Lefty mayoral hopeful Brad Lander want to turn NYC golf courses into apartments to solve housing crisis

It’s a hole-in-dumb.

Lefty mayoral hopeful and city Comptroller Brad Lander wants to pave over public golf courses to build much-needed homes to ease the Big Apple’s housing crisis — to the chagrin of many golfers.

Lander, in a campaign video released Thursday, said that if elected mayor he’ll push to build neighborhoods on four of the city’s 12 municipal golf courses.

“It would mean we could create 50,000 homes for New Yorkers to rent or buy,” he said. “And not just roofs over people’s heads, but real new neighborhoods with green parks and open space, small businesses and schools.

“Look, I’m no pro golfer, but this is a hole-in-one.”

The big swing on golf courses is part of Lander’s 30-page housing plan released last week.

The plan calls to declare a state of emergency on the city’s housing crisis and build 500,000 new homes over the next decade — a goal shared by Mayor Eric Adams, who has declared it his administration’s “moonshot.”

Lander’s golfing-to-housing pitch doesn’t specify which four courses he’d convert, but argue some of their 2,500 combined acres can be used for houses rather than putting greens.

His plan calls to conduct a feasibility study to select the best opportunities — a stance confirmed by his campaign spokeswoman Kat Capossella.

But pitching homes on the city’s already-scant golf courses still struck Luis Ardila, 60, as a “terrible idea.”

Ardila, who works as assistant manager at Flushing Meadows Pitch & Putt Golf Course, said at least 200 people golf on the grounds during the weekends, with many more on holidays. He also noted it’s a public open space with trees and other wildlife.

“I say think of somewhere else to build these houses,” he said.

“Are you going to take away that enjoyment from people who love the game? Let it stay. Do not touch it.”

Tommy Hirrel visits the course twice a week from Brooklyn to play with friends. He said he understands the need for housing, but doesn’t want Lander to touch “the only place we got” for golfing.

“He’ll never become mayor if he does that. That’s for sure!” he said.

The idea also got panned by Jeff Brooks, a retired social worker who both works and golfs at the Flushing course.

“I don’t know much about Brad Lander, he doesn’t come across my mind,” he said. “But I don’t think it’s a good idea to propose housing in an area that’s already being utilized for the good of the community in a healthy positive way.

“In the summer, it’s so crowded people wait in line hours to get their shot in because of their love for the game. It outweighs any desire for a politician to score points for promises he may not deliver.”

Lander’s plan contends that city officials should rethink the use of public golf courses, given the sport’s supposed waning popularity — an assertion backed up by statistics from 2018.

But golf actually saw a boom amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with total player participation hitting 47 million last year — a 38% increase over 2019, according to the National Golf Foundation.

Parks officials didn’t immediately respond to a request for information how many players use the city’s municipal courses.

The courses, beyond providing golfing opportunities to New Yorkers, also have a long history.

Van Cortlandt Park Golf Course is the first public course in the nation — and attracted famous golfers ranging from Babe Ruth to the Three Stooges.

Staten Island’s LaTourette Golf Course boasts a mansion turned into a club house that’s on the National Register of Historic Places.

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Stephen Collopy

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