Best Golf Courses On Long Island

[Chris Munoz]

I am just wondering, what is the best golf course on Long Island?  I think there are so many, that it is a hard decision to make.  Here are my rankings:

  1.  Shinnecock GC
  2.  National Golf Links
  3.  Garden City GC
  4.  Maidstone Club
  5.  Fishers Island Club
  6.  Bethpage Golf Course
  7.  Atlantic GC
  8.  Piping Rock GC
  9.  The Meadow Brook Club

What do you think?

Chris

[cary lichtenstein]

add Friars Head and The Bridge

[ChipOat]

Add Inwood, The Creek and St. George's (Devereaux Emmett).

Shinnecock arguably best on entire planet.

Friar's Head getting Pac Dunes/Sand Hills-like initial ratings - can't wait to see for myself.

Fishers Island legally part of Suffolk County but not really an LI course.

If "good" has to include "hard" (which I question), then Meadowbrook and Bethpage Black from the tips are right behind Shinnecock from the back.

NGLA is my #2 - some folks #1.

[THuckaby2]

Chip - Shinnecock is your #1?  This is the great definer of what we like in golf courses... just want to make sure on what side of that line you fall!  

LONG LIVE THE KING NGLA!

TH

[Chris Munoz]

The Bridge, I hear is one of the the up and coming courses on Long Island.  I just listed mostly the classical courses on the Island.  Please replay and let me hear your rankings.

Chris

[Matt_Ward]

ccmunoz:

For what it's worth there is no way that Maidstone and Fisher's Island are ahead of Bethpage Black. And I didn't need a US Open to say that.

I agree with quassi The Bridge needs to be given some sort of consideration although walking The Bridge can be quite an affir for those who are physicalyl challenged. I have not played Friar's Head, however, from the people I know who have it obviously is making a strong case for inclusion among the top five as well and I deeply respect their opinion.

Meadow Brook a top ten course?

My top five include the following:

SH
NGLA
Bethpage Black
GCGC
The Bridge

My next five on the Island for me ...

Fisher's Island
*Need to see revisions made to Atlantic
Bethpage Red
Piping Rock
*I include Maidstone with preference only to the dunes holes. For a better and more consistent 18 I'd opt for The Creek.

I don't place much stock on quirk or other such touchy feely components that others do.

[SPDB]

Wow - The Bridge, a top Five on Long Island (or even top 6 if you include FH)?

Mine would look something like this:

NGLA
SH
Fishers (if we're to include it, which we shouldn't - its not even that readily accessible from LI)
GCGC
PR
Maidstone
Creek
Atlantic
Meadow Brook

I've never played The Bridge so I can't really comment. I've seen enough of Bethpage to make me think it would fall somewhere after Fisher's (yes, Matt, after Fishers).

Quirk means something to me, otherwise SH would win hands down over NGLA

[SPDB]

oh shoot, I forgot about Westhampton, which should be inserted after the Creek.

[Matt_Ward]

SPDB:

Help me out if you can -- is Bethpage Black in your top ten?

I guess your right -- quirk is more important than overall shot depth / challenge. Have you played the Black -- both pre changes made by Rees Jones and post? What's deficient with the Black?

Regarding The Bridge -- I've heard from a few people I respect regarding the course and clearly there are those who feel very differently than I do. I also believe some of them are influenced by the fact there is no carts allowed and you must walk a very hilly site. For comparison purposes -- the walk at Bethpage is a piece of cake compared to The Bridge. I think there are also some who may have an issue with one or two holes at The Bridge but somehow develop amnesia about a number of holes at other "classic" LI courses (hint Maidstone) that have their fair share of pedestrian ones too.

One last thing -- SH is without doubt #1 on the Island, NY State and for what it's worth America, in my book. Sorry, all you NGLA lovers because although I love the Macdonald layout it's not at the level of SH.

[THuckaby2]

Matt - I keep perusing threads, keep finding the very few but very key disagreements I have with you.  All in good fun, just once again want to put forth the counter-argument.

Shinnecock is a great course, just unfortunately not even number one in it's zip code. That honor goes to the genius displayed next door.

But hey, it's ok, both are in the country's top 5 in my book!

TH

[SPDB]

i thought it was clear from my post (but on further examination it might not be) that I have never played BPB, but as I said, I feel as if I've seen enough of it to place it behind Fisher's (which, again, I do not believe belongs in a discussion of LI courses), and within the top five. not bad considering i've never played it.

we disagree on Shinny. personal preference.

just my opinion, though, you could be wrong.  

[Matt_Ward]

Tom H:

I love NGLA no less than others -- but SH is the apple of my eye! It's just too bad the US Open is not played as frequently there as the BO is played at TOC. Both are utterly superb and worthy of being seen every 4-5 years.

[THuckaby2]

We're closer on this than we are apart, Matt.  I love Shinnecock but NGLA is the apple of my eye, and I'd take it a step further:  I'd love to have a Pebble-Shinny-something else 3-year rotation for our Open!

This really illustrates personal preferences, though.  I'm a short, pretty straight driver... from everything I've heard you're a massively long, once in a blue moon wild driver... is it any wonder which of these two Southampton greats we prefer?  

I know that hugely oversimplifies all this, but it is fun to note, that's all.

TH

[Jimmy Muratt]

I noticed that East Hampton Golf Club does not appear on anyone's favorites.  It is rarely talked about on this site.  What are the impressions of those who have played or seen it?  How does it stack up to Coore and Crenshaw's other gems?  Does it compare to say.... Hidden Creek or Cuscowilla?

[Matt_Ward]

What would make for an interesting discussion is to find out which states have a better top ten than Long Island? I don't think you can name more than just a few at best. Clearly, the Island minus BB -- is the domain of private clubs.

SPDB:

You've got me beat -- I mean -- I have not perfected the ability to simply "see or look" at a course and then determine it's standing. I mean you could be wrong -- er, right?
I still ask you how BB is deficient and at best according to your listing can only grab the 10th spot?

Fisher's Island is a unique NY course because it's closer to Connecticut though technically in The Empire State.

I don't doubt those who opt for NGLA over SH -- I just may question their sanity -- only kidding.

JimmyVA:

I like Easthampton and credit C&C for designing a fun course with plenty of unique greens that will never lower your enjoyment and fun. But, given the compactness of the property and the lack of a few strong holes I'd opt to possibly see the course in a second ten listing of courses, but the depth of the Island is very, very good. Just my opinion ...

[THuckaby2]

Matt:

I was all set to provincially trumpet our top 10 CA courses as blowing away Long Island and then....

I set them out and well....

Never mind.  

TH

[Michael Moore]

The only Long Island course I have played is Marine Park in Brooklyn. Not bad for a flat, barely maintained muni. Talk about firm and fast!

Can we get a write-up on/photos of the courses in the five boroughs? There seem to be a fair number.

I sure don't miss schlepping my clubs about on the subway.

[ChipOat]

Jimmy VA:

I did a thread on East Hampton last summer - if you can use the search engine on this site you can find it.

It's very good.  I think it's Top 10 on LI - have not played Bridge or FH yet and not played Atlantic in 10 years so comparison is a bit rusty.

[LIman]

I also like a course that provides a challenge.  Long Island is blessed in that the classics are now being surpassed by the new stuff.  Wish I had played the Bridge, hopefully this summer.

1.Atlantic
2.Shinnecock
3.Bethpage black
4.Creek
5.Piping Rock
6.Friars Head
7.national l
8.meadowbrook
9.fischers island
10. Garden city

[J_Olsen]

Atlantic number one. Seems aggressive!

Shinnecock
Shinnecock
Shinnecock
National
Fishers
Friars
Bethpage
Garden City
Maidstone
Piping
Creek

[Steve Lapper]

As this certainly is the definitive thread: , I think we all should e limited to just what we've played. There fore here's my top twenty in that order:

1. Shinnecock
2. NGLA
3. Friar's Head
4. Bethpage Black
5. Fisher's Island
6. Garden City
7. Maidstone
8. The Creek
9. Piping Rock
10. The Bridge (this and Atalntic are the best examples of RTJ on LI)
11. Atlantic GC
12. Meadow Brook
13. Westhampton
14. Bethpage Red (Condition nonwithstanding)
15. Deepdale (example of great conditioning)
16. East Hampton
17. Inwood
18. Fresh Meadow GC (hosted a US Open)
19. Montauk Downs (again condition nonwithstanding)
20. Far Rockaway Hunt Club (strangely quirky and good)
21. LI National (just in case nobody wants Fisher's inc.)

I've played (walked the Bridge..playing there next month)these over the years and I remain 1000% convinced that FH belongs that high on the list.

[Gene Greco]

Slappers right.

Friar's Head belongs where he has put it or behind Black.

Played 'em all except Rockaway.

Slappers list looks solid.

Switch the top two (my apologies, Matt, but this has been a local argument [50/50] since the inception of both clubs) and substitute Southampton Golf Club for LI National.

Condition BP Red like the Black and it moves up a few notches.

[Mike_Sweeney]

Gene & Slapper,

To round out your list to a Top 25, I think I would add:

* Laurel Links - Kelly Moran's course on The North Fork, which will certainly be viewed at one of the most challenging on The Island when people start to play it.

* Noyac GC - It gets lost between its neighbors in The Hamptons, but a very solid course.

* Gardiner's Bay CC - Maybe it does not belong on the list from a strickly architectural view, but I am a sucker for remote courses with beautiful waterviews, and Gardiner's is certainly high on that list for The Island.

I have always wanted to play Southward Ho which I believe is Tilly. Any good?

Gene,

More importantly, what happened to Creighton? I had them in my Sweet 16. BC doesn't get in, St Joe's, Ceighton, now Gonzaga. The Jesuits only hope now is Marquette !!

[Matt_Ward]

Mike Sweeney:

I've played Southward Ho a number of times as a contestant in the Havemeyer Invitational and the course is a unique and fun A.W. Tillinghast design. The par-4 8th is a solid hole that dog-legs right to a double-tiered green.

But the real test of the course starts with the demanding, and very much underrated par-3 14th hole! This 220 yards par-3 plays to a devilishly shaped green that's pinched in with bunkers and I believe is no less demanding than what you find at say WF/ West's 10th hole!

Starting from #14 you play back into the prevailing wind for four of the final five holes.

Southward Ho does not have the length or the consistency of its demands for the entire round -- I say it might crack the top 25 but the Island has many courses that possess a number of good holes (most notably Maidstone!), but don't hold up for the entire round. If you can get on Southward Ho go for it -- it's very fun and a course you won't forget.

Gene:

The argument put forward by devotees of NGLA usually rests on the fact that very few enjoy the intense demands that SH provides. NGLA is indeed a gem of a layout. But NOT ahead of SH. The totality of the what SH can provide to all types of players had been shown time after time. I hear what those who believe NGLA is better say, but SH is the more complete and thorough examination.

I also hear what you say about Bethpage Red. Yes, the course is not in tip-top shape but the course conditioning from the two times I played it last year was OK. I just believe many people rarely pay any attention to any of the other color coded courses at Bethpage besides the Black.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Slapper,

Are you sure that the current location that Fresh Meadow enjoys today, hosted the US Open ?  Or, was it a previous site ?