Garrison Golf Club

[Patrick_Mucci]

Does anybody know anything about the architecture or history of this golf course in Garrison, New York.  I believe it is on the Hudson River ?

[Mike_Cirba]

Patrick,

Garrison is a public course designed by Dick Wilson, and opened in 1963.

It is on some really hilly property, with wonderful views of the Hudson, and includes some dramatically uphill and downhill holes.

It's quite challenging, with some long par threes providing the bulk of the difficulty.  There are a number of water holes on the back nine, and it's a bit too tree-impinged, but it's both enjoyable and scenic.  

I think Tom Doak gave it about a 4, and listed it in his "dumb blondes" category, for looks without substance, but it's a bit better than that, IMO.  

[GeoffreyC]

I agree with Mike Cirba except I believe it is "semi-private or at least it used to be).  

I will add that the character of the front 9 is quite dramatic and very different from the back 9 that is on flatter land.  

[Patrick_Mucci]

Mike and Geoff,

Is it worth making the trip to play ?

[Mike Nuzzo]

I played there a couple of years ago, so it wasn't so private.

6470 yds par 72.
Good elevation changes.
Don't remember much else.

[GeoffreyC]

Pat- It's probably not worth a special trip up to Garrison.  If you want equally beautiful vistas of the Hudson, better golf and a shorter drive then go up to Sleepy Hollow.  Its a wonderful course.  Also, Hudson National would be a better choice then Garrison.

[Mike_Cirba]

Patrick,

Tough to answer your question, but I'd drive an hour to play it a second time, if that helps.  

What's your primary interest?  That might help make the determination.  

[Patrick_Mucci]

Mike Cirba,

I thought the location might have some historical significance, great views and a good golf course.

[Robert_Walker]

Tough Course to walk.
1st tee looks straight at ARMY Stadium.

[Mike_Cirba]

Patrick

If those are your three criteria, then by all means, go for it!

It is exactly that; a place of historical significance, with great views, and a good golf course.

Let me know how you enjoyed it, please.  Thanks.

[Mike Sweeney]

Never a GCA favorite, it looks like the last season for Garrison GC on the Hudson River across from West Point. I played it last season after a 20+ year layoff:


The public course perched 800 feet above the Hudson River in Garrison, N.Y. was designed by Dick Wilson in 1961 and features scenic views and varied topography. A plan was in place to reduce the course from 18 holes to 9 to make way for the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, but owner Chris Davis said golf is not economically sustainable and the entire course will close after the 2021 season, with the focus then concentrated on the property’s inn, restaurant and wedding and catering venue.

https://clubandresortbusiness.com/the-garrison-announces-golf-course-closing/?spMailingID=43312&puid=620079&E=620079&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=43312

It has some heroic views and vistas:



but also some seriously compromised terrain:



There were probably 12 good to very good holes out there. I can't really recommend it as a must play, but it is somewhat surprising too see this close as public golf in the Met NY area is booming...

[V. Kmetz]

Never got a chance to play it, but visited the grounds 20 years ago and it is no joke to say its hilly.


One of the only noteworthy entries on it is that it was the HS/College years haunt of Johnson Wagner. Wagner, who though bringing back the 70s/80s moustache for a time has faded into Nationwide obscurity, was one of the Met areas bright stars 20 years ago... back to back Met Opens, a fine career at Va Tech, 3 Tour wins and 12 million in career earnings...not bad for a guy you wouldn't get on a Jeopardy question.

[Mike Worth]

Very sad to see this course close


I played it about 10–15 times in the late 1990s with a friend who was stationed at West Point. The West Point course, designed by RTJ Sr, was closed for renovations, so we played Garrison.


Agree with earlier posts that there are 12 really good holes there.  It’s much more than a Doak scale 4 — I would definitely drive one hour to play


Also agree with comments that it’s hard to believe they can’t make a profit from golf given the surge in play. I would think they are closing the course because they think they can make more money from real estate/housing. 


While it may be true that golf is on the rise, it’s even MORE TRUE that real estate sales in the Hudson Valley/Catskills are on fire due to people not sure if they’re going back to NYC full-time

[Stewart Abramson]

Here's a link to photos of all 18 holes from a rainy overcast day in 2018.


https://www.flickr.com/photos/golfcoursepix/albums/72157698228919324

[Tim Gavrich]

Great photos, Stewart.

Garrison looks like exactly the type of course that, with a break or two going its way, could "have a moment" in the era of social media golf marketing and cult followings. You've got idiosyncratic but at times extremely scenic land, a name architect (albeit from the "Dark Ages"), a sense of benign neglect, a wanderer's distance from a major metro area. All the ingredients are there to run a version of the Sweetens Cove playbook. It's unfortunate, though not overly surprising, that that wasn't attempted.