National Golf Links of America

The verdict

Charles Blair Macdonald is the father of American golf architecture, and the National is his masterwork. He crossed the Atlantic repeatedly to map the holes that thrilled him, the Redan at North Berwick, the Alps at Prestwick, the Eden and the Road at St Andrews, then recreated their strategy on a rumpled stretch of Long Island above Peconic Bay. Opened in 1911 with engineer Seth Raynor at his side, it set the template, literally, for the courses that followed.

More than a century on, the National still plays as a thrilling argument for width, angles and the ground game. The greens are big and bold, the wind off the bay is constant, and every hole asks a clear question of where to aim and what to risk. It sits comfortably inside the world top 20 and near the top of any American list. Access is the catch, this is one of the most private clubs in the country, so a round here is earned through a member, not booked.

The holes worth the trip

The National is a tour of the holes that shaped the game. The third is a long version of the Alps, played blind over a ridge to a hidden green. The fourth is one of the world's great Redans, a long par 3 falling away to the left that has been copied a thousand times since. The thinking never stops, because Macdonald built choices into the turf rather than simply punishing the miss.

Width is the theme throughout, with fairways that look generous until the angle to the flag reveals why one side is so much better than the other. The bunkering is deep and the greens are vast, fast and full of movement, so distance control on the approach matters more than raw length off the tee. The seventh, a heroic Cape hole bending around the water, and the par 3 Eden and Sahara holes are pure strategic theatre.

The finish is among the most photographed in golf, the closing holes climbing back toward the windmill topped clubhouse with Peconic Bay glinting beyond. The National rewards the player who plots a route, controls the trajectory in the wind and putts boldly on those big greens. It is a living museum of golf design that still feels modern, and a round here is a pilgrimage rather than an outing.

Where to stay nearby

Most visiting golfers base themselves in the Hamptons, where Southampton and East Hampton offer some of the finest hotels, restaurants and beaches in the United States within minutes of the course. A Hamptons base also puts the wider Long Island links scene, led by Shinnecock Hills next door, within easy reach.

For a golf focused trip, the eastern end of Long Island pairs the National with Shinnecock Hills, Maidstone and Sebonack, one of the densest concentrations of great courses anywhere in the country. New York City is close enough to bookend the trip with a few days in town.

Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Southampton.