How A 130-Year-Old Course Reimagined The Golf Experience

In the rolling hills of New York’s Hudson Valley, just 56 miles from Manhattan and minutes from West Point, a revolutionary new golf course is reimagining how golf can be played, experienced, and shared.

Named after the nearby mountain that overlooks the property, Storm King Golf Club packs more variety and possibility in 63 acres than many courses four times its size, offering 40 distinct hole configurations, five different 9-hole routing options, and a 19-hole par 3 layout.

“The idea was to create a unique place where people could experience golf in a way that’s fun and interesting to them,” said founder David Gang, a software executive who purchased the course about five years ago with a vision to reimagine golf and challenge convention along the way.

Storm King is a far cry from the original facility that opened in 1894; today, it’s a wild looking, choose-your-own-adventure playground where golfers can craft their journey based on skill level, mood, or simple curiosity about what lies around the next bend. The facility boasts 12 green complexes totaling 225,000 square feet of putting surface, nearly four times that of an iconic property like Pebble Beach Golf Links, which has 63,000 square feet across all 18 holes.

“Our brains have been wired for golf in a very traditional way forever,” says Gang, an avid golfer who co-founded Brightspot, a leading content management system.

“We think about 9 holes, 18 holes, par 3s, par 4s, and par 5s. They’re very set in our minds,” he added. “So, when you come here, the first thing we try to do is get people anchored in a routing. We want you to know you can play Storm King in a basic 9-hole routing, but as you play, your eye strays and you think, `I didn’t play that green or from that tee.’ You can start creating your own routing.”

Unique Model

The unconventional approach at Storm King is made possible through a unique operational model.

A private, invitation-only club operated in partnership with the Hudson Valley Golf Foundation and managed by Troon, the facility will limit access to a maximum of 48 players per day. Traditional tee times wouldn’t logistically work with the play-where-you-want approach, so entire days are instead “rented out” to corporate groups, charities, businesses, friend groups, or special events.

Flexibility extends to just about every aspect of the Storm King experience.

Golfers might start with a traditional 9-hole loop to get their bearings, then venture off to test an uphill par 5 they spotted earlier, or end their day with a peaceful par 3 alongside a babbling creek as the sun sets over the Hudson Valley. A forthcoming mobile app will provide maps of the property and guidance, as many golfers need that structure and more traditional approach.

Yet for plenty of golfers, the real joy lies in discovery and spontaneous decision-making on a course redesigned by architect Chris Gray.

Storm King’s commitment to sustainability is another key aspect of the overall vision.

The facility has 18 Husqvarna automowers that maintain fairways and surrounds in near silence with zero emissions. Electric triplex and walk-behind mowers keep the greens tournament ready without fuel or noise pollution. GPS-guided sprayers and drone applications deliver precise turf care with minimal impact on wildlife and soil health.

This sustainable approach demonstrates that world-class golf can thrive with a dramatically lighter environmental footprint — using less land, less water, and fewer resources while maintaining exceptional beauty, playability, and challenge.

Storm King’s Mission

Perhaps most importantly, Storm King embodies a mission-driven approach to golf.

The partnership with the Hudson Valley Golf Foundation ensures regular programming for adaptive golfers, wounded veterans, first responders, and junior golfers through local youth organizations. This commitment runs deep for Gang, whose son Matthew has Down Syndrome but plays competitive golf with incredible passion.

“We want to bring people who have different forms of disabilities into a place where they can play, have fun and have a high-quality golf experience just like everyone else,” Gang says.

As Storm King prepares for its official opening in 2026, invitation-only preview rounds throughout Fall 2025 offer select guests their first taste of this revolutionary approach to golf. For a game steeped in tradition, Storm King represents an innovative leap forward. For many golfers, the concept may also fulfill a fantasy few get to experience.

“Every golfer, during the course of their life, has fantasized about owning their own golf course, whether it was three holes or 18 holes,” Gang said. “But at Storm King you can do that. You won’t have the responsibility of taking care of it, but you’ll be able to own it for 2-4 days.”