Tom Fazio designed an incredibly fun but challenging course just north of New York City and spared no expense doing so. The drive goes slightly down hill and is semi-blind. 0 people found this review helpful Even so, only the truly daring would attempt to reach this small green in two shots. NO CARTS! I know I'm using a lot of superlatives here, but it really doesn't get any better than HN. 130,000 cubic yards of rock were blasted out before the holes could be routed through the second highest elevation point in Westchester County. The green is relatively big and flat, and is an excellent opportunity for birdie with a good tee shot, so take advantage of it! The caddies out there must be in incredible shape, because Derrick carried both of our bags, and handled it like a champ. This is a hole that you just have to love. If you ever have the good fortune to play here drop everything and enjoy the day. Hudson National is a beautiful layout -- as is customary from the hands of architect Tom Fazio. Rumor has it that the clubhouse was burned down during the stock market crash. The staff is quick, attentive and treat you like a member. There were so many different looks uphill, downhill, left, right--the holes weaved around the property in a delightful manner. You have water on the right, and bunkers on both sides of the fairway which narrows the farther up the hill you get. Precision Pro NX10 Review: Is this Rangefinder a Bushnell Killer? There just isnt a negative comment that can be made about Hudson National. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2012-2022 Location 180, LLC | All rights reserved. Just got done producing a big conference here in Portland, hope to get it up later this week. The 12th hole is unique. ", Beautiful vistas with a few outstanding holes. Not sure if that was true or not, but either way, it only added to the cool history of the property. A well-struck drive will reward you with a lot of extra roll, and a reallywell-struck drive will get you down right below the green (I got pretty lucky on this one). This post was originally published in July of 2014 in the early days of Breaking Eighty. It was around this time, I legitimately started to get sad. If you have the chance to play Hudson, do whatever you can to make it happen. ", Really fun track with amazing views. I flubbed it into the long stuff 50 yards in front of me. ", Beautiful layout and background, but the golf is a grind. The clubhouse, circa 1850, is a beautiful stone-walled manor house, renovated in 1998. If youre expecting a flat, traditional, championship layout, thats exactly what you wont get. Enough said, when you get to this whole, play smart or consider yourself forewarned! Cool club overall! He said The thing that makes leaving so hard is because I know theres a very good chance Ill never play this course again and it was justthatgood.. You see the par 3s at Hudson National, are, well,long. It is not a country club, its a golf club.

The practice area is all-world and the caddie system is robust. Respond to above review I've had the good fortune to play many in the top 50 in the US, and this course is right there with the very best. Its actually much bigger than it looks, but with bunkers flanking both sides of the front green and water all right I knew it would be a tough shot. Fescue lined fairways and rolling terrain will test the average player. A smart player who hits the ball long will more than likely be well served to hit a 3-wood that they can hit with a slight draw, otherwise the dreaded straight ball will likely go through the fairway into some thickish rough. The top practice green. I hit it any way and the result was me being too afraid of the water and hitting it in the right bunker which if you know my sand play, is almost worse. Respond to above review The only thing I had to go on was the top of a giant chimney that was left over from the old Hessian Hills Clubhouse that burned down in a fire during the depression. They blasted a ton of rock in order to make the land feasible for a golf course, and when they got a bid to remove all the rock that was blasted it was astronomical. It wasnt hard to see why Fazio chose this as the cover of us book. Smart play was probably to layup, but hey, I wasnt sure when Id ever get to come back here, so might as well go for the fun shot (this would be a theme throughout the day.). Perhaps, that is a blessing in disguise because this downhill approach shot baits you into going for it even though the target looks tiny and the penalty for missing this green is severe. You get to choose how much of the fairway you want to cut off, and if the tees are up, you have a legitimate shot at the green if you strike it well. Missing far left off the tee is almost certainly a lost ball and missing the fairway to the right leaves just about no chance to reach this long par 4 in regulation. You can see a giant rock face on the right, from where they blasted the hole out. But, when good land is available -- it's more important for any architect to favor a "less is more" approach. The facility consists of 260 acres perched above the Hudson, the second highest elevation in Westchester County. Derrick told us this was the only bad view on the course (due to the power lines). The staff: couldn't have been more gracious, hospitable and welcoming; Theron and Chris ("Tank"!) I can see why some members hop in a cart and just come hang out at this spot even when not on the course, the view and ambiance are unbelievable. Its well guarded, so try and keep to the left side of the fairway for the best approach angle. General George Washington and his troops were afforded outstanding views of the Hudson River as the British Fleet made its trek up the river from New York City. What makes a golf course special? Their members are very lucky to have such a special facility. Even when the tee shot seemed relatively benign, youd know you had something fun waiting for you on your approach. If youre on the right, youll have multiple layers of bunkers to contend with, and not much of a view of the green. A difficult yet fair course, there are some memorable holes here such as the uphill par 4 4th which leads to one of the better reveals I've seen. Another mid-length par 5 to close out the front. While I expected the praise for the views to be because of the Hudson River, what I found was the river was just icing on the cake.

Thats what this course does though. The 10th here may be the most deceptive you will ever see as somehow this green is tricky to hit because if you know what the penalty is by missing this green left, you will have that in the back of your mind on your approach shot. I was also told that the old building was owned by Al Capone during prohibition, and he used it to make bootlegged liquor. Hudson National rests on dramatic bluffs high over the Hudson River valley, a breathtaking location that, back in the 1920s, had been the site of the ill-fated Hessian Hills Country Club. We got our first real taste of that here, or at least we would have were we playing back a tee box or two. With water fronting the green and all the way around the right side, trouble lurks and your round can quickly go south if you are not careful. I believe I would call this the perfect risk / reward scenario. There are a number of solid holes at Hudson National. Remember those long par 3s we talked about? I cant decide which way I like it better because both ways are a heck of a lot of fun. The return to the clubhouse, reminded me of a few of the great finishing holes Ive played (Bethpage Black, Olympic Club, Riviera) where you can see everything out there, and the clubhouse perched above the green. Theres more room on the right than it looks, but if youre in the rough youre going to have a toughfastchip back down to the hole. The ruins are part of an old clubhouse from a previous 9-hole golf course built in the 1920s. The greens were particularly varied in shape and contour. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Time for another risk/reward shot. It has a prominent spot on my personal top 100 golf courses list, and I look forward to the day I get to return and experience the course and club again. This time, I ended up in long fescue and had to punch out back to the fairway. Another feature many would not notice on this hole is that the green is angled in a way that if you approach it from the right side of the fairway it is much more receptive than a hooking or fading shot from the left side of the fairway. If this is the worst view on the course, I think theyre doing just fine . There are a variety of tee options at Hudson, and one of the combos the members came up with was basically the blue tees for every par 4 and 5, and then the whites for each of the 5 par 3s. Truly great experience all around from locker room, grill room to pro staff. I got scared and clubbed up leaving my approach on the very back of the green, and giving me a very long birdie putt. This remarkably long par 3 was featured on the cover of Fazios bookGolf Course Designs. Private, J. Krajicek/Courtesy of Hudson National GC. This mid-length par 5 is the #1 handicap hole on the course. Hudson National is generally in top tier conditioning and for many players the experience will be memorable. After a quick 3 minute drive up the hill, we were treated to what has to be the best view on a driving range Ive ever seen. From the back two sets of tees it plays as a 475 incredible par-4 and if you play the white tees, it plays as a 505 yard par 5. This green is angled in a way that it plays very shallow, which may not feel too inviting if you are one of those players left with a long shot in. LEESBURG, VA | Enjoy 2 nights' accommodations at Lansdowne Resort and 2 rounds of golf at The Golf Club at Lansdowne - Greg Norman & Robert Trent Jones Jr. courses. Then I remembered I wasnt the one carrying my bag. Respond to above review The 14th is a par-5 that in an even more pronounced way describes risk / reward. Copyright 2022 GolfPass. When it comes to Tom Fazio, you may hear most of the discussion about Wade Hampton, Shadow Creek and Gozzer Ranch, but trust me when I tell you that Hudson National is one of Tom Fazios very best designs. As a par-5 from the upper tees, the average player has a great chance to make a par. As we were walking back to the car, Dan said something I could totally relate to. I had a good rescue 7 iron to get it in the rough just off the green, but a couple chunked chips put a black mark on what ended up being an excellent back 9. my number one criteria for a course is fun, It truly was one of the best days of golf Ive. Hard to describe without you being there and seeing it, but certainly a stroke of architectural genius by Tom Fazio on the 12th.

I launched a good shot straight up the hill that landed just short of the green for an easy pitch and two putt. If there were ever a course where a player needs to pick the proper tee box to ensure maximum enjoyment this would be the course to do so. Hudson National immediately jumps into my Top 5 ever played. What I love about the opening hole is that this long and demanding hole is right in front of you with one of the coolest greens to a long hole you will ever see. Top range is directly left. Winged Foot Golf Club: The Finest 36 Hole Club in the World? With 5 pars threes, you will surely hit 5 different clubs in nearly every direction imaginable, two are on the shorter side, one is medium length and two are long. Highly, highly recommend. The golf course is a favorite of mine, and so many holes are postcard worthy, it is no wonder that holes like 10 and 16 end up on golf calendars.It is a tough test, but the caddies will take care of you. The elevation change, dense tree cover, unique rock-outcroppings and majestic, long-range views make this place special. Augusta in mid April is not in any better shapethe greenskeeper team has clearly done an excellent job. The view from the 10th tee box, is easily one of my favorites on the course. Was this review helpful? Today this remarkable site houses a Tom Fazio signature course which stretches out to almost 7,000 yards and opened for play in 1996. ", Design variety was excellent. A little bit of knowledge is dangerous, no matter how many times I play this hole, I keep hitting my drive just a little bit too far right leaving myself in the rough with no chance to go for this green in two. You just want to get playing, join, hope a friend joins.

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The green on this hole is wickedly tough, yet totally fair and if you find yourself playing to a back pin on a small shelf, that adds to the difficulty of making a birdie here. Fazio certainly moved the earth to create Hudson National. Was this review helpful? The 10th is one of those tee shots where Fazio plays some tricks on your mind this hole is actually is a bit of a zig zagging hole, even though it really is just about straight away. The 1st, 6th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th and 18th are my favorite 9 holes. This was one of the biggest risk/reward shots Id had up until that point. At this point, our caddie immediately walked us up to the top tee box to get the entire view and glory of all 256 yards. One of the most fun holes on the course. If you claim you like fast greens, well, putt these, and you will know what fast really is. However if youre looking for unique holes, elevation changes, fun, and a great model of what a modern golf clubshouldbe like look no further than Hudson National. If youve read my reviews you know that my number one criteria for a course is fun. I love this hole. The land that makes up Hudson National Golf Club was of great strategic importance during the Revolutionary War. Surely you can argue the par-3 16th wins the beauty award but why argue, we can call them both simply majestic. Here are some other favorite golf books, if youre looking for something to read. alder creek Hudson National is very special indeed. This hole has all the beauty you could ever want in a par-3, and but for the 16th hole which I will describe shortly, this would likely be your favorite hole on almost any other course. Ferraris, Aston Martins, Bentleys abound it was clear I wasnt at one of my local Portland courses anymore. ATLANTIC CITY, NJ | Enjoy 2 nights' accommodations at Seaview, A Dolce Hotel and 2 rounds of golf at Seaview Golf Club - Bay & Pines Courses. The 10th is a straight away par-4 that takes the cake for the perhaps the most beautiful view on the entire course. The green is huge, but with a pin location tucked behind the bunker that far away, theres no way I was going for a hole in one here. The green is a site to be seen with lots of movement yet somehow, someway, you walk off this hole feeling as though it is one of the better birdie opportunities on the course. Fortunately, there is a teeing ground for any distance your heart desires. From the tee you cant see much, so I just launched it down there and ended up in good shape right in the middle of the fairway. The tees were even farther up than they usually were.

The property Hudson National sits on is a unique blend of forest, undulations, and scenery unlike any other course Ive been on. I would say more often than not, take your par and run, because there are plenty of big numbers to be had on the 9th if you are not careful. All week wed had some rain off and on, but as we made the drive from Turning Stone down to Croton-on-Hudson, the weather couldnt have been better. From a super elevated tee you can swing freely as the fairway is more than ample up until about 290 yards away where it starts to pinch in. Have you ever played an approach shot to a huge green that seems very difficult to hit? The approach shot is another fun one with bunkers flanking both sides of the green, the Hudson in the background, and the halfway house directly behind the green as well. Truly first-class service. This downhill par 4 gives you two options of the tee: Take a wood or long iron and lay up on the plateau about 200 yards down, or bomb it with the driver to try and clear the plateau and get the ball to roll down to within 100 yards. The course also features environmental areas on four holes and many rock walls and ruins throughout the venue. That lasted all of about a second as I got up to the tee box. Walking away with a par to start your round is a great achievement and right off the bat you see the beauty that greets you at Hudson National. See other reviews from ronnie keesler. One of the real joys when playing the best courses in Westchester County is the quality of the land and how a number of the top tier courses had such land used in such a meaningful way. I often wonder if the Fazio approach realizes that one doesn't need to overdo things and still get a first rate product. To start out with fantastic drives and bright sunshine on one of the most beautiful (and exclusive) courses in the world really makes you appreciate just how special of an opportunity this was. Thats a very personal question that every passional golfer must answer for themselves. In spite of some intimidating optics, I find Hudson National to be very playable. That feeling is when you know you had a great day and I was sad to leave as I gathered my belongings in the locker room. In order to cut down on costs, someone had the idea to build rock walls all throughout the property which could be done for a third of the cost. ", Just an excellent golf course. Whats also great about the place is that it is designed for walking and in spite of the elevation changes, its an invigorating walk that is more than manageable for a person in decent physical shape. If you do find this more than ample putting surface, all putts are makeable as its a bit of a modified table top green that once you are on it, you should be in good shape. I had afantasticwood-fired pizza, and the service was exactly what youd expect: perfect. See other reviews from M. James Ward. 75 degrees and clear blue skies all signs were pointing to a good day out at Hudson National. All rights reserved. 0 people found this review helpful The 18th offers everything you could ever ask for in a dramatic finishing hole. The course and round was so much fun. club country richmond county golf york course (The fireplace and part of the foundation of its clubhouse still exists near the fourth green.) Yesterday was one on the top 3 golfing experiences of my life. I knew it was supposed to be a pretty course, but nothing quite prepared me for that view.

I had a good drive and was about 220 out so do I go for the green, or play it smart? The Valley Club is not overly long measuring 6610 from the back tees but challenges the Once home to the Kitchawan Indians when Henry Hudson first sailed downriver, the course at Hudson National Golf Club is a 1996 Tom Fazio design. When you walk off the 18th you almost certainly will smile and be thankful that you just had the treat and privilege of playing Hudson National. Fast forward all the way to the 6th hole, the tee shot to this uphill par-5 is quite intimidating. In a land of classic layouts, Fazio did something different with Hudson and it ended up reminding me of an East CoastBlack Rock. Is that what its playing? hoping that because it was slightly downhill it might be a little bit easier. Later on during our round, when I mentioned the parking lot, our caddie said if you like this, you should see it on a weekend., We checked in with the starter, and he hooked us up with a cart so that we could get to the range, and said make sure you head to the top range, youll see why when you get there.. When playing these golf courses for Luffness had been on my list for quite a while, but never quite reached the top. If however, you slice your drive into the trees or tall fescue (as we both did) it could prove to be much more of a challenge. Hudson National Golf Club was once home to the Kitchawan Indians when Henry Hudson first sailed downriver. It was updated in May of 2022 for accuracy. It gives you that perfect balance between optics, challenge and fairness. The signature hole at Hudson National, in a course full of signatures. In an effort to drag out the day just that much longer, afterwards we headed out to the patio, and had a drink by the fire while overlooking the Hudson. There is no great place to miss except for coming up short for which your short game will still be tested to get up and down. I sliced it and was far enough down in the rough that I had a blind shot to the tee. westchester

A straight forward drive, but this approach shot was one of the scarier youll face on the course. This hole makes you feel like you are deep in the forest, but you certainly dont feel claustrophobic. I still consider this one of the best golf days Ive had, and I absolutely love Hudson National Golf Club. A 9-hole course, which belonged to Hessian Hills Golf Club in the 1930s, once occupied part of the site and Fazio routed the 4th hole alongside the ruins of their clubhouse as a historical reminder of the days of The Depression. The views are amazing, the conditions of the fairways and greens are second to none and the challenge of the layout would be a good test for a PGA professional. However, the feeling is less of a connectivity to the bigger overall picture and more of isolated gems one encounters when playing. Playing this hole as a traditional par 5 gives you a great chance for a birdie. You must focus on hitting your drive far enough to the right to not find a hazard that creeps up on the left side of the fairway. Famed golf course architect Tom Fazio was commissioned to design a masterpiece and the result was, as you'll read, amazing. We rolled up at about 1:15 for our 2pm tee time, and the parking lot felt like more like a high end auto show than a golf course. Great conditioning. There is no water to stress you out on this hole, but plenty of ways to make a bogey or worse. To go for it, or not go for it. Probably one of the most beautiful golf holes Ive played. Plenty of times, my overly greedy tee shot has left me a bit blocked out trying to hug the left side and the more I play here, combined with the more intelligent golf I play, the more I realize you just want to keep your drive out to the right to have a nice angled approach shot. USE OF AND/OR REGISTRATION ON ANY PORTION OF THIS SITE CONSTITUTES ACCEPTANCE OF OURVISITOR AGREEMENT(UPDATED 1/1/20),PRIVACY AND COOKIES NOTICE(UPDATED 1/1/20) ANDCALIFORNIA PRIVACY NOTICE. THE MATERIAL ON THIS SITE MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED, DISTRIBUTED, TRANSMITTED, CACHED OR OTHERWISE USED, EXCEPT WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION OF DISCOVERY GOLF, INC. 2022 DISCOVERY GOLF, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, Rockland Lake State Park Golf Course: Championship, Rockland Lake State Park Golf Course: Executive. When the course was built, they looked at burying the lines, but it would have been astronomically expensive considering this one line powers 1/3 of NYC. However, it is much more forgiving than it looks and while 95% of this hole goes uphill, the hole does not play quite as long as it feels, thank goodness! If you can get it out in the fairway the 15th is a relatively straight forward dogleg right. I dont care how highly rated it is, if it isnt fun, then it isnt for me. Variety of holes, playability, scenic views, and overall aesthetics are superb. The elevated site some 500 feet above the Hudson River provides for stunning river views from all but four holes. I asked one of the starters if there was anything I should know about the course beforehand and he just smiled and said keep it in the fairway!. All distances are from these tees. How the beautiful game of golf was supposed to be played! Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists, Hudson National is a Tom Fazio design located on the Hudson River featuring beautiful conditions and breathtaking views of the surrounding highlands and river. Has elevation changes, natural beauty, supreme conditions. If you do find the fairway, you will have somewhere between a hybrid to a 9 iron depending on the wind and how long a hitter you are.

It was an excellent decision, as it really helps tie in the historic remnants of old buildings into the new development. Its really well-designed relative to the length and there is nothing not to love here. lontoc hccc I think I have only hit this fairway twice out of the 15 times I have played here, but that is certainly no fault of Mr. Fazio, as I have nobody but to blame but myself for the greed of continuing to hit a driver that I know will not draw. When you step up to the first tee, youre greeted to a long par 4, and a great opening hole. After the round I was surprised I wasnt more tired considering all of the constant ups and downs.

Its a huge fall off left that must be avoided. Personally, when a site is bereft of any real contour it may be necessary for any architect to add a bit of pizzazz at times in order to spice up the proceedings. It gives you legitimate chances to take a risk, but forces you to hit a good shot if youre going to capitalize. Acceptable golf attire must be worn on the Club premises at all times.

I would say based on the angle of this hole, it is more than likely not reachable in two for nearly everyone, yet if you hit a 13th at Augusta like draw, you may very well have a crack at it. With 5 tee boxes, and multiple combinations theres something for you regardless of your mood and skill level. For me, its quite simple, when you finish playing a golf course, do you have an emotional attachment that leaves you excited to come back and play the course again. Hudson National offers the unique combination of dramatic elevation change, sheer beauty, and of course, great architecture, all the while demanding a championship test of golf that can hold up to golfers of any ability. #20 (Breaking Eighty Top 100). As we were preparing to head down to the first hole, we were grabbing scorecards and realized there were alotof options for tees. Another cool par 3 thats tucked into the side of the hill above 12 green and the 10th tee. I have been lucky enough to play Hudson National about 15 times and I can comfortably say, I fell in love with the place after the very first round and each and every time I play a round there, I pinch myself with the same level of excitement as the time before. Derrick said it was about 225 yards away. It was then I realized we were closer to 265 than the stated distance of 301. At 256 yards from the blacks, this might be the longest par 3 Ive ever seen. The two-tiered green will reject anything short, and if you miss anywhere off the green youll have long rough, and potentially a steep hill to contend with. With that said, at all costs you want to keep your tee ball far enough to the right to have a better angle to this green, yet if you hug the left side you can cut off a little distance. Oh, and while he's traveling around doing that, he also golfs as much as humanly possible in his quest to break eighty for the first time ever. Take out your camera and be sure to get a photo because if there was one hole to really remember Hudson National by, it would be this. are exceptional golf club professionals. mizzfit When I think of a course with this much elevation change, the first thing that comes to mind is sidehill, uphill and downhill lies.