Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point
Played Ferry Point over Memorial Day weekend in 2017. As I have said in other Trump reviews, I like Trump courses. Always top notch conditioning. Usually they are the product of a top notch designer – here Jack Nicklaus. Great customer service. Sometimes the clubhouses can be a little ostentatious though when we played here they hadn’t broken ground on the clubhouse yet. Of course, even the temporary double-wide they were using was the nicest double-wide clubhouse I had ever been in. And I’m shocked some Libturd hasn’t gotten triggered by the big ass TRUMP FERRY LINKS sign you see as you cross the Whitestone bridge and driven off the bridge. No politics discussed here though so I’ll move on.
Ferry Links was a NYC pipe dream for years. You had this well-located dump with world-class views of the Whitestone bridge, East River and Manhattan skyline. So the city council (or whomever the taxpayers pay to sit around and do this shit) recognize the potential for a world-class golf course here. The neighborhood leaders wanted something inclusive for the neighborhood – like a park so EVERYONE can enjoy it. Knowing that a park would become a crack-vial laced money suck for the city, they pressed on with plans for the course but no one could get ‘er done before Trump. So even before Trump this was definitely a contentious use of the land. Since his name is on it now though! Whew boy.
I think it’s great and here’s why. No, everyone in the neighborhood cannot afford the freight of playing here but the course has dramatically improved housing prices and the appeal of the neighborhood for those same residents who complain the land use is not inclusive. Imagine just about a quarter mile as the crow flies from Ferry Point is the worst neighborhood in all of NYC: Hunts Point. So the morons from here that are complaining and vandalizing the course and property need only grab a bus for like four stops to see what their neighborhood could be.
Look I don’t play polo and could never afford the polo lifestyle. But if they built a beautiful polo field and clubhouse that improved my property value, created jobs and brought money into my neighborhood, I’d be standing at the front gate like a lawn jockey handing out thank you cards to the poloists. But I digress.
To the course. We had my nephew with us so we probably played from the whites, though I still shot a pretty average (for me) 90. There are no trees on the course – which is a must on any capped landfill as the roots would puncture the cap hence so many “On Top O’ the Dump Links” courses. There are dunes hugging each fairway though and I must’ve found them on one as I took my only triple on this pretty benign hole – just 363 from the whites and no water trouble. Second is a long par four and I recovered with a bogey. Five is the number one handicap and a par five. That’s a rarity. Like the previous four holes there’s no water or trees just length from the back (it’s just under 470 from the whites so it’s not that tough if you’re playing up). Seven is my favorite on the front – a driveable par four with water all along the right. Nine (pictured above) gives you your first awesome view of the Whitestone Bridge as a backdrop. Awesome view.
On the back you kick off with a long par 4 with a slight dogleg left on the approach. Eleven is a well-bunkered short par four and one of only four pars I got on the day. The last three holes are a great finishing trio with the last (a par five) again providing awesome views as you play out to the closest point to the East River and bridge. I put Ferry Links solidly in my top 100 public courses and would love to go back now that the clubhouse is complete.
So here’s the itinerary of the awesomest “all public” NY golf trip without venturing into the city. Assuming you drive up from the west/south or fly into JFK, starting on a Wednesday night. First stop is Peter Luger’s. It’s just across the Williamsburg Bridge from Lower Manhattan or up the BQE if you came across the Verrazano. Book it way in advance and bring cash and make sure you draw straws for who drives after dinner. Because you want to head out closer to Bethpage for the night. Play Black on Thursday (you can pay surcharges to get on with a fixed tee time and doing this on a weekday is best). Side excursion, go piss off the neighbors and homeowner of the Amityville Horror house at 112 Ocean Ave in Amityville. Pappardelle’s Pizzeria that night. Hole in the wall authentic NY pizza. First thing Friday, head up and play Ferry Point. Stay up in Rye. Frankie & Johnnie’s Steak House Friday night there. Saturday play Pound Ridge. Really great course up on the NY/Connecticut border. We ate at Harvest on Hudson after which really isn’t close but it was great dining, great atmosphere and views of the Hudson. Sunday morning back down down to Long Island. I played Harbor Links in Port Washington which is okay or play Lido – I never did but heard it’s a great RTJ track real close to the airport. Then fly out (or drive out) Sunday night. You’re welcome.
Golf Scrapbook 