Q&A: Jeff Sullivan, Head Golf Professional at Cherry Valley Club

Alex Elias

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As Head Golf Professional at Cherry Valley Club for the past two years, what was your first impression of the course, and what aspects have you come to appreciate most?
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When I first played the course in August 2022 during my playing interview, I was pleasantly surprised by the views for a links-style course. When you reach the middle of the fairway on No. 2, you can see all the way to the other end of the course by No. 16.
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It’s almost always a little breezy, so I’ve come to really enjoy the challenging shot-making required to navigate the course. The approaches to the greens are mowed at .3", allowing golfers to hit lower shots into them—a great feature for a course with thick rough throughout the year.

Designed by Devereux Emmet, Cherry Valley Club is known for its distinctive bunkering. How would you describe Emmet's bunkering?

The course appears wide open, but it’s really not because of the bunkers. It’s not very uniform bunkering, and because of that, the different shapes and sizes pose a different challenge each hole and round. I can’t think of many other courses where the shapes and sizes of the bunkers vary as much as they do here.

What are a few notable examples of the distinctive bunkering at Cherry Valley Club?

No. 3 has a huge cross-bunker that hides the fairway and runs in a diagonal line towards the hole. The fairway is pretty wide, but that bunker does an excellent job of forcing golfers left and making the second shot longer. No. 8 has a unique bunker that runs up the left side of the hole starting at about 260 yards from the green. It’s not visible from the tee—or even from the fairway—but it’s extremely penalizing because of how narrow it is.

Since Stephen Kay began renovating Cherry Valley Club in 1998 and has continued his work over the years, how would you describe the changes?

Stephen Kay has done a great job making the course more challenging for better players, while also making it more forgiving for those trying to break a hundred. For example, high-handicaps typically struggle to hit the ball high in the air and hold greens, and with Kay’s work, they can now run the ball up towards the front edge.

Cherry Valley Club has two logos — what is the story behind each one?

In 2019, Lee Wybranski was hired to redesign the club's logo, and it became an overnight hit with the membership. Rockaway Avenue was lined with cherry trees in the early 1900s, and the entrance to the club is still framed by cherry trees that blossom for a few weeks each spring. The logo is distinctive and is quickly becoming well-recognized throughout the Northeast golfing region.

The secondary logo is the club’s flag. It represents both golf and tennis, with green for the fairways and white for the tennis attire traditionally worn by members.

How does having a secondary logo enhance creativity in the Pro Shop?

Every club is different, and you can use that to your advantage. You have to lean into what makes your club unique. Some clubs have cool signage or a signature drink they feature on hats and headcovers. At Cherry Valley, we’re fortunate to use both of our logos and our centennial clock.

What recent trends have you noticed in golf merchandise?

Hoodies have been around for a few years now, but cashmere hoodies are a more recent trend. Holderness & Bourne, Peter Millar, and Greyson all make tailored cashmere hoodies that are so sharp they almost look like sweaters when worn over a polo.
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Another growing trend is patterns. Patterns are essentially the new solids. At Cherry Valley, we’re seeing prints, stripes, and solids—but solids are definitely a distant third.