Designer: David L. Rees (1929, 9 holes), John Van Kleek (1935, 9 holes, Redesign), Frank Duane (1964, Redesign)
Location: Staten Island, New York
History: Built on a historic farm owned by the La Tourette family, the first course here opened in 1929 with 9 holes from David L. Rees. John Van Kleek added 9 new holes in 1935 and completely redesigned the course. La Tourette’s last major renovation came in 1964, when Frank Duane remodeled several holes. The course is known as one of New York City’s best munis and plays annual host to the New York City Amateur.
Conditions: 6/10, Like most New York City munis, La Tourette’s conditioning is only average, with slower greens and hit-or-miss teeboxes and bunkers.
Value: 7/10, La Tourette offers solid value with peak rates of $ 62 and discounts for twilight, juniors, and weekdays.
Scorecard:
Tee Par Yardage Rating Slope
Back 72 6692 72.3 124
Middle 72 6322 70.6 122
Forward 72 5519 72.1 122
Hole Descriptions: New York City’s municipal system is much-maligned, but some courses are better than others and La Tourette is certainly in the upper echelon of City courses. While the conditions, tree overgrowth, and pace of play can be an issue like all courses in the network, there’s a certain peacefulness and understated elegance here that make it unique. The land movement and routing are strong and there are numerous classic and interesting greens that hold your interest. It is certainly an adequate municipal course and one of the few City courses I’d recommend along with Split Rock and Marine Park.
La Tourette opens with a fun 511 yard par 5 that plays from an elevated teebox. This exhilarating teeshot plays significantly downhill to a generous, tree-lined fairway that turns right and uphill at about 270 yards. The approach runs steadily uphill to a subtle green flanked by bunkers.
The 2nd is one of the better holes on the course as a 382 yard dogleg right par 4. There’s plenty of room here off the tee, but tall trees line the right the entire way and a large left bunker can be found beginning around 230 yards. While the green itself is on the flatter side, it’s well-defended with a bunker left, steep fall-offs long and right, and interesting mounding.
At 200 yards, the 3rd hole is the longest par 3 on the course and plays even longer uphill. This is an interesting one-shotter with mounds of rough surrounding an elevated, hourglass-shaped green. There are two bunkers on either side well-short of the green but these should not be in play and make me wonder if this green was moved back at some point.
Rated the toughest hole on the front side, the 4th is a 417 yard par 4 playing from another elevated teebox. OB lines the far left the entire way, and this fairway slopes steadily right-to-left, leaving some awkward lies for your second shot. This approach runs back uphill to a tricky green with numerous undulations. Like the preceding hole, there are some bunkers on either side for the final 100 yards, but these are well out of place and shouldn’t be in play.
The 5th is likely the easiest hole on a long front side as a 354 yard par 4. Playing downhill and shorter, this hole features a tree-lined fairway that narrows progressively the closer you get to the green. This green is long, flat, and narrow and lined by bunkers left and long right.
The 6th is one of the best holes in New York City as a tough 394 yard par 4. You can’t see the green from this teebox, as the fairway contains giant mounds and undulations, blocking a direct view. Anything short of these mounds will lead to a blind approach and anything down the right will find a sidehill lie of rough. The fairway continues with these wild undulations all the way to an elevated green that slopes severely right-to-left and back-to-front towards a front left swale. A deep left bunker defends the green as well.
The 7th hole continues in this direction as another strong par 4 at 397 yards. Featuring another blind teeshot over a plateau, this straightaway par 4 then plays downhill once you reach the fairway. You’ll want to stay down the right here, as thick forest lines the left and a tall tree just short left of the green can block out any approach from this side. This green is challenging, with a severe back-to-front slope and two tiers to navigate as well as bunkers flanking both sides.
With its teebox nestled well-back in the forest, the 8th hole is a reachable 497 yard par 5 playing back in the opposite direction. This hole prioritizes accuracy, with a narrower tree-lined fairway that slopes hard left-to-right. There’s a plateau just short of the green that makes this second shot blind and confusing for first time golfers. This small, circular green slopes towards a front right swale and is defended by bunkers on either side.
The 9th hole plays back towards the clubhouse as a strong 398 yard par 4. With another elevated teebox, this teeshot plays downhill to a tree-lined fairway that begins to turn left and uphill around 250 yards. This approach continues uphill to a flatter green lined by bunkers on either side.
La Tourette’s back nine is on the other side of Richmond Hill Road and requires a bit of a walk from the 9th green. It begins with the longest hole on the course in the 519 yard par 5 10th. This hole plays downhill on the teeshot to a generous fairway lined by OB and the driving range on the left. The approach then runs back uphill towards a two-tiered, back-to-front sloped green defended by bunkers on either side.
At 325 yards, the 11th hole is the shortest par 4 at La Tourette and plays slightly downhill, making it reachable for the longest hitters. This is a pretty but somewhat strange hole with a very wide fairway ending abruptly around 260 yards with two lengthy bunkers on either side. These seem more like greenside bunkers than fairway bunkers and I again wonder if this green was pushed back at some point. The putting surface here is relatively small and slopes back-to-front.
The 12th hole is the shortest par 3 on the course at 135 yards. Playing over a creek, this one-shotter features a strangely shaped green with lots of internal movement. The hole is memorable for tall trees that run down either side the entire way and make it feel quite claustrophobic. They also impede the health of the teebox, and it’s usually hard to find a good lie here.
The stretch from 13-15 is one of the strongest on the course, featuring three longer par fours running parallel to each other. At 380 yards, the 13th hole is the shortest of the group and plays as an uphill dogleg right lined by trees. The most interesting feature of this hole is the fact that there are two greens – one to the left that is not commonly used and one to the right that I’ve played both times. The one to the right is elevated and contains a horizontal depression, separating the back and front portions of the green. A bunker defends short right while steep slopes surround the rest of the surface.
The 14th hole is the longest par 4 on the course and plays back the other direction at 438 yards. This hole begins with a very inviting teeshot, playing downhill from an elevated teebox to a wide fairway lined by sporadic trees. Outside its length, the difficulty here comes from a clump of tall trees that defend just short right of the green and block out anything from this side. The green itself is wide, defended by a bunker long left, and contains a middle mound.
The 15th hole is another strong par 4 running parallel to the 14th as a 408 yard dogleg left. With a brief forced carry over a creek, this teeshot plays around a large left tree to a fairway that turns left and uphill. This approach plays at least half a club uphill to a narrow, back-to-front sloped, two-tier green defended by bunkers on either side and false front. Any pars in the stretch from 13-15 are well-earned.
The 16th hole is the last and probably best par 3 on the course at 166 yards. Playing downhill, this pretty hole features a back-to-front sloped green flanked by bunkers.
At 370 yards, the 17th hole is another strong par 4 playing as an uphill dogleg right around a pond. The fairway here is extremely generous but slopes hard left-to-right the entire way, leaving some awkward lies. The green similarly slopes left-to-right off a large mound and is lined by bunkers as well.
La Tourette’s closer is a bit forgettable, playing level and straightaway as a 401 yard par 4. There are trees lining this hole on either side, but no significant danger otherwise. The green here is large and slopes mostly back-to-front off a mound with two bunkers long.
General Comments: I’m not sure if La Tourette’s clubhouse was part of the original farm, but I wouldn’t be surprised as the building is cozy and historic. It is one of the few courses in New York City with a driving range and also features a putting green near the clubhouse. While pace of play can be slow like most City courses, the course’s location in suburban Staten Island keeps the golf etiquette a bit better than some other courses in the network.
Verdict: While it suffers from similar conditioning and pace of play issues as other New York City munis, La Tourette’s classic design certainly places it among the best public courses in the City and makes it worth a play.
