Have you ever wondered what the top 5 courses in the North Eastern United States are? If so, you’re in luck. In this post we are going to rank and tell you what makes these courses so great.
1. Pine Valley: This course is often ranked as the best in the country and we are going to have to agree with this. Pine Valley is situated at Pine Valley, New Jersey. It is a Par 70 and it’s 7,181 yards long. The course was designed by the legendary architects H.S. Colt, A.W. Tillinghast, George C., Thomas Jr. and Walter Travis. This course has many characteristics that make it the best. If ever given the opportunity to go to this course we highly recommend it. Upon entry to the course the first thing you will notice is the sheer size of it. Each hole offers a huge amount of both fairway and just plain size. Don’t let this fool you though because the course is still considered to be the most difficult course in the world. On every shot you’ll be looking at a possible way to double bogey the hole. The rough is thick, the greens are fast, and the backdrop is simply incredible. Pine Valley is arguably the most renowned course in the world for a reason and it certainly doesn’t disappoint.
2. Shinnecock Hills G.C: This golf course can be found just outside of the small town of Southampton, NY. This is thought to be the oldest links style course in the continental USA. If you’re looking for a challenging yet absolutely stunning links course then this is the one for you. From the feeling of being transported back in time the second you step on the course to the absolutely remarkable par 3’s; there is no course quite like it. The greens are small and the winds rip across the fairways at remarkable speeds. This leaves players constantly battling to keep their ball in line with the pins. The rough is also very thick and you’ll find yourself saying a prayer to try and find your ball if you ever end up in it. The 2026 US Open will also be held there. Overall this course really offers a unique golfing experience that you can’t really find anywhere else in the world today.
3. Oakmont Country Club: Oakmont is a remarkable show of the best of golf that can be found in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. It is a Par 71 which stretches across 7,225 yards of bunker infested long and narrow fairways. This course is known for its guarded and lighting fast greens that provide a challenge to any golfer. This was highlighted in the 2016 US Open. The tour players had great difficulty with the greens at this course. A big selling point of the course now compared to how it used to be is that most of the trees have been cut down. This offers a much more open and enjoyable course to play then the version that came before this change was made. Shinnecock has everything that one could ever want in a golf course and it has been regarded as the most complete course in the country and one of the most complete in the world until this date.
4. Merion Golf Club (East): Merion is a private golf course located in Haverford township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. It stretches the length of 6,996 yards and is a par 70. It was designed by Scott Nye and is one of the most famous courses in the world. Merion provides golfers with the daunting task of trying to score low. This course has a very unique character to it. Even though it is a course far from the ocean it gives the impression that you could be playing right next to one. From the amount of sand and sod on the course to the untamed wild heather on top of the bunkers it definitely is a force to be reckoned with. Merion certainly requires a great deal of thinking for things like what club to use, how wind affects the ball, because if you aren’t creating a plan and then executing one for this course then you are going to have a very rough time; to say the least.
5. Fishers Island Club: This is a country club located in Fisher’s Island, New York. It offers picturesque views of an absolutely stunning landscape unlike any other. This is a very unique course as it is surrounded on three sides by water. Between the elevated greens and slight contours within the fairways, you will most certainly be both stunned and challenged by the full scope of what Mother Nature is capable of. At just 6,615 yards and a par 70 this course is definitely not the longest in the world or even the USA but don’t let that fool you because it’s still very challenging. This club offers very traditional aspects of golf; such as, the traditional long island styled clubhouse and the overall environment there. This is definitely a unique and top golf course to go to and we highly recommend it.
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