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Farm Neck Golf Club

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Coordinates: 41°26′15″N 70°34′11″W / 41.43750°N 70.56972°W / 41.43750; -70.56972
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Farm Neck Golf Club
Club information
Location1 Farm Neck Way
Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts, U.S.
Established1979; 45 years ago (1979)
TypeSemi-Private
Total holes18
Websitewww.farmneck.net
Farm Neck Golf Club
Designed byGeoffrey Cornish
Par72
Length6,815 yards
Course rating72.8

Farm Neck Golf Club is a semi-private golf club located in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts, United States. In the 1970s, a real estate company named Strock Enterprises intended to create a golf course and housing developments on a peninsula within the town but locals felt they were not maintaining a conservationist ethic. The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts ruled against Strock which soon thereafter went bankrupt. Farm Neck Associates then bought the territory and created a golf course with the intent to preserve the environment. The 18-hole course has earned plaudits from notable publications and hosted President Clinton and President Obama while on vacation.

History

[edit]

In the 1970s, a real estate company named Strock Enterprises began development plans to create a golf course and several hundred housing lots.[1] The plans were approved by the Oak Bluffs Planning Board in 1974.[1] However, there was resistance from locals, especially lawyers Charles Harff and Bob Fullem, who thought the developers did not intend to preserve the natural environment.[1] According to Mr. Harff and Mr. Fullem, the goal was "to save a pristine corner of Martha's Vineyard from over-development."[2] The Martha's Vineyard Commission (MVC) reacted and "froze the plans."[1] The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts upheld MVC's decision.[1] Strock Enterprises then soon went bankrupt.[1]

In 1978, a group of investors known as Farm Neck Associates purchased the territory with the intent to marry development with a conservationist ethic.[1] The following year, construction of the course began.[1] Farm Neck was designed by "prominent New England golf course architect" Geoffrey S. Cornish.[3][4] On July 3, 1980, the course opened.[1] The course was created out of a territory that used to be a farm and is located on a peninsula, or "neck," which is how the club got its name.[2] Shortly after the course was completed, 85 acres were donated to Felix Neck sanctuary.[2] The club has also collaborated with the National Audubon Society over the course of its history.[1]

President Barack Obama playing golf at Farm Neck Golf Club, August 24, 2009. Official White House photo.

The course has received much media attention for hosting presidents of the United States on their summer vacation. In the 1990s, President Bill Clinton played the course several times over the course of the decade.[5][6][7][8] During his presidency, while on vacation on the Vineyard, President Barack Obama played the course.[9][10][11]

The popularity of Farm Neck has exploded since President Clinton's first visit. Due to this surge in popularity, however, it is now very difficult for a non-member to earn a tee time.[12] By the early 21st century, Farm Neck offered "restricted public play."[13] It is also very difficult to earn membership. During this era, there were over 850 people on a waiting list.[1] According to Lisa Reagan, the co-owner, "Right now, the only way to get a Farm Neck membership is to put your name on a list."[3]

According to Boston Magazine, the course was the top public course in the state of Massachusetts in 2003.[4] Farm Neck has also earned good reviews from Golf Digest. The magazine has regularly awarded the course 4.5 out of 5 stars and has labeled it one of the top "Places to Play" in the northeastern United States.[2]

Scorecard

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Farm Neck Golf Club[14]
Tee Rating/Slope 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Out 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 In Total
Par 4 5 4 3 4 3 4 5 3 35 4 5 4 4 4 3 4 4 5 37 72
SI (Men) 2 8 18 16 14 12 6 4 10 5 11 1 15 17 13 9 3 7
Gold M: 72.8/135
W:78.6/140 		409 528 362 173 351 207 391 512 200 3,133 426 557 404 365 348 188 424 418 552 3,682 6,815
Blue M: 70.5/133
W:75.4/137 		378 490 340 157 325 189 371 486 175 2,911 376 519 379 343 331 163 388 368 523 3,390 6,301
White M: 69.3/129
W:74.6/132 		362 470 324 139 296 150 342 453 155 2,691 344 498 355 320 306 138 362 357 488 3,168 5,859
Green M: 65.7/125
W:70.7/127 		357 427 319 134 291 125 312 363 150 2,498 296 431 310 315 301 133 288 295 435 2,804 5,282
Red W:

68.4/121
M:64.3/118

320 422 296 116 245 120 307 358 125 2,309 291 426 305 246 265 137 283 290 411 2,654 4,963
SI (Women) 4 2 8 14 10 12 6 18 16 9 7 3 17 15 11 13 5 1

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Farm Neck Golf Club Turns 25; Players, Birds and Pond Views Doing Nicely, Thank You". The Vineyard Gazette - Martha's Vineyard News. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d "Farm Neck Golf Club: About Us". www.farmneck.net. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Vigeland, Carl (May 2003). "Swingers' Clubs". Boston Magazine. Archived from the original on August 17, 2011. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
  4. ^ Benac, Nancy (August 22, 1993). "Clinton's R & R: Rest and rallying". The South Bend Tribune. p. 4. Retrieved January 15, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ O'Brien, Ellen (August 28, 1994). "It's tee time for president on Martha's Vineyard". The Boston Globe. p. 16. Retrieved January 15, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ O'Brien, Ellen (August 19, 1997). "All's fore as Clinton shoots his birthday best". The Boston Globe. pp. B1, B7. Retrieved January 15, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Ross, Sonya (August 24, 1999). "Clinton golfing on Vineyard". Brattleboro Reformer. p. 2. Retrieved January 15, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Saltonsall, David (August 25, 2009). Written at Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts. "Obama gets in the swing of things". Daily News. New York. Retrieved January 15, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "President Obama's Martha's Vineyard Vacation Tees Off". The Vineyard Gazette - Martha's Vineyard News. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  10. ^ "Prospect of Obama membership stirs passions at largely Jewish golf club". The Times of Israel. January 14, 2017.
  11. ^ Gormon, Tom (May 3, 2010). "Cape Cod & The Islands: The Golf Coast". New England Golf Monthly. Archived from the original on March 30, 2012. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
  12. ^ Harden, Blaine (October 18, 2002). "More Greens? A Red Light From Martha's Vineyard". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  13. ^ "Farm Neck Golf Club: Scorecard" (PDF). www.farmneck.net. Retrieved December 14, 2023.

41°26′15″N 70°34′11″W / 41.43750°N 70.56972°W / 41.43750; -70.56972

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