The par 3 that gave Island Green its name has water on every side of the green. Clear the pond or lose the ball. Wind comes down the valley there. First-timers tend to take too much club; regulars hit one less and let it release.
The Birmann family has owned it since 1920. It sits in Greenville, in the Catskill foothills about 40 minutes south of Albany. It was Rainbow Golf Club until the family renamed it after that hole.
You get wider, flatter fairways to start. After the turn, trees pinch the landing areas and the greens tilt more, and the final three holes run straight at the Catskill ridgeline.
Stay at the Lodge and you're a two-minute walk from the first tee. Lil' Piece BBQ is a short stroll from the 18th green.