Goat Hill- Some Pictures and Thoughts

[John Ezekowitz]

I was lucky to have the opportunity to play Goat Hill, aka Shelter Island Country Club, on a beautiful afternoon last week. My friend and I were the only players on this quirky nine-hole gem. Goat Hill reminds me of the Cotswolds courses that Sean Arble has highlighted so expertly here.


The course is routed over a very small piece of extremely hilly land. Seven of the nine greens, and four of the six non-par 3 tee shots are blind. The greens are some of the smallest I have ever seen on a course. I am fairly confident that only the greens are watered. The course is "only" 2600 yards (par 33), but presents a varied challenge to even the best golfers.

Goat Hill is not the best golf course I have ever played, but it is one of the most fun. It forces the player to hit a variety of running shots that are not usually found on courses in America. The 9th hole is a stunning par 3 that would be a credit to the vast majority of courses. Most importantly for me, my friend, a very occasional golfer, and I had a fantastic afternoon on a fun and interesting course.

Without further ado, some pictures (I hesitate to call it a photo tour because I only have pictures of some of the holes).

Looking back up the first (330 yard par 4) fairway:


The fourth hole is an Alps-like Par 3.5 of 226 yards. The golfer is presented with this ridge from the tee:


When he reaches the top, he sees a sharp drop off down to a tiny green:


The green is a semi-punchbowl. This flag was cut on perhaps the steepest slope I have ever seen pinned:


The 5th is a 160-yard downhill par 3 to a green sloping disquietingly from left to right:


The 6th is a 180-yard par 3 that is played across a flat field which abruptly dips about 8 feet in front of the green. This makes the tee shot blind except for the top of the flagstick. The green is the smallest on the course, and is probably smaller than 2000 square feet:


The 8th presents the 2nd punchbowl green of the course, and my favorite approach shot. After a blind drive, a golfer who has driven far enough right will be presented with a view similar to this one of a green built up against the slope of the hill:


The 9th was my favorite hole on the course. It is a 200-yard par 3 playing from high ground to high ground to a green benched into a steep hill upon which the clubhouse is perched. The low marker will have to hit an excellent shot to find the putting surface.


Overall, I had a great time at Goat Hill. It is the antithesis of what one thinks of for golf on Eastern Long Island, yet provides a unique golfing experience.

[jeffwarne]

John,
I see you are a man of taste

The more one plays The Goat, the more one appreciates angles, due to the width of playing corridors and tilt in the greens.

It's best played when firm and fast ,which is nearly always, but in the spring grass tends to grow tallish making the running approaches tricky on the firm "turf" when approaching the greens which nearly all run away.
2 and 7 are pretty stern holes, with the running approaches very difficult to judge, esp. for newbies.

Played 45 holes there Tuesday.
Very interesting to see The Goat and The Bridge on the same page , the two courses I spend the most time at.
Bump a couple Southampton and Palmetto threads and I'd have a GCA grand slam going

[jeffwarne]

Bump

Springtime images of The Goat to tie in with other thread
Note picture and putting comments on #4 green (which I left out)

Not smart enough to present as a link

[BCowan]

Jeff,

  I am glad that you have another admirer of the goat.  John did a great job with this tour.  Jeff, do you prefer non irrigated fairways now with so many rounds at the goat.   

[jeffwarne]

Jeff,

  I am glad that you have another admirer of the goat.  John did a great job with this tour.  Jeff, do you prefer non irrigated fairways now with so many rounds at the goat.  

Ben,
If I owned The Goat, I would be thrilled to have secret irrigation that i would  use at night ONLY if the fairways approached dust,which is the only thing that occasionally slows them down

[BCowan]

Jeff,

  I am glad that you have another admirer of the goat.  John did a great job with this tour.  Jeff, do you prefer non irrigated fairways now with so many rounds at the goat.  

Ben,
If I owned The Goat, I would be thrilled to have secret irrigation that i would only use at night if the fairways approached dust,which is the only thing that occasionally slows them down

I am very surprised I figured you were more into removing cart paths if you owned it.  I was possibly wondering your thoughts on tree removal and more fescue?  How did the new keeper do his first year?  Did anyone break the course record?

[jeffwarne]

Jeff,

  I am glad that you have another admirer of the goat.  John did a great job with this tour.  Jeff, do you prefer non irrigated fairways now with so many rounds at the goat.  

Ben,
If I owned The Goat, I would be thrilled to have secret irrigation that i would  use at night ONLY if the fairways approached dust,which is the only thing that occasionally slows them down

I am very surprised I figured you were more into removing cart paths if you owned it.  I was possibly wondering your thoughts on tree removal and more fescue?  How did the new keeper do his first year?  Did anyone break the course record?

I would relocate a few cart paths that route carts in front of greens, but certainly wouldn't remove them.
It's not called Goat Hill for no reason

[Ronald Montesano]

Jeff,
  I am glad that you have another admirer of the goat.  John did a great job with this tour.  Jeff, do you prefer non irrigated fairways now with so many rounds at the goat.  

Ben,
If I owned The Goat, I would be thrilled to have secret irrigation that i would  use at night ONLY if the fairways approached dust,which is the only thing that occasionally slows them down

I am very surprised I figured you were more into removing cart paths if you owned it.  I was possibly wondering your thoughts on tree removal and more fescue?  How did the new keeper do his first year?  Did anyone break the course record?

I would relocate a few cart paths that route carts in front of greens, but certainly wouldn't remove them.
It's not called Goat Hill for no reason

...because goats drive golf carts?

[Matt_Cohn]

This reminds me a lot of Lincoln Park in San Francisco, except that Lincoln Park is almost never firm and fast. The similarity is that there are some really fun and distinctive holes if you can get past the appearances/conditions.

[jeffwarne]

This reminds me a lot of Lincoln Park in San Francisco, except that Lincoln Park is almost never firm and fast. The similarity is that there are some really fun and distinctive holes if you can get past the appearances/conditions.

The key to The Goat IS the condition.
Greens that stimp at 6 and are the perfect match for the tilt and slope.
Those without imagination need not apply