Mark Twain famously said that golf is a good walk spoiled. In Hamilton, N.Y., one cannot find a better place to spoil a good walk than Seven Oaks Golf Course. The 7,125-yard golf course snakes from the west end of Colgate University’s campus across Payne Street, providing a focal point to students and members of the Hamilton community alike.
Dallas Pylinski, the head golf professional at Seven Oaks, grew up near Hamilton and has maintained a strong connection to the course since his childhood.
“It’s my understanding that the golf course was built by the Colgate family for the community and the university. Obviously, it is a huge perk for anyone [who] goes to Colgate,” Pylinski said. “We have different levels of rates and different things that make it available to the community. Monday through Thursday, it is very affordable to play golf at Seven Oaks, which is the way we like to keep it for local people in the community and the surrounding areas and things like that. Seven Oaks is a unique place because there are so many different groups of people who play golf here. The community of Hamilton [has] a strong respect for Seven Oaks, if you will, and they take pride in it, and then the alumni feel the same way.”
Pylinski manages the property, which has extensive beauty and rich history. The golf club was formed in 1916 by a group of Colgate faculty and townspeople, but the course did not reach its current form until 1965, when the second nine holes were opened. The course received the attention of four different course architects during its planning and construction, including Grand Slam winner Gene Sarazen, who wanted to make Seven Oaks Golf Course “the Augusta of the North,” referring to the famous Bobby Jones-designed Augusta National Golf Course, where the Masters Tournament is held annually.
After the Great Depression halted construction in 1935, a protege of Sarazen named Robert Trent Jones returned to finish the golf course that he had started designing in the 1920s. In typical Colgate fashion, Jones contemplated 13 course designs before deciding on the design that students play on today.
The current design is a challenging 7,125-yard course. The length rivals that of famous courses such as Pebble Beach, Harbour Town and Cypress Point. The layout includes four par-5 holes, four par-3 holes, and ten par-4 holes. Payne Brook runs through the course, daring golfers to hit over it.
Junior Andrew Ludwin is a low handicap golfer who won a state championship in high school; he lauded the course for how it challenges every golfer who steps on the tee.
“I think it’s awesome. It’s a stellar layout, they keep it in really good shape,” Ludwin said. “It challenges every part of your game, and it’s very long. There’s a reason why they host a NCAA Division 1 tournament, because it’s one of the harder courses on any college campus.”
Seven Oaks has consistently been recognized as one of the best collegiate golf courses in the United States. In 2025, GolfPass gave Seven Oaks the title of “Best College Golf Course in America.”
Adding to its accolades, students at Colgate see the course as a great place to get outside, escape from classes and form lasting bonds with friends. Junior Jesse Kleinman, president of the men’s club golf team at Colgate University, views the course as a valuable tool in his academic experience.
“Seven Oaks is my go-to spot to de-stress,” Kleinman said. “I have spent about as much time on the course as I do in my classes. Some of my best memories have been made at Seven Oaks.”
Kleinman’s sentiments are shared by many students across campus. Since the course offers discounted memberships to students, it is common to see the course filled with players of all years and skill levels.
With its rich history, stellar layout and accessibility, Seven Oaks Golf Course is a valued part of the Hamilton and Colgate University communities alike. The course provides the ideal environment for community members and students to get outside, play golf and enjoy this hidden gem of upstate New York golf.
