Pound for pound it’s not hard to make the argument that New York is the best state in the country for golf.
More than that, you could make the argument that the region within two hours of New York City is the best spot on the planet for world-class golf.
There are simply so many phenomenal courses to choose from.
There’s just one problem, while it’s a Mecca for golf, it’s more accurately a mecca for private golf.
Of our combined list of the top 30 golf courses in New York? Just 1 is public (but it’s a really good one).
New York is interesting because if you’re trying to play the best golf courses in New York, there are also many other world class courses within a short drive to New Jersey, Connecticut, or Pennsylvania.
That said, there’s a lot to cover, so let’s jump in.
Best Golf Courses In New York 2024
These rankings are averages of the Best in State Rankings from Golf Digest, Top 100 Golf, Golf Magazine, and Golfweek. We listed the nearest major city to make planning easier.
To be included there needed to be a minimum of two inclusions in one of the publications listed above. Make sure you read the whole post, as there are some very good courses that didn’t get included by this methodology. I’ll discuss some of them below
- Shinnecock Hills G.C., Southampton
- National G. Links of America, Southampton
- Fishers Island Club, Fishers Island
- Friar’s Head G.C., Baiting Hollow
- Winged Foot G.C. (West), Mamaroneck
- Garden City G.C. Garden City
- Bethpage State Park (Black), Farmingdale
- Maidstone Club, East Hampton
- Oak Hill C.C. (East), Rochester
- Winged Foot G.C. (East), Mamaroneck
- Quaker Ridge G.C., Scarsdale
- Sebonack G.C., Southampton
- Sleepy Hollow C.C., Scarborough-On-Hudson
- Piping Rock Club, Locust Valley
- The Creek, Locust Valley
- Glens Falls, Queensbury
- St. George’s Golf & CC, Setauket
- Wykagyl C.C., New Rochelle
- Whippoorwill Club, Armonk
- Westchester C.C. (West), Rye
- Atlantic G.C., Bridgehampton
- Meadow Brook Club, Jericho}
- Hudson National G.C., Croton-On-Hudson
- Fenway G.C., Scarsdale
- Oak Hill C.C. (West), Rochester
- Engineers, Glen Head
- The Bridge, Bridgehampton
- Country Club of Buffalo
- Monroe G.C., Pittsford
- Southampton, Southampton
- Crag Burn G.C., East Aurora
- Deepdale G.C., Manhasset
- Teugega, Rome
- Westhampton C.C., Westhampton Beach
- Century C.C., Purchase
- East Hampton G.C., East Hampton
- NorthShore CC, Glen Head
- Silo Ridge Field Club, Amenia
- Leatherstocking, Cooperstown
- Bethpage State Park (Red), Farmingdale
- Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point, Bronx
- Sunningdale CC, Scarsdale
- Glen Oaks Club (White/Blue), Old Westbury
- Huntington, Huntington
- C.C. of Rochester
- Old Oaks C.C., Purchase
- Manhattan Woods G.C., West Nyack
- Rockaway Hunting Club, Lawrence
- Turning Stone (Atunyote), Verona
- Pound Ridge, Pound Ridge
- Turning Stone (Kaluhyat), Verona
- Saratoga National, Saratoga Springs
- Sagamore, Bolton Landing
- Montauk Downs State Park, Montauk Point
- Turning Stone (Shenendoah), Verona
Golf Digest Best In New York
- Shinnecock Hills G.C., Southampton
- National G. Links of America, Southampton
- Fishers Island Club, Fishers Island
- Winged Foot G.C. (West), Mamaroneck
- Friar’s Head G.C., Baiting Hollow
- Oak Hill C.C. (East), Rochester
- Sebonack G.C., Southampton
- Bethpage State Park (Black), Farmingdale
- Winged Foot G.C. (East), Mamaroneck
- Garden City G.C., Garden City
- Sleepy Hollow C.C., Scarborough-On-Hudson
- Maidstone Club, East Hampton
- Quaker Ridge G.C., Scarsdale
- Hudson National G.C., Croton-On-Hudson
- Piping Rock Club, Locust Valley
- The Creek, Locust Valley
- Atlantic G.C., Bridgehampton
- Wykagyl C.C., New Rochelle
- Westchester C.C. (West), Rye
- Meadow Brook Club, Jericho}
- The Bridge, Bridgehampton
- Silo Ridge Field Club, Amenia
- Westhampton C.C., Westhampton Beach
- Glen Oaks Club (White/Blue), Old Westbury
- Deepdale G.C., Manhasset
- Fenway G.C., Scarsdale
- Oak Hill C.C. (West), Rochester
- Crag Burn G.C., East Aurora
- Whippoorwill Club, Armonk
- Country Club of Buffalo
- East Hampton G.C., East Hampton
- Century C.C., Purchase
- Turning Stone (Atunyote), Verona
- Turning Stone (Kaluhyat), Verona
- Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point, Bronx
- Manhattan Woods G.C., West Nyack
- C.C. of Rochester, Rochester
- Monroe G.C., Pittsford
- Rockaway Hunting Club, Lawrence
- Old Oaks C.C., Purchase
Golf Magazine Best In New York
- Shinnecock Hills G.C., Southampton
- National G. Links of America, Southampton
- Fishers Island Club, Fishers Island
- Friar’s Head G.C., Baiting Hollow
- Winged Foot G.C. (West), Mamaroneck
- Garden City G.C., Garden City
- Maidstone Club, East Hampton
- Bethpage State Park (Black), Farmingdale
- Sleepy Hollow C.C., Scarborough-On-Hudson
- Quaker Ridge G.C., Scarsdale
- Oak Hill C.C. (East), Rochester
- Winged Foot G.C. (East), Mamaroneck
- Piping Rock Club, Locust Valley
- The Creek, Locust Valley
- Glens Falls, Queensbury
- Sebonack G.C., Southampton
- Whippoorwill Club, Armonk
- St. George’s Golf & CC, Setauket
- Atlantic G.C., Bridgehampton
- Wykagyl C.C., New Rochelle
- Fenway G.C., Scarsdale
- Oak Hill C.C. (West), Rochester
- Westchester C.C. (West), Rye
- Monroe G.C., Pittsford
- Hudson National G.C., Croton-On-Hudson
- Century C.C., Purchase
- Westhampton C.C., Westhampton Beach
- Southampton, Southampton
- The Bridge, Bridgehampton
- Engineers, Glen Head
“Top 100 Golf” Best in New York
- Shinnecock Hills G.C., Southampton
- National G. Links of America, Southampton
- Fishers Island Club, Fishers Island
- Friar’s Head G.C., Baiting Hollow
- Winged Foot G.C. (West), Mamaroneck
- Garden City G.C., Garden City
- Bethpage State Park (Black), Farmingdale
- Maidstone Club, East Hampton
- Winged Foot G.C. (East), Mamaroneck
- Quaker Ridge G.C., Scarsdale
- Piping Rock Club, Locust Valley
- Oak Hill C.C. (East), Rochester
- Sebonack G.C., Southampton
- Whippoorwill Club, Armonk
- The Creek, Locust Valley
- Sleepy Hollow C.C., Scarborough-On-Hudson
- Wykagyl C.C., New Rochelle
- St. George’s Golf & CC, Setauket
- Glens Falls, Queensbury
- Monroe G.C., Pittsford
- Westchester C.C. (West), Rye
- Engineers, Glen Head
- Meadow Brook Club, Jericho}
- Country Club of Buffalo, Williamsville
- Fenway G.C., Scarsdale
- Hudson National G.C., Croton-On-Hudson
- Oak Hill C.C. (West), Rochester
- Atlantic G.C., Bridgehampton
- The Bridge, Bridgehampton
- Southampton, Southampton
Top 100 Golf Courses in New York
It should come as no surprise that New York is a hotbed of top 100 courses, featuring some of the very best places to play golf on the planet.
Golf Digest Top 100 America (New York Courses)
- #4 – Shinnecock Hills Golf Club
- #7 – National Golf Links of America
- #9 – Fishers Island Club
- #12 – Winged Foot Golf Club (West)
- #16 – Friars Head Golf Club
- #20 – Oak Hill (East Course)
- #38 – Sebonack Golf Club
- #40 – Bethpage State Park (Black Course)
- #41 – Winged Foot Golf Club (East)
- #61 – Garden City Golf Club
- #62 – Sleepy Hollow Country Club
- #64 – Maidstone Club
- #76 – Quaker Ridge Golf Club
- #89 – Hudson National Golf Club
Golf Digest Top 100 Public (New York Courses)
- #8 – Bethpage State Park (Black Course)
Golf Magazine Top 100 Public (New York Courses)
- #5 – Bethpage State Park (Black Course)
- #66 – Bethpage State Park (Red Course)
- #95 – Ferry Point Golf Links
Golf Magazine Top 100 America (New York Courses)
- #3 – Shinnecock Hills Golf Club
- #4 – National Golf Links of America
- #9 – Fishers Island Club
- #13 – Friars Head Golf Club
- #15- Winged Foot Golf Club (West)
- #25 – Garden City Golf Club
- #29 – Maidstone Club
- #30 – Bethpage State Park (Black Course)
- #36 – Sleepy Hollow Country Club
- #39 – Quaker Ridge Golf Club
- #40 – Oak Hill (East Course)
- #46 – Winged Foot Golf Club (East)
- #56 – Piping Rock Golf Club
- #62 – The Creek Club
- #86 – Glens Falls Country Club
- #97 – Sebonack Golf Club
Golf Magazine Top 100 World (New York Courses)
- #4 – Shinnecock Hills Golf Club
- #5 – National Golf Links of America
- #16 – Fishers Island Club
- #21 – Friars Head Golf Club
- #25- Winged Foot Golf Club (West)
- #45 – Garden City Golf Club
- #52 – Bethpage State Park (Black Course)
- #56 – Maidstone Club
- #68 – Winged Foot Golf Club (East)
- #71 – Sleepy Hollow Country Club
- #76 – Oak Hill (East Course)
- #87 – Quaker Ridge Golf Club
Breaking Eighty Top 100 (New York Courses)
Worth noting here, this is the list of my favorite courses. Not a list of which courses I think are the best.
- #2 – National Golf Links of America
- #11 – Fishers Island Club
- #12 – Maidstone Club
- #20 – Hudson National Golf Club
- #23 – Quaker Ridge Golf Club
- #29 – Winged Foot Golf Club (East)
- #36 – Sleepy Hollow Country Club
- #51 – The Creek
- #58 – Bethpage State Park (Black Course)
- #60 – Winged Foot Golf Club (West)
- #62 – Ferry Point Golf Links
- #94 – Garden City Golf Club
New York Golf: Dream Itineraries
Normally in this section of these “Best in State” golf lists, I have a section called “Dream Itineraries.”
The problem with New York? There are so many courses in the area, it’s difficult to nail down a specific itinerary.
Part of the reason this is so difficult is because getting access to many of these courses is very challenging. So often it becomes a case of taking what you can get.
For instance, on one trip, I had a 48 hour period that looked like this:
- Get picked up in NYC
- Drive to East Hampton
- Play Maidstone in the morning
- Play Atlantic G.C. in the afternoon.
- Take Jitney the following morning back to Manhattan. Take cab to friends house.
- Change clothes. Hop on Subway to Penn Station
- Hop on train to New Jersey.
- Get on city bus.
- Get dropped off 1/2 mile from Plainfield Country Club.
- Walk to make late afternoon tee time.
This was also when I was broke before the days of Uber….
With New York area courses, it’s often “when you get the invite, you make it work.”
Noteworthy Courses Close to New York
Rather than try and put together a dream itinerary of courses you’re likely not going to be able to perfectly line up, I figured I’d share some of the courses that are very close to NYC that might not have shown up were you just looking for New York golf courses.
If you’re trying to play the best golf courses in the area, or tick off top 100 courses, there are some courses in New Jersey and Connecticut that are within a short drive or train ride.
Also worth noting that many Philadelphia courses are also only within 2.5 to 3 hours – so if you were up for a road trip, many of those are accessible as well. But we’ll save those for another post.
NYC Area New Jersey Courses
- Baltusrol (Upper/Lower) – One of the only private clubs in the country to feature two top 100 courses
- Somerset Hills Country Club – This is a Tillinghast course that is much less brutal than some of his more well-known courses. The very definition of a hidden gem. Or at least it was until social media came around.
- Ridgewood (West/East) – Another very challenging Tillinghast course. The club has 27 holes, but the West/East combo is the most highly rated.
- Plainfield Country Club – One of my favorite Donald Ross courses, and has some fun PGA Tour pedigree.
- Mountain Ridge Country Club – A huge renovation was done a few years ago, that made this Ross track truly start getting more recognition. It just recently popped into the Golf Magazine Top 100 in America.
NYC Area Connecticut Courses
While Connecticut doesn’t have a ton of courses it does have one very notable one, which is not only one of the best golf courses in the world, it’s also one of the most underrated.
The Golf Course at Yale is a Macdonald/Raynor collaboration that for years hasn’t got the praise it deserves due to lackluster conditioning.
But with a Gil Hanse restoration in the works, Yale is only going to get better moving forward.
Check out: Best Golf Courses in Connecticut
Some Additional Thoughts on the Best New York Golf Courses
With so many New York golf courses out there, I still have a long ways to go to play all of the ones I’d like to see.
That said, I’ve played quite a few of them, and I figured I’d give some insight for those interested.
Any of the Hamptons Courses Will Provide an Unbelievable Experience
If you have the opportunity to play any other the courses in the Hamptons that are listed anywhere above, GO.
Some might be more highly ranked than others, but ALL of them will provide a wonderful golf experience that is tough to replicate elsewhere.
I’ve played National Golf Links of America, Maidstone, Friar’s Head, and Atlantic Golf Club. I count all of them among the most memorable golf days of my life.
Westchester is a Hotbed of Amazing Classic Courses
Winged Foot and Quaker Ridge get all of the love in Westchester, but there are a few dozen courses in this area that would get far more recognition if they were anywhere else in the country.
Wykagyl, Rye, Westchester CC, Old Oaks and so many others are in this area. If you can’t get on one of the most famous, you’ll have a wonderful round at many others.
The first time I played Old Oaks for instance, I couldn’t believe this course didn’t get more attention. It was simply outshined by more famous neighbors.
Turning Stone Will Make for a VERY Fun Weekend
For years the Atunyote and Kaluhyat golf courses at Turning Stone near Ithaca, NY were mainstays on top 100 public lists.
We’ve seen them fall off in recent years, but if you’re looking for a fun weekend getaway in New York state? This is a fantastic option.
Atunyote is one of the most well-manicured courses I’ve ever played, and I enjoyed Kaluhyat even more.
The resort is much bigger than expected with bars, restaurants, and clubs galore.
World-Class Public Golf is Limited, But What Is There is GREAT
As you can tell above, New York is full of a ton of world-class private golf courses.
They’re a bit more limited on the public side. But what they do have? It’s fantastic.
A trio of Bethpage Black, Bethpage Red, and Ferry Point would make for a very good few rounds of golf.
I didn’t know what to expect about Ferry Point, but honestly? It exceeded all of my expectations and then some. It’s extremely fun with some world-class views as well.
Want to head further east? Go play Montauk Downs.
Pound Ridge is also a high-end public course that might not be nationally ranked, still has some very fun holes.
Other Fantastic Courses that Might Be Overlooked
Some of my favorite golf experiences have been in this area, but often get overlooked, once again, because of the sheer number of good golf courses in the area.
- The Creek Club – This was originally a Macdonald course that had a recent overhaul done by Gil Hanse. In a word? Spectacular. Golf Magazine has recognized it in the Top 100, but you rarely hear it get mentioned much outside of super nerdy golf circles.
- Hudson National Golf Club – While the architecture aficionados may like to hate on Fazio, he has some of my favorite courses of all time. Hudson National is near the top of the list. There are some quirky holes, but man is this course fun. And with a full revamp set to open in 2024, it’s only going to get better.
- Old Oaks Country Club – A Tillinghast course that’s nearly as good as any other more famous design Tilly has done.
Our New York Golf Course Recaps
In putting this page together, I realized there are a lot of courses I haven’t properly written about in New York. I have some work to do.
But here are the ones I have done:
- Winged Foot Golf Club: The Best 36 Hole Golf Club in the World?
- Hudson National Golf Club: One of New York’s Best Golf Experiences
- Bethpage Black: The Best Municipal Course in the Country?
- Maidstone Club: An Unforgettable Experience
- Turning Stone Resort: Kaluhyat Is My Favorite of the 3
- Fishers Island Club: A *Very* Remote and Memorable Experience
- Baltusrol Golf Club: Unparalleled Championship History
- Oak Hill Country Club: Is it Donald Ross’ Best?
- Friar’s Head Golf Club: One of the Best Golf Days of My Life
Other Best-In-State Recaps
- Best Golf Courses in Arizona
- Best Golf Courses in California
- Best Golf Courses in Colorado
- Best Golf Courses in Connecticut
- Best Golf Courses in Georgia
- Best Golf Courses in Massachusetts
- Best Golf Courses in North Carolina
- Best Golf Courses in Oregon
Member of a private club and love to travel and meet other golf nuts? Check out our Eighty Club Golf Society.
Where to Eat and Drink in New York
I’ve spent a lot of time in New York, so to go along with the “where to play” section of this post, I figured I’d also highlight a few favorite spots to eat and drink.
Here are a few favorites:
- Madre NYC – Located in Greenpoint in Brooklyn, this is honestly one of the best meals I’ve ever had. Times two. Both times I’ve been there it’s been absolutely insane. Chef Bryan Noury knows his stuff.
- Dante – Once voted the best bar in the world. This neighborhood Italian cafe in the West Village will make you one of the best cocktails you’ve ever had.
- Flatiron Room – One of the best whiskey selections in NYC, phenomenal food, and fantastic live jazz.
- Dead Rabbit – It’s been considered among the best bars in the world for nearly a decade running, and if you find yourself in the financial district, this is a must go.
- Osteria Danny (Saratoga Springs) – Should you find yourself up in Saratoga, perhaps to play Glens Falls or Saratoga National, Osteria Danny is absolutely the spot you should make reservations at.
- Good Luck (Rochester) – We did a group Eighty Club dinner here during our Oak Hill event, it was fantastic and worth stopping by if golfing in Rochester.
Obviously, there are thousands of other good spots, but these are a few of my favorites.
Where to Stay in NYC
If you’re looking to splurge on a nice place to stay in New York, there are no shortage of places to do it.
- Peninsula NYC – The Peninsula is one of the most highly regarded luxury hotel brands in the world. It’s location is perfect for most tourists and its service is second to none. Check out my Pensinsula NYC review from a recent stay.
- Park Hyatt NYC – Among the best Park Hyatt’s in the world. This is also the perfect place to stay if you have Chase reward points. You may have to break into your points piggy bank, but from the second you walk in, you’ll agree it’s worth it.
- NYC Hilton Midtown – Not nearly as fancy as the previous two, but not as expensive either. It’s central location makes it easy to get pretty much anywhere, the rooms are standard Hilton quality, and it’s huge, so there’s likely to be plenty of availability.
I could add dozens of other spots to eat, drink, and stay – but we’ll keep it here for now.
