Insight on a golf trip to New York (from Michigan)...

[Brian Cenci]

I'm taking a trip toward the end of August with fellow GCA'r Dave Neveux and wanted to get some insight and comments on our ten day trip as to if there are any courses we should be playing in the area rather than the ones we are.  Everyone's been so helpful with suggestions in the past that have led to some nice hidden gems.  This is the order in which we're playing.  Any suggestions on night life or local bars in these areas would also be appreciated.

*Inverness Golf Club
Toledo, Ohio

*Muirfield Village Golf Club (??still in the air??)
Dublin, Ohio

*Olde Stonewall Golf Club
Ellwood City, Pennsylvania

*Saratoga National Golf Club
Saratoga Springs, New York

*Bethpage State Park – Red
Farmingdale, New York

*Bethpage State Park – Black
Farmingdale, New York

*Galloway National Golf Club
Galloway, New Jersey

*Bulle Rock
Havre de Grace, Maryland

*Beechtree Golf Club
Aberdeen, Maryland


-Brian
 

[SPDB]

Brian - This sounds like a really interesting trip. The architecture is bound to be varied, as you are only repeating architects once. With the exception of Muirfield Village, Olde Stonewall and Beechtree and Saratoga Nat'l, I've played the others on your list, and I think you'll have a really fun time if you try to look at each course and how it fits in the overall group. It will be nice experiment.

If cost of play isn't too prohibitive, you might want to try Atlantic City Country Club around the time you play Galloway, and maybe Hidden Creek too, if its doable. Also, between Olde Stonewall and Saratoga, there is an interesting Ross course (Tegeuga) and an Emmett (Leatherstocking) that can be achieved either publicly, or without too much arm twisting. Lastly, you might want to try Taconic after you play Saratoga, which is just across the border into Massachusetts (in Williamstown). Beside that, I have nothing else of substance to add.

[Mark Arata]

I will add a resounding second to both Leatherstocking and Atlantic City, both great little courses and a ton of fun to play.

Just make sure you bring an ample supply of bug spray for the back nine at Atlantic City, the horseflies there are the size of small birds, but the golf course is well worth the pain.

We only got to play nine holes (front) at Beechtree, they were very interesting, but the monsoon that hit forced us to call it a day.

Sounds like a great trip, have fun.

[Brian Cenci]

Mark, is Atlantic City Country Club private?  I definetly looked at this course though when planning the trip.

-Brian

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Brian

Atlantic City CC is now public. Weekday rates are about $175.

Steve

[JMorgan]

Brian,

Another public Ross course close to Saratoga Springs (about 30 min. north) is the Sagamore.  

Leatherstocking is certainly an historic must in the region, plus you get the Baseball Hall of Fame; but it may be too far off your trail at almost 2hrs from Saratoga.  

 

[cary lichtenstein]

Add Hudson National, Plainfield and Aronmick

[Brian Cenci]

Cary,
     Being privates, Plainfield turned us down, also Hudson National did as well.  We did not write Aronimink, so I don't know if we could play it or not...but the course looks great.

-Brian

[Jay Cox]

I wholeheartedly agree with SPDB's Taconic recommendation.  It's a fantastic course and, from what I know (having only played the Bethpage courses and Beechtree of the ones you listed), an excellent complement to the other courses you're playing on your trip.

I also would recommend Yale as a stopover on the Saratoga-to-Long Island leg.   It's only a little bit (maybe an hour, max) out of the way on that drive.  

I'm glad to see you decided to play the Red.  Well worth it, I think.

[John Foley]

Brian,

If your heading from Pittsburgh to LI for Bethpage you've got many better choices than Sartoga National. Teuguga & Yanandasis are the two better privates in that area. The other place to check out is The courses at Turning Stone Casino. If you want to hit Saratoga in August for the horses and looking for a place to play golf & has the change to spare, then it might be OK.

One word of caution, there was some serious flooding in the area and not sure how Leatherstocking made out. I would call them. En Joie in Binghamton was hit very bad. I'd highly recomend Hiawatha Landing west of Binghamton, but I'm pretty sure they got some damage, but don't know for sure.

Heading from Saratoga to LI I owuld look at Branton Woods off RT 84 near Poughkeepsie. Very good public course which goes private this fall.

[Tom Roewer]

Brian:  I know it's a harder ticket, but did you try to get on The Golf Club instead of Muirfield?  

[Matt_Ward]

Brian:

Time is short now for me to provide total detail but do yourself a mega favor -- skip Olde Stonewall. Extremely overrated IMHO.

If you need a Pittsburgh area layout try Bird's Foot north east of town or if you are heading via I-70 stop at Oglebay State Park in Wheeling , VA and play either the original Trent Jones layout or the new AP layout -- the former is my first choice.

In fact, if you head via I-70 stop by the Zanesville, OH area and play the Hurdzan / Fry layout ay Eaglesticks. Well done layout on a very small piece of property. Some have panned it here on GCA -- I think it's well worth playing and quite affordable.

[Brian Cenci]

Tom,
     We tried contacting The Golf Club...no dice.  Out East courses don't really recipricate as well as the out west and midwest courses I've found.

Matt,
     Thanks for the note on Olde Stonewall.  I don't really hear much about it other than what is from the national magazines as far as best publics in Pennsylvania.  But, from what I've read on the site I knew there were some better public options in the Phili or Pennsylvania area.

-Brian

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