Today, when we think about building a new golf course or renovating an existing one, aesthetics is no longer the only expectation of golfers.
Instead, courses are adapting in terms of shape, function, technology, and environmental responsibility.
I can see at least 6 sustainability expectations:
- Water efficiency: drought-tolerant/native grasses, more innovative/smarter irrigation systems (with sensors), use of recycled/grey water.
- Reduced maintenance footprint: less chemical input, more natural or “wild” roughs, wildlife corridors, and preserving natural features rather than wholesale grading.
- Energy/renewables: solar panels for clubhouses, electric carts, possibly on-site power generation tied into the course facility.
- Designing with weather extremes in mind: heavy rainfall (better drainage), periods of drought, and heat stress.
- Terrain shaping that supports sustainable water flow, erosion control, and the appropriate siting of greens, bunkers, and tees.
- Less earth-moving; using more natural landscapes and features rather than imposing heavy landscaping; creating aesthetic appeal through what already exists rather than through massive alteration.
- Courses serving not just golfers, but also as community spaces, featuring walking trails, events, fitness zones, dining options, and social gatherings.
Farm Neck Golf Club on Martha’s Vineyard
Farm Neck Golf Club, located on Martha’s Vineyard, has proudly reopened after a thoughtfully designed renovation by architect Mark Mungeam.
This revitalization not only enhances the natural beauty of the property’s sandy, coastal surroundings but also opens up stunning long views over the tranquil Sengekontacket Pond.
Golf has a rich history on this property, dating back to 1897, but it was in 1976 that the first nine holes of the Farm Neck Golf Club were introduced.
This initial layout was expertly crafted by the late Geoffrey Cornish, a renowned designer and former partner of Mark Mungeam.
In 1980, the course expanded with an additional nine holes designed by Patrick Mulligan.
Together, these 18 holes have garnered acclaim as a remarkable seaside resort course, rivaling the beauty of many private clubs.
Farm Neck Golf Club operates as a semi-private club, fostering a diverse and vibrant membership community.
In the spirit of U.K. traditions, the course welcomes the public throughout the year, although members tend to book tee times in advance, particularly during the busy summer months of July and August.
This combination of accessibility and exclusive membership contributes to the unique charm of Farm Neck Golf Club.
These are the changes….
Mungeam’s refurbishment was both comprehensive and inventive. Hundreds of miniature “Cape” pines were removed, most of them replaced with native areas that maximize playing width and vistas.
All 18 tees were rebuilt, and the entire layout effectively rebunkered.
The course used to feature 91 formal bunkers. While that total has been reduced by a third, golfers will nevertheless experience far more sand. And scrub.
The best example of this dynamic may be the 3rd and 5th holes, which had been separated by dozens of pine trees that had slowly overtaken a former sand pit.
They’re all gone, replaced by 120 yards of flamboyantly contoured, informal bunkering festooned with erosion-controlling, native vegetation.
Such artful clearing also means the dramatic, picturesque 4th — a par-3 playing down to the shores of Sengekontacket Pond (made famous by the movie, “Jaws”) — can now be enjoyed by golfers on all three holes.
Mungeam explains
“The native area between 3 and 5 is the look we used to pull the two nines together stylistically. We created the same shared, sand-and-scrub features between the 11th, 12th and 16th holes, for example. Between 17 green and 18 tee, too.”
Certain grasses, in conjunction with the appealing sandy soil, were instrumental in attracting the ancients to this property 130 years ago.
According to Jonas Peter Akins, the chair of the Farm Neck Golf Club grounds committee and the club historian, the Cottage City Golf Club commenced operations in 1897 on this very site, primarily on what is now known as the back nine.
By 1901, the renowned Scottish architect Alex Findlay had further developed the CCGC to include a total of 18 holes.
People behind the implementation
Sweet and Mungeam recognized the significant contributions of contractor Matt Staffieri in developing the naturalized areas.
His firm, MAS Golf Construction, based in Hopkinton, Mass., undertook a comprehensive renovation of the front nine from autumn 2023 to spring 2024, followed by the back nine from October 2024 to May 2025.
Superintendent Andrew Nisbet, assistant Ryan Carey, and their dedicated crew played essential collaborative roles in achieving the cohesive and naturalistic presentation of Farm Neck Golf Club.
Their collective efforts have greatly enhanced the overall experience of the course.