Play Through: 10 Historic (and affordable) Golf Courses in the Adirondacks
Lake Placid Club - Links Course. Photo courtesy Lake Placid Club.
The Adirondack region of upstate New York boasts over 30 golf courses, each offering a unique combination of stunning scenery, historical significance, and excellent value. These courses range from challenging mountainside layouts to those that wind through beautiful hardwood forests, ensuring there’s something for every golfer.
Renowned course architects such as Donald Ross, Seymour Dunn, Alexander Findley, Alister MacKenzie, Thomas Winton, and Augustus G. Paine have all contributed to many of these Adirondack courses, providing players with a connection to golf history.
In this guide, you’ll find ten of the most affordable courses in the Adirondacks, each with greens fees of less than $100. This affordability guarantees a high-quality golfing experience without straining your budget.
Golf in the Adirondacks - a brief history.
The Adirondack Mountains boast a wealth of historic golf courses, many of which have a legacy spanning over a century. These courses, some of the oldest in the United States, provide a unique opportunity to connect with the rich history of golf in the country.
Golf was introduced to the US in the late 1800s, coinciding with the rise of grand hotels and Great Camps in the Adirondacks as the region became a vacation spot for the elite. These opulent establishments offered a plethora of outdoor activities, with golf taking center stage.
By the turn of the century, many of the golf courses in the United States were located in the Adirondacks. Donald Ross, Seymour Dunn, Alexander Findley, Alister MacKenzie, Thomas Winton and Augustus G. Paine made their mark in the region as notable architects of these courses.
During the 1920s, many golf courses were redesigned and expanded to 18 holes, alongside the construction of elaborate clubhouses. However, the onset of the Great Depression and World War II cast a shadow over the region, resulting in the closure of numerous hotels and a stagnation in golfing activities.
By the 1950s, many historic courses and magnificent resorts had faded into memory. Despite this, a few landmark golf courses still exist today, offering visitors an affordable opportunity to enjoy the sport.
Golf courses in the Tri-Lakes and High Peaks region.
Tupper Lake Golf Club
The Tupper Lake Golf Club, boasting stunning views of Mount Morris, Big Tupper Lake, and the surrounding mountains, is a “must-play” destination in the Adirondacks. This 18-hole mountain course strikes a perfect balance between challenge and beauty.
Photo courtesy Tupper Lake Golf Club.
The course features rolling terrain, tree-lined fairways, undulating greens, and strategically placed traps and bunkers, making it enjoyable for golfers of all skill levels, from beginners to low handicappers. After your game, you can unwind at The Clubhouse, the on-site restaurant and bar.
The Tupper Lake Open, which has been held for over 70 years, is famously noted for being won by Lee Elder, a renowned professional golfer and the first Black player to compete in the Masters Golf Tournament.
Year Opened: 1932
Holes: 18
Par: 71
Architect: Donald Ross
Greens Fees: $20-55
Lake Placid Club
The Lake Placid Club is unique in that it comprises three separate courses. Golfers can play all three for a 45-hole experience or choose to play them individually.
The Mountains Course was originally built in 1910 by Alexander Finley, a native of Scotland and one of the early pioneers of golf. In 1931, the course was redesigned by the world-renowned golf course architect Alister McKenzie, who later designed Augusta National Golf Club, the home of The Masters.
The Links Course was designed in 1909 by the renowned Scottish golf instructor and club maker, Seymour Dunn. This 18-hole course features the traditional Scottish Links style, which is the oldest form of golf course design.
The Pristine 9 was constructed in 1910 by Alexander Finley. It shares the same plot of land as the Mountain Course and offers many of the same stunning views of the Lake Placid area.
Year opened: 1910
Architects: Alexander Finley, Alister McKinzie, Seymour Dunn
Greens Fees: $35-95
Saranac Inn Golf and Country Club
Saranac Inn, located on Upper Saranac Lake, is one of the oldest resorts in the Adirondack Park, having hosted luminaries including United States Presidents Grover Cleveland and Chester A. Arthur.
Photo courtesy Saranac Inn.
Built by renowned golf architect Seymour Dunn, the current course was completed in 1910 and is known as Dunn’s “masterpiece” in course design.
Year Opened: 1901
Holes: 18
Par: 72
Architect: Seymour Dunn
Greens Fees: $25-80
Craig Wood Golf Course
Formerly known as the Lake Placid Golf and Country Club, Craig Wood Golf Course is named in honor of Lake Placid’s native son, who won both The Masters Tournament & US Open in 1941 and 21 other PGA Tour events over his hall-of-fame career.
Photo courtesy Craig Wood Golf Course.
Built in 1925 by Seymour Dunn, this 6,554-yard 18-hole layout will test players while marveling at the beautiful surroundings, including a spectacular view of Whiteface Mountain.
Year Opened: 1925
Holes: 18
Par: 72
Architect: Seymour Dunn
Greens Fees: $25-65
Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Coast Area
Westport Country Club
The Westport Country Club was originally built in 1898 as a 6-hole course; it was later redesigned and expanded in 1928 to 18 holes by Thomas Winton. Its restaurant, aptly named Winton’s 1898 Tavern, pays homage to the architect.
The country club’s history is also showcased through its logo, which depicts a sheep, commemorating Greenskeeper Thomas Lee’s flock of sheep used to keep the grass closely cropped.
Sheep tend Westport Country Clubs greens.
Golfers who play Westport will likely get a kick out of this “old school” way of keeping up the course, as it continues to employ sheep to maintain the grounds and the tradition.
Year Opened: 1898
Holes: 18 Par: 72
Architect: Thomas Winton
Greens Fees: $20-45
Cobble Hill Golf Course
Cobble Hill is one of the oldest courses in the Adirondacks. Located in Elizabethtown, the 9-hole layout weaves through enormous white pines and the beautiful surrounding mountains of Pleasant Valley.
Cobble Hill in autumn.
In the late 1890s, Elizabethtown was a bustling summer resort community, and the Cobble Hill Golf Course became a centerpiece of the town.
Today, the course welcomes golfers who enjoy a quick game on a historic course in a charming village adjacent to the Giant Mountain Wilderness Area.
Year Opened: 1896
Holes: 9
Par: 35
Architect: Seymour Dunn
Greens Fees: $17-27
Willsboro Golf Course
Willsboro Golf Course was built in 1914 by Augustus G. Paine. It is a classic Adirondack 9-hole course that winds its way through the hardwood forest, offering challenging tee shots and demanding precise approaches to smaller greens.
The nearby Bouquet River empties into Lake Champlain, a central part of the town’s history, carrying various mining materials, including highly valued blue limestone used in the foundation of the New York State Capitol building and the Brooklyn Bridge.
Year Opened: 1914
Holes: 9
Par: 35
Architect: Augustus G. Paine
Greens Fees: $24-38
Ticonderoga Golf Club
Ticonderoga Golf Club was constructed in 1926 as a 9-hole course, expanding to 18 holes in 1932 by Adirondack golf course architect Seymour Dunn.
Ticonderoga Golf Club
The course presents a unique challenge, as Trout Brook meanders throughout, coming into play on seven of the eighteen holes; players also enjoy the scenic mountains that surround the course.
The land on which the course is built played a significant role during the French and Indian War in a battle known as the “Snowshoe Battle,” commemorated by a plaque on the 3rd hole.
Year Opened: 1926, founded in 1925
Holes: 18
Par: 71
Architect: Seymour Dunn
Greens Fees: $40-90
Schroon Lake Golf Course
Schroon Lake has witnessed the evolution of its golf courses, with three notable iterations tracing back to the early 1900s.
Golfing in Schroon Lake
An original 9-hole layout, crafted by renowned Adirondack golf course architect Seymour Dunn, graced the shores of Schroon Lake.
Today, the current 9-hole Schroon Lake Municipal Golf Course is rumored to be a creation of Donald Ross, dating back to 1917.
Year Opened: 1917
Holes: 9
Par: 72
Architects: Seymour Dunn, Donald Ross
Greens Fees: $16-22
Central Adirondacks
Lake Pleasant Golf Course
Golf architect Donald Ross designed the Lake Pleasant Golf Club in 1922.
Golf has been a tradition at Lake Pleasant for over 100 years.
The first tee shot of this 9-hole, par-35 course is beautiful, as it descends downhill toward the West Canada Lake Wilderness area and Sacandaga Lake.
The Lake Pleasant Golf Course is part of the Hotel Morley Complex, which is now known as the Hamilton County Adirondack Club at Lake Pleasant.
Year Opened: 1922
Holes: 9
Par: 35
Architect: Donald Ross
Greens Fees: $20
The Adirondacks: where every shot tells a story.
The Adirondack Mountains provide a stunning backdrop for golf enthusiasts of all skill levels. With a rich history and a variety of beautiful courses designed by some of the most influential architects in the game, these affordable public golf courses offer a chance to enjoy the sport while connecting with the storied past of golf in America.
From the breathtaking views at Tupper Lake Golf Club to the unique features at the Lake Placid Club, golfers will find plenty of options that combine both challenge and beauty.
Whether you are a seasoned player or just starting out, the Adirondacks promise a memorable golfing experience without straining your budget. So pack your clubs and immerse yourself in the scenic charm and historical significance of this idyllic region.
In addition to golf course websites, other sources for this article include roostadk.com.
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