New York has some of the most famous private golf courses in the world, but a useful must-play guide should help real golfers plan real rounds. That means looking beyond private names and focusing on public, municipal, resort, and accessible courses that travelers can actually target.
This top 10 is a practical New York shortlist built around playable golf. It includes Long Island championship history, resort golf, Catskills and Adirondack settings, Rochester-area variety, and strong public options near New York City. Access, rates, booking rules, and seasonal schedules can change, so always confirm details before planning a trip.
If a New York course already means something to you, New York golf course map prints can turn that course memory into artwork for a home, office, den, or golf room.
1. Bethpage State Park: Black Course
Bethpage Black in Farmingdale is the most famous public golf course in New York. Designed by A.W. Tillinghast with Joseph H. Burbeck, it is known for difficulty, scale, championship history, and a warning sign that has become part of golf culture. It has hosted major championships and elite team competition.
It is must-play because it offers public-access golf with a major-championship feel. The course is long, demanding, and mentally tiring, but that is part of its identity. Golfers who want a true test should put Bethpage Black at the top of the New York list.
2. Bethpage State Park: Red Course
The Red Course at Bethpage is sometimes overshadowed by the Black, but it is an excellent public course in its own right. Also tied to Tillinghast-era Bethpage golf, it gives players a strong layout with demanding opening and closing holes, rugged bunkering, and plenty of Long Island character.
The Red is must-play because it gives visitors a high-quality Bethpage experience without the same level of punishment as the Black. For a golf trip, playing both can show the depth of the Bethpage complex and make the journey more worthwhile.
3. The Monster Golf Club at Resorts World Catskills
The Monster Golf Club at Resorts World Catskills brings a resort-style option to the Catskills region. The course has a long history in New York golf and has been restored and reintroduced as part of a modern resort setting. It gives travelers a different experience from Long Island or city-area golf.
It belongs on this list because New York golf is not only about Bethpage and private Long Island clubs. A Catskills round can combine scenery, travel, lodging, and a destination feel. That makes The Monster a useful stop for golfers planning beyond the metro area.
4. Seneca Hickory Stick Golf Course
Seneca Hickory Stick in Lewiston is a public course near Niagara Falls, designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. It offers a travel-friendly option in western New York, with open corridors, water features, and a setting that can pair well with a broader Niagara-area trip.
The course is must-play for golfers who want regional variety. It gives New York travelers a strong public option far from Long Island and the city. If a trip includes Buffalo, Niagara Falls, or western New York, Seneca Hickory Stick is worth considering.
5. The Sagamore Resort Golf Course
The Sagamore in Bolton Landing is a Donald Ross design near Lake George. Built in the 1920s, it offers resort golf with Adirondack scenery, elevation changes, and a classic tree-lined feel. It is a strong choice for golfers who want mountain-region atmosphere.
The Sagamore is must-play because the setting is such a big part of the experience. It gives New York golf travelers a course that feels different from Bethpage, Rochester, or New York City-area public golf. It can anchor a Lake George or Adirondack golf getaway.
6. Centennial Golf Club
Centennial Golf Club in Carmel is a public 27-hole facility north of New York City. It offers rolling terrain, elevation changes, ponds, and multiple nine-hole combinations. For golfers in the Hudson Valley or metro area, it can provide a full public-golf day without needing a private-club invitation.
Centennial earns a place because it is practical and flexible. The 27-hole setup makes it useful for groups, repeat play, and different routing combinations. It is a good reminder that New York's public golf strength is not limited to one famous state-park course.
7. Harbor Links
Harbor Links in Port Washington is a public Long Island course built on a former sand mine. Its design includes elevation changes, split fairways, rock features, and a links-inspired feel. It is also convenient for golfers looking for a public option near New York City.
Harbor Links is must-play because it offers strong access and interesting land close to a dense metro area. The course gives golfers strategy and scenery without requiring a long trip east. For many local players, that combination is valuable.
8. The Links at Greystone
The Links at Greystone in Walworth is a Rochester-area public course known for elevation changes, stone-lined features, and large, interesting greens. It gives upstate golfers a strong option that feels different from flatter municipal layouts and coastal Long Island courses.
It belongs on this list because New York golf should include more than the downstate conversation. Greystone offers a memorable public round in western New York, with enough movement and green complexity to keep the course interesting over multiple plays.
9. Patriot Hills Golf Club
Patriot Hills Golf Club in Stony Point offers dramatic elevation changes and a routing through hilly terrain near the Hudson Valley. It is a public course with a distinctive setting, especially for golfers who enjoy elevated tees, downhill shots, and mountain-style views.
Patriot Hills is must-play for golfers who want a public round with personality. It may not have Bethpage's championship history, but it offers a memorable landscape and a different type of challenge. That variety matters in a statewide list.
10. The Golf Club at Middle Bay
The Golf Club at Middle Bay in Oceanside gives Long Island golfers another public-access option near the water. Formerly private, it has a routing with coastal character, exposed moments, and enough variety to make it stand out among public choices near New York City.
It rounds out this list because it adds a South Shore Long Island option that is easier to target than the famous private clubs. For golfers building a New York public-course itinerary, Middle Bay can add local flavor and waterfront atmosphere.
How to Plan a New York Golf Trip
New York golf trips are easiest when organized by region. Long Island can center on Bethpage, Harbor Links, and Middle Bay. The Hudson Valley can include Centennial and Patriot Hills. Western New York can include Seneca Hickory Stick and The Links at Greystone. The Adirondacks can point toward The Sagamore.
Season matters too. Many New York courses have active spring-through-fall windows, and weather can affect openings, aeration, and closing dates. Confirm booking windows early, especially for popular public courses where tee times can be competitive.
How to Choose Your First Three Courses
If you can only play three, start with Bethpage Black, Bethpage Red, and one course from another region. That gives you the state's most famous public test, a strong companion course, and a different New York landscape. The third choice depends on your travel route.
For a metro-area trip, choose Harbor Links, Middle Bay, or Patriot Hills. For upstate travel, choose The Sagamore, Seneca Hickory Stick, or Greystone. The best New York trip balances course quality with realistic driving time.
Turn New York Golf Memories Into Artwork
A New York golf round can become a lasting memory when the course has personal meaning. A map print can mark a bucket-list Bethpage round, a Lake George trip, a western New York getaway, or a local course played with family and friends.
Browse the New York collection for ready-made options, or create a custom golf course print if the exact course is not available. For broader browsing, the golf course prints collection is a helpful starting point.
FAQs About New York Golf Courses
What is the most famous public golf course in New York? Bethpage Black is the most famous public course in New York because of its difficulty, architecture, and major championship history.
Are New York's best courses public or private? Many of New York's highest-ranked courses are private, especially on Long Island. However, the state still has strong public and resort options, led by Bethpage Black.
What should I play on a first New York golf trip? Start with Bethpage Black if you can secure a tee time, then add Bethpage Red and one course from another region for variety.
Final Thoughts
The best playable New York golf courses show a wider range than many golfers expect. Bethpage Black provides the championship anchor, but the state also offers resort, municipal, mountain, Hudson Valley, Long Island, and western New York options.
Whether you are planning a trip or choosing a gift for someone who loves New York golf, start with the course that carries the strongest memory. That course will usually make the best story and the most meaningful golf artwork.