Empire State vs. Bay State: Which Has the Better Golf?

In American golf, few regional rivalries run deeper than New York versus Massachusetts. Both states boast rich golfing histories, classic course architecture, and fiercely loyal local players. Yet when you stack their credentials side by side — using Golf Digest’s “Best in State” rankings and Top100GolfCourses.com’s state lists — one state edges ahead as the true heavyweight of northeastern golf.

Let’s start with New York, the undisputed giant when it comes to course depth and prestige. According to Golf Digest, New York features three of America’s top ten courses and fifteen inside the Top 100, more than any other state. Leading the charge is Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, a perennial U.S. Open host and a living link to golf’s golden age. Alongside it sit National Golf Links of America — Charles Blair Macdonald’s strategic masterpiece — and Winged Foot Golf Club, the West Course that has tested legends from Hogan to Mickelson.

Beyond those titans, New York’s bench is remarkably deep. Fishers Island Club is often described as “the best course most golfers will never play,” while Friar’s Head and Sebonack showcase the state’s modern architectural pedigree. And for the everyday player, Bethpage Black remains the people’s champion — a public course so formidable it’s hosted two U.S. Opens and a PGA Championship.

New York’s greatest strength lies in its breadth: from Long Island’s windswept dunes to the rolling fairways of Westchester and the rustic charms of upstate layouts like Sleepy Hollow and Oak Hill. The combination of public access, architectural heritage, and world-class conditioning gives the Empire State an unmatched variety of golf experiences.

Massachusetts, however, refuses to play second fiddle. Its golf roots run just as deep, and its top-tier courses carry historical gravitas few states can match. At the top sits The Country Club in Brookline — one of the five founding clubs of the USGA and the site of the 1999 Ryder Cup’s famous “Battle of Brookline.” Myopia Hunt Club, a quirky and demanding design north of Boston, hosted four U.S. Opens before 1910 and remains a time capsule of early American golf.

Other standouts include Old Sandwich Golf Club, a Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw gem blending New England woodlands with Cape Cod sandscapes, and Kittansett Club, whose seaside holes on Buzzards Bay evoke classic Scottish links. Eastward Ho! in Chatham might be the most dramatic of all — a routing that tumbles along the bluffs with breathtaking Atlantic views.

What Massachusetts lacks in sheer quantity of nationally ranked venues, it compensates for with coastal beauty, intimacy, and tradition. Its courses embody New England golf’s soul: windswept, understated, and character-driven. For golfers who value authenticity and charm over marquee names, Massachusetts is a purist’s paradise.

When judged strictly by rankings and global reputation, New York wins on firepower. Its concentration of top-10 and top-100 courses, bolstered by major-championship pedigrees, makes it the more powerful golf state. But the argument isn’t entirely one-sided. Massachusetts holds its own with historical weight, aesthetic appeal, and accessibility that New York’s elite clubs often lack.

Perhaps the better question isn’t which state is better, but which kind of golf you value most. If you’re chasing bucket-list prestige, New York reigns supreme. If you’re seeking atmosphere, history, and classic New England character, Massachusetts quietly delivers some of the most soulful golf in America.

In the end, it’s a rivalry without a loser — just two states that define golf at its most timeless, from the golden-age brilliance of Shinnecock and Brookline to the winds that sweep across Buzzards Bay and the Long Island dunes.