The PGA Championship’s First Act
In 1916, Siwanoy staged the inaugural PGA Championship. Jim Barnes emerged victorious after besting the likes of Walter Hagen in a classic match play battle, planting Siwanoy’s flag in golf history for all time.
The verdict
Historic Ross, Northeast charm
Siwanoy Country Club delivers a pure, classic test rooted in strategic angles and nuanced greens, a short train ride from Manhattan. The site of the inaugural PGA Championship, Siwanoy is a regional pilgrimage for golfers who worship at the altar of Donald Ross design and golf history.
Course DNA
Difficulty
78
Scenery76
Conditioning83
Shot Variety82
Walkability69
Green Complexity85
Wow Factor81
Design Quality85
At a glance
Quick facts
First PGA Championship Host
1916 (won by Jim Barnes)
Restored by Mike DeVries
2015, bringing back core Ross elements
Course Record
62 (source: club lore, member reports)
Tree-Lined, Strategic Routing
Signature Westchester parkland character
Small, Contoured Greens
Demanding targets on nearly every hole
Water Hazards
Brooks and lakes influence 5, 16, 18
Original 9 Holes by Willie Dunn
Club’s roots go back to 1904 at a prior site
The design
The architecture
Siwanoy showcases the classic genius of Donald Ross—a thinker’s parkland course where angle, line, and contour outshine brute distance. The routing is compact but strategic, repeatedly requiring you to debate risk versus reward, while its greens—tilted, sectioned and often devilish—are the real defense. Successive restoration efforts, especially Mike DeVries’s recent work, have revived Ross’s vision: original green edges, expanded short grass runoffs, and renewed bunkering all recapture the course’s Golden Age pedigree. Water hazards feature in memorable ways, and the tree-lined corridors embrace each hole in classic Westchester fashion.
Donald Ross’s touch—subtle, precise, and artfully restored with DeVries’s modern sensitivity—remains unmistakably at the heart of Siwanoy.
Defining features
- Strategic, compact routing emphasizing approach angles
- Tilted, multi-section Ross greens
- Penal bunkering guarding lines of play
- Water/brook hazards shaping decisions on key holes
- Restored mowing lines and expanded green edges
- Tree-lined corridors with subtle elevation shifts
Hole by hole
Signature holes
Hole 4
Dogleg Dilemma
PAR
4
YARDAGE
476 yds
A standout par 4 with an elevated tee, sharp dogleg left, and penal bunkers waiting for the aggressive line. The green features wild undulations and multi-tiered pin placements that can spell disaster for a careless approach.
Play it smart
Cut the inside left for position, but conservative play leaves a longer, tougher approach to a sloping surface.
Where it bites
Bite off too much and the bunkers eat you alive; miss the green and trouble abounds.
Course management
Shots to think about
Approach to a multi-tiered Ross green
Always leave your ball below the hole if possible—putting downhill is perilous.
Tee shot on the 4th
Don’t get greedy on the dogleg—reluctance to flirt with bunkers is often rewarded.
Second shot on the 5th (par 5 over brook)
Always double-check your layup yardage to avoid getting pinched by the brook crossing the fairway.
Uphill approach on 15
Take an extra club—front pins play longer, and short approach shots rarely leave easy recovery.
Tee shot on water-guarded 16
Favor the safer left half of the fairway; the lake on the right claims more balls than you’d expect.
Windy day on par 3s
Swirling winds make club selection tricky—commit and carry to the center, ignore flag-hunting temptation.
On the day
What to expect
Conditions
Firm, speedy greens; well-groomed fairways; seasonal tree cover adds to atmosphere.
Pace
Traditional private-club pace; groups are generally considerate and unhurried.
Vibe
Old-school, understated elegance with a focus on golf first.
Dress code
Traditional private club attire; collared shirts, tailored shorts/pants, no denim.
Before you tee off
Your game plan
01
Dial in approach irons
The contoured greens demand flighted, controlled iron play. Aim to be pin-high or below the hole.
02
Practice lag putting
Multiple tiers and deceptive slopes reward confident putting touch beyond 20 feet.
03
Check your shoes
The routing is walkable but some uneven terrain means sturdy, comfortable footwear is a must.
04
Bring all-weather layers
Early and late season rounds may see brisk Northeast air; dress for temperature swings.
The lore
How it came to be
- 1901
Siwanoy Country Club incorporated.
- 1904
Willie Dunn designs a 9-hole course after club's move.
- 1913
Donald Ross lays out current 18-hole design and oversees construction.
- 1916
Hosts inaugural PGA Championship, Jim Barnes wins.
- 1952
Robert Trent Jones modernizes bunkering and lengthens course.
- 2015
Mike DeVries leads a restoration to reestablish Ross features.
Stories & legends
What makes it special
Ross’s Signature Shines Through
Despite renovations and a brush with modernization, Siwanoy’s bones remain pure Donald Ross—angled fairways, bold contours, and approach-shot subtleties that still test even the sharpest games today.
Restoring a Golden Age Gem
Mike DeVries’s thoughtful work in the 2010s peeled back decades of tweaks, uncovering original green shapes and restoring pin positions lost to time. The architectural soul of the course is now as vibrant as ever.
A Compact Punch in Westchester
Nestled amid leafy suburbs, Siwanoy delivers precise, cerebral golf that sneaks up on you. Walkers and shotmakers find themselves challenged by its subtle grades and waiting water hazards—proving brawn rarely trumps brains on this storied ground.
For the group chat
Fun facts
1
Birthplace of the PGA Championship, hosted in 1916.
2
Jim Barnes won the inaugural PGA at Siwanoy after a 36-hole, match-play marathon.
3
Mike DeVries’s restoration unearthed old-school green edges and pin positions lost for decades.
4
Siwanoy blends three architectural eras: Ross’s original, Jones’s modernization, and DeVries’s restoration.
5
Course is named for the local Siwanoy Native American tribe.
Build the trip
If you're plotting a Westchester golf pilgrimage
CourseAccessWhy it's on the listTrip
Van Cortlandt Park Golf Course
Public
Oldest public course in the US, historic and easily bookable for visitors.
Fenway Golf Club
Private
Superb Westchester architecture, strong Ross flavor.
The Apawamis Club
Private
Classic parkland layout, highly ranked regionally.
Sleepy Hollow Country Club
Private
Legendary Hudson views, highly ranked for historic design and drama.
Central Westchester—White Plains offers the best location to minimize drive times to Bronxville, Rye, and Scarsdale.
Course DNA
If You Like Siwanoy Country Club
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Strong DNA Match8.0
Green Oaks Country Club
Verona, PennsylvaniaGreen Complexity
Why it matches: If Siwanoy Country Club is your kind of course, Green Oaks Country Club is worth a look because it demands the same precision once you reach the putting surface.
Strong DNA Match8.3
Congress Lake Club
Hartville, OhioWhy it matches: What links these two? A comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character — a familiar feeling, expressed in Congress Lake Club's own setting.
Strong DNA Match8.8
Miakka Golf Club
Myakka City, FloridaWhy it matches: There is real overlap here. Miakka Golf Club a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character, making it a compelling counterpart to Siwanoy Country Club.
Community Sentiment
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