John McEntee Bowman
Founder, Westchester Country Club

A self-made man from Toronto, John McEntee Bowman came to New York when he was seventeen. He began his career as a groom in a stable and worked his way up to eventually own the Biltmore hotel group, one of the most exclusive and largest hotel chains in the world at that time.

Mr. Bowman sought to create the sportsman’s paradise within easy reach from the bustle of Manhattan. He would go on to purchase land in both Harrison and Rye, New York for his flagship hotel project, the Westchester Biltmore.

Mr. Bowman had a vision:

Members would live in the hotel and in homes on the grounds. The Club staff would take care of all services, both in the hotel and in the homes. Meals would be delivered to the homes from the hotel kitchen. Maids and gardeners would be called in from the hotel to attend to all the Members’ needs. A large garage with a platoon of mechanics would service the cars of the Members. And maybe, there would even be an airfield to handle the Members’ planes in the coming age of flight.

As for sporting facilities, the Club would offer the finest in golf, tennis, polo, horseback riding, swimming, boating, squash, tobogganing, skating, shooting, skiing…everything. It was going to be the most beautiful, most luxurious hotel-club-community anywhere. And, of course, no expense was to be spared.

Originally, 583 acres of land were purchased from Hobart J. Park, at $2,500 an acre. Two months later a 62-acre tract was bought on Manursing Island, valued at $375,000. The following month 35 acres were purchased from the old Hill Estate on Parks Farm. In the summer of 1919 construction of the eight-story hotel at the top of the hill was begun, under New York architects Warren and Wetmore in the style of a nineteenth-century Italian villa. Landscape architects were Charles W. Leavitt & Sons. Billington and Smith-Mertz were contracted to build the polo field and five miles of roads.

Walter J. Travis, the great Australian and American golf champion turned golf architect laid out the two 18-hole golf courses. The courses were built by the Philadelphia-based architectural firm Toomey and Flynn who built the modern course at Shinnecock Hills toward the end of the same decade. The Club joined the USGA on Jan. 13, 1922, four months before the courses opened for play.

On May 15, 1922, John McEntee Bowman formally opened the Westchester-Biltmore Country Club. Almost 1,500 members joined, paying an initiation fee of $25. Gage I. Tarbell was named President and E.D. Miller Secretary-Treasurer.

The Beach Club opening took place two weeks later when the large casino with a fine dance floor and handsome furnishings were unveiled. Facilities included eight hundred bathhouses, tennis and handball courts, a large saltwater pool, a seven-acre, man-made lagoon for swimming and canoeing, and parking for seven hundred cars.

The total cost exceeded $6,000,000, but the facilities were unequaled anywhere in the world. In addition to 45 holes of golf and the aforementioned facilities at the Beach, there was a brokerage office in the clubhouse, three polo fields (now the driving range); he constructed a separate short game area near the par-3 course, a bridle path, a track for horse racing, and fifteen tennis courts, including five superb grass courts.

The Club has hosted many memorable events over its history. The Thunderbird Classic came to Westchester in 1963, with Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus winning two of the first three years. The Thunderbird continued annually until 1967 when it became the Westchester Classic.

Ben Hogan played his final competitive round at the Classic on July 5, 1970. The event morphed again and was re-named the Westchester Buick Classic and later, The Barclays. These events were considered “tune-ups” for the U.S. Open with hard, fast greens, tight fairways, and high rough. But members and pros alike enjoy the course for its beautiful landscaping, premier conditioning, and perpetual challenge.

The PGA returned to Westchester Country Club in August 2011 with the final Senior Major of the year, the Senior Players Championship, as well as in 2015 for the KPMG Women's PGA Championship. In 2021, the Club hosted the U.S. Women’s Amateur.

An important part of John Bowman's vision of the Westchester Biltmore was the 62-acre Beach Club on Manursing Island in Rye, N.Y. On June 10, 1922, the Beach Club grand opening gala opened to a 25-piece orchestra playing for a formal fashion show. At its inception, Beach Club facilities included a one million gallon saltwater pool, 1,000 feet of beach on Long Island Sound, eight hundred bathhouses, tennis and handball courts, a seven-acre, man-made lagoon for swimming/canoeing, and parking for seven hundred cars.

During the summer season today, the Beach Club is open seven days a week until 10 or 11 pm from early June through Labor Day. The Beach Club opens informally every season on Memorial Day and hosts an opening party in early June. The Fourth of July weekend is the busiest weekend of the year at the Beach Club when over 2,000 Members and Guests are in attendance to socialize, dine and view the fireworks show. Other popular Beach Club events include the Luau party in July and the Clambake in August, all featuring live entertainment.

Perhaps the most notable feature at the Beach Club is the Club’s aquatics area. This facility boasts a secured area and a large wading pool for small children and their families. The Main Pool was the largest pool in Westchester County when built and is rumored to still hold the record today. At a capacity of roughly one million gallons, the saltwater main pool receives its water directly from Long Island Sound. It also features diving and a 2-story slide.

Today, the Westchester Country Club is an exclusive family-oriented ranked 25th of 4,000 private Clubs in the United States and maintains its status as a "Platinum Club."

Club members enjoy world-class facilities including the two championship Golf Courses, a Beach Club on Long Island sound, and comprehensive Tennis and Squash facilities amongst other specialized amenities. 

The main eight-story clubhouse features approximately 55 member apartments and 70 luxury suites and guest rooms. There are three dining rooms, two large banquet rooms, conference facilities, outdoor terrace dining, and two golf course snack bars open during the season. The Sports House is a separate member facility connected to the main clubhouse. In this area, members enjoy three dining areas featuring Contemporary Club and Global Cuisine. The Golf Shop, member locker rooms, Barber Shop, pool, and fitness facility are also located in this building.