Union Vale Links – A Pleasant Surprise in the Hudson Valley
Location
LaGrangeville, New York
Architect
Stephen Kay
Opened
2000
Course Type
Public, links-inspired
Tees Played
White
Course Rating / Slope (White Tees)
69.9 / 126
Favourite Hole
18th
Clubhouse
Harp & Eagle Pub
Would I Return?
Absolutely
The Journey
One of the pleasures of golf is that the day begins long before the first tee.
I drove up from Mamaroneck, following the Taconic State Parkway through the Hudson Valley. The journey brought back fond memories of a house we once owned about forty-five minutes further north, and there was something rather enjoyable about revisiting familiar countryside on the way to a course I had never played.
At Union Vale I met up with Ben, Steve and Nick, who had kindly arranged the tee time. Good company is never a bad way to begin a round. It was an exceptionally hot day, with temperatures in the mid-90s. Thankfully, the haze drifting south from the Canadian wildfires took some of the sting out of the sun, although the air quality left something to be desired, and made photography pretty impossible which was a shame as the club is set in beautiful countryside..
The Story Behind the Course
The Links at Union Vale opened in 2000 and was designed by architect Stephen Kay, whose brief was to create a course inspired by the strategic qualities of the great Irish links while working with the rolling farmland of Dutchess County.
The site's agricultural heritage remains visible throughout the course. Most notably, the old farm silos beside the fifteenth fairway have been retained as part of the design and are officially in play. Miss your drive in that direction and there is no free relief—just another hazard to negotiate. It is exactly the sort of quirky feature that gives a course its own personality.
Although relatively young by golfing standards, Union Vale has established a strong reputation and has hosted U.S. Open Regional Qualifying together with a number of New York State amateur championships.
The Golf
The obvious question is whether Union Vale deserves the word Links in its name.
For me, not quite. A true links course is shaped by the sea—firm sandy ground, natural dunes and winds that influence every shot. Union Vale possesses none of those natural characteristics.
What it does possess is many of the strategic principles that make links golf so enjoyable. The fairways are generously wide and encourage confident driving. The challenge comes with the approach shots.
The green complexes were a defining feature of the course. Exceptionally large, beautifully maintained and full of subtle hollows and internal contours, they reward careful positioning far more than simply finding the putting surface.
The bunkering is equally impressive. Deep, well positioned and filled with beautifully soft sand, it frames the greens while demanding thoughtful shot-making.
Although we played from the white tees, I suspect the blue-white tees would have brought even more of the course's strategic qualities into play.
The eighteenth was my favourite hole. It rewards restraint rather than aggression: a positional tee shot, a lay-up to the right-hand side and then a controlled pitch into the green. It is a fitting finish that rewards judgement over power.
The Nineteenth Hole
The Harp & Eagle Pub continues the club's Irish theme.
Normally we would have sat outside overlooking the course, but the heat and humidity made the air-conditioned dining room an easy decision. After several hours on the course, it was exactly where we wanted to be.
Service was excellent throughout. The menu reflects the club's Irish heritage, with hearty favourites such as all-day breakfasts and mince and tatties alongside traditional clubhouse classics. It felt relaxed, welcoming and genuinely authentic.
One final point worth mentioning is the value. My green fee, including cart, was $100 and—as seems to have become something of a tradition—I also came away with a logo golf ball, a course guide and a ball marker. For a course presented in such excellent condition, I thought it represented outstanding value.
One Thing I'll Remember
Not the score, nor even the greens, but standing on the fifteenth tee knowing that if I pushed my drive towards the old farm silos there would be no free relief. It summed up Union Vale perfectly—a course that doesn't take itself too seriously, yet quietly rewards thoughtful golf throughout the round.
Visitor Information
The Links at Union Vale
153 North Parliman Road
LaGrangeville, NY 12540
Telephone: (845) 223-1000
Website: The Links at Union Vale
Clubhouse: Harp & Eagle Pub
Practice Facilities: Driving range, putting green, short-game area and practice bunker.
Approximate Drive Time from Mamaroneck: Around 90 minutes.
Final Verdict
Union Vale isn't a true links course, nor does it need to be.
It succeeds because it understands the strategic ideas that underpin the finest links golf and adapts them intelligently to the rolling landscape of the Hudson Valley. Add excellent conditioning, imaginative greens, warm hospitality and exceptional value, and it becomes a course that I would happily recommend—and one that I look forward to playing again.