Long Island (East)
Golf on Long Island (East): East Hampton and Riverhead mostly have private golf clubs. Among the public offerings that have made it to our list are Long Island National Golf Club featuring a beautiful open links-style layout, Montauk Downs State Park Golf Course, an open downland course with challenging holes, and the open, well-curated layout of Swan Lake Golf Club, which is popular among golfers trying to improve various facets of their game.
Private club
East Hampton
Rees Jones
Private club
Providence
Seth Raynor & Charles Banks
Private club
Riverhead
Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw
Visitors welcome
Riverhead
Herbert Strong
Visitors welcome
Riverhead
Robert Trent Jones Jr.
Private club
East Hampton
Original layout by Willie Dunn; redesign by Willie Park Jr and his younger brother John "Jack" Park (1922); renovation by Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw (2013).
Visitors welcome
East Hampton
Original design by English amateur golfer and course architect Capt H. Charles Tippet (1927); redesign by Robert Trent Jones Sr (1968); renovations by Robert's son Rees Jones (2002).
Private club
Riverhead
Charles Blair Macdonald, assisted by Seth Raynor.
Visitors welcome
Riverhead
Francis J. "Frank" Duane
Private club
Riverhead
Jack Nicklaus & Tom Doak
Private club
Riverhead
Original 12-hole course design by Willie Davis (1891), extended to 18-holes by Willie Dunn Jr (1894). This layout substantially redesigned by Charles B. Macdonald and Seth Raynor (1901).
A second substantial redesign was required when the course moved to the north side of the clubhouse (1931). Retaining only five holes from the Macdonald/Raynor layout, the new course was designed by William S. Flynn, with construction supervised by Howard C. Toomey. Apart from the two nine-hole loops being swapped around and some lengthening, the layout has remained largely unchanged since 1931.
Private club
Riverhead
Original design by Seth Raynor (1925). Course modernised by William F. Mitchell (1967), and later reworked back to its original themes by Brian Silva (2010).
Visitors welcome
Riverhead
Charles K. Martin
Sony Open in Hawaii: played at Waialae Country Club near Honolulu, the Sony Open takes over the spotlight from The Sentry as the PGA Tour’s calendar-year opening event (Jan 15-18). The Sentry (not being played in 2026) was formerly known as the Tournament of Champions, with a field typically restricted to golfers who won a PGA Tour event in the previous calendar year.
Dubai Desert Classic: the DP World Tour’s first Rolex Series event of 2026, is contested for the 37th time (Jan 22-25). First won by Englishman Mark James in 1989, it now boasts a four-time winner, Rory McIlroy. Played on the Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis course, this once desert-surrounded course is the long-time flagship for Golf in Dubai.
Our visit last month included two rounds at Golf de Chantilly, one of France’s most prestigious clubs.
It offers two superb layouts: Le Vineuil, a five-star championship course with a rich history, and Longères, an excellent four-star course that provides a strong and enjoyable test.
The wider Paris region offers plenty more. Courses such as Fontainebleau, Golf de Saint-Germain, and several other top-rated layouts make this area one of Europe’s most rewarding golf destinations, offering a mix of woodland, heathland, and parkland designs.
The Dutch: "It's no' just a game", as they say in Scotland, and that's certainly true at The Dutch. With 5-star services throughout, a lavishly comfortable Loch Lomond-inspired clubhouse, and a superbly designed and presented golf course, one could not ask for more from this top-end private club.
Join us at The Dutch from August 21–24 for the Festival of Golf, featuring the HotelPlanner Tour. Experience four days of top-tier sport, live music, incredible food, and unexpected surprises. Explore the grounds, connect with others, embrace new challenges, and dive into an unforgettable celebration. Click here to buy tickets.
Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.
Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available
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