Looking out from a flat, elevated square marked with dusty footprints, Jimmi Conway points toward a slender oasis in an expanse of tire-tracked sand, the pings of a bustling construction site echoing in the background. Four bunkers stand in line from left to right, their wavy edges framed by strips of green sod.
"I can see this becoming the signature hole," Conway says. "Picture what this will look like when it's all grown in."
Off to the right are the bare bones of a tumbling fairway, though all that's recognizable to the unfamiliar eye, at the moment, are three more sodded bunkers leading the way to a future green.
This square, possibly sometime next year, will be one of nine tee boxes at Heritage Spy Ring Golf Club in Setauket, soon to be the newest public course on Long Island and arguably the most ambitious public-golf project since Harbor Links was built on a reclaimed Port Washington sand mine nearly a quarter-century ago. The tee will start players on the 145-yard seventh, and the downhill fairway will be the closer, the dogleg par-5 ninth. Conway expects the high quality and appeal of these holes will leave Spy Ring's visitors counting down the days -- or maybe minutes -- until their next go-around.
Spy Ring, part of the newest residential development from Commack-based Heatherwood Luxury Rentals, is tentatively scheduled to debut in the second half of 2023 on the grounds of the former Heatherwood Golf Course. Named as an homage to the Culper Ring and the Setauket area's prominent role in covert ops during the American Revolution, it will be a full-length nine that can be stretched as long as 3,300 yards.
For many of its nearly 60 years, Heatherwood filled a niche as Long Island's only 18-hole executive course. The plan is for Spy Ring to also fill its own local niche -- that of a modern, fun-forward nine-hole destination on par with others that have attracted design enthusiasts and curious golfers to places like rural Tennessee and suburban Florida. There, imaginative architects took spent or outdated golf courses and spun them into darlings of the public-golf world with bold features, strategic design and a streamlined building process. Conway and Heatherwood president Christopher Capece think they've captured the same formula on the north shore of Suffolk County.
"This has a chance to be something special and unique for Long Island," Capece says. "I think this is going to be up on the same level with Sweetens Cove."
Tyler Rae is the man behind Spy Ring's design. Though young as far as golf architects go, Rae has a wealth of experience that includes work alongside Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw (known locally for Friar's Head and East Hampton, of course), as well as Ron Prichard, Keith Foster and other acclaimed figures in the architecture field. His resume is a laundry list of restorations and renovations of Golden Age courses, heavy on Donald Ross classics, with some Flynns, Raynors and Tillinghasts thrown in as well. Spy Ring is one of his first solo designs, and he approached it with the heightened standards of Long Island golf in mind.
"Golf intellect is very high on Long Island," he says. "You can't just come in with Mickey Mouse bunkers and flat greens and expect to have success. Especially with a course like St. George's right down the street."
The enthusiasm for the project is hard to miss. Conway, the longtime director and general manager at both Pine Hills in Manorville and the Heatherwood course, says working on Spy Ring has provided a jolt of energy. Leading a walking tour on a sunny spring morning, Conway pauses to admire one of Rae's greenside bunkers at the par-3 fifth. "Sometimes you walk around here and wish you could just spend the day with a bucket of balls," he says. Capece stops on top of another perch to take in scenic views of rolling fairways and point out how the residences will blend into the course's background. All in the group rave about Rae's use of open approaches, contoured greens and run-off areas.
For Rae, designing the golf course he envisioned and maneuvering it around the shared property was a challenge. Initially he considered making the course a reversible nine, but that idea was scrapped over logistical concerns. He opted to go with a clockwise routing that begins on the flattest part of the site, a "handshake," he describes, to ease players into the round. Then Spy Ring "gets wild," beginning at #3, a straight, downhill par-5. Conway says the third tee is "where the course really starts," kicking off a steady build of interest and excitement with each hole.
Pandemic-related delays turned out to benefit the construction process. Rae and his team of builders had the time to personally shape every feature on the course to their exact specifications, so project costs remained low, a source of pride for the designer. The crew also stripped off all the topsoil from the site, leaving behind nothing but sand. ("Boy, it's going to be freakin' dry," Rae says with a laugh.) The course will be seeded with turfgrass adapted for sandy, firm-and-fast golf, and a state-of-the-art irrigation system will keep everything in balance. But golf balls will bound down fairways and roll over mounds, a rarity for Long Island publics.
"We set it up to be a turnkey firm-and-fast course," Rae says. "Very easy to maintain."
On the greens, Rae's internal contouring and funneling leaves surfaces that will be fun without going over the top, unique but with enough restraint to make them appear as natural parts of the landscape. The green on #6, he says, is inspired somewhat by Seth Raynor's famous punchbowl at Fishers Island. The seventh has elements of a volcano par-3, a hole type often associated with Ross.
"There's a ton of variety in the greens, and plenty of pinnable space," he says. "Each one can play really easy or really hard."
To the experienced Long Island public player, Spy Ring might bring back memories of Gil Hanse's now-departed Tallgrass Golf Course in Shoreham, particularly the openness of the entire property and the creative introduction of elevation to a largely flat site (in Tallgrass's case, a former sod farm). Some might look at the bunkering on the par-5 ninth and draw parallels to #13 on Bethpage Black, where a center trap is farther from the green than it appears from afar.
Whatever comparisons and thoughts players have in mind when they walk off that ninth hole, Rae simply hopes fun is at the forefront.
"I want people to come off the course saying, 'I enjoyed those nine holes, and I can't wait to play them again.'"
[PICTURED -- TOP RIGHT: View from the par-3 seventh tee; TOP LEFT: The par-5 ninth tumbles downhill before turning left for the final approach; BOTTOM RIGHT: After a flat start, Spy Ring brings elevation change into the mix starting at the downhill par-5 third; BOTTOM LEFT: The last of three fairway traps is farther from the green than it appears on the par-5 ninth. The green is located near the trees at center.]
The golf grounds crew at Bethpage State Park was as busy as ever this past offseason, making sure its five public golf courses rebound nicely from the 250,000 rounds played in 2021 and preparing them for another quarter million likely to be scheduled this coming season. Much of the work, however, won't be immediately noticeable to the locals and visitors who line up at the park each day.
Bethpage reopened in full three weeks ago with the Black Course's 2022 debut, and with no major hole modifications like in recent years, the park's headline attraction underwent some necessary infrastructure improvements, according to superintendent and director of agronomy Andrew Wilson. The irrigation system on holes #15 and #16 were completely renovated, Wilson says, allowing for better water coverage and healthier turf.
The biggest change to hole layout is over on the Yellow Course, where the par-3 14th is significantly less sandy than it was when most players last saw it in the fall. The front-right bunker was eliminated, replaced in part by an extension of the grassy approach area and a smaller sand trap built closer to the green. Wilson says the previous bunker had fallen into disrepair.
"In the past we've renovated bunkers in the style of the Black Course and the results have not held up over time," Wilson says. "While spectacular upon completion, the bunkers get more play than on the Black but have smaller crews to maintain them."
Wilson also says the trap (pictured above, pre-renovation) was overly deep and penal for Yellow Course players. "I don't think having a golfer miss 20 yards short into a bunker 20 feet below the green did pace of play any favors," he says.
If the weather cooperates in the 2022-23 offseason, the crew plans to renovate #14's front-left bunker in similar fashion.
Elsewhere around the park, maintenance crews focused on removing trees and other growth to open up views and improve airflow and turf health. At Green #7, the crew removed a tangle of vines behind the tee, a subtle change that should strengthen the adjacent turf. They pruned branches and eliminated invasive trees ahead at #11, opening up the short par-3.
"We did some similar pruning on Red #4," Wilson says, "which allows use of the whole tee and vastly improves the look of the hole."
The Black Course will host the New York State Open and the Met Open later this year. "For the grounds crew, these tournaments serve as great training and help us prepare for future majors and daily play alike," Wilson says.
Spring aeration wraps up this week, with the Blue Course closed today and the Green closed May 4 and 5.
View photos of the offseason and ongoing renovations by visiting Wilson's and Bethpage Golf's Twitter pages at @Greensideup17 and @BethpageGolf.
[Red #4 photo above courtesy of Andrew Wilson]
Eisenhower Park's Red Course began its new 2022 season this past weekend, and those who ventured out to Westbury amid cool, windy conditions were the first to get a look at the Red's revamped holes, most notably the no-longer-par-4 seventh.
Changes have been afoot at Eisenhower Red for more than a year -- it was this time last spring when word began to circulate that a new tee and green were marked for construction at #7. Now an entirely new hole is in play. Once a straight 452-yard par-4, Red #7 is now a lengthened par-5 that doglegs right toward the new surface. The green slopes downhill from center to front, according to GOLI's Eisenhower insider Rob Toffolo, and a spacious bunker sits on its right. A new back tee near the perimeter fence is fully built and cleared of trees.
Meanwhile, #7's former green is still being converted to fairway, and lift, clean and place rules are currently in play.
Much more of a surprise are changes made to the par-4 11th. That hole, which features three different left, center and right tee chutes, now sports a series of four bunkers along the fairway's right side. This weekend the longest (left) tees were used, stretching the hole to its maximum length and pointing tee shots toward the new traps. Even drives that stay out of the sand are in danger of settling into sidehill lies on new mounding between the bunkers, Toffolo says.
At the Red's opening hole, an official shortening from reachable par-5 to a 413-yard par-4 is still in progress.
The changes continue the century-old Red's long tradition of hole rerouting and alteration, often done on the fly. Over time the Devereux Emmet classic has seen greens come and go, fairways added and removed, and new tees replace old ones. Next door on the White Course, park staff completely changed the identity of the Robert Trent Jones layout in 2017 by adding or remodeling dozens of shallow bunkers.
Check back throughout the season for further updates on changes at Eisenhower.
[Photos courtesy Rob Toffolo]
The Southampton-based Last Chance Animal Rescue will hold its eighth annual golf outing on Monday, August 1 at Mill Pond Golf Course in Medford. All proceeds from the event benefit the non-profit organization's efforts to rescue animals from inhumane kill shelters and relocate them to safe facilities and foster homes.
Entry fee is $175 per player and includes golf, cart and range balls along with on-course lunch, beverages and contests. Format for the outing is team scramble, with consecutive tee times beginning at 9:00 a.m. Once again a $10,000 par-3 hole-in-one prize will be up for grabs on Mill Pond's 179-yard tenth.
An early-bird registration discount is available until May 15. Register online at the outing website and be sure to submit your tee-time preferences. Official tee times will be announced in July.
To learn more about Last Chance Animal Rescue, including information on adoption, fostering and volunteering, visit the organization's website at www.lcarescue.org.
Great Rock Golf Club, the Wading River course that closed in 2019 and was sold to new owners last year, could reopen for play this spring, possibly by Memorial Day, according to staff.
The course, now dormant for nearly two and a half years, has undergone renovation and modification projects since its sale last May. In addition to general upkeep of the fairways and greens, maintenance crews have improved the irrigation and drainage systems, upgraded facilities to accommodate a new fleet of electric carts, and renovated bunkers and other areas of play. Trees have been removed from parts of the course, as well. The layout of the course is unchanged.
Still to come is a rebuild of the driving range. Visitors to the site today will find a driving range with torn-up grounds and tattered netting. The first and 18th holes appear to be in playable condition.
"When everything is finished, the course will be much better than what was here before," the staffer said.
Local owners Chris Vene and Anthony Lomangino purchased the course in May 2021, according to the Riverhead News-Review. Vene has an ownership stake in the nearby Baiting Hollow Golf Club in Baiting Hollow and The Vineyards Golf Club in Riverhead, as well as a golf course maintenance company. He told the News-Review that one of his goals is to provide Great Rock's players with a "member for the day" experience.
“So you go to Great Rock and you’re a member for the day,” he said. “You have a great facility, and you have access to the locker room, the sauna, the showers, the driving range. You can hit as many balls as you want and then, hopefully, get a great meal at the restaurant.”
The restaurant issue remains unsettled. Pure North Fork closed prior to the course's shutdown in 2019, four years after a major investment that transformed the dining space previously occupied by Blackwells into a modern, locally focused bistro.
Great Rock's return will be a much-needed win for local players in a part of Long Island that has lost several courses in recent years, most notably Tallgrass in 2017. Great Rock opened in 2001 on hilly terrain north of Sound Avenue in Wading River and came to be known for extremely fast greens and an upscale yet laid-back atmosphere. Its namesake rock, dug up during the course's construction, sits next to #10 green. The course briefly closed in the 2013-14 offseason and reopened a few months later under new owners.
In 2019, word started to circulate that the conditions at Great Rock were deteriorating. Dozens of local players posted reviews and photos on platforms like Golf Advisor detailing a neglected golf course with crabgrass-covered fairways and bunkers, bare greens and unmowed rough. In October, Great Rock suddenly closed for the year with little notice. Aside from a vague Facebook post last spring about a potential reopening, the course has remained silent.
[Pictured: Great Rock clubhouse in March 2022.]
The rise in golf demand during the 2020 and 2021 pandemic seasons has not only led to a rush on tee times across Long Island, but also heightened interest in space for juniors at local summer camps. Experienced juniors and the many new teen and tween players are seeking guidance from local coaches and pros in order to make a smooth entrance and progression into the sport.
Not surprisingly, some summer golf programs have already sold out before the dawn of spring. Limited slots at other junior camps are filling up fast.
Luckily there is a wealth of local options for parents who are eager to have their young players start building the foundation for lifelong interest in golf. Many public courses in Nassau and Suffolk feature summer camp programs that school young players in golf's key fundamentals, the various types of swings and strokes, as well as rules, etiquette and course safety. Kids work closely with teaching pros on the course, at the range and around practice greens and bunkers; in some cases, the pros working with your young golfer have been recognized nationally for their work as junior instructors. Campers leave each session with skills and knowledge in place for years of enjoyment on the course.
The following is a general overview of 2022 summer golf camps offered at various public golf courses around Long Island. For more information, follow the links below to the course websites and junior camp pages.
(Please note this list only includes camp programs hosted at public golf courses. This does not include golf programs held at general summer camps or any type of private instruction.)
Bergen Point (West Babylon): Four weekly sessions run from Monday to Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 12 noon, and are open to kids age 7 to 17. Instruction includes short-game practice, driving range, on-course play and daily contests and competition. Cost is $300 per session. Sign-up forms are available on the Bergen Point website.
Bethpage State Park (Farmingdale): Bethpage's Summer Junior Golf Program is open to players of all skill levels from age 6 to 17. Half-day programs are geared toward younger players, while full-day camps are designed for intermediate and advanced players with on-course experience. A monthly program with tournament play is also available for competitive juniors. All programs feature a combination of skills development and performance-related training and fitness. Sessions begin the week of July 11. Register for full-day ($775) and half-day ($500) sessions at the Bethpage / Golf Channel Academy website.
Cedars Golf Club (Cutchogue): The Cutchogue course offers two separate month-long sessions with start dates of June 29 and August 1. Campers meet Mondays and Wednesdays for four weeks, with separate times for age 6-to-10 groups and age 11-to-15 groups. All participants receive a Cedars camp shirt and a full-season Junior Pass. Cost is $650/675 per session. Register in person or e-mail ken@cedarsgolfclub.com, and check the Cedars website or for full details.
Cherry Creek (Riverhead): Cherry Creek camp programs will be available in July and August. Specific 2022 program details to follow. Call (631) 506-0777 for the latest information.
Eisenhower Park (East Meadow): PGA Junior Golf operates a series of camps for all ability levels, including advanced camps for competitive juniors. The program includes full-day camps for players age 11 to 17, modified full-day camps for experienced players age 8 to 12, and half-day camps for beginners and intermediates age 7 to 11. There is also a special 90-minute session for "Wee Ones" age 6 to 8. All regular camps include hours of hands-on instruction led by certified PGA professionals. Full-day camps include on-course play and teaching. Weekly sessions for all programs begin June 27, and discounts are available for Nassau County residents and First Tee participants. Visit the PGA Junior Golf Camp site for full information on pricing, session dates and available discounts.
Glen Cove Golf Club (Glen Cove): From the week of June 27 to Labor Day weekend, Glen Cove is offering ten weekly sessions for juniors age 8 to 16. Camps run from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and cover all parts of the swing, plus rules and etiquette. Cost is $400 per camper, with daily lunch included. Sign up at the Glen Cove Golf Camps website.
Harbor Links Golf Course (Port Washington): Harbor Links offers a wide variety of programs led by teachers all named U.S. Kids Golf Certified Instructors. Camps begin the week of June 27, with sessions available through August. Weekly programs for kids age 6 to 9 run Tuesday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and include games and drills that help develop important skills and fundamentals, in addition to a skills competition and gift packet. Separate programs for teens age 10 to 16 are split into four-hour AM and PM sessions and run Monday to Friday. These cover the full swing, short game, course management, rules and etiquette, and conclude with a two-day "Junior Scramble" team tournament. A "Birdie Program" is also available for advanced juniors looking to improve for competition. Rates vary based on age group and time of sign-up. For all program information, schedules and registration forms, visit the Harbor Links website.
Indian Island Country Club (Riverhead): Indian Island's annual golf camp consists of week-long sessions that include lessons, lunch, prizes, golf gear, skills contests and on-course competition. Camps are open to boys and girls of all skill levels between the ages of 7 and 16. Specific program information to follow. See the Indian Island website or call (631) 727-7776 for details.
Long Island Golf Camps / Mike Reilly Golf Academy (Massapequa, Deer Park, Hauppauge): Long Island Golf Camps runs programs at three public courses -- Peninsula Golf Club (Massapequa), Heartland Golf Park (Deer Park) and Wind Watch Golf & Country Club (Hauppauge). The Peninsula and Wind Watch camps are week-long, full-day programs (9:00/9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.) with sessions beginning in late June. They include instruction on different aspects of the swing, on-course play and daily lunch. The Deer Park camp sessions run Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Instruction takes place on the course, at the driving range and in the short-game area. Enrollment is $695 for Peninsula and Wind Watch, and $369 for Babylon, with discounts available before May 1. For schedules and registration, visit the Long Island Golf Camps website.
Middle Bay (Oceanside): Six full-week sessions begin on July 11. Campers meet Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m and receive instruction on the range and the course, with snack and lunch included. Discounts available for siblings and multiple sessions. Call (516) 766-1880 for pricing, program details and additional information.
Mill Pond (Medford): Camps are available in 4-day and 2-day sessions beginning July 5. The longer programs are designed for teen golfers age 12 to 16 and focus on all aspects of swing technique and fundamentals, plus course management, rules and etiquette. Each session concludes with a Friday team competition held at the Rolling Oaks Golf Course in Miller Place. Shorter programs meet Tuesday and Wednesday and are geared toward beginners age 6 to 11 with a focus on swing fundamentals. Discounts for Town of Brookhaven residents are available. Visit the Mill Pond website or call (631) 732-8249 for info on registration, pricing, schedules and program format.
Poxabogue Golf Center (Sagaponack): A total of ten sessions run from the week of June 20 to the week of August 22. Sessions are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 12 noon, and are open to boys and girls from age 7 to 16. Campers will learn basics of the full swing, short game, course management, rules and etiquette, and will receive golf gear, snacks and giveaways. Cost is $629 per session. Visit the Poxabogue website for info and registration.
Smithtown Landing (Smithtown): The town-owned municipal course runs a popular summer camp each year (canceled in 2021 due to Covid) under the instruction of Hall of Fame teacher Michael Hebron. Visit the camp website or call (631) 979-6534 for 2022 information.
Stonebridge Golf Links (Hauppauge): Starting in mid July, full- and half-day programs are available for beginners through intermediate players. Half-day sessions (9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Monday to Thursday) are geared to beginners age 6 to 10 and focus on fundamentals, rules, etiquette and course/club basics. Full-day camps (9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday) help experienced players age 10 and up improve on skills and knowledge through on-course play and instruction. Cost is $229 for half day and $499 for full day. All campers receive a Puma string bag. Discounts available for siblings and multiple sessions. Call (631) 724-7500 or visit the Stonebridge website for session schedules and registration info.
Sunken Meadow (Kings Park): PGA Junior Golf operates half-day camps for players of all skill levels from age 7 to 13, and modified full-day camps for juniors age 9 to 16. In each camp, players are divided into groups based on experience and receive hands-on instruction led by certified PGA professionals. Weekly sessions meet Tuesday through Friday beginning July 5. Cost is $350 per half-day session and $450 for full-day. Visit the PGA Junior Camps site for complete information.
Town of Oyster Bay Golf Course (Woodbury): Oyster Bay's Lucas Golf Center typically offers full- and half-day camps for boys and girls age 6 and up. Teaching pros cover chipping, putting, rules and etiquette, and instruction takes place on and off the course. Specific 2022 program information to follow. Call (516) 364-3600 or visit TOB's Lucas Golf Center website for information and registration.
West Sayville Golf Course (West Sayville): Four sessions meet Monday to Thursday from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. and will run the weeks of July 11, July 18, July 25 and August 1. Sessions are open to new and experienced juniors age 8 to 14. Under lead instructor Sean McLaughlin, head golf coach at Sayville High School, campers learn all aspects of the swing, plus rules and etiquette, and practice on the golf course daily. Visit the West Sayville junior camp page for info and registration.
Bethpage State Park's three seasonal golf courses -- the Green, Red and vaunted Black -- are preparing to join the Yellow and Blue courses and reopen for 2022.
The Green Course will open tomorrow, March 19. Opening day on Bethpage Red is April 1, followed two weeks later by the Black Course on April 15.
Once the Black reopens in mid-April, golf season on Long Island is typically back in full swing. For open dates at Long Island's other seasonal golf courses, be sure to check out GOLI's constantly updated course reopenings page.
[NOTE: The holiday scramble has been canceled due to weather.]
Timber Point Golf Course is bringing back its St. Patrick's Day scramble this year, an event that typically signals the start of a new season along Great South Bay.
After a few years off, the holiday scramble will be back on Thursday, March 17 with an 11:00 a.m. shotgun start on the Red Course. It is a nine-hole event with Timber Point's usual array of holiday trimmings -- an Irish-themed putting contest, a prize for the most holiday-inspired outfit, and post-round food and drinks at The Snapper Inn in Oakdale. Entry fee is $59 per player and covers golf and cart.
More customary contests include longest drive and closest to the pin, and prizes will be awarded to low team and runner-up. Winners of the contests will receive gift cards valid in the Timber Point pro shop.
At the conclusion of the scramble, the outing continues across the river in Oakdale with Irish fare and music at the Snapper Inn (food and drinks not included in the entry fee). All players who bring their scorecard from the event will receive a discount on food and drinks.
Sign up online at the Timber Point website.
The Long Island Golf Junkies players group is holding an April Social golf outing on Monday, April 18 at the private Port Jefferson Country Club. Registration is open to all local players.
Entry fee is $120 for golf, cart and range balls, with tickets available for singles and groups at the LIGJ website. It is an individual stroke play event with contests for closest to the pin and long drive. Shotgun start is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. Visit the LIGJ website for full registration details.
LIGJ is one of Long Island's largest and most active players groups, and hosts several formal outings, casual rounds and social meet-ups each season at both public courses and private clubs. Interested local golfers can become members via the Long Island Golf Junkies Facebook group.
St, Patrick's Day is not only the holiday of corned beef, green beer and bar crawls but also the unofficial soft opening of the new Long Island golf season. A small handful of courses ring in the new year with holiday-themed outings when conditions allow, Mill Pond being one of them. Registration is currently open for a holiday scramble on Thursday, March 17.
Shotgun tee time is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. at the Medford course. The event will be a four-person scramble with prizes for the top three teams and winners of long-drive and closest-to-pin challenges. Entry fee is $84 and includes a post-round hot Irish buffet, draft beer, wine and soda.
Mill Pond events tend to fill up very quickly. Register by calling (631) 732-8249. Pre-payment is required, and there is no rain date -- in the event of weather cancellation, all players will receive a full refund.
For details about Mill Pond, check out the course flyover.
