The Links at Union Vale - Union Vale, NY designed by Stephen Kay - PICS

[Richard Hetzel]

]This morning I enjoyed an early morning round at The Links of Union Vale in Union Vale, NY. The course was designed by Stephen Kay.  The course was in great condition, I would have liked to see the greens a bit faster, not slow, but could have rolled faster for my liking. There were a few holes where you are forced (since I can't hit it 300 on the fly) to lay up off the tee, most notably #1. #1, and #2 immediately come to mind. On the front 9, you could forgo the driver until the par 5 #8 hole (if not playing the tips, which tip out at 6900 and change). This course is full of local knowledge, and it creates tomfoolery the first time around. Kay does an excellent job hiding some yardage here with mounds, high bunkers, contours and your depth perception can be easily thrown off if you have never played here. Of course, the second time around the course that doesn't work against the player for the architect. The course would be much more straight forward the second time around. Additionally, I didn't feel as if the course flowed effortlessly across the land, but many of the holes were well thought out and a few felt somewhat shoe horned in (#2, #4, #12...). I didn't care for the wimpy church pew style bunkers to the right of the green on the par 4 #17. Of course, what do I know about golf architecture, my only real golf architecture experience is that I ate breakfast with Tom Doak at Lost Dunes back in May!  Number 2 is a forced lay up par 5 (again, if you kill it it's not, but even an average hitter off the tee can get into trouble) that doesn't leave you many options and has OB stakes in between it and the #5 fairway. Not sure why they marked it as such. The par 3 #6 hole is an excellent hole as well. The #11 par 4 was the tightest hole on the course and pretty neat as such, with a huge green. Decline driver off the tee unless you are dead straight and hit the longer shot into a huge landing area/green. Lots of mounding and unmolested tall grass areas to lose your wayward shots in. The almost 600 yard par 5 #14 is a true 3 shot hole and the following 448 yard (not the back tees) par 4 along the old silos is long as well. The was one LONE "stacked sod" bunker that was out of character with the rest of the bunkers. All or none, I say!  I thought the course had some vague similarities to the Trophy Club outside Indianapolis. Overall, worth playing once if nearby. We chose it as it was equidistant from northern NJ and CT. Enjoy the pics.....

[Ronald Montesano]

I'm thinking of including this course on a junket east in July. Anybody out there with experience at Union Vale? Positives, negatives, ambivalence?

[Jay Flemma]

I like it a lot.

http://jayflemma.thegolfspace.com/?p=3020

Thumb prints and hog's backs and knoll holes.  Great place.  16 is what Kay calls a "Trinity Hole" as in a three sisters bunker complex to carry off the tee.

[Barry Stern]

Although i can't really speak to the architectural merits of the course, having played it well over 100 times, i can say that it is a lot of fun to play.  I grew up about 5 miles from the course, and I leave my NYC home at around 5 a.m. most Tuesday mornings to make the drive up there, play, have lunch with my ailing father, and then drive back to work (I start late on Tuesdays).  The course is in very good shape for a public course, and the staff is very accommodating (as a single walker they always let me out before the first foursome, which is a group of club members who claim the first tee slot).  One interesting thing about the course is that the majority of the length is in the last 5 holes, which include not one (#14) 3-shot part-5, but two (#18 for most mortals). 

[John Foley]

Big fan also. The routing has of lots of changes in direction, but there are some really well designed holes #11 with the mound in front of the green is great followed by a short / drive-able par 4 then a long demanding par 5.

I would recommend that it's a place well worth seeking out.

[Troy Alderson]

Kay was my GCA instructor on Rutgers and he was/is very passionate about teaching and, IMHO, one of the pioneers of modern classic designs that we talk about here.  His layout at the Links of ND at Red Mike Resort is one of my favorites.

[Troy Alderson]

Kay was my GCA instructor on Rutgers and he was/is very passionate about teaching and, IMHO, one of the pioneers of modern classic designs that we talk about here.  His layout at the Links of ND at Red Mike Resort is one of my favorites.

To continue, the course looks old, like it has been there for 100 years.  I like that.  I appreciate the lack of trees on the course, using the trees for aesthetic reasons outside the course.  The sod face bunkers are a nice touch.  I often wonder about the maintenance costs to maintain sod faced bunkers, having to rebuild them every few years depending upon play.  Union Vale appears easy to navigate since the holes are open from the tee.  I can't tell if there are any blind shots, which I do not dislike, I just try to avoid them.  At Reames we have a par 4 18th with a long iron blind approach shot to an elevated green, interesting and fun if you par or happen to birdie.