Which county in the US has the best and most varied golf courses?

[jeffwarne]

Suffolk County has a relatively diverse landscape as well.  I'm with some of the others who've commented on the public golf too--if Westchester gets dinged for lack of public options, Suffolk should too, right? 

Montauk
Timber Point
Indian Island
Tallgrass
+35 other public courses is a lack of options?

Throw in the fact that nearly every iconic private is accessible via charity events/auctions
and that Bethpage's 5 courses are very near the Suffolk border, I'd say there are plenty of varied public options

[Phil McDade]

Maybe not a ton of variety, but I'd argue Cuyahoga County (Cleveland metro) is pretty decent:

Canterbury, The Country Club, Mayfield, Pepper Pike CC plus solid publics like Ross' Manakiki and Thompson's Sleepy Hollow. Kirtland just misses by about a mile outside the county limits.

[Dan Kelly]

I think that's a nice lineup, but I'm not sure I would call those courses varied? 9/11 of them are effectively classic parkland golf courses.

True that -- though, of course, variety is in the eye of the beholder ... particularly on a Website devoted to golf-course architecture. I would guess most people here would find a pleasing variety of classic parkland golf courses in that group.

Too bad all of the good dunesland and oceanfront sites in Hennepin County were already taken before the golf boom....

[Phil Lipper]

I am afraid Suffolk County, NY would probably win this with NGLA, Shinnicock, Bridge,  Sebonack, et al.  But it would not make for a fun discussion. 

I think you can also make a case for Nassau County as well. You have Bethpage which is a tremendous public facility, the Black course is long and hilly (for long island)  Garden City Golf a classic parkland, Inwood (home of Bobby Jones first open) which has holes that feel like South Carolina lowlands (until you see a jet landing at JFK)

[Kevin_D]

"..best and most VARIED.."

Please discuss what is second best because nothing compares to Suffolk County.
It's in a league of its own.

+1

And if Tallgrass and Montauk Downs aren't your idea of good public options, then I really want to go play your local muni

[Gene Greco]

I am afraid Suffolk County, NY would probably win this with NGLA, Shinnicock, Bridge,  Sebonack, et al.  But it would not make for a fun discussion. 

I think you can also make a case for Nassau County as well. You have Bethpage which is a tremendous public facility, the Black course is long and hilly (for long island)  Garden City Golf a classic parkland, Inwood (home of Bobby Jones first open) which has holes that feel like South Carolina lowlands (until you see a jet landing at JFK)

I am virtually certain that part of the Black and/or Green Course also rests in Suffolk County.

Again,' varied' is the key word here eliminating most candidates which can try to challenge Suffolk Co, not 'private' and/or 'public.'

National Golf Links of America is SO different from Shinnecock in look, feel and shot values.. and both differ from The Maidstone..which is SO different than Friar's..and SO different from Fisher's Island..and SO different from The Bridge..(which is different from Atlantic and built by the same guy!)..from Southampton..from Quogue Field Club..etc.

It's simply no contest.

[Ian Mackenzie]

The county in which I live may have not "the best" golf courses. It may, however, have the most...ahem..."real"courses. (Excluding FL and AZ and Myrtle beach...but those arent golf courses now  anyway...;-) Does that qualify?

Cook County, IL that includes the city of Chicago.
Probably around 125 courses, maybe more.

From 9-hole city munis that border Lake Michigan to the represented works of Ross, Flynn, Colt/Alison, Fazio, Wilson, Bendelow, Hills, Nicklaus, Moreau/Langford, Dye.

Maybe mot a winner, but a contender worthy of mention.

[Philip Caccamise]

I am afraid Suffolk County, NY would probably win this with NGLA, Shinnicock, Bridge,  Sebonack, et al.  But it would not make for a fun discussion. 

I think you can also make a case for Nassau County as well. You have Bethpage which is a tremendous public facility, the Black course is long and hilly (for long island)  Garden City Golf a classic parkland, Inwood (home of Bobby Jones first open) which has holes that feel like South Carolina lowlands (until you see a jet landing at JFK)

I am virtually certain that part of the Black and/or Green Course also rests in Suffolk County.

Again,' varied' is the key word here eliminating most candidates which can try to challenge Suffolk Co, not 'private' and/or 'public.'

National Golf Links of America is SO different from Shinnecock in look, feel and shot values.. and both differ from The Maidstone..which is SO different than Friar's..and SO different from Fisher's Island..and SO different from The Bridge..(which is different from Atlantic and built by the same guy!)..from Southampton..from Quogue Field Club..etc.

It's simply no contest.

The right half of the 9th fairway on the Green are in Suffolk County. Old joke on the 9th tee was if you sliced it into the right rough you hit it into the next county.

Part of #7, #8, and #9 on the Black are also in Suffolk.



As for the critique of the public golf in Suffolk, I just think it's such a steep dropoff from the private courses to the publics other than the few mentioned (which are really good, not quite great. But I love the drive out to Montauk and the course itself.) I mean Sunken Meadows could be in the middle of Texas, Georgia, Ohio, or Maine. It counts for nothing in this discussion.

If you are looking at what is the best overall and/or varied regardless of private or public, it's Suffolk hands down.

[Jim Nugent]

Suffolk County contains over 2,300 square miles.  San Francisco, which is a city-county, has under 47 square miles.  Within those 47 square miles are SF Golf Club... Olympic Lake... Olympic Ocean... Olympic Cliffs... Harding Park... Gleneagles... and Presidio. 

Extend SF County's southern border just a little and you also get the Cal Club and Lake Merced.

Not the best county, but on a square mile basis pretty darn good.   

 

[Chuck Glowacki]

Jim, years ago there was a movement to create a county seperate from suffolk which would include the five east end towns
(East Hampton, Southampton, Shelter Island, Riverhead and Southold).
This county would be call Peconic.  There a a few pretty good courses in Peconic County.  Ready?
Starting in the east

Fisher's Island (part of Southold town)
Maidstone
East Hampton GC
The Bridge
Atlantic GC
Noyac CC
Southampton GC
Shinnecock Hills GC
National Golf Links of America
Sebonack
Hampton Hills CC
Westhampton CC

those are south fork clubs
now for the north fork

Long Island National GC
Friar's Head (really north shore but for our purposes will call it north fork)
Laurel Links CC
North Fork CC
Old Vine GC

9 hole courses
Sag Harbor GC
Bridgehampton Club
Quogue Field Club
Cedars GC
and of course THE GOAT
Poxabogue GC

but those are all private courses (with the exception of a few of the 9 holers).
what can I play?

Island's End CC (semi-private)
Indian Island
Great Rock
Cherry Creek/The Woods @ Cherry Creek
Calverton Links (nice back nine by Kelly B Moran)
Montauk Downs

Gene, Keith, Jeff; did I leave anything out?

[Kevin_D]

Chuck:

Great list!

Amazingly you did leave a couple off:
Gardiner's Bay Country Club (according to its web site, redesigned by Raynor in 1915)
Shelter Island Country Club (public, 9 holes)

[jeffwarne]

Chuck,
Good list but...

Private
South Fork CC- with 9 of 18 holes designed by Gil Hanse

9 holers
3 Ponds-Private

and Sag harbor, Goat Hill, Cedars, and Poxabogue are public (which you semi alluded to in your post)

Kevin D
Shelter Island CC IS Goat Hill   -and is public

not sure what town Tallgrass,Pine Hills and Swan Lake are in  so not sure if they fall in your proposed county

[Chuck Glowacki]

Kevin and Jeff, thanks  I did forget South Fork and Garderiner's Bay.
Jeff, was going to list 3 Ponds as ultra-exclusive.

[Jim Nugent]

Chuck, incredible list.  Hard to imagine any other county can match that.  

Just for fun, I looked up some facts about Peconic County.  Had overwhelming support: 71% of people who lived in the east end wanted to secede.  Size would have been 347 square miles.  Nearly 7.5 times bigger than SF County.  Suffolk is more than 50 times bigger than SF County.  

Oh, I forgot an iconic SF course: Lincoln Park.  

[Chuck Glowacki]

Jeff, pretty sure Tallgrass, etc are in Brookhaven Town.
Gene, for sure a sliver of the Black is in Suffolk; not so sure about the Green.

[Kevin_D]

Kevin D
Shelter Island CC IS Goat Hill  -and is public

My bad!  I'm a relative newbie out east too 

[Gene Greco]

Suffolk County contains over 2,300 square miles.  San Francisco, which is a city-county, has under 47 square miles.  Within those 47 square miles are SF Golf Club... Olympic Lake... Olympic Ocean... Olympic Cliffs... Harding Park... Gleneagles... and Presidio. 

Extend SF County's southern border just a little and you also get the Cal Club and Lake Merced.

Not the best county, but on a square mile basis pretty darn good.   

 

"Best" is not the only criteria in the title of the thread.
The courses you list, Jim, to me, all differ from one another but most have a similar "feel."
Same with the great courses on the Monterey Peninsula, not exact but a similar topography and feel.

As I mentioned before, The Maidstone doesn't look, play or feel anything like Friar's Head.
The land forms at The Bridge are spectacular and are completely unlike those of Atlantic which is just a couple of miles down the road.
Shinnecock, Southampton, Ngla  and Sebonack all border each other and couldn't differ more from one another save Ngla/Sebonack.

Gene

[Kevin_D]

As I mentioned before, The Maidstone doesn't look, play or feel anything like Friar's Head.
The land forms at The Bridge are spectacular and are completely unlike those of Atlantic which is just a couple of miles down the road.
Shinnecock, Southampton, Ngla  and Sebonack all border each other and couldn't differ more from one another save Ngla/Sebonack.

Gene

Gene,

I completely agree (at least with the courses I've played or walked - Maidstone/Shinny/Sebonack/National)

Although I thought Sebonack and National (caveat: I walked at Walker Cup but didn't play) were even pretty distinct from each other.  At least relative to courses in, say, Westchester.  For instance, Westchester CC, Quaker Ridge and Wykagyl all have their own flavor, but ultimately feel more similar than they do different.

Kevin

[Jim Nugent]

Guys, great points about Suffolk, for quantity, quality and variety. 

[Gene Greco]

Chuck Glowacki:

Gene, Keith, Jeff; did I leave anything out?








(Flagg CC [Baiting Hollow Club] - Robert Trent Jones SR 1963)

[Gene Greco]

"Gene,

I completely agree (at least with the courses I've played or walked - Maidstone/Shinny/Sebonack/National)

Although I thought Sebonack and National (caveat: I walked at Walker Cup but didn't play) were even pretty distinct from each other.  At least relative to courses in, say, Westchester.  For instance, Westchester CC, Quaker Ridge and Wykagyl all have their own flavor, but ultimately feel more similar than they do different.

Kevin"


Yes, Kevin, they are clearly distinct from one another in style and design.

However, the land each rests upon is very similar.


Gene

[Chuck Glowacki]

Good call Gene, forgot about the BHC.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Michael,

Why leave Tillinghast's Forest Hills off the list ? 

The town of West Orange probably beats most Counties.

Travis's Green Brook ?

[John Burnes]

Good topic.  My vote is Montgomery County, Pa. 

Manufacturers
White marsh Valley
Philly Country
Philly Cricket
Huntington Valley
Gulph Mills
North Hills
Sunnybrook
Plymouth

Dh: old York Road

[mike_malone]

If you want to have Plymouth on Montgomery County's list then Inget to add Joe's Putt Putt to Delco