By Nancy Kane
As late afternoon light hits the expansive beachfront of Westhampton’s Dune Deck Beach Club, a young child—under the guidance of an instructor—stands up on a surfboard for the first time. All over the globe, similar tutorials are taking place at other Discovery Land Company residential communities—such as Silo Ridge in the Hudson Valley and Baker’s Bay Golf & Ocean Club in the Bahamas—where activities and wellness are woven into everyday life. Founder and CEO Mike Meldman wouldn’t have it any other way. “Wellness is a true balance between physical activity, eating healthy, doing what you love, and most importantly, spending quality time with family and friends,” he says.
As with all Discovery Land properties, Dune Deck Beach Club is members-only and offers luxury residential lodging (33 luxury suites) with a full-service concierge. Previously, New Yorkers have had to travel quite a distance to get to a Discovery Land property. But that changed last year with the opening of Silo Ridge and this summer’s unveiling of the Dune Deck. “I did away with some of the rules and regulations associated with golf and country clubs and focused on creating an environment that was fun,” says Meldman. For example, “I found that I wasn’t the only one who didn’t like wearing a collared shirt on the golf course,” he says. At Silo Ridge, the club’s “Outdoor Pursuits” include rugged activities like archery, fly-fishing, hiking, and horseback riding in addition to a Tom Fazio golf course. Says Meldman, “My boys really grew up as true outdoorsmen and we love all the options at both Silo Ridge and the Dune Deck.”
At Dune Deck, the options for Outdoor Pursuits—including surf fishing and surfing—make the most of its oceanfront locale. “My son Hunter is an avid surfer and the great break right in front of the club allows us to spend a lot of time in the water,” says Meldman. “My 4-year-old son, Max, also loves to do anything in the water with his big brothers.” The club also has an in-house restaurant preparing farm-to-table fare, plus there’s an onsite fitness expert and facilities for personal training, physical therapy and nutrition counseling. “When I started Discovery, I was a divorced father and I was busy building my business while trying to juggle spending quality time with my boys,” says Meldman. “I wanted to make sure the time people have together was spent enjoying unique experiences that would create memories to last a lifetime.”