Golf on Long Island

Golfing Magazine partners with 11 courses for its 2013 Free Golf Program

Starting this week, Long Island golfers will receive a Golfing Magazine certificate that allows them to play for "free" at nearly a dozen golf courses Islandwide.  The magazine's 2013 Free Golf Program includes 11 local courses -- seven full-length and four nine-hole layouts -- plus dozens more upstate and across the Northeast.  Also, this year's program sets aside for certificate holders some much-needed tune-up time, specifically a half-hour lesson at the Town of Oyster Bay's Gold Coast Golf Center and an hour in the simulator at Eagle Golf in Bay Shore.  The $39 Early Bird Special has come and gone, but interested golfers can still sign up for the program for $59.  

Seven of the eight courses in last year's program are returning again in 2013 -- Brentwood Country Club, Dix Hills Park, Glen Cove, Gull Haven, Holbrook Country Club, Tallgrass and Island's End.  Added to the selection this year are The Woods at Cherry Creek and Sandy Pond Golf Course in Riverhead, Spring Lake's nine-hole Sandpiper Course in Middle Island, and Willow Creek Golf & Country Club in Mount Sinai. 

The Free Golf Program certificate entitles you to one "free" round at each of the above courses.  All you pay for on the day of play is a cart fee (and reservation fee where applicable).  The certificate will only be honored at certain times during the week and on weekends, and availability varies by course.  Be sure to check all terms and conditions when reserving your round.  Tee times must be made in advance.  Once that's done, it's great local golf at a steep discount.

As always, a one-year subscription to Golfing Magazine (five issues) is part of the program.  If you're heading up the Thruway or into New England sometime this summer, the certificate makes a valuable travel companion, as it's valid at a variety of participating courses in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and upstate New York.

To subscribe, contact Golfing Magazine at (516) 822-5446 or visit online at www.GolfingMagLI.com.  And for descriptions of the participating Long Island courses, click the links above to read the course flyovers.

Newsday: Long Island golf business not booming

[Read Golf On Long Island's take on the Newsday article: 
Newsday report features false data to support negative view of Long Island golf industry]

The business of golf on Long Island is "in the rough" according to a report published Thursday on Newsday.com.

Newsday's Ted Phillips said the Long Island golf industry is "shrinking" thanks to the combined effects of the course-building boom of the late 1990s, the struggling economy and a change in leisure priorities.  Phillips points to a drop in rounds at Long Island's state parks over the past 15 years:

New York State operates six golf facilities on Long Island: Bethpage (which has four courses in addition to the Black), Sunken Meadow, Montauk Downs, Sag Harbor, Jones Beach and Robert Moses. 

In 1998, golfers played 576,850 rounds at those public courses. Game play slid by 19 percent in the next 10 years to 466,343 rounds -- and fell even more after the financial crisis of 2008, dropping to 369,595 rounds last year. -- Ted Phillips, Newsday, 4/4/2013

Read the full report on Newsday.com.

2013 Summer Golf Camps on Long Island

Early in the spring, practice for the new season is typically confined to the driving range.  But when the heat arrives, not only is it time for everyone to start enjoying time on the course, it's also time for junior golfers to form and polish their game with help from experienced professionals. 

Learning doesn't have to stop when the school year ends -- teaching pros all over Long Island have developed summer camp programs that school junior golfers in the fundamentals of golf, the golf swing and course etiquette, among other aspects of the game.  These golf camps offered at a handful of Long Island courses are designed to either put the first building blocks in place for newcomers or provide expert guidance for juniors looking to take their game to the next level. 

The following is a list of 2013 summer junior golf camps available and open for registration at various public courses around Long Island.   For more information, follow the links below to the course websites and junior camp pages. 

(Please note that this is not a complete list of Long Island summer golf camps.  If a course or facility is not included here, contact them directly to learn about their available camps and clinics.)

Crab Meadow:  The High School Development Program is a unique instruction and competition experience designed for the intermediate player looking to advance his or her game.  On-course play includes lessons in course management, short game, club selection and bunker play, as well as head-to-head match competition.  Three-hour sessions take place weekly in July and August.  Call (631) 499-8005 for price and program schedule.

Dix Hills Park:  Basic Program open to junior players from age 6 to 14 with limited or no golf experience.  The program stresses safety, rules and etiquette through games and contests in a fun atmosphere.  Club Division open to boys and girls who are ready for on-course instruction and play.  Campers in this program receive advanced instruction and are introduced to various competition formats.  Six-week sessions take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and begin the week of July 8.  Cost is $325 (Basic)/$350 (Club).  Visit the junior golf program page for more info.

Gold Coast Golf Center at the Town of Oyster Bay Golf Course:  Half-day camps available for kids from age 6 to 9 with rates starting at $199.  Beginners and intermediate golfers focus on fundamentals in an environment designed to foster development and interest in the sport.  Full-day camps include on-course instruction and are open to juniors from age 10 to 17 with rates starting at $499.  All programs begin on June 10 with sessions available through August.  Other programs and discounts are available.  Visit the registration page for full camp info.

Great Rock Golf Club:  Half-day camps are open to boys and girls age 7 to 14 and run in four separate sessions from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., Monday to Thursday, beginning June 24.  Campers receive a Great Rock hat and final-day pizza party.  The cost is $199 per child, per session.  Full-day camps are open to boys and girls age 9 to 16 and run in five separate sessions from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Monday to Thursday, beginning July 8.  The cost is $399 per child, per session.  Full-day campers receive on-course instruction, Great Rock hat and daily lunch.  For more, see the Great Rock camp flyer.

Harbor Links Golf Course:  All camps are split into AM and PM sessions beginning the week of June 24.  Weekly programs for kids age 6 to 9 run Tuesday to Friday and include games and drills that help develop important skills and fundamentals.  Separate programs for teens age 10 to 16 run Monday to Friday and cover the full swing, short game, course management, rules and etiquette, and conclude with a two-day "Junior Scramble" team tournament.  Cost is $410 for the 6-9 camp and $585 for the 10-16 camp, with discounts available for family and friends.  For all program information, schedules and registration forms, visit the Harbor Links website.

Indian Island Country Club:  Weekly full-day camps include lunch, prizes, skills contests and on-course competition.  Camps are open to boys and girls of all skill levels between the ages of 7 and 16.  Fees are $450 per week, per camper, with family, returnee and multi-week discounts available.  Sessions begin July 1 and last through August.  See the Indian Island camp brochure for all details.

Lido Golf Club:  Camps are open to golfers age 6 and up, with all skill levels welcome.  Week-long programs focus on swing fundamentals, short-game skills and techniques, course play, etiquette and rules.  Evening camp sessions (5:00 to 7:00 p.m.) are available beginning the week of June 24; morning camp sessions (9:00 to 11:00 a.m.) the week of July 1.  Enrollment is $300 per session.  Visit the Lido website or Chuck Kupfer Golf for details.

Pine Hills Country Club:  Four-week programs take place on Tuesday evenings and are open to boys and girls from age 7 to 14.  First session begins July 2; second session begins August 6.  Campers will learn putting, chipping, full swing and etiquette, and receive on-course lessons from two PGA teaching professionals.  Registration is $295 ($275 before June 25).  For additional information, check out the camp brochure.

Poxabogue Golf Center:  Sessions run Monday through Friday and are open to boys and girls from age 7 to 16.  All campers receive daily lunch, shirt, hat and prizes, and will learn basics of the full swing, short game, putting, rules, etiquette and sportsmanship.  Cost is $475 per week, per camper, with family, returnee and multi-week discounts available.  Sessions begin July 1 and last through August.  See the camp application for details.

Smithtown Landing Country Club:  Contact the Smithtown Landing pro shop for information about details and availability of summer programs led by PGA professional and Hall of Famer Michael Hebron.  Call (631) 979-6534.

Spring Lake Golf Club:  Programs available for kids from age 8 to 11 (July 16-18) and teens from age 12 to 14 (July 30-August 1).  Three-day camps teach swing fundamentals in a fun environment with on-course play each day.  Cost is $179 per child.  Visit the Spring Lake website for details.

Timber Point Golf Course:  Six-week Basic Program is designed for new players from age 7 to 10, and focuses on fundamentals, safety, rules and etiquette through fun games and contests.  Club Division (four-week and eight-week programs available) is open to experienced juniors from age 11 to 15 and includes advanced instruction and on-course play.  Basic and Club sessions begin in late June and run through mid-August.  Call (631) 581-2401 or e-mail timberpointgolfcourse@yahoo.com for price, schedule and registration information.

West Sayville Golf Course:  Eight-week programs (total of eight four-hour sessions) are available on Tuesdays through Fridays beginning July 2.  Campers receive instruction at the range and on the course, with instruction concentrating on all aspects of the swing, including grip, stance and alignment, plus bunker play and video analysis.  The $450 fee also includes shirt, hat and rule book.  Visit the course website and download the camp registration form for more information.

Golfing Magazine's Free Golf Program adds indoor play at Bay Shore's Eagle Golf

Golfing Magazine's Free Golf Program is no longer confined to the great outdoors. 

The local mag has partnered with Eagle Golf of Bay Shore to include in this year's program an hour of indoor simulator time, a fun practice session that should come in handy between discounted rounds.  Early Bird registration is currently $39 -- even more of a bargain than usual considering an hour in the Eagle Golf simulator typically starts at $50.

Sign up for the Free Golf Program for $39 through April, $49 thereafter.  Members of the program receive a certificate good for one "free" round during designated times at nearly a dozen area courses.  (Only cart fees are required.)  Participating courses will be announced in May.

Golfing Magazine's 2012 program included eight Long Island courses -- Brentwood Country Club, Dix Hills Park, Glen Cove, Gull Haven, Harbor Links - Executive, Holbrook Country Club, Tallgrass and Island's End.  The certificate also includes rounds at dozens of courses upstate and throughout New England.

Eagle Golf is located at 53 W. Main St. in Bay Shore.  Its two Full Swing Golf simulators recreate play on nearly 70 international courses.  For more information, stop by the Eagle Golf website.

Visit the Golfing Magazine website or call (516) 822-5446 to sign up for the 2013 program.

February golf simulator specials at 1st Tee Fitness & Performance

Central Suffolk County took a beating from last week's snowstorm, but there is one spot where slowly melting Long Island looks just like Pebble Beach.  1st Tee Fitness & Performance in St. James is running specials this month for time in its High Definition Golf simulator, including $10 off a two-hour block and 10 total hours in the sim for $250.

Co-owner and certified golf fitness instructor Jason Greco, who opened the center in December 2011, says simulator rates this winter season are $40/hour and $25/half-hour on weekends, $30 and $20 during the week.  Local pros still give private lessons and instruction in the facility's practice area, as well.

The latest specials can be found on the center's Facebook page and on the 1st Tee website.

For more information on the facility, check out this Golf On Long Island profile from December 2011.

No Long Island Golf Show planned for 2013

The Results Group, the Syracuse-based event and trade-show planner that purchased the rights to the Long Island Golf Show in 2010, will not run a local golf expo in 2013.  The group operated the last Long Island Golf Show in March 2011, which included appearances by John Daly and The Golf Channel's Michael Breed.

"At this time we have no intention of bringing back a golf show on Long Island," said Tom Tarry, president of The Results Group, which runs a series of annual events throughout the Central New York region.

The future of the Long Island Golf Show became murky last winter when the 2012 expo scheduled for March 23-25 at Suffolk Community College was pulled from the schedule.  Prior to that, organizers of the 2011 show expressed concerns about lack of participation and interest from local golf courses and businesses, especially in comparison to the group's highly popular Syracuse Golf Show held each winter.

Golf On Long Island "Visitor's Guide" now available

With The Barclays teeing off at Bethpage Black next month, plenty of guests -- many with golf bags in hand -- will soon be arriving on Long Island on top of the area's typical crop of summer travelers and tourists.  Earlier this season, Golf On Long Island published its "Visitor's Guide" with these guests in mind.  

The Golf On Long Island Visitor's Guide provides a detailed rundown of all a traveling golfer needs to know about the what, where, how, how much and so on for public golf on the Island.  The Guide can also be a valuable resource for local players as well, perhaps those unfamiliar with courses in certain areas or others looking to expand the group of golf courses they play on a routine basis.  Locals can leave tips or advice for visiting players, or feedback about the Golf On Long Island commentary itself, in the Guide's comments section.

To view the Visitor's Guide, click this link or the permanent link in this page's right sidebar.

2012 Summer Golf Camps on Long Island

[Now available: 2013 Summer Golf Camps on Long Island]

Summer golf is more than just early-morning mulligans on a dewey first tee and putting out on the 18th hole as the sun goes down on a twilight round.  For young kids and teenagers, summer is a great time to learn from teaching professionals about the fundamentals of golf, the golf swing and course etiquette, among other aspects of the game.  Many Long Island courses offer summer golf camps for junior players, with programs designed to either put the first building blocks in place for newcomers or provide expert guidance for juniors looking to take their game to the next level. 

The following is a list of 2012 summer junior golf camps available and open for registration at various public courses around Long Island.   For more information, follow the links below to the course websites and junior camp pages. 

(Please note that this is not a complete list of Long Island summer camps.  If a course or facility is not included here, contact them directly to learn about their available camps and clinics.)

Crab Meadow:  High School Development Program is designed for the intermediate player looking to advance his or her game.  On-course play includes lessons in course management, short game, club selection and bunker play, as well as head-to-head match competition.  Three-hour sessions take place on Thursdays beginning July 12.  $375 registration includes greens fees.

Dix Hills Park:  Basic Program open to junior players from age 6 to 14 with limited or no golf experience.  Club Division open to boys and girls who are ready for on-course instruction and play.  Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday sessions begin the week of July 10 and cost $325 (Basic)/$350 (Club).  Visit the junior golf program page for more info.

Gold Coast Golf Center at the Town of Oyster Bay Golf Course:  Half-day camps available for kids from age 6 to 9 with rates starting at $199; full-day camps include on-course instruction and are open to juniors from age 10 to 17 with rates starting at $499.  All programs begin on June 11 with sessions available through August.  Other programs and discounts available.  Visit the registration page for full camp info.

Great Rock Golf Club:  Half-day camps are open to boys and girls aged 7 to 14 and run in four separate sessions from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., Monday to Thursday.  The cost is $199 per child, per session.  Full-day camps are open to boys and girls aged 9 to 16 and run in five separate sessions from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Monday to Thursday.  The cost is $399 per child, per session.  Full-day campers receive on-course instruction and daily lunch.  For more, see the Golf On Long Island camp profile or the Great Rock flyer.

Harbor Links Golf Course:  All camps are split into AM and PM sessions beginning the week of June 25.  Weekly programs for kids aged 6 to 9 run Tuesday to Friday and include games and drills that help develop important skills and fundamentals.  Separate programs for teens aged 10 to 16 run Monday to Friday and cover the full swing, short game, course management, rules and etiquette, and conclude with a two-day team tournament.  Cost is $410 for the 6-9 camp and $585 for the 10-16 camp, with discounts available for family and friends.  For all program information and schedules, visit the Harbor Links website.

Indian Island Country Club:  Weekly full-day camps include lunch, prizes, skills contests and on-course competition.  Camps are open for boys and girls of all skill levels between the ages of 7 and 16.  Fees are $450 per week, per camper, with family and multi-week discounts available.  Sessions begin July 2 and last through August.  See the Indian Island camp brochure for all details.

Long Island National Golf Club:  Four-day camp sessions are available for the weeks of June 25, July 9, July 23 and August 13 and open to boys and girls from age 7 to 13.  Fee is $300 per camper.  Ninety-minute clinics ($175) are also available on Wednesdays in August.  Visit the Long Island National website for additional details.

Poxabogue Golf Center:  Ten weekly sessions begin June 25 for boys and girls from age 7 to 14.  Cost is $329 per child, per session.  See the camp application for details.

Spring Lake Golf Club:  Programs available for kids from age 8 to 12 (July 16-19) and teens from age 13 to 16 (July 30-August 2).  Four-day camps teach swing fundamentals in a fun environment with morning range and putting lessons followed by afternoon course play.  Cost is $225 per child.  Visit the Spring Lake website for details.

Timber Point Golf Course:  Six-week Basic Program is designed for new players from age 7 to 10, and focuses on fundamentals, safety, rules and etiquette through fun games and contests.  Club Division (four-week and eight-week programs available) is open to experienced juniors from age 11 to 15 and includes advanced instruction and on-course play.  Basic ($250) and Club ($175/$295) sessions begin in the last week of June.  See the camp registration form for prices and schedules.

West Sayville Golf Course:  Eight-week programs are available on Tuesdays through Fridays beginning July 3.  Campers receive instruction at the range and on the course.  The $450 fee also includes shirt, hat and rule book.  Visit the course website for more information.

Off-Course Destinations: SUNY Farmingdale Driving Range

Have to admit -- I've been hitting golf balls all across Long Island for nearly two decades, and it wasn't until two weeks ago that I found out about the driving range at SUNY Farmingdale.  And ironically, in one of those strange coincidences that you always take note of, on the same day I first discovered the existence of the Farmingdale range, I overheard a bartender and a nearby customer talking about, of course, the range at SUNY Farmingdale.

Lacking the recognizable-from-afar netting of the Skydrive Golf Center just to the south on Route 110, the 20-stall driving range at Farmingdale State College exists in seclusion on the northern edge of the campus, hidden among warehouses and garages.  The open expanse -- no netting on the sides or in the distance -- is dotted only by a few flags and yardage markers.  Several light poles stand along the perimeter.  Turf mats in the 20 uncovered stalls appear relatively new, with only a few showing slight wear.  It's a perfectly adequate and serene place to warm up, especially with Bethpage close by.  (How close?  A bunch of holes on the Black Course are closer to the SUNY range than they are to the Bethpage clubhouse.)  

Buckets range from $5 to $13, with discounts available for faculty, students and seniors.  The range is easily accessed from the campus entrance on Route 110.  Follow signs to the range once on campus.

For more information, see the Farmingdale State College website.

Reader Favorite: Long Island's golf course practice facilities

Reader Andrew Song, a Golf On Long Island fan since 2009, values his time on the driving range.  And if it's a grass range, all the better.  A Bayside, Queens resident, Song doesn't mind heading east to Suffolk County if it means a break from New York City and Bethpage crowds, and the chance to warm up for a round at some of his favorite course practice facilities.

Song recently passed along some thoughts on his favorite practice areas and courses:

"Pine Ridge has a nice grass range on the weekends and a very large practice green.  Though not overly quick, the greens at Pine Ridge roll very true, and reads can be quite tricky at times.  It's a tight, challenging course that plays a lot more difficult than the scorecard suggests.  Holes 11-13, in particular, are as challenging as any three-hole stretch you might find on Long Island, and one would be extremely happy and fortunate to escape that stretch with just bogeys.  Saving par feels like a birdie. 

"The best public practice facility on Long Island is at Wind Watch.  There's a nice grass range and a great short-game practice area with its own green.  You can hit chips, pitches, bunker shots and even 100-yard shots out onto the main range.  I'm not sure if the practice facility policy will change [under new ownership], but I hope it doesn't, as it's the best place to practice on LI.

"Willow Creek has some of the fastest greens out of the public Long Island courses and the course overall is usually immaculately conditioned.  It's similar to a Floridian resort course, with heavy bunkering, lots of water hazards and a nearly island-green 16th hole.  It's also one of the few courses on Long Island that has a grass range (only on weekends) and a decent short-game and bunker practice area.  Good thing because you will be in a lot of them!"