THE ST. ANDREWS GOLF CLUB

This Hudson Valley gem carved into the rolling hills north of Manhattan delivers one of the region's most demanding tests of precision golf. The severely sloped fairways and elevated greens punish wayward shots mercilessly, while the signature downhill par-3 17th over a stone quarry separates weekend hackers from legitimate players. What saves this brute from being merely punitive is the spectacular autumn foliage and surprising variety in hole design that keeps you coming back despite the beating.