Representative image Photo: Stuart Logan · CC BY-SA 2.0
Piping Rock Club
Locust Valley, New York, United States
18 Holes · Par 71 · Private club — no published green fee; play is by member invitation · Parkland
— About
About Piping Rock Club
Piping Rock Club is a private 18-hole, par 71 course at Locust Valley, on Long Island. Charles Blair Macdonald designed it and Seth Raynor oversaw construction, soon after the pair finished National Golf Links of America. The course is a collection of the template holes that Macdonald borrowed from famous holes abroad, including a Redan, a Road Hole and the Biarritz, fitted into the Long Island landscape. Seen as a group, they make Piping Rock one of the clearest examples of the Macdonald and Raynor approach on an inland site.
- The par-3 9th is a Biarritz with a swale across the green, the first one Macdonald and Raynor built.
- The 3rd is a Redan par 3 that reviewers count among the best versions of the template.
- Polo fields and a racetrack shaped the routing, and the front nine was arranged around them.
- The back nine runs over more dramatic ground than the front, with holes routed up and down the land.
History of Piping Rock Club
The club was established in 1911 and bought a large property on Long Island. Its colonial-style clubhouse sits at the center of the grounds. Macdonald was hired to lay out the golf, but the founders wanted much of the land kept for polo, and he grew frustrated and handed more of the work to Raynor, who oversaw construction. The experience helped establish Raynor as a course architect in his own right. Early members included J.P. Morgan Jr.
Signature holes at Piping Rock Club
After the 3rd and 9th, the other template holes are the 8th, which follows the Road Hole at St Andrews, and the 12th, an Alps-style par 4. The 13th is a par 3 built on the Knoll template.
When to play Piping Rock Club
Piping Rock is private, so your date depends on a member's invitation. The course's value is in its template holes and routing, and that holds across the golf season, so let your host choose the day.
Playing Piping Rock Club: tips
Play is by member invitation only. The club does not sell tee times or publish a green fee. Locust Valley is on Long Island, and the New York airports are the nearest major gateways. Ask your host about caddies, arrival times and dress, since the club publishes no visitor guidance.
Visit Piping Rock Club
Locust Valley, New York, United States
— FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about Piping Rock Club
Can the public play Piping Rock Club?
No. Piping Rock is a private club with exclusive membership. The course is played by members and their guests, with no public tee-time booking and no published green fee.
How big is the Piping Rock property?
The club bought 340 acres at Locust Valley. A good part of that was set aside for polo, which is why the routing of the early holes bends around it.
Is Piping Rock a links course?
No. Piping Rock is an inland course on Long Island. Macdonald and Raynor borrowed ideas from famous holes in Britain and Europe, but they built them on inland ground.