06/18/2026
Happy U.S. Open week! Did you know, that long before she developed and helped design Pasatiempo, Marion Hollins was make an impact on golf, tennis and women’s sports on the East Coast? And specifically, Long Island.
Hollins was born on December 3, 1892, to a socially prominent and wealthy family in Gatsby country – East Islip, Long Island. She was the consummate athlete, and was proficient in all sporting endeavors she undertook, including; golf, anything equestrian, tennis, marksmanship, swimming, and car racing. Although we at Pasatiempo mostly recognize her golf accolades, to many Marion was considered the greatest horsewoman of the century.
Hollins was a pioneer in the field of golf course development, and is considered by some to be the only woman to be a golf course developer. In her life she developed three world class golf courses: The Women’s National Golf and Tennis Club, Cypress Point, and Pasatiempo.
Marion’s pioneering spirit created the impetus to develop a golf and tennis club exclusively for women, and hence the genesis of the Women’s National Golf and Tennis Club. To succeed in this endeavor she would go to Britain and study the great courses to gain an appreciation of golf architecture. There, she would also meet Ernest Jones, legendary golf instructor, and secure his commitment to be the Women’s National head professional. Ernest would subsequently become the first head pro at Pasatiempo. The rest, as they say, is history.
