Montauk Downs State Park
Encyclopedia
Montauk Downs State Park is a state park
in Montauk, New York
, USA. The park is located in Suffolk County
near the eastern tip of Long Island
's South Fork
, about 1 miles (1.6 km) east of the village of Montauk. Montauk Downs State Park includes a 18-hole championship golf course, driving range, tennis courts, swimming pool, and restaurant facilities.
in 1927, with Captain H.C. Tippett as its architect. Two years earlier, Fisher had purchased 10000 acres (40.5 km²) in Montauk in hopes of turning it into the "Miami of the North." Other Fisher projects included the Montauk Manor
, Montauk Yacht Club, and a six-story office building in downtown Montauk. Fisher lost his fortune in the 1929 Stock Market Crash.
The golf course, along with the Montauk Manor, was taken over by a group of private investors in 1966 and became known as the Montauk Golf and Racquet Club. Robert Trent Jones
redesigned the golf course two years later and a new clubhouse was also constructed, replacing the original clubhouse designed by Stanford White
, which had been destroyed by a fire. The private club eventually fell into bankruptcy and was purchased by New York State in 1978.
The large area of land within the golf course south of the fifth and sixth holes was originally planned to be developed with a series of condominium complexes similar in design to the Villas of Montauk Downs on Fairway Place, a 24-unit complex that opened in 1980. Another 24-unit condominium complex named Harbor Ridge opened at the end of Fairway Place in 1988, while the remainder of the land has remained undeveloped. A small population of Sandplain Gerardia
is found near this area, a wildflower on the federal endangered species list, which prompted a land swap in the siting of the Harbor Ridge development.
Montauk Downs has been consistently rated as one of America's top public golf courses. In 2009, it was ranked second overall in the Golf World
list of Reader's Choice Awards for overall value, behind the Bethpage Black Course
, and ranked 38th overall in Golfweeks list of the Best Municipal Courses. Before the advent of the current telephone reservation system, it was not uncommon for golfers to sleep in their cars overnight to get morning tee times at Montauk Downs, particularly on weekends during the summer. Although the idea of creating a second golf course in Montauk at Camp Hero State Park
was once under consideration, it was dropped in 1999 due to environmental concerns.
Rees Jones
, the son of Robert Trent Jones, began helping to redesign some of the holes at Montauk Downs in 2002. Renovations have included moving back tee boxes to lengthen holes and bring hazards back into play (accounting for recent advances in equipment that allow balls to be hit further distances), reconstructing the bunkers and installing a new irrigation system. These improvements are being made gradually to avoid interrupting play. Every year Montauk Downs holds a gala event at the end of the summer to help raise money for the golf course renovations.
and Block Island Sound
located nearby, the golf course is one of the windiest locations in the country and weather conditions can make the course play differently each day. Most of the holes have small greens that require precision approach shots over bunkers and there are five water hazards on the course. The 12th hole at Montauk Downs is considered one of Long Island's toughest holes. The 228 yard par 3 has an elevated tee and green, requiring players to carry a deep valley of fescue grass. The green is guarded by three sand traps, including two deep bunkers in the front.
and the Assistant Superintendent of the Black Course. The current head golf professional at Montauk Downs is Kevin Smith, a position he has held for over twenty years.
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
in Montauk, New York
Montauk, New York
Montauk [ˈmɒntɒk] is a census-designated place that roughly corresponds to the hamlet with the same name located in the town of East Hampton in Suffolk County, New York, United States on the South Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 3,851 as of 2000...
, USA. The park is located in Suffolk County
Suffolk County, New York
Suffolk County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York on the eastern portion of Long Island. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,493,350. It was named for the county of Suffolk in England, from which its earliest settlers came...
near the eastern tip of Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
's South Fork
South Fork, Suffolk County, New York
The South Fork of Suffolk County, New York, United States is a peninsula in the southeast part of the county on the South Shore of Long Island. The South Fork includes most of the Hamptons. The shorter, more northerly peninsula is known as the North Fork....
, about 1 miles (1.6 km) east of the village of Montauk. Montauk Downs State Park includes a 18-hole championship golf course, driving range, tennis courts, swimming pool, and restaurant facilities.
History
The golf course traces its history back to a private course originally developed by Carl G. FisherCarl G. Fisher
Carl Graham Fisher was an American entrepreneur. Despite having severe astigmatism, he became a seemingly tireless pioneer and promoter of the automotive, auto racing, and real estate development industries...
in 1927, with Captain H.C. Tippett as its architect. Two years earlier, Fisher had purchased 10000 acres (40.5 km²) in Montauk in hopes of turning it into the "Miami of the North." Other Fisher projects included the Montauk Manor
Montauk Manor
Montauk Manor is a historic resort hotel located at Montauk in Suffolk County, New York. It was built in 1926 by Carl G. Fisher and is a three story, 200 room hotel in the Tudor Revival style...
, Montauk Yacht Club, and a six-story office building in downtown Montauk. Fisher lost his fortune in the 1929 Stock Market Crash.
The golf course, along with the Montauk Manor, was taken over by a group of private investors in 1966 and became known as the Montauk Golf and Racquet Club. Robert Trent Jones
Robert Trent Jones
Robert Trent Jones, Sr. was a golf course architect who designed about 500 golf courses in at least 40 US states and 35 other countries all around the world...
redesigned the golf course two years later and a new clubhouse was also constructed, replacing the original clubhouse designed by Stanford White
Stanford White
Stanford White was an American architect and partner in the architectural firm of McKim, Mead & White, the frontrunner among Beaux-Arts firms. He designed a long series of houses for the rich and the very rich, and various public, institutional, and religious buildings, some of which can be found...
, which had been destroyed by a fire. The private club eventually fell into bankruptcy and was purchased by New York State in 1978.
The large area of land within the golf course south of the fifth and sixth holes was originally planned to be developed with a series of condominium complexes similar in design to the Villas of Montauk Downs on Fairway Place, a 24-unit complex that opened in 1980. Another 24-unit condominium complex named Harbor Ridge opened at the end of Fairway Place in 1988, while the remainder of the land has remained undeveloped. A small population of Sandplain Gerardia
Gerardia
Gerardia L. is a genus of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae. It was once used as the generic name for the genus Agalinis, but based on the rules of the ICBN it is an illegitimate later homonym of Gerardia L...
is found near this area, a wildflower on the federal endangered species list, which prompted a land swap in the siting of the Harbor Ridge development.
Montauk Downs has been consistently rated as one of America's top public golf courses. In 2009, it was ranked second overall in the Golf World
Golf World
Golf World is a weekly magazine covering the game of golf published by Condé Nast Publications. It celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2007, and is therefore the oldest golf publication in the United States...
list of Reader's Choice Awards for overall value, behind the Bethpage Black Course
Bethpage Black Course
The Bethpage Black Course is the most difficult of the five golf courses at Bethpage State Park on Long Island. In 2002 the Black Course became the first publicly owned and operated course to host the U.S. Open. It also hosted the 2009 U.S. Open...
, and ranked 38th overall in Golfweeks list of the Best Municipal Courses. Before the advent of the current telephone reservation system, it was not uncommon for golfers to sleep in their cars overnight to get morning tee times at Montauk Downs, particularly on weekends during the summer. Although the idea of creating a second golf course in Montauk at Camp Hero State Park
Camp Hero State Park
Camp Hero State Park is a park located on Montauk Point, New York that offers a beach, fishing, hiking, a bridle path, biking, and cross-country skiing. It is the former site of Montauk Air Force Station.-Post-military use:...
was once under consideration, it was dropped in 1999 due to environmental concerns.
Rees Jones
Rees Jones
Rees Jones is an American golf course architect.He was born in Montclair, New Jersey the son of legendary golf course designer Robert Trent Jones and the younger brother of golf course designer Robert Trent Jones, Jr...
, the son of Robert Trent Jones, began helping to redesign some of the holes at Montauk Downs in 2002. Renovations have included moving back tee boxes to lengthen holes and bring hazards back into play (accounting for recent advances in equipment that allow balls to be hit further distances), reconstructing the bunkers and installing a new irrigation system. These improvements are being made gradually to avoid interrupting play. Every year Montauk Downs holds a gala event at the end of the summer to help raise money for the golf course renovations.
Course Layout
With both the Atlantic OceanAtlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
and Block Island Sound
Block Island Sound
Block Island Sound is a strait in the open Atlantic Ocean, approximately wide, separating Block Island from the coast of Rhode Island in the United States...
located nearby, the golf course is one of the windiest locations in the country and weather conditions can make the course play differently each day. Most of the holes have small greens that require precision approach shots over bunkers and there are five water hazards on the course. The 12th hole at Montauk Downs is considered one of Long Island's toughest holes. The 228 yard par 3 has an elevated tee and green, requiring players to carry a deep valley of fescue grass. The green is guarded by three sand traps, including two deep bunkers in the front.
Staff
The General Manager of Montauk Downs and the other state parks in Montauk is Tom Dess. Charlie Reidlinger serves as the Superintendent of the golf course. Before coming to Montauk Downs, he was the Superintendent of the Red Course at Bethpage State ParkBethpage State Park
Bethpage State Park is a New York state park on the border of Nassau County and Suffolk County on Long Island. The park contains tennis courts, picnic and recreational areas and a polo field, but is best known for its five golf courses, including the Bethpage Black Course, which hosted the 2002...
and the Assistant Superintendent of the Black Course. The current head golf professional at Montauk Downs is Kevin Smith, a position he has held for over twenty years.