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Beau Welling’s Stowe Country Club Revamp Signals New Vermont Golf Era

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Beau Welling’s Stowe Country Club Revamp Signals New Vermont Golf Era


Vermont might be best known for its breathtaking ski resorts when it comes to outdoor pursuits, but the golf offerings in the historic community of Stowe are now better than ever with the recently completed redesign of the Stowe Country Club by architect Beau Welling and his team.

The transformation at the course, set on a former dairy farm with views of the Green Mountains, firmly establishes Stowe as one of New England’s top 36-hole golf destinations.

The wide open and walkable nature of Stowe CC complements the ruggedness and dramatic elevation changes at The Mountain Course at Spruce Peak just minutes up the road, with both courses accessible by guests staying at The Lodge at Spruce Peak as well as members of The Club at Spruce Peak.

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“This project honors the history of the course while reimagining it for the next generation, creating a place where members, guests, and local residents can gather to enjoy the landscape, the sport, and the shared experiences that define this region,” said Sam Gaines, who is the president of Mt. Mansfield Company, the ownership group behind Stowe Country Club, and lives in the town with his wife and three children.

Stowe CC has transitioned from a public facility to a private club (with the limited guess access) as part of the redevelopment, which reflects a broader vision for the area as a four-season mountain destination. Also in the plans are a new clubhouse, expanded dining, racquet sports, fitness and wellness activities, and additional recreational offerings.

But improving the golf course was the first step in that evolution and the results are the culmination of a process that started more than a decade ago when Gaines first invited Welling to see the property. The two had met at gatherings of the Urban Land Institute, which puts a focus on the environment in transforming communities, and Gaines was eager to have Welling offer advice on what needed to be done most urgently on “175 acres in the middle of the most affluent and amazing historic town” in Vermont.

Welling, who for years has worked with Tiger Woods and his design team, traces his New England ties back to his days playing for the Brown University golf team in Rhode Island.

“I could see the potential, almost immediately, of how special an environment this place is,” said Welling. “But when we first started talking about this project, I think it was more of a dream.”

Full Redesign

Early efforts included Welling redesigning two greens encumbered by wetlands and other issues. But the scope of the project expanded dramatically after the pandemic, as golf surged in popularity.

Around 2022, Welling started to put together a full 18-hole redesign plan for Stowe Country Club, which had long been a welcoming and community-focused public course. It was popular in a hybrid community of sorts that brought together a diverse mix of year-round residents, seasonal residents, and tourists – whether for ski season or during the spring, summer and fall (peak leaf-change season) months.

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When the work started on the first nine holes in 2024, the breadth of the project continued to grow, becoming much more than new green complexes.

Today’s finished product includes complete reconstruction of all greens and tees, a reshaping and regrading of all fairways, modernization of the bunkers, upgraded irrigation and drainage systems, and a full re-grassing of premium bentgrass across greens, tees and fairways.

Several holes were changed significantly, notably the 13th and 15th holes, and a new comfort station – the Sugar Shack – has been added between the 5th and 14th tees. Hundreds of non-native pine trees were removed from the course itself, with about 150 new ones planted on its perimeter. The removal of the interior trees opened views of the surrounding mountains, including Mt. Mansfield, and the addition of waving fescue grasses to replace them helps better frame the holes.

For Welling, the overall focus was on improving playability, variety, strategy, and aesthetics.

“It feels like the sort of classic Northeast golf course, with rolling topography, distinctive bunkering, challenging greens contours, fescue grasses,” said Welling. “The environment feels classic and special to me.”

A secondary club logo, a flying cow, is a nod to the property’s history.

An Artistic Process

For Gaines, who’s worked in private equity and real estate for well over a decade and was accustomed to executing strategic plans with little deviation, the artistic process of an evolving golf course redesign was something he said he had to “hold onto my seat” for. Especially if it involved the relocation of an entire green complex. He joked that part felt “a little bit building the airplane while you’re flying it, but it’s also pragmatic problem solving. And that’s what you’re after.”

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The initial response to the course changes and broader project have been overwhelmingly positive.

More than 200 new members have been added at Stowe Country Club and The Club at Spruce Peak, many of them coming from the Boston and New York areas.

And for those looking to travel to Vermont for golf (and any number of other outdoor activities) rather than skiing, Stowe and The Mountain Course are both accessible through stay-and-play packages in guestrooms, suites and private residences at the luxurious Lodge at Spruce Peak.

While the Mountain Course remains a wild ride, climbing and diving across elevations of about 1,800 feet, Stowe Country Club in the valley is drastically different – and now better than ever.

“For the most part, we left the topography the way it is, because it’s naturally undulating,” said Gaines. “There are golf course developers who will pay $40 million to end up with this result. The only difference is they start with a flat site.”



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2026 Vermont Primary Results: Live Data Visualization

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2026 Vermont Primary Results: Live Data Visualization


BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Dive into several contested races for party nominations statewide and see the town-by-town results in the maps below. Maps are ordered by office in order by federal, state, and local.

In a primary election, candidates run against others from the same party in order to secure their party’s nomination in the general election. In many races, only one party has a contested nomination where the other is running uncontested. Uncontested primary races are not included.

Roll over the towns and cities with your pointer to see specific data, or tap if on mobile.

Data for these maps is provided by the Vermont Secretary of State’s Office, and all information is considered unofficial until certified by the Secretary of State’s Office.

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Copyright 2026 WCAX. All rights reserved.



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Spending surges in Chittenden County state’s attorney race

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Spending surges in Chittenden County state’s attorney race


Video shows inside new Winooski VT library space

The Onion City’s library reopened last month in a temporary location downtown. See what’s new and what’s similar.

  • Franklin Country prosecutor Bram Kranichfeld is challenging incumbent Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George in a race that has become a referendum on progressive prosecuting.
  • Kranichfeld has raised $150,567 and spent $144,913 as of latest campaign finance numbers, far more than George, who has raised $51,390 and spent $34,651.
  • Overall, Vermont candidates running in primary elections this year have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars as they vie for people’s votes on Aug. 11.

The Chittenden County state’s attorney primary has seen an unusually high level of spending this year, with challenger Bram Kranichfeld shelling out more than quadruple what Sarah George has spent in a race that’s become a referendum on progressive prosecuting.

Kranichfeld has raised $150,567 and spent $144,913, as of the latest campaign finance numbers. George, meanwhile, has raised $51,390 and spent $34,651.  

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Kranichfeld, who is currently Franklin County’s top prosecutor, has cast himself as the tougher-on-crime candidate of the two Democrats. He argues that George’s more outright progressive approach to law enforcement — which includes not pursuing charges from non-criminal traffic stops and is meant to stem systemic racial and economic inequalities — has made Burlington less safe. George, who is seeking a third term, has refuted this criticism, telling the Burlington Free Press that she is “smart on crime” rather than “soft” and pointing to how her office has prioritized going after drug dealers, not individual users.

George has beat similar challengers before, including police-backed Ted Kenney in 2022. But there was less money in that race on the whole: She spent $48,149, while Kenney spent $62,400. 

Whoever wins the Democratic primary is all but certain to be the next state’s attorney in Vermont’s highest-population county. There are no candidates in the Republican primary.

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Who has spent the most money in VT elections?

Overall, Vermont candidates running in primary elections this year have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars as they vie for people’s votes on Aug. 11. Here are numbers for some of the key Vermont races, according to Vermont’s campaign finance system and the Federal Election Commission.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Aly Richards leads all Vermont candidates in fundraising this year, having raised $453,124 and spent $346,713.

Her primary opponent, Amanda Janoo, has raised $307,945 and spent $257,761.

Incumbent Republican Gov. Phil Scott, who faces no Republican opponents, has raised $127,839 and spend $37,204. However, he has $309,363 in the bank from past campaigns.

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Lieutenant governor race

In the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor, former congressional aide Ryan McLaren leads fundraising with $409,854. He has spent $292,791.

Former Lt. Gov. Molly Gray follows with $336,032 raised and $247,909 spent.

Esther Charlestin, a gubernatorial nominee in 2024, is far behind with $38,541 raised and $37,753 spent.

In a July 21 University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll, Gray led with 39%, followed by McLaren at 11% and Charlestin and 9%.

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The winner of the primary will face Republican Lt. Gov. John Rogers, who has raised $89,124 and spent $65,282.

Vermont’s U.S. House seat

In Vermont’s one at-large Congressional district, two Republicans are running in the primary to challenge Democrat Rep. Becca Balint.

Gerald Malloy, who led in the UNH poll, has also raised the most money, according to FEC reports. He has raised $58,279, while Mark Coester has raised $36,038.

Both trail Balint in hypothetical matchups, and she has much more money in the bank: $956,338.

Reporters Corey Arwood and Megan Stewart contributed reporting.

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Scott and officials describe work and goals of AI Task Force

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Scott and officials describe work and goals of AI Task Force


MONTPELIER — Gov. Phil Scott and other officials gave an update on the work of the Vermont AI Task Force at a press conference last week.

In May, he signed an executive order creating the Vermont Artificial Intelligence Economic Task Force, which is a two-year body charged to assess how artificial intelligence is reshaping the state’s economy and recommend specific actions.

“AI isn’t something that’s years away. It’s here. It’s already changing how businesses operate and the skills employers are looking for,” Scott said. “So as a result of this new technology I believe we need to do our homework, understand how it can help us while also addressing some of the challenges that come with it.”

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To do this he appointed 18 Vermonters to serve on the AI Task Force, representing almost every county in the state, as well as many of the sectors likely to be most impacted by AI. These include government, healthcare, energy and education.

We may not realize it, but most of us have used AI at some point, Scott said.

“And while it can help us to be more efficient, there are also some important questions we must ask ourselves: How will AI impact Vermont’s workforce? How do we balance innovation and technology without compromising trust? And most importantly, what can we do to make sure that rural Vermont isn’t left behind?” he said. “It’s questions like these that are framing the work of the task force and subcommittees. One of our strengths is our size. We’re a small state, which means we should be nimble and collaborate more effectively to solve problems, which gives us an opportunity to lead.”

The task force is studying where AI is already impacting the state’s economy, where the biggest opportunities lie, where the state is vulnerable, and what actions the state should be taking to help workers, businesses and communities succeed.

“It’s no secret Vermont is an expensive place to live, which is why we should look at this tool and do our part to make sure Vermont can compete with other states by creating jobs, supporting employers, and building homes so working-age families will move here, and those already here can afford to stay,” Scott said. “If we approach this the right way, which I believe we are, we’ll learn a lot and be better off for the work of this group.”

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Neale Lunderville, a former state official and president and CEO, Vermont Gas, is one of the chairs of the task force.

“The task force takes a people-first approach to AI. And what that means is, how do we use AI to free people up, to give them more time to do the things that humans do best, to do the things that only people can do, in their lives, in their businesses, in their communities,” he said. “This is the test as we look at all the impacts and opportunities. Are we able to give folks back time that they can have to build human relationships that make our community and our state stronger?”

He said the effort is taking a “clear eyed” view of AI, looking at impacts and seeing how to manage or mitigate them. On the other hand, the goal is to accelerate opportunities, particularly for small businesses and rural areas, to create tools that Vermonters can use in a people-first approach.

The task force has three working groups: economic acceleration, small business competitiveness, and community resilience. The last group “will be looking at how we can use AI to help our rural communities build more vibrant places.

“Again, how can we use the tools of AI to help bring time back to people in these areas and actually create more collaboration and cohesion?” Lunderville said. “When we look at all three of these working groups, small businesses and rural areas, we want to make sure we’re using AI tools to create more agency for Vermonters. … instead of letting AI have agency over us.”

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Simplify state services

Denise Reilly-Hughes, secretary, Agency of Digital Services emphasized the importance of reducing government complexity for Vermonters. AI will help simplify government services, making them easier to navigate and more trustworthy. The task force will identify practical opportunities to improve state government outcomes using AI. The goal is to shift the burden of complexity from Vermonters to the government, ensuring better service delivery.

“Artificial intelligence has obviously captured the public’s attention. For me, this work is more about something that’s much bigger than technology itself. It’s about how government delivers and serves its people,” she said. “Today, too much of the complexity of government rests on Vermonters. People are expected to know which agency to call, which program they qualify for, or where to begin when they’re facing important moments in their lives.

“So, the burden of complexity actually belongs with government, not with Vermonters. That is the opportunity that we’re taking advantage of in the task force here, and that’s the opportunity before us,” she added. “AI gives us the ability to help reduce that complexity, but we have to do it intentionally, and we have to do it responsibly, and in the service of better outcomes for Vermonters.”

Member from SVMC

The task force includes Stefanie McGowan, a nurse practitioner at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center.

The other members are Brian Bradke, president and CEO, Norwich University Applied Research Institutes; Tayt Brooks, secretary, Agency of Commerce and Community Development; Rick Daniell, senior change manager, Randstad Enterprise; Kirk Dombrowski, vice president for research and economic development, University of Vermont; Matt Dunne, president and CEO, Center on Rural Innovation; Jennifer Galfetti, chief operating officer, Union Mutual; Renée Grzankowski, chief operations officer, Vermont Economic Development Authority; Lunderville; Cass Madison, executive director, Center for Civic Futures; Marc Natanagara, co-founder and executive director, aiVermont; Josiah Raiche, chief data and artificial intelligence officer, Agency of Digital Services; Reilly-Hughes; Dan Smith, president and CEO, Vermont Community Foundation; Kendal Smith, commissioner, Vermont Department of Labor; and AnGayle “AJ” Vasiliou, professor, Middlebury College.

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