Review: Deepdale Golf Club

Deepdale Golf Club, 1956

Architect: Dick Wilson

Manhasset, NY

Deepdale @ Lake Success, 1926 - 1954 (No longer Exists)

Architect: Charles Blair Macdonald, Seth Raynor and Charles Banks

A Google Earth aerial photo of the current Deepdale layout by Dick Wilson shows the excessive amount of sharp doglegs and the Long Island Expressway which has played a significant role in the clubs history.

A plan view of the original course (scanned from George Bahto's Macdonald biography, The Evangelist of Golf ) shows the lake side location 30 minutes from NYC. This course was located just on the southern side of the LIE, a few holes are probably buried somewhere under the asphalt.

Deepdale Golf Club has always been one of the more exclusive clubs around New York City/The World!. Originally developed by a member of the Vanderbilt family, the club was founded to provide a quick escape for those who needed their golf fix during the week, and in between the long trek to The Hamptons. For the first 30 years of the club, the course was located on Lake Success and built by the trio of Charles Banks, Seth Raynor and Charles Blair Macdonald in 1926, but that was before the Long Island Expressway (LIE) existed. The remains of that course are now known as the Village of Lake Success Golf Club. Deepdale moved across the street in the 50's and the Dick Wilson design we know today opened in 1956.

The tee shots at #2, #7 and # 14 are good examples of what you face on nearly every tee. You probably wont be able to see the green, or even approach, but you will have a good look at the hazards which guard the inside of almost every hole.

The golf course is known mostly for its exclusivity and conditioning, but the architecture itself is mostly defined by its incredibly steep greens, puzzle piece shaped bunkers as typical of Wilson(think Doral Blue Monster), and tons of sharp doglegs. Most of the interesting shots you will on this course are either cutting corners off the tee, or negotiating the sloping greens. The holes do not vary to much in strategy or setting, there is a bit of a monotonous feel to the course; inside corner, short of the pin, uphill putt, would certainly be the montra of Deepdale. I did find the back nine, which has more elevation change and greens that have more side-to-side movement seemed to be a little more interesting and memorable. At the end of the day, Deepdale, is a good golf course, with a lot of good holes, but nothing that is going to stand out as truely great.

The greens at #12 and #15 are some of the steepest on the course, and no doubt boarder on unplayable when running at full speed. #'s 8, 10 and 13 are also among the best on the course. Deepdale's putting surface's are certainly interesting, I just wish they related more to the rest of hole.