By Michael Kaplan · Photography: Andrea Ceraso
Often referred to as the ‘Best Kept Secret in Westchester’, Anglebrook should easily be considered as one of the best golf courses in the region!
Completed in 1998, it is the last course designed by the legendary British-American golf course designer Robert Trent Jones, who passed in 2000 at the age of 93, leaving a legacy of over 500 golf courses - including, most notably, the 11th and 16th holes at Augusta National, and the most celebrated Spyglass Hill, Oakland Hills, the Olympic Club, Oak Hill, Congressional, and Hazeltine National - located in 45 of the United States and in 35 countries around the world…and sons Robert Trent Jones Jr. and Rees Jones, who are also amongst the most highly regarded golf course designers of the modern era of golf. It was Jones who championed the concept of ‘Heroic Golf’ - meaning that if a player wanted to attempt a difficult shot, they would be faced with a significant risk/reward - and, being the first architect to regularly employ water as the ultimate hazard, subscribed to the notion of ‘hard par / easy bogey’. …And much more than just ‘last but not least’…Anglebrook is a crowning achievement!
The golf course is sublime!
Five sets of perfectly flat tee boxes offer just the right amount of distance for players of every level - and most top players say that the 137 slope rating from the 7,001 yard tips belies the true difficulty of the course. Relatively generous fairways are bordered with strategically placed bunkers and thick rough. Every green complex is protected by deep bunkers. And the greens are pure, fast, and diabolically undulating.
Still, as great as the golf course is, what may be most extraordinary about Anglebrook is the membership experience! It’s not a country club. No pool. No tennis, paddle, or pickleball courts. No game of mahjong or gin rummy running in the clubhouse.
…Anglebrook is for golfers!
Anglebrook’s membership includes a host of big-name sports stars and business titans. Notably, New York Rangers’ Stanley Cup Champ Mark Messier is a member…and almost the entire 1994 New York Rangers Championship Team played in last summer’s Mark Messier Foundation outing at Anglebrook.
240 acresof meticulous fairways and greens
…So it was not so out-of-the-ordinary that I arranged a game late in 2024 with none other than the former Captain of the New York Knicks and Knick Ambassador-Of-Good-Will, John Starks. I’m a lifelong Knicks fan, so hanging with John was particularly exciting for me. And the same goes for my son Zak, who relished the chance to match his low handicap with the New York basketball legend.
…And for our fourth, we enlisted Ken Fernandes, a Sophomore at Horace Greeley…and another member at Anglebrook…who’s a 2.5+ - meaning that he regularly shoots a couple of strokes under par - and in the Top 250 of ‘Under 16’ Golfers in the World! In 2024, I played with Ken about once a week, as I try to get out four or five times a week, and Ken - if he’s not at school - is always on the course or at the range working on his game. Because playing with Starks was special for Ken too, he didn’t use the Foresight Sports GC Quad Launch Monitor he usually positions on each tee to record a range of technical data about each swing he takes.
What fun!!! …Though none of us played up to our hopes…or handicaps!!!
John Starks is a perfect Ambassador-Of-Good-Will for the Knicks…and for life in general! His job for the Knicks involves an unending schedule of meet-and-greets with fans and a pretty steady diet of golf with V.I.P.s and at a long list of annual charity outings, and John is quite naturally always positive, friendly…and a genuine pleasure to spend time with. He revels in his rich history as a Knick, but dispenses quickly with the hero worship, so that everyone is comfortable just sharing the experience together.
For anyone who doesn’t know Starks - he was the first NBA player to record 200 three-pointers in a season - and remains the Knicks all-time leader in three-pointers with 982. In his eight seasons with New York from 1990 to 1998, John scored 8,489 points - 11th all-time for the Knicks. John was an NBA All-Star in 1994, and he was the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year in 1997.
“Would anyone like a cigar?” John asks, offering around samples of his own brand of John Starks’ Legend Cigars Signature Series No. 3 cigars. …And right on the first tee John declares unabashedly, “I love my golf!” As we progress, he explains, “I get to play almost every day in the summer, and if I’m not golfing I’m out on my boat. I love doing that too! I live in Harbor Point in Stamford and keep my boat just downstairs in the Marina, so it’s easy to get out anytime I want. …Then, most nights, I’ll have something to do for the Knicks. Like tonight, I’m having dinner before the game with a group of season ticket holders. …It’s a pretty nice life. I’m grateful!”
And while he makes it all sound like fun and games, John is also quite seriously involved as an owner of John Starks Kia and Starks Ford, both located in Queens, and in running his John Starks Foundation - which provides financial assistance to college-bound high school seniors who demonstrate academic excellence, financial need, and a commitment to community service. John is of course the face of the organization and primarily responsible for all the fundraising…but above and beyond the call of duty, John takes the time to become familiar with each individual scholarship applicant and to follow the progress and personally support each scholarship recipient. “I came from humble beginnings. Sometimes just one break can make all the difference. And education is always critical. I’m happy to do what I can!” John declares.
Ken Fernandes is about the nicest young man you’re ever going to meet. He’s an excellent student and diligent about every aspect of his life. He’s got just the right mix of respectfulness, youthful enthusiasm, and boyish brash. …And he’s got game! His ball striking, consistency, and control are outstanding, and he plays with an emotional maturity and calm determination that most older players could emulate.
Beyond our banter, the conversation turned, as it often does, to Anglebrook’s virtues. We talked about the strength of each hole design and the genius of the greens complexes. We raved about the meticulous condition of the fairways and greens…and rued the penalty of the rough. Among the many testimonials to Anglebrook’s condition, Mark Messier has boasted…
If anyone knows of a better-conditioned golf course, they need to take me there.
Mark Messier
The combination of great golf and ease of entertaining at Anglebrook is unparalleled.
The prestigious clubhouse, designed by renowned architect Robert A.M. Stern, is comfortable for small groups but can also accommodate large functions. The entire staff is particularly attuned to accommodating group bookings and events…and welcoming each and every guest.
…And the food is quite good! The dining experience in the clubhouse - and particularly out on the back terrace overlooking the 9th green - is so pleasant that I often host a lunch before golf or sunset dinner after golf - whether or not my invitees have played with me that day. And I would be remiss not to mention how Ed in the halfway house knows how I like my iced coffee in the morning, and how he has my ‘dry’ tuna fish sandwich with extra cranberries, raisins, and apples chopped-in waiting when I make the turn.
Anglebrook is currently enlisting new members in each of its six membership categories - ranging from a weekday membership with limited weekend afternoon privileges, to full and unlimited-access options for individuals and corporations. There is even an under-35 membership. While there is a modest initiation fee for the full-access programs - and annual individual dues of just $17,000, several plans require only an annual dues payment and no initiation fee. Corporations can enlist as ‘Weekday-Plus’ members with up to four designees for as little as $9,600 per person. Designed for doing business at the golf course, Anglebrook maintains liberal policies on number of visitors, number of visits per guest, and on unattended guests. Members can even sponsor non-member groups to enjoy the club three times per month.
Still, notwithstanding the easier and more flexible structure, the Anglebrook membership remains as constant as any private club in the area - with lots of individual and corporate members who’ve spanned the entire quarter-Century the club has been in existence. And at least in part as a result of the membership structure, the membership is somewhat uniquely affluent, diverse, and…dedicated to golf.
Finally, as I note with glee each time I play Anglebrook…there’s always a tee time available! …While members are asked to call ahead or book tee times in advance online, I nevertheless often just show up to play and, other than days when there’s a club tournament or a group outing, I’ve never had to wait longer than a foursome or two to get out. There are plenty of weekdays when I feel like I have the course to myself - or actually do!
At the time of publication, Anglebrook’s General Manager, Matt Sullivan, could be reached at 914-245-2972 about 2025 memberships, with a foursome to donate to the charity of your choice offered to new members who mentioned B&NC MAG.
As featured in the March/April 2025 issue of Bedford & New Canaan Magazine