Tough Tests - Expanded Content
Expanded Content from the August/September Met Golfer Cover Story
"What are the toughest holes in the Met Area? There's no easy answer to the question. For this largely subjective exercise we polled a number of folks with broad experience playing golf in the Met Area, asking them simply what holes they considered to be the toughest." With so many responses, the list below includes a number of selections and descriptions that we simply couldn't fit into print.
Anglebrook Golf Club, Lincolndale, N.Y. (pictured above)
# 4 | par 5 | 602 yards
"It’s not often you’ll find a par-5 that’s ranked the No. 1 handicap hole of a golf course. But it’s not often you find a hole as full of challenge as Anglebrook’s No. 4. It’s the finale of an opening quartet that features the course’s No. 1, No. 3 and No. 5 handicap holes. Welcome to Trent Sr.’s last golf course, where the old master was going to bare his teeth one last time. The hole is visually stimulating, thought-provoking and, honestly, just downright hard. So hard, that head golf professional Rob Davis estimates the average score on the hole is 7.9
Although there is a forced carry over environmental area just to reach the fairway, that isn’t as intimidating as it may look. To reach the fairway, you’ll need to carry the ball 180 yards from the back tees just to reach the fairway. The contour of the fairway, which tumbles hard from right to left, will force everything left—toward the environmental area that runs along the entire left-hand side of the hole. Before you get to the green, you’re faced with a pond on front, a bunker on the right, and more environmental area to the left. Davis describes the massive green as “filled with sneaky breaks and undulations. The hole isn’t over until you hear the ball rattling around in the bottom of the cup. In that sense, it’s pure Anglebrook.'"
Knollwood Country Club, Elmsford, N.Y.
# 18 | par 4 | 371 yards
“From the 18th tee, you’re faced penalty area and trees to the right, and other side a big hill with rough left. Very tough tee shot, because you really need to hug the right side, but if you’ve never played you want to stay left. You need to hit it far enough down the hole (and away from the right trees) to have a look at the green. Second shot requires commitment because you’re carrying the hazard and the green sits diagonally, so you need to pick your line and distance carefully. Lot of slope on the green too, so putting isn’t easy.”
Montclair Golf Club, West Orange, N.J. (above)
#2 (4th nine) | par 4 | 454 yards
"Montclair's most photogenic hole is also its most challenging. Keeping the tee shot in the fairway and short of the pond is key to setting up an uphill approach shot that plays 10 yards longer than the yardage. The large green complex is protected by deep bunkers located in the front and rear, a signature of Charles Banks."
Golf Club of Purchase, Purchase, N.Y.
# 4 | par 4 | 459 yards
"Woods line both sides of the drive landing area; therefore an accurate long drive is a "must-do" in order to approach the green on the second shot, due to a large wetland area placed in front and to the entire left side of the green. There's no bail out area to the right, either! A missed tee shot will result in a layup second shot approach; the par can only be saved by a pitch over the wetlands and a one putt. A most difficult hole indeed!"
Hollow Brook Golf Club, Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.
# 7 | par 4 | 463 yards
"A really long hole, requires a precise drive past a tree on the inside of the dogleg left, but avoiding a bunker on the outside. The second shot is usually with a long iron, and is really tough because there's a bunker just short of the green that needs to be carried. The green complex is quartered off, so if you're on the wrong quadrant, it's tough to get your next shot close to the hole."
Sebonack Golf Club, Southampton, N.Y. (above)
# 11 | par 4 | 466 yards
"The 11th hole doglegs down to a green with a spine in the fairway before the green. When you reach the fairway, you're greeted with a view of the beach and Peconic bay, but it's still tough to get on the green. There is a false front on the right, feeding into a bunker, and the green falls off to the left, calling for a very precise approach shot."
Arcola Country Club, Paramus, N.J.
#17 | par 4 | 500 yards
“The 17th hole at Arcola features a slight dogleg right as the hole begins to bend after the tee shot. A large fairway bunker is in play for big hitters off the tee, and players must favor the left side of the fairway to have a good angle at the green. The 17th green is one of the narrowest on the course and features a red penalty area running along the left side just 10 yards off the edge of the green.”
Scarsdale Golf Club, Scarsdale, N.Y.
#14 | par 4 | 455 yards
"A long par 4 dogleg right, the 14th requires a tee shot to the left side. The second shot is a blind shot to a downhill green where you must really play the bounce. On this hole, you have to have faith in the distance and direction of your approach!"
Deepdale Golf Club, Manhasset, N.Y.
#11 | par 4 | 450 yards
"From the tee, you're faced with a tough shot between rough on the left and bunkers lining the left side the fairway. The green is elevated, and Deepdale is always known for it's difficult and challenging greens."
Mountain Ridge Country Club, West Caldwell, N.J.
#4 | par 3 | 227 yards
"A long par 3, the hole always plays a little longer than the yardage. The green is guarded with bunkers on the left and a severe false front, making accuracy off the tee important as length. Once on the putting surface, the green is arguable one of the most demanding with plenty of undulations to challenge the golfer."
Read the full list in the August/September Met Golfer Cover Story