Main: The serpentine fairway of
the par-five second hole brings
golfers down to the flattest part
of the property.
Inset: Ken Bakst after his 1997
U.S. Mid-Amateur win.
ebbs and flows around a number
of different environments that
then all fit together.”
To accomplish this, the course
uses its four par fives — holes
two, seven, 11, and 14 — to move
golfers back and forth between
the two terrains. After starting out
in the dunes, golfers are taken
downhill to the former potato
farm, enjoying expansive views
and traditional landscapes evocative of heathland courses in Scotland and England.
The long, snaking seventh hole
treks uphill and returns players to
the dunes for four more holes,
including the roughly 400-yard, par-four
ninth hole, where the green complex took
nearly a year to finish and incorporates a five-foot high knob into the putting surface.
On the back nine, the 14th hole, the final
and shortest par five on the course, heads for
the dunes one last time and adds an extra little
treat for golfers after they’ve holed out — a
dramatic wooden staircase that clings to the
side of the dune as it leads players up to the
breathtaking views of the Sound from the 15th
tee. The final three holes parallel the coast,
with the home hole offering views of both the
coastline to the left and the club’s majestic
stone clubhouse just beyond the green.
“I think the course is a wonderful test for
everybody, no matter what type of player they
are,” says Jim Kidd, head pro at Friar’s Head.
“The different types of terrain from hole to
hole will definitely challenge a good player,
and depending on the wind and pin place-
