Garden City Golf Club
Garden City, NY • Private
Panelists
134 ReviewsPanelists
134 Reviews
Patrick Koenig
David Normoyle/Courtesy The Garden City Golf Club
David Normoyle/Courtesy The Garden City Golf Club
David Normoyle/Courtesy The Garden City Golf Club
David Normoyle/Courtesy The Garden City Golf Club
Overview
Minimalist in its design (you can still see the faint traces of old roadbeds over which the course was routed) and natural in its upkeep, Garden City Golf Club is one of the great early tournament venues in the United States. Before the 1908 U.S. Amateur, Walter Travis remodeled the course into what it is today, its strategies dictated by many deep pot bunkers. Travis installed them to promote “thinking golf,” but one player soon dubbed Garden City the home of the “God-fearing approach shot.” It’s also a rare 100 Greatest course with a closing par 3.
About
Awards
100 Greatest: Ranked in 1966 & since 1981.
2023-'24 Ranking: 64st.
Previous Ranking: 61st.
Highest Ranking: 25th, 1997-1998.
Best in State: Ranked Top 10 in New York 1983-2022.
Current Ranking: 12th.
Panelists
Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists
100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES
Shot Options
Character
Challenge
Layout Variety
Fun
Aesthetics
Conditioning
Reviews
Review
“Feels like a course in England rather than New York. This Walter Travis classic is steeped in history, as evidenced by the pictures, books and memorabilia that is throughout the clubhouse. The requirement of wearing loafers and a blazer inside anywhere out of the locker room adds to the mystique of the place. The finishing holes are not particular stout, but it finishes with a long par 3 to the green that backs into the clubhouse, and shares the putting green like Oakmont. This gives the onlookers a great opportunity to watch and bet on those coming in, adding to the ambiance of the place."
Read More2019
Review
“I don't think you can classify Garden City as a particular style of course, which speaks to its uniqueness. It's built on that sandy loam soil, but it's not by the water, so it isn't really a links. It looks kind of like a heathland course but it isn't, and I wouldn't call it a parkland course either. I can almost compare this course to Kingston Heath down in Australia in that the land acreage is tight but there is a fair amount of small ground movement that keeps the entire course interesting for everyday play."
Read More2019
Review
“One of the most fun courses you will ever play. Doak's bunker renovations are awesome. Club is like a fraternity house and makes for a memorable experience."
Read More2018
Review
“Club oozes history and has an old-school charm that is a little different from even the other classic top 100 courses. The course is a model of how to make a fairly flat site interesting."
Read More2018
Review
“One of the best clubs anywhere. Fantastic, small clubhouse with an old-school locker room. The course is fast and fun. Great variety for a lay-out that is on a flat piece of property."
Read More2018
Review
“A very good course that feels like it has been here forever. It has the atmosphere of the classic old British courses. It's not very long but is still a good test of golf."
Read More2018
Review
“The new sand-capping project to restore the course to its original design looks great! It will take a couple years before it takes hold, and plays the way it is supposed to play, but they have done a great job implementing this."
Read More2018
Readers
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