2024. Prices and selections may vary and are updated frequently.
Fishers Island is technically part of New York State, though it’s located in Long Island Sound a little bit off the coast of New London, Connecticut. It’s quite small and secluded, which is what attracted the residents of the stately homes on the island in the first place. It’s only approachable through the ferry, or by a private yacht.
That’s why there less than 300 residents here. Besides, it has gorgeous beaches as well.
But then there’s also the Fishers Island Club. This is also known as “The Big Club”, to differentiate it from another club located on the western part of the island
You’ll find The Big Club near the eastern end of the island, and it’s also the unlikely spot of one of the best golf courses in the whole US. This is the 18-hole golf course designed by Seth Raynor, and it’s simply beautiful. Golf Digest placed it as the 9th in its list of America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses in 2021. Not bad for a golf course that opened way back in 1926.
Play here, and you’ll be mesmerized. You have not just the views of the Atlantic Ocean and Long Island Sound, but the steep banks of the bunkers and the geometric greens as well.
It’s not all about golf, however. The Fishers Island Club also offers 5 tennis courts, along with the requisite shops for both golf and tennis. There’s also the Beach Club, which features a full snack bar for those looking to replenish after a swim. The Ocean beachfront is reserved for member use, so it’s pretty exclusive.
Once you’re done swimming on the beach, you can get dressed so you can enjoy the Main Clubhouse. That’s where you’ll find 2 dining rooms. The smaller room offers enough seats for 50 guests. But for larger gatherings, the bigger dining room should be able to accommodate your needs. It can seat up to 200 guests.
The Fishers Island Club is quite old-school, and it doesn’t broadcast its membership initiation fees. Many of the memberships are legacies. One report has the membership initiation fee pegged at $50,000 but that may be a very conservative estimate.
A news article in 2016 reported that the membership fees were increased so severely at the time even some of the old guard refused to pay. This may have been a way to get new blood in, but none of the members offered a public statement.