Hooper Golf Course Information

George Levi Hoopers will left his property at the top of Prospect Hill Road, known as Meeting House Farm, to the Town of Walpole. The trust he established stipulated that an institute be formed to provide programs in the fields of agriculture, forestry, botany, soils and environmental science for Walpoles youth. A new Colonial-style building, The Hooper Institute, was built on the site of the old meeting house, across the street from the old Watkins Tavern. The Hooper Golf Club (named in honor of Mr. and Mrs. George L. Hooper) was formed June 26, 1926. The club proposed to the selectmen (Trustees of the Trust) to lease part of the property to build a golf course. A special meeting was held July 10, 1926, and the proposal accepted.The old Watkins Tavern became the clubhouse when the course officially opened at 10:00 am July 2, 1927. Dinner was served at the clubhouse to 130 guests, who then danced away the evening. Recently, Ron Whitten, Golf Digest Architecture Editor, ranked the Hooper Golf Course as number 11 on his list of the twenty-five best 9-hole golf courses in America.