Poughkeepsie NY

[Jim Franklin]

are there any decent golf options near Poughkeepsie? Willing to drive an hour. Thanks

[Mike Sweeney]

Private - http://www.powelton.com - Have not played it but King of Quirk, Mark Chalfont is a big fan.


Public - Links at Union Vale - https://www.luvgolf.com - 2-3 awkward holes, but I have always liked it.


Political - Trump Hudson Valley - Played it before Trump bought it. Same 2-3 awkward holes, but I liked it.


If you want some 50's throwback, there is Disk Wilson's http://www.thegarrison.com/golf/overview.html and RTJ - http://www.casperkillgolf.com Played them years ago.

[John Blain]

If this question had been posed a year ago the answer would have been a no-brainer: Dutchess Golf & C.C. but I understand the club is closed and the land will be developed commercially.
Really a shame because it was an old, venerable club with a very nice membership-type golf course. It was a club with lots of history and over the years I believe had hosted more NYSGA state championships than any other club in the state.
Just a sign of the times, I suppose.

[John Foley]

Links @ Union Vale is the best IMO


Mansion Ridge is on the other side of the Hudson and is surprisingly good Nicklaus.

[Blake Conant]

Anyone played or seen Dinsmore in Staatsburg?  20 minute drive north from Poughkeepsie, and (I think) one of the first 76 clubs in America.  Don't know how in tact it is, but could be worth a look for only 20 minutes. 


South of Poughkeepsie a little further is Storm King in Cornwall and Highlands in Garrison.  Two more old courses, both should be within an hours drive I imagine. 


And back north about an hour in Woodstock is a Stiles course, Woodstock Golf Club. 


(None of these I've seen, so I can't recommend them, I just have them earmarked to be seen whenever I'm in the area.)

[Ronald Montesano]

ha HAAA


The best public option is James Baird state park. Hard along the Taconic State Parkway, it is a Robert Trent Jones, Sr. municipal that costs little money. It is the site of the NYS Catholic High School state championships each June, and is a total shocker. It has one whacked-out par five (4-iron, 8-iron, 8-iron) that you can play with driver if you like, but the rest of the course is top shelf. It has some characteristics that you would never attribute to RTJSR. I will put it against Union Vale eight days a week. Union Vale is pretty, but it doesn't have the bones that James Baird (pronounced BARD) does.

[Mike Sweeney]

Highlands in Garrison. 

And back north about an hour in Woodstock is a Stiles course, Woodstock Golf Club. 

Highlands in Garrison is a pretty basic 9 holer, and I am a big 9 hole fan. Not really much there to see.

I have not played Woodstock NY (9 holes), but would like to. It is credited on their website to Ralph Twitchell, who had interesting career in other architectural topics:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Twitchell

http://www.woodstockgolf.com/history.php

I think you are thinking of Woodstock VT, which is a Stiles course.

[Jaeger Kovich]

Hotchkiss is under an hour in Lakeville.

[John Blain]

I believe Woodstock, VT. is a RTJ, Sr. design.

[Tim Martin]

Jim-Probably about forty miles away is Wyantenuck CC in Great Barrington, Mass. You can't find this place without a guide but it has a memorable collection of holes replete with the downhill driveable par 4 tenth at 336 yards and the penultimate "quarry" hole playing uphill at 401 yards courtesy of Charles Banks who had an assist on the design along with the main architect Robert Pryde. Although most know of Banks, Pryde has a bunch of courses primarily in Connecticut and has design credit for Wethersfield CC where the Greater Hartford Open was held before moving to TPC River Highlands. The elevation changes and land forms make this one of the more unique pieces of property with a truely New England feel and a really good set of greens. Although private I think the club would be receptive to outside play with the proper introduction.

[Tim Gavrich]

Poughkeepsie is about 55 minutes from Copake Country Club, so I think you should check it out for sure.

[Jim_Kennedy]

Lot of decent choices so far.

A warm-up at the nine hole Monroe CC by Flynn followed by 18 at Nicklaus' Mansion Ridge makes for a nice combo. They're within 5 minutes of each other in Monroe, and just under an hour south of Po'keepsie.
http://www.monroecountryclubny.com/
http://www.mansionridgegc.com/

Another fun pairing is the Ross/Hatch 9 hole Rip Van Winkle CC  in Palenville that's just under an hour north, and the 18 hole Lazy Swan (by Barry Jordan)in Saugerties, which is on the way back.
http://rvwcc.com/golfcourse.asp
http://www.thelazyswan.com/the-course

If you don't feel like traveling from town, or too far, you can have a ball at the Vassar College 9 holer, then drive ten minutes to Casperkill GC, a Trent Jones course that he built for IBM in 1946...or you drive about 25 minutes west and play the New Paltz GC 9 holer that borders the Wallkill River with beautiful views of the Shawangunk Mountains, then drive 10 more minutes up into the Shawangunks and play the quirky/fun 9 hole course at Mohonk Mountain House (having lunch there is a treat).
http://www.vassargolfcourse.com/
http://www.casperkillgolf.com/course/
http://www.newpaltzgolf.com/
https://www.mohonk.com/recreation/golf/

Dutchess would have been ideal, and even though it's closed they are still mowing it. There is some talk that the owner (same guy who owns the Lazy Swan) closed it so he could divest himself of the existing members and re-open next season as a public course.

[Steve Lapper]

On the Private side, Silo Ridge, a Discovery Land project (Millbrook, NY) and Bulls Bridge (Kent, CT), are both good Fazio designs laid across rolling, bucolic properties. Each are approximately 40 minutes from Poughkeepsie.

[Mike Sweeney]

On the Private side, Silo Ridge, a Discovery Land project (Millbrook, NY)

I am thinking this would be the right spot for Mr Hurricane.

[Chris_Blakely]

Anyone played or seen Dinsmore in Staatsburg?  20 minute drive north from Poughkeepsie, and (I think) one of the first 76 clubs in America.  Don't know how in tact it is, but could be worth a look for only 20 minutes. 


(None of these I've seen, so I can't recommend them, I just have them earmarked to be seen whenever I'm in the area.)

I would not seek out Dinsmore.  Its a pretty basic course.  Some decent views, but so do most in that area.  Hal Purdy added the new nine to the north and several of the original greens were lost during the expansion.

[Nate Oxman]

I've played Woodstock GC in Woodstock, NY twice and had a blast both times. It's not worth a 45-minute drive from Poughkeepsie unless you're planning on staying to check out the town. Then again, the logo is pretty sweet. Sorry about the sizing.








A little history there, courtesy of its website: The Woodstock Open is reportedly the longest-running U.S. golf tournament held at the same course and open to both amateurs and professionals. The legendary Gene Sarazen competed twice in the Open in the 1960s, remarkably failing to win either time.

[Carl Nichols]

Anyone played or seen Dinsmore in Staatsburg?  20 minute drive north from Poughkeepsie, and (I think) one of the first 76 clubs in America.  Don't know how in tact it is, but could be worth a look for only 20 minutes. 


(None of these I've seen, so I can't recommend them, I just have them earmarked to be seen whenever I'm in the area.)

I would not seek out Dinsmore.  Its a pretty basic course.  Some decent views, but so do most in that area.  Hal Purdy added the new nine to the north and several of the original greens were lost during the expansion.

I agree.  All of my grandparents lived in Rhinebeck, and so I played Dinsmore many times in the 80s and early 90s.  Unless they've done significant work since then, it doesn't seem worth the trip. 

[Jim Franklin]

On the Private side, Silo Ridge, a Discovery Land project (Millbrook, NY)

I am thinking this would be the right spot for Mr Hurricane.

If only My Hurricane were playing too. It is my buddy and some of his friends. But thanks for all the suggestions.

[Robert Mercer Deruntz]

As a former Woodstock Open champion, I should recommend the course, but from Poughkeepsie, it will take well over a hour.  The former IBM course is really good and convenient.  Being an early RTJ, there are really good architectural features and it used to be in awesome shape.

[Richard Hetzel]

I really enjoyed my round at the Links at Union Vale a few years ago,a pretty  fun golf course and not pricey for the area at all. Richter Park in Danbury, CT isn't all that far from Poughkeepsie either. Danbury may be an hour away depending on traffic as well.