There’s no doubt we all have bucket lists in life, things we have to do, wines we have to taste, restaurants we need to eat at, places we need to travel to. We golf enthusiasts have a never ending bucket list of courses to play, some of which feel attainable and others simply mirages to stare at pictures of. The Creek was firmly in the latter for me, until the golf gods decided to throw me the most unexpected of bones.
While we all have bucket lists there are also moments in life that inspire reflection- and it was impossible not to think of our inaugural Instagram post as we drove out to Locust Sound, New York.
Our bucket list courses never felt realistic, even to 2 naive guys at the beginning of their golf journeys, so you can imagine my shock when we got confirmation that The Creek was actually happening. If you had told me I’d be walking the course that captivated me in pictures like no other less than 2 years after starting this community I’d laugh and ask if you’ve woken up from the dream yet. Nonetheless, miracles do happen, so let’s take a dive into an unforgettable club.
First Impressions
A long, tree lined driveway greets you at the understated brick gate posts of One Horse Hollow Road in Locust Valley, winding through manicured grounds that quietly telegraph what lays ahead. The Creek’s clubhouse sits at the highest point of the property, and the panoramic views of the Long Island Sound that unfurl from that vantage point never get old, more on those soon.
The founding story is quintessential Golden Age Long Island. In the early 1920s, a group of extraordinarily wealthy New Yorkers including Vincent Astor and J.P. Morgan decided that nearby Piping Rock had grown too crowded for their liking. They identified a 183 acre parcel on the sound and landed the legendary C.B. Macdonald to assess the site and design the course. Given how selective Macdonald had become at that stage of his career, The Creek stands as one of the final projects of the Macdonald legacy. Not to be discounted, Seth Raynor was at his side to construct the layout.
The club opened in 1923 and was immediately dubbed The Million Dollar Golf Club by The New York Times. That pedigree announces itself quietly as you pass through the gates, an enduring prosperity that is understated yet ever present. The clubhouse is elegant without being bombastic, the perfect setting to linger in long after the round was done. I’ll remember the meal and drinks we enjoyed in the clubhouse and locker room for a very long time.
A Gil Hanse restoration in 2017 has the course playing brilliantly and close to Macdonald’s original vision. Let’s have a look at this Long Island jewel.
The Course
Design: C.B. Macdonald & Seth Raynor
Year Built: 1923
Yardage: 6583 (Silver)/6111 (Red)/5681 (Blue)/5038 (White)
Rating: 73.0/70.4/68.3/65.8
Accessibility: Private
The Front 9
We start with the “Orchard” hole, a 385 yard uphill par 4, and it represents a gentle handshake from the tee box with not much more than an open field appearing to the eye. A diagonal band of bunkers cuts across the fairway about 70 yards short of the green, and the green slopes hard right to left with deep bunkers on both sides and beyond the green. A generally friendly opener.
The 2nd reverses course and runs parallel back toward the clubhouse, a 360 yard par 4 with a wide fairway scattered with bunkers. It feels a bit like Russian roulette firing drives towards the bunkers as they are thrown all over the place. Neither side nor the middle are entirely safe as the fairway is angled right to left. The green is back to front sloped with bunkers defending all sides. Perhaps another mundane hole but one that can get away from you quickly with a combination of poor luck and execution.
The 3rd is another par 4 that runs along the club’s driveway checking in 429 yards. It is similar albeit less interesting than the previous hole, but there are still enough bunkers to grab attention. The pair of bunkers in the middle of the fairway are about 200 yards out, the first bunker on the right comes into play more and makes for an extremely long fairway bunker shot if you find yourself in there. The green is set diagonally and is long, running back to front once again. By now you’re loose and ready to ramp things up.
The par 3 4th is the Eden template, 168 yards and playing slightly uphill to a back to front sloped green framed by bunkers on both sides. However, being on line but short isn’t punished as the front of the green is accessible. It’s a pleasing Eden as we work our way to the ridge.
The 5th is the last of the inland holes and the most demanding of the opening quintet, a 401 yard par 4 playing uphill and tight, with out of bounds threatening the entire left side and the the tree lined driveway hugging the right. A crossbunker on the left around 225 yards adds further complication off the tee. The wind coming off the sound makes the hole play longer with a lengthy blind uphill approach to a large green. The green is mostly flat but features a horizontal ridge and deep bunkers on both sides. A tough par 4.
While there are some engaging elements, the opening set of holes left us clamoring for the unforgettable moments we so eagerly awaited from The Creek.
Then we reached the 6th tee.
The reveal here is one of if not the best in American golf. The Long Island Sound spreads out before you in its entirety, the rest of the course laid out below, and the brilliance of Macdonald’s work becomes clear. A moment you’ll never want to leave, it almost feels wrong teeing off and making your way down.
The hole itself is the number one handicap at 481 yards, playing severely downhill but still quite stern. However, the incredible nature of the hole makes it easy to forgive its difficulty. Out of bounds and forest line the left throughout, while fescue and bunkers defend the right. The second shot plays downhill as well, an approach to a marvelous punchbowl green funneling shots to the front right quadrant The left side of the green is open for business for rolling shots but the right is blocked by a deep bunker.
This is a spectacular par 4, one of if not the best we’ve played and certainly one of the best par 4s in the country.
The 7th is the “Long” template, one of only two par 5s on the course at 566 yards. A forced carry over fescue leads to wide fairway that begins to tighten at around 225 yards as a set of bunkers pinches from the left. Upon cresting the small ridge the second shot is relatively open, the fairway bends slightly to the left with a perilous fairway bunker placed directly in the middle of it about 75 yards short of the green. The green slopes firmly back to front behind bunkers on either side. While not overly difficult tee to green, the wind is a major factor on this hole and made it way more difficult than it appears.
The 8th is the Redan and a tricky one at 180 yards. The diagonal green falls away hard from left to right with a bunker guarding the right side. It’s a proper Redan and fits the cadence nicely.
The 9th brings leads us toward the water and is a bruiser of a par 4 into the wind. Out of bounds lines the left the whole way and a waste bunker lurks to the right. Most dangerous is a crossbunker from the left at around 250 yards. There’s more room to the right of the fairway that is visually hidden by the small dune. The green is elevated and defended on all sides by what looks like a moat of sand, tough to hold from what’s likely to be 175-200 yards in. A par here feels like a birdie with the wind howling off the sound. A brutal and memorable conclusion to the front nine.
While the front takes a bit to get going, it boasts an all world jaw dropping moment we’ll never forget. I’d rank the holes: 6,9,8,7,3,5,4,2,1.
The Back 9
We’ve arrived at the beachfront now, it’s difficult to focus on the golf with the club’s tremendous beach club lingering next to the tee box. It’s hard to believe this coastal setting is part of the same course as the opening holes, and the anticipation for the coastal holes was at its highest. If you weren’t already in love with this place, this part of the walk alone settles it.
The 10th, named “Shore,” is a 313 yard par 4 that is properly coined and a load of fun. A forced carry over a tidal channel imposes itself on the tee box, the fairway bending right and running diagonally with the beach lingering on the left and the creek lining the right. The options off the tee are compelling, the prudent play is a ~200 yard lay up leaving a simple pitch, but an aggressive choice of going for the green with driver can result in an easy birdie (or disaster). A massive bunker lines the right side of the green while a small circular bunker lays on the left. The green is pretty accessible and large making the lay up option prudent yet rewarded. Precision is the name of the game on this scenic par 4.
The hits keep coming with another all world hole, the par 3 11th Biarritz. Amongst the best Biarritz examples in the world, this and Yale are tied for the most unique in our opinion. At 195 yards, its green is nearly 80 yards long and surrounded by water on all sides, effectively becoming an island green. The tee box itself contains a Biarritz swale, a delightful quirk that is easy to overlook. Unlike any other hole we’ve encountered, the hole plays differently dependent on tide, with shots missing the green in low tide playable from the surrounding mud (at your own risk!). We played during high tide and fierce wind, so relief to find the surface was abundant. A truly one of a kind hole and as good a par 3 as any in the world.
We begrudgingly bid the shore farewell and begin the trek back towards the clubhouse. Macdonald foreshadowed this disappointment and gives us a hole playing downwind, a 345 yard par 4 with a visually stunning fairway.
The hole has a rugged feel with sandy waste area jagging along the border of the fairway which narrows as we approach the green. The welcome wind at our backs doesn’t come without punishment as it becomes easier to find waste closer to the putting surface. Fortunately, the sand is very playable from distance and resembles pebbles more than soft bunker sand.
The green is elevated, slopes back to front, and is surrounded by bunkers on all sides with a run up area in the front. From behind the green looking back down the hole, the view is stellar and shows the finer details of the green and fairway.
The 13th runs parallel to the 12th in the opposite direction, heading back toward the water at 445 yards as a dogleg right par 4. On this day it was without a doubt the hardest hole on the course as the wind really picked up directly into our face clocking in at what had to be around 30-40 mph. The tee box is slightly elevated, the fairway narrowing and turning right at around 250 yards where the creek begins to run along the right side. The green is open up front but guarded by a bunker right and the creek we encountered earlier hidden to the left. A demanding hole made brutal by the conditions, everyone in our group made double!
The journey back inland begins for good with the par 4 14th. The hole plays 421 yards, the tee shot is engaging with a few elements of danger to be aware of. The aforementioned sandy waste area is prevalent on the right side and asserts itself into the middle of the fairway while out of bounds lines the left. Further complicating things is a creek that runs across the fairway around 275 yards, so there is plenty of trouble to be found if you don’t execute an aggressive play with driver in hand.
The approach doesn’t relent much as it is uphill to a perched green with a nasty false front and tight traps on either side. A missed green makes getting up and down especially difficult on this hole, and approaches from prudent tee shots will be coming in from upwards of 200 yards. A hole with a mean streak no doubt.
The 15th offers a reprieve in distance at 370 yards, but the architecture more than compensates. The fairway bends to the right once again yet slopes right to left toward a pair of fairway bunkers hungry for drives that look good from the tee box. There’s plenty of room overall however, so drive confidently.
100 yards and in is where this hole really comes to life, with wild undulation and falloffs abound severely penalizing any mistakes. A double plateau of sorts, the fairway has a brutal runoff to the left in front of the green. The green resembles a foot and ankle with a ridge on the right side bisecting it. A deep bunker guards the right with any misses short, left, or long resulting in a 20+ foot high recovery shot. It’s a marvelous green complex and a really interesting hole.
The 16th is a sweeping 456 yard dogleg left that continues the stretch of strong par 4s. The fairway bends left then steeply climbs to yet another elevated green with a false front and bunkers on three sides. The green is wider and more accessible than the prior 2 holes and big hitters will likely have a wedge in if the wind is helping off the tee. A great hole amongst many great holes.
The 17th is the “Short” template, a 132 yard par 3 that is yet another memorable offering. A square green surrounded entirely by a moat of bunkers with a deep swale at its center, it bears a strong resemblance to Sleepy Hollow’s celebrated 16th hole. An old cemetery belonging to the Frost Family that predates the course sits behind the green, an homage to those who owned the land on which the club resides today. Gravestones dating back to 1776 can be found amongst the lot, another story that adds to the lore of The Creek.
It was clear by this point that the top course on my bucket list had more than lived up to the billing. Once we reached the 6th it was amazing hole after amazing hole, and the finale was no different. The 18th is a stunner, a 503 yard par 5 that runs directly uphill toward the clubhouse. The fairway is forgiving in width with crossbunkers jutting out from both sides in a visually appealing cadence. Of course, I decided to cap off this truly special round by topping my drive no more than 100 yards. The ghosts of the cemetery behind must have had mercy on me and gifted my hybrid with 2 miraculous recovery shots to set up the unlikeliest of pars, the latter defying the false front and avoiding what would’ve been an unrelenting roll down the hill.
The green is large and slopes firmly back to front with a bunker on the left guarding the front. Be sure to take a moment and absorb the view back out over the course one last time after finishing the journey.
The back is special, filled with a variety of challenges and landscapes. It’s hard to believe the serene 18th at the top of the hill is part of the same set of 9 holes as the holes on the shore. It’s just an amazing ride, I’d rank the holes: 11,10,18,12,15,16,14,13,17. They are all excellent holes.
Final Thoughts
I’m sure I have written this reflection with a flare of drama considering the bucket list placement of The Creek going in, but it’s undeniable that this is a special place. The overarching sentiment is if holes 1-5 could match the rest of the course it’d be even higher on rankings, but the buildup of anticipation leading to the 6th adds to the fun.
The clubhouse and locker room are a time machine, the locker room is the coolest we’ve experienced thus far and transports you right back to the 1920s. The club has an authentic aura of classic elegance, it represents the history of its founding perfectly and stays true to itself.
I am eternally grateful to our host and friend who made this day possible for Shayne and me, it’s one we’ll never forget. If you get an invite to The Creek, drop everything and drive however long it takes, you won’t regret it!
Favorite Holes
There are several choices here, but it’s hard to beat the 6th, 10th, 11th, and 18th. I think the 6th is on the shortlist for the best holes we’ve played so it takes the top spot here.
What Would We Pay?
There is no number that would leave you feeling shortchanged after experiencing what this course delivers. The golf more than justifies whatever it takes to make it happen.
Final Score
9.5
See how we score here