By the end of the nineteenth century, golf courses were becoming popular in New York City. This led to the creation of many country clubs during the first third of the twentieth century. During the late 1920s, the Mayflower Country Club was established. With the designs of respected architect Alfred T. Hull, the privately-owned country club had a 147-acre golf course constructed in 1928 on Staten Island's south shore.

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The Mayflower Country Club had many plans for recreational facilities, including tennis courts and an indoor swimming pool, but the stock market crash of 1929 prevented these plans from seeing fruition.  By the middle of 1930, however, Frank B. Sterner & Co. began to construct the country club's clubhouse at a price of roughly $200,000. After having their Mayflower Country Club championship tournament in September of 1931, the country club stuck around for years and hosted the tournament annually.

In 1966, the site was taken over by the City of New York. From that time, New York City began to purchase tracts of land for Staten Island's newest golf course, which would be open to the public. Three years after the second parcel of land was acquired in 1967, the golf course opened as the South Shore Golf Course. The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, which was in charge of the golf course at the time, purchased one last tract of land in 1982. These two tracts of land added almost twenty-five acres to the original 147-acre tract.

In 1984, the Parks Department transferred management of the South Shore Golf Course over to the American Golf Corporation, a California-based company which operates dozens of golf courses in the United States.  Five years later, a Laurence Toto took over and restored the Clubhouse, which had been constructed in the Dutch Colonial revival style of architecture. Toto operated this building as a restaurant and catering hall, along with a snack bar for golfers, until 2004.  At that time, the Department of Parks and Recreation had transferred ownership to United Caterers, a Queens-based company.  Their plan, however, had failed in February of 2011 when United Caterers failed to comply with the terms of their agreement. By February 9, the contract was terminated.

For months, the South Shore Golf Course has continued with its games and events. The main concern was whether or not pre-booked events at the South Shore Country Club would still be occurring. After some debating, a conclusion was finally reached and guests were able to go on with their celebrations.  On July 31, 2011, another problem arose.  Due to the fact that United Caterers was no longer in control of the catering hall, the South Shore Golf Course was without a snack bar.  This results in some hungry golfers. After months of requests for proposals, it was finally decided that The Vanderbilt, which is located at South Beach, would run the Country Club's catering hall. However, as of mid-February of 2012, there has been no word on when the catering hall will be up and running again or when these golfers will get to eat.

While there may not be any food, the games still, of course, go on-and at reasonable prices. Like New York City's other golf courses, residents of New York City get to play golf at the South Shore Golf Course for a cheaper price than non-residents. During the week, the prices for residents walking are as follows: eighteen dollars for nine holes in the morning, thirty-eight dollars for eighteen holes before noon, thirty-one dollars for eighteen holes at or after noon, and nineteen dollars at twilight.  If these residents chose to ride instead, the prices for them would be the following: $56.50 for eighteen holes before noon, $49.50 for eighteen holes after noon, and $37.50 at twilight.  The prices, of course, increase for people who wish to play during the weekends or on holidays. Those prices increase even more for non-residents.  Aside for the standard fees, golfers must also pay for reservations, parking, and golf cart rental. Don't worry, though-these prices are very low compared to what you may see elsewhere.

Streets that border the park are Covington Circle, Huguenot Ave. and Alverson Ave.

Posted by Anthony Licciardello on

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