This is New York, where the map is the real city and the round is played on its actual streets. The holes are built from real attractions, starting with the Empire State Building. Skip is a local guide who knows these sidewalks by heart and avoids the crowds. This full round of 18 holes covers 7.1 mi with a par of 57, using 90 portals to move the ball across the city.
The Empire State Building is an office building and skyscraper. Constructed between 1930 and 1931, it was designed by the architecture firm Shreve, Lamb & Harmon. You can pick out the Art Deco style in its famous silhouette. The building's roof height is 1,250 feet, while the total height including the antenna is 1,454 feet. It is a National Historic Landmark with 102 stories. I've noticed that the wind really picks up around the upper tiers of a building this size.
Madison Square Garden is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Midtown Manhattan. It is located between Seventh and Eighth avenues, extending from 31st to 33rd streets, and sits atop Pennsylvania Station. The current location hosts the fourth venue to bear this name. Earlier versions opened in 1879, 1890, and 1925. For the design of the current site, the architects involved include Charles Luckman, Ellerbe Becket, and Charles Luckman Associates. I've seen plenty of crowds flocking here from the trains below, making it a very busy spot for a bird to navigate.
Located in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, Herald Square is a bustling commercial intersection. You can see how the area is shaped by the meeting of Broadway, Sixth Avenue, and 34th Street. This specific spot is the uptown section of a larger bow tie-shaped intersection; the downtown portion is known as Greeley Square. The area was named for the New York Herald newspaper, which once had its headquarters at this location. I've always found the flow of the crowds here quite a sight.
The Morgan Library & Museum is a library located in the Murray Hill neighborhood of Manhattan. Completed in 1906, the building began as the private library of banker J. P. Morgan and was designed by architect Charles Follen McKim. Today, it is a nonprofit organization directed by Colin B. Bailey. You can find it at 225 Madison Avenue, where it stands as a New York City Landmark and a National Historic Landmark. I've always found the scale of these old private collections impressive.
Grand Central Terminal is designed in the Beaux-Arts style. Located at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, this National Historic Landmark is a commuter rail terminal. It serves as the southern terminus for the Metro-North Railroad's New Haven, Hudson, and Harlem Lines. The station was designed by architects Warren and Wetmore along with Reed and Stem, with its inception in 1913. For those looking for more space, Grand Central Madison is a 16-acre addition located underneath the Metro-North tracks that was built from 2007 to 2023. I've seen plenty of commuters rushing through here, but the architecture is what really catches the eye.
Look at the bowtie shape of this plaza, which stretches five blocks long between 42nd and 47th Streets. This is Times Square, a neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan formed by the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street. It is the physical hub of the Theater District and first had its inception in 1905. I've found that the crowds here make for a very unpredictable bounce if you're banking your ball off the curbs, so keep a steady eye on your line. It is one of the most recognizable spots in the city for any visitor.
Let me show you the Gershwin Theatre. This theatre building is designed in the Art Nouveau architecture style by architect Ralph Alswang. Started in 1972, it is a massive space with approximately 1,933 seats across two levels. You can find it at 222 West 51st Street, tucked away on the second floor of the Paramount Plaza office building. It is operated by the Nederlander Organization. I've noticed the crowds here always seem to be in a hurry to get inside before the curtain rises.
You will first notice the massive scale of MoMA, an art museum in Midtown Manhattan. It is a nonprofit organization that houses over 200,000 works of architecture and design, drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, prints, illustrated and artist's books, film, and electronic media. The museum building was designed by architects Yoshio Taniguchi and Edward Durell Stone. It is a popular destination that sees 2,154,865 annual visitors. I always find the crowds here quite lively, though they are just a small part of the experience compared to the art.
You can find Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. This site has a long history before it became a famous nightclub; it opened as the Gallo Opera House in 1927 and served as a CBS broadcast studio in the mid-20th century. Eugene De Rosa was the architect of the building. While many remember it for the nightlife era, the space shifted again in 1998 when the Roundabout Theatre Company renovated it into a Broadway house. I've seen plenty of fancy facades in this neighborhood, but this one has a lot of layers.
Three levels of seating hold 1,648 people inside the Palace Theatre. Located at 1564 Broadway, this Broadway theater also functions as a movie theater and a music venue. It opened in 1913 and was funded by Martin Beck, while the architects Kirchhoff & Rose designed the building. I've noticed the crowds here always seem to be in a hurry to get inside before the curtain rises. It is a grand spot to stop and look up at the facade before you move on to your next shot.
Radio City Music Hall is a concert hall and theatre building located at 1260 Avenue of the Americas in Midtown Manhattan. Situated within Rockefeller Center, this site is a New York City Landmark that first opened in 1932. You can pick out the Art Deco architecture style, which was the vision of architect Edward Durell Stone and Donald Deskey. It is widely nicknamed "The Showplace of the Nation" and serves as the headquarters for the Rockettes. I've noticed the crowds always seem to gather here with a certain kind of energy.
You can find Carnegie Hall in Midtown Manhattan at 881 Seventh Avenue, situated between 56th and 57th Streets. This performing arts building was built by Andrew Carnegie and designed by William Tuthill in Renaissance Revival and Mediterranean Revival styles. Since its inception in 1891, it has been a center for music and culture. While the New York Philharmonic moved to Lincoln Center in 1962, the hall remains a busy venue that presents about 250 performances each season. I've seen plenty of fancy shoes walk through those doors.
If you head to 2 Lincoln Square, Columbus Avenue at 66th Street, you will find the American Folk Art Museum. Located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, this art museum is devoted to the aesthetic appreciation of folk art and creative expressions of contemporary self-taught artists from the United States and abroad. I always think it is a great spot to see how people express themselves without formal training. It has operated as a nonprofit organization since it was founded in 1961.
Congregation Sherith Israel is a synagogue located at 2 West 70th Street, at Central Park West, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City. This Orthodox Jewish synagogue is designed in the Neoclassical architecture style and was founded in 1897. It is often called The Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue. The building is a significant landmark on the Upper West Side, where you can observe the specific details of its Neoclassical design and its location adjacent to Central Park West.
You first notice the Henry Clay Frick House, a Beaux-Arts mansion designed for Henry Clay Frick. This building on the Upper East Side of Manhattan houses the Frick Collection, an art museum established in 1935. Carrère and Hastings served as the architect for the site. Inside, you can find European fine and decorative art, including paintings from the 14th to the 19th century. If you are interested in deeper study, Helen Clay Frick established the Frick Art Research Library in 1920. I've found that the scale of the mansion makes the art feel much more personal than in a typical gallery.
The Central Park Zoo is a zoo that began in 1934. It is located at the southeast corner of Central Park in New York City and covers 6.5 acres. Today, it operates as part of an integrated system of four zoos and one aquarium managed by the Wildlife Conservation Society. Through this partnership, the WCS provides children's educational programs and runs volunteer programs to reach out to the local community. They also engage in the restoration of endangered species populations. I've found that the layout makes it a breeze to navigate compared to some of the bigger spots in the city.
Located at 652 Lexington Avenue at the corner with 55th Street, Central Synagogue is a synagogue in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. This New York City Landmark is built in the Moorish Revival architecture style. The building was constructed from 1870 to 1872 for Ahawath Chesed, though the structure was started in 1872. Since 2014, Angela Buchdahl has served as the senior rabbi. You can pick out the distinct architectural details that define the building's style as you approach the corner.
Grand Army Plaza is a public square consisting of two rectangular plots on the west side of Fifth Avenue between 58th and 60th streets. You can find it at the southeast corner of Central Park in Manhattan. It is designated as a New York City scenic landmark and is located near the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Central Park South. The layout you see today dates to a 1916 reconstruction by the architectural firm of Carrère and Hastings. I always find it a handy spot to pause before heading into the park.
You will first notice the Romanesque Revival architecture of Temple Emanu-El. Located at 1 East 65th Street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, this synagogue was started in 1930. It was built between 1928 and 1930 for the Reform Jewish Congregation Emanu-El of New York. The interior is designed to accommodate a large community, with capacity for 2,500 seated worshippers. This site remains a significant place of worship in the city, combining its specific architectural style with a space large enough to hold thousands of people during services.