The Best Clubs and Courses to Play Out East – Tim Davis
Baiting Hollow Club is a mature, Robert Trent Jones park course carved out of the bluffs overlooking the Long Island Sound in Baiting Hollow, with a spectacular clubhouse and catering facilities. Long Island National Golf Club is a 6901-yard, par-71 links-type course in Riverhead, just at the gateway to the North Fork. Hampton Hills Golf and Country Club is a park course nestled in the pine barrens of Westhampton Beach, just off County Road 31. All three clubs are non-equity, and memberships are immediately available.
Public Golf Courses in the Hamptons
The East End also has some great public courses. Ranked in the top 50 of public courses by Golf Digest, Montauk Downs is a longtime favorite. Getting a tee time there may require perseverance, as may your round; weekends tend to be very crowded. But the price is right: a weekend tee time costs $41 for New York state residents and $82 for non residents; you can book online.
Other municipal golf courses in the area are Indian Island Golf Club (located in Riverhead and operated by Suffolk County) and the nine-hole Sag Harbor State Golf Course.
Public Golf Courses on the East End
Other nearby public course options include Cherry Creek Golf Links or The Woods at Cherry Creek — companion courses located across the street from one another in Riverhead. The Links boasts a 644-yard par-6 18th hole for a challenging finish. Tee times can be made online for both courses; discounts are available after 1 p.m.
Rock Hill Golf & Country Club in Manorville is another reasonable option for the golfer looking to get in a great round. Weekend rates are $83 with cart; $53 after 3 p.m.
For the beginning golfer or casual duffer not looking to be overly taxed by a regulation PGA course, there’s Poxabogue Golf Center, a nine-hole, par-30 course and driving range facility in Bridgehampton. Online tee times are available for both nine-hole and 18-hole rounds.