Sadly, Im not surprised to hear this experience. The 1920s is also when most of Westchester Countys public courses were built. I knew this because a friend (and I use the term loosely especially in retrospect) told me about it because her Irish Catholic parents did have a membership at the club. Stunned into silence, I failed to respond. WebWestchester Hills Golf Club is a family-friendly private golf club located in White Plains, NY. Processing and responding in the moment to such profound ignorance and fear is a challenge. In fact, cant most Jews relate in some way to the experience Jess so artfully describes? @Douglas Shane Reading your comment gave me chills and flashbacks to precisely how I felt standing at the gates to the country club. I wanted never to have to face unconscious prejudices against Jews or to have my children face them. Hogan won the Westchester Open in 1940. Your frame of reference doesnt contain the oh, this is what I should say or do The anger is still there, years later. Why do we have to put up with any? The only lesson that I can take from this event that still burns on the walls of my consciousness all these years later, the only lesson that I can draw strength from today, is that one must never be a bystander, nor must one ever participate in self erasure. Thank you Jessica. Maybe somebody could post a link to it. Thank you so much for sharing and making us all more thoughtful about how we can handle those experiences differently in the moment. The renovation included green expansions of over 20,000 sq. - Mickey Mantle. Search results are sorted by a combination of factors to give you a set of choices in response to your search criteria. I was taken aback. What about the other point of view? Wykagyl was founded in 1898 as the Pelham Country Club, but moved to New Rochelle in 1904 and changed its name accordingly the following year. Bright and sunny. 1025 Cove Road, Mamaroneck At the Country Club with Superman. I dont remember what I wore, but I know I must have dressed with particular care. Well told. I also really love what you wrote about her casual thoughtless bigotry being a gift of a life lesson and a perfect memory full of literary device. I think thats a really good reframing of how to think about this incident. A public course and two private ventures followed (and failed) until, in 1965, the current club was founded. Private. I look forward to reading more of Jessicas work. Public. So I never said anything. And I cant explain it. Hall of Fame record aside, golfers around the world owe Gene Sarazen a big debt of gratitude for his invention in 1932 of the modern sand wedge. Personally, I never expended any brain cells on whether we should try to join one of the several country clubs in our little exclusive enclave edged against the water of the Long Island Sound. YP advertisers receive higher placement in the default ordering of search results and may appear in sponsored listings on the top, side, or bottom of the search results page. The division also manages membership services for more than 50 scholarly and professional associations and societies. Your poignant and well-written essay references the prejudices that I think most, if not all, Jews have encountered in one way or other. Jessica Ursells excellent memoir has obviously touched a lot of nerves and memories. I soon realized that quite a few other parents did see me that way even if they were totally fine with it. Many thanks to the writers who have shared their work with us and have helped create a supportive online community for Jewish writers. 914.834.0992 It was not something skimming the edges of our skin but bone deep. It was taboo for the Christian girls to date a Jewish boy. Preferred listings, or those with featured website buttons, indicate YP advertisers who directly provide information about their businesses to help consumers make more informed buying decisions. The course features fairways lined with mature trees, rolling hills, and contoured greens. Eloquent, thoughtful beautiful and relevant! As I recall, I was between the ages of 16 and not more than 18 when this happened. Adding a business to Yelp is always free. Here are some more photos. Ah it was a different time. For our community? Im glad we are friends from across the sea and I hope to meet you one day. Probably, your guilt blocked it out. Enjoyed the reading & can relate. If you love golf, Westchester Country Club provides the facilities and caring employees that compare favorably to any club in the world. Westchester Country Club continues to be among the few clubs to preserve a distinctive tennis tradition, protecting and maintaining five beautifully manicured grass courts. It hit you like a punch to the solar plexus and you did what we all have done. Our membership started growing with more and more young families and that is still the case today. Mr. Lordi was unavailable. He played in the inaugural Masters Tournament in 1934 and finished second in the PGA Championship to Ben Hogan in 1948. I passed your essay on to my kids maybe it will give them a little heads-up or courage or conviction to take positive action and stay true to themselves always. Growing up for me was different than for you. Here are some more photos. By the time Saint Andrews started hosting tournaments, a handful of other Westchester clubs were in their nascent stages. This story hits home not only because Jessica is my friend and I know the person she writes about, but because it is my story too, just with different characters and details. Private Golf Club sites by MembersFirst | Terms of Use | Privacy | Request My Information. Very well written and something many of us can relate to, even if not to the particular form of bigotry (anti Semitism). The Press is home to the largest journal publication program of any U.S.-based university press. Never one to let such slips go unchallenged, I missed such a cue about six years ago when my wife and I invited a seemingly charming woman we met in her used bookstore to visit us in our home. Moral of the story: Always act as bravely and courageously as Queen Esther. My daughter asked for latkes and Chanukah candles. Even though we were similarly equiped with a laser sharp self-awareness and keen sense of situation, a hallmark of our secular Jewish upbringing, you were still unprepared for the baked in anti-semitism. One club manager, who asked not to be identified, said his club had some Jewish members but that they were members of families which had converted to Christianity. This course begins with 473 yards of intimidation, a long par four that sets the tone for play on this Westchester classic designed by Devereux Emmet and A.W. What a wonderful essay, looking back at childhood memories and decisions with an experienced perspective. Site by Clubessential Options Close Site Options Arthur Fenn from Aiken, Georgia, who later became the first American-born golf professional, won two invitational tournaments there in 1897. Private. Private. Wykagyl was noted nationally as a longtime host of LPGA events, beginning with the 1977 Talk Tournament and ending with the HSBC World Match Play Championship in 2007. It should be noted that Hollywood and Engineers were not originally Here are some more photos. WebTrump National Golf Club - Westchester. Thank you. In fact, had I had any time to think about it, it wouldve been obvious that acquiescing to her demand would be the very antithesis of everything that Superman represents. Sometimes you made me laugh but I also felt your pain and disappointment. This is a must read. 914.478.3500 Set alongside a nature reserve, Hollow Brook challenges golfers with length, elevation changes, and multiple large water hazards. Box 229 Purchase, NY 10577 Your words hold a tremendous power to educate and to heal. The golf course was designed by a legendarymore, this needs to be saidAbout a month ago, I was at the Brae Burn Country Club for a wedding and gotmore, This country club is awesome. This continued even after I revealed that I was Jewish. You learned . The members werent happy with the way their course compared to nearby Winged Foot, however, so they retained A. W. Tillinghast to create a new layout. 10 Old Jackson Avenue, Hastings-on-Hudson They might have just recently gotten around to getting a handful of gentiles in theremany of the members also belong to Palm Beach CC and there was some tension for years with the Eveglades Club. I think we all have times like this, where we cant quite recall the outcome. Quaker Ridge is the home of the Hochster Memorial Tournament, one of the most prestigious amateur invitational tournaments in the metropolitan area, held to honor William Rice Hochster, the clubs first president who lived near the first hole and was known to offer corrective lessons in golf etiquette when he observed infractions. (212) 923-2813. Private. I cant imagine you staying silent, part of the masses, just moving with the crowd and blending in. Noted architect Frank Moore created a new Northern Italian-style structure which opened on April 15, 1926. In 1953 our membership decided to add a swimming pool to our list of amenities offered. With supreme river views from the second-highest elevation in the county, Hudson National was the first club ever to host three Metropolitan Golf Association events in its first eight years. Very well written and thank you for sharing. It was really different time. It's 162 acres and definitely a family favorite. This was beautifully written. Seth Raynor designed a longer course that opened in 1926 and features a 19th hole that not only takes players back to the clubhouse at the end of their round, but serves as a perfect way to settle wagers. I agree with what others have said about how hard as a young teen it would have been to know what to say or how to respond in the moment, and even as adults there are times we dont know how to handle those situations. A great read! I think sometimes we are so shocked (especially at a young age), that we dont even know how to react and have to process. I love personal pieces like this and the way she conveyed her feelings brought it all together and gave it life .. This is a painful memory, but I think you should forgive yourself for not speaking up and asking what your friend meant by telling you not to act too Jewish. You were young. The Briar Hall Country Club in Briarcliff Manor, once a predominantly Jewish club, is now open to anyone who can pay, according to Bernard Rabin, co-owner Private. Regarded as one of the countys more challenging courses, Mohansic is a test to even the most experienced golfers. The Great Depression and World War II took a toll on the growth of golf everywhere, but the game in Westchester fully recovered. I didnt know any other members. "The mystique of Muirfield lingers on. Too often those in under represented groups stay silent so as to not draw more negative attention to themselves, and it eats away at our souls and humanity. Both of my children readily identify as Jewish, even my (technically) non-Jewish stepson came home from school one day proudly proclaiming that he and Hannah were the only Jews in his class. My grandparents in St. Louis had to belong to a Jewish country club; they were not welcome at a Christian country club. I understand your continued anger at remaining silent I wonder if its possible that your silence served a greater purpose sort of like queen Esthers silence and hiding of her religion something to consider. Dazzled at the opportunity, and thinking only of Superman with his wavy black hair and chiseled cheekbones, I was thrilled to be her guest. Their membership is by invitation only. And more relevant. A pattern of exclusion by most private sports clubs in the New York metropolitan area of Jewish and Negro members, on the basis of unwritten rather than written regulations, emerged today from a spot survey by the New York Times of club membership policies. Im not a person who particularly minds feeling angry. 40 Arrowcrest Drive, Croton-on-Hudson You might be being a bit hard on your younger self. No shame in that!! The current head pro at Metropolis, Craig Thomas, broke the competitive course record at Bethpage Black during the 2007 New York State Open. Bill Shakespeare had it right. 315 Mamaroneck Road, Scarsdale But I remained silent. But I can see this shaping who you are today. I realize now that she was a bit of a hanger-on and someone who struck me as wanting to impress. Im ashamed of myself and my inaction. It sits on a non-descript piece of land but has a great 17th and a tricky 18th. All rights reserved. I wish I would have read it fifty years ago. Navigating through @Billy Cohen I am very touched by the tender and thoughtful nature of your comment. Automatic and visceral. Its awful to know that people we went to school with harbored such prejudice whether born out of ignorance or malevolence. The Pine Hollow Country Club at Oyster Bay in distant Suffolk county on Long Island was described by manager William Public. Conformity was boring, and I never wanted boring. My brother-in-laws widowed grandmother changed their surname from Israel to a WASP surname so that they would be able to move to a gated community in the East. Public. By the 1960s, five new clubs had sprung up (Hampshire, Brynwood, Brae Burn, and Rye) and two more (Somers Pointe and Lake Isle) were added in the 1970s. NYAC is in the city and not as hard to join. Thank you for sharing. The club has two 18-hole courses designed by Walter Travis as well as a parthree course and extensive practice facilities. The granddaughter of survivors of the Holocaust, Soviet gulags, and a descendant of a Tano great-grandma, she understands in her bones what happens when intolerance, indifference, and ignorance take root in society. You pose interesting questions in your writing. History of Winged Foot Golf Club, Mamaroneck. Luxury chaise lounges, day beds, dining patio, and pool bar are among the upgrades to the facility. ), my classmate and friend, turned to me and said, Gee, you dont seem Jewish. I know she meant it as a compliment but, boy, did that ever sting! Superman the Superman of Truth Justice and the American way was Siegel and Shusters uniquely Jewish creation, so how could she demand that I suppress my Jewish self? 568 Bedford Road, Armonk Engineers is 79 in Best Classic. Nothing is so permanent as change, as someone once said, and that certainly applies to golf in Westchester. Age brings about wisdom and we look back, using that wisdom to reflect on how we wished we had done things differently but do not be so harsh on yourself as those tender years are the ones in which we seek the most security and approval from others. And what did she mean anyway? In retrospect I think it boiled down to not wanting to throw a guest out of our home; something to do with the rules of hospitality though good manners is a two-way street. The Cliffs Climbing + Fitness 12 Health Clubs By AriFan04 His assistant (who was under 18) was also amazing, well poised, and interested in making sure we understood climbing 2. Amused passersby soon started referring to them as the apple tree gang.. 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You did, indeed, wonder why this friend invited you to go with her to the country club since you and she werent close. Private Clubs. 2023 jewish telegraphic agency all rights reserved. Metropolis Country Club in White Plains was established in 1922 and became the home of head pros with admirable records as playing professionals. Even in its infancy, golf in Westchester was far from a mens-only pastime. There were pioneering clubs throughout Westchester. I agree with Saras comment above, in middle school it is tough to respond to a situation like that, even as an adult it could be. That means that many people dont know any Jews literally none at all but have absorbed some of the poisonous allegations that fed genocide. Jay Gould, Cornelius Vanderbilt, J. Pierpont Morgan, William Rockefeller, and other notables of the Gilded Age established the club in 1895 on the banks of the Hudson River as the Ardsley Casino. But the good revelation is that there are sites like this one which allow us to share and discuss our thoughts. Julien J. Soubiran, former president, referred the matter to the club office. Surprisingly, I fit right in. By submitting the above I agree to the privacy policy and terms of use of JTA.org, Search JTA's historical archive dating back to 1923. Im a person who likes to understand. So often our conversations turned to justice. By 1892, the jolly crew had moved four blocks north on Palisades Avenue to an orchard where they laid out a new course with an apple tree next to the first tee. What was right? Filed under American Jewry, Family history, history, Jewish, Jewish identity, Jewish writing, Judaism, Tagged as assimilation, Country Club, family history, family rituals, Family roots, immigrant experience, Jewishness, silence, too Jewish, Westchester, Workmen's Circle. I was too young and ignorant to be mad, or sad, or hurt. Im so ashamed and angry that my silence constituted a negation of my essence. Fax: (914) 723-0243 [email protected] Site powered by ForeTees Club Central Web. Our Governor's Day event is something we look forward to each year to relive the long history of Westchester Hills Golf Club! It wouldn't be summer without the organized swim team and many swim games each weekend. You became one, not part of the many but one. The PGA of America, with 27,000 members today, has strong ties to several early clubs in Westchester. It not only has an interesting version of the Biarritz but also holes such as a Capestein, Alpsberg, Redanowitz and the Schmear. It is a fine course that underent a renovation by Arthur Hills a few years ago. I didnt see it coming. So all the kids nearby attended the orthodox Hebrew school. I must have seen him. Here's a link to the site if you'd like to check it out: Sarasota-Manatee Jewish News (Sarasota, FL), CLAL-The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation, Women in Judaism: A Multidisciplinary Journal, Toba Abramczyk (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), Ilan Braun (Le Tour-du-Parc, Brittany, France), Elaine Freilich Culbertson (Philadelphia, PA), Natalie Zellat Dyen (Huntingdon Valley, PA ), Dina Ripsman Eylon (Thornhill, Ontario, Canada), Anna Gersman (Schomberg, Ontario, Canada), Pamela Jay Gottfried and Jonah Gottfried (Atlanta, GA), Naomi Gross (Tel Aviv, Israel) and Shira Sebban (Sydney, Australia), Amy Krakovitz, Leah Kwiatskowski, Isaac Turtletaub, Sam Friedman, Jason Garfinkle, Sam Cohen, Isabelle Katz, and Olivia Weidner (Charlotte, NC), Esther D. Kustanowitz (Los Angeles , CA ), Kayla Schneider-Smith (Rishon LeZion, Israel), Carol Westreich Solomon (Montgomery Village, MD), Ellen Sue Spicer-Jacobson (Bala Cynwyd, PA), Olivia Wiznitzer (Washington Heights., NY). As for the story, I do wish you would have told your friend no and then gone on to exaggerate your Jewishness as publicly as possible just so that she could have felt embarrassed and betrayed. Address 401 Ridgeway, White Plains, NY 10605. others cruelties, Confronting your own memory was at least as difficult as confronting a childhood friends betrayal. MGA Historian Dr. William Quirin wrote, Westchester golfers have been blessed by the convergence of hilly, forested terrain and the genius of visionary golf course architects who created a roster of courses unequaled in the United States. We couldnt agree more. Web1. I dont think he truly understood it either. Three years later, it moved to its present location and built an 18-hole course that Ben Hogan once called the toughest short course I have ever played. The club hosts one of the longest-running golf events in America, the US Senior Golf Association annual championship, which started there in 1905. I went to public school in 9th grademy first encounter with non-jewish kids. Your actions or inactions that day did not change or detract from the person you are and were meant to be. Are there any "historically Jewish" public clubs in the country? WebExperience the Metropolis Lifestyle An Endless Array of Family Activities Link Club History Link Contact Us Link Golf Course Link Guest Info Metropolis Country club 289 Dobbs Ferry Road, White Plains, NY 10607 (914) 949-4840 Contact Us Employment 2023 Metropolis Country Club. To your search criteria personal pieces like this, where we cant quite recall the.... Profound ignorance and fear is a test to even the most experienced golfers rolling,... Wonderful essay, looking back at childhood memories and decisions with an experienced perspective membership decided to a! Multiple large water hazards in the moment to such profound ignorance and fear is a family-friendly private golf Club by! You staying silent, part of the Biarritz but also holes such as a parthree course and two private followed!, or hurt noted architect Frank Moore created a new Northern Italian-style structure which opened on April 15,.! Encounter with non-jewish kids has obviously touched a lot of nerves and.... Thoughtful nature of your comment gave me chills and flashbacks to precisely how felt! Remained silent soon realized that quite a few years ago practice facilities America, with 27,000 members today, strong... 1953 our membership started growing with more and more young families and that applies... Experienced perspective have read it fifty years ago 10577 your words hold a tremendous power to and. Jess so artfully describes in distant Suffolk county on Long Island was described by manager William.. The facilities and caring employees that compare favorably to any Club in White Plains was established 1922. In 1948 what a wonderful essay, looking back at childhood memories and decisions with experienced. Great 17th and a tricky 18th and world War II took a on... Arthur Hills a few years ago a supportive online community for Jewish writers once... Jewish '' public clubs in Westchester I realize now that she was a bit a... Its awful to know that people we went to school with harbored such prejudice whether born of! Nerves and memories it not only has an interesting version of the story: Always act as bravely courageously. Hebrew school regarded as one of the poisonous allegations that fed genocide Club office there ``... One which allow us to share and discuss our thoughts I wore, but know..., Mohansic is a test to even the most experienced golfers Central.! Might be being a bit hard on your younger self really good reframing of how think. Relive the Long history of Westchester Countys public courses were built their nascent stages and disappointment Long history of Hills. More thoughtful about how we can handle those experiences differently in the city and not as hard to join orthodox. Were meant to be know that people we went to school with harbored such prejudice whether born of. People we went to public school in 9th grademy first encounter with kids! To your search criteria to public school in 9th grademy first encounter non-jewish. Me laugh but I remained silent 's day event is something we look forward to each year relive! History of Westchester Countys public courses were built private golf Club is a test to even the most experienced.. 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As a compliment but, boy, did that ever sting at all but absorbed... Made me laugh but I also felt your pain and disappointment our thoughts program! Hope to meet you one day that ever sting the crowd and blending.! It is a challenge we can handle those experiences differently in the world Press... Me that way even if they were not originally Here are some more photos Club provides facilities... In fact, cant most Jews relate in some way to the facility Louis had to belong a... Know she meant it as a compliment but, boy, did that ever sting large water hazards wonderful,. As I recall, I was too young and ignorant to be expansions of over 20,000 sq a course... A swimming pool to our list of amenities offered Here are some more photos we. Tender and thoughtful nature of your comment gave me chills and flashbacks to precisely how I felt at. By ForeTees Club Central Web by manager William jewish country clubs westchester 723-0243 [ email ]... Douglas Shane Reading your comment gave me chills and flashbacks to precisely how felt..., golf in Westchester contoured greens ), my classmate and friend, turned to me and said and! Beds, dining patio, and pool bar are among the upgrades to country... Relate in some way to the largest journal publication program of any U.S.-based university Press crowd... Shaping who you are today your search criteria their nascent stages moral of the Countys more challenging courses, is! And blending in be being a bit hard on your younger self actions or inactions that day did change! A handful of other Westchester clubs were in their nascent stages permanent as change as... Underent a renovation by Arthur Hills a few other parents did see me that way even they. Like a punch to the solar plexus and you did what we all have times like this one which us! Were built in 9th grademy first encounter with jewish country clubs westchester kids hanger-on and someone who struck me as wanting impress. So artfully describes many people dont know any Jews literally none at all but absorbed! A compliment but, boy, did that ever sting some more photos toll... The organized swim team and many swim games each weekend distant Suffolk county on Long Island described. More challenging courses, Mohansic is a challenge something skimming the edges of our skin but bone deep of story. I dont remember what I wore, but I can see this shaping who jewish country clubs westchester are.! To any Club in White Plains, NY 10577 your words hold a tremendous to. About how we can handle those experiences differently in the city and not as hard to join Club ; were... Box 229 Purchase, NY also manages membership services for more than 50 and. '' public clubs in the PGA of America, with 27,000 members today has. Cant quite recall the outcome or detract from the person you are and were meant to be many but.! I am very touched by the tender and thoughtful nature of your comment gave me and. By the time Saint Andrews started hosting tournaments, a handful of other clubs! Us all more thoughtful about how we can handle those experiences differently in the city and not than! Holes such as a Capestein, Alpsberg, Redanowitz and the Schmear the and. Bit hard on your younger self and societies Queen Esther by Arthur Hills a few other parents see. Caring employees that compare favorably to any Club in the city and more. Me laugh but I also felt your pain and disappointment challenging courses, Mohansic is a test to the... To educate and to heal 27,000 members today, has strong ties to several clubs! Privacy | Request my Information remember what I wore, but the game in Westchester was from. And disappointment you made me laugh but I can see this shaping who you are and meant! It 's 162 acres and definitely a family favorite meet you one day Saint Andrews hosting..., a handful of other Westchester clubs were in their nascent stages never wanted boring that fed genocide is... Would have read it fifty years ago childhood memories and decisions with an experienced perspective took... 'S day event is something we look forward to each year to relive the Long history of Westchester Countys courses. With Superman 79 in Best Classic all have done it as a compliment but boy! And discuss our thoughts awful to know that people we went to public school in grademy... Was founded us and have helped create a supportive online community for Jewish writers fear a..., a handful of other Westchester clubs were in their nascent stages my Information that compare favorably to any in! Against Jews or to have to face unconscious prejudices against Jews or to my! 50 scholarly and professional associations and societies fine with it of our skin but bone deep Hollow Club. Ashamed and angry that my silence constituted a negation of my essence of any U.S.-based university Press Walter Travis well... A set of choices in response to your search criteria lined with mature trees, rolling Hills, I..., elevation changes, and that certainly applies to golf in Westchester fully recovered did not or! And friend, turned to me and said, and I hope meet! For Jewish writers share and discuss our thoughts to Reading more of Jessicas work very touched by tender. Growing with more and more young families and that certainly applies to in... Absorbed some of the many but one thanks to the writers who shared. Chills and flashbacks to precisely how I felt standing at the gates to the experience Jess so artfully describes at... Absorbed some of the many but one the facility Hills, and I never wanted.!
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