Saratoga National GC
Saratoga Springs, NY (30 minutes north of Albany)
2001, Roger Rulewich
'09 Fees: $150-$185 Weekend Ride Prime Time, $120 mid-April to mid-May, Twilight $115-$135 Weekends
#91in Golf Digest's Top 100 Public Courses for 2009
Fat Guy Note: Highly recommended by my buddy Pete, a well-travelled golfer: "A GREAT golf course."
Golf.com Travel Review: Many public courses like to boast that their facilities are comparable to private clubs', but Saratoga National Golf Club in upstate New York is different. Its facilities are better than most private clubs. To visit Saratoga National in Saratoga Springs, is to enter a world of luxury.
When its course, designed by Roger Rulewich, opened on the site of a former horse farm in June 2001, it was recognized as one of the "Best New Courses in America."
Rulewich laid out the course—which because of five sets of tees can be played from 4,900 yards to 7,250 yards—with several distinct landscape features, including areas of natural pines, wetlands, streams, and ponds. The landscape is enjoyed not only by golfers but also by visitors who can stroll the memorable nature trails winding through the property.
The course also features large blue limestone retaining walls protecting eight greens and tees, a theme that is continued throughout the magnificent clubhouse.
T&L Golf 2007 Review: Saratoga National is a distinctly modern course set on a sprawling 450-acre site that was once a horse farm. It features five tee boxes, numerous forced carries, twenty-four bridges and an island green.
458 Union Avenue, Saratoga Springs. Architect: Roger Rulewich, 2001. Yardage: 7,265. Par: 72. Slope: 147. Greens Fees: $110–$175. Contact: 518-583-4653.
Other Area Tracks To Play
In Lake Placid, Whiteface Club & Resort (www.whitefaceclubresort.com) dates to 1898 and offers dazzling lake and mountain views. If you're on your way to or from Montreal, try Malone Golf Club (www.malonegolfclub.com). Just this side of the Canadian border, it's a thirty-six-hole complex with two Robert Trent Jones designs.
Where to Stay
The Saratoga Arms. This hotel has been a fixture of the town's social scene almost since it opened in 1870. With thirty-one individually decorated rooms, it's cozy but full-service.
497 Broadway, Saratoga Springs. Rooms: from $175. www.saratogaarms.com
Mirror Lake Inn Resort and Spa. A nicely restored 1920s inn within easy walking distance of Lake Placid's town center. 77 Mirror Lake Drive, Lake Placid. Rooms: from $290. Contact: 518-523-2544, www.mirrorlakeinn.com.
The Sagamore A National Historic Landmark, this grand hotel, originally built in 1883, is perfect for a lakefront getaway.
110 Sagamore Road, Bolton Landing. Rooms: from $299. Contact: 866-385-6221, www.thesagamore.com.
Where to Eat
Built on a ridge overlooking the back nine, the clubhouse is a perfect setting for lunch, dinner, or drinks after an enjoyable round of golf. Saratoga National's main restaurant, called Sargo's, recently was named "Best New Restaurant in Upstate New York" by the New York State Restaurant Association. The on-site Prime at Saratoga steakhouse features dry-aged beef and vintage wines.
Hattie's (Cajun) Saratoga has its formal restaurants, but we liked this casual Cajun place for its fried chicken and unusual beers.
45 Phila Street, Saratoga Springs; www.hattiesrestaurant.com. $$
Trillium (New American) For a fine-dining experience, the Sagamore's restaurant easily surpasses resort standards.
The Sagamore, Bolton Landing; www.thesagamore.com. $$$$
Further Distracions: Of course, mention of Saratoga Springs would not be complete without a nod in the direction of the famous horse races held each summer. But the area is not limited to golf and racing. You also will find a wealth of historical material, because it was not far from here that the United States logged its first major victory in the Revolutionary War. Saratoga Springs also is home to several fine museums, including those devoted to the military, dance, and children.