Few private clubs in America carry the mystique of Sebonack. Opened in 2006 on the western edge of Southampton, the course was co-designed by Jack Nicklaus and Tom Doak — a pairing that raised eyebrows and expectations in equal measure. The result is widely regarded as one of the finest courses built in the 21st century, consistently ranked among the top 10 in the United States. The land it occupies, straddling Peconic Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, is among the most dramatic real estate ever given over to golf.
The routing makes extraordinary use of that geography. Players move between open duneland, wetland edges, and corridors with water visible in multiple directions simultaneously. Doak's minimalist sensibility and Nicklaus's strategic instincts created something neither might have produced alone — a course with genuine tension on virtually every hole.
Southampton itself is synonymous with a particular strain of East End exclusivity, but Sebonack earns its standing on pure golf merit. It hosted the 2013 U.S. Women's Open, confirming what those lucky enough to have played it already knew.
