Member Club Directory

History

In 1920, several of the surviving Midland members joined with a group of Hempstead businessmen to form the Hempstead Golf Club. Many of them were members of the Morton Masonic Lodge, which dated back to 1797 and counted among its members over the years signers of the Declaration of Independence and two governors of New York.

The new club purchased 122 acres of farmland and woods, and engaged the noted English greenkeeper Peter Lees to lay out a golf course. Lees first molded the farmland, and had nine holes ready for play on September 17, 1921, when an official opening-day match was played in a downpour. All 18 holes were ready by the start of the 1923 season. Lees’ design was altered significantly when A.W. Tillinghast carved seven new holes from the woods for the 1927 season.

The Hempstead clubhouse was a farmhouse, expanded several times over the years. The front of the building dates back to 1756, and was occupied by Tories during the Revolution. Inside the clubhouse in 1935, Hofstra University was founded by a group of club members.
Hempstead members today have a swimming pool complex with snack bar, four Har-Tru tennis courts, and four AMF bowling alleys. The clubhouse has recently undergone major renovation work in all areas.

Hempstead has been the venue for four MGA championships over the years. The club's commitment to junior golf today recalls the founders' persistent pursuit of golf as young men.