Best Private Golf Courses in New York
Five researched private golf-course picks in and around New York, with reasons to consider each, actual locations, access guidance and cited sources.
Looking for the best private golf courses in the New York area? Start with Winged Foot Golf Club (East) and Quaker Ridge Golf Club and Fenway Golf Club and Sunningdale Country Club and Sleepy Hollow Country Club. These five researched selections offer different reasons to consider a round, rather than a claim that one course wins for every golfer. The shortlist includes nearby communities where explicitly identified below.
Compare the New York-area shortlist
| Course | Location | Reason to consider it |
|---|---|---|
| Winged Foot Golf Club (East) | Mamaroneck, NY | Restored Tillinghast course architecture |
| Quaker Ridge Golf Club | Scarsdale | Strategic modern bunker design |
| Fenway Golf Club | Scarsdale | Tillinghast architecture with Hanse renovation |
| Sunningdale Country Club | Scarsdale | Varied routing and repeat-play interest |
| Sleepy Hollow Country Club | Briarcliff Manor | Golf with a distinctive clubhouse history |
Plan around the actual location
This is the NYC-area golf market, not the entire state. Bronx and Brooklyn public courses are within the five boroughs; Farmingdale is a Long Island trip, while Pound Ridge, Mamaroneck, Scarsdale and Briarcliff Manor are Westchester destinations. A directory URL may use a nearby hub rather than the course's physical town.
This guide contains 5 selections supported by this source review, not a census of local golf. Use the locations in the table and the operator's address, not a directory URL's nearby-hub name, to plan your trip.
Winged Foot Golf Club (East)
Winged Foot Golf Club (East) — Mamaroneck, NY. Located in Mamaroneck, New York, this private club underwent restorative work overseen by architect Gil Hanse. This project focused on re-establishing the original Tillinghast bunker designs. Additionally, the intervention successfully reclaimed the specific sizes and shapes of the putting greens to match the historical intent.
Our selection focus: restored tillinghast course architecture. This is a reason to put the course on your shortlist, not a rating or a promise about the condition of the course on your visit.
Access and booking: Private Winged Foot invitation required; confirm East rather than West with your host. The West course’s U.S. Open history is not East-course history.
Quaker Ridge Golf Club
Quaker Ridge Golf Club — Scarsdale. Located in Scarsdale, this private club underwent significant course revisions directed by Gil Hanse. The project involved a strategic removal of numerous trees across the property. Furthermore, the club completed a comprehensive rebuilding of the existing bunkers to refine the layout for play.
Our selection focus: strategic modern bunker design. This is a reason to put the course on your shortlist, not a rating or a promise about the condition of the course on your visit.
Access and booking: Private Quaker Ridge visit must be authorized; read the club’s guest information and confirm arrangements with your host.
Fenway Golf Club
Fenway Golf Club — Scarsdale. Fenway identifies its 18-hole Tillinghast course and renovation under Gil Hanse. It suits architecture-minded golfers evaluating a family-oriented Westchester club.
Our selection focus: tillinghast architecture with hanse renovation. This is a reason to put the course on your shortlist, not a rating or a promise about the condition of the course on your visit.
Access and booking: Member club with authorized guests; contact the club or your host about access, not a public tee-time service.
Sunningdale Country Club
Sunningdale Country Club — Scarsdale. Sunningdale describes a course following the land’s contours, with varied holes and a member instruction program. It is a quieter club-life comparison for golfers who value repeat rounds and coaching rather than tournament fame.
Our selection focus: varied routing and repeat-play interest. This is a reason to put the course on your shortlist, not a rating or a promise about the condition of the course on your visit.
Access and booking: Private club since 1913. Confirm membership or guest permission directly; this is the New York club, not Sunningdale in England.
Sleepy Hollow Country Club
Sleepy Hollow Country Club — Briarcliff Manor. Sleepy Hollow’s Woodlea clubhouse began as a Vanderbilt mansion before the club’s formation in 1911. It suits golfers interested in Westchester club heritage and a broader family-club experience.
Our selection focus: golf with a distinctive clubhouse history. This is a reason to put the course on your shortlist, not a rating or a promise about the condition of the course on your visit.
Access and booking: Member environment; confirm an authorized golf invitation and the intended course with the club. A private event invitation does not grant golf access.
How we chose these courses
We compared published course descriptions from golf publications and, where linked, official club, municipal and golf-association sources. Selection emphasizes a documented architectural feature, tournament connection, historical interest or a distinctive local option. This is desk research, not a first-person playing review or an exhaustive regional ranking. Directory completeness, paid placement and an invented scoring formula do not determine this shortlist. Course names distinguish individual layouts where relevant; a club's founding date is not automatically its current course's opening date.
What should you ask before visiting?
- Have the club or your host confirm your invitation and the procedure for registering guests.
- Ask about dress, arrival, walking or cart rules, guest charges and cancellation expectations.
- Do not assume a reciprocal arrangement, membership opening or hotel stay provides access.
Looking for indoor golf near New York?
If weather changes your plans or you want an indoor practice session, explore indoor golf simulators in New York. Compare the listed venues and their simulator equipment, then confirm current hours, pricing and availability with the operator. These are directory listings, not an extension of our outdoor-course rankings.
For an indoor session in Brooklyn, browse Brooklyn golf simulator venues. Choose by the actual neighborhood and travel time rather than assuming every New York listing is convenient for your plans.