This month, we’ll be spending some time exploring the history of two more prominent Hamptons golf courses, Maidstone Club and Noyac Golf Club. Maidstone Club is located in East Hampton and consists of an 18-hole and 9-hole course and a private beach club, pool, tennis court, and clubhouse. Noyac Golf Club is located in Sag Harbor on 144 acres of land that borders Noyac Bay. They are prestigious in their own right and offer a rich history. Let’s dive into why their greens are a can’t-miss.
Maidstone Club is named after East Hampton’s original town name, “Maidstone,” which refers to the historically important town of Maidstone, England. ‘Settled’ by Puritans who arrived in 1648, the land that we now call East Hampton was already inhabited for thousands of years by nomadic Native American tribes. At the time that the Puritans arrived, the Montaukett Tribe, who were Pequot or a part of the Algonquin-speaking people, controlled all of the land that we now consider to be East Hampton to Montauk. The history between the Montaukett Tribe and the Puritan Settlers is long and tumultuous, but nonetheless, the club attributes its name to the land’s Puritan history. In 1894, Maidstone Club was officially founded as just a 7-hole course, being redesigned in 1899 to be a full 18-hole course. Since its beginning, Maidstone Club has served as a summer playground for the wealthiest families and those with great celebrity, being called by many the most prestigious and exclusive of all the courses that the Hamptons encompass. The original 7-hole course (and the re-designed 18-hole course in 1899) was designed by English golfer and course designer Willie Dunn, Jr. But, it was re-designed again in 1921 by none other than Seth Raynor, who we talked about in last month’s article on Southampton Golf Club.
Noyac Golf Club is a much younger course, having been founded in 1963. Famed golf course architect William Mitchell was behind the original course’s design. However, around 2007, architect Ross Forbes was hired to head an expansive course redesign. Despite its redesign by Forbes, the course still boasts incredibly tight play with challenging fairways and greens, which were characteristic of Mitchell’s original course layout from 1963. After Forbes’ renovations were completed, Noyac Golf Club quickly became known and continues to be known as the best-kept hidden gem in the Hamptons.
Because it’s known as a private and highly exclusive course, Maidstone Club does not list its entry fees or requirements publicly, but it’s estimated to be anywhere from $500,000 to 1 million dollars. Noyac Golf Club advertises as more of a family club with initiation or entry fees coming in somewhere around $100,000 to $150,000, far less than its counterpart but still a hefty price to pay to be a part of this hidden gem. Maidstone Club will celebrate its 130th year of play next year, with age alone being a good cause for celebration. The history is no doubt in the greens of these two magnificent courses.
