Wow! If you are an avid golfer and live in the NYC Metro area, then I implore you (Strong, I know!) to immediately book yourself a tee time at Pound Ridge Golf Club. It definitely should be on the bucket list! If like me and until now you haven’t played, then you are overlooking and missing out on one of the most stunning, immaculate and intelligently designed public golf courses residing right on our doorstep!
Situated only 40 miles away from the bustle of Manhattan, this Pete Dye architected course left me breath taken for its picturesque views and private golf club styled manicured fairways and greens. As I walked off the 18th green, I had felt like I spent the last 4 hours within a nature reserve; an experience that took me up close and personal to Pete Dye as I tried to match my skill to his way of thinking on how I should navigate my way around the course.
Don’t let me fool you into thinking this is going to be a pleasant walk in the park with your golfing ego being gently massaged. This is a Dye course, and he will take you down a peg or three immediately if you don’t have some forethought or your best ‘A’ game in your back pocket. For this is a course that will penalize badly, if you are wayward off the tee on its narrow gorgeous fairways. And certainly do not expect a flat lie, even if you do keep to the short stuff for your approach into the tight, fast, subtly breaking true greens. Be sure to get there in plenty of time to take full advantage of the fantastic range, short game, and putting green facilities available. You'll definitely want to take the free course notes hand-out when you sign in with the friendly staff within the Pro Shop. This handout definitely saved me a number of shots when after 5 holes of playing double-bogey golf, I thought I better read it!
To continue talking about Ego’s, I strongly recommend to not be afraid of taking advantage of Golf Channels promotion of ‘Teeing it Forward’ on this course. Believe you me, this is coming from somebody who takes his golf very personally, and even after the 10 minute pep talk from the emphatically passionate, proud and amicable starter, I was still chomping at the bit to tee it up from the tips and ready to take on the challenge of the 7165 yards, recommended for the 0-4 handicappers! But then I saw the 76.1/146 course rating, and humbly moved down to the White Tee (Granite) equivalent which still tested me immensely as a 5 handicap with a 70.4/140 rating.
But enough of all the warnings! This is a top-notch facility and us as golf fans should feel privileged to have this affordably and openly available track to us so close to the city. Yes, the course will test you and your game. You will gamble on the reachable Par 5’s, such as the 13th hole home to “Pete’s Rock”, and the short Par 4 6th hole. For me, this is THE golf course that encapsulates all that we love about the game. It challenges our skill level and our humbleness due its toughness, but if intelligently played, you will respect its fairness. The course brings us close to being out with nature knowing that Pete Dye has thought about it from an environmentally friendly perspective. We get to enjoy a team of staff who will do anything to ensure we enjoy the experience that makes us feel like VIP’s. Maybe most importantly of all, you will have stories and tales of hero and woe of your golf shots to share together with your foursome and your golfing brethren. Pardon the pun but this course will make you feel as if you have “Dye’d” and gone to golfing heaven! This IS the best course I have played in the US (I have seen a few!) and can’t wait to face the challenge again!
About Pound Ridge Golf Club The Pound Ridge Golf Course is an 18-hole facility designed by legendary golf course designer Pete Dye in Pound Ridge, New York. It features 7,171 yards of course from the back tees, spanning 172 acres. The course is a par of 72 is rated on of the top golf courses in the State of New York. For more information, visit Pound Ridge online at: www.poundridgegolf.com
About the Author The above article was written by Eat Sleep Golf team member Kevin Dudleston. Having recently completed his PGA Playing Ability Test, Kevin has a clear passion for golf and for contributing towards growing the game.
* Photos in this article were taken by Jim Krajiceck
