The Reader’s Golf Journal: Our Top 10 Courses in New York
There’s something about New York golf that stays with you — the whispering fairways, the coastal breezes, the electric quiet before a perfect swing. Every course is a story. After years of chasing tee times across the state, these ten courses left imprints I can still feel in my hands when I grip a club.
Below is our personal journal — a reflection of the moments, views, and holes that defined each experience.
1. Shinnecock Hills – Southampton, NY
I remember stepping up to the first tee with a mix of intimidation and awe. The wind rolls off the Atlantic like it owns the place, and in many ways — it does. The greens here feel like glass, the bunkers almost prehistoric in size. A course built on honesty: it rewards precision and humbles bravado. Walking off 18 felt like leaving sacred ground.
2. Bethpage Black – Farmingdale, NY
The sign at the first tee reads like a dare, and I accepted. Every hole here demands respect. Rough like Velcro, greens that refuse forgiveness, and a layout that pushes endurance as much as skill. A New York brute, no doubt — but finishing it felt like earning a stripe on the chest.
3. Winged Foot (West Course) – Mamaroneck, NY
Everything here is chess, never checkers. The greens move like water, shifting beneath your feet and expectations. I left Winged Foot feeling more like a student than a golfer — and eager to return for lesson two.
4. Oak Hill (East Course) – Rochester, NY
The oak trees watch you here — ancient, wise, patient. Fairways roll like velvet, bunkers sculpted like art. It’s a quiet challenge, one that speaks softly but punishes loudly. The kind of course that stays in your mind long after you drive away.
5. National Golf Links of America – Southampton, NY
This is golf poetry — wide, strategic, and stunningly open to interpretation. Wind is the real architect here, shaping approach shots and confidence alike. The views alone are worth the trip, but the shot-making puzzles are what make you want to return.
6. Fishers Island Club – Fishers Island, NY
Getting here is half the journey. Surrounded by ocean, the course feels like it floats in place. Greens sit perched like islands and approach shots beg for courage. The salt air, the lighthouse views, the peaceful isolation — unforgettable.
7. Quaker Ridge Golf Club – Scarsdale, NY
A quieter neighbor to Winged Foot, but only in volume — not quality. The fairways feel friendly off the tee, but the greens have teeth. Quaker Ridge reminded me that subtlety is sometimes the most dangerous weapon a course can wield.
8. Saratoga National Golf Club – Saratoga Springs, NY
Pines perfume the breeze, water glimmers throughout the routing, and the finishing stretch feels cinematic. It’s a public-access gem that feels like private club luxury — approachable, beautiful, and wonderfully strategic.
9. Turning Stone (Atunyote) – Verona, NY
Tour-polished fairways, immaculate bunkers, and a routing built for drama. Every hole feels big enough to host a gallery. A course where you walk with a straighter back, even before the first drive.
10. Leatherstocking Golf Course – Cooperstown, NY
A course with nostalgia built into its rhythm. Wooden bridges, rolling hills, lake views so calm they settle the heartbeat. Hole 18 along the water is the kind that makes golfers fall in love all over again. I know it did for me.
New York golf is rugged one minute, poetic the next. These ten courses aren’t just places to play — they’re places to remember. Whether you chase them like I did or discover them one by one at your own pace, let each course write its chapter in your journal too.
If you ever find yourself walking down these fairways, scorecard tucked in pocket, wind brushing your sleeves… pause. Breathe it in. This is New York golf — and it’s worth savoring.
