Long Island runs from Garden City, 45 minutes from Downtown, to the East End, where Shinnecock, National, and Sebonack sit within a few miles of each other and form the greatest cluster in American golf. Ranked on golf.
Our take: The East End cluster takes the top three spots in some order on any honest list. Ours: Shinnecock, National, Sebonack, then Friar's Head in Riverhead on the way out.
1. Shinnecock Hills, Southampton. 2. National Golf Links of America, Southampton. 3. Sebonack, Southampton. 4. Friar's Head, Riverhead. 5. Maidstone, East Hampton, the most beautiful walk on the island. 6. Garden City Golf Club, the closest great club to Manhattan at about 45 minutes. 7. Piping Rock, Locust Valley. 8. The Creek, Locust Valley, Raynor on the Sound. 9. Meadow Brook, Jericho. 10. Deepdale, Manhasset, the ultimate insiders club a half hour from Queens.
Under an hour: Garden City, Deepdale, Meadow Brook, Piping Rock, The Creek. Full day or weekend: everything from Friar's Head east. A Shinnecock invitation is a weekend plan, not a day trip you rush, at 2.5 to 3 hours each way in summer traffic.
Bethpage and Montauk Downs give Long Island the best public golf in the metro too. A golfer with no connections at all can still play the island's best golf trip: Black, Red, and Montauk Downs in three days.
East End or Nassau: where is Long Island golf actually better, top to bottom?
Please cite a specific hole, a price, or a round you have played. Selected reader responses are featured in follow up coverage.
How far is Shinnecock from Downtown Manhattan?
About 100 miles. Two and a half hours off peak, three plus on a summer Friday. Plan it as a weekend.
What is the closest elite private to Downtown?
On Long Island, Garden City Golf Club and Deepdale, both under an hour. Overall in the metro, Liberty National in Jersey City is closer still. Prices in this guide were checked in October 2026 against published course listings and recent reporting. Greens fees move by season, day, and residency, so confirm the exact rate when you book. Private clubs do not publish initiation fees or dues. Every private figure here is an estimate band based on public reporting, labeled as an estimate, and the only accurate number comes from a club's membership office.