Club Information - Introduction & History

As one of the most environmentally sensitive golf courses ever built in the United Sates, the Vineyard Golf Club is a unique and exciting venture. Nestled among 235 acres, it is Martha’s Vineyard newest private golf course. Opening day was May 22nd, 2002. The course, designed by Donald Steel, is a true representation of his style. It is a traditional links style course, with sodded, revetted walled bunkers, use of the natural undulations in the ground, and trees framing the holes, much like a picture frame. Donald Steel believes that a golf course should not be penal, rather, it should challenge the golfer, and give options. When he talks about the Vineyard Golf Club, he hopes it will demonstrate that a course does not have to be elaborate to enchant and challenge. Rather, it is at its best when one can play almost any club for a particular shot. Choice is what confuses a golfer and adds interest. The mesmerizing fescue, or field hay, is one of the course's unique features. Its ever changing color with the seasons creates a breathtaking landscape. “The place seems as much Donald Ross as Donald Steel. The green complexes are all a gaggle of slopes and collection areas, much like Pinehurst #2, the bunkers are all sod-faced and revetted; the fairways are firm and fast, and you’d better hit them because the rough quickly gives way to beautiful fescue.” [Ken Brown, Commonwealth Golf] The short-game practice area was designed by Butch Harmon; the range is all grass. The Club has an extensive caddie program consisting of both professional caddies from some of the finest clubs in the country, as well as local high school and college students. Vineyard Golf Club members and their guests have the opportunity to participate in and preserve one of the great traditions of golf – walking with a caddie. In the maintenance program conventional pesticides have been replaced with bio-stimulants and composted fertilizers. Alternative maintenance strategies and organic product testing results are shared with the USGA Green Section and Cornell University in an effort to develop a viable organic maintenance program that will produce playing conditions consistent with the finest private courses in the country. The Clubhouse features natural birch paneling and custom made wide plank, hand scraped, hand beveled hickory floors. Beautifully appointed, the dining room is reputed to be one of the finest on the island. Members and guests can enjoy breathtaking views of the course while sitting on an elegant porch, or retreat to the quietness of the library.