8^th hole, 430 yards; The new tee that Superintendent Richard Spear recently built makes this version of the Road Hole the most faithful to the original. The angle off the tee is the perfect diagonal and the green complex is well angled around the pot bunker. The only quibble is that the approach shot is slightly uphill which helps to hold the shot on the green and from scurrying over into the back bunkers that replicate the hazard of the road.

This pair of bunkers behind the 8th green replicates the strategy of the road.

9^th hole, 220 yards; The scale and breadth of the swale in front of the green is the most impressive of any Biarritz hole that the authors have seen. There is no evidence that the green ever extended into it and toward the cross bunker that is presently 40 yards shy of the green.

How impressive is this swale! The green starts to the right of it.

12^th hole, 405 yards; A slendid Alps, with a unique touch: the elongated flag pole makes the flag visible from the tee but not from the fairway.

13^th hole, 300 yards; An impressively manufactured green complex that rises eighteen feet from its surrounds and gives the golfer the impression of storming a fortress. A driver can leave the dreaded forty yard pitch so the better play is with a long iron and then a full wedge. Known as the Knoll, Raynor would later repeat such a hole at Yale's 14th and a longer version at Yeamans Hall's 14th.

the outstanding Knoll green complex

14^th hole, 450 yards; The swept of this hole can only be accomplished when space is of no concern as at Piping Rock. The tiger can fly the diagonal bunker off the tee and seek additional distance from the downhill fairway slope. The hole remains attractive for the weaker golfer who can play left and hope for a pitch and putt to salvage a four.

16^th hole, 390 yards; The left bunker edges into the fairway at the perfect spot some 245 yards from the tee and teases the golfer to come as close as possible. When asked in his December Feature Interview on this site for Macdonald's greatest strength as an architect, historian George Bahto responded, 'His architectural strength was the boldness of his designs - reflective of his bold and brash personality. 'I dare you' - 'challenge me', his bunkering cried. I think the main theme running through NGLA is the diagonal play off the tee, rewarding the risk taker but more importantly, teasing and tempting the golfer of every level to attempt more that he could handle. It's remarkable. You can go around the course, pretty much under control, then suddenly risk just a fraction too much and find yourself in deep trouble.' Holes like the 14th and 16th at Piping Rock perfectly illustrate Bahto's observation as well.

Note how the left hand bunker edges into the fairway at the perfect spot.

In describing a Macdonald course, generally several greens and their bold contours would have been dwelt on by now. Any description of National Golf Links of America can bog down for days as one decribes the green contours of just the first hole. This is not the case at Piping Rock.  Much of the challenge on this 6,800 yard course is from tee to green and comes from avoiding the 122 bunkers. Greens like the 5th and 10th in particular can make the golfer look foolish but in general, a well struck approach shot into the middle of a green will leave the golfer with a managable two putt. Of course, when Spear has the greens at twelve on the stimp for important club events, the going gets tougher.

Macdonald makes no mention of Piping Rock in Scotland's Gift, which is absurd. If he weren't so emotionally headstrong, he could have easily devoted the same amount of attention to Piping Rock as he did to Mid Ocean. And it is a pity he didn't, because the book represents our best understanding into Macdonald's insight on architecture and Piping Rock deserves to be fully understood.

In truth, Piping Rock may have evolved into a better course than Macdonald ever envisaged. It may well be the finest prepared course on Long Island and Richard Spear has his crew of twenty-one men focus on getting the details just right. The addition of an L shaped bunker to the left of the 5th green,  the cut to improve air circulation in the mound surrounding the 7th green, the new 8th tee that makes the Road Hole and the sprawling bunker in the left rough off the 10th tee are but four examples of Spear's own efforts to ensure that Piping Rock retains the spirited challenge that Macdonald sought in all his courses.

Space is a precious commodity for any golf course to be blessed with and Piping Rock has it like few others. For instance, it enjoys the same sense of expansiveness that the nearby Creek Club does,  though Long Island Sound is never in view here. How many inland courses can make such a claim? Not many in the United States, thanks to overaggressive tree planting. The golfer must seek the heath courses around London such as Swinley Forest to gain the same exhilerating openess on offer at Piping Rock.

Plenty of space at Piping Rock. This view is from the 7th fairway looking across
the 8th and toward the former polo fields.

Importantly, too, along with space comes the ability to lengthen holes as required. Spear has plans to extend the course to over 6,900 yards with new tees on holes 2, 15, and 16. By doing so, the original strategy that Macdonald embued the course with remains in tact. The Great Gatsby's of today armed with their titanium Titliest drivers face the same strategic dilemmas as their predessors on a stage as grand as you could ever hope to find. 

the view from the 4th tee looking back at the impressive Redan green complex

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