Club History

In 1921 the estate of George C. Park (40 acres) was purchased and combined with the adjoining Allen Estate and became Rye Country Club. The Park estate contained the magnificent Whitby Castle which was designed by Alexander Jackson Davis in 1852 which now serves as the clubhouse and restaurant. The original Rye Country Club drew its inspiration from two famous British clubs at the time: Ranelagh near London and the Glen Eagles near Edinburgh. Anticipated membership at the outset was 1,000. The golf course was designed by the famous course architect of the time, Devereaux Emmet (Bonnie Briar, Pelham Country Club, Hampshire). The club fell onto hard times during the Depression but managed to hang in through WWII. To avoid being sold for housing development, the club reorganized and restructured itself and became the Ryewood Country Club which it remained named until 1965 when it was purchased by the City of Rye and renamed Rye Golf Club.