coming from the mouth of an 'uneducated', young 'student of the game'/profession, (as well as an admirer of Renaissance and their work) I believe Sebonack should not even be constructed on the same land adjacent to Shinne and NGLA. (I know that I am running the risk of being "that guy", and later on in life I will probably regret saying this, but...) It should be constructed somewhere in the 'sandhills' of NJ instead of such a prime location on the southern coast (bays) of LI.
It was a hodgepodge of ideas/ideals, constructed on a GREAT piece of property, located within, what? 50 miles of one of the largest urban cores of the world? In my (humble and 'uneducated') opinion, it may be one of the most overrated courses in the last 25 years.
Friar's Head (which I also downplay, but only after seeing Sand Hills prior to playing) is far superior to that which is Sebonack.
As Mr. Mucci states, NGLA and Sebonack will be in the spotlight in the forthcoming years, of which, I will predict that Sebonack receives more praise from many golf writers, editors and public outlets than NGLA. This is completely false! There is nothing at Sebonack that outweighs the intricacies, nuances and strategic elements implemented at the National. Yet, the media will portray Sebonack as a 'modern gem'.
I LOVE Tom and his entire team; they are amazing people and each one has dedicated their lives to the game and the profession, but Sebonack is NOT underrated...IMHO
Returning back to the original post, I believe that Sebonack should post higher than WF and Bethpage, but well behind the rest of the aforementioned 'stalwarts'.