Golf on Long Island

Pitch & Putt update: Robert Moses State Park Golf Course open again, Cedar Beach open, Jones Beach closed

Robert Moses State Park on Fire Island reopened this morning for the first time since the grounds and its main traffic circle were heavily damaged last October by Hurricane Sandy.  Included in the grand reopening is the pitch-and-putt golf course at the west end of the barrier-beach park.  The golf course, accessible at Field 2, is now available for play.

Also open is the pitch-and-putt course at Cedar Beach, just across the channel from Robert Moses.  The 18 holes at Cedar Beach range from 55 to 100 yards through thick oceanside vegetation.

Farther west along the barrier island, unfortunately, the golf course at Jones Beach State Park is closed indefinitely.  The course, laid out next to the iconic tower and just behind the damaged boardwalk, "hasn't been touched" yet according to a park staffer.  There is no timetable for its repair.

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.

Hurricane Sandy Update: State parks on Long Island closed until further notice

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation announced Wednesday that all state parks on Long Island are closed until further notice.  

Golfers wondering when they can play at affected state-park courses, which include Bethpage, Montauk Downs and Sunken Meadow, should visit the NYS Parks website or check back here at Golf On Long Island for updates.

Flyover: Sandy Pond Golf Course

The nine holes that make up the Sandy Pond Golf Course are only a short jaunt from Riverhead's busy Route 58 commercial corridor, but you wouldn't know it standing beside one of the course's rustling willows.  Sandy Pond's par-3 layout hides amid houses and open fields, with few clues tipping off passers-by to its existence other than a fleeting glimpse of fairway behind a dirt road and tiny clubhouse shack.

New owners took over the course in the 2012 season, but Sandy Pond remains old school.  At the end of the dusty driveway, ground rules are carved into wood boards hanging near the front door.  Inside, all-time holes-in-one are archived in lists scrawled across the walls.  The "homespun" feel was so strong that in years past, as Newsday's Mark Herrmann wrote in 2009, players left their green fees in a box outside when the clubhouse was unattended.  While this may no longer be the case, a certain old-time charm still exists.

From opening tee to final green, Sandy Pond is a 1,070-yard breath of fresh East End air.  Holes ranging from 85 to 160 yards lead beginners, seniors, families and iron tuners toward pint-sized greens.  New owners Ken Weinstein and Chris Wahlers, profiled by the Riverhead News-Review this past June, are steadily improving conditions at the course.  Since taking over early in 2012, the new staff installed a new irrigation system and cleaned out the course's three ponds, with more improvements on the horizon.

LAYOUT:
Opening play is a basic 105-yard hole without any frills.  Your official introduction to the course won't arrive until the 110-yard second, where the first of three namesake hazards ripples behind a friendly "Welcome to Sandy Pond" sign.  Offline shots to the right, unfortunately, receive a more personal welcome that will cost you two strokes. 

Cross the bridge to the 120-yard third, which plays up a fairly steep hill.  The fourth plays back down the hill, and with only 85 yards separating tee from green, it's a fun shot that you don't often encounter.  Another pond just off the green's right side adds a dangerous element.  The fifth is a simple 120-yarder with a green tilted right to left and front to back.

Trees frame the shot on the 160-yard sixth, a hole that would hold its own if suddenly transplanted down the road onto a course like Cherry Creek or Indian Island.  The overhanging leaves and limbs, along with a pond underneath, create a three-sided threat that's ultimately just a distraction.  Split the trees and there's plenty of room short of and around the green.  

Equally long but situated downhill is #8.  The round comes to a relaxed conclusion with the flat 90-yard ninth.

CONDITIONS:
As mentioned above, new management at Sandy Pond has worked to clean and clear the namesake water hazards and integrate them more effectively into the park-like setting.  A new irrigation system and improvements in general maintenance around the course have yielded positive remarks from longtime players.  For more on the new ownership's investment in course conditions, check out the Riverhead News-Review's article from June 2012.

Greens are very small, slow and, for the most part, flat.  Tees show off the typical wear and tear of a par-3 course.  Sandy Pond's sand is apparently confined to the bottom of its ponds -- there are no bunkers on the course.

HOLE(S) TO REMEMBER:
Firing a shot over water and between overhanging trees is fun whether you're on a $13 par-3 course or a $130 resort course.  Consider the first five holes at Sandy Pond a warm-up for the tee shot on #6, which is the toughest you'll find all day.  Though it's really just a standard 160-yard shot with more bark than bite, pull or push it a little too much and you might find yourself in hot -- more like lukewarm -- pond water. 

AREA(S) TO AVOID:
Other than the trio of ponds and the out-of-bounds course perimeter, there's nowhere to find trouble.  Keep your head on a swivel when walking around the course since many holes play back and forth in close proximity to one another.  The walk from #8 green to #9 tee crosses in front of the sixth tee.  Avoid getting caught in the crossfire.

NEARBY COURSES:
Cherry Creek - Links/Woods (2 miles)
Long Island National GC (4 miles)
Indian Island CC (4 miles)

CONTACT:
1495 Roanoke Ave., Riverhead 11901
(631) 727-0909

SEE ALSO:
Riverhead's nine-hole Sandy Pond Golf Course thirivng under new owners
New owners continue upgrades in second season at Sandy Pond

Flyover: Cedars Golf Club

"Blink and you'll miss it" is a handy way to describe the peaceful seclusion of the Cedars Golf Club, though it's not entirely accurate.  Even if your eyes are taped wide open, you still won't stumble upon the course.  Truth is, unless you live on the North Fork, are roaming the quiet residential streets south of the village green in Cutchogue or happen to catch a glimpse of the street sign as you cruise along Main Road, you'd never know about Cedars and its collection of tree-blanketed par-3s.

Cedars is a 1,120-yard walk in the park, but it's also a step back in time to days as a beginner, to simple golf unspoiled by thoughts of handicaps and hip turns.  It's nine holes in the time it takes to hit a large bucket at the range, with a hundred times the personality.  Greeted by a hand-painted wooden sign at the curb, players pull into a gravel driveway and unload their bags under the watch of a weathered barn-like clubhouse.  Instead of walls of $120 windbreakers, a table near the pro shop door balances a stack of golf-related VHS tapes.  A tomato plant soaks up the southern-sky sun next to the clubhouse while observing play on the ninth green.  The same curbside sign bids you farewell.

The course itself is a par-27 where only a couple of clubs are necessary.  With the exception of the 175-yard sixth, all the holes play between 100 and 130 yards.  Cedars appeals to all generations.  Families make up foursomes, grandfathers tee off with grandkids, local couples play their weekly nine and North Fork visitors make a quick loop during downtime away from the vineyards and shops.  It's a throwback brimming with "homespun charm," as Mark Herrmann describes in this Newsday feature from April 2011.

LAYOUT:
Steps away from the clubhouse door, the first shot is over a small pond.  Anything in the air should reach the other side, and from there the path to the green is clear.  Cross the road for #2, an interesting 110-yard hole with a diagonal green.  A bunker short and trees just behind the green make sure you're paying attention to distance control. 

The third plays from an elevated tee.  Three sand traps and a right-to-left green keep you on your toes, as does the pitched surface up ahead on #4.  Like the third, #5 sports a downhill drop, with offline shots destined to land in the sand.  The sixth is the answer to the "Which of the following doesn't belong?" quiz question.  At 175 yards, it forces you to keep your wedge in the bag for just one hole and dust off a middle or even long iron.

Trees overhang the seventh tee as if challenging you to reach the pin without putting your ball in the air.  The hole plays through a narrow corridor, passing two bunkers en route to the flag.  Water reappears on Cedars' final two holes.  A pond hides left of the green on #8, and though the roomy rough on the right side seems safe, you'll have to pitch or chip back onto a green tilted toward the drink.  Two more ponds cut across the ninth "fairway" and threaten to gobble up ground balls.

CONDITIONS:
Perhaps the most striking feature of Cedars is its greens, which are smooth and manicured like you'd expect to see on a full-length course.  They can also be extremely soft, so much so that balls can plug down to their equator and forceful steps leave a temporary imprint in the turf.  After a vandalism incident early in the 2012 season (see this Patch article for details), the greens have proven to be resilient as well.

Cedars has more than a dozen bunkers, all bulky in stature.  Many of them have high lips that reject inadequate escape attempts.  Scoff at Cedars' barely quadruple-digit yardage if you must, but don't underestimate its traps.  Tees are beaten all day long by swipes and chunks from irons, so it might take an extra moment or two to find a smooth spot to your liking.

Between swings, Cedars is a pleasant walk.  Holes are marked by engraved wood signs accompanied by cedar-plank waste barrels.  Flowers dot the landscape.  Small hills are manageable for all players, young and old.

HOLE(S) TO REMEMBER:
Few people arrive at Cedars with thoughts of dialing in a soft fade, but some left-to-right action helps on #2, where a diagonal green is sandwiched by sand short and trees long.  Plus the deep half the green is obscured by some short trees.  If there's nobody on your tail, grab some extra balls and try running a few up onto the surface and popping others high over the trees and sand trap.

AREA(S) TO AVOID:
You can't see it from the tee, but there's a pond just to the left of #8 green.  Anything to that side of the surface will very likely be underwater or buried in the brush.

NEARBY COURSES:
Long Island National Golf Club (10 miles)
Island's End G&CC (12 miles)

CONTACT:
305 Cases Lane, Cutchogue 11935
(631) 734-6363 

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.

Jones Beach Pitch-and-Putt closed until further notice due to storm damage

Violent winter storms seem like ancient history when Memorial Day draws near, but visitors to Jones Beach this holiday weekend will notice that part of Long Island's most popular park is still shaking off the effects of this season's fierce nor'easters. 

The pitch-and-putt course adjacent to the Jones Beach boardwalk is closed until further notice as park workers attempt to repair greens and turf destroyed by storm flooding earlier this year.  According to a Newsday feature about Long Island's state parks, nine of the course's 18 holes may open sometime later in the summer.

The beginner- and kid-friendly Jones Beach golf course is located just east of the park's iconic Italianate-style water tower.

New York State jacks up 2010 golf fees; senior rates to rise as much as 42%

When Bethpage Black opens up next Tuesday, April 13, New York State's premier public golf facility will be fully operational for the 2010 season.  As a welcome-back gesture that many area golfers wish was just a poor April Fools Day joke, the state will ask all players -- especially senior and juniors -- to dig a little deeper to cover rising rates at Bethpage, Sunken Meadow, Montauk Downs and the pitch-and-putts at Robert Moses and Jones Beach.

Regular resident rates at Bethpage Black will rise $15 for walk-ups and reservations, according to a Newsday report (subscription required).  But according to the new fee schedule published by Newsday from the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, senior and junior players will take the biggest shot to the wallet.  Senior and junior walk-up rates on the Black will jump from $30 to $52, an increase of more than 42 percent -- the steepest hike in the entire state-golf system.

Regular rates on the other four Bethpage courses will jump $2, though for seniors and juniors the fees will float $6 on the Blue, Green and Yellow, $7 on the Red.  Similar rate hikes apply at Montauk Downs.

At the Robert Moses and Jones Beach pitch-and-putt courses, the regular rates have been held steady, though seniors will pay $2 more than they did in 2009.

The parks department did find it in its heart to decrease one fee, however.  It now costs $1 less to play a nine-hole round at Sunken Meadow -- during the week only.

Rate changes are effective April 9. 

Golfers can contact the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation at (518) 474-0456, or call the Long Island regional office at (631) 669-1000.

See also:  New York State golf fee schedule (published by Newsday)

Golf fees may rise as New York State threatens to close parks, slash services

Long Islanders pining for the warmth of spring and summer as they dig out from the blizzard of 2010 received some bad news Thursday when a Newsday report (subscription required) by Bill Bleyer revealed that New York State is threatening to close up to ten state parks on Long Island and either raise fees or cut services at many more. 

For area golfers already dealing with the loss of several weeks of the winter golf season underneath the heavy blanket of snow, the news comes as an added kick in the shins.  The state park system includes two of Long Island's cornerstone golf facilities at Bethpage and Montauk Downs, as well as nine-hole courses at Sunken Meadow and Sag Harbor and pitch-and-putts at Jones Beach and Robert Moses.

Though specific rate changes have not yet been announced, the Newsday report quoted a source at the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation who confirmed that increased golf fees are under consideration statewide.  None of the golf courses are located at parks targeted for closure.

Perhaps worse news for golfers, the state's proposed service cuts include reduced course maintenance at Bethpage, according to Newsday.  Golfweek ranked Bethpage Black #1 and Bethpage Red #20 on its 2009 list of America's Best Municipal Courses.  Montauk Downs appeared on the list at #38. 

Disgruntled Long Islanders threatened with the loss of their state parks and higher fees for golf courses, beaches and other recreational services can contact the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation at (518) 474-0456, or call the Long Island regional office at (631) 669-1000.

Robert Moses Pitch-and-Putt to close Nov. 1

This is the final week of the 2009 golf season at the Robert Moses State Park Golf Course in Babylon.  The oceanside pitch-and-putt course will close for the season on Sunday, November 1. 

Until then, the course will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for players craving some low-key wedge work.