In the summer of 2022, myself and three close friends embarked on a golf road trip for the ages, spanning from Montreal, Canada to Charleston, South Carolina. A quartet of men and their golf gear were crammed into my trusty Volkswagen Jetta, clocking over 1100 miles—an experience that sets the bar high for future adventures.
While the full details of our journey are reserved for another tale, the focus here is on the incredible chapter where we had the privilege of playing at the exclusive Liberty National Golf Course.
This esteemed club, having hosted PGA Tour events and The President's Cup, boasts a membership roster featuring the likes of Tom Brady, Justin Timberlake, and Phil Mickelson. Nestled by the Hudson River, it offers awe-inspiring skyline views of Manhattan's West Side. With a reported $450,000 initiation fee, Liberty stood as a bucket-list course—something I could hardly fathom playing, especially with three of my closest friends.
Enter my dear friend Pete, a PGA teaching professional at an undisclosed New England private course. A few weeks before our scheduled road trip, Pete received a surprise call from the head pro at Liberty National. Some members were attending a wedding near Pete's club, and the head pro wondered if they could play at his while in town. Pete, ever the opportunist, welcomed them with one condition: reciprocity for some of his club members to play at Liberty National. The head pro gladly agreed, provided Pete provided ample notice. About a week later, Pete secured a tee time at Liberty National on July 3, 2022 for himself and "three members from his club". Those "three members" turned out to be myself and our other two buddies, perfectly aligning with our planned road trip through New York City.
On the fateful morning of July 3rd, already a week into our road trip and likely nursing hangovers in New York City, the excitement of our tee time at Liberty National was akin to Christmas morning. Arriving at the security gate and miraculously finding our names on the list, we rolled up to the clubhouse in my 2015 Jetta, where valet service was obligatory. Imploring the valet not to deal with the chaotic trunk, we handed over the keys and watched as my car found its place among luxury vehicles.
In the pro-shop, we introduced ourselves to the head pro, who greeted us with a wry smile—acknowledging he was in on the story but appreciating it. This instant camaraderie allowed us to relax and truly savor the entire experience.
The locker room tour followed, highlighting spots for shoe cleaning, lockers of golf's greats and Liberty's esteemed members, and where to find robes and towels. A pitstop at the bar revealed the shock of $48 double transfusions. Post-purchase, we marveled at the immaculate driving range before teeing off from the tips, a decision made by the three PGA teaching pros in our group. As an 8 or 9 handicapper, you can imagine how the round unfolded, but the experience was nothing short of extraordinary.
Our forecaddie, Evan, added to the fun with his hosting skills, navigating us through Liberty's pristine course. Passing the halfway house three times, we indulged in free beer, loading up for the journey.
Approaching the 18th hole felt like a futuristic dream, with New York's skyline framing Liberty's modern glass clubhouse. Post-game, back in the locker room, I showered and shaved, wrapped in a luxurious Liberty National robe, albeit one I couldn't keep.
The day was truly unforgettable, the entire staff at Liberty National treated us with the importance of any member, famous or not. With car keys in hand, we resumed our road trip down the East Coast, driving 5.5 hours to Richmond, Virginia, for a brief rest. Then, early on the morning of July 4th, we set out for Charleston, capping off our journey with a holiday on the beach.
It's adventures like these that keep us craving the next one, an addiction to golf and the always surprising doors it is able to open.
Trevor
