An apt point of comparison has been made by many aficionados — in 1989 Golf Digest ranked Quaker Ridge 14th best in the country. That layout included the substantial Robert Trent Jones modifications made in the mid-1960s. The anomaly, with its ranking today, in the opinion of most who have played both layouts, is that the renovated course of today is a superior one — in design, aesthetics, resistance to scoring and playability.
Even the conditioning of the course, long a staple, is improved today. In addition, the greens, now enlarged to their original dimensions, have more pin positions. But the green speed, smoothness and playability, oft times considered just a bit inferior to those at neighboring Winged Foot — whose greens have typically been considered to be among the very best in the nation along with Pine Valley, Augusta National and Oakmont — have been vastly improved in the move to 100 percent poa annua. Quaker Ridge’s greens now rank favorably with those paragons of fast, smooth championship-caliber greens. Quite simply, they’re just a joy to play.
The bottom line? Quaker Ridge was always a challenging course to play, one of the great ones, but now it is just more so.
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Golf Digest Panelist Comments:
“Might be the best first seven holes in golf. Such wonderful design variety with every type of shot required. What a great blend of short, sporty holes with long beasts. The par 3s are challenging, and some of the best par 4s around. You need your game at the start of your round.”
“An unbelievable masterpiece done by a legendary designer with tons of unique qualities, including an unforgettable counterclockwise front nine. And through all 18, the greens are a perfect combination of undulating and interesting while being fair.”