The Northeast enjoys an idyllic golfing landscape. It’s a region where golf took root in the US. A region that saw several historic golf moments. No wonder then northeast golf enjoys a rich and diverse collection of good golf courses.
From the beautiful coastal courses of Long Island to the vast farmlands of Pennsylvania and the pine barrens of New Jersey, the choices are many.
However, we will only discuss the best golf courses in the Northeast that you should definitely check out.Â
Top 10 Golf Courses in the North East
- Year Built: 2014
- Holes: 18
- Type: Private
- Par: 71
- Length: 7032 yards
- Slope: 135
Designed by Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry, the Shelter Harber course offers fantastic views and challenging play for golfers of all levels. It was the first private layout to open in Washington County in 2005. Spread across 400 acres, the clubhouse lies on the highest promontories in Rhode Island. It provides excellent views over the 18-hole layout, par three course, and blue waters of Block Island. Open vistas, native greens, and white glacial boulders provide nice boundary, definition, and charm to the entire property.
- Pine Valley Golf Course, Pine Valley, NJ
- Year built: 1913
- Holes: 18
- Type: Private
- Par: 70
- Length: 7057 yards
- Slope: 155
Stunningly beautiful vistas and superb bunkering make the Pine Valley one of the top PGA courses in the region and the US. It’s frequently called the most difficult golf course in the world. Each of the 18 holes offers a unique challenge. Ten are classic, five are outstanding, two are good, and one (the 12th) is ordinary. The balance of holes and use of the unique terrain and greens are magnificent, to say the least. Visually, the colors of trees, sand, and grasses make the golf course look like an exquisite painting. Therefore, if you ever get an invitation to Pine Valley, drop everything you do to graciously accept.
- Year Built: 1936
- Holes: 18
- Type: Municipal
- Par: 71
- Length: 7465 yards
- Slope: 155
This sprawling golf course was designed in the mid-1930s to be the first public pine valley golf course. But, it came into the limelight in the early 2000s for hosting the 2002 & 2009 US Opens. This black course is a fantastic brute of a golf course. It starts throwing haymakers and doesn’t stop until the last putt. From deep fairway bunkers to roughs that require a humble punch out due to the sheer length of the holes, this golf course knows how to beat you up. The greens roll smooth and fast, the fairways look and play fantastic, and the beautifully hand-placed fescue is a real treat. Overall, Bethpage State Park’s black course offers a unique golf experience that you won’t soon forget.
- Year Built: 1891
- Holes: 18
- Type: Private
- Style: Links
- Par: 70
- Length: 6940 yards
- Slope: 140
The Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, AKA Shinnecock, is an American classic. It was designed by Seth Raynor and C.B Macdonald and then redesigned by William Flynn in the 1930s. It holds a unique record of being the only golf course to host a US Open Championships in 3 different centuries. Wispy tall grass waving in the wind at the backdrop of a rolling topography gives the club a distinctive look. Overall, like other top golf courses in the northeast, it’s a very tough but fun course.
- Year Built: 1908
- Holes: 18
- Type: Private
- Style: Links
- Par: 73
- Length: 6873 yards
- Slope: 141
If Shinnecock is the championship course that knocks you out, The National is the home club you would love to golf every day and twice on a Sunday. It’s set on 250+ acres of gently rolling landscape. The varied topography is beautiful and dramatic, holding your attention from the opening tee to the last putt. However, the theatrical greens in various styles offer the ultimate challenge to the new putters. While many greens undulate wildly, some are flat as a pancake. Therefore, playability remains its biggest calling card, making it suitable for golfers of all skill levels.
- Year Built: 1897
- Holes: 18
- Type: Public
- Par: 70
- Length: 6577 yards
- Slope: 133
The Atlantic City Country Club golf course is one of the best public golf courses in the northeast. It also claims to be the place of origin for the word “birdie” in golf, although some scholars dispute this claim. This 18-hole course has a very challenging layout and picturesque coastal views. Its fast undulating greens and fantastic bent grass fairways offer an incredible sense of purity. While the terrain is predominantly flat and easy to walk, some fairways have uneven lies. Its group of par 3’s is one of the best groups anywhere in the world. All in all, it’s just a fabulous place to play golf.
- Year Built: 2002
- Holes: 18
- Type: Semi-Private
- Par: 72
- Length: 7243 yards
- Slope: 135
The Niklaus Course is one of the two latest 18 Hole layouts at Pinehills Golf Club. Designed by Jack Jnr, the Niklaus Course emphasizes a skill and precision approach to play. It occupies the northeast portion of the 300+ acres property of rolling hills. It features lined trees from start to finish. Thankfully, the playing corridors are wide enough to alleviate any feelings of claustrophobia. Its main highlight is challenging green complexing, rolling gentle fairways, and a classic variety of holes.
- Year Built: 1998
- Holes: 18
- Type: Semi-Private/Resort
- Style: Links
- Par: 72
- Length: 7094 yards
- Slope: 134
The design of Ballyowen Golf Club pays homage to the great Scottish links golf courses. The sprawling property covers 250 acres of rolling farmland overlooking the Walkill river. Its layout takes you through the hills, mounds, and valleys, staying as true to the land’s natural contours as possible. The treeless landscape is accentuated by craggy knolls. However, the green fairways contrast exceptionally well with the pristine sand bunkers and golden patches of rough. Water hazards come into play on five of this 18-hole course. Overall, It’s a very challenging layout for the newcomers.
- Year Built: 1993
- Holes: 18
- Type: Semi-Private
- Style: Links
- Par: 72
- Length: 7148 yards
- Slope: 140
The Wyncote is Oxford’s most challenging golf course. The heathlands layout makes it feel like a links course, with thick fescue and wind being two critical factors coming into play. It starts with a particularly challenging front nine but offers more scoring opportunities on the back. The lush green fairways are defined by mounded bunkers and moguls. Although it doesn’t have many trees, if you don’t play straight, you will find your shots lost in the high grass. There are a few blind shots, and a sidehill lies on the course. The greens here have some undulation, but fast putting surfaces pose a real challenge.
- Year Built: 1938
- Holes: 18
- Type: Public/Municipal
- Par: 70
- Length: 6440 yards
- Slope: 126
The George Wright is a Donald Ross-designed 1930s-era public golf course in Hyde Park, Massachusetts. While its yardage is less than others on this list of the best golf courses in the northeast, the layout, blind greens, and the penalty for missing fairways make it one of the most difficult ones. About a third of its 18 holes are visually appealing, in excellent shape, and strategically placed top-level holes. About a third are decent, and the other third are considered too extreme in their elevations. The greens roll terrifically, however. There are many fall-offs, and false fronts like you would expect from a Donald Ross design. The slop and undulation are also good. Overall, the George Wright Golf course is a must-visit (at least once in your life) if you are a fan of classic designs