a course that has a mind of its own.
When the new ownership decided to bring back the irrigation system — a network of pipes that had begun to disappear back into the earth after years of neglect — Koval spent weeks with metal detectors locating sprinkler heads that were, quite literally, being reclaimed by Mother Nature. He expanded and trained a grounds crew that now numbers almost a dozen, rebuilt tees, oversaw new sod, opened up long-hidden sightlines, and stabilized areas still bearing the scars of past floods. “The course is healthier than it’s been in years,” he said. “We’ve put in the work. Now it’s time for people to enjoy it.”
Montague’s story also lives through longtime members like Bill Wilkinson, an eight-time club champion and unofficial historian. Riding the course with Bill is like opening a living archive. “This place has seen a lot,” he told me. “But it keeps giving back because people keep showing up for it.” Families like the Hutchinsons and Joys have shaped the course for decades. John Joy marks his fiftieth year as a member this season.
What’s new this summer
Montague enters the 2026 season with a renewed sense of momentum, driven by the people who know the course best and see its potential clearly. Director of Golf Chris Curley says this year is about “opening the doors even wider,” creating more ways for people to play, gather, and enjoy the course. Superintendent Peter Koval echoed that feeling during our ride around the back nine, noting that “the course is healthier than it’s been in years,” thanks to months of steady work. Longtime member Bill Wilkinson added, “Every year the course tells a different story. This year, it feels like it’s telling a hopeful one.” Owner Jeff Barry emphasized the long-term vision: “Better conditions, more programs, more reasons for people to come up here and feel like they belong.” And Mark Hutchinson summed it up simply: “Montague has always been part of the heartbeat of this town. It’s good to see it thriving again.”
This season brings new programs, a refreshed course, and a restaurant that continues to grow into one of the area’s most inviting spots. Nine and Dine on Thursday evenings pairs a friendly nine-hole team round with dinner at Monty’s, something Curley expects to become “one of the most social nights of the week.” Montague's junior program has also been kick-started in the past few years, thanks in large part to the work of longtime member Andy Becker, who helped raise funds to support the program. Last year's junior clinic had close to 30 attendees, and children under 14 are free to play the course with a parent. And Montague’s active leagues remain a cornerstone of the season, with men’s leagues on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, the women’s league on Thursday evenings, and Nine and Dine rounding out the week with food, sunshine, and friendly competition.
To learn more about tee times, leagues, youth programs, or the upcoming menu at Monty’s, visit montaguegolf.com.
A place worth visiting
Though it sits tucked away, Montague has always been a Randolph treasure carried forward by the people who care about it. Thank you to everyone who has helped keep this club thriving — the owners investing in its future, the staff who keep it running, the members who return season after season, and the volunteers who show up after storms with rakes, shovels, and quiet determination. Come experience it for yourself.
Montague remains one more reason people come to visit, stay awhile, and discover what makes Randolph the Heart of Vermont.