Jamie McFarland
Osiris Country Club
110 North Rd.
Walden, NY 12586
845-778-5795
JamieMcFarlandPGA@live.com

Jamie McFarland
Osiris Country Club
110 North Rd.
Walden, NY 12586
845-778-5795
JamieMcFarlandPGA@live.com

Hannah Mountain Resort and Country Club
Delaware County
Rt 30
Margaretville , NY 12455
845-586-4849

Villa Roma Resort and Conference Center
Sullivan County
356 Villa Roma Rd.
Callicoon, NY 12723
866-452-9559

Jamie McFarland
Osiris Country Club
110 North Rd.
Walden, NY 12586
845-778-5795
JamieMcFarlandPGA@live.com

Osiris Country Club is a Semi-Private golf club located in Walden, Orange County, New York 15 minutes from the intersection of Interstate 84 and the New York State Thruway.  Unlike many public golf courses Osiris Country Club is owned by its members and is maintained to their standards. 

The course offers 18 holes of golf, a practice green, a large driving range and a restaurant for your pleasure.  Until this year it was a private club in the northern part of Orange County and was truly a hidden gem with a great membership.  This year it is open for the public to play for the first time since 1958.  

The front nine was built in 1927 by local golfers while Frank Duane a protégé of Robert Trent Jones, Sr. built the back nine which opened in 1966.  Frank Duane was the architect for such courses as Spook Rock, Brae Burn Country Club, Montammy Golf Club and Hampton Hills Golf and Country Club to name just a few of his local courses . 

A short course at only 6,373 yards from the back tees with a combination of poa anna, bent and rye grass it is none the less a challenging course.  The front nine is short and tight with trees and out of bounds on many holes.  The back nine is a beautiful spacious nine holes with several elevation changes and magnificent views of the Shawangunk Ridge. 

The greens are all small pushup greens guarded by bunkers.  The front side greens are relatively flat with few undulations while the back nine greens are very undulating with as many as three tiers.  The course has held many qualifiers for the Metropolitan Golf Association and the New York State Golf Association.  I encourage you to try this wonderful course. 

Osiris Country Club

110 North Road
Walden, NY 12586
Pro Shop & Tee Times 845-778-5795
Office 845-778-5309
Club House 845-778-4000
www.osiriscc.com
Email  osiriscc@hvc.rr.com

* Hudsonrivergolf.com has tried to obtain currant and accurate information on all of the golf courses listed on our web site however we do not guarantee the  information quoted.  Please call the golf course for the most current and accurate information.

Technorati Tags: golf course. Walden NY, Lake Osris, Orange County New York, Osris Country Club, public golf course in Orange County NY

Designed by renowned Golf Course Architect Barry Jordan, the championship caliber Lazy Swan Golf Course is a nine hole public golf course in Ulster County, NY.

This Saugerties golf course has been meticulously designed to be “a series of linked passages of natural beauty” with each tee and hole presenting it’s own unique challenges and character for both beginner and advanced golfers to overcome.

The course is easily walkable, golfers come upon a number of cascading and reflection ponds, dramatic rock outcroppings, challenging elevation changes, an alpine garden, and gorgeous views of the Catskill Mountains, nestled within an intimately romantic landscape.

If you live anywhere near Saugerties, in Ulster County or are just visiting the area why not swing by the The Lazy Swan for a truly unique golfing experience.

I took a ride one day last fall to see the course.  It is a short distance off the Saugerties exit of the New York State Thruway. 

As I rounded the corner and saw the course it was a beautiful rich green color.  The setting is magnificent.  As I approached the course the clubhouse was on the other side of a pond and was stunning. 

The course opened up in 2009 with little fanfare on the site of the old Kaatsbaan Golf Club.  It appears that the new owners have spared nothing in their desire to renovate the course, the second nine is scheduled to open up Labor Day weekend 2011.

The Lazy Swan Golf Country Club
1754 Old Kings Highway
Saugerties, NY 12477

845-247-0075

http://www.thelazyswan.com

* Hudsonrivergolf.com has tried to obtain currant and accurate information on all of the golf courses listed on our web site however we do not guarantee the information quoted.  Please call the golf course for the most current and accurate information.

Technorati Tags: Lazy Swan Golf Course, Public Golf Course in Ulster County NY, Ulster County Golf Course, Ulster County NY Golf

Open to the public, the New Paltz Golf Course, is a wonderful nine-hole course. From the blue tees, the total distance in yardage is 3460 yards. It is a challenging course for even the most experienced players, while the shorter yardage both from the white and the ladies’ tees create a delightful golfing experience for everyone who play and enjoy the game of golf.

The course is set against a backdrop of the world famous Shawangunk Mountains, and its fifth fairway borders the Wallkill River, making the New Paltz Golf Course is as wonderfully scenic as it is delightfully playable.

New Paltz Golf Course
215 Huguenot Street
New Paltz, NY 12561

845-255-8282

 www.newpaltzgolf.com

* Hudsonrivergolf.com has tried to obtain current and accurate information on all of the golf courses listed on our web site however we do not guarantee the information quoted.  Please call the golf course for the most current and accurate information.

Technorati Tags: New Paltz, New Paltz Golf Course, New York, Ulster County Golf Course, Ulster County NY Golf

Better Golf… Through Understanding

One Famous quote is “What you don’t know can’t hurt you”. In the game of golf, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Let’s take a look at a number of things most beginning golfers probably don’t know about and how these “what you don’t know” are probably hurting your golf game.

Practice makes perfect… Not necessarily!

Practice only makes perfect if you are practicing the proper swing techniques. For most golfers, a practice session consists of ripping through a bucket of balls on their lunch break or on the way home from work. A trip to the range will not help you unless you are going to spend the time to “work” on your swing, and not just reinforce those bad habits you’ve already developed. Use the following suggestions to help you turn that grip it and rip it pit stop at the range into a true practice session.

1. Only bring one club to the range with you at a time.

2. Hit a small bucket of balls and take your time with each swing.

3. Slow down your swing and try to hit the ball straight, not far.

Go ahead, blame your clubs!

There’s a good chance that your clubs could be at fault for all those miss hits, even if they are brand new and cost you over $2000. The problem is, if they don’t fit you and your swing, then even when you make that perfect swing the ball isn’t going to end up where you wanted it to be. Club length, shaft flex, lie angle, and grip size will each greatly affect your golf game if they are not properly fitted to you. Get custom fitted for clubs and see what the difference is compared to what you have now. You could be losing a lot of strokes because of them.

Get some balls!

But don’t get just any golf balls. And that doesn’t mean that you should run out and buy the most expensive ball on the market. You need to get the right kind of ball for your game. Do you need extra distance? How about stopping power? Or soft feel? With so many different types of balls on the market today it makes it difficult to find a ball that suits your game. Here are a few tips on what different caliber golfers should look for in a ball.

1. Beginner – Distance, Durability, $

2. Intermediate – Higher Spin, Softer Feel, $

3. Advanced – Tour Quality, Distance, Spin, Feel, $$

There are a lot of little techniques that go into making a great golfer. Having a great swingis good, but that is the hardest part to get right. The easiest way to cut strokes is to learn about golf clubs and how they fit your hands, ball selection, and practice routines and how they can improve your game. You’ll be surprised by the results.

Technorati Tags: choosing the right golf ball, golf swing, holding golf clubs, improve your golf game, improve your stance, the best way to hold a golf club

Winding Hills Golf Course
1847 State Route 17k
Montgomery, NY 12549

845-457-3187

www.windinghillsgc.com

In the heart of Orange County, New York there is a golf course gem situated on 85 picturesque rolling wooded acres.It is  Winding Hills Golf Club. It is a premier challenging 18-hole executive golf course. Built on rolling terrain, with challenging natural wetlands, fragarent flower gardens and rustic stone walls that line the fairways, Winding Hills Golf Club offers a uniquely beautiful backdrop on each and every green.  Whether you are play a foursome, attending a golf outing, hosting a charity fundraiser or getting together with family members, Winding Hills Golf Club is always the right choice for making your day memorable.

* Hudsonrivergolf.com has tried to obtain currant and accurate information on all of the golf courses listed on our web site however we do not guarantee the information quoted.  Please call the golf course for the most current and accurate information.

Technorati Tags: 18 hole course, Executive Course, Golf Course, New York, Orange County, Winding Hills Golf Club

It’s never easy asking for help, but in golf, it is
almost a necessity. Unfortunately, we often ask our
buddies and partners, when in reality we should take a
lesson or two.

We think that a Pro would critique harshly, but they
are honest, positive and very helpful.

Lessons at the local course aren’t as expensive as you
might think and they are worth it because your game
will improve rapidly and cause you less frustration,
making the game much more enjoyable for you.

Of utmost importance, is being honest about your game.
The Pro will ask you what you want to start with;
driving, chipping, putting or whatever you feel you
need help with.

Listen carefully and follow the instructions. You may
have doubts if the Pro changes your stance, your grip
or your swing; the Pro knows best.

Don’t hesitate to ask questions. Don’t worry about if
the question or concern in stupid-they’ve heard it all
before and will not make you feel like an idiot for
asking. If you don’t “get it”, tell him/her that
you’re not getting it. You should never walk away from
a lesson with unanswered questions.

You can concentrate on one thing during a lesson, or
several. You might start with a lesson in driving; get
the right grip, the right stance, the right swing, the
right follow-through in one lesson, and then practice
it. Next time, you might work on your short game, or
putting.

You’ve invested in the equipment, doesn’t it make
sense to learn how to use them to their advantage and
improve your abilities?

Scott
Golf Courses in the Hudson Valley

Technorati Tags: golf lessons, golf pro, hit golf balls, how to hold golf clubs, improve your golf swing

Putnam National Golf Club
187 Hill Street
Mahopac, NY 10541

845-628-4200

www.putnamnational.com

Putnam National Golf Club, is a 18-hole championship, public course, owned by Putnam County and operated by the RDC Golf Group.

Located in the lower Hudson Valley town of Mahopac, New York, and is well known for its wonderful vistas and its beautiful rolling hills. Fall golf is

spectacular once the leaves begin to turn.

Recent improvements by the county include the a modern sprinkler system, state-of-the-art golf course maintenance equipment and new Yamaha golf carts. Course conditions are excellent to outstanding from early in the spring until late in the fall.

Putnam National is one of those rare public golf courses where golfers can enjoy the tradition of excellence established when the course was a private country club. Bent grass tees and greens, rye fairways and a state-of-the-art irrigation system are the perfect combination for great playing conditions throughout the season.

* Hudsonrivergolf.com has tried to obtain currant and accurate information on all of the golf courses listed on our web site however we do not guarantee the information quoted.  Please call the golf course for the most current and accurate information.

Technorati Tags: Course, golf carts, Mahopac, New York, Putnam County Golf Course, Putnam County NY

Your swing will change, your accuracy and distance
will improve with practice, and you’ll become deadly
with a putter, but you will always do these things
while standing on your feet.

Your feet need to be comfortable! Have you ever
developed a blister while walking or running? It’s all
you can think about and it ruins the experience. Don’t
let uncomfortable shoes ruin your golf game.

This is one area where you shouldn’t let your
frugality make the decision for you. You will be
wearing these shoes many times and they should be
considered an investment.

Comfort should be your biggest concern when buying
shoes. Your foot should not move at all on your heel
when you walk, yet your toes shouldn’t feel cramped.
Have you shoes professional fit to your feet and walk
around in them before you buy them.

Proper golf shoes should be waterproof so that your
feet remain dry in damp conditions. Good socks are
important too; they will wick perspiration away from
you feet, keeping your feet dry and comfortable.

All golf courses prohibit metal spiked shoes in the
effort to protect their delicate greens. Purchase
shoes that allow you to change the rubber spikes
easily, and while you’re there, purchase some extras.
You never know when you might lose one. Replace the
spikes when they become worn.

With all the things you have to worry about while
playing golf, your feet shouldn’t be one of them. When
it comes to golf footwear, quality counts.

Grossinger Country Club
127 Grossinger Road
Liberty, NY 12754
845-292-9000

www.grossingergolf.net

OK, so the hotel at Grossingers may be waiting renovation but the golf course is alive and well! Grossinger is continues to be a beautiful country oasis and is among the elite golf courses in the Catskills – and it is perhaps the best design work of Houston architect Joe Finger.

Surprisingly Joe Finger didn’t follow his design mentor Robert Trent Jones, Sr. and go the Texas Big route in designing Grossinger’s “Big G” golf course. Instead, he took an exceptional piece of land with natural elevation changes, lakes, creeks, hardwood trees and wonderfully created it to reward ball flight and touch rather than excessive power and distance.

Like Finger’s other Hudson Valley masterpiece course, the Concord Monster, each nine tee at Grossinger starts on a hill and works down into the valley and then back up to the top of the hill. Many holes have bends – most are right to left that go around bunkers and challenging water hazards. Add the the changes in elevation come all manner of up, down and sidehill lies. If you plan to score at Grossinger, you better have control of your ball from the tee to any uneven lies.

Golfers really like the risk-reward par fives, all within reach of well-placed drives, but are loaded with danger and water hazards that are in front of many of the greens. The most unforgetable–and one of the most challenging holes in the Catskill area– is the 13th hole, one of the first original holes to have an island green.

While your are at Grossinger, you might consider checking out the Vista course. This golf course is part of the original nine holes which was opened in 1925. This is said to be designed by legendary A.W. Tillinghast. It most certainly has a Tillinghast feel with its tabletop greens which are guarded by flashed up bunkers.

According to Active Golf:

Grossinger’s is still a beautiful country oasis among the elite courses in the Catskills – perhaps the best work of Houston architect Joe Finger. Surprisingly Finger didn’t follow his mentor Robert Trent Jones, Sr. and go Texas Big in designing Grossinger’s. Rather he took a blessed piece of land with natural elevation changes, lakes, creeks, hardwood trees and wonderfully routed it to reward ball flight and touch rather than brute power and distance. If that sounds a little like pre-Tiger Augusta National when guys like Fuzzy Zoeller, Ben Crenshaw, Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, Ian Woosnam and      Jose-Maria Olazabal deftly worked their way around the course with precision and putting, there is an apparent similarity.

The most obvious Augusta resemblance is the risk-reward par fives. All three are reachable with well-placed drives, but loaded with danger and water hazards in front of the greens. The most memorable of the par fives and one of the most recognizable holes in the area is the 13th – one of the original holes to have an island green. But before you get to the green there is the tee shot over a creek 220 yards away to a narrow sliver of fairway framed by a lake on one side and a bunker on the other. It’s a special hole that can be a relatively easy par if you play safely…but if you tempt the island green, any score is possible.

The 13th is part of a back-and-forth row of holes that is anything but pedestrian. Unlike parallel holes which usually lack identity, this foursome is among the best set of holes anywhere, personified by a running creek, narrow landing areas and well-guarded greens.

With two of the holes risk-reward par fives, you can pick up strokes during this stretch or have a round implode. That’s the beauty of Grossinger’s in general – every hole can be as easily parred as it can be bogeyed. On the front nine, holes 3, 4 and 6 also provide opportunities to play aggressively around water hazards and profit with birdies. But such an investment can also sink with bogeys and more with slightly errant shots. Technology has eliminated some of the risk on these holes as today’s clubs and balls can now carry some of the fairway bunkers and water hazards that previously had to be played around. Fortunately, director of golf Todd Barker had the foresight to see this evolution and built two new back tees on holes No. 16 and No. 18 to bring trouble back into some of the landing areas.

Like Finger’s other Catskill masterpiece, the Concord Monster, each nine at Grossinger’s starts atop a hill works down into a valley and then back to the top of the hill. Many holes bend – most right to left – around bunkers and water hazards. With the changes in elevation come all kinds of uphill, downhill and side hill lies. If you’re going to score at Grossinger’s, you must have control of your ball from uneven lies. A quick tip: take more club, choke up and aim to the right when the ball is above your feet. Use less club and aim to the left when the ball is below your feet.

Similarly, the greens at Grossinger’s are sloped and very quick in spots. There was a time in the late 1980s when the greens were so fast, players in the New York State Open had trouble breaking par – for a winning score. But the greens were also very grainy back then and slightly inconsistent. Thanks to a commitment by longtime superintendent Mike McNamara to eliminate the grain, the greens are now silky smooth.

When you think that Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead, Lee Elder, Joey Sindelar, Jim Thorpe, George Burns and other winners on the PGA Tour have all played The Big G, the realization becomes clear: great courses attract great players.

Golf Digest rates the Big G four stars out of five, eliciting such comments as “the best public course in New York state” and “back nine takes your breath away” from the panelists.

While at Grossinger’s, you might want to check out the Little G or old Vista course. This is part of the original nine holes opened in 1925, believed to be designed by

legendary A.W. Tillinghast course. It certainly has a Tillinghast feel with table top greens guarded by flashed up bunkers.

Top three reasons to play Grossinger’s

1. Unsurpassed beauty

2. You will use every club in your bag

3. Value

Hudsonrivergolf.com

I have played Grossinger Country Club and I think it is one of the finest courses I have ever played.  It is beautiful and serene.  The course is playable for almost every golfer and yet as challenging as you want it to be.  The views are wonderful and the course outstanding.  If you have never played here do yourself a favor and make a tee time today for it truly is one of the finest courses in the area.

Links

http://www.catskillarchive.com/grossinger/post1950.htm

www.grossingergolf.net

* Hudsonrivergolf.com has tried to obtain currant and accurate information on all of the golf courses listed on our web site however we do not guarantee the information quoted.  Please call the golf course for the most current and accurate information.

Technorati Tags: Golf, Grossingers Country Club. Sullivan County, New York, par 5, Sullivan

Casperkill Golf Club
2320 South Road/Route 9
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
845-463-0900

www.casperkillgolf.com
Although named Casperkill Golf Club it is actually a public golf course. I began construction in 1944, and was designed by the legendary golf course designer Robert Trent Jones, Sr. You can expect to experience among quiet ponds, magnificent old oak trees and the slowly winding Casperkill Creek which flows through the course. The golf course gracefully includes the natural rolling hills of the landscape with its raised tees, beautifully manicured fairways and well-bunkered, terraced greens that challenge even the seasoned golfer.

Casperkill Golf Club has an Annual Pass Program that you may want to consider if you will be playing there often. You can save on rounds of golf, get advanced tee times, and get discounted cart fees are parts of the Annual Pass Program.

As an Annual Pass holder and new this 2011 season, a Casperkill Golf Club season pass holder you will have the opportunity to join ClubCorp’s Signature Gold Network. As a member with Signature Gold, you have access to more than 200 private clubs, resorts, restaurants, entertainment and overnight accommodations. Call for pricing and details.

As “The best value in the Hudson Valley,” Casperkill is also a very popular venue for local fundraisers, corporate outings, and corporate team building.

General Information

Pro Shop                          Yes
Lessons Given                Yes
Practice Range               Yes
Club House                      Yes
Outings Held                   Yes
Club Manager                 Mike McCal

Golf Course Information

Architect                                             Robert Trent Jones
Built/Latest Remodeling
Number of Holes                             18
Golf Pro

Tees                                      Par              Distance           Slope               Rating

Championship
Men’s
Women’s

Rates *

Weekdays                                                                $40.00
Weekdays After 2:00 PM                                  $30.00

Weekends & Holidays                                         $70.00
Weekends & Holidays After 2:00 PM           $50.00

Carts Extra Per Golfer                                        $10.00
Walking Permitted                                                Yes

Golf Discounts                                                  Check web site for course specials

Calendar Card                                                   No

Hudson Valley Golf Pass                              Yes

Annual Membership Available                 Yes (contact club for details)

* Hudsonrivergolf.com has tried to obtain currant and accurate information on all of the golf courses listed on our web site however we do not guarantee the information quoted.  Please call the golf course for the most current and accurate information.

Technorati Tags: 18 hole golf cours in Dutchess County, Casperkill Golf Course, Tournament Golf