North Hempstead Country Club

The North Hempstead Country Club (abbreviated as NHCC) is a private country club in the Incorporated Village of Flower Hill, on Long Island, in the State of New York.

North Hempstead Country Club
NHCC
One of the water hazards at the North Hempstead Country Club.
TypePrivate country club
Location291 Port Washington Blvd., Port Washington, NY 11050
Coordinates40°48′50.5″N 73°40′34.3″W
Area≥150 acres (61 ha)
Established1916
DesignerA.W. Tillinghast
ParkingYes
Websitehttps://www.nhccli.com/

Description

The North Hempstead Country Club is located off of Port Washington Boulevard (NY 101), and features an 18-hole, 70-par golf course designed by A.W. Tillinghast, with many trees and water hazards.[1][2] The NHCC also features a card room, a pool, tennis courts, and dining facilities.[3][2][4]

Many homes on Country Club Drive in the Port Washington section of Flower Hill border the North Hempstead Country Club.[5][6] These homes, built by Walter Uhl in the 1930s and 1940s, were amongst the first homes to be built within the Village of Flower Hill.[5][6]

The North Hempstead Country Club celebrated its centennial in 2016.[7]

History

The North Hempstead Country Club opened in 1916, partially over the former Burtis Farm.[8][1] The club purchased the more than 150 acre (61 ha) property on September 7, 1918, for an estimated price of $150,000 to $200,000 (1918 USD).[9]

In 1956, the golf course's design was altered, as some of the easternmost portions of the property were returned to the local sand mining operations that took place nearby at the time.[2] Holes 11-13, 16, and 17 were altered; this reconfiguration was designed by Robert Trent Jones. Following the end of sand mining operations in the area, the golf course's original, A.W. Tillinghast design was restored in a subsequent renovation between 1994 and 1996.[2]

1968 plane crash

On March 20, 1968, a small plane, piloted by Reuven Jerzy and carrying Leonard Caplan as a passenger, suffered an engine failure over Manhasset Bay whilst Jerzy and Caplan were practicing stalls.[10] As a result, Jerzy and Caplan proceeded to make an emergency landing, and they landed the plane on the North Hempstead Country Club's golf course, ahead of (and avoiding) a group of golfers.[10]

The plane, which was owned by Speed's Flying Service, was dragged off of the fairway, and nobody was hurt in the incident.[10]

1979 discrimination lawsuit

In September 1979, the North Hempstead Country Club expelled club member William Kirkendale after he critiqued their admissions policy, which barred Black and Jewish people from becoming members of the club.[11][12] Later that year, Kirkendale filed a $1.25 Million (1979 USD) lawsuit against the club.[11] It was one of the first cases in which a white Christian sued a country club for barring and discriminating against Black and Jewish people.[11] He argued that the club discriminated against minorities, and that the NHCC violated his civil rights by expelling him when he voiced his concern regarding said policy.[11]

The New York State Supreme Court ultimately sided with the club, concluding that a private club can admit whomever they want.[12]

2018 expansion

In 2018, the North Hempstead Country Club underwent an expansion project.[13] This project saw the club purchase and raze a home for the construction of a driving range.[13]

See also

References
  1. "North Hempstead Country Club - Golf in Flower Hill , NY". www.longisland.com. Retrieved 2020-10-20.
  2. "History - North Hempstead Country Club". www.nhccli.com. Retrieved 2020-10-20.
  3. "North Hempstead Country Club, Port Washington, NY". GolfLink. Retrieved 2020-10-20.
  4. "North Hempstead Country Club Inc - Company Profile and News". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2020-10-20.
  5. "Village of Flower Hill » Village History". villageflowerhill.org. Retrieved 2020-10-20.
  6. "NEW HOME BOUGHT FOR OCCUPANCY AT FLOWER HILL, L.I.". The New York Times. August 10, 1941 – via ProQuest.
  7. Staff, Port News (2016-05-13). "NHCC Celebrates Centennial Year". Port Washington News. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
  8. "Home - North Hempstead Country Club". www.nhccli.com. Retrieved 2020-10-20.
  9. "North Hempstead Buys Links". The New York Times. September 8, 1918 – via ProQuest.
  10. "Safe-Landing". Newsday. March 21, 1968 – via ProQuest.
  11. Firstman, Richard C. (November 14, 1979). "Club Faces a Discrimination Suit". Newsday – via ProQuest.
  12. Polsky, Carol (July 10, 1989). "The Country Club Black Out: For (White) Members Only". Newsday – via ProQuest.
  13. Chung, Christine (January 11, 2018). "Homes By the Range". Newsday – via ProQuest.

Official NHCC website

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