National Golf Links of America
Architect: C.B. McDonald Year: 1911 149 Sebonac Inlet Rd, Southampton, NY 11968 Phone: (631) 283-0410 Course Access: Private https://ngla.us/ |
National Golf Links of America
The National was founded in 1908 under the leadership of Charles B. Macdonald. The golf course was constructed with the assistance of Southampton engineer, Seth Raynor. After studying many of the courses in Scotland and England, Mr. Macdonald set out to build a first class course in the United States which would incorporate many of the better qualities of golf courses in the British Isles. Among the famous holes represented at the National are the Road Hole and Eden from St. Andrews, Alps from Prestwick, Redan from North Berwick and Sahara from Sandwich. The National has inspired a number of golf architects who have made frequent visits to study some of its challenging and enduring features.
The private 18 hole course covering 253 acres is located on Peconic Bay in the Town of Southampton, New York.
The private 18 hole course covering 253 acres is located on Peconic Bay in the Town of Southampton, New York.
Course Photos
COURSE REVIEW BY: CHRIS MAVROS, GOLFADELPHIA
In Southampton, NY, or the Hamptons, is the National Golf Links of America, a course designed by Charles Blair Macdonald, with the assistance of Seth Raynor, in 1908. After living over St. Andrews for some time, Macdonald set out to create a golf course in the U.S. that would rival anything you would find in Scotland. He did this through the use of template holes, modeling certain holes existing in Scotland and designing them to fit the landscape upon which the course would be built. The template holes include the Second, “Sahara,” modeled after a par 4 at Royal St. George; the Third, “Alps,” modeled after a par 4 at Prestwick; the Fourth, “Redan,” modeled after a par 3 at North Berwick; the Seventh, “Road Hole,” modeled after a par 5 at St. Andrews; the Eighth, “Bottle,” modeled after a par 4 at Sunningdale; and the Thirteenth, “Eden,” modeled after a par 3 at St. Andrews. I also believe the Punchbowl green on the Sixteenth is a template, but can’t be sure. Regardless, Macdonald and Raynor thereafter took these template holes and used them to design a number of other courses, always modifying the holes to accommodate the existing terrain to make each course unique, yet with the well established framework of each hole intact.
National is one of the best golf courses in the world. Because of my fascination with Raynor and Macdonald, it has been one of the courses I have sorely wanted to play for a number of years. There are a number of courses on Long Island that are well regarded, including Bethpage Black, Shinnecock Hills, Maidstone, Sebonac, Garden City, Piping Rock, The Creek, Friar’s Head and Fisher’s Island (I’m sure I am missing some). Several of these are all-world courses. The soil, the proximity to water, the rolling terrain and the architects involved have made Long Island historically one of the best and prestigious collections of courses in the world. Even though a mere few hours away from me, of course have never set foot on Long Island all these years, until now..... Click Here To Read Hole By Hole
National is one of the best golf courses in the world. Because of my fascination with Raynor and Macdonald, it has been one of the courses I have sorely wanted to play for a number of years. There are a number of courses on Long Island that are well regarded, including Bethpage Black, Shinnecock Hills, Maidstone, Sebonac, Garden City, Piping Rock, The Creek, Friar’s Head and Fisher’s Island (I’m sure I am missing some). Several of these are all-world courses. The soil, the proximity to water, the rolling terrain and the architects involved have made Long Island historically one of the best and prestigious collections of courses in the world. Even though a mere few hours away from me, of course have never set foot on Long Island all these years, until now..... Click Here To Read Hole By Hole
The 14th Hole's Bunker / Water Hazard
One of the most unique bunkers in the world is here at the 14th. At high tide it's a hazard but at low tide it's a bunker. There are no red stakes so the water line marks the hazard.