Can You Play Fishers Island on GSPro? Here's How

Fishers Island is the best golf course most people have never heard of. Seth Raynor’s 1926 design sits on a slim island off the Connecticut coast, accessible only by ferry, and the membership is so small and private that it barely registers in the public golf conversation. On GSPro, it is a hidden gem waiting for discovery.

The course consistently ranks in the top 15 in every major golf publication’s Top 100 list. It is that good. And on GSPro, it is available as a community LIDAR build that captures the essential character of one of America’s most underrated courses.

Finding Fishers Island on GSPro

Search the GSPro course database for “Fishers Island” and you will find at least one LIDAR version. The builder focused on the course’s unusual routing and the coastal terrain that makes it so distinctive.

The course identifier is straightforward. There is only one Fishers Island on GSPro.

The LIDAR Quality for a Coastal Course

Fishers Island is a coastal links-style course built on sandy soil with significant elevation changes. The terrain features natural dunes, ocean views from nearly every hole, and firm, fast playing conditions. The LIDAR data for this area is strong because the terrain is open and unobstructed by heavy tree cover.

The course’s most famous hole, the par-3 7th, plays downhill to a green framed by a pond and Long Island Sound beyond. The LIDAR captures the elevation drop and the green’s position relative to the water. The wind exposure on this hole is significant in real life, and GSPro’s wind settings can approximate it.

The long par-4 11th, which plays alongside the ocean with a green tucked into a dune, is another hole that renders well. The LIDAR captures the fairway’s tilt toward the water and the raised green site that requires a precise approach.

What Makes Fishers Island Special on Sim

Fishers Island is not a bomber’s course. It is a strategic course where position matters more than power. The fairways are generous in the landing areas but tighten as you get closer to the greens. The green complexes are pure Raynor – template holes that test every aspect of your game.

The Redan hole (the 9th) is a par-3 that plays to a green angled from front-right to back-left, exactly as Raynor intended. The LIDAR build captures the slope, and you need to land your tee shot on the correct side of the green to hold it. That is the same challenge as the real course.

The Biarritz hole (the 3rd) features the signature Raynor swale through the middle of the green. The LIDAR captures this contour, and it changes how you approach the hole. Land on the wrong side of the swale and you are looking at a 40-foot putt across a ridge.

The Punchbowl hole (the 16th) has a green that collects shots from the left and rejects shots from the right. The LIDAR captures the bowl shape, and the hole plays exactly as Raynor designed it.

The Terrain Translation

Fishers Island’s terrain is sandy, coastal, and firm. The LIDAR data captures the dunes and the elevation changes, including the significant drop from the clubhouse down to the first fairway and the climb back up at the turn.

The bunkering is classic Raynor, meaning it is geometric and bold. The LIDAR build places the bunkers accurately, and they serve the same strategic purpose they do in real life – defining the angles and punishing the lazy shot.

What You Miss

The real Fishers Island is a sensory experience. The ferry ride, the walk from the clubhouse to the first tee with the ocean on one side, the firm turf that lets you run the ball onto every green – none of that translates. The GSPro version is a shot-making test, and it is a good one, but it is not the same as being there.

The course also plays shorter than the card suggests because of the firm turf and the downhill holes. On GSPro, you need to adjust your distances based on the elevation data rather than relying on turf roll.

Verdict

Fishers Island on GSPro is a hidden gem for sim golfers who appreciate great architecture. It does not have the name recognition of Augusta or Pebble Beach, but the course quality is on the same level. The LIDAR build is solid, the template holes translate well to sim golf, and the variety of shots required to score well makes it one of the most replayable LIDAR courses on the platform.

Download it, study the Raynor template holes, and see why a tiny island course off the Connecticut coast consistently ranks among the best in the world. It is worth the search.

For a full overview of the best courses GSPro has to offer, check out the best courses on GSPro guide.