Members purchase Olde Vine Golf Club in Riverhead

It’s their course now. And one of the first orders of business for the 50-plus members who just purchased the Olde Vine Golf Club property in Riverhead is to find new members. 

They don’t expect it will be too hard. 

With new plans for the course already in the works, the new owners believe the club — just re-branded as The Vineyards — believe theirs will fast become one of the region’s premier golf destinations, not only because of its family- and couples-friendly atmosphere and spacious amenities, but thanks to the course itself.

It’s a quick play, members say, fitting right in with many people’s busy lifestyles. And though it’s relatively short at 5,800 yards from the tips (compared to nearly 7,200 yards at a course up the street), the course’s sand, fescue and ever-changing winds make it a challenge for even experienced golfers.

“I’d be the last person to speak ill of a county course,” said former Suffolk County executive Bob Gaffney, a Vineyards club member, “but a round at Indian Island can last five hours. Here, it’s more like three and a half. And you can go out anytime and play.”

The members purchased the 75-acre property May 20 for $1.25 million from George Heinlein.

What’s most exciting to the club members, says member Randy Spellman, is that they now “control their own destiny.”

“We’re a newborn baby here,” he said. “We’re looking for members and it’s a great time. A huge benefit for new members is they’d be getting in on the ground floor. Costs will go down as memberships go up and I predict that in a short time this will be among the better courses in the area, dollar for dollar.”

Those costs now amount to a one-time $7,500 initiation fee — $4,000 until Aug. 31 under an ongoing promotion — for a full family or individual membership, as well as $613 monthly dues for an individual or $875 monthly for a family.

That makes The Vineyards affordable — as far as private golf clubs go. For a comparison, according to a 2006 Bloomberg News article, memberships at the exclusive Sebonack Golf Club in Southampton then started at $500,000 annually. Friar’s Head Golf Club — just up the street from The Vineyards, off Sound Avenue — was charging $250,000 just to get in the door at that time, according to a Links Magazine article.

But The Vineyards doesn’t want for amenities. Its 12,000-square-foot clubhouse, which has a bar and restaurant, meeting rooms, lockers and an outdoor patio, is supplemented by a separate fitness room, an inground pool and two tennis courses. Mr. Gaffney said about 75 percent of the people living in the neighborhood adjoining the course — as he and his wife do — belong to the club in some capacity. Others hail from elsewhere in Riverhead and beyond.

He said the course’s low annual maintenance costs are the key to keeping prices down.

“This was designed to be a golf club manageable in size, scope and expanse,” he said. “But it’s elegant.” 

Mr. Gaffney said a deal hammered out about a decade ago maintained that the club would eventually transition from the developer, Mr. Heinlein — who also developed the adjacent residential neighborhood, which is not affiliated with the club — to its members. But until that happened last month, existing members were reluctant to start recruiting others to join. The club even lost some members in the interim. The goal now is to reach about 120 members.

Another order of business for The Vineyards was to hire a new pro, and the club was able to recruit Louis De Kerillis, who had been working as an assistant pro at Sebonack.

He said he’s really enjoyed the members’ company so far.

“It’s a fun golf course; it will challenge you,” Mr. De Kerillis said. “But it won’t take up most of your day.”

Some of the younger members often meet before work to play for just a couple of hours, he said.

With the new ownership, come new investment opportunities as well.

“We’re in the process right now of putting in a short-game facility to work on pitching and chipping,” Mr. De Kerillis said. “It’s very unique; not many courses have a short game area. And then we’ll also be doing a wedge performance center, working from 90 yards and in, wedges only. That should be completed by the end of the season as well. Then a full warm-up range within the next two years. It’s really exciting what we’re doing here. We’re really packing in with this property, and showcasing it.”

“This could really be a boutique golf course for people who live in this area,” said Mr. Spellman. “Now that we’re member-owned we can do whatever we want. If we want to make the greens faster, we can do so. We might argue, but at least it’s our decision to make.”

As for the club’s new management structure, a board of directors votes on day-to-day operations and there are four specific committees: a greens committee, finance committee, golf/social committee and membership/marketing committee. The entire membership will vote on any capital improvements or projects.

Member Marla Greenspan said female members play a huge role at the club and don’t have to deal with any gender-based rules, as they might elsewhere. For example, she said, some clubs require women to tee off later than men.

“The people who are here are really committed to making this place not only succeed, but thrive,” she said.

ABOUT THE CLUB 

Unlike a club owned by an individual or company, The Vineyards Golf Club is funded and operated by its members. Members not only have rights to use the club’s facilities, but also take part in how the club is managed. Members pay a fee to join and then pay annual dues that can rise and fall depending on revenues and operating costs. For more information, contact Lynn Halverson, 631-740-9300 or memberservices@TheVineyardsGolfClub.com.