New York is home to some of the most celebrated and technically demanding golf in the United States. From Bethpage Black’s famously brutal opening tee sign to the world-class links of Shinnecock Hills, from the scenic Finger Lakes to the Adirondack foothills, the Empire State offers a remarkable breadth of golf experiences. Whether you’re a local looking for your next great round or visiting from out of state, this regional guide covers the best golf courses across New York — public and private, championship and accessible, coastal and upstate.
Long Island: America’s Greatest Golf Peninsula
Long Island is arguably the most golf-rich strip of land in the United States. The region hosts several courses that appear on global top-100 lists, anchored by the legendary Bethpage State Park complex in Farmingdale.
Bethpage Black Course is the crown jewel of New York public golf — a 7,468-yard championship test that has hosted the 2002 and 2009 US Opens and is scheduled to host the Ryder Cup. The famous sign at the first tee warns that “the Black Course is an extremely difficult course which we recommend only for highly skilled golfers.” That warning is genuine. The course demands length, precision, and mental resilience from the opening hole to the last. Tee times release weeks in advance and fill rapidly; book as early as the booking window allows.
Bethpage Red Course is the accessible companion to the Black — still a substantial, well-designed test, but playable for mid-handicappers and a much more enjoyable day out for golfers who aren’t ready to take on the Black. The park also features the Green, Yellow, and Blue courses for a full range of options at exceptional public-golf value.
Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton is widely considered one of the finest golf courses in the world — a pure links-style layout with panoramic views, unpredictable winds, and a test that has defined US Open history across five championships. As a highly exclusive private club it’s inaccessible to most golfers, but its presence defines the standard against which Long Island’s other great courses are measured.
The National Golf Links of America, also in Southampton, is a historically significant course designed by C.B. Macdonald in 1911. Its collection of template holes — directly inspired by the great holes of Scottish and English links golf — influenced virtually every major American course architect of the 20th century. A private club, but one worth knowing about for its place in golf history.
For accessible public golf on the South Fork, Montauk Downs State Park Golf Course is a Robert Trent Jones Sr. design offering one of the best public golf values in the entire state — a genuinely challenging, beautifully conditioned parkland course at a state park price point.
New York City and the Metropolitan Area
Golf within and immediately around New York City skews toward private membership and high-end daily fee facilities, but several excellent public options exist.
Van Cortlandt Park Golf Course in the Bronx is frequently cited as the oldest public golf course in the United States, established in 1895. It’s a genuine piece of golf history and remains an accessible, affordable option for New York City residents. Dyker Beach Golf Course in Brooklyn is another classic city public course, set in a park with views of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.
Pelham/Split Rock Golf Courses in Pelham Bay Park, the Bronx, offer 36 holes of public golf within city limits — a remarkable resource for golfers who live without easy access to suburban courses. Silver Lake Golf Course on Staten Island rounds out the city’s publicly accessible options.
Just outside the city, Westchester Country Club in Harrison is a storied private club with two excellent courses that has hosted PGA Tour events and remains one of the most prestigious clubs in the Northeast. For those willing to cross into New Jersey, Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City offers a dramatic Manhattan and Statue of Liberty backdrop and has hosted the Northern Trust FedEx Cup event.
The Hudson Valley
The Hudson Valley delivers scenic golf set against the Catskill and Shawangunk mountain ridges, with a mix of private clubs, semi-private, and public courses serving the region between New York City and Albany.
Mohonk Mountain House Golf Course in New Paltz is an extraordinary nine-hole course set within a historic resort — not a championship test, but one of the most visually spectacular golf settings in the eastern United States, surrounded by the Shawangunk Ridge. It’s a resort experience as much as a golf experience, and unforgettable for the right kind of trip.
Catskill Golf Club and Nevele Eagle Golf Course represent the accessible, enjoyable public and resort golf options available throughout the Hudson Valley. For serious golfers visiting the region, the Millbrook Golf and Tennis Club is among the most visually impressive private clubs, with rolling terrain and distant mountain views.
The Finger Lakes
The Finger Lakes is New York’s premier golf holiday destination for residents of Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo — a wine country landscape of rolling glacially carved terrain, lakeside views, and a strong collection of public and resort courses.
Bristol Harbour Golf & Resort on Canandaigua Lake is the standout — a Robert Trent Jones Sr. design with spectacular lake views from multiple elevated tees and a track that rewards strategic thinking. The course is open to the public and part of a resort, making it an ideal base for a multi-day golf trip. Our guide to course management strategy is worth reading before you take on a hilly, risk-reward-heavy layout like Bristol Harbour.
Watkins Glen Golf Course, near the famous racing circuit, and Mark Twain Golf Course in the Elmira area offer accessible regional options for golfers building a Finger Lakes golf itinerary. The region’s combination of wine, scenery, and affordable golf makes it one of the most underrated golf destinations in the Northeast.
Saratoga Springs and the Capital Region
Saratoga Spa Golf Course in Saratoga Springs is consistently ranked among the best public courses in New York state. Set within a National Historic Landmark park alongside mineral springs and concert venues, the course is a classic parkland design with excellent conditioning and a wonderful setting. Saratoga is famous for its horse racing season in August — combining a trip to the track with a round at the Spa Course makes for a perfect upstate weekend.
Airway Meadows Golf Club in Gansevoort and Orchard Creek Golf Club in Altamont provide further accessible public golf options in the Capital District, while private clubs such as the Albany Country Club (established 1887) add historic depth to the region’s golf scene.
The Adirondacks and North Country
Golf in the Adirondacks is seasonal (typically May through October) and offers a dramatically different experience from downstate — cooler temperatures, mountain and lake scenery, and a quieter, unhurried pace.
The Sagamore Golf Course on Lake George is a standout: a 1928 Donald Ross design set on a stunning peninsula with views of Lake George and the surrounding mountains. Ross’s strategic bunkering and undulating greens remain intact, and the course has been beautifully maintained as part of The Sagamore resort. It is consistently ranked among the best resort courses in New York and the entire Northeast.
Craig Wood Golf Course in Lake Placid, named after the 1941 Masters and US Open champion who was born in the village, is an accessible municipal course with spectacular High Peaks views. Playing here in fall, with the Adirondack foliage at peak colour, is a golf experience that stays with you.
Planning Your New York Golf Trip
New York golf varies significantly by season and region. Long Island public courses run from April through November, with peak conditions in May–June and September–October. Upstate and Adirondack courses typically run May through October, with a shorter high season. Summer weekends on popular public courses — Bethpage in particular — book out weeks in advance; Bethpage Black tee times often sell out within minutes of release.
New York State Park residents receive significant discounts at Bethpage and other state park courses — always book under the resident rate if eligible. For first-time visitors to challenging courses like Bethpage Black, it’s worth reviewing your fundamentals beforehand. Knowing how to eliminate fat and thin shots and build mental confidence for a tough course will make the experience significantly more enjoyable.
If you’re building a broader US golf travel itinerary, compare New York with our guides to the best golf courses in Florida, Arizona, and Texas — three states that offer very different experiences and are among the most popular US golf destinations year-round.
Final Thoughts
New York’s golf landscape is as diverse as the state itself — world-class private golf alongside outstanding public options, city municipal courses alongside remote Adirondack gems. Whether you’re booking a tee time at Bethpage Black to play where the US Open has been decided, spending a weekend at The Sagamore on Lake George, or exploring the Finger Lakes wine country with your clubs in the trunk, New York offers golf experiences that rival any state in the country.
