Among the many ways Tilton is similar to Concord is the presence of a golf course. Sure, Concord has two courses, but one is a members-only country club. In Tilton (technically the village of Lochmere, within Tilton), all they have is the Lochmere Golf and Country Club, and this club is open to the public.
Lochmere is certainly a picturesque course, with all kinds of changes in elevation providing a variety of pleasant views from many different areas. Surrounded by primarily woods, you’ll even see some wildlife from time to time – we spotted a handful of wild turkeys hanging out around a bunker last Wednesday.
It’s still very early in the golf season – it seems like we’ve barely had any warm, dry days at all yet this year – but the course is already in great shape (and it had better be – Mother’s Day is this Sunday, and that’s always a very busy day at Lochmere). Dan Freeman, superintendent and the guy in charge of keeping the grounds in order, has only been with the course for about a year, but he’s already learned a lot of its quirks, such as a big bump on one section of the cart path and certain areas of the course where water tends to pool.
The truth is, no matter how much work goes into getting a golf course open for the season, the work never ends. The grass still grows, branches and needles and leaves still fall off trees, turkeys still do their business (oftentimes on the greens and fairways, Freeman said), and golfers still chunk up the grass.
Luckily, Lochmere has a grounds crew of about 12 at this time, a number that grows as the season picks up and shrinks as it slows back down.
Apart from the 18-hole course, there’s a driving range, a putting green and a chipping station for you to warm up at before hitting the course. You can get a bite at the Greenside Restaurant, which is open to the public, or shop for clubs and accessories at the pro shop. If you don’t have much time, you can also just grab a quick beer and a sandwich at the 19th hole pub.
If you’re interested in getting a tee time, there are a few ways you can do it. One is by going to lochmeregolf.com. Another, newer way is to use the GolfNow app or website. GolfNow allows users to browse tee times at more than 6,000 courses – just search for the course you’re looking for and you can book right through the app.
Lochmere Golf and Country Club is located at 360 Laconia Road, Tilton. lochmeregolf.com, 528-4635.
