Kevin, I'm not sure I agree with that...the problem at most NYC public courses is that many of them use 8 minute tee times. (They did say something about 15 minute tee times at FP, a good idea I think.)
One question that I'm still investigating the was news article that ran last year about how the course was to be semi-private. I'm not referring to the story Jim found in April of this year, (still one of the best articles about the project), but the one where Trump first got the gig. Nobody asked about this on media day, sadly. But from what I'm being told, this isn't going to be priced in a manner where the everyday guy can go play it often...he'll have to wait for what one pundit called "coupon days." How many of those Trump will bestow upon us in his boundless generosity is an open question.
"Rich men didn't get that way by giving more than they get in return" - George R.R. Martin
One other thing, I'm thinking the initial greens fee will be more like $175...but prepare for that to go up sharply fairly quickly. The quote we got from the GM was "Well north of 100, just south of 200." But he also made us all laugh when he added, "Whatever we can get," because we knew what he was hinting.
Archie, you nailed down the exact point I was making: Joe sixpack in Brooklyn only gets to play it a couple times. The original idea here was a high end daily fee course for the masses that was weekend-affordable every weekend by anybody, not just occasionally by a few. Somehow, once the pols got involved (and others) that turned into a boon for the pols, the rich folks, and what happens to the everyday golfer? After all, he paid for it.
Yes, you're all right - Trump got it done. Good. thank God, because the story of it languishing like it did is an embarrassment. Given a blank check, the Parks Department showed what it could do - nothing. Now you know why the conditions of NYC public courses were so dismal for so long. Yes Trump also tries to run a place the way it should be run. But there are still also open questions about exactly how good that is - after all we are all reading just yesterday in the paper about the NJ casinos and the problems there.
Design wise it's good, just not really U.S. Open caliber - the fairways are too wide and if you narrow them, many of the bunkers are out of play. Also some of the center line bunkers aren't really where the pros hit their tee shots. The greens have good contour, not great.
BUT...the conditioning was absolute perfect, including the way the greens rolled - they were so true you could putt with one hand...and I did that a lot on the short putts. The other good thing is that you have all kinds of greenside recovery options - you have the whole palette of short game shots to choose from.
I guess I can overlook some of the tenement views for the "uniqueness" of the cemetery. I think the views of the bridge would jazz me more if there weren't so many cars and trucks jammed on it all the time. Diesel horns honking is a pretty weird ambiance for golf:)
But bottom line is it lacks the charm and character of the terrain and setting of the great seaside links. There's a few really good holes, but just nothing you haven't seen before.
Like I said before - pretty good. You'll have a great time there. Go play it, and have fun. And then - fairly and reasonably - asses where it sits on that list of courses I put together on page one. If you think it's better than those courses, say so and tell us all which ones and why.
P.S. Most of the city courses are now charging $70 on Saturdays to play (in the morning at least).