Hef’s Hut is a social venue that welcomes locals and out-of-area visitors alike for reasonably priced food and drinks and fun indoor entertainment […]
When Hef’s Hut opened in early 2022, it was meant to be more than just a place to grab a drink after a round. It marked a new chapter for the Great Gorge clubhouse, turning it into a social space where locals, golfers, and visitors could all feel equally at home. The ribbon cutting brought out Vernon community members, Chamber of Commerce leaders, and Great Gorge supporters, all there to celebrate the opening of a venue that was clearly designed to bring some fresh energy back to the property.
That timing mattered. Great Gorge Golf Club had already been finding its footing again, with the course itself in strong shape and drawing renewed attention. But the bar and restaurant side of the property still needed a reset. Hef’s Hut stepped into that role with a more relaxed, welcoming concept: casual food, reasonably priced drinks, and enough built-in entertainment to make it feel like a destination even if you never touched a golf club.
More than a restaurant attached to a golf course
Part of what made the opening stand out was that Hef’s Hut was never positioned as just a “19th hole.” Yes, it’s a natural post-round stop, but from day one it was also built for the Vernon crowd, families meeting for dinner, couples grabbing drinks, and groups looking for a fun place to spend a winter evening. The addition of a golf simulator, pool table, darts, and a heated patio helped give the space a year-round draw that goes beyond the course itself.
That mix still shapes the atmosphere today. On one side, you’ve got the history of Great Gorge and the old Playboy Club era. On the other, you’ve got a much more approachable local hangout: a place where someone can stop in for wings and a beer, book a private event, watch a game, or spend an hour on the simulator with friends. It’s that balance between history and everyday comfort that makes Hef’s Hut feel different from a standard golf clubhouse bar.
A local spot with a bit of Great Gorge history behind it
The name, of course, nods to Hugh Hefner, who brought the Playboy Club and Great Gorge Golf Course to Vernon in the early 1970s. That history is part of the property’s identity, but Hef’s Hut doesn’t lean on nostalgia alone. What it offers now is something much more current: a casual restaurant and social venue that makes the most of its setting, from the mountain views to the golf course backdrop, while giving locals a place that feels lively without feeling overdone.
Entertainment that gives the space its own personality
The golf simulator was one of the headline additions when Hef’s Hut opened, and it still adds something different to the overall experience. It gives golfers a way to keep the night going after the course, but it also makes the space more inviting for casual groups, work gatherings, and anyone looking for something a little more interactive than just dinner and drinks. Add in the pool table, darts, and the easy indoor-outdoor flow, and the venue starts to feel less like a restaurant with extras and more like a genuine social hub for Vernon.
Why the opening still matters
Looking back, the 2022 opening of Hef’s Hut was really about reintroducing this part of Great Gorge to the community. Not as a formal clubhouse restaurant, and not as a one-note sports bar, but as a place with a little more personality. It gave the property a more modern food-and-drink offering, created a casual space for locals to gather, and helped reconnect the restaurant side of Great Gorge with the energy the golf course had already started to rebuild.
That’s probably the clearest way to describe Hef’s Hut today. It’s not trying to be overly polished, and it’s not trading only on the past. It’s a Vernon gathering spot with some history behind it, a little entertainment built in, and enough warmth to make people want to stay for one more drink, one more round on the simulator, or one more hour on the patio.