Good luck trying to get a Hamptons hotel or rental in June — usually the easiest month of the summer season to book. Golfers and fans are an obsessed bunch, willing to pay big bucks to attend the US Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, June 18 to 21. That course is certainly beautiful, but it’s just one of the famed clubs that attracts duffers to the area. Access to private clubs in the Hamptons can be prohibitive to say the least — even if you can pass the social demands: Initiation fees are said to range from $175,000 to $1.8 million (before tax), not to mention annual dues (running from approximately $25,000 to $65,000). (The clubs, citing privacy concerns, declined to confirm exact pricing.) But there are also several worthy public greens, where, depending on the time and day, fees can start at only $40 and run to just over $100 for a round. Here’s a peek at the top havens for linksmen on the East End.
Shinnecock Hills Golf Club
This Southampton club, founded in 1891, has hosted the US Open five times (last in 2018) and is the site of the event again this year. It’s links-style, situated between the Peconic Bay and the Atlantic and one of the five founding members of the United States Golf Association. Former President Bill Clinton has played here, with a roster that’s said to include Jimmy Dunne and Michael Bloomberg. ShinnecockHillsGolfClub.org
Sebonack Golf Club
This Southampton club was designed by two legends with different perspectives: Jack Nicklaus, known for strategic courses, and Tom Doak, a course architect with a more rugged approach. It neighbors Shinnecock, sits on the Great Peconic Bay with sweeping views and was the site of the 2013 US Women’s Open. Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson have played here, and Stephen Ross is said to be a member. Sebonack.com
National Golf Links of America
Also in Southampton, this club on Peconic Bay rounds out the area’s reputation as one of golf’s greatest. This British-inspired course (its seventh hole is in fact a replica of the “Road Hole” at the iconic Old Course at St Andrews in Scotland) usually makes the list of top 10 courses in the world. The club hosted the first and 44th Walker Cups, as well as notable players Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Warren Buffett. NGLA.us
Atlantic Golf Club
A relative newcomer — it was designed by Rees Jones and opened in 1992 — this spectacular links course in Bridgehampton offers rolling hills and no water traps. It was founded and built by Lowell Schulman, a Westchester developer and avid golfer, who bought a 205-acre potato farm and, with the help of friends, created his own club. The Atlantic anchors “The Gust,” an invitational charity fourball supporting local charities and draws major figures from Bill Clinton and John Tisch to Stephen Schwarzman. The dining room has a reputation for delicious steaks and seafood, but it’s also known for great peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. AtlanticGolf.org
The Bridge
Unlike most older, wood-paneled retreats, this course — with its modern glass clubhouse — allows jeans on the greens. But while the dress code may be relaxed, its initiation costs are seriously steep. Situated on the old Bridgehampton Race Circuit, the course occupies a rare elevated perch with awe-inspiring vistas. Founder and owner Robert Rubin is a former commodities trader and art collector who runs a nonprofit in Harlem that combines golf with tutoring. He’s helped attract a long list of luminaries to the Bridge, including Jay-Z and Beyoncé, Larry Gagosian, Stephen N. M. Ross, Smokey Robinson, Peter Morton, Howard Lutnick, Lyor Cohen and Richard Prince. BridgeGolfFoundation.org
Friar’s Head
Members and guests are encouraged to walk the course rather than zipping around in carts at this understated club in Riverhead. It boasts a magnificent stone clubhouse and cliff views overlooking the Long Island Sound. The famous faces who’ve been seen chipping and putting include Samuel L. Jackson and Phil Mickelson, along with NBA icons Charles Barkley, Julius Erving and Bill Russell. FriarsHead.org
Maidstone Club
Lots of legacy families — including the Whitneys — belong to this notoriously exclusive East Hampton country club that offers beach facilities as well as golf. Unlike many courses that rely on man-made features and hazards, Maidstone is set dramatically against the Atlantic Ocean, meandering through windswept dunes and seagrass. MaidstoneClub.org
Hampton Hills Golf & Country Club
With park-like surroundings and an elevation that provides stellar views, it’s no wonder this private club, hidden within a 2,000-acre pine and oak preserve in Westhampton, has attracted A-list players like Tommy Hilfiger, Rudy Giuliani, Kelsey Grammer, Michael Strahan and Bill Hemmer. It’s known for a less stuffy, welcoming attitude. HamptonHills.com
Cherry Creek Golf Links + The Woods at Cherry Creek
These sister public courses in Riverhead offer great golfing options for locals and visitors without costly and difficult-to-acquire memberships. Cherry Creek is a more open, scenic links course, while the Woods has narrower, tree-lined fairways. CherryCreekLinks.com; TheWoodsAtCherryCreek.com
Montauk Downs State Park Golf Course
Decades ago, a bankruptcy transformed the private Montauk Golf and Racquet Club into this golf course owned by New York State. It’s now considered one of the premier public courses in the state. The wind is more of a hazard than sand traps on these ruggedly scenic fairways, which have also drawn former President Bill Clinton, along with other high-profile visitors. Parks.NY.gov
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