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Sterling Farms Golf Course is an 18-hole municipal course in Stamford, Connecticut, occupying 144 acres of a former dairy farm. Geoffrey Cornish designed the course in 1969, and it opened for public play in May 1972. Robert McNeil led a renovation in 2005.
The regular Black scorecard measures 6,423 yards and plays to par 72, with current listings giving a 71.5 course rating and 134 slope. Blue, White, Gold and Red alternatives shorten the course to as little as 5,402 yards. The routing follows rolling parkland and retains farm buildings from the property's earlier agricultural use.
The course is an 18-hole parkland golf course. It plays to par 72, 6,423 yards, course rating 71.5 and slope rating 134. Designed by Geoffrey Cornish, the course originally opened in 1972. It is open to the public. On-site facilities include Driving Range, Putting Green, Chipping Area, Golf Shop, Golf Lessons, Golf Club Hire, Golf Cart Hire, Pull Cart Hire, and 4 more.
The property began as agricultural land rather than a golf development. H. Golding in 1942, when the name was changed to Sterling Farms.
The push to turn the site into municipal golf began in the fall of 1965. Members of the Board of Governors of Stamford's Hubbard Heights Golf Club formed a committee led by Frank Daley to secure a second municipal course for the city. Their early effort to obtain city support stalled, but Connecticut legislation allowing creation of a municipal Golf Authority provided another route.
Stamford subsequently established a Golf Authority and purchased the 144-acre Sterling Farms property through the Open Lands program, using state and federal support intended for undeveloped land.
Geoffrey Cornish prepared the golf-course design in 1969. The resulting layout follows the property's rolling terrain rather than flattening the former farm into a uniform site. Existing agricultural buildings remain part of the setting, while changes in elevation help define many holes.
The course's four par threes are comparatively demanding, including the long 5th and 17th. The official course tour identifies the par-4 14th as the signature hole, where water affects play and positioning from the tee is important. Cornish's routing has five par fives and four par threes, producing balanced par-36 nines.
Sterling Farms opened in May 1972 as an 18-hole, 6,082-yard municipal course. Joe Bove served as its first golf professional, Joseph Gilardi as superintendent and Walter McGuire as executive director. Over subsequent decades the course was lengthened and modified, and Robert McNeil carried out a documented renovation in 2005.
The regular modern Black scorecard is approximately 6,423 yards. The wider facility also developed into a substantial year-round golf operation, including a 44-bay, double-tier driving range that is covered, heated and operated throughout the year. Practice putting and chipping areas and professional instruction were added to the golf offering.
Sterling Farms has remained closely associated with public golf in Stamford and Fairfield County rather than private-club competition. Golf Digest architecture editor Ron Whitten has cited Sterling Farms when discussing Geoffrey Cornish's body of affordable public-course work. The course also hosts the Stamford City Amateur Golf Championship, including the 2025 edition, providing a municipal championship venue for local competitive golf.
Sterling Farms remains an 18-hole public facility governed through Stamford's municipal golf system. Both city residents and non-residents can play, with resident permits and non-resident frequent-player passes providing discounted rates and earlier booking privileges. The property now combines golf with a year-round driving range, professional instruction, restaurants, tennis and Curtain Call theatre.
Despite these additions, the former dairy-farm landscape and surviving farm structures remain visible elements of the site.
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| Fee Type | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Other | ||
| Public Without Resident Permit/Player Pass – Monday-Thursday – 18 Holes Walking Before 4pm | $65 | Current standard public rate without a Stamford Resident Golf Permit or Non-Resident Frequent Player Pass. |
| Public Without Resident Permit/Player Pass – Friday-Sunday & Holidays – 18 Holes Walking Before 4pm | $75 | Current standard public rate. |
| Public Without Resident Permit/Player Pass – Monday-Thursday – 18 Holes Riding Before 4pm | $85 | Current standard public rate including riding cart. |
| Public Without Resident Permit/Player Pass – Friday-Sunday & Holidays – 18 Holes Riding Before 4pm | $95 | Current standard public rate including riding cart. |
| Public Without Resident Permit/Player Pass – Monday-Thursday – After 4pm Walking | $50 | Current standard twilight rate. |
| Public Without Resident Permit/Player Pass – Friday-Sunday & Holidays – After 4pm Walking | $55 | Current standard twilight rate. |
| Stamford Resident Permit – Monday-Thursday – Adult 18 Holes Walking Before 4pm | $42 | Requires a current City of Stamford Resident Golf Permit. |
| Stamford Resident Permit – Friday-Sunday & Holidays – Adult 18 Holes Walking Before 4pm | $45 | Requires a current City of Stamford Resident Golf Permit. |
| Stamford Resident Permit – Monday-Thursday – Senior/Junior 18 Holes Walking Before 4pm | $26 | Requires a current City of Stamford Resident Golf Permit. |
| Non-Resident Frequent Player Pass – Monday-Thursday – 18 Holes Walking Before 4pm | $45 | Requires a current Non-Resident Frequent Player Pass. |
| Non-Resident Frequent Player Pass – Friday-Sunday & Holidays – 18 Holes Walking Before 4pm | $49 | Requires a current Non-Resident Frequent Player Pass. |
| 9 hole | ||
| Public Without Resident Permit/Player Pass – Monday-Thursday – 9 Holes Walking | $50 | Nine-hole availability is restricted to specified times by the course. |
| Public Without Resident Permit/Player Pass – Friday-Sunday & Holidays – 9 Holes Walking | $55 | Nine-hole availability is restricted to specified times by the course. |
Prices are indicative and subject to change. Contact the course to confirm current rates.
| Front 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 36 |
| Yards | 364 | 520 | 327 | 350 | 224 | 444 | 390 | 205 | 370 | 3194 |
| Back 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 36 | 72 |
| Yards | 410 | 378 | 350 | 487 | 399 | 154 | 324 | 241 | 486 | 3229 | 6423 |
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