Info:        

Lake Placid/Essex
County CVB
49 Parkside Drive
Lake Placid, NY 12946

Web:
www.lakeplacid
region.com

Phone:
800-447-5224
518-523-2445

Olympic Regional Development Authority
2634 Main St.
Lake Placid, NY 12946

Web:
www.orda.org

Phone:
518-523-1655

Golf in Lake Placid, NY                   

by Phil Johnson
photos courtesy, Mirror Lake Inn

Think Lake Placid and the first thing that comes to mind is winter sports, The  Olympics, or maybe "The Miracle on Ice," when the U.S. Olympic hockey team beat the heavily favored Russians in 1980.

This mountain village has made its reputation over the years as host to many winter sports championships and the Winter Olympics in 1932 and 1980, the only place in North America to host the games twice. So with all the sports activity in cold times, it only makes sense that locals would find something to fill out what one wag once termed the "few months of bad sliding."

Well, sometimes, even in northern spots like New York’s Adirondack Mountains, it is summer. And in Lake Placid, that means good golf in beautiful surroundings.

For golfers, there are three Class-A choices in town that are open to the public from approximately mid-May through mid-October:  

• The Whiteface Lodge
• The Lake Placid Club Resort
• The Craig Wood Golf Course.

We asked long time area golfer Sandy Caligiore to take us on a tour.

The Whiteface Club                

Lets start at The Whiteface Club located off Route 86 heading from the village toward Saranac Lake. Designed by John VanKleek, this is a real shotmaker’s course that requires players to keep the ball between the 100 year old pines that separate many of the fairways.
    
The signature hole is the 6th, a par-5 sharp dogleg left with a precipitous drop from the tee and a daunting climb up to the green. The hole is a beauty with a spectacular view of the Whiteface Mountain summit at the start.

But  tough as it is, the 14th and 15th holes can bring even low handicappers to their knees. The 14th is an uphill 211-yard par-3 with a narrow, undulating green. Get by this one and up next is a 425-yard, also uphill, par-4 to another narrow and, in this case, multi-tiered putting surface.

The round ends with two relatively straight forward par fives, and even better, a stone patio at the clubhouse to add up the scores and quench a post-round thirst.

Lake Placid Club Resort                      

The Lake Placid Club Resort is right in the village and most come to play the Seymour Dunn’s Link Course, a.k.a., The Lower Course. It’s been attracting golfers since 1895. This is your classic Scottish layout with plenty of swale and parallel sand framed by the Adirondack High Peaks, which provide breathtaking scenery from most of the holes on the course.

The key here, according to Caligiore, is to get off to a good start, taking advantage of the prevailing downwind layout of the front nine. A treat is the 11th hole, a short par-3 protected by sand and swale on all sides, and accessible over a quaint wooden walk bridge. Enjoy it because chances are you’ll be playing into a headwind for the remainder of the round.

The Resort also features an 18-hole mountain course and a nine hole executive course.

Craig Wood Golf Course                  

The Craig Wood Golf Course is named for the Lake Placid native who won the 1941 Masters and U.S. Open.

Wood was a bomber off the tee, and the open layout of the front nine allows golfers to let out shaft and swing away, says Caligiore. The back nine is quite a different story. Built years after the front nine, this is a tighter layout, including the par-3 13th hole—a 150 yard target from an elevated tee. Score here because the 14th hole is a par-4 tester at 425 yards to an elevated green.

Craig Wood is the town operated course, so the cost tends to be less, unless you have a package plan at one of the other two courses.                  
    
Each of these courses is a challenge and one thing they have in common is tough greens. Don’t look for many flat putts and be uphill of the cup at your peril on almost any golf hole in town.

Off Course                  

One of the real treats about being in Lake Placid for golf is that, once done, you get a chance to try the many other activities in town.

• There is the usual shopping along Main Street. But for something special, try the summer bobsled and luge runs at Mt. VanHoevenberg's Olympic Sports Complex, or visit the ski jumps and aquatic training pool at Intervale, Olympic hopefuls are often practicing their specialties in summer, and they perform jumps on Wet 'n Wild Wednesdays.

• The U.S. Olympic Training Center, just outside the village, one of three in the United States, usually has a full complement of athletes in residence. 

• Check with the Lake Placid based Olympic Regional Development Authority for special events listings.

• The Olympic Center where the famous U.S. hockey team victory over the Russians took place is a favorite spot in town. There is hockey and figure skating activity in the Arena year-round, including most evenings. On the first level is the Lake Placid Olympic Museum with memorabilia from the 1932 and 1980 games. There is also a replay of the ABC broadcast of the famous hockey game that always draws a crowd despite the fact that everyone knows the outcome.

As a year round resort, there are many fine lodging and dining properties to choose from in almost all price ranges. For the top of the line, check out the Mirror Lake Inn, overlooking Mirror Lake with Whiteface Mountain in the background. It’s an elegant lodge within easy walking distance of downtown.

For dining, the choices are wide and varied, but a couple of modest price, good quality spots are locals favorite LisaG’s on the outskirts of town and Mykonos, a Greek style restaurant on Saranac Ave.

For a late-day or evening break, try The Cottage, across the street from the Mirror Lake Inn, or The Lake Placid Pub and Brewery where Ubu Ale is a best seller.   

Add up the year round attractions with the quality golf available and you’ll see that Lake Placid isn’t just for winter only.