[Ran Morrissett]

This post is inspired from TEPAUL's post elsewhere. Who has played Piping Rock and just how good is it? How would you compare it to the other courses on Long Island? I bet it might be more fun/interesting than Garden City or is it not quite in that league?

[DBE]

Re:  Piping Rock ClubI've played PR several times over the last ten years and it is one of my favorite courses on LI.  Richard Spear is the superindent and he has been able to restore the Macdonald design and add a few new tees (in just the right places) during his tenure.  I even believe hearing that Pete Dye had some input with the club to begin this process for Rich.There are several wonderful holes and the third, a Redan, is second on the island only to the fourth at NGL.  Rich widened and moved fairways that had gotten diagonal to tee shot lines, rebuilt bunkers, cleared out overgrown areas, exposing some great views and sandy expanses and cut down trees.  It is fun and a morning at Garden City followed by an afternoon at PR are hard to beat anywhere.  It would be worth anyone's time and trouble to play there---it's very good and doesn't get all the interest because of GC, Shinnecock, NGL and the other one that people overrate.

[George_Bahto]

Ran: Piping Rock (1911 thru 1912) is one of Long Island finest (1st course built by Macdonald & Raynor once they finished National).  Macdonald thought he could use the two polo fields but the club “forced” him to use the surrounding wooded areas.  CB got pissed and after designing the course left it to Raynor to build.The course is excellent and beautifully manicured (Rich Spear, the super). Brad Klein and I were invited there a couple weeks ago and played with Rich (a scratch golfer) the greenchairman and a few others). I hate to grade courses.  Its very different than Garden City but you would have difficulty selecting which you would want to play if you had only one chance to play either.Tom Doak did an excellent job a few years ago while working under P. Dye on putting that historic course back to what it once was.There so many good Raynor tracks in the northeast (yes, many remain) - don’t miss this one if you can get there.[Note:  David]

[Bob Ellington]

Ran:I have never heard of Piping Rock and have never played Garden City. I did read a great article on GC in LINKS Magazine three or four months ago and it really made me want to play it. However, you seem a bit down on it, what gives?

[Ran Morrissett]

Bob:I like Garden City plenty, just not as much as others.If you grew up on 1970s Joe Lee courses, you might love it because the bunkers are so deep. However, deep bunkers alone don't make a course great (no matter what people who love Muirfield think). Its weaknesses are the collection of par fives. The 4th and the 13th are OK but the 7th and 17th are real dullards.Also, the pacing/variety seems off. The 1st and 2nd and 16th and 18th are really neat holes. Two of them are par threes (2nd and 18th) and the other two are shortish par fours. That leaves only one par three from the 3rd hole through to the 15th (and it is a HORRIBLE Jones re-do). You throw in the dull par fives and for some reason, the course just never "took off."In its defense, the greens had just been cored, so I completely missed that aspect of the course (which I am told is first rate). Also, the 10th green is one of the all time great greens as it slopes away from the golfer - that alone makes it a must see.Still, I can think of five courses around London I would just as soon play. Garden City is on the bus with other great courses, it just is toward the back of the bus, that's all. If you go to Long Island, I would play The Creek first - now that is an inspiring place.

[Steve Mann]

Ran,You must admit that for someone who really loves those short 4 par's the 1st hole at GC may be as good if not better than some of the par 4's at PV???  Too bad you didn't get to see the greens in better condition because they roll so beatifully.  I am also a fan of The Creek and Piping Rock but I'll stick with GC if I have to pick one of the 3.

[Ran Morrissett]

Steve,Agreed - in fact, I think the first tee at Garden City is the most inspiring spot on the entire course. Of any course I've seen, I am most interested in re-visiting Garden City. Hopefully, next time the greens won't have been aerified three days before and there won't be a massive rain storm the night before.

[TEPaul]

Ran,     I grew up at Piping Rock but I didn't really play golf in my formative years. My Dad was a many times club champion there and sort of a national amateur type. The place was wonderful and still is- an old style full service country club. I remember Spence, the old pro, a real classic Scotsman with the brough who preceded Tom Neiporte (great guy) who preceded Jim Albus (another great guy). The design is wonderful, the green contours are wonderful and some really neat holes. One thing I have to admire them for, they never let the trees grow in, a lot of the course is open. The practice range is amazing, probably 350 yards long and much wider than it is long and all open (was two old polo fields). My brother and I used to shag balls, even drives, for our father with first baseman's mitts. I promise if you ever got one in the palm for the rest of your life the others were going to be in the webbing. Great superintendent there too if Rich Spears is still there.

[Jeff Hall]

One of Long Island's best kept secrets. Magnificent atmosphere is second only to wonderful golf. As David Eger commented, Richard Spear does a fantastic job with the golf course. Richard's skill as a player have served him well in his overseeing of the course. Wonderful bunkering. The course flows nicely.A must play when visiting Long Island.

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