New York City Public Golf Compared

[nevets88]

The Links at Union Vale is a great layout. Skyway in Jersey City, but it's only 9. Rockland Lake is a great layout but in poor shape. If they fixed the fairways and greens up, it would be so good. Pine Ridge is not too bad. I like Howell Park and Hominy Hill in NJ. Berkshire too. Not crazy about the hilly courses in Hudson Valley. I've yet to play West Point, will address that his summer.

[LICC]

15 minutes ago, Shindig said:

Similarly, if I were to try to make a case for Los Angeles, could I include the two courses at Brookside?  How about Torrey Pines?  

If I am talking about the greater Phoenix (AZ) area, can I include Tempe?  Scottsdale?  Glendale?  

Isn't Torrey Pines considered more the San Diego area?

[Shindig]

3 minutes ago, LICC said:

Isn't Torrey Pines considered more the San Diego area?

Yes;  I was [partially] making a joke about how it's kind of a loaded question just because of how big the NY Metro area is, piggy-backing on the "why not count Philly?" question. 

[LICC]

4 minutes ago, Shindig said:

Yes;  I was [partially] making a joke about how it's kind of a loaded question just because of how big the NY Metro area is, piggy-backing on the "why not count Philly?" question. 

Oh, got it- lol

40 minutes ago, Phil McGleno said:

Also: Dallas. Myrtle. San Diego. Seattle. Columbus.

Myrtle is a golf resort area. Disagree on San Diego. Not a lot of good options there other than Torrey, Omni, or Coronado, which aren't as good as the top NY courses.

[saevel25]

53 minutes ago, LICC said:

Myrtle is a golf resort area. Disagree on San Diego. Not a lot of good options there other than Torrey, Omni, or Coronado, which aren't as good as the top NY courses.

I don't get disregarding resort towns.

Heck, I could easily say NYC is a big vacation spot. I might need to add it to my list as a golf destination. I don't see the difference between a big city with good golf options versus a location like Myrtle Beach.

Here are a few lists,

The Top 20 Cities For Golf - Golf Digest

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Urban bargains: The best value golf course in the 50 largest U.S. cities

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What your ratings and reviews say are the best values in the largest metro areas

In the end, most big cities have great public course options. Obviously with NYC having a large population base would have a wider selection of courses.

In the end, it's probably impossible to have a good quantitative look at this topic.

[LICC]

2 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

I don't get disregarding resort towns.

Heck, I could easily say NYC is a big vacation spot. I might need to add it to my list as a golf destination. I don't see the difference between a big city with good golf options versus a location like Myrtle Beach.

Here are a few lists,

The Top 20 Cities For Golf - Golf Digest

---

 

Urban bargains: The best value golf course in the 50 largest U.S. cities

---

What your ratings and reviews say are the best values in the largest metro areas

In the end, most big cities have great public course options. Obviously with NYC having a large population base would have a wider selection of courses.

In the end, it's probably impossible to have a good quantitative look at this topic.

What are the great public course options for Boston (hardly any)? Chicago? Atlanta? Los Angeles (Rustic Canyon, then ...)? 

[saevel25]

1 minute ago, LICC said:

What are the great public course options for Boston (hardly any)? Chicago? Atlanta? Los Angeles (Rustic Canyon, then ...)? 

Umm... On that list...

#2 - LA
#3 - Chicago
#9 - Boston
#10 - Atlanta

So, Golf Advisor, who I think has a better assessment of golf courses than you, thinks they have a good number of good public courses.

I even mentioned I need to add NYC to my golf destination list. Good job, you are getting someone else to come out and enjoy courses in your area.

Still, stop being combative. All of this are opinions anyways. I agree, NYC looks to have good courses. So do nearly every other large city. A website that is based around golf travel has a list to show that they do.

Yea, chill out.

 

[LICC]

12 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

Umm... On that list...

#2 - LA
#3 - Chicago
#9 - Boston
#10 - Atlanta

So, Golf Advisor, who I think has a better assessment of golf courses than you, thinks they have a good number of good public courses.

I even mentioned I need to add NYC to my golf destination list. Good job, you are getting someone else to come out and enjoy courses in your area.

Still, stop being combative. All of this are opinions anyways. I agree, NYC looks to have good courses. So do nearly every other large city. A website that is based around golf travel has a list to show that they do.

Yea, chill out.

 

I'm perfectly chilled out. I'm just asking. Curious to read views not from magazine editors but from everyday players in different locations what they think. Not sure why you have an issue with that.

[hespeler]

I'm generally satisfied with the public golf course options in the NYC area.  Plenty of places to play without having to step off Long Island.  I have a home course 10 minutes away and tons of other options within 15 to 60 minutes to change it up or to experience something new.

Not all are in the greatest shape but you usually get what you pay for.

Biggest problem is what was already alluded to - crowds.  Really tough to play a quick round in NY.

We booked a few days at the end of June at Crystal Springs in NJ and I was hoping to have a relaxing few days with leisurely tee times but there are outings all week and we have to play really early each day.  I shouldn't have been surprised...

I'll trade the number of courses for some great mountains to ski...and lower taxes.

Edited May 28, 2019 by hespeler

[saevel25]

34 minutes ago, LICC said:

Curious to read views not from magazine editors but from everyday players in different locations what they think. Not sure why you have an issue with that.

I don't have an issue with that. I don't get where you got that idea from.

Just a question. If someone who has lived in LA their entire life, how would they know how good NYC courses are? When you title the thread, "Compare". What do they have to compare to?

Just a technical question really.

 

[LICC]

14 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

I don't have an issue with that. I don't get where you got that idea from.

Just a question. If someone who has lived in LA their entire life, how would they know how good NYC courses are? When you title the thread, "Compare". What do they have to compare to?

Just a technical question really.

 

Some people travel frequently. I've played courses in Boston, Miami, Charlotte, San Diego, LA, Atlanta, Jacksonville, Austin, San Antonio, and others. 

[dennyjones]

4 hours ago, LICC said:

I've traveled plenty enough and I think the NY metro area (say within two hours from NYC) stacks up very well. Other than resort destinations (Bandon, Pebble Beach, etc.), what locales in the U.S. are clearly better than NY? While some disagree, Bethpage Black is considered the best muni and one of the best courses in the country. Other excellent courses like Ferry Point or Pound Ridge. At the next level you have Bethpage Red, Montauk Downs, Ballyowen. Then very good courses like Galloping Hill, Harbor Links, Neshanic, Bethpage Green and Blue. Other good ones like Mansion Ridge, Lido, Willow Creek, Timber Point, Hudson Hills. And then lots of decent, serviceable courses like Split Rock, Eisenhower, Oyster Bay, etc. 

How do NY public golf courses compare?

Northern Michigan has some very nice courses.

[colin007]

2 hrs from NYC is considered NY metro?? Loooool....

I'm in Albany, I've heard NYers refer to Westchester County as "upstate ny"

[LICC]

Anything under two hours would be the NY area. It's a two-hour drive from NYC to the Hamptons. Maybe a little longer to the Jersey Shore. Now if you are distinguishing NYC to adjacent areas, we will refer to Westchester as "upstate" although that does get under the skin of some Westchester residents.

[Shindig]

2 hours ago, LICC said:

 Los Angeles (Rustic Canyon, then ...)? 

I wouldn't even put Rustic Canyon at the top of the list.  In no particular order:  Rancho Park, the two Griffith Park courses, the two Brookside courses, Simi Hills, Santa Anita;  if we go for the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area we also get the Navy course, Los Serranos, the two courses at Industry Hills, Soule Park near Ojai, ... expand a bit more, we get Talega and San Clemente Muni.  All within a two hour drive from Los Angeles, and I'm sure I'm missing some because I don't travel north/west all that much. 

There are also some nice enough, but less difficult courses that golfers with higher handicaps can enjoy (Encino/Balboa/Woodley in Van Nuys,  Hansen Dam, Costa Mesa "country club" courses, Knollwood, Los Amigos), as can players of better ability.  

I would bet the linked article (I didn't check) has some more.

And if we expand the area to include Inland Empire / Palm Desert, even more.  

2 minutes ago, colin007 said:

I'm in Albany, I've heard NYers refer to Westchester County as "upstate ny"

I hope they are referencing the state.

[jamo]

3 hours ago, LICC said:

Yes, Whitten wrote a stupid story to grab headlines that is extremely shoddy. Look at the actual facts and you see that story makes no sense.

Architect of Bethpage Black

 

For what it's worth, when I was at the PGA a few weeks ago, I distinctly remember one of the fun facts they'd put up on the jumbotron between the 1st tee and 18th green something to the effect of "A.W. Tillinghast was brought in as a consultant for 15 days during the design of the Black Course." I 100% remember the "15 days" part. So if Golf Digest was wrong, the PGA picked it up and ran with it too. (I tried reading that piece you linked to and it instantly made my brain hurt, it was so poorly laid out.)

[billchao]

7 minutes ago, LICC said:

Anything under two hours would be the NY area.

That's crap, dude. Stop claiming everything "NY area" just because it's within 2 hours driving distance. I live in Central Jersey, not NYC Metro area. By your standard, NYC and Philly are "Central Jersey Area" so I claim everything you claim as my own, plus extras. Bethpage Black is in a 2 hour radius from me, so it's mine 

[LICC]

1 minute ago, jamo said:

For what it's worth, when I was at the PGA a few weeks ago, I distinctly remember one of the fun facts they'd put up on the jumbotron between the 1st tee and 18th green something to the effect of "A.W. Tillinghast was brought in as a consultant for 15 days during the design of the Black Course." I 100% remember the "15 days" part. So if Golf Digest was wrong, the PGA picked it up and ran with it too. (I tried reading that piece you linked to and it instantly made my brain hurt, it was so poorly laid out.)

His contract said to be on site for 15 days. Which back then (and now for some architects) was plenty enough for him to prepare the layout and design plans for the courses.