Thanks Mike for bringing up Montauk Downs! I live (mostly, lately) in East Hampton, and it's been my local "home away from home" course for about 7 years. I've seen conditions steadily get better and better, and some of the best offseason greens I've putted on. In fact, I believe they slow way down in peak summer months due how quickly things grows out there, and an explosion in play! I try to avoid it July and August frankly, but finally they have an online tee time system with Covid induced time intervals, it's been very reasonable. Love the pairings out there, in the offseason Maidstone members come out to play with East Hampton/Montauk coaches, teachers, firemen, etc. Great mix.
The history fascinates me. Tied to Carl Fischer's vision of a Miami Beach of the NE, the original course was a HC Tippet design. From what I have seen, it seemed low lying with a smaller footprint. Fun stories about early aviators landing prop planes near the first tee. And the place had a Stanford White clubhouse. The resort, Montauk Manor, the course all went bankrupt due to the 1929 crash. I suppose it limped along until 1966, when it reopened as Montauk Golf and Tennis Club. That club had RTJ Sr design a brand new, private course. Again, that went bankrupt, and the State of NY bought it in 1978 and reopened as a public. Late 90's saw Rees Jones add bunker, and lengthen the course with a masterplan. It's fun to tee off 11th and 12th tee boxes and see the Montauk Manor in the distance, walk down the 4th fairway and see all the way out to Camp Hero, and although the perimeter is lined with housing from the 1980's, the routing takes you almost like mirror figure 8's in rolling hills.
The course is very challenging. Wind comes from a prevailing direction, but often it does reverse directions and it changes how you plays several holes.
Some observations:
-a majority of the greens are elevated, there are not many run up shots available.
-tons of bunkers fronting greens requiring aerial attacks, in addition to the elevated greens. Others have water to carry, 7, 13, 16.
-I believe the soil is mostly clay from ice age deposits, so despite it's being surrounded by ocean and bay, it is not a links.
-although not in the line of play, there is a ton of tree and brush overgrowth. Eliminating some of that would open up views and bring wind back in in a big way. It is wonderful, rolling, undulating terrain that would be incredible if you could see across the field of play and take in the topography more.
-Much like Bethpage, they seem to cut fairways a uniform width. The course is not narrow in the way Bethpage is; however, there are some spots like the landing area of 5, 7, 13, 16, and 17, the front of 9 green. Some rough between the fairway and bunkers. Those moments of; if the ball could roll a bit more, sure, it's in the fairway, but now it's even further out of position. In the case of 5, 7, and 13, if the ball rolled more, it would entice more to go for the greens in 2 to well protected bunkers. The rough along slopes that could be speed slots take that out of consideration. For wise mortals.
-Net effect, it's a challenge, a brute, but not always fun.
-The Par 3s are indeed great. Different lengths, different questions.
-The 1966 opening hole used to be today's #4. On a slow day, I've played the front with 4 as 1, and 1-3 being the original 7-9. Today's 3rd hole makes a fabulous 9th hole. Now that I know this, I can't un see this.
-To my amateur eye, I would love to have #4 once again be #1, and shorten it by 50 yards. The green is fronted by two giant bunkers, and runs front to back left. I swear it's designed more for a wedge or 9 iron second shot, vs today which for me could be a 6-4iron depending on the wind.
-Montauk used to be grasslands, so aesthetically if there were unlimited funds, tree and shrub removal and large swaths of native grasses to frame holes on the rolling terrain would be incredible. They have recaptured some of this looking back from the 12th green (best view on the course), the right of 13 fairway, left of 18 fairway. Simple, rustic, gorgeous.
Overall, I dream of what it could be. I look toward Pasatiempo, Lawsonia Links, Southern Pines as models of outstanding public access facilities. Not the same pedigree of architecture, but with some love, it could be a golf destination, not golf while at a destination. Spruce up the clubhouse (which functions, but seems like Charlton Heston from Planet of the Apes will come out to be your Starter), add a lobster roll shack, add some cabins (there is a bunch of land out there), shorten #1 and expand practice putting green, let's just redo the course since we are dreaming, or renovate it, it could be where golf is heading. I love the place, so say all of this out of love.
Some more positives, I don't have a ton of RTJ course experience, but when played from the right tees, Montauk Downs makes a ton of sense. There are speed slots on sloping fairways, and as mentioned on the par 5s, a solid drive sets you up for a risk reward question on each one. I just think it can all be pushed a little more in the direction the design intended, and be a fun challenge. That said, the greens roll great, and they've been improving year after year.
Come out and see us this year!!!! (Just do it before June or after Labor Day!)