Golden Age Upstate golf advice Ithaca-Binghampton

[jeffwarne]

Sorry about a new thread for this but I've exhausted the search capabiities of the site.
And i certainly can use this thread for future trips.

I'm heading to Ithaca next week to pick up my daughter from college and will have a morning/early afternoon free while she takes her last final.
I plan to drive up the night before after a 8 pm start from Eastern LI (LL game) so it needs to be pretty much in the Binghampton -Ithaca area to make it work. (1 1/2 -2 hours from Ithaca max-and on the south/east side).
Ithaca is about 6 hours from my house so I don't want to drive past Ithaca or well out of the way so I can get some sleep.  (as I'm driving back to LI the next day)

9 holer or 18 holer
Golden age prefereable, quirk fine, scenery a bonus, history a bonus, conditioning least important.
Public semi-private or private fine

Less interested In Cornell's RTJ course as I can pick that up spontaneously on a parent's weekend or another impromptu visit.

Thanks

[Tom_Doak]

Jeff:

I've never seen Teugega, the course on which Donald Ross lavished a lot of attention in the early 1920's after his wife passed away -- but it's in Rome, NY so probably just outside your travel circle.

In that case, my recommendation would be the Mark Twain public course in Elmira, another Ross design.  Can't say what the conditioning is like these days -- it's been 15 years since I was there -- but it's a pretty interesting course with a couple of wild greens.

[Dan Byrnes]

I am not that familiar with that area, I suspect there are some unheralded gems along the way.  One that is slightly out of the way depending on your travel route would be Otesaga in Cooperstown.  There has been discussion here on its merits of being included in the top 100.  I don't think that is the case but it's an old quirky course with lots of scenic views.  It's pretty much in town.  Also home of Baseball Hall of Fame?

If you want to go via Albany  instead of up through Bingamton there are some nice ones including one featured last year here Mohawk Golf Club.

There are a couple well regarded courses in the Binghampton area; Hiawatha Landing and Conklin Players club.  I haven't played either but Hiawatha gets nice reviews but it's not a golden ager.

There very well may be something in the Elmira, Horseheads area, that is the home of PGA player Joey Sinclair and someone else who's name escapes me.

I'll try and think of more.  While out of your way I could likely host a round in the Albany area.  I am at Normanside Cuntry Club, quirky but certainly not golden age.  I could arrange pretty much anything in the area.  Golden age would be Mohawk, Schuyler Meadows, Wolferts Roost?

Dan

[Dan Byrnes]

Jeff:

I've never seen Teugega, the course on which Donald Ross lavished a lot of attention in the early 1920's after his wife passed away -- but it's in Rome, NY so probably just outside your travel circle.

In that case, my recommendation would be the Mark Twain public course in Elmira, another Ross design.  Can't say what the conditioning is like these days -- it's been 15 years since I was there -- but it's a pretty interesting course with a couple of wild greens.

Another option is in Utica NY also somewhat beyond your travel circle unless you went all the way to Albany first and then across and down to Ithica.

Dan

http://www.yahnundasis.com/

[jeffwarne]

Jeff:

I've never seen Teugega, the course on which Donald Ross lavished a lot of attention in the early 1920's after his wife passed away -- but it's in Rome, NY so probably just outside your travel circle.

In that case, my recommendation would be the Mark Twain public course in Elmira, another Ross design.  Can't say what the conditioning is like these days -- it's been 15 years since I was there -- but it's a pretty interesting course with a couple of wild greens.

Researched Teugega already- definitely outside of my 24 hour travel cirlce but will include it in the fall when driving from Ithaca to Middlebury in the fall to visit other daughter.

Mark Twain is definitely on the radar-still a little farther west than hoping to travel but that may be the one.
edit-just mapquested-that may work - 6 hours night 1 - less than an hour from Ithaca
Conditioning a non issue.
Thanks

[Dan Byrnes]

Never played it but Corning Country Club, home of the LPGA Event for years is just beyond Elmira.  Not at all familiar with when it was built or if it has Architectual merit.

http://www.corningcountryclub.com/html/home.html

Dan

[jeffwarne]

I am not that familiar with that area, I suspect there are some unheralded gems along the way.  One that is slightly out of the way depending on your travel route would be Otesaga in Cooperstown.  There has been discussion here on its merits of being included in the top 100.  I don't think that is the case but it's an old quirky course with lots of scenic views.  It's pretty much in town.  Also home of Baseball Hall of Fame?

If you want to go via Albany  instead of up through Bingamton there are some nice ones including one featured last year here Mohawk Golf Club.

There are a couple well regarded courses in the Binghampton area; Hiawatha Landing and Conklin Players club.  I haven't played either but Hiawatha gets nice reviews but it's not a golden ager.

There very well may be something in the Elmira, Horseheads area, that is the home of PGA player Joey Sinclair and someone else who's name escapes me.

I'll try and think of more.  While out of your way I could likely host a round in the Albany area.  I am at Normanside Cuntry Club, quirky but certainly not golden age.  I could arrange pretty much anything in the area.  Golden age would be Mohawk, Schuyler Meadows, Wolferts Roost?

Dan

Thanks for the kind offer Dan.
Albany is about 4 1/2 hours for me and three more hours to Ithaca.
I need to pick her up about 2:30 in Ithaca so that wouldn't leave much time for a round that morning.
I think Mark Twain fits the bill nicely as I can do the big drive the night before, get in at 2 am(no doubt I'll be wide awake rehashing the Little League game to death ) , then play 9 amish and still get to Ithaca comfortably.

[Mike Sweeney]

I plan to drive up the night before after a 8 pm start from East LI (LL game) so it needs to be pretty much in the Binghampton -Ithaca area to make it work. (1 1/2 -2 hours from Ithaca max-and on the south/east side).
Ithaca is about 6 hours from my house so I don't want to drive past Ithaca or well out of the way so I can get some sleep.  (as I'm driving back to LI the next day)

I would drive across I-80 and up through Scranton. Stay in Scranton and play CC of Scranton in the am.  Scranton is probably 90+ minutes away from Ithaca. There is a Tilly around there too, but I forget the name, starts with "W", I think.

[jeffwarne]

That's good advice also.
I-80 would be easier at night.
we'll see how availability goes on that Thursday morning-better to have a couple choices

[Dan Byrnes]

One more suggestion is Ithaca Coutry Club.  A Geoffrey Cornish design Opened in 1910. Might fit the bill and it's right in town.

https://www.memberstatements.com/tour/tours.cfm?tourid=16371

Dan

[JNagle]

Jeff -

I would agree with many of the posts and include Valley CC (Tillinghast south of Scranton and I80).  Valley is short (6150) but full of character and excellen greens.  The original greens at Scranton are worth the drive.  You may want to look into Corning CC.  Interesting course which was built by a project foreman for Willie Park Jr. (Thomas Winton).  The course is routed nicely, relatively short but, like Valley, it has interesting greens.  I have been spending a lot of time at Seven Oaks G.C., the Colgate University course.  The course is very interesting (even though it is flat) and the original nine RTJ Sr. green are exceptional.  Roger Rulewich added the 2nd nine in the early 60's (one of his earliest courses) are do a good job of matching the original Jones greens.  Throw out conventional stereotypes of RTJ Sr., the Colgate greens are very good.  Binghamton CC (Tillie) is also worth a visit. Rochester is not too far away and you could easily loose a day or two there.  In fact you could play six Ross courses there (although not sure Oak Hill East is Ross anymore) and really study his variety.

Jim Nagle

[Ronald Montesano]

See PM about Hidden Emmet

[David_Tepper]

"One more suggestion is Ithaca Coutry Club."

Dan B. -

I seem to recall Tom Doak gives the Ithaca Country Club a very low grade in his Confidential Guide.

DT

[Tom_Doak]

"One more suggestion is Ithaca Coutry Club."

Dan B. -

I seem to recall Tom Doak gives the Ithaca Country Club a very low grade in his Confidential Guide.

DT

Dan / David:

The original Country Club of Ithaca was a Tillinghast course -- or maybe there was even a previous course, as Tillie probably didn't build his course in 1910 when the club was founded.  My mom learned to play golf on the Tillinghast course, when she worked for the Ag school after W.W. II.

Unfortunately, the University decided in the 1960's that they needed the land from the country club for expanded student housing, so they bought the property from the Country Club and enlisted Geoff Cornish to build them a brand-new course a couple of miles further north.  Most of the old Tillinghast course is now underneath North Campus and the parking lots for it.  I could never figure out if part of it was on the land that's now the back nine for the Cornell course.

[John Kavanaugh]

On my last visit to Ithaca I made my way back to Illinois through Sodus Point.  Sodus Bay Heights GC is 73 miles north on lake Ontario.  I loved the place and have always wondered why it is so overlooked.  At less than $50 it is the best value beyond free I have ever received.

http://sodusbayheights.com/

[Jim_Kennedy]

Jeff,
a few of the local guys took a golf trip to the Binghamton area last season and they couldn't get a replay at one of the courses so they went to Ely Park GC. They enjoyed their round.

I found some photos online, looks plain but pretty w/some very nice views. Here you go:
http://elyparkgolf.com/photos.html

Nice views


Even nicer view 

[Phil McDade]

Jeff:

Mark Twain thread of sorts:

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,50654.0.html

Some upstate New York possibilities here:

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,47706.0.html

And these too:
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,33244.0.html

[JNC Lyon]

Seven Oaks (Colgate University) is a bit out of the way, but it's a blast.  I've played it a couple of times…

I really like Mark Twain as well--it has a great set of Ross greens, and it is dirt cheap.

I like Hiawatha Landing as well, but I guess I would be partial to Seven Oaks and Mark Twain if I had to pick one…

[Ronald Montesano]

DSchmidt-See my PM about your rude comment.

There is good golf in the area, as JFlemma will attest...Conklin, Hiawatha and EnJoie are quite a trio of courses.

[Ronald Montesano]

Enjoie was redone by Dr. Michael Hurdzan since you last saw it, so it is a better track. My guess is that both Conky and Hiawatha were not there in the mid-1980s.

[Dan Byrnes]

See PM about Hidden Emmet

Don't want to share with the rest of us?

Dan

[Ronald Montesano]

For a Mohawk guy, Dan, anything!

Powelton Club in Newburgh. Don't know much about it, but I'd like to see it some day.

[Jay Flemma]

Yahnundasis and Teugaga.

[Jay Flemma]

Also Leatherstocking isn't far.

[Dan Byrnes]

For a Mohawk guy, Dan, anything!

Powelton Club in Newburgh. Don't know much about it, but I'd like to see it some day.

Wow never heard of it.  Pictures look nice on the website.  My regular golfing buddy lived in Newburgh for years was a prosecutor down there.  I will be asking him for more information.  Seems like a trip down is in order.

http://www.powelton.com/

Thanks

Dan