Representative image Photo: ristok from Helsinki, Finland · CC BY-SA 2.0
Friar's Head
Riverhead, New York, United States
18 Holes · Par 71 · Private club — no published green fee; play is by member invitation · Coastal
— About
About Friar's Head
.jpg){kind=link}
Friar's Head is a private 18-hole course at 3000 Sound Avenue in Riverhead, New York, on eastern Long Island. Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw designed it, and it opened in 2003 as a par 71. The property covers about 350 acres and has two distinct halves: tree-fringed dunes above bluffs that rise as much as 200 feet over Long Island Sound, and open, undulating meadow to the south that was once farmland. Coore and Crenshaw worked in collaboration with Ken Bakst, who first invited them to tour the land, and reviewers keep returning to how smoothly the routing moves between the two kinds of ground. The 15th, at 460 yards, is one of the holes that reviewers discuss most, and the setting gives bluff-top views across the Sound. The design aims for a natural, restrained look, and caddies are part of the experience of a round here. Friar's Head is a members' club with no public tee times. Guests play by invitation, and the club's phone number is (631) 722-6010 for those who are hosted.
- Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw designed the course, which opened in 2003 on about 350 acres of duneland and former farmland.
- Bluffs of up to about 200 feet give the dunes holes their scale and views across Long Island Sound.
- Ken Bakst collaborated with Coore and Crenshaw on the design and first invited them to tour the land near Riverhead.
- The 15th plays 460 yards, and reviewers single it out among the best holes on the course.
- Caddies are part of a round at Friar's Head, which sits on eastern Long Island and is private.
History of Friar's Head
Ken Bakst invited Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw to tour a block of about 350 acres outside Riverhead, and the three of them, with Coore and Crenshaw's team of associates and shapers, went on to create Friar's Head. The land had two distinct halves: dunes that gave way to bluffs of up to about 200 feet above Long Island Sound to the north, and flatter meadow that had been farmland to the south. The designers had to find a graceful way to move the golfer from one extreme to the other, and reviewers say that transition is the achievement that matters most. Very little dirt was moved once the clearing work was complete, and the approach has been described as natural and restrained. The course opened in 2003 as a par 71. The club has stayed private, with caddies as part of the round and no public tee times.
Signature holes at Friar's Head
The 15th is the best known hole, a 460-yard test that reviewers at GOLF.com and Golf Club Atlas both describe in detail. Elsewhere the round is defined by contrast between the two halves of the property. The dunes holes sit on ground above the bluffs that overlook Long Island Sound, while the open meadow holes to the south rely on subtle contour rather than scale. Both reviewers single out the way the routing shifts from one kind of ground to the other, and they regard that transition as the central design achievement on the site. The course is a par 71 in total.
When to play Friar's Head
Eastern Long Island has a clear golf season that runs from late spring through early autumn. Friar's Head is private, so timing matters only if a member has invited you. There are no public tee times to book, and caddies are part of the round, so anyone planning a visit should coordinate the date with their host well in advance. Because the course sits on bluffs above the water, allow a full morning or afternoon for the round rather than squeezing it between other plans.
Playing Friar's Head: tips
Friar's Head is private, publishes no green fee and is played only as a member's guest. The club's address is 3000 Sound Avenue, Riverhead, NY 11901, and its telephone number is (631) 722-6010. The nearest airports are on Long Island and in New York City, and most guests hire a car for the final leg to the North Fork. Caddies are part of the experience, so ask your host how the caddie arrangements work. Ask your host about arrival times and any other arrangements for the day.
— Weather at Friar's Head
Approximate conditions · Observed · Open-Meteo
Visit Friar's Head
3000 Sound Avenue, Riverhead, NY 11901
Riverhead, New York, United States
— FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about Friar's Head
Can the public play Friar's Head?
No. It is a private club with no public tee times and no published green fee. Access is by invitation from a member, and caddies are part of the round.
Who designed Friar's Head?
Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw designed it, working in collaboration with Ken Bakst. The course opened in 2003 on about 350 acres of dunes, bluffs and former farmland.
Where is Friar's Head?
It is at 3000 Sound Avenue in Riverhead, New York, on eastern Long Island, with bluff-top views of Long Island Sound from parts of the course.
What is a signature hole at Friar's Head?
The 15th, which plays 460 yards, is one of the holes reviewers single out most often, and both GOLF.com and Golf Club Atlas describe it in detail.