The first public golf course built in Long Island in more than 20 years opened last month as part of a 55-plus luxury multifamily community. Heatherwood Luxury Apartments, an apartment development company based in Long Island, New York, developed the community and the nine-hole golf course, Heritage Spy Ring Golf Club.
It has advertised 1,000 to 1,600 square feet apartments for $3,445+ a month.
The community comprises 200 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments with views of the course and various floorplans. Other apartment amenities include a lawn area, outdoor pool with sun shelf, state-of-the-art fitness center and private fitness studio, physical therapy rooms, club room, private dining room, conference/event room, game room, tennis court, pickle ball court, and nature trails.
“Projects of this scale are complex and particularly difficult to execute on Long Island,” said Christopher Capece, Heatherwood’s President. “Our partnership with the Town of Brookhaven resulted in the construction of a ‘best-in-class’ multifamily community and a new public golf course built with private Heatherwood investment … Building Spy Ring as a public course is another example of Heatherwood’s long-standing commitment to community.”
The property previously housed Heatherwood Golf Club, a full 18-hole course that had unfortunately seen a decline in rounds played. The owners made the decision to change gears and add the multifamily development and change the course to the new nine-hole incarnation.
Capece said the company wanted a nine-hole course that could be played in under two hours and “would be designed for, and hold up to the scrutiny of, the discerning 18-hole golfer.”
“We asked ourselves, ‘Why can’t we design this course to be Long Island’s nine-hole version of Shinnecock or Maidstone or Sebonack or The Bridge?’” he said. “It was certainly a lofty ambition but we think we’ve done just that.”
Tyler Rae designed the golf course. Rae previously worked with Ron Prichard and Keith Foster and has completed several renovations and restorations.
“The greens are mainly perched up and their vast sizes and flowing contours should provide a thoughtful test for each golfer,” Rae said. “There likely won’t be a straight putt on the golf course but they won’t feel contrived or forced…all bunkers were shaped and built into landforms as if to feel like they were always meant to be there. The wandering sand lines and natural feel to them derives from some of the heavy land movement.”
Heatherwood also owns Pine Hills Country Club in Manorville and announced an extensive renovation of the 18-hole PGA course that will include major pond and bunker renovations, among other plans.
