The Summit Club at Armonk – The Future Looks Bright
On September 19th, 2023, the headlines in the Yonkers Times newspaper read, “The Summit Club Armonk Gets Approval to Build Westchester’s First Residential Golf Community.” It may not look like much right now, but in due time, things will change. For now, Summit Club consists of an 18-hole golf course and a trailer that serves as the pro shop, snack bar, and sales office.
The Club’s history is unique. It was originally named the Canyon Club and was owned by Mitsubishi, which built the property so that its local executives could play golf nearby. Community residents were allowed to join the club, yet very few did. As membership dwindled and expenses mounted, the Canyon Club fell on hard times. Real estate developer Jeffery Mendell saw an opportunity and teamed up with a couple of other investors to purchase the club. Mendell had seen the success of golf communities in Florida and Arizona and thought, “Why not Westchester, NY?” Finally, more than 12 years later than planned, zoning and building permits have been approved, and it’s full steam ahead!
The Summit Club sits on 156 acres of prime real estate in Armonk, NY; the golf course occupies 130 acres. The remaining 26 acres will be used for residences, 72 units across 6 buildings. These residences will range from 2,535 to 3,237 square feet and feature ultramodern interior designs, extra-large private outdoor terraces with fireplaces, and tremendous golf course views and countless miles beyond. I can only imagine how beautiful those hills will look in the fall. The underground parking garage will have elevator access to each condominium and individual storage rooms/wine cellars for residents. All traffic in and out of the complex will be monitored from a 24/7 gated guardhouse.
As for the golf course, it was originally designed by Albert Zikorus and opened for play in 1961. In 2011, a fairly extensive renovation was done by Rees Jones that included the rebuilding of all fairway and greenside bunkers, redesigning three holes, updating an outdated irrigation system, and adding several tee boxes. At the time, he claimed that his course improvements “Will make The Summit Club at Armonk a place where any level of golfer can enjoy a natural landscape that offers dramatic elevation changes and stunning panoramic views of the New York countryside.” After playing the course just once, I agree!
Jones has done a great job incorporating many of the land’s natural features – lakes, marshlands, and tall fescue grasses – into the layout to make it more challenging and give it character. You’ll encounter significant elevation changes in both directions as you play your way around the course, prompting you to use every club at your disposal.
The first hole at The Summit Club at Armonk is at one of the highest elevation points of the course and presents tremendous views of several surrounding holes. The second hole is a dogleg right that plays 355 yards and considerably downhill; it’s named Fade Away for good reason. Play your tee shot well left of the large trees on the right side; otherwise, you’re likely to find the long grass but not your ball. You may be able to hit something less than driver off the tee because of the slope of the hole, but it’s almost a 200-yard carry to find the fairway. A good line off the tee is the tree line on the left. If you hit a good drive with a little fade, you can get to the bottom of the hill just short of the green. Two white sand bunkers guard either side in front of the green. It’s a great hole to make up an early stroke!
Number 6 is the first par 3 on the golf course and well worth the wait! From the Blue Tees, it plays 185 yards with bunkers in front to take away the bump-and-run. The green isn’t that deep but has some great undulation and character. It’s slightly elevated, and anything that rolls off will leave a delicate up and down.
The 7th hole is a 390-yard par 4 dogleg left with an interesting twist – a right-sloping fairway! For most players, the approach shot will be uphill and blind onto a triangular-shaped green.
The back nine starts with a short and interesting par 4 playing 315 yards from the Blue Tees. You’ll tee off from an elevated tee box downhill with sand traps on either side of the landing area. Your approach shot plays straight uphill into a large green with a false front. Hit it short, and it can easily roll back to where you are – or worse!
Number 14 is a very pretty 500-yard, par 5 that plays dead straight with out-of-bounds and an expressway on the right. Westchester Magazine has recognized #14 as one of the great new golf holes among the county’s recently improved or renovated courses. If you’re a long ball hitter, beware of the marshlands on the left. There’s a large fairway bunker on the right side in the landing area of your tee shot and a few others on the left side of the landing area for your layup shot. Two good shots will leave a short pitch into an elevated green that is a lot wider than it is deep. There’s also a rock-lined creek about 50 yards short of the green that can’t be seen from the fairway.
The finishing hole at The Summit Club at Armonk is a 485-yard, par 5 that plays uphill the entire way and has a very narrow fairway. There are trees on either side of the landing area if you spray it off the tee, and a fairway bunker on the left side about 110 yards short of the green in the landing area of your layup shot. The elevated green is protected by four bunkers in front. It’s a very challenging – but fair – finishing hole.
Although space is limited within the temporary trailer, you can still find a good selection of logoed Summit Club golf gear, including hats, polos, outerwear, towels, tools, and more. Currently, there aren’t a lot of options for food. Chef Jose and his on-site food truck offer tantalizing food after your round, or you can simply grab a beer and relive the good and the bad with friends.
The Summit Club is all about raising the next generation of golfers, and PGA Director of Golf and Instruction Michael Davis is at the helm. Davis seamlessly melds traditional teaching methods with cutting-edge technology. He’s dedicated to helping young golfers reach their potential and make a positive impact through the game. As a Member, your kids can take part in PGA Junior Camps, instructional lessons, and a whole lot more.
The Club also pays special attention to Ladies and Seniors, offering instruction, friendly competition, and a chance to meet new playing partners and develop new friendships. Special programs have been put together for both seniors and ladies.
The Summit Club in Armonk isn’t your grandfather’s country club; there are no social demands or the staunch bureaucracy you’ll find at many traditional New York clubs, and there never will be! What you’ll find are superb playing conditions, ostentatious attention to detail, and respect for all. You’re pretty much free to do as you please – within legal and moral bounds!
The Summit Club at Armonk offers several membership plans to meet everyone’s needs and budgets. A Full Golf Membership gives you, your spouse, and any children under 24 unlimited access to the course, driving range, and practice area from Tuesday to Sunday. You’ll receive priority tee times, complimentary golf lessons, flexible guest privileges, and many other benefits. All Members have access to Palmer Advantage Privileges, giving you elite privileges in golf, travel, and entertainment worldwide. The network includes 300 clubs scattered across North America, complimentary greens fees at 125+ courses, and access to top venues through exclusive Member golf days. Contact the pro shop to check on other Membership categories such as Founding Member and Legacy Member.
When you become a Member of The Summit Club at Armonk, you’re securing your future in what is destined to become one of the elite clubs in the area. For more information on membership or what the club will look like down the road, visit them online at www.thesummitclub.net or www.summitclubresidences.com
What’s interesting about migration into the state is that there are two steady streams of newcomers. Midwesterners – from Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio drive down I-75 and usually settle on the west side of the state – Sarasota, Tampa, and Fort Myers. Northeasterners flock southward on I-95 and head to the east side – Boca Raton, West Palm, and Miami.
Then there’s the 15,000-square-foot Fitness Center with the latest cardio and strength-training equipment, interactive televisions, a Yoga Wall, and personal trainers at your disposal. The Aquatic Center boasts a resort-style swimming pool with a cascading waterfall, a 25-yard lap pool, a hot tub, and a splash zone for the kids.
The Club at Ibis offers what I think is the best practice facility in the area. It was completely redesigned a few years ago and required over 20,000 cubic yards of material to raise the range and significantly improve drainage. The new range is almost 15 acres in size with an “X-shaped” fairway pattern between the target greens to allow players to practice a variety of shots. Every shot will react the same way it does on the golf course, allowing members to hit shots they think they will encounter during their rounds. The renovation also included a new 10,000-square-foot putting green and five new short game greens spread between two different practice locations. The range is symmetrical, which allows golfers to spread out and enjoy the same experience from either end. The north end is used more for short warm-ups before a round, while the south is used more on longer practice sessions and features the all-new Toptracer technology across the entire tee area.
During your trip to the range, you’re likely to see what looks like little Roomba vacuum cleaners. They are actually Echo robots and are used to gather range balls and keep the turf well-manicured at the same time. It turned out to be an effective way to reduce labor costs and keep the range looking its absolute best.
The Club at Ibis is a mandatory membership community, meaning that you have to live inside the gates to be able to enjoy everything the club has to offer. To see what’s available on the real estate side or to arrange a visit to the property, visit 
Ask any golfer who played Bluffton Golf Club before the Young family purchased it and many would tell you that it was in terrible shape, often referred to as “a goat track.” Ask them what they think of it now, and you’ll hear it’s one of the best-maintained public courses in the area. You’ll quickly see why “See the difference, Play the difference” has been the Club’s mantra for many years. It is the home course of several schools in the area, including Bluffton High School, Ada High School, Temple Christian, and Cory Rawson High School.
An interesting aspect of Bluffton GC is the back-to-back par 5s at the 2nd and 3rd holes. Number 2 plays 502 yards and is straight as an arrow. A couple of small fairway bunkers dot the landscape in the landing area off the tee, as do mature trees here and there on the peripheries. A good drive will leave an opportunity to go for the green in two. With very little trouble around the green, it’s a good chance to make up a stroke or two. The 3rd hole is another straight par 5 that plays 472 yards. The creek is in play off the tee but shouldn’t pose a problem for most golfers. Your approach shot will require accuracy as several large trees shrink your margin of error and a grass bunker crosses the fairway directly in front of the green.
Both courses have driving ranges and practice putting greens, so you can loosen up before your round or just spend the day honing your skills. Both also have clubhouses where food and beverages are available and pro shops with everything you’ll need for your round, including logoed apparel that you can take home as a memory.
You’ll need a place to stay during your visit so check out the Harrington Inn in Fremont. This charming hotel offers well-appointed and spacious rooms, with many of the amenities you would find at luxury hotels including a complimentary hot breakfast, an onsite fitness center, and a heated outdoor pool. Best of all, it’s centrally located to the golf courses you’re going to play. Choose one of their State Rooms and bathe yourself in luxury!
After your afternoon round, head up the hill to The Lakes Restaurant and indulge in their delicious menu. Start with 1 lb. of smoked chicken wings before moving on to your main course. The steaks are fantastic and cooked to perfection; the baby back ribs and prime rib are only available on the weekend, so plan accordingly! The fireplace room makes it an excellent location for parties and large groups.
Van Kampen called upon six friends and business associates to help design the golf course. Each person selected three numbers out of a hat and designed that particular hole. Up-and-coming golf architect Mike DeVries took their designs and laid out the course, which is pretty much what you see today.
Wisconsin Country Club eases you into your round with a short par 4 opening hole that plays 338 yards from the White and Blue Tees. It’s a blind tee shot, and the only thing standing between you and success on your tee shot is a lone fairway bunker on the left side. Avoiding the sand leaves a relatively easy pitch shot into the green that slopes gently from right to left.
Your round at the Wisconsin Club finishes with a 447-yard par 5 and starts with a significant carry over water off the tee. Once you navigate this hazard, the remainder of the hole plays uphill toward the clubhouse. Your layup shot will require accuracy as trees converge on the fairway from either side and fairway bunkers in the landing area. Success thus far will leave a short pitch shot into an elevated green surrounded by three bunkers. It’s a hard green to reach in two, and par is never a bad score!
Kids and adults enjoy the heated Junior Olympic-sized pool with its kiddie pool, slide, and full-service snack bar. The Fitness Center is a great place to meet like-minded members and take charge of your physical health. Inside, you’ll find everything you need for a great workout, including treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bikes, and a wide variety of weight-training equipment. You’ll find it’s an easy way to stay active and fit!
Banks’ foray into golf architecture is interesting. He was an English teacher at the Hotchkiss Preparatory School in Lakeville, CT, and a member of the school’s building committee. When the school decided to build a nine-hole golf course and hired renowned designer Seth Raynor, Banks worked closely with Raynor on the project and became so fascinated with golf course design that he left teaching and went to work for Raynor, eventually becoming his partner. When Raynor passed away in 1926 at the tender age of 47, Banks took over the business and went on to design and build about 30 courses until he died in 1931. He earned the nickname “Steamshovel” by using heavy equipment to dig out those deep greenside bunkers you’ll see on every hole. Unfortunately, neither Banks nor Forster lived to see the opening of Forsgate Country Club. In 2007, architect Stephen Kay made several modifications to bring the course up to modern standards, and he’s been tinkering with it ever since!
With Forsgate, Banks has created a challenging parkland-style golf course with rolling fairways that produce a variety of stances that require finesse and creativity. These meticulously maintained fairways lead to some of the most incredible green complexes in New Jersey. You’ll find 18 elevated greens that vary in shape and size, some with false fronts and others with classic features such as a Redan and Biarritz. Each green complex has incorporated bunkers that sit well below the putting surface, some up to 16 feet. Banks was a master at creating replica holes, and many of the holes he built were inspired by some of his Scottish favorites. Many golf historians consider Forsgate to be among Banks‘ top three designs.
At 140 yards, the 12th hole is the shortest par 3 on the course. The hole plays slightly downhill across a valley, with the green slightly below you. bunkers on either side of the green wrap around the front to grab anything short and take the senior-friendly bump-and-run shot out of play. The bunker on the right sits about nine feet below the surface, and the fall-off behind the green is very steep with tall fescue at the bottom. The bowl-shaped green can be tricky to putt. For obvious reasons, the hole is named Horseshoe!
The course has several memorable holes; the two I remember most are #2 and #14. The 2nd hole is a 408-yard par 4 dogleg right that pays downhill. Playing your tee shot down the left of the fairway will provide the best angle into the green, just beware of the lone fairway bunker in the landing area. A good drive will leave a long to mid-iron approach shot into a long, narrow green with a single bunker guarding the front right. It is the course’s #1 handicap.
In addition to an 18-hole championship golf course, there’s a full suite of practice facilities including a full-length grass driving range where you can hit every club in the bag, a short game area where you can practice chipping and pitching, practice putting green, and a fully equipped Golf Shop that offers the latest in logoed apparel and equipment.
If you’re a tennis player, Hawthorns has six outdoor hard tennis courts, three are lit for night play. You can sign up for open play or get involved in the Club’s extensive tennis program. Various events and clinics are available for men, women, and couples. Pickleball lines have been added to several courts so that you can participate in America’s fastest-growing sport. The Hawthorns’ professional tennis staff offers private lessons and clinics for everybody, including juniors. The tennis courts are open daily from April – October, weather permitting.
There’s a good reason why The Hawthorns is recognized as the premier family-oriented club in Indiana. Many Club activities are geared toward younger members. Junior tennis and golf, summer camp, tots camp, Kids’ Night Out, dances, and much more are included. And each year without fail, the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus show up; just not together! New activities are constantly added to keep the kids busy, socialized, and learning.
The folks of Concert Golf Partners look to the future and see potential. With 27 holes of award-winning golf, it’s like having three 18-hole courses at your disposal. The Creek, Lake, and Marsh courses never play the same way twice. Several holes are considered some of the most challenging golf holes in Indiana, not only for the challenge they offer but also for their beauty.
The Creek and Lake courses comprise the original 18 holes and were built by Chicago architects Killian and Nugent, who also designed Kemper Lakes and other well-known Chicago courses. Jerry Mobley and Charles Howard of Desert Springs Company designed the Marsh Course which opened for play in 1996. In 2000, Sand Creek received the Golf Course Superintendent’s Association of America’s National Environmental Steward Award for U.S. private golf courses.
The 7th on the Creek Course plays 150 yards from the White Tees. It’s not long by any stretch, but the four bunkers surrounding the green place a premium on accuracy. The green is two-tiered which places an emphasis on club selection.
There’s also an executive dining room, a tennis and swimming complex, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and a Trackman indoor golf practice studio. And, with their beautiful Outdoor Terrace, Sand Creek has become an ideal location for events of any size and can accommodate outdoor functions for up to 1,000 guests.
Enjoy your favorite drinks from the full-service bar or venture outside to the patio area where the real fun is! There’s a concession trailer where you can order wood-fired pizzas and choose from eight beers on tap. You can also order from the clubhouse menu which includes burgers, sandwiches, and salads for lunch and dinner. Weekends are the busiest with live music and comedy shows, and events like car shows, craft shows, and cornhole leagues. The beer trucks are open Thursday – Saturday from 4 – 8 PM.
Highland Creek Golf Club was designed using a lot of the land’s natural topography to preserve the area’s natural beauty. The course winds its way through towering trees and meandering creeks, and the upscale community surrounding the golf course provides a scenic backdrop, yet it’s set back far enough that it never causes any obstructions. Lush, well-manicured Bermuda fairways lead to smooth, grainless A1/A4 Bentgrass greens that roll fast and true. With four sets of tees, Highland Creek can be played from 5,080 to 7,043 yards, making it enjoyable for all golfers, regardless of age or ability.
I found the best way to play this hole was to aim at the fairway bunkers on the left off the tee. With the slope of the fairway, balls tend to roll back to the right, and I found the middle of the fairway. I hit it well and was faced with the decision to go for the green in two or not. As I always tell my friends, “I didn’t come here to layup,” and hit a solid 5-iron that landed just short of the green and rolled up to within 8 feet. I was fortunate to make the eagle putt and now have a new favorite hole!
