Dan's Papers - June 22, 2007 - Breaking Ground At The Baiting Hollow Club

It was a happy day at The Baiting Hollow Club on the North Fork. Owen Construction Company broke ground this Monday, June 18, on its newest project, there, with 52 adjacent acres of rolling terrain where they are going to build 29 new residences and a new clubhouse for the club. The ground breaking ceremony marked the end of a long process to get the permits to build a brand new clubhouse there, faced by owner Barry Beil and his partner Stanley Pine. The Fox Hill Golf Course, which is already amazing, is being improved with the help of reknowned golf course architects Hurdzan-Fry in addition to the new construction.

The unbelievably beautiful golf course and property has been drawing golfers from all over the island because it is such a great course and because it is so gorgeous, and the owners know that continuing to add to its beauty makes good business sense.

Construction was initially inhibited by boundary disputes regarding the proper distribution and development of space on the sprawling property. After a reconceptualization of the initial plan of construction, however, the building process is now underway. "It's exciting," says Beil with a smile. "It's been a complicated process and we've been enthusiastic about it. There have been boundary line changes and site planning issues, but we got through it. Now we have to get to work."

Certainly there is no shortage of work. The Baiting Hollow Club's golf course will be an expert renovation of the current, preexisting Fox Hill Golf Course. Fox Hill Golf Course is already widely recognized for its quality; designed by world renowned golf course architect Robert Trent Jones Sr, whose local work also includes the Montauk Downs Course. The Fox Hill course has hosted several important tournaments including the 2001 MET Open Qualifier and the 2002 U.S. Open Qualifier. Premier golf course design team Hurdzan-Fry has been entrusted with the task of redesigning the course. The pair has won national and international awards for their past designs; most notably, their Devil's Pulpit and Devil's Paintbrush courses in Ontario, Canada were named "Best New Golf Course In Canada" by GOLF DIGEST in 1991 and 1992, respectively. In addition, Dr. Michael Hurdzan was selected as Golf World Magazine's 1997 "Architect of the Year," and Dana Fry was recognized by Golfweek Magazine as one the top five industry leaders in their 2001 "40 under 40" list of notable golf executives.

In addition to the refurbished golf course, Baiting Hollow Club will boast a brand new, luxury clubhouse, which included an upscale bar and restaurant. Plans for the clubhouse demonstrate the architect's commitment to the splendor of the surrounding scenery; there are dozens of windows by which one may observe the local natural beauty or the sportsmanship of the nearby course. Seemingly as important is a sense of privacy and seclusion; for this reason, Baiting Hollow Club may only be accessed by an exclusive, members-only entrance on Warner Drive. Michael Owen, who heads the clubhouse construction effort remarks, "I'm incredibly excited to build this. It is just going to be so beautiful."

Plans for the property also include the production of residences, to be made available for purchase. Most houses will have impeccable views of the golf course; others will overlook the farm lot, which abuts Warner Drive.

Undoubtedly, the plans for the renovated golf course, luxurious clubhouse, and picturesque residences guarantee Baiting Hollow Golf Club will be the height of luxury. And certainly, this is the goal of partners Owen and Beil who we are lucky to have on the North Fork.