Hancock at French Woods Golf & Country Club

French Woods Golf & Country Club sits in the western Catskills near Hancock, New York, a small town positioned at the confluence of the East and West branches of the Delaware River. The course was designed by Robert Trent Jones, the prolific architect whose career spanned much of the twentieth century and whose work is characterized by strategic bunkering, large greens with pronounced contours, and an emphasis on shot values that reward precision over distance. Jones designed hundreds of courses across North America and internationally, and his Catskills projects typically took advantage of the region's rolling terrain and forested settings.

The layout at French Woods moves through wooded hillsides and open meadows, with elevation changes that provide variety in stance and perspective. The routing reflects Jones's tendency to create risk-reward scenarios through the placement of hazards and the shaping of green complexes. Water features and bunkers frame landing areas and approaches, asking players to weigh aggressive lines against safer routes. The greens are large and undulating, consistent with Jones's philosophy that putting surfaces should serve as the primary defense of par.

Hancock itself is a rural community known for its proximity to trout fishing waters and its position along historic transportation routes through the Catskills. The club serves both local members and visitors drawn to the region's recreational opportunities, offering a traditional country club experience in a mountain setting that remains relatively quiet compared to more developed resort areas elsewhere in the Catskills.