If you're looking for a venue that is as prepared to host a raucous bachelor party as it is a romantic weekend stay, then look no further than the MGM Grand at Foxwoods. Vegas-style fun is closer than you think if you live in the Northeast.

I haven't been around nearly as much as some of my esteemed colleagues at Golf Magazine and Sports Illustrated, but this weekend I found a course that I enjoyed as much as any I've ever played -- Richter Park in Danbury, Conn. As advertised on the course's official site, fall is especially kind to this layout. We saw trees in every imaginable autumn color. The course has challenging greens, a great natural layout, and amazing views of the West Lake Reservoir, which comes into play on several holes on the front nine.

The course also has one unique hazard I'd never encountered before -- quicksand! On several holes, signs warn against venturing into the woods for fear of ending up like Lord Beasley Waterford on Gilligan's Island.

For non-residents, the course is $95 on weekends and $85 on weekdays, but Danbury natives pay only $48 with cart, $32 to walk. That's got to be one of the best deals in town.

Have you been to Richter Park, or do you know of any other public gems in the New York City area? Let us know by leaving a comment below.