Whippoorwill - New York - USA

I don't have much to add to the previous reviews. However, since the most recent of those is more than four years old, your reviewers should be assured that Whippoorwill remains one of the best and most under appreciated courses in the U.S. The only exception I'd make to the previous reviews is that i don't think #8 is the best Biarritz hole. The routing takes you on a rollicking, fun roller coaster ride. The bunkers are many, deep and large. The greens were extremely fast despite having recently been aerated. The course has a personality that reminded me of being on a Surrey/Berks heath. I felt like I was at the Berkshire or St Georges Hill, but with even more elevation change and crossing the road like Worplesdon or Walton Heath. The second and third holes are in the process of being lengthened, with some of the fairway bunkers being moved to accommodate today's driver length and the greenside bunkers on #2 are being renovated. It's my second favorite course in Westchester after Sleepy Hollow.

Whippoorwill is one of the most underrated courses I’ve played in my life. The Ross/Banks (mostly Banks today) layout is one of America’s biggest hidden gems, which is incredible given its location in the hotbed of Westchester County, NY. This is the golf course you go to when you want to learn more about world-class architecture and how you “fit” the holes onto the land. Westchester is renowned for dramatic/rock-based land formations, and “the Whip” takes full advantage.

Stimulating, challenging and truly beautifully crafted holes are in abundance here. I argue that it has the greatest Biarritz hole in all of America. The replicas of the Short, Redan and Alps (to name but a few templates on display) highlight how Banks leveraged the designs of MacDonald/Raynor to true perfection. The land is painfully dramatic in places (eg: 4 to 9), but it facilitated Bank’s vision to create the most memorable holes on the course across the street from the clubhouse. Moving to the back nine, while not as turbulent, it has the strongest set of par 4s, both short and long. This course is an adventure, a test, a visual delight and incredibly exciting to hit shots over and into the magical landforms.

What does a golf course need to achieve greatness? First, it needs good terrain to start with. Second, it needs skilled designers. How about Donald Ross and “Steamshovel” Banks as designers? Whippoorwill has all of the aforementioned, yet doesn’t get recognized as one of the world’s best golf courses. Why is Whippoorwill overlooked and under-rated? Perhaps because the course is only 6,636 yard from the back tees, or because it gets lost among so many other great courses in Westchester County. Perhaps, because it doesn't get much press or outside play given that it is a very private course in an affluent area. Whatever the reason, I believe the front nine alone is worthy of cult status. The course has superb renditions of prototype holes such as Short, Eden and Biarritz which are enhanced by the hilly nature of the property. Several holes are routed through isolated valleys and Banks used his steam shovel to create some standout holes. Whippoorwill at times reminds me of Merion. Partly, this has to do with similar terrain in some places and with the general overall short nature of the course. Like at Merion, the course is split in two by a road and you have to be able to hit the ball to the correct side of the fairway or the correct side of the green in order to shoot a good score. A strategy of playing to the middle of the green won't work here due to the green shapes, slopes and severity. You must be on the right quadrant of the green depending upon where the pin is to shoot a good score. Put Whippoorwill on your private bucket list but don’t tell anyone so it remains below the radar.

John Sabino is the author of How to Play the World’s Most Exclusive Golf Clubs