From Burgee to Biarritz: The Westhampton Country Club
In February 1890, nine prominent men—many of whom were prominent New York City attorneys, bankers, and local leaders—petitioned the State of New York to form "The West Hampton Country Club" on Beach Lane. Established as a summer sanctuary for families escaping the city, the club's early identity was rooted in maritime culture, lawn tennis, and baseball. Charles E. Pellew, an original trustee and direct descendant of Admiral Sir Edward Pellew, served as the club's first commodore. Under his leadership, the club adopted its iconic black and red burgee, uniting with regional yacht clubs along Moniebogue Bay and Moriches Bay to organize competitive, heavily wagered sailboat races.
As interest in golf grew nationwide during the Gilded Age, the club shifted its primary focus from nautical pursuits to the greens. After operating earlier, modest golf courses (including the Quiogue Course managed by J.G. Jones from 1896 to 1901, and the Beach Lane Course in 1903), the club commissioned legendary architect Seth Raynor in 1915 to design a seaside links course on Potunk Lane. Raynor, fresh off his mentorship with Charles Blair Macdonald, crafted one of his earliest independent masterworks. Featuring classic template holes such as the "Redan" (7th), "Bottle" (9th), "Short" (11th), and "Biarritz" (17th), the layout solidified Westhampton's place among Long Island's finest golfing estates.
The 1930s brought unprecedented adversity to the club. The aftermath of the 1929 stock market crash and subsequent banking panics severely eroded membership, leaving the club burdened with heavy mortgage debt and unpaid lease terms on its Oneck property. By 1933, the local bank obtained a foreclosure judgment, resulting in the sheriff seizing club equipment and machinery. Though members rallied to keep operations afloat through theatrical galas, member loans, and community fundraising, a catastrophic climax arrived on September 21, 1938, when the Great New England Hurricane wiped out the course, destroyed the yacht club building entirely, and turned the clubhouse into a makeshift morgue.
In the wake of total physical and financial collapse, the club was forced to reorganize. In June 1939, the sailing contingent officially severed ties to form the standalone Westhampton Yacht Squadron Ltd., preserving the original black and red burgee. To buy back the property from the Atwater Estate, Judge Harold R. Medina Jr. spearheaded a bond drive in 1950, humorously leading members in song to "Let's Buy a Bond". Operating temporarily as the Westhampton Beach Golf Club Inc., members pitched in with tools and paintbrushes to restore the neglected facilities before reclaiming the historic name "Westhampton Country Club" in October 1952.
Throughout the latter half of the 20th century, Westhampton Country Club flourished as a vibrant, family-centric retreat. Head golf professionals became central pillars of the community, most notably Tony Kaczenski—who led the golf program for 31 years starting in 1949—and Bobby Jenkins, who assumed the position in 1980 and served for decades. The club expanded its junior sports, tennis, and social calendars with annual traditions like the "Westhampton Whims" theatrical shows and weekly youth dances.
Entering the 21st century, the club undertook major physical transformations while maintaining its commitment to tradition. Following structural evaluations in December 2000, the membership voted to construct a brand-new clubhouse, designed by Hart Howerton. In 2009, renowned architect Gil Hanse was brought in to conduct a comprehensive restoration of Seth Raynor's 1915 golf course layout, preserving its classic Golden Age heritage for future generations.