Horvat gives Sebonack a 9.9 after an eagle putt and a windy round

Grant Horvat gives Sebonack's golf course a 9.9 out of 10 after a visit that takes him from a clubhouse tour to a long eagle putt on the ninth hole. His September 29 YouTube release follows an attempt to break par at the private Southampton, New York, club, with caddie Travis helping him navigate the wind and heavily sloping greens.

The video also separates the course from the day around it: Horvat rates the food 9 out of 10 and the overall experience 9.5. Those are his personal judgments after the visit, which includes an overnight cottage stay, breakfast and a post-round lobster roll.

A big putt on an uphill par five

The ninth hole supplies the round's loudest celebration. Horvat reaches the green in two and faces a fast eagle putt with a substantial break. Travis helps him choose a starting line; the ball runs down toward the hole and drops, prompting both men to celebrate.

Travis estimates the putt was close to 90 feet. Horvat says he cannot remember making two putts that long in one round, having already holed a lengthy birdie putt on the third. The distances are estimates from the video, rather than measured tournament statistics.

The episode also shows the difficulty between those moments. Horvat makes a double bogey on the second hole, discusses how wind changes his club choices and later chooses a hybrid when driver would leave a narrower landing area. He finishes with a birdie on the bayfront 18th. In his closing conversation, he reports shooting 75 in winds he describes as 15 to 20 mph.

Why the greens demand attention

Sebonack pairs Jack Nicklaus and Tom Doak, opening in 2006 beside National Golf Links of America and Shinnecock Hills. GOLF's course profile points to its boldly contoured greens and sandy hazards, singling out the uphill ninth as an example of the design.

The club describes a 300-acre property with views of Great Peconic Bay and Cold Spring Pond. That setting appears throughout Horvat's visit, as he moves between exposed holes by the water and sections framed by trees. His conversations with Travis keep returning to where an approach should land, how much wind the tee shelters and where the ball will move after reaching the green.

Horvat introduces the trip as a look at a million-dollar membership. Early in the video, he says staff told him the initiation fee had reached $1.4 million. That is his account of the visit; the club's public homepage does not verify a current fee.

His final ratings favor the course most heavily. He places Sebonack among his three favorite courses, alongside Pebble Beach and Pine Valley, while leaving their order undecided.