
Marine Park Course
Marine Park Golf Course



About this course
Marine Park Golf Course occupies a flat, windswept stretch of landfill along Jamaica Bay in southern Brooklyn, making it one of New York City's most exposed and challenging municipal layouts. Originally designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and opened in 1964, the course was built on reclaimed marshland and sits just above sea level, with views across the water toward the Rockaways and Kennedy Airport. The setting is distinctly urban-coastal: golfers navigate open fairways bordered by scrub vegetation and tidal wetlands, with the constant presence of bay breezes that can turn manageable holes into tests of wind play. Stephen Kay renovated the course in the early 2000s, working to restore Jones's strategic bunkering and improve drainage on a site perpetually challenged by its low elevation and proximity to saltwater. The routing is straightforward, with few trees and little elevation change, placing emphasis on accuracy off the tee and approach shot control in often gusty conditions. Several holes play directly along the wetlands, where errant shots can find tall grasses or water hazards that reflect the course's reclaimed origins. Marine Park serves a diverse Brooklyn golfing community and remains one of the city's busiest public facilities. The course is known for its accessibility and the unique experience of playing links-style golf within city limits, where the landscape feels more coastal than urban despite the surrounding neighborhoods. Conditions can vary with the seasons and weather, but the layout consistently rewards players who manage the wind and respect the flat, exposed terrain.
Rankings
Ranked by CV ratings from golfers who've played this course. Positions are shown worldwide, by country, and by state; the Public column compares courses anyone can play.
Best in World
Best in USA
Best in NY
Quick facts
- Location
- Brooklyn, NY, USA
- Access
- Public
- Year built
- 1964
- Holes
- 18
- Designer(s)
- Robert Trent Jones Sr., Stephen Kay
- Par
- 72
- Length
- 6,800 yards
- Difficulty
- 73.3/128
- Course Vaults score
- 6.4
Getting there
Marine Park Golf Course lies in the southeastern corner of Brooklyn, accessible via three major New York area airports - John F. Kennedy International just twenty minutes south, LaGuardia to the north, or Newark Liberty across the harbor in New Jersey. The approach from Manhattan threads through the borough's dense urban fabric before opening into the surprising expanse of Marine Park itself, where the course occupies a flat, windswept stretch between Flatbush Avenue and the salt marshes of Jamaica Bay. Local players arrive via the Belt Parkway or Avenue U, trading the rhythm of brownstone blocks and elevated trains for the rare sight of open fairways against the Brooklyn skyline - a municipal oasis that has quietly endured since 1964 on land where the city meets the sea.

FAQ
Common questions about Marine Park
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Marine Park has a Course Vaults score of 6.4 out of 10 based on 89 logged golfers.
Marine Park was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Stephen Kay.
Yes. Marine Park is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Marine Park is 72.
Marine Park plays 6,800 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Marine Park is 128.




