Derryfield Country Club

Derryfield Country Club occupies rolling terrain in Manchester, New Hampshire's largest city. The course was designed by Wayne Stiles and John Van Kleek, a prolific New England partnership active primarily in the 1920s and 1930s. Stiles, who studied landscape architecture at Harvard, collaborated with Van Kleek on dozens of courses across the region, bringing a naturalistic design philosophy that emphasized working with existing landforms rather than imposing artificial features. Their work at Derryfield reflects this approach, routing holes across varied elevations and through mature woodlands characteristic of southern New Hampshire. The layout takes advantage of the property's natural contours, with elevation changes that create strategic interest and require thoughtful club selection. Tree-lined fairways define playing corridors, and the design incorporates traditional elements common to courses of its era—modest greens with subtle undulation, bunkers positioned to challenge both tee shots and approaches, and a straightforward routing that allows golfers to walk the course comfortably. The setting provides views of the surrounding Manchester area while maintaining a sense of seclusion within the property's wooded boundaries. Derryfield functions as a private club serving the Manchester community. Like many Stiles and Van Kleek designs, the course has likely seen modifications over the decades to accommodate modern equipment and maintenance practices, though the fundamental character of the routing and the integration with the natural landscape remain central to the experience.