Courses
Trump to open pricey new public golf course in NYC
Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point — New York City’s first new course in 52 years — started booking tee times on Wednesday, and Donald Trump already has big plans for the venue.
The $269 million collaboration between Trump and course designer Jack Nicklaus is the most expensive public golf facility ever built in the United States, according to Bloomberg Business.
Some holes on the course have views of the Manhattan skyline.
The course sits on the east side of the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge that connects New York City’s Bronx and Queens Boroughs. It was expected to open in 2001, but was pushed back due to cost, landscape, environmental and legal issues.
Trump took over the project in 2011, and Ferry Point is now scheduled to open on April 1, 2015.
The links-style course sits on a 222-acre former landfill, with dunes that reach heights of 55 feet
As expected, greens fees are not cheap.
One round of golf ranges from $141 for New York City residents on weekdays, up to $215 on weekends for non-residents, with discounts for juniors and seniors.
Ferry Point is reportedly slated to host the The Barclays in 2017, an event that has held the first round of the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Playoffs since 2007, and hopes to land a U.S. Open at the venue one day, as well.
Trump is no stranger to hosting professional tournaments at his 18 golf destinations across the world.
- Trump National Doral has hosted the WGC-Cadillac Championship for the past two years.
- Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles is set to host the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in October.
- Trump National in Bedminster (New Jersey) is scheduled to host the 2017 U.S. Women’s Open.
- Trump National in Bedminster is scheduled to host the 2022 PGA Championship.
Other notable courses in Trump’s stable include Trump International Golf Links in Scotland, Trump International Golf Club Doonbeg in Ireland, Trump Turnberry in Scotland, Trump International Golf Club Puerto Rico and Trump National Golf Club in Washington D.C.
The history of the acquisition of lands for state parks and properties is a varied one across the Empire State. The first state park, Niagara Falls, was established in 1885. Many of us locals would love to have a scenic golf course located on Goat Island, with holes that ease their way next to Horseshoe, Niagara, and Bridal Veil Falls. We do understand, however, that the parkland is better suited to accessibility by and for all residents and visitors.
Work on state parks, especially the introduction of golf courses, ramped up in the 1930s, thanks to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Civilian Conservation Corps and Works Progress programs. The state continues to acquire lands today, to preserve open spaces and critical habitats. For the golfing faithful, the 24 state-owned golf course properties offer affordable and accessible municipal golf.
The birth story of the 24 golf courses has the following chronology:
Battle Island – 1919
Sag Harbor – 1926
Bethpage Green (as Lenox Hill) 1923; Blue and Red – 1935; Black – 1936; Yellow – 1958
Green Lakes – 1935
Saratoga Spa – 1936
James Baird – 1948
Wellesley Island – 1960
Dinsmore – 1962 (18 hole expansion)
Sunken Meadow – 1962 (18), 1964 (third 9)
Soaring Eagles – 1963
Indian Hills – 1964
Beaver Island – 1965
Chenango Valley – 1967 (18 hole expansion)
St. Lawrence – 1967 (18 hole expansion)
Montauk Downs – 1968 (current design)
Rockland Lake – 1969
Robert Moses Pitch and Putt – 1970
Bonavista – 1970
Springbrook Greens – 1995
From the golden age of the early 1900s to the end of the last century, the courses of the New York State park system grew from one to many. Some (Lenox Hills) were adopted into the system, while others (Chenango, St. Lawrence, Dinsmore) expanded from nine to eighteen holes. What does the 21st century hold? That’s a tough question to pose, much less answer, but it concludes its first 25 years with one of the most notable golf competitions on the planet, at its flagship park.
It’s easy to divide the 19 parks that host golf courses into regions, but much more challenging to build a tour. Our second trip, to keep the disappointment to a minimum, was scuttled. Simply not enough vacation time for this working stiff to make a trip along Lake Ontario and into the Adirondacks. I’ve played enough golf in the North Country, however, to know how special those upper region layouts are.
Battle Island
From Mary Gregg and the NYS Parks website, we learn a nice amount about Battle Island. Ms. Gregg offers these insights:
“This park derived its name from a battle which took place on a nearby island on the Oswego River in the mid-1700s. In 1916 most of the land owned by F. A. Emerick was deeded to the state. Battle Island officially became a state park in 1938 when the remaining land was turned over. The popular course near Fulton lies adjacent to the Oswego River and offers golfers magnificent views from a number of its
fairways and greens. The 18-hole Battle Island State Park Golf Course is a challenging one for the budding professional and amateur player.“From my own experience working at both Green Lakes and Bethpage; Battle Island is a short course but a challenging one. We don’t have any bunkers on the course, but the greens are quite challenging, hard to find many flat areas for pin placements. The views of the Oswego River are quite manificient throughout the season and bring a variety of wilflife throughout the season as well.”
As a youth, I heard tales of Battle Island’s brief but fierce layout from an uncle, an alumnus of the city’s state university campus. Short hitters have nothing to fear at Battle Island, but the wayward driver of the ball should certainly have a long day over the golf course.
Dinsmore
Dinsmore was expanded to 18 holes in 1962. Tom Buggy penned an insightful history of the course for the Staatsburgh State Historic Site, and we are happy to link it here. The course is the northernmost state park layout along the Hudson River, located in Hyde Park, the retreat of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
The history of Dinsmore is an interesting, curvy one. The original nine holes on property were a collaborative affair, built on 1890s land shared by three prominent area families. Known then as the Staatsburgh golf club, the daughter of the original designer would eventually donate the land to New York State, establishing the park that includes the adjacent historic homesite. An additional nine holes were added to the property in 1962. Two years later, the original holes were rerouted to form the current back nine, along the southern portion of the property.
Rockland Lake
The Rockland Lake State Park golf course could be forgiven for the occasional bout of envy. It sits in a neighborhood occupied by some of the mid-Hudson River’s finer private clubs. A half mile away is Paramount Country Club, an A.W. Tillinghast design. Tilly is also credited with the majority of the design work at Bethpage Black, a credit that he shares with Joseph Burbeck. Across the great river sits Sleepy Hollow Country Club, whose lineage involves work by Tillinghast, but mainly from C.B. Macdonald and Seth Raynor. And on and on.
In its origin days, Rockland Lake was used as a natural ice factory by the Knickerbocker company. So pure was the ice that emanated from its waters that the lake supplied much of New York City in those pre-home electricity days. In this new millennium, Rockland Lake plays host in summer months to many of the area’s golfers. Despite its proximity to the waters of the lake, a pond, and the river, none of the holes is within a mighty strike of the wet stuff.
Rockland Lake’s full-size course was designed in the 1950s by David Gordon, a well-traveled, regional architect from eastern New York and Pennsylvania. The big course sits on the northern end of the park. The property also boasts an 18-hole short course, located in the shadows of Hook Mountain, south of the lake that gives the park its name.
Saratoga Spa
Location is often everything. When your golf course is located not only inside a state park, adjacent to a popular performing arts center within the confines of the park, and a nearby, world-famous horse racing track, you have potential for a popular spot. Saratoga Spa’s original golf holes opened in the 1930s, although no architect is given credit for the design. In the late 1950s, William Mitchell did an overhaul of the layout, expanding it to the trace that is in the ground today. During the mid-2010s, Barry Jordan, another regional architect, came in to rebuild the entire 10th green and upgrade bunker drainage throughout the golf course.
Saratoga Spa boasts a testing, 18-hole layout that stretches beyond 7,000 yards. Alongside is a short course, with seven par-three holes and two par-fours. The course features a new fleet of motorized carts with GPS monitors, ensuring that golfers know where they stand at all moments of the round. In addition to the golf course, nearly a dozen natural springs flow through the Saratoga Spa Park. A large pool complex for recreation completes the park’s offerings.
Springbrook Greens
Alan Tomlinson may be the Hayden “Sidd” Finch of golf course architecture. He completed Springbrook Greens in 1995 … then disappeared. Nothing more is known about him, and no other courses bear witness to his skills as a router of golf holes. Springbrook Greens tips out at 5,800 yards and finds itself close to Lake Ontario’s southern shore. If you drew a vertical ray to the south, it would drop a bit west of Syracuse. It’s not much away from Battle Island, so there are a few state courses within a brief drive of each other, in this part of the state.
Springbrook Greens had an interesting first quarter-century of life, then COVID hit, and like many places, things went a bit off path. Fortunately for the region and its golfers, the Randall family leased the course from New York State Parks (much like Bonavista in an earlier step of this series) and brought the course back from a near-death experience. It’s pretty easy for a course to go astray, especially when basic maintenance elements break down. Among the images in the gallery, one will stand out for its lack of grass. Ron Randal tells the story like this:
“This was the 10th green in December the year before I took over. This was the worst but many had large spots that looked like this. I assumed it was a lack of proper maintenance but what I didn’t realize was that a lot of it was just irrigation heads that didn’t work or didn’t work right. This one was missing a head so the front 2 didn’t work at all and of the back 2 only one worked properly. Thank god it was a fairway head or there would have been no grass left at all.
“I assure you it looks better now.”
According to Randall, the fairways are back to what any destination course might offer. Putting surfaces have been expanded back to their original widths, offering a great many hole locations for diversity. Collars around each green and run-up areas have also been added to the course. The course spreads out over nearly 200 acres, is home to diverse, multitudinous wildlife, and amazing views.
Current projects include the rebuilding tees and the addition of back tees, to stretch the tips a bit. Trees have been pruned to allow sun to reach the most sensitive, grass-growing areas (greens and tees). If there ever was a look-at-us-now project among the panel of NYS Park golf courses, Springbrook Greens would give all others some stiff competition.
Saint Lawrence
The St. Lawrence state park course, a nine-hole affair across a wee road from the eponymous seaway, might nip Beaver Island (near Buffalo) for the Closest To Canada prize. The layout sits barely across a road adjacent to the shoreline, less than a mile from Ontario’s beaches. Since the STLS is a bit thinner than the mighty Niagara, it appears that the award goes to St. Lawrence.
St. Lawrence State Park Golf Course is a stand-alone feature, made up simply of a golf course. It was a privately owned layout for many years, near the city of Ogdensburg. The state purchased the acreage in the 1960s and leases the course to it present owners. The St. Lawrence course is a tiny, tidy experience, essentially a series of nine, straightish holes, the fairways are interrupted by the occasional crossing appearance of a wee burn, in the Scottish tradition.
From our inside folks at the course, we received this batch of intel:
“The Ogdensburg Golf Club was started in 1919 by a group of five Ogdensburg area golfers as a private golf and social club. Stock was issued to the original five investors and golfing privileges were obtained by the payment of annual dues to the club. The 151acre golf club, which consisted of five holes along the St. Lawrence River and four holes across New York State Route 37 were sold to New York State on December 18, 1967.“The State of New York had plans to develop the remaining land into an 18-hole golf facility but those plans never came to fruition. The St. Lawrence State Park Golf Course was operated by New York State Parks until May of 2011 when it was leased to Golf Services, Inc. of Wellesley Island, NY.”
Wellesley Island
In the words of Peter McDermott, manager at the Wellesley Island State Park Golf Course, “(It) is a relatively short 9-hole course at 2,695 yards par 35 but the greens are tight and rewards the accurate shot. Some of the more notable holes are two very challenging par 4’s, two drivable par 4’s and two scenic par 3’s. For an added bonus, enjoy the captivating views of the St Lawrence River!”
Unlike its upstream neighbor at St. Lawrence State Park, Wellesley Island sits on the northern bank of the river, but still within the confines of New York State and the USA. The Wellesley course occupies a massive meadow, confined by trees but not defined by them. Rather than build a traditional, tree-lined fairway sequence common to the north country, Wellesley channelled the British Isles tradition of a wide open space for golf.
With one chapter remaining in our story of New York State Parks golf courses, we’re nearing the sad yet proud end to our journey. Still to come is the Long Island sojourn, followed by the Ryder Cup competition itself, at Bethpage Black.
Crossing to Bethpage Part One: Green Laks, Beaver Island, James Baird, the Bethpage Five
Crossing to Bethpage Part Two: Soaring Eagles, Chenango Valley, Indian Hills, Bonavista
Crossing to Bethpage Part Three: You just read it!
Another Open Championship has come and gone and links golf was once again in the spotlight at Royal Troon! For those who have never played a links course (like myself), it sparks a desire to fly across the pond to experience it for ourselves. While a golf trip to the UK or Ireland is a bucket-list item, most people look to play the big-name courses (Old Course, Carnoustie, Lahinch, Royal Portrush,etc.), but don’t realize they can get a similar experience by traveling to some of the lesser known destinations where you will find some of the purest links courses in the world. With this in mind, here are our picks for the best hidden gem links courses you should play when you book a UK or Ireland trip:
IRELAND
We start our list off with a 36-hole club in the Northwest of Ireland, a remote area of the Emerald Isle that is known for its rugged terrain and spectacular scenery. Bordering the Wild Atlantic Way, Ballyliffin is relatively newer (est. 1947) but offers golfers one of the purest links golf experiences anywhere in the country. While not easy to get to, the two courses onsite (Old and Glashedy) are well worth the travel with large dunes shaping the fairways that overlook the North Atlantic Ocean and a myriad of pot bunkers everywhere you look. Even Rory McIlroy believes that “Ballyliffin’s two courses are a must play on any golf trip to Ireland.” and we tend to agree.
How to incorporate Ballyliffin in a golf trip:
Stay:Ballyliffin Lodge, Hotel & Spa
Play: Old Links & Glashedy Links at Ballyliffin, and Old Tom Morris Links or Sandy Hills Course at Rosapenna
The next course on the list is in the Sligo area of the Northwest where we find Enniscrone, roughly 3 hours (by car) south of Ballyliffin. Like many links courses, Enniscrone was originally a 9-hole course when it was opened in 1918 before an additional 9 holes were added 12 years later. In 1970, Eddie Hackett was tasked with redesigning the course to help the two 9-hole courses flow effortlessly into one 18 hole layout. A big feature that can be seen throughout your round here are the towering dunes that shape the course and protect some holes from the ocean winds. Built right out of the landscape of the dunes bordering the sea, the course has a lot of undulation in the fairways and greens with some elevated tee boxes providing unreal views of the natural land.
How to incorporate Enniscrone in a golf trip:
Stay: The Glasshouse Hotel, Sligo
Play: Enniscrone, County Sligo, and Donegal
Additional Courses: Strandhill, Carne, and Narin & Portnoo
Another fantastic gem on the Northwest coast of Ireland is the NEW (2020) St. Patricks Links at Rosapenna Hotel & Golf Links. The land was purchased back in 2012 which was already a 36-hole facility and Tom Doak was brought in to reimagine the property to the layout it currently is today. Large sand dunes shape the front 9 holes before heading back through some more subtle dunes back towards the clubhouse. The course offers elevation changes with some tee boxes sitting atop the dunes offering spectacular views of Sheephaven Bay and beyond. With two other courses and a fantastic hotel on property, this destination is all you could ever ask for.
How to incorporate St. Patricks in a golf trip:
Stay: Rosapenna Hotel & Golf Links
Play: St. Patrick’s Links, Sandy Hills Course , and Old Tom Morris Links (all at Rosapenna)
For our last hidden gem in Ireland, we head 30 minutes north of the country’s capital, Dublin, to The Island Club. Built along rugged terrain and the highest sand dunes on the east coast of Ireland, the Island Club is situated on a small peninsula surrounded by water on three sides providing a difficult challenge, especially with the winds. Founded in 1890, the Island Club continues to be ranked in the Top 10 courses in Ireland and has held some Amateur Championships and Open Championship Regional Qualifiers.
How to incorporate The Island Club in a golf trip:
Stay: The Grand Hotel, Malahide
Play: Island Club, Portmarnock Old, County Louth
Additional Courses: Royal Dublin
SCOTLAND
Located along “Scotland’s Golf Coast” of East Lothian is where we find the classic links of Dunbar. Opened in 1856 with only 15 holes, this is one of the many courses in Scotland that Old Tom Morris had a hand in crafting. Laid out along rocky and rocky terrain, the course is only 6500 yards long and while not long by modern standards, the course requires shot making and proper club selection to play well. The course has held many national and international tournaments including a few rounds of The Open Final Qualifying.
How to incorporate Dunbar in a golf trip:
Stay: No. 12 Hotel & Bistro
Play: Dunbar, Gullane (No.1), North Berwick
Additional Courses: Craigielaw, Kilspindie, Gullane (No.2, No. 3)
The next course on our list brings us to the Scottish Highlands, one of the lesser traveled destinations in Scotland, but still home to some amazing links courses including Cruden Bay! Located 25 miles north of Aberdeen on the east coast of the Highlands, Cruden Bay was opened in 1899, although history would indicate golf has been played at the property since 1791. Another Old Tom Morris design, the course is consistently ranked in the Top 25 of courses in Scotland and it is easy to see why. At only 6600 yards, it is relatively short, but the natural lay of the land provides elevation changes, punchbowl greens, and some large, 3-story high dunes that offer spectacular views for a classic links experience.
How to incorporate Cruden Bay in a golf trip:
Stay: Leonardo Hotel Aberdeen
Play: Cruden Bay, Trump International Links, Royal Aberdeen
Additional Courses: Murcar
We head back to the Highlands just north of Dornoch to where we find Brora Golf Club. Similar to a lot of links courses, Brora opened as only 9 holes in 1891, but that only lasted for 9 years before an additional 9 was added in 1900 before a James Braid redesign in 1924. At just over 6200 yards, this is one of those courses that will make you appreciate links golf in Scotland with cattle and sheep roaming freely around the property. The course is a typical links routing with the front 9 going out and the back 9 coming back to the clubhouse. The defense of the course is the wind (naturally), but the greens are relatively small with pot bunkers standing guard to catch errant approach shots.
How to incorporate Brora in a golf trip:
Stay: Royal Golf Hotel, Dornoch
Play: Brora, Royal Dornoch – Struie & Championship
Additional Courses: Golspie, Tain
Staying in the Scottish Highlands, the last Scotland links gem on the list is just outside of Inverness at The Nairn Golf Club. The narrow fairways are fast and firm leading to decent sized, tricky greens that roll true, but are guarded by devious pot bunkers. The first seven holes play right along the water and with not a ton of elevation changes, spectacular views across the Moray Firth can be seen throughout the course. With fantastic course conditions throughout the season, this fantastic links is an absolute must-play when visiting the Highlands.
How to incorporate Nairn in a golf trip:
Stay: Kingsmills Hotel, Inverness
Play: Nairn, Castle Stuart (Cabot Highlands), Fortrose & Rosemarkie
Additional Courses: Nairn Dunbar, Moray
Golfbreaks by PGA TOUR highly recommends you start planning your trip across the pond AT LEAST 12-18 months in advance in order to secure tee times and hotel rooms over the dates you desire. With more and more people taking up the game of golf, these bucket list trips have already become extremely popular and will continue to gain interest so make sure to start planning early!
RELATED: Open Championship courses you can play (and when the best time to book is)
Editor’s note: This article is presented in partnership with Golfbreaks. When you make a purchase through links in this article, GolfWRX may earn an affiliate commission.
The final major of 2024 is nearly here as the top golfers head to Scotland’s southwestern coast to battle for the claret jug at Royal Troon. Golf’s original major dates all the way back to 1860 and has been played at 14 different courses throughout the United Kingdom (yes, this includes Northern Ireland) providing countless memories including celebrations, heartbreak, and unique moments that will never be forgotten (looking at you Jordan Spieth).
With The Open teeing off less than a week from now, we wanted to highlight some of The Open Championship’s finest links courses that should play when you make the journey to golf’s homeland:
- Old Course at St. Andrews
- Carnoustie
- Muirfield
- Royal Portrush
- Royal Troon
- Royal Birkdale
- Royal St George’s
Old Course at St. Andrews
Do we even need to say anything else? The “Home of Golf”, host of 30 Open Championships, the most coveted tee time in the WORLD, there are a million reasons to have St. Andrews on your links golf bucket list. From the double greens, to the tee shot over the Old Course Hotel, to the walk up 18th fairway with the town buildings framing a picturesque scene (especially at dusk), every golfer should make the voyage to St Andrews at least once in their life.
Carnoustie
Carnoustie – Championship Course
Roughly 25 miles north of St. Andrews lies the devious links of Carnoustie, often recognized by the large white Carnoustie Golf Hotel as the backdrop of the 18th green. While the course has only hosted The Open 8 times, it is considered to be one of the hardest layouts in The Open rota (just ask Jean Van de Velde) although not that long, playing just under 7000 yards from the tips.
Muirfield
Located right next to this week’s host of Scottish Open (The Renaissance Club), this fantastic links layout has hosted the prestigious Championship 16 times since 1892. The narrow fairways and penal rough requires precise shots off the tee while avoiding the devious pot bunkers is a must. The course is set away from the coastline so you won’t get the sweeping ocean views, but a round at Muirfield is one the premier tee times in all of Scotland (so make sure you book early – 12-18 months at least).
Royal Portrush
A view of the new 572 yards par 5, seventh hole designed by Martin Ebert on the Dunluce Course at Royal Portrush Golf Club the host club for the 2019 Open Championship in Portrush, Northern Ireland. © 2018 Rob Durston
Our next stop brings us across the Irish Sea to the northern coast of Northern Ireland and the popular Royal Portrush. Having hosted The Open only twice in its illustrious history, Royal Portrush is a golfer’s dream with 36 holes of pure links golf set against a gorgeous backdrop of the ocean and cliffs. The Open Championship will return to Portrush in 2025 and YOU CAN BE THERE to watch it all in person!
Royal Troon
TROON – JULY 26: General view of the ‘Postage Stamp’ par 3, 8th hole taken during a photoshoot held on July 26, 2003 at the Royal Troon Golf Club, venue for the 2004 Open Championships, in Troon, Scotland. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)
The host of this year’s Open Championship, Royal Troon is home to one of the best par-3 holes in all of golf, “The Postage Stamp.” A downhill 125-yard tee shot to a minuscule green surrounded by bunkers on all sides makes it one of the more challenging holes. Another hole that adds to the challenge is the 601-yard par 5 that used to be the longest golf hole in Open Championship history. This year will be the 10th Open Championship held at Royal Troon, the first since 2016 when Mickelson and Stenson had a battle for the ages in the final round.
Royal Birkdale
For the next course on the list, we have to head down to the northwest coast of England just outside of Liverpool. Consistently ranked in the Top 10 courses in all the UK, this 10-time host of The Open has hosted many other prestigious events such as Ryder Cups, Women’s Opens, and more! The course is laid out with fairways running through flat-bottomed valleys surrounded by high dunes which provide many blind shots throughout the course. The Open returns to Royal Birkdale in 2026 so it won’t be long before it is back in the spotlight.
Royal St. George’s
For the final course on our list, we are staying in England, but heading across to the southeastern side of the country to Kent. Royal St. George’s is 4th on the list of most Open Championships hosted with 15 (1 behind Muirfield) the most recent being Collin Morikawa’s victory in 2021. RSG is the only active course on The Open rota in this part of the UK, but two former hosts (Prince’s and Royal Cinque Ports) are within 3 miles of the property. The expansive course is laid out with holes separated by dunes with heavy rough, undulating fairways, and deep pot bunkers to challenge your game. While it may not be mentioned in the discussions of St. Andrews, Carnoustie, and the like, Royal St. George’s is still a Championship layout that is worth the trip across the pond.
With these big-name courses in such high demand, it is important to note that if you want to play them, you need to start planning your trip early. Golfbreaks by PGA TOUR, the world’s #1 rated golf tour operator, suggests planning and booking your trip at least 12-18 months in advance in order to secure a tee time at the courses you want. The UK & Ireland specialists at Golfbreaks by PGA TOUR have the knowledge to help tailor the perfect golf trip for your group so you can play big-name courses and hidden gems you might not have heard of. If you’re ready to start planning your bucket list trip across the pond, make life easier and go with Golfbreaks by PGA TOUR.
Editor’s note: This article is presented in partnership with Golfbreaks. When you make a purchase through links in this article, GolfWRX may earn an affiliate commission.
‘Why would anybody want to change that swing?’ – Brandel Chamblee says PGA Tour star was wrong to change his swing
‘The stupidest freaking thing I’ve ever heard’ – Billy Horschel slams Open idea suggested by Padraig Harrington
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Golfer proudly posts photo of ball mark on iron, receives immediate roasting
WITB Time Machine: Matthew Wolff’s winning WITB, 2019 3M Open
Oakmont Country Club bans Wyndham Clark over locker incident; Reveals specific conditions to earn reinstatement
Adam Scott puts Callaway blades in the bag at Wyndham Championship
Report: LIV star fires caddie and coach in shock shake up
Rickie Fowler makes equipment change to ‘something that’s a little easier on the body’
The championship formula: How 3 key stats separate winners from the field
Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
Camilo Villegas WITB 2025 (July)
Camilo Villegas WITB accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. Villegas was undecided on a 3-wood when we shot his bag. ...
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Brandt Snedeker fired a final-round 65 at the 2018 Wyndham Championship to outlast Webb Simpson and C.T. Pan. His 5-under...
Jim
Mar 27, 2015 at 10:29 am
Why are some so concerned about garbage and riff raff on their course (snobs)? I think it is much more important to grow the game, such a wonderful game should not be for the rich and arrogant only. If you feel that way join a country club and shoot your 90 plus scores and have your caddy tell you how great you are, for a big tip.
I just don’t get it.
MyBluC4
Mar 26, 2015 at 4:23 pm
Many years past due, many millions over budget. Taypayer money. No real taxpayer benefit.
Stunning looking track and is probably a terrific golf experience that, because of price will be the domain of those willing and able to pay the fare. Too bad.
Love the game and the fact that there are courses in NYC to play, but this one is too rich for my blood. I think the city counsel caved just to get the course done after many years of legal bickering.
Not a good example of city governance or collective responsibility. Still wish I could play it.
Robbie
Mar 25, 2015 at 1:35 pm
The cost keeps the garbage players off the course. Period. The reason garbage players don’t clog bethpage black as much is because the course is so tough and unplayable for bad players.
Philip
Mar 18, 2015 at 12:16 pm
Before I started reading the comments I was thinking – this looks like a landfill site – and voila, it is. I’ve seen the same happen north of Toronto, Canada. Closed the landfill and the next year a golf course was on it, two years after condos going in. The thing about landfills is that underneath this course is garbage (toxic too most likely). I used to live on a land fill without knowing (thousands of homes) and they had detectors for years until I guess the poisonous gas levels dropped enough and they pulled up the sensors and slapped on another thousand or so homes on the remaining vacant land. You would see some pretty interesting animals around the community. Imagine paying those prices to play on top of garbage – I just hope no one if unfortunate to fall into a sink hole, which I can see as a real risk.
Brooklyngolfer
Mar 18, 2015 at 11:35 am
This is a disgrace! I think all NYC golfers have been waiting for this course to open. Now that it is, it’s not worth it. $215 for a weekend tee time! So for some reason Trump/NYC think it’s worth more than 3 times the amount than it is to play Bethpage Black?
I think everyone should boycott this course until there are some HEAVY reductions for NYC locals….Oh, also, they conveniently placed the entrance just after the toll as well, so add $12 to your $215 round for that too. Trump and NYC officials should be ashamed of themselves!
BxTeacher
Mar 20, 2015 at 8:37 am
I was really looking forward to the opening of this course as I work about 5 minutes drive away. Unfortunately, since Trump got his fat meatpaws involved in the project the prices skyrocketed and now it’s a damn fortune to play. Originally, I read the fees were supposed to be $115-125 for the highest cost tee times (weekend, non-res). It’s a real shame that something that could have been really decent for the area has turned into a really shitty hand out to some rich, petrified wood-looking douche.
mike
Mar 20, 2015 at 4:02 pm
You (NYC golfer) makeup less than 1% of the population. The 99% don’t care about the cost of the greens fee since they will never play golf anyway. I hate Trump but there is no doubt this project is great for the city and the surrounding area.
Homer
Mar 17, 2015 at 7:50 pm
What will The Donald sue NYC for during this venture? Miami was an airport, LA was an earthquake, will it maybe be a change in the skyline in NYC? Nothing like suing a municipality to help finance a golf course. Stayed tuned because you know it’s coming.
Rich
Mar 17, 2015 at 6:09 pm
Despite the price, the golf course looks amazing! I can understand why people might be a bit pissed off though. If NYC residents were promised a golf course that was reasonably priced, that’s not exactly the case.
LI Golfer
Mar 17, 2015 at 4:37 pm
This course will quickly become the domain of the Asian golfer from Northern Queens. And the average round will be quite long. The gentlemen will play from only the Blue Tees and will not hit a fairway wood or a hybrid on a par 3 despite the length. There is considerable wagering and the putting will not include gimmees. That and drunk businessmen. And wait until NY Golf Shuttle gets into someone’s pocket for the best tee times, you wont be able to get on at all on the weekends unless you drop 500 bucks……..Might get them out of Bethpage’s pocket.
PONY UP NY Golf Shuttle will secure your tee time and provide round-trip transport (assuming a Manhattan pickup) $500 per person (includes greens fee and round-trip transport from Manhattan) hassle-free, stress-free and well rested for some punishment sure to come.
nyc
Mar 18, 2015 at 5:19 am
So your basic complaints are Asian golfers and cost? I live/play near NYC and Asian golfers are no slower/faster than anyone else. It may seem like they play slow but that’s because they stick out to people like you (grumpy old white man who hate anyone different or new playing golf). As for the cost? It’s NYC!!! It’s Donal Trump!!! Did you see the pics? Did you read the building cost? What do you expect? If you’re looking for no asians and cheap golf, NYC is definitely not the right place for you.
LI Golfer
Mar 19, 2015 at 10:17 am
No complaints about Asian golfers local to that area, just an observation and prediction.
As far as cost, I dont care, I dont have to play it and dont pay taxes in NYC. I personally think that an NYC golf facility, paid for with City money on City owned land should be made available to NYC residents at a reasonable cost. If you looked at the demographic of NYC, how many would realistically be able to afford 169.00 for a round of weekend golf???? And what about locally in the Bronx. I just dont think Trump and Municipal golf facility go together, unless he is buried somewhere on it. Oh but its sooo nice and its Donald Trump………..Then let Trump buy the land, at market value and he can charge what ever he wants and pay taxes on his “investment”
How the f#@k could it cost $269 million to build a golf course on an empty field? Frankly, they should have put up some condos on this space to generate more income for NYC. And he should have had to fix the soccer fields and bathrooms on the west side of the bridge.
mike
Mar 20, 2015 at 3:31 pm
You don’t pay taxes in NYC… So why do you care? Since you mentioned the demographics of NYC. 99.9% of NYC residents are non regular golfers, so I don’t think they really care what the cost of the greens fee will be. All they care about is if the project will be good for the city. The course itself will definitely be profitable, the property values around the course will rise, and the course will bring major events to NYC. Don’t get me wrong, I hate Trump. But it’s not like he stole some exclusive piece of property from nyc, it was a toxic landfill with absolutely no value with a project that was going no where.
Scud
Mar 17, 2015 at 1:00 pm
Lido Beach Golf Club still has the best finishing 3 holes in NY 😉
The90sAreHere
Mar 17, 2015 at 2:49 am
$269 Million dollar collaboration and yet they could not be bothered to spend even 1% ($2.69 Million) or less on a decent website?
The levels of sadness this website exuberates would make even the happiest of felines bellow in agony.
And no, this comment was not made by a spam bot 🙂
gdb99
Mar 17, 2015 at 6:31 pm
The story does not link to the course website.
Try this: http://www.trumpferrypoint.com
The90sAreHere
Mar 21, 2015 at 6:56 am
That was my point.
The website, regardless of the dollars dropped on the course, looks like it was made in 2001.
Jordan
Mar 16, 2015 at 5:03 pm
Unfortunately, when NYC handed over the keys to Trump, that was the sign that this course was not going to be for the same crowd that plays on the other NYC public courses. There was hope when it was rumored that greens fees would be roughly double those of the others, but peak time fees are nearly triple. I play at the other courses as a single mostly, so I have gotten paired up with a good sample of the public-golf-playing demographic in the area. They, and I, are not the types to shell out that kind of cash on a regular basis. Once in a while, sure, it will be fun to play. But the 6+ hour rounds are not going anywhere at the other courses.
Brad
Mar 16, 2015 at 12:07 pm
I didn’t see a SINGLE tree…. LOL
ken
Mar 16, 2015 at 12:17 pm
And you won’t…It’s a capped landfill….And despite the outrageous and exclusive price to play, one has to travel through a pretty dicey neighborhood to get to the course.
Trump, who as a non nonsense business person, I admire, has this idea in his head at quote: “golf is an aspirational game”..What Trump means is only those who have achieved a certain level of financial success should be playing golf…Hence the reason why almost every golf property he owns or his company operates is either a private members only club or in the case of daily fees, the prices are out of reach for most golfers.
I object to that.
JOEL GOODMAN
Mar 16, 2015 at 8:26 pm
I LOVE IT.. KEEPS THE RIFF RAFF AND THE ONCE A YEAR HACKERS OUT AND THE GAME GOES BETTER WITHOUT THEIR CLOGGING UP THE COURSE.
JOEL GOODMAN
Mar 16, 2015 at 8:25 pm
DO YOU KNOW WHAT A LINKS COURSE IS? DO YOU HAVE ANY GOLF COURSE ARCHITECTURAL KNOWLEDGE? OBVIOUSLY NOT.
Joe Golfer
Mar 17, 2015 at 12:50 am
Did you notice that the original post by Brad ended with the “LOL”.
In other words, his post was meant as a joke, because, yes, he does know what a links course is.
Realisitic
Mar 17, 2015 at 10:27 am
do you know what a caps lock key is?
mlamb
Mar 16, 2015 at 11:48 am
there are already plenty of cheap golf courses in the NY area. if anything, this will help regulate the outrageous (6+ hours) pace of play at most all public courses near the city.
ken
Mar 16, 2015 at 12:27 pm
Actually ,you’re wrong. Every three or so years, Golf Digest rates access to public golf by price, pace of play, value, quality of facilities and other criteria. The ratings are divided by location using the top 3330 or so Metropolitan Statistical Areas ( MSA’s)…..In every survey, The NYC/Long Island MSA is rated LAST in access to public golf…The Bergen/Passaic/Hudson Counties MSA is right down there with NYC….The fact is that there are far more golfers than the public facilities can handle.
As for your theory that exclusionary pricing will reduce crowded conditions at Ferry Pt…..Have fun trying to get a tee time at Bethpage, the most expensive state park golf in the NYS System….The courses, especially Black, are always packed….
I think the Ferry pt course will get some play initially, but the novelty will wear of as will the patience of New Yorkers trying to find a round of golf for a reasonable fee. Quite frankly, any rack rate over $50 or $60 for public golf doesn’t cut it.
And with golf participation in steady decline, the golf industry is flailing
mlamb
Mar 16, 2015 at 1:58 pm
ken – i live in ny and i can tell you firsthand that every nearby course is absolutely packed during the season. most these places are absolute dogtracks that charge $60+. the reason bethpage is so crowded is because it offers a very generous discount to those with an ny license.
it’s honestly so bad that i had to join a private club
JOEL GOODMAN
Mar 16, 2015 at 8:30 pm
LOOKS LIKE THESE COMMENTATORS HAVE NEVER STEPPED FOOT IN FLORIDA. COME PLAY ANY OF OUR BETTER PUBLIC ACCESS COURSE IN SEASON AND BE PREPARED TO START AT $100 A ROUND. tHE BEST RESORT COURSES ARE IN THE $300-500 PER ROUND RANGE AND THE TEE TIMES ARE FULL DECEMBER THROUGH APRIL.. IN THE SUMMER THE RATES ARE ABOUT HALF.
PT
Mar 16, 2015 at 10:43 pm
You have completely missed the point and lack of knowledge is arrogant. A $115 round is completely different from a $215 round. Also, this is not a resort it but rather an 18 hole golf course in the Bronx. Killer views yes but this was never meant to be a $300 novelty resort course. Let me fill you in – the whole purpose was to develop a course for residents of NYC to have a convenient and reasonable place to play. Original budget was only like $30 million and is now coming in close to $250 million. Oh yea, not to mention it has all been funded by NYC taxpayer dollars. So you can see why the average joe promised reasonably priced rounds would be a little pissed, he paid for the course. Budget is blown by 10 times so they need to make it up somewhere, luckily for Trump he doesn’t have to start paying rent back to the city for 2 years and can reap it in during the honeymoon period. At a $100, like ANY BETTER PUBLIC ACCESS COURSE, I would probably play it a few times a month. But at $215 plus NY tax plus $35 for a f$%cking cart for a course the public paid for you are out of your mind to think thats ok, and I’m a republican!
Realisitic
Mar 17, 2015 at 10:28 am
But golf in Florida is flat, boring, and you have to be in Florida to do it
No thanks
gdb99
Mar 17, 2015 at 6:27 pm
I was in Florida to play golf the last week in February, in the Tampa area.
I played some the better public courses, like Dunedin Country Club, where the PGA Headquarters used to be, and never paid over $50.
I have enjoyed playing Bethpage a number of times, since I live in CT. I would like to play this course but, listening to these stories of who paid for the course, it’s original intent for an affordable place to play, I’m not so sure now.
And Joel, your caps lock is on.
HBL
Mar 16, 2015 at 11:42 am
According to Trump, in a Golf Digest interview, golf should be aspirational; in other words, played by very rich people. Since I don’t have an eight figure portfolio I don’t think I can (should or will) play this course, or any other of his other courses. I am looking forward to my fall trip to Bandon Dunes however.
Bogus
Mar 16, 2015 at 12:47 pm
Lol Trump is an obnoxious insecure corporate fiend. Most of the field in his events then don’t deserve to play golf lol, I would say the majority came from families that wouldn’t be considered overly wealthy, some came from literally nothing. Trump sucks at golf, so do most of his business buddies. Golf should be played by everyone and anyone who loves the game, just like any other sport. We don’t need corporate rats like Trump telling us how to organize our hobbies.
TK
Mar 16, 2015 at 11:41 am
Guys,
It does look like a challenge but I would like to thank Mr Trump for putting his time and $$$ into this track that, without him, would still be in a state of disarray.
For all those who complained about 7000+ yards, why don’t you try playing from the teebox that suits your game? I am sure that there are tees from 6500 / 5900/5200 yds for everyone to enjoy…I personally enjoy a tough track. I am a fairly long hitter, play to a 7 hdcp and enjoy a tough (but fair) challenge. I am sure there’s something for everyone out there.
Finally, if it’s too hard to play, why would you go play Bethpage instead? Isn’t the Black (and from what I’ve heard – the Red) some of the toughest tracks around?
I look forward to coming to NJ for my best friend’s 50th. Our 4some plans on playing Bethpage Black, Trump @ Fairy Point, Liberty National and Bayonne (I have friends in high places that can get us on these wonderful courses)…
Cheers, TK
PT
Mar 16, 2015 at 2:07 pm
Trump didn’t have to dump loads of money into this. He leases the course from the city. Only had to put out $10 million in equity to build the clubhouse. Also, he has 2 or 3 years of rent abatement. Pretty sweet deal.
IJP
Mar 16, 2015 at 9:54 pm
dont forget the free water. irrigation is everything.
adolfo
Mar 16, 2015 at 10:58 am
and then the powers at be wonder why its so damn difficult to play golf……..how about you lower the prices and shorten the courses a little bit. I mean most of us cant last on a 7000 yd course for that amount of money. (sorry for the rant)
ken
Mar 16, 2015 at 12:29 pm
Leave your ego in the car….Play from forward tees. Simple.
Please do not be one of these dopes who slow down play because in spite of their 20+ handicap “paid to see the whole course”….
Steve
Mar 16, 2015 at 12:45 pm
And they make other tee boxes for people that can’t last on 7,000 yard courses…
PT
Mar 16, 2015 at 10:36 am
I thought the goal of NYC was to keep this place affordable when they originally set out to build it. It will get play for the novelty but can’t see many people making regular trips to this place. I will play it once but then gladly keep playing Bethpage where I can basically play the Black 3 times for those green fees.
yaisaidit
Mar 16, 2015 at 12:25 am
i get the ‘privilege’ to drive by this beauty on my way to paying tolls each morning for work. looks awesome from what i can tell but it’ll be too difficult for the avg. joe. i never get bored with bethpage!
Guantanemo
Mar 15, 2015 at 11:47 pm
I’ve seen the course from the sky multiple times as I flew to and from JFK. I’d always wondered what it was, because it looked awesome. Hope to go play there someday.
slider
Mar 15, 2015 at 9:37 pm
if trump keeps crying I am sure he will get a us open soon