New York’s Long Island is home to some of the nation’s most exalted private courses. In Nassau County, closer to Manhattan, are gems like Garden City, Piping Rock, The Creek Club and Deepdale. In Suffolk County, further to the east, are legendary names like Shinnecock Hills, National Golf Links, Maidstone, and newer facilities like The Bridge, Friar’s Head and Sebonack. But what of the requirements of the public or traveling golfer? Fortunately the entire Bethpage golf facility, with its quintet of colorfully named courses, can sate the desire of even the most avid player.

Farmingdale, New York is home to Bethpage State Park, with its ‘rainbow coalition’ of fine golf. The Red, Green, Yellow and Blue are all worthy venues, but mere understudies to the famed Black Course, one of the most intimidatingly memorable public courses in the nation, and where this discussion begins in earnest. However a word must be said about the affordability of these great facilities. There are many public or resort courses of great repute that welcome anyone to the first tee, but the associated green fees make places like Pebble Beach, Pinehurst, various destinations in Scottsdale and Hawaii out of reach of many middle class golfers. But Bethpage is different.

The walking-only Black, “An extremely difficult course which is recommended only for highly skilled golfers” (according to the menacing warning sign near the first tee) is among the finest creations by renowned “Golden Age” course architect A.W. Tillinghast. Considering other courses in his oeuvre include Winged Foot, San Francisco Golf Club, and the lesser-known New Jersey gem Somerset Hills, (all fixtures in various Top 100 Course lists) that’s high praise indeed.

Created in 1936, this is one tough octogenarian. Its status as a two-time host of the U.S. Open, and future host of the PGA Championship (2019) and Ryder Cup (2024) proves it. Known for its grand, practically epic scale, The Black provides wide driving corridors, gargantuan bunkers, and plenty of elevation change. It’s a course full of highlights, very few weak holes. Among the best would be one of the finest par-5 holes in the nation, the daunting fourth hole, 530 uphill yards, with a Gobi-like expanse of sand bisecting the fairway. Tillinghast himself said as much. “It should prove one of the most exacting three-shot holes I know of anywhere. In locating and designing the green, which can only be gained by a most precise approach from the right, I must confess that I was a trifle scared myself, when I looked back and regarded the hazardous route that must be taken by a stinging second shot to get into position to attack the green.” Another fine hole is the par-3 eighth, mercifully playing downhill, as opposed to the seemingly unrelenting series of uphill approaches elsewhere on the course, and fronted by a menacing pond. The popularity of the Black only confirms what golfers have often said about themselves: Those who play the game in earnest are masochists. The penal nature of this wonderful course, the vast expanses of sand, thick rough and all the peril that awaits illustrates this point dramatically.

This isn’t to say the other golf options aren’t worth a traveler’s time. Put it this way: Bethpage does 300,000 rounds annually. If all, or even most of those rounds were on the Black there wouldn’t be a blade of grass left, it would be a massive pile of dirt. The Green Course is the original of the quintet, originally called the Lenox Hills Course. Featuring gentler terrain and small greens, it’s considered ideal for the novice and casual golfer. The Blue Course is another Tillinghast design, though it was reworked in 1960 by Alfred Tull to provide room for the Yellow Course. The front nine is more challenging, featuring some steep slopes, while the inward nine isn’t as daunting. The Red and Yellow courses complete this unique ninety-hole golf buffet. The former is another Tillinghast design, lots of long par-4s and one of the hardest opening holes on Long Island. The latter, dating from 1958, is the shortest, and generally considered the easiest of the quintet, just under 6,300 yards from the back tees.

Speaking of easiest, it’s an easy choice to visit Trento, a stylish Italian bistro in Farmingdale with lots of great options. Blackened swordfish, Chilean Sea Bass, a succulent veal chop, and all the traditional pasta and parmigiana dishes are popular features.

There’s no guarantee patrons will absolutely love their experience at another fine Italian restaurant named Absolutely Mario’s, but the odds are excellent. The unusual moniker comes from the mantra of owner Mario Garcia, who throughout his career, would respond to any customer’s request, no matter how difficult or trivial, by saying ‘absolutely.’ His take on rack of lamb, filet mignon, chicken Marsala, salmon bianco, and numerous other specialties will have many customers absolutely making encore visits to this homey Farmingdale institution.

New York’s Westchester County, just a short train ride from Manhattan, offers an embarrassment of riches. Much of the county is quiet, suburban, even rural. But getting into the city via public transportation can be a breeze — easy access to the center of finance, fashion, fine dining and live theater. Times Square, Wall Street, Lincoln Center, the Empire State Building, Freedom Tower and the Statue of Liberty are all well within range.

Amidst this cornucopia of sights, sounds and experiences in the city is the fact that Westchester is home to more superb private golf clubs than almost anywhere else in the nation. Space constraints preclude a comprehensive list, but just a smattering of these top-notch venues would include Winged Foot, with its 36 holes of championship golf. Also Quaker Ridge, Sleepy Hollow, Scarsdale, Sunningdale, Century, Old Oaks and Wykagyl. Suffice it to say that there are many other clubs of nearly equal stature in the vicinity.

High-quality public playing fields are fewer and further between, but there are some options. Leading the way is Pound Ridge Golf Club, located in the eponymous town of the same name, about 45 minutes from Manhattan. A much newer venue than many of the near-centenarians listed earlier, Pound Ridge is a Pete-and-Perry Dye creation little more than a decade old.

Despite its lack of antiquity, Pound Ridge has gained a following due in large part to its unique location amidst 170 dramatic acres. Imposing cliffs, bubbling streams and wooded hillsides delineate the playing fields. Dramatic rock formations have been left onsite, creating an eye-catching setting for golf, with more than 14,000-linear-feet of rock wall surrounding trees, wetlands and water hazards.

Many large boulders have remained on the property, adding to its distinctive character. Nowhere is this more evident than on the par-5 13th, where the focal point off the tee is a cottage-sized boulder between the tee and the landing area. The short over-wetlands 15th is another example. This par-3 green has been literally carved into a hillside, with a broad expanse of exposed rock acting as a backboard for any tee shot too boldly struck. “It looks like marble,” states Perry Dye, son of the World Golf Hall of Fame inductee, and a prominent architect in his own right. “I’ve never seen anything like it. The best way to describe this land is a combination of woods, wetlands and rock. While it was very difficult to build (the finished product), fortunately a course that has no housing component provides an unforgettable day of golf.” Rarely have daily-fee golfers around Westchester County or neighboring Fairfield County, Connecticut, seen anything quite like Pound Ridge.

Almost as interesting as the topography is the course’s back-story. It was conceived and built by an M.I.T. graduate named Ken Wang, a mathematician by training, and brother to iconic fashion designer Vera Wang. It took nearly a decade to obtain the proper permits and please the environmentalists and homeowners in the surrounding neighborhoods before they actually began renovating and expanding what had been a simple neighborhood nine-hole track into the showpiece golf course that exists today.

There are other worthy options in Westchester County, including Hudson Hills. About twenty miles due west of Pound Ridge is this parkland gem, close by the Hudson River. Golfers are treated to the view from on high as they prepare to tee off; half-a-dozen holes are visible from the opening tee box. The course is enrolled in Audubon International’s Cooperative Sanctuary Program, and helps to protect the local environment, conserve natural resources, and provide wildlife habitats.

Another viable option is Maple Moor, in the city of White Plains. Named for the abundance of maple trees on site, the rolling pastureland was originally part of the Griffen family farm dating from 1879. Finally, there are two reasonable options in the city of Yonkers, closer to Manhattan than the other courses under discussion. Dunwoodie Golf Course, not even 6,000 yards from the tips, is in an area of the city called ‘Dunwoodie Heights.’ The dramatic topography features plenty of steep slopes, and a good mixture of narrow and widening fairways. Sprain Lake showcases tiny greens, rolling terrain and a number of challenging holes, due mostly to an abundance of water hazards.

The cornucopia of fine restaurants in the area is mind-boggling. Leaving ‘The City’ out of the equation, with its tens of thousands of eateries of every ethnicity, neighborhood, trend barometer and price range, just Westchester alone has thousands of worthy options. Bistro 12 in Tarrytown wins raves for its Italian cuisine with Mediterranean influence. In Yonkers, Xaviars on the Hudson offers expansive river views, and a menu featuring classic French technique with Italian and Spanish influences. Finally, pub food is the watchword at Bridge View Tavern in the town of Sleepy Hollow. A dazzling beer selection, both bottle and draft, along with great wings, burgers, calamari, mussels, ribs, fish and chips, etc, make this a popular spot for locals and visitors alike.