Winged Foot Golf Club on Wednesday, one day before the start of the U.S. Open.
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Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y., is private. The course for this week’s U.S. Open is not open to the public. You need a key to get in.
Well, here are nine of them. See you on the first tee.
9 ways you can play Winged Foot
1. Become a member
How to: This is the most direct option. Contact the club here. Apply for membership. Get accepted for membership. Play golf at Winged Foot, which reopens for members on Sept. 26. Easy. …
The key: You’ll needed some patience and some pennies. It’s invite-only, and there’s reportedly a lengthy waiting list. It’s then time to pay up. It’s been reported that the initiation fee costs up to $200,000, and there are annual dues. The best golf in life isn’t free.
2. Get an invite from a member
How to: This is a less expensive option. It might cost you just a few drinks even. Find a member. Befriend the member. Have the member invite you to play golf. Play golf at Winged Foot. Easy.
The key: There are two. Finding a member will be hard. The member list isn’t published. You’ll have to do some asking. Finding one who will invite you will be difficult, too. Be pleasant. Be patient. And when they do the asking — “Hey, do you want to play Wing…” — say yes quicker than a Bryson DeChambeau swing.
3. Play in an event as an amateur
How to: One well-known Winged Foot event is The John G. Anderson Memorial Four-Ball Invitational, which features two-man amateur teams from clubs from across the world, though the 84th edition, in late July, was postponed this year. In addition, the 2004 U.S. Amateur was played at Winged Foot, and four golfers who played in that event — Kevin Kisner, Webb Simpson, Brian Harman and Michael Thompson — are returning this year. Should the Open or Amateur return to Winged Foot, qualifying is open to anyone.
The key: Practice, practice, practice. The teams in the Anderson want only good players. Only good players reach the Open and Amateur. So become a good player.
The key: The events are for charity. You’ll have to donate. But they’re for a good cause. Or causes. Theirs. And yours.
5. Become a Winged Foot caddie
How to: Pick up a member’s bag, toss it over your shoulder and start stepping. Caddies can play after outings on Mondays and sometimes on quiet Tuesdays. Danny Noonan, or the actor who played Danny Noonan in “Caddyshack,” Michael O’Keefe, was a Winged Foot caddie in the ’70s — and was on a bag for two practice rounds this week, too.
The key: You’ll have to work. But you’ll get a little something, you know, for the effort, you know. So you’ll have that going for you, which is nice.
6. Become a pro
How to: One-hundred-and-forty-four golfers are playing at Winged Foot. Some even played practice rounds ahead of this week. So get really good at golf. Play golf at Winged Foot. With Tiger. Easy.
The key: When you discover how to get this good at golf, please send an email to nick_piastowski@golf.com. He would like to know how.
7. Become a member of the media
How to: Winged Foot hosted a media day on Aug. 25 so the press could become familiar with the course they will cover this week. About 20 media members played, including GOLF.com executive editor Alan Bastable.
The key: When you discover how to write/edit/take photos/shoot video really well, please send an email to nick_piastowski@golf.com. He would like to know how.
8. Become a celebrity
How to: This goes with No. 2 — “Get an invite from a member.” If Beyonce wants to play Winged Foot, it’s reasonable to assume that Bey will get a few invites from members.
The key: When you discover how to land a role in the next “Batman” movie, please send an email to nick_piastowski@golf.com. He would like to know how.
9. Just ask
How to: Write. Call. Email. Be nice. Be sincere. Be creative. Don’t be too proud to beg. It doesn’t hurt to ask. You never know.
The key: The worst they can say is no. And then it’s back to ways 1-8.
Nick Piastowski is a Senior Editor at Golf.com and Golf Magazine. In his role, he is responsible for editing, writing and developing stories across the golf space. And when he’s not writing about ways to hit the golf ball farther and straighter, the Milwaukee native is probably playing the game, hitting the ball left, right and short, and drinking a cold beer to wash away his score. You can reach out to him about any of these topics — his stories, his game or his beers — at nick.piastowski@golf.com.
