Westchester Hills delivers a true classic-club golf experience, blending over a century of architectural pedigree with a sharp Rees Jones modernization. Though not a national bucket-list stop, it’s a local institution where strategic variety, upgraded conditioning, and Golden Age roots set the tone for impressive, understated play.
Westchester Hills Country Club is a tapestry of classic Golden Age parkland golf, crafted from the ambitions of Peter Clark and Donald Ross and indelibly reimagined by Walter Travis’s bold 1922 green renovations. It’s tree-lined and rolling, a demanding yet walkable routing where position off the tee and precise iron play matter on nearly every hole. The 2022 Rees Jones renovation honors this pedigree with expanded, artfully contoured greens, fresh bunkering, and playability tweaks that blend vintage character and modern strategy into the club’s identity.
A rare meeting of Golden Age and modern architectural legends—Peter Clark, Donald Ross, Walter Travis, and Rees Jones—makes this a living chronicle of course design.
At 475 yards, this classic par 4 is a relentless test requiring both length and precise shotmaking. Out of the gate, the hole uses the natural rolling terrain and tree lines to magnify any miscue, demanding two confident, well-shaped shots to find the green in regulation.
Favor controlled aggression off the tee—an accurate drive sets up the long, challenging approach, ideally from the fairway’s strategic side.
Long rough and tight landing zones punish the wayward; out-of-position tee shots make par nearly impossible.
Expect smooth and fast putting surfaces, crisp bunkers, and generally well-groomed fairways thanks to the 2022 upgrades.
Membership-managed rounds move at a steady, enjoyable club cadence—rarely rushed, never slow.
Upscale, quietly traditional, with an under-the-radar sense of Westchester history and comfort.
Collared shirt and standard private club golf attire required (confirm with club prior to visit).
With back-tee par 3s near 215 and 234 yards, ensure you have a confident hybrid or long-iron game before arriving.
Short par 4s still require exacting wedge control to tight pins—practice touch and trajectory on approaches.
Travis- and Jones-contoured greens will expose tentative putters; spend extra time on distance control.
Club incorporated as Gedney Farm Country Club, serving the resort hotel
Course opened, Peter Clark with Donald Ross involvement
Walter Travis supervised major course alterations and green redesign
Historic clubhouse destroyed by fire
Grand new fireproof clubhouse opened (Frank Moore, architect)
Rees Jones completes multi-million dollar course renovation
Westchester Hills sprang to life in the shadow of the great Gedney Farm Hotel—billed as the 'Saratoga of Westchester County'—making the original course a rare blend of Gilded Age leisure and sporting ambition. Golfers of the early 1900s enjoyed the classic lay-of-the-land routing with every modern social amenity a short stroll away.
After a devastating fire consumed the original clubhouse in 1924, the club rebounded with a bold fireproof structure, shifting from rustic luxury to refined resilience. The new building, completed in 1926, doubled down on the club’s commitment to first-class private club atmosphere.
Walter Travis’s 1922 intervention left a lasting stamp on the course’s identity, shaping contoured, challenging greens that still define Westchester Hills’ test. His strategic reimagination made approach shots matter—a trait refreshed and honored by Rees Jones a century later.
The early 1980s brought a massive change: irrigation. Suddenly, fast-running fairways and no-rough conditions gave way to lusher playing corridors, placing a premium on accuracy and position over brute force. This change cemented the course’s reputation as one for thinkers and tacticians.
Originally created to serve guests of the storied Gedney Farm Hotel.
Full course irrigation installed in the early 1980s completely changed its strategic character.
The fireproof 1926 clubhouse was among the first of its kind after a devastating blaze.
Walter Travis's green work in 1922 remains a defining feature after a century.
Recently underwent a $3.5 million Rees Jones renovation in 2022.
National icon with major-hosting pedigree just miles away
Golden Age classic, revered by architecture buffs
Top-ranked, modern public course for all visitors
User-friendly public option with good variety
Championship tradition, Donald Ross and Travis lineage
White Plains is your best home base, offering easy access to all the Westchester golf action and plenty of hotel and dining options.
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Why it matches: Indian Creek Country Club is a natural next stop after Westchester Hills Country Club: it offers similarly polished playing surfaces.
Why it matches: If Westchester Hills Country Club is your kind of course, Mountain Brook Club is worth a look because it a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character.
Why it matches: There is real overlap here. Kahkwa Club offers similarly polished playing surfaces, making it a compelling counterpart to Westchester Hills Country Club.
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