Template Holes, Classic Feels
The course features textbook examples of Raynor’s favorites—Redan, Short, and Bottle. Each hole pays homage to golf’s roots while challenging players to adapt bold strategies to shifting wind and angles.
Golf Course Review & Scouting Report
Westhampton Country Club
Westhampton Beach, New York
Forgotten ClassicHistoric architecture that deserves another look.
Established
1915
Architect
Seth Raynor (original), Gil Hanse (restoration, 2009)
Access
Private
Par
Par 70
Length
4,927 – 6,555 yds
The verdict
Under-the-radar Hamptons architectural gem
Westhampton Country Club is a Seth Raynor masterclass with template holes that shine in a quiet, timeless setting. A regionally elite experience, it’s a connoisseur’s stop for lovers of Golden Age architecture and thoughtful restoration.
Course DNA
Difficulty
73
Scenery70
Conditioning86
Shot Variety82
Walkability82
Green Complexity89
Wow Factor77
Design Quality91
At a glance
Quick facts
Classic Redan par 3
Signature 7th challenges with slope and feed
Notable restoration
2009 Gil Hanse-led restoration to Raynor style
Template hole showcase
Redan, Short, Bottle, Biarritz present
Founded in
1890 (club), current course from ~1915
Rich Hamptons history
Had four layouts, three names, two locations
Course character
Ground game, bold contouring, strategic bunkers
Highly ranked regionally
Top 25 NY in Golf Digest since 2021
The design
The architecture
Westhampton Country Club is a pure distillation of Seth Raynor’s signature concepts—a living showcase of Golden Age template holes set against the understated charm of Long Island’s east end. The routing uses subtle land movement, a masterclass in strategic green sites, and expressive mounding to challenge both the ground and aerial game. Hanse’s meticulous 2009 restoration returned both the flavor and playability of Raynor’s original vision, with Biarritz, Redan, Short, and Bottle holes that invite bold thinking and smart misses. The result is a course whose personality is as memorable as its shot values, where the genius lies in the options revealed by deceptively simple ground.
Seth Raynor’s early solo vision, expertly revived by Gil Hanse’s restoration, preserves both template variety and architectural cohesion.
Defining features
- Redan, Short, Biarritz, and Bottle template holes
- Expressive Raynor mounding and strategic bunkering
- Restored historic greensites with complex contour
- Subtle use of flat land to create optical deception
- Wind-exposed approach shots with shifting demands
Hole by hole
Signature holes
Hole 7
Redan
PAR
3
YARDAGE
208
A classic Redan par 3 with a right-to-left sloping green. Precision is essential—feed it off the high side or brave the carry to the pin, knowing the wrong miss leaves a fierce up-and-down.
Play it smart
Use the contours to funnel your tee shot; a shot to the front left is the safest play.
Where it bites
Missing right or long brings punishing recoveries and difficult chips from below or beyond the green.
Course management
Shots to think about
Approaching the Redan 7th
Favor a shot that feeds off the slope—allow the ground to do the work.
Tackling the Bottle 9th
Pick your landing line with care—take what the width offers, not what tempts you.
Windswept par 3s
Club up and lower your trajectory—the wind is real on exposed holes.
Chasing a score on a Short hole
Accuracy trumps aggression—make your number with smart wedges.
Driving the drivable 13th
Assess risk: lay back for safety or attack for a wedge, but know the green’s defenses.
Pitching to Raynor greens
Missing on the correct side is life or death—play to safe spots.
Putting across bold contours
Accept bold breaks and focus on pace control—no flat putts here.
On the day
What to expect
Conditions
Immaculate, with crisp fairways and restored classic bunkering.
Vibe
Traditional, understated, with a reverence for architectural detail.
Before you tee off
Your game plan
01
Master Raynor Green Reads
Review classic template green maps—subtle contours demand more than meets the eye.
02
Sharpen Your Mid-Irons
Dial in trajectory and spin—Long Island breezes make the par 3s especially challenging.
03
Work on Ground Game
Practice bump-and-run and controlling distance on chip shots. Recovery creativity is often required.
The lore
How it came to be
- 1890
Founding of Westhampton Country Club
- 1915
Seth Raynor’s current course design debuts
- 2009
Gil Hanse leads major restoration to Raynor roots
- 2021
Ranked #24 in New York, maintains Top 25 status
Stories & legends
What makes it special
The Club That Moved
Throughout its lifetime, Westhampton has hosted four different courses, cycled through three names, and relocated twice, giving it one of the more storied and dynamic histories in the Hamptons.
Restoration To Glory
In 2009, Gil Hanse meticulously restored Westhampton’s Raynor DNA, reviving template holes, dramatic greens, and the crisp strategic bunkering that defines the club’s classic charm.
Hamptons’ Under-the-Radar Gem
Though it sits in one of the country’s richest golf corridors, Westhampton Country Club quietly avoids the limelight—delighting design devotees who know to seek it out for an unvarnished Golden Age round.
For the group chat
Fun facts
1
Has moved locations and changed names multiple times since the 1890s.
2
One of Seth Raynor’s earliest and purest solo designs.
3
Restored by Gil Hanse, one of the modern era’s top golf architects.
4
Flies under the radar even among Hamptons elite clubs.
5
Features classic Redan, Short, and Bottle holes rarely found together.
Build the trip
If you’re making a Hamptons golf pilgrimage
CourseAccessWhy it's on the listTrip
The Golf Club at Heatherwood
Public
Good-value local public course for warm-up or a last-minute addition.
Shinnecock Hills Golf Club
Private
Widely considered one of the world’s championship venues; historic, must-play if you get the call.
National Golf Links of America
Private
Raynor and Macdonald’s architectural masterwork—arguably the sourcebook for all template golf.
Indian Island Country Club
Public
Solid public-access option 20–30 minutes away when private doors are shut.
Maidstone Club
Private
Elite seaside experience, links-flavored, with legendary Hamptons status.
Westhampton Beach or Southampton for optimal access and amenities
Course DNA
If You Like Westhampton Country Club
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Strong DNA Match7.4
Danville Golf Club
Danville, VirginiaGreen Complexity
Why it matches: If Westhampton Country Club is your kind of course, Danville Golf Club is worth a look because it demands the same precision once you reach the putting surface.
Strong DNA Match9.0
The Camargo Club
Indian Hill, OhioWhy it matches: If Westhampton Country Club is your kind of course, The Camargo Club is worth a look because it a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character.
Strong DNA Match8.3
Black Sheep Golf Club
Sugar Grove, IllinoisWhy it matches: There is real overlap here. Black Sheep Golf Club a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character, making it a compelling counterpart to Westhampton Country Club.
Community Sentiment
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