FIRST LOOK: Inside America’s Boldest New Golf Course | Union League National

FIRST LOOK: Inside America’s Boldest New Golf Course | Union League National

This isn't just another golf course. It's a bold statement on the future of golf [music] course renovation. What once was flat sandy land has been reshaped [music] in dramatic fashion to create one of the boldest and most exciting new golf courses [music] in the country. To make it happen, more than 1.6 6 million cubic yards of earth were moved, creating nearly 80 ft of elevation [music] and shaping 27 holes of golf that truly need to be seen to be believed. [music] The layout has already drawn comparisons to places like Pinehurst, Tobacco Road, and even Pine Valley. And it's quickly risen into the conversation as one of the best new golf courses [music] in the country. And today, we're here with the rare opportunity to experience it for ourselves. [music] This is Drive Union League National. Nobody in the shack. >> Too early when you when the you beat the guard to the golf course. You know you're moving. >> They still beat us here. >> Of course. >> We thought we'd be the first ones. Union League National is a private club, so unless you're a member or a guest, it's the kind of place [music] most golfers only ever get to see in photos. But every so often, a door opens. And that's [music] where the Broken Tea Society comes in. As the community and event arm of the Golfer Journal, BTS is built around bringing people together at some of the best golf courses in the world. [music] And if you're lucky enough to grab a spot in one of their often sold out events, you get a day like this. >> Uh first and foremost, I just like to give a big thank you, big round of applause if we could for Union League for having us. [applause] I think everyone is here for the same reasons cuz they saw the uh pictures on Instagram and were like, "Holy." And uh I uh I'm glad to say after seeing it yesterday, it does not disappoint in person. So super excited to be here. This is the 36th BTS Tour event of the year so far. So, should be a good time. Weather's great. Thank you again for uh coming off down the shore as I think they told me. That's the way you say here, downshore. And um let's have a great day. Let's play some golf. Seeing it for the first time, it's hard to imagine [music] that not long ago, before it was Union League National, this land was home to the Sand Barons Golf Club. A public course built on flat, sandy soil with open corridors and a simple, straightforward character that the local golfers knew well. But when the Union League of Philadelphia took over the property in 2017, they didn't simply upgrade it. They reimagined it entirely, reshaping the land from the ground up. What once was level is now layered. What once was subtle is now bold and dramatic. That contrast is what makes Union League National so striking today. And each of the courses three 9-hole routings carries its own unique personality. All of which we'll be experiencing with fresh eyes. >> This course was as flat as a pancake flat >> and there was no water. >> No water. Yeah. And they literally would dig down like 4 ft and hit the water table and it would just come right up. It was pretty cool to watch. >> So the course was here a complete renovation. >> Yeah. Correct. So and it was actually the same designer Dana Fry. Yeah. So he did the original. It was Sand Baronss which was a public golf course like a high-end public course. >> Yeah. >> And then the Union League was looking to buy a club and they decided to buy this club. I think we're in like over $40 million in renovation. Jeez. I mean, I can imagine this place was flat and dry and now it looks like this. >> The only the only water we have was on the first hole that that little pond, but other than that, no. I mean, so much water. This is actually the first second year probably where it's matured and it's like perfect. >> It's worth the wait. >> Oh, yeah. It's fantastic. >> To fully understand Union League National, you have to first understand the Union League of Philadelphia. Founded during the Civil War, it's one of the country's most historic private institutions. And that history is woven directly into the course itself. [music] Each of the three nine-hole routings is named in tribute to Civil War generals tied to that era. The Grant, the me, and the Sherman are three distinct [music] nines, each with its own personality. Today we're starting on the grant [music] with its wide corridors off the tea and a sense of scale that immediately lets you know that this place was built [music] big. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. [music] >> Yeah. Great shot. Go away. Throw the hole. >> Great [snorts] shot. Every single shot on this nine is visually intimidating but [music] still fair. If you can keep it in play, you can definitely score here. But get out of position and you'll [music] need to make a bit of magic to survive. Wow. Wow. Way better than I thought. [laughter] Holy cow. Come on. Every now and then. Every now and then. How many events have you guys had this year? >> This is our Man, I got to do the math. >> Oh, okay. >> 40. No, sorry. 36. >> Jeez. And you're coming to the end of the year, I guess. >> Kind of. >> Kind of. >> Five more weeks. >> Any any good spots coming up after this? >> Yes. Yeah. Yeah, of course. We got um we head south after this. So >> Oh, nice. >> Um we've got a Lookout Mountain. Fantastic event. [music] >> Sure. >> Um then we have our club championship this year, which is at Chichzi Creek Club. Okay. which is a really really cool spot down in uh kind of between Savannah and Charleston. >> Yeah, no doubt. >> And uh Cabbage [music] Citrus Farms. >> Sure. >> And I was just telling these guys um we finished the year in Texas. Our Texas swing is pretty sweet between uh Shady Oaks and Trinity Forest, both kind of Dallas Fort Worth area. So >> that's sweet. >> It's a good good closing stretch. >> Yeah, no doubt. >> Yeah, man. [music] >> I like it. >> Go in the hole. How about >> Great play there. >> Go in the hole. going. >> Way to go, partner. >> Thanks. Bump and run. >> Bump and run is your game. The putter is my game. Know your game. >> 56 yard putt. Yep. But I mean, I love it how tight it is. You got options. You can play a ground game. >> Yeah. >> You don't have to throw a wedge up in the air here, but you can if you want to. >> Firm fairway. >> That's what makes it fun. Like so many different ways to play it. >> Nice. >> Thanks, >> Net Eagle. >> Yeah. >> And that's exactly what makes Union League National so much fun to play. [music] You're rarely handed just one answer around the greens. Especially in most places, you [music] can choose to fly it in with a wedge or play a ground game. But whether it's a wedge, a putter, or a bump and run, the contours [music] here invite creativity. It's a course that rewards imagination as much as execution. You can play it safely [music] or you can take on risk, but every hole gives you options. And every option tells you [music] something different about your game. Fourth shot. >> The Grant 9 closes with one of the best T-shots on the property. From this elevated tea, you can see the entire hole laid out right in front of you. And from there, it becomes a hole about placement and patience. Plenty of room to work with, but position matters more than power. And while the Grant routing is all about space, the next stretch calls for a bit more restraint. The ME 9 at Union League National features shorter holes, narrower windows, and far fewer moments where you can simply swing away. Accuracy is key on the Me Loop, which is arguably the toughest of all three nines, and it also happens to boast some of the best and most difficult greens on the entire property. >> Jimmy, this one looked gnarly from uh standing up on that green. >> Oh, this this is one of my favorite holes. It's This is either you're going to make a birdie or a double bogey. >> Okay. Okay. What Jimmy is describing is arguably one of the most memorable of all 27 holes here at Union League National. And from the tea, you're staring down a sea of bunkers [music] that's unlike just about anything else we've encountered before. But those bunkers tell a bigger story [music] about Union League Nationals recent transformation. They're carved into what the architects call the big fill. [music] a massive reshaping of the land where millions of cubic yards [music] of earth were moved to create the nearly 80 ft of elevation [music] that now define the property. This is the shot we were waiting for. I mean, [music] it's like every bit of looks like Pine Valley here. And uh I mean, I put myself in the right position off the tea. Now I just got to execute. But we're just staring at a wall of bunkers here. Although this hole is short, coming in at [music] under 400 yd, there truly is nowhere to miss. Come up short [music] and you'll be faced with one of the toughest bunker shots you've ever seen. Push it long and guess [music] what? There's trouble back there, too. But no matter what number lands on your scorecard, [music] it's hard to deny that this little stretch of holes at top the big fill is truly unforgettable. Capped off by a stunning part three that plays dramatically right back down the elevation. >> Looks good. Nice. So, I've been here since the beginning, so I've seen the transformation, but this is the probably the best transformed hole of the entire 27. Uh, there used to be a like a cross bunker like waste area that would ran about 220 yards. So, if you hit a good drive, you would end up in this like stuff like this. It was like terrible. And then your approach shot. So, they cleaned the whole hole up and now it's one of the best holes on the course. >> They did a really good job with this. The final few holes on the me feel like a subtle handshake at the end of a tough conversation. [music] Nothing flashy, just smart, demanding golf that rewards patience [music] and punishes shortcuts. It's a quiet, confident way to close out a nine that never asks for heroics, only good decisions. What immediately follows is the Sherman 9, which according to our caddy is just about everyone's favorite. And it doesn't take too long to understand why. This nine feels like the full expression of the recently renovated property. [music] And today, it also happens to be our chance to try to take home a new car. >> All right. You think you can win a BMW? >> I think so. Yeah, >> I was feeling it this morning when I got here early and I saw it. Now's the chance. And we got all the weather wind, so it's even more impossible than ever. >> Playing at 188 yds into a stiff breeze makes the idea of taking home the big prize a bit out of reach, but hey, there's always a chance. >> Oh yeah. Come on. >> No turn at all. >> Big hill and kick left. >> Oh yeah. Go, go, go. >> All right. No car today, but >> we're on the green pump. >> Let's drive home in the Hyundai. [laughter] >> It's okay. >> We thought we'd have an upgrade. >> Yep. >> Not today. >> Nice touch. >> Give it to him. >> Oh. So close. [music] Golf shot. [music] >> 21 holes in. How you feeling? >> Feel better if we won the BMW. >> Exactly. >> Still feeling great. The weather's great. The course is great. Feeling great. >> Yeah, >> it really is hard to describe the magnitude of this place. Every hole feels like you're living inside a postcard. And there are elements here that remind us of some of the best courses we've ever played. Names like Tobacco Road, Pinehurst, [music] and dare I even say, Pine Valley kept coming up in conversations throughout the day. It's one of those places that not so subtly reminds you just how rare rounds like this really are. Closing [music] stretch, three to go. I have four to go. But these next three holes, I was telling these guys, they're the probably the three best holes on the course like in a row. Really good stretch. Par five, par three, and then a really good par four. >> Okay. >> Um but it's fun. Yeah. So, we'll see what happens. >> Yeah, let's see what happens. It's certainly hard to argue with Jimmy's assessment there, especially once you take a glance at the stunning but wildly intimidating seventh hole on the Sherman routing. This long part three is surrounded by water on three sides, giving you little if any room to miss. And the long, narrow, undulating green leaves absolutely no room for error. Oh well, maybe next time. As we played through the final few holes, it was hard not to reflect [music] on what this place represents. This isn't just a renovation. It's one of the most dramatic reimaginings of a golf course we've ever seen. What once was flat ground has been reshaped into something bold, strategic, and unforgettable. And in [music] doing so, it's set a new bar for what's possible when vision, resources, and great design all come together. And most importantly, we can't thank the Broken Tea Society enough for giving us the chance [music] to experience it firsthand. >> That was a really fun day. really fun golf course. I hope you all enjoy it. Um, these events are about allowing us to tell more stories. So, these allow us to bring more people into the community. Hopefully, it gives you a reason to stay around and play a golf course you never played before. So, really appreciative of you and we hope you get as much out of it as we do. And, uh, if you have any feedback for how to make [music] these better, you can come see Foster. Um, so, thank you again. Thank you to the union league staff [music] and have a drink. Hang around until they tell you to go home and we'll see you again on the right soon. [applause] [music]

Once ordinary ground, now one of the most dramatic new golf courses in the country — here’s our first look inside Union League National, one of the boldest new golf courses in the country.

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Special Thanks To:
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FootJoy ➡︎ https://www.footjoy.com/
The Golfer’s Journal ➡︎ https://www.golfersjournal.com/
Titleist ➡︎ https://www.titleist.com/
Union League National ➡︎ https://www.unionleague.org/golf/national

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⏰ Timecodes ⏰
0:00 – Intro & First Look at Union League National
1:28 – How We Got to Play a Private Club (Broken Tee Society)
2:39 – From Sand Barrens to Union League National
4:53 – The Grant Nine
8:18 – The Meade Nine
11:25 – The Sherman Nine
14:20 – Final Holes & Closing Reflections

In this video, we take you inside Union League National for a first look at one of the most ambitious and talked-about new golf course renovations in the country. Located in New Jersey, Union League National was completely reimagined from the former Sand Barrens Golf Club into a bold, dramatic 27-hole private club built for the Union League of Philadelphia. With more than 1.6 million cubic yards of earth moved and nearly 80 feet of new elevation created, the transformation is nothing short of remarkable. Playing as part of a Golfer’s Journal Broken Tee Society event, we experience all three nines — Grant, Meade, and Sherman — each offering its own personality, strategy, and unforgettable visuals. From wide, inviting corridors to dramatic bunker walls carved into the massive Big Fill, this course constantly challenges both creativity and execution. Along the way, we dive into the design, the experience of the day, and what it’s like to finally see this much-anticipated project in person. This episode marks our first entry into DRIVE: Destinations, where we slow down and take a closer look at one extraordinary place at a time — starting with Union League National.

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