“The very center of your heart is where life begins. The most beautiful place on the earth.”
Rumi
While New York is known for Manhattan and its skyscrapers, the state has much more to offer than that. Most of us usually don’t get a chance to see the rest of the state. Golfers, however, tend to go deep into the countryside, where they are able to experience a different aspect of New York. Today TeeOff booked me at a golf course called the Blue Hill Golf Course at Pearl River, New York. Pearl River is located beyond the Hudson River near Interstate 87. Leading from New York to Canada, I-87 is a beautiful, scenic road that takes you away from the heights of the concrete jungle to the heights of real hills. The Blue Hill is one of them.
The championship golf course, featuring 27 holes, overlooks the Tappan Lake in Pearl River, which is the largest hamlet in Orangetown, New York.
Blue sky, shining sun, lush green surroundings, reflective water hazards, smiling bunkers, glossy greens, and mischievous fairways make it worth the ride. On the other hand, ascending and descending hills and recurring dogleg fairways add more to the challenge. I was paired with two New Yorkers. They knew the course like the palm of their hand. They pointed out the proper landing spots for me on some difficult fairways. Although it’s not easy to land a golf ball at the intended spots, I still came fairly close. One of those shots hit the tree branches and fell at a compromised location. I was disappointed when I reached the ball: there was no shot there. As I bowed to pick my ball up, I saw a gap at the bottom tree line. There were 70 yards, a bunch of trees, and two bunkers between the green and me. Desperately, but confidently, I pulled a 7 iron out of my bag. I played a stinger, a punch shot. My ball, flying low, crossed the rough and the bunkers and gently rolled on the edge of the green. I knew that one shot was a display of my skill and planning. I still am enjoying that one strike. My flight mates cheered my strike, and I felt good.
Golf would not keep you happy for long in a round. The honor and hilarious times are very short-lived in the game of golf. So why is golf so addictive? The element of surprise remains active in the game until the last putt.
“Golf can best be defined as an endless series of tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle.”
Unknown
The Blue Hill Golf Course kept me engaged with its amazing scenery. The eighth tee box at the woodlands course surprised me with a grand view of Tappan Lake.
It’s a par three. The tee is on the top of the hill, and the green is at bottom, almost at the edge of the lake. Only a small country road separates them. It's a beautiful scene and a difficult shot.
The ninth hole goes along the lake until it turns a bit to the right. I didn’t have time to continue for the 18th. Still, it was a good run. I can't wait to return there.
By
Ahsan Jamil
Golfer, Blogger, Entrepreneur, Author, Poet, Wanderer, photographer, Rebel.
Email: Golfaij@gmail.com
Website: Golfaij.com
YouTube: Morning with Golf