Garden City’s Evolution

GARDEN CITY, NEW YORK |  One of the things that distinguishes golf is that its fields of play are not static stadia but living, breathing things. Courses change and evolve through the years, and as a result they require fairly constant care and consideration. Not surprisingly, the best ones in the land are run by people who understand that in order for their layouts to remain relevant while staying true to original design intents, they must be managed. Which means that on occasion, trees need to be felled and fairways, greens and bunkers restored to their former shapes and sizes.

The Garden City Golf Club on Long Island, N.Y., is one such spot. Last week, the retreat hosted the Walter J. Travis Invitational for the 110th time, and it is worth noting how well its members have tended to what is one of the finest and most historic courses in the country. Most recently, that stewardship has come in the form of a three-phase restoration project overseen by Garden City’s longtime architectural consultant Tom Doak. The results are nothing...