Bellmere Winds Golf Course

Bellmere Winds sits in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains, in the small hamlet of Keene in Essex County — one of the more dramatically scenic corners of upstate New York. The surrounding High Peaks region is dominated by rugged summits, clear-running streams, and a forest landscape that shifts from vivid green in summer to a blazing patchwork of color each autumn. Golf in this part of the Adirondacks is about as far from a manicured resort experience as you can get, and that's very much the point.

The course itself is a shorter, unpretentious layout that leans into its mountain setting rather than fighting it. Elevation changes are genuine, the terrain is natural and occasionally uneven, and the views into the surrounding peaks arrive without warning. It plays as a casual, community-oriented destination rather than a bucket-list test of championship golf — the kind of place locals return to not because the scorecard demands respect, but because the surroundings make every round feel worth the drive.

Keene is a gateway community for hikers and climbers tackling the High Peaks, so the golf here fits into a broader culture of outdoor recreation rather than standing apart from it. Visitors passing through for the mountains often discover the course as a welcome change of pace — trading hiking boots for golf shoes without ever really leaving the wilderness behind.