Hi, new user from New York City checking in

[legitimatebeef]

Hello. I think I first heard of this website mentioned by a fellow user of the oobgolf site, where I keep all my scores and stats. Feel free to go have a look at them, under the same username. I have nothing to hide! I have been playing golf in earnest since May 2005. I finished the last season as a bloated 11.0 handicap. But I swear--I am better than that.

Recently I've come to realize that for me, the peak season of golf is the late fall and winter and the worst is summer. Last year I played the least amount of golf during the summer, by design. For me, cold weather golf just can't be beat. I love when the temperature is between 30 and 40° F. The winter is my time to play with minimal douchebaggery. At a pace of three hours, sometimes two! To play without having to look around and see the usual panorama of misery, all the pitiful attempts at golf, all the egregious dumbheaded rules and etiquette gaffes, etc that is the peak season muni golf season around here (and many other places I hear).

I guess it's because I take my rounds so serious. I don't spend a lot of extracurricular time whacking range balls, buying and tinkering with gear, nor do I spend a lot of dough on this whole pursuit. Getting to and from courses around here takes up enough time as is, so when do I get out on the course I will make the most of it--I didn't just take an hourlong subway ride to get on the course and put in a half-assed effort. So from the first tee shot to the eighteenth hole out, that's where I am a maniac. Grind it out to the bitter end. A more serious 11-handicap you are not likely to meet anywhere. Sure lots of people may have more invested in their golf bags, or spent more time fussing over their games, but in all my travels I've only met a few whose burning ambition to beat their own best efforts rivaled my own.

Since the summer of last year, I've been publishing a blog site--legitimategolf .com. It's a kind of journal of golf experiences, slash travelogue, slash bully pulpit slash free for all. The universe of golf seen through a skewed lens, maybe. With a particular focus on what I identify as ghetto golf. New York City for all it's magnitude, is kind of a golf wasteland. There is a good infrastructure of golf courses that was set up in the early 20th century, thank god. So there are numerous places to play. But beyond that, the culture of golf here is bankrupt. It's sort of martial law out there, every man for himself. So there's that angle as well.

I am here because sometimes I have golf stuff in mind, that needs discussing, and the people in my life are not always exactly suitable receptacles, to put it clinically.

Thanks.

[mvmac]

Welcome!  If you have any questions about using the site, check out our "Using the Site" section , and Little Things New Users can learn.

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[PJCdude]

hey legitimatebeef, felow NYC golfer here but I just started playing this past August. Where do you usually play? I play most of my rounds at Van Cortlandt Park and Split Rock/Pelham Bay. Welcome to the site.

[boston blackie]

" The winter is my time to play with minimal douchebaggery."

Ha, ha,…precious!

[nevets88]

Welcome. Yeah NYC not much choice in terms of courses but it's not a wasteland. The privates around the city will blow any area away. I'd say it's more a mecca, for the 0.01% that is.

[legitimatebeef]

hey legitimatebeef, felow NYC golfer here but I just started playing this past August. Where do you usually play? I play most of my rounds at Van Cortlandt Park and Split Rock/Pelham Bay. Welcome to the site.

I'm closest to Dyker Beach, so I end up playing a lot there. Last year I started to branch out and became sort of a regular at Silver Lake in SI. My favorite in the area though is Marine Park. The management there is fairly new, they are gung ho and the place has been on the upswing for a while now. It's the most challenging course as well as the best facilities in the city. Best staff and pro's too. They have a range for god's sake. What more can I say. Too bad the location is a bit far flung.

Welcome. Yeah NYC not much choice in terms of courses but it's not a wasteland. The privates around the city will blow any area away. I'd say it's more a mecca, for the 0.01% that is.

Except for Marine Park, it is a wasteland! I am a peon, places like Winged Foot or Liberty might as well not exist far as I am concerned. I'll admit though outside the city, there's plenty of good golf in the general region (after all golf in America pretty much began in the Northeast). For instance I am a Bethpage fan, not just Black either--I celebrate all the courses.

[nevets88]

Except for Marine Park, it is a wasteland! I am a peon, places like Winged Foot or Liberty might as well not exist far as I am concerned. I'll admit though outside the city, there's plenty of good golf in the general region (after all golf in America pretty much began in the Northeast). For instance I am a Bethpage fan, not just Black either--I celebrate all the courses.

Yeah, I can play Black if I want, but I often play the other courses, less hassle. Links @ Union Vale, Mohansic, Rockland Lake, Howell Park, Hominy Hills, Pine Ridge, Neshanic Valley are the other courses in my rota.

If the privates in the area had a policy like the "privates" in the British Open rota, this place would be golf heaven, there are so many privates here that are not as well known to the general public as WF and are amazing kick-butt courses.

[PJCdude]

I'm closest to Dyker Beach, so I end up playing a lot there. Last year I started to branch out and became sort of a regular at Silver Lake in SI. My favorite in the area though is Marine Park. The management there is fairly new, they are gung ho and the place has been on the upswing for a while now. It's the most challenging course as well as the best facilities in the city. Best staff and pro's too. They have a range for god's sake. What more can I say. Too bad the location is a bit far flung.

Except for Marine Park, it is a wasteland! I am a peon, places like Winged Foot or Liberty might as well not exist far as I am concerned. I'll admit though outside the city, there's plenty of good golf in the general region (after all golf in America pretty much began in the Northeast). For instance I am a Bethpage fan, not just Black either--I celebrate all the courses.

I went to Marine Park a few weeks ago. Tons of snow all over the greens but seems like a good course during the season.

I actually checked out your blog and enjoyed your harsh reviews. One thing I will add about Pelham Bay is that I see you don't drive to these courses, but a 1/4 mile down the road is Turtle Cove golf  center and they have a great range with greens and clearly posted distances. They even sell a warm up bucket that's something like 40 balls for 6 bucks if you're playing a round at Split Rock or Pelham Bay. Check it out if you can when you play Split Rock.