Lunchball
Welcome to the absolute cradle of American public golf. Opened in 1895, ‘Vanny’ isn’t just a golf course; it is a living museum piece located at the end of the 1 train in the Bronx. While the architecture has evolved from its rudimentary beginnings—with significant early input from Tom Bendelow in 1899 and a modern refresh by Stephen Kay—the soul of the place is immutable. It is the ultimate ‘Muni’ experience: scrappy, loud, surprisingly hilly, and utterly charming. You don’t come here for manicured fescue; you come to walk the same fairways where The Three Stooges, Willie Mays, and Babe Ruth once teed it up among the locals.
The layout itself is a gritty test of parkland golf, featuring rocky outcroppings, blind shots, and greens that are often faster and trickier than their public status suggests. The standout lore surrounds the featured 2nd hole, a reachable par-5 where The Babe reportedly maintained a regular game. Today, Van Cortlandt serves as a reminder that before the grandeur of Bethpage or the cliffs of Pebble Beach, the democratic game found its footing right here on the city streets. It is a bucket-list round not for the design, but for the culture.
Comparison: 18th
18th
Road Hole
St Andrews (Old Course)
Architectural Analysis
While they are worlds apart in turf conditions, Vanny's 18th shares the spiritual DNA of the Road Hole: a grueling, historic finish that demands a blind shot played directly back toward the 'town' (or in this case, the subway station), relying on intimidation and length to wreck a scorecard at the very end.