Lake Placid Club - Mountain Course (Lake Placid, NY)

The view from the first tee at Lake Placid Club must be one of the most spectacular in all of golf. The Adirondacks fill every corner of your eye while the ski jumps extend high into the air like two mighty monoliths. It is a mesmerizing view that leaves you awestruck as the scenery unfolds in front of you. 

Lake Placid Club has an interesting view on their golf course. The fairways are a green and brown hue. There’s no irrigation here and the putting surfaces are the only thing they water. They want the course to play as true to its original design as it can play. It was laid in 1910 by Alex Findlay and later remodeled in 1931 by Alister MacKenzie. Because of this choice, there are many golfers who will scoff at the conditioning. They won’t get how 180 yards only requires a punch mid or short iron shot. They’ll get upset because they can’t see the green on the par threes. This MacKenzie course is a museum piece to when shots were played based on feel, and nuance was a huge part of the game. In other words, it’s not for everyone. 

(The first fairway drops the last fifty yards straight into the green. The old Scottish term of judging the weight comes to mind here. Note the bunker in the picture. It’s narrow and a rolling ball can come to a dastardly stop. 

398/370 par 4)

(Similar to the first, a shot hit just over the crest of the hill at the second will trundle down to green. There are no bunkers on the hole, and it would appear to be an easy four, but a misplayed approach can leave a testy chip. The green in the background is on the par 3 course.  380/370 par 4)

The first two holes feature an approach that is both blind and downhill. These are two characteristics that will be seen several more times during the course of the round. For today’s modern player, these are difficult to execute. The ground game has become a lost art. Maybe that’s part of the beauty of the Mountain Course, because it forces players to hit shots they don’t see anymore. 

(The picture perfect third plays over a pond and up the hill. Just past the pole, one can see a high cop that can stymie your second shot. The long hitter must protect from such a predicament, and layup to it. The green is open in front, and can be accessed via the ground. It’s a strong par four. 413/383 par 4)

When one thinks of Alister MacKenzie, the flashy bunkering seen at Augusta or even Pasatiempo come to mind. Here they come in all shapes and sizes. The one on the par five seventh hole must be seen to be believed. 
The earthworks mound is easily as tall as a person and the sand is cut behind it. While being in the sand is bad, being in the grass is much worse, and even being blocked out behind it is maddening. This hazard plays bigger and causes more chaos. 

This side view does a great job showing off the girth of this formidable challenge. The tee shot is way back atop the hill, and this thing catches your attention even from there. (565/516)

When glancing at the scorecard, the modest length doesn’t strike fear until you study the individual holes. It’s 6512 par 70. But no one is reaching any of the three par fives. (565,631,601)  And out of the quintet of one shotters, three are very long. (210,280,232)

It’s the type of place where shooting par is way more complicated than one expects. 

(The tenth plays in the corner of the routing to an open green backdropped by hardwoods and water. It’s serene and quiet at this spot, and the player can take in all the beauty around him. It takes three well struck shots to get a crack at birdie. 631/506 par 5)

(This is the view from back tee on twelve. A crossbunker stretches across the fairway sixty yards short of the green, and hides the downhill terrain to the green on this extremely long par three. The player must gauge the wind and determine what club will carry the bunker and rollout to the green. It’s a classic 3.5 par hole and is actually longer than the par four fourteenth. 280/216 par 3) 

(The fourteenth reminds me of short par fours found at both the Dormie Club and Bandon Trails. This driveable hole has a small green on high ground with most of the fairway sloping off to the side. There’s room to take dead aim and drive it straight at the hole. I was just off the front. One can also hit an iron and wedge it from a sidehill lie to the green. 242/231 par 4) 

(The par three fifteenth is as old school as it can get. Two earthen mounds with a directional bunker point the way to the hidden green. The sign up in the trees helps too...

...all one has to do is carry the mounds and let the ball work it’s way to green. There’s a great deal of suspense to see how close the ball is to the hole. I imagine this green has seen its share of hole in ones. Like I stated earlier, this course is not for everyone. I’m sure there’s folks that hate the whimsical nature seen here. 174/164 par 3)

After the incredible view off the first tee, the course proceeds to make its way to the valley, and at the sixteenth, you’re back on the higher ground again. And I feel the best views are up here. This pic is from fifteen tee 
looking over at three green. The peak to the left is Mt Marcy which at 5344 feet is the highest point in New York. 

It doesn’t happen often, but sometimes the setting makes you more exuberant about a course than what you should be. This maybe one of those times. One of my tests is how excited am I to play the course again after walking off the eighteenth green. Here, I could easily play 36 or 54 holes and not think twice about it. This is the kind of architecture that you don’t see often. It speaks to me and reminds me why I play this game. 

(Seventeen plays uphill to a hidden green above you. A solid shot will find the large putting surface. Note two things. First, the  earthen mound behind catches balls and nudges them onto the green. Second, directly behind the flag is eighteen tee from the tips. You might have to take it out to hit the last tee shot. 232/209 par 3)

(Looking back from the fairway to eighteen tee. Take in the view one last time. The ski jumps by the way are 22 stories high. Think about that next time you’re watching the Winter Olympics...

...it’s all uphill to this green that’s atop a small knoll on the hill. It’s a small target to hit and plays at least two clubs longer. A par would be a fine way to end the round. 393/343 par 4)

The Adirondacks is full of wonderful outdoor activities, however it’s an eight and half hour drive, and is more of a vacation or long weekend destination. If you find yourself out here, Lake Placid Club is a terrific place to play. They have 45 holes and the Links Course  is well regarded too. After 3pm, it’s only $35 to play which is an absolute steal. I have to see this place when autumn arrives. I give the Mountain Course a 7 (great)(worth driving 3-4 hours to play). 

Clubhouse at Lake Placid Club