Golf on Long Island

Flyover: Brentwood Country Club

The Brentwood Country Club is one of the oldest public courses on Long Island, its original design crafted by famed course architect Devereux Emmet in the 1920s.  Emmet, of course, is best known for the Garden City Golf Club, built near the turn of the 20th century and still considered one of the greatest courses in the world.  He did fine and frequent work on Long Island in the early 1900s, some of which is still in existence, while a number of fabled courses were long ago paved over and converted into the region we know today.  Roughly 25 miles east of the Garden City GC, past the buried remains of other Emmet classics, is Brentwood.

Brentwood is a short par-72 that measures only 6,173 yards from the tips and 5,800+ from the middle tees.  With no water on the course and predominantly flat and open fairways, it is a mildly challenging layout for experienced players and an attractive destination for beginners.  Between holes 8 and 16, Brentwood provides a series of scoreable par-4s -- six of them are shorter than 310 yards (from the middle), three play under 285.

LAYOUT:
The opener at Brentwood is a 480-yard par-5; its neighbor to the right, #4, is a carbon copy.  The two holes stretch parallel to one another and feature the same ridge running horizontally through their fairways.  Sand has a larger presence on #1, however.  That ridge also makes an appearance on #2, a deceptively tough par-4.  The bi-level fairway is elevated along the right side, placing tee shots on the same level as the flag but potentially leaving the player with an uneven lie.  The left side is flat but below the hole.  No matter where the approach shot is arriving from, deep bunkers await on both sides of the green.

Like the two par-5s, a pair of par-3s also greet you early in the round.  At 169 yards, #3 is the longest of the course's one-shotters.  A deep bunker curling behind the right side of the green complements a series of smaller ones short and left.  The fifth hole is shorter and also relies on sand traps short and long to protect its tiny putting surface.

If you are dissatisfied with your scoring through seven holes, the eighth tee is a good place to take a deep breath and focus on getting your swing in order and making pars.  Six of the next nine holes are pint-sized par-4s; the other three are a pair of longer, doglegged par-4s and a medium-length par-3.  The eighth is a 285-yarder with a bunker that protects the front of the green against big bombers.  A hill behind its large green complicates overclubbed shots.  The ninth, at 303 yards, plays to an elevated fairway and offers a wide-open approach.  A sandy waste area at the far end of the fairway threatens to intercept long drives on the 297-yard 13th.

Breaking up the series of shorties are holes 12 and 15, each sporting fairways that bend right and keep players from getting too comfortable.  Righties who fade the ball can send their tee shots out over the open left sides and let them curl back toward the fairways.  A bad miss to the right on the mid- to long-iron approach on #15 brings a fence and dirt lies into the equation.

Brentwood closes with its two tightest holes.  Tall evergreens on both sides of the 17th fairway demand a straight tee shot to a narrow landing area on this 467-yard par-5.  The par-4 18th is just as slim, but a good drive to the left side provides breathing room and leaves a prime angle to the green.

CONDITIONS:
Though Brentwood's fairways are open and inviting, trees are plentiful on the course.  But, with the exception of #17 and #18, they are recessed far enough to not become much of a nuisance.  Evergreens line the right side of the par-4 sixth and frame the driving zone on #7 and #8 (pictured right).

Brentwood's greens are mid-sized to small and rarely ask too much of the unseasoned putter other than a good amount of patience.  Ball marks dot many of the greens, making smooth rolls a rarity.  One recent playing partner, a Brentwood course veteran, said the greens always play slow and never break as much as you expect.

The challenge lays more within the deep traps that surround the greens rather than on the surfaces themselves.  Oddly, the bunkers, the defining feature on many of Brentwood's holes, do not have rakes.  Local rules allow footprints to be smoothed, though a ball resting in the mark of someone's Footjoy will undoubtedly be a source of frustration.  Rumor has it that the rakes had a tendency to disappear.

HOLE(S) TO REMEMBER:
The bi-level fairway on #2 adds a little strategy to what would otherwise be a simple par-4.  Beginning about 175 yards from the tee, a ridge runs diagonally from the right rough across the fairway before sloping down into the rough and cart path left of the green.  The putting surface sits on the upper level.

A deep bunker (above) guards the left side of the green, and anything farther left will run down the hill toward the cart path, well below the hole.  An uphill pitch from a potentially wretched lie would require clearing the bunker and holding the green.  Of course, playing your tee shot to the upper right side of the fairway risks a sidehill lie on the ridge, with a right-to-left slant that encourages a mishit into the danger zone.  Playing safer to the lower half of the fairway gives a better angle, but also a longer approach, to an elevated green.

AREA(S) TO AVOID:
The plateau green on #11 (first photo, above) falls off dramatically from the back fringe into a wide bunker.  Shots sent through the green will catch the slope and run down into the trap or settle in the rough.  The green also drops down toward another trap on the right side.

Long irons over the right side of the green on the par-3 third will find their way into a narrow bunker with steep edges.  Given the depth of this trap and its thin dimensions, balls are likely to settle close to the angled walls and make for extremely difficult sand blasts.

NEARBY COURSES:
Stonebridge Golf Links (5 miles)
Hamlet Wind Watch Golf & Country Club (6 miles)
Dix Hills Park (6 miles)
Dix Hills Golf Club (8 miles)
Timber Point - Red/White/Blue (9 miles)

CONTACT:
100 Pennsylvania Ave., Brentwood 11717
(631) 436-6060
www.brentwoodccgolf.com

SEE ALSO:
August Specials at Brentwood, Holbrook

This post was modified on August 10, 2009.

Have thoughts and opinions on Brentwood?  Share them with other Golf On Long Island readers by posting in the comments section below.

Still time to get free golf through Golfing Mag's Early Bird Special

Golfers who enjoy teeing it up on a variety of Long Island courses and, more importantly, prefer to do so by spending as little as possible, have five more days to take advantage of a deal offered by Golfing Magazine.  Until April 1, subscribers can capitalize on the mag's Early Bird Special -- six rounds of golf and five issues of Golfing Magazine for $39.

Golfing Mag editor Terrence Jordan calls this year's special the publication's best ever.  Why?  Because for the cost of nine holes, a range token and a pint of Blue Point Summer Ale, golfers receive a certificate good for six full rounds at participating courses -- one each at Harbor Links, Swan Lake, Rock Hill, Island's End, Great Rock and Dix Hills Park -- plus the one-year subscription.  That is six rounds of high-quality Long Island golf that would typically run up a tab in the $200-250 range.  And the magazine is currently working to involve more courses in this year's program as well.

After April 1, the price for the certificate and subscription becomes $49.  Even at that rate, the certificate pretty much pays for itself after just one round.  If you plan on visiting Harbor Links in 2009, the certificate is a wise investment, especially if you can't capitalize on Town of North Hempstead resident rates.

Golfers are only responsible for cart fees on the day of the round.  Conditions vary at each course, but according to Jordan, the certificate will be honored for tee times Monday through Friday after 11 a.m. and on Sundays after 1 p.m., with few exceptions.  Those who take advantage of the Early Bird rate will receive their certificates in mid-April.

For more details, or to subscribe, contact Golfing Magazine at (516) 822-5446 or www.GolfingMagLI.com. 

Winter rates through March at Middle Island

Golfers have one more week to capitalize on extended winter rates on the Spruce, Dogwood and Oak Courses at the Middle Island Country Club.  Through March 31, an 18-hole round at Middle Island is $30 anytime during the week and $45 on weekends.  Nine hole rates are $20/$25.  Carts are $5 for nine holes and $10 for 18.

Middle Island has undergone gradual renovations under new club management in recent years.  Late last season, Golf On Long Island detailed the remodeled Spruce Course, which now features an "island" green on its redesigned seventh hole.  The Dogwood nine is set for a makeover of its own in 2009. 

Update: Tallgrass to reopen tomorrow

Originally set to open for the season on April 1, the Tallgrass Country Club has moved its reopening date up to tomorrow, March 21.  Online tee times are not yet available, but reservations can be made by calling the pro shop today after 11 a.m.

Temperatures for the first spring weekend are supposed to be in the mid-50s under sunny skies, pleasant conditions for taking advantage of the course's offseason rates.  Tallgrass was ranked by Golfweek as one of its "Best Courses You Can Play" in 2006 and 2007, and Newsday readers voted its 11th hole to the Long Island "Dream 18" -- a collection of the 18 best public holes on the Island, created by the golfers themselves.

For more information, check out Golf On Long Island's flyover of the Shoreham layout.

Great Rock's new website, Spring special

The Great Rock Golf Club's redesigned website made its Internet debut earlier this month.  The new version is cleaner and more organized than its predecessor, which had plenty of good intentions but was plagued by broken links and layout issues.  It was one of the very few Long Island course websites to actually make an attempt at providing in-depth hole-by-hole information. 

Slowly but surely, the new site is filling out its web space.  Information on rates, lessons, outings and membership is currently available, but course details have yet to make the transition.

Meanwhile, Great Rock is running a Spring special through the end of March.  Rates are $49 (with cart) at all times, weekdays and weekends.

Golfing Magazine's Early Bird Special -- Six rounds and subscription for $39

Anyone with plans to play at least one round of golf on a Long Island course this season, listen up.  Until April 1, Golfing Magazine is offering an Early Bird Special on its discounted golf VIP program, and according to editor Terrence Jordan, this year's special is the publication's best ever.

For $39, golfers receive a certificate good for six full rounds at participating courses -- one each at Harbor Links, Swan Lake, Rock Hill, Island's End, Great Rock and Dix Hills Park -- plus a one-year subscription (five issues) to Golfing Magazine.  That is six rounds of high-quality Long Island golf that would typically run up a tab in the $200-250 range.  And the magazine is currently working to involve more courses in this year's program as well.

After April 1, the price for the certificate and subscription becomes $49.  Even at that rate, the certificate pretty much pays for itself after just one round.  If you plan on visiting Harbor Links in 2009, the certificate is a wise investment, especially if you can't capitalize on Town of North Hempstead resident rates.

Golfers are only responsible for cart fees on the day of the round.  Conditions vary at each course, but according to Jordan, the certificate will be honored for tee times Monday through Friday after 11 a.m. and on Sundays after 1 p.m., with few exceptions.  Those who take advantage of the Early Bird rate will receive their certificates in mid-April.

For more details, or to subscribe, contact Golfing Magazine at (516) 822-5446 or www.GolfingMagLI.com. 

Reopening dates: Brentwood, Holbrook, Tallgrass

The Brentwood Country Club, originally slated to reopen for the season on March 16, has pushed its start date back due to residual effects from last week's snowstorm and melt-off.  Its Town of Islip sister course at the Holbrook Country Club has done the same.  Both courses will start the 2009 season simultaneously on Wednesday, March 18.

Farther east, the Tallgrass Country Club will reopen on April 1, and will soon announce reduced 2009 rates.  Tallgrass was ranked by Golfweek as one of its "Best Courses You Can Play" in 2006 and 2007, and Newsday readers voted its 11th hole to the Long Island "Dream 18" -- a collection of the 18 best public holes on the Island, created by the golfers themselves. 

Golf On Long Island flew over the Shoreham layout last summer.

Bay Park, Morley to reopen Friday

The Bay Park and Christopher Morley Park golf courses are scheduled to reopen for the season Friday, March 13, weather permitting.  Both nine-hole municipal courses have been closed since mid-December while sister courses at North Woodmere and Cantiague Park remained open for play through the winter. 

Both nine-hole par-30s are very short with contrasting styles, and ideal destinations for the beginner.  Sitting on a peninsula that juts into Hewlett Bay, Bay Park is wide open and exposed to strong Atlantic breezes.  It is flat, easy to walk, and non-threatening.  Only two holes stretch longer than 300 yards.

Christopher Morley is shorter and a bit tighter, with tall oaks framing the fairways and greens.  The three longest holes measure 227, 267 and 300 yards.  It's a fun practice course with a cozy feel.

The Red Course at Eisenhower Park is due to reopen sometime in late March or early April.

Golf Etc. at The Arches -- Tanger Outlets, Deer Park

Bob Misa is a man with a plan -- a two-year plan, to be exact.  The owner of Golf Etc. at the Arches is determined to make his store a success within his 24-month time frame, whether or not the economy will cooperate.  Four months since he opened for business inside the new Tanger Outlets Center in Deer Park, Misa has no doubts about his vision.

"This is going to be big," he says.  "I know it."

Golf Etc. at The Arches became the first sponsor of Golf On Long Island last week, fitting in that both are start-ups, with optimistic outlooks, looking to grab the attention of area players.  Between the two, however, Misa has the advantage when it comes to attracting eyes, thanks to a pair of Full Swing Golf simulators that stop passers-by in their tracks as they approach his storefront.  A typical day at Golf Etc., Misa says, includes Tanger shoppers pressed up against the front windows to follow the action on Full Swing's virtual driving range or any of over 60 classic courses available to players.

More importantly, in a time when the reeling economy is battering the American shopping mall, the simulators -- plus the selection of apparel and equipment -- have drawn plenty of customers past the storefront and through the doors.  Weekend "tee times" have become increasingly popular as the new season quickly approaches, and the Golf Etc. staff makes sure to accommodate players who call in for reservations or shoppers eager to take a few hacks.  When weekend temperatures hit the 60-degree mark in February, the store stayed abuzz from morning to night.

And with the economy struggling, Misa says, companies with tightened budgets are looking for alternatives to the classic corporate golf outing.  So Golf Etc. is stepping in, promoting the simulators as a unique destination for businesses who want to put clubs in the hands of employees and clients but without the expense.  Companies can host outings on classic courses, while players enjoy food, drinks and flat-screen TVs between shots.

"It's becoming harder for businesses to bring an entire group out to a course for a round," he says.  "These in-store outings offer something that's different but still a lot of fun."

Leagues and clinics receive similar treatment.  Players can sign up for Golf Etc. match-play leagues, with head-to-head competition and refreshments each week, plus contests and prizes at the end of the season.  A variety of clinics are available to all types of players, with time in the simulators supplemented by staff demonstrations and PowerPoint analysis in the store's lounge area.

Golf Etc. even offers something to shoppers who don't know the first thing about the sport.  The store's Golfer Registry enables players to record their equipment and apparel preferences into a database that the Golf Etc. staff can refer to in seconds.

"If someone comes in and says their husband has a registry and needs a new wedge," Misa says, "we can look up his equipment from his wish list and know exactly what he's looking for."

Misa is pleased with the reception his store has gotten since it opened inside Tanger last fall.  He made sure to lock down a prime location near the Nike and Reebok stores, next to one of the center's main entryways at Neiman Marcus.  Misa and his wife Colleen, a member of the Executive Women's Golf Association, place high emphasis on customer service and properly fitting the golfer to his or her equipment.  There are PGA pros on staff to analyze swings in the store's Flight Scope launch monitors, provide custom fittings, give lessons, and modify clubs in the workshop.

Meanwhile, the store itself continues to grow and find a natural fit within its space.  It carries a wide selection of Callaway, Ping, Nike, TaylorMade, Adidas, Adams, Mizuno and Wilson apparel and equipment, among others.  The store's putting green will soon be enhanced by a large mural, another sight sure to catch the eyes of passing Tanger shoppers.

And Misa's plans, though still on the drawing board, include taking Golf Etc. outdoors in the warm weather.  He envisions an interactive setup in the heart of Tanger where patrons can step up and hit a few balls, with the opportunity to win prizes, but more importantly, to have fun and add a little more enjoyment to a day of shopping.

Update: Holbrook reopening delayed

The Holbrook Country Club will not reopen for the season this Friday, March 13, as previously scheduled.  The snow from last week's storm has cleared but the course still needs time to dry out.

A tentative date will be posted on the course website later this week.