Trips

SCRATCHED

May 2026

The home of American golf architecture. · Vol. 01

The Ultimate
New York Golf Trip.

Long Island alone holds more architectural pedigree per square mile than any region in the country: Shinnecock, the National, Maidstone, Friar's Head, Sebonack. Upstate has Bethpage Black on the state-park side and the Westchester private bench (Winged Foot, Sleepy Hollow). NYC golf is private until you get to the public-access state parks.

Above · Shinnecock Hills Golf Club

ILong Island Loop IIWestchester Bench IIIUpstate Route

Route I of III · Long Island

The Long Island Loop

Bethpage · Shinnecock · Maidstone · Friar's Head

Duration3 days

Total drive165 mi

Tariff$$$

Approx. $2,800 / person, 3 days. Bethpage Black is $70 if you walk-up at 5 AM. Shinnecock, Maidstone, and Friar's Head are sponsored-play only.

Day
1
Bethpage Black
Day 1 · Bethpage State Park
Pull a number at 5 AM for the Black or book online a year ahead. Cheapest top-100-in-America round you will ever play.
- Bethpage Black
  Bethpage Black, A.W. Tillinghast 1936. The "Warning to inexpert golfers" sign is at the first tee.
Day
2
Shinnecock Hills Golf Club
Day 2 · The Hamptons
Drive 75 miles east. Stay in Southampton. Two of America's most architecturally important clubs.
- Shinnecock Hills Golf Club
  Shinnecock Hills, five-time U.S. Open host, the prototype American links.
- National Golf Links of America
  National Golf Links of America, CB Macdonald 1911, next door to Shinnecock.
Day
3
Friar's Head
Day 3 · North Fork
Forty-five minutes west to Riverhead. The most-photographed modern Coore & Crenshaw routing.
- Friar's Head
  Friar's Head, Coore & Crenshaw 2002 on the bluffs above Long Island Sound.
- Maidstone Club
  Maidstone, Willie Park Jr. 1899, the East Hampton classic if you stay through Day 4.

Route II of III · Westchester County

The Westchester Bench

Winged Foot, Sleepy Hollow, Quaker Ridge

Duration3 days

Total drive40 mi

Tariff$$$$

Approx. $4,800 / person, 3 days. All three are top-100 private clubs. Sponsored play only.

Day
1
Winged Foot Golf Club
Day 1, Winged Foot
Fly into LGA or HPN. Stay in White Plains. The West Course is the major-host headliner; the East is no easier.
- Winged Foot Golf Club
  Winged Foot Golf Club, A.W. Tillinghast 1923. Six U.S. Opens and the 2020 DeChambeau win.
Day
2
Quaker Ridge Golf Club
Day 2, Quaker Ridge
Five minutes from Winged Foot. Tillinghast 1916. A walking-only members club ranked top-50 in America.
- Quaker Ridge Golf Club
  Quaker Ridge, A.W. Tillinghast 1916. Course rating 74.9. The under-the-radar Westchester top-tier.
Day
3
Sleepy Hollow Country Club
Day 3, Sleepy Hollow
Half hour north along the Hudson. The clubhouse is in a former Rockefeller estate; the views off the bluffs are the photograph.
- Sleepy Hollow Country Club
  Sleepy Hollow Country Club, Macdonald and Raynor 1914, Tom Doak restoration. Top-100 in America.

Route III of III · Western to Central NY

The Upstate Route

Oak Hill, Saratoga Spa, Leatherstocking

Duration3 days

Total drive280 mi

Tariff$$

Approx. $1,400 / person, 3 days. Saratoga Spa is state-park public; Oak Hill is member-host; Leatherstocking is resort-public on Otsego Lake.

Day
1
Oak Hill Country Club
Day 1, Oak Hill (Rochester)
Fly into ROC. Member host needed. East Course is the major-host (three PGAs, two U.S. Opens).
- Oak Hill Country Club
  Oak Hill Country Club, Donald Ross 1926. East Course is the championship side; West is the older Ross original.
Day
2
Leatherstocking Golf Course
Day 2, Leatherstocking
Drive east to Cooperstown. Stay at the Otesaga Resort. The course wraps the lake.
- Leatherstocking Golf Course
  Leatherstocking Golf Course, Devereux Emmet 1909. Public-resort on Otsego Lake.
Day
3
Saratoga Spa State Park Golf Course
Day 3, Saratoga Spa
Two hours northeast to Saratoga Springs. State-park course; cheap and walkable. End the trip in town.
- Saratoga Spa State Park Golf Course
  Saratoga Spa State Park Golf Course, Frank Duane 1965. Cheapest tee time in this guide.

Aim for these

The bucket-list courses in New York

Tour stops, host courses, the ones golfers fly across the country to play.

One tier below

Premier picks

Top-100-in-the-state regulars. The clubs you've heard of but maybe not played.

If you can't get in the front gate

The best public-access courses

Tee times bookable by anyone with a credit card. Sorted by USGA course rating.

Who designed it

Architects with the most work in New York

Hal Purdy18 courses
Devereux Emmet14 courses
James Thomson8 courses
J.M. Bartow4 courses
A.W. Tillinghast3 courses
Donald Ross3 courses
Stephen Kay2 courses
Walter Travis2 courses

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