Representative image Photo: Phillip Capper from Wellington, New Zealand · CC BY 2.0
National Golf Links of America
Southampton, New York, United States
18 Holes · Par 72 · Private club — no published green fee; play is by member invitation · Links
— About
About National Golf Links of America
National Golf Links of America is a private 18-hole course in Southampton, on the east end of Long Island, New York. Charles B. Macdonald designed it, and it opened in 1911 as a par 72. Macdonald had studied at St Andrews as a young man, and his aim was to build an American course from the best ideas of the British links. The layout borrows from Scotland and England: there are holes patterned on the Road Hole at St Andrews, the Eden, Prestwick's Alps, North Berwick's Redan and Sandwich's Sahara. Macdonald meant each hole to be representative and classic in itself. Seth Raynor, a local surveyor, oversaw construction and later became a leading architect in his own right. The course has blind shots throughout, and the approach at the Alps is played blind. The English writer Bernard Darwin admired it so much that he admitted it shook his loyalty to Westward Ho!, Hoylake and St Andrews. The club staged the very first Walker Cup in 1922, with the United States winning 8–4, and it hosted the match again in 2013, when the Americans beat Great Britain and Ireland 17–9. There are no public tee times, and the club does not advertise a visitor policy, so most outsiders only get on as a member's guest.
- Charles B. Macdonald designed the course, which opened in 1911 and plays as a par 72 over 18 holes in Southampton, New York.
- The club hosted the first Walker Cup in 1922, an 8–4 American win, and welcomed the match back in 2013 for a 17–9 result.
- Seth Raynor oversaw construction here as a local surveyor and went on to become a leading golf course architect.
- The 3rd is patterned on the Alps hole at Prestwick and the 4th on the Redan at North Berwick.
- Bernard Darwin, the English golf writer, said the course left his loyalty to the old British links wavering.
History of National Golf Links of America
Charles B. Macdonald had studied at the University of St Andrews as a young man, and on returning to America he wanted a home course that could stand comparison with the best in Britain. He chose the holes he thought most instructive at the old links and used them as models for a new layout on Long Island. Macdonald intended every hole to be representative and classic in itself. Seth Raynor, then working as a surveyor in the area, oversaw the construction, and the project began a long collaboration between the two men. Raynor went on to become a leading architect. The course officially opened in 1911. In August 1922 it hosted the first Walker Cup, an 8–4 American win over Great Britain and Ireland, and in September 2013 the match came back, with the United States winning 17–9. Bernard Darwin, one of the most respected golf critics of his day, praised the course as a truly great one and wrote that it made his old allegiances to the British links start to give way.
Signature holes at National Golf Links of America
The 3rd is the Alps, modeled on the 17th at Prestwick, where the approach is played blind to a green beyond a large hill. The 4th is the Redan, copied from the 15th at North Berwick, one of the best-known template holes in the game. Macdonald wanted each hole to be representative and classic in itself, and these two show the idea clearly. Elsewhere the club's own history points to replicas of the Road Hole and the Eden from St Andrews and the Sahara from Sandwich, so the round works as a tour of British golf compressed onto one Long Island property. Blind shots and awkward slopes appear throughout the course.
When to play National Golf Links of America
The east end of Long Island is best for golf from late spring through early autumn, when the weather is mild and the days are long. Because National Golf Links of America is private and has no published visitor policy, timing only matters if a member has invited you. There are no public tee times to book, so anyone hoping to play should contact the club office directly rather than looking for a booking page. Plan the trip around the invitation rather than around the season.
Playing National Golf Links of America: tips
National Golf Links is a private club, and the realistic way to play is as a member's guest; the club publishes no green fee and directs enquiries to its office by phone on (631) 283-0410. There are no public tee times and no online booking page, so any request has to go through the office or through the member who invites you. Once you have a date, plan for a course full of blind shots and hard-to-read slopes, where local knowledge counts for a lot. The nearest commercial airports are on Long Island and in New York City, and most guests hire a car for the final leg to Southampton.
Visit National Golf Links of America
149 Sebonac Inlet Road, Southampton, NY 11968
Southampton, New York, United States
— FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about National Golf Links of America
Can the public play National Golf Links of America?
No. It is a private club with no public tee times and no published green fee. Visitors generally play only as guests of a member, and the club office handles all enquiries.
Who designed National Golf Links of America?
Charles B. Macdonald designed the course, and Seth Raynor supervised its construction. It opened in 1911 and borrowed ideas from famous holes in Scotland and England, including the Redan and the Road Hole.
Has National Golf Links hosted the Walker Cup?
Yes, twice. It hosted the first Walker Cup in 1922, which the United States won 8–4, and the match returned in 2013, when the Americans beat Great Britain and Ireland 17–9.
What is the par at National Golf Links of America?
The course is a par 72 over 18 holes. Published yardage varies between sources, so this profile does not quote a single figure, but it plays at well over 6,800 yards from the back tees.