Golf on Long Island

The future of Tallgrass, 2009 and beyond

A few weeks ago I noticed something on the Tallgrass website basically saying the course would be around for a while.  That was reassuring.

Then I noticed that the club's ads in Newsday emphasized the fact that Tallgrass "is here to stay."  This brought to mind news I read earlier this Summer about how the Links at Shirley is in danger of eventually closing for development.

Turns out, though there's some smoke, there's apparently no fire.  As Mark Herrmann writes in his Newsday column Thursday, word has been spreading that Tallgrass is set to suffer a similar fate as Shirley, but those rumors are false. 

We're glad to hear it.

Flyover: Bay Park Golf Course

[This flyover was updated on November 22, 2023.]

SEE ALSO:
A Half Century in East Rock: Bay Park in the Midst of 50th-Anniversary Season

Bay Park Golf Course is one of the four county-run nine-hole munis in Nassau, a wide-open par-30 that's perfectly suited for beginners and those looking to iron out some wrinkles in their swings before more challenging rounds elsewhere.  Though these four County courses — Bay Park, North Woodmere, Cantiague and Christopher Morley — aren't exactly known for their variety, Bay Park offers a little flavor of links-style golf on the water in East Rockaway.  There are very few trees, and the wind off the bay and ocean is a constant and often disruptive factor.  Think of Bay Park at its windiest as the British Open's really short par-3 tournament, only with more geese and less Colin Montgomerie.

LAYOUT:
There are three par-4s, two of which are more than 300 yards.  But the shortest of the three is actually the toughest.  The 299-yard opening hole falls down a slope left of the fairway, but more startling in an otherwise flat park is the severe drop around the sides and back of the green.  Miss long and you'll need to demonstrate some real prowess with your sand or lob wedge to redeem yourself — all while the group (or groups) ahead of you watches from the second tee.

The other par-4s — #5 and #9 — are rather benign carbon copies of one another.  Both turn slightly to the right, though the ninth offers the benefit of often playing downwind.  A powerful, wind-aided drive can settle right on the green's doorstep. 

The par-3s are similar in layout with few danger zones.  All of them offer wide-open entrances to the green, so there's no risk in missing short of the surface.  With only a few trees scattered away from the fairways, there is plenty of room for recovery shots.  Most notable of the bunch is the 142-yard second, which calls for a piercing iron shot into a blistering headwind.  The green is significantly elevated and rests in comfort behind a moat-style front bunker. 

View from behind the second tee.

The green on #2 (background left) is only a short iron away, but the wind can complicate things easily.  The flag on #1 whips in the breeze atop the hill on the right.

Flyover: Tallgrass Country Club

[UPDATE -- April 2017:  Tallgrass Golf Course has closed.]

SEE ALSO:
Observations: Tallgrass Golf Course, 5/16/2016
Observations: Tallgrass Golf Course #6 (6/18/2014)
Tallgrass converting #6 to a par-3
Closer Look: Tallgrass GC #8
Observations: Tallgrass Golf Course, 3/30/2011
Tallgrass sheds "Country Club" title, now Tallgrass Golf Course (9/15/2010)
Observations: Tallgrass Country Club, 7/28/2010

I've had several discussions with people while playing in the area, and when Tallgrass Golf Course (fka Tallgrass Country Club) comes up in talks, all seem to agree on one thing -- that the Shoreham layout dishes out some serious punishment to those who can't help but flirt with its namesake fescue.  "Tallgrass gives you headaches," said one golfer from nearby Rocky Point.

But what else everyone seems to agree on is that Tallgrass is worth the anguish.  And though the course beat me into the ground the first few times I challenged it, I'd take the hour-plus ride out to Shoreham right now without a second thought.

So it's no wonder that Tallgrass was ranked by Golfweek as one of its "Best Courses You Can Play" in 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013, and that Newsday lists the Gil Hanse design as the fourth-best public course on Long Island.  Newsday readers also voted the 11th hole at Tallgrass to the Long Island "Dream 18" -- a collection of the best public holes on the Island, created by the golfers themselves.

The view from behind #11. 

A sand and grass waste area runs the length of the fairway on its left, and a tall berm covered in high, thick grass waits to swallow up balls sent to the right.  Any balls that manage to trickle down off the mound will most likely come to rest in a thin line of bunkering that sits at the foot of the hill.

Ryder Cup to Long Island?

Well, maybe not for a while, if at all. 

But it's an idea that Mark Herrmann floats today in his weekly Newsday Golf Beat.  Herrmann thinks the golf fans of Long Island, who distinguished themselves at the 2002 U.S. Open, deserve more PGA Tour golf on their home courses than they're getting right now -- especially with the future of the former Commerce Bank Championship in limbo.

And what better competition to host with a raucous crowd present than the Ryder Cup?

Herrmann writes:

Imagine a Bethpage-type crowd, reminiscent of the 2002 Open, screaming for one team. The United States would have a home-course advantage like it never has had before. It's amazing the PGA of America, which runs the U.S. side in the biennial matches against Europe, hasn't thought of this.

Sad to say, the Ryder Cup is booked until 2024, but many of us still can hope to see it in our lifetimes and to start a tradition for future generations. Although the PGA of America tends to steer clear of courses that are aligned with the USGA, meaning Bethpage might be unavailable, there are many Long Island courses that would be much better than anything they play the Ryder Cup on now.

Flyover: North Woodmere Golf Course

[This flyover was updated on October 15, 2023.]

SEE ALSO:
Observations: North Woodmere Park GC (7/3/2014)

For those picking up the game either as an eager junior or as an adult looking for a new recreational outlet, the golf course at North Woodmere Park is an ideal place to start.  The relaxed vibe, open fairways and a mixed bag of mid-length to long par-3s and driver-friendly par-4s let newbies test out all their clubs.  Meanwhile, experienced players can work out some knots in their swing for just a few bucks more than a large bucket at the range. 

Learning the game, for me, took place in the fairways and rough at North Woodmere.  Though much has changed since the late '90s (motor carts and tee times are in, for example, and cash payments and two-hour wait times are out), players are still sent off to the first tee from a check-in window plastered with hand-scrawled and Word-printed notes and reminders.  The par-31 has undergone a few modifications that have upped the challenge a bit (more on those in Conditions), but it remains the same place at heart — a forgiving parkland course that's welcoming and well-maintained.

Like its sister Nassau County course at Bay Park, North Woodmere is nestled deep within a residential community that you can only find if you're actively looking for it.  This gives North Woodmere the feel of a neighborhood course, all the more reason to utilize it as a laid-back entry point into the sport.

LAYOUT:
North Woodmere is the longest of the four County-run nine-hole courses in Nassau.  Its four par-4s all measure more than 300 yards, something that can't be said for its shorter siblings at Bay Park, Christopher Morley Park and Cantiague Park.  The rest are par-3s that range from 140 to 200 yards.

Sitting next to an inlet that leads out into Jamaica Bay, North Woodmere is prone to gusty winds.  The first three holes are par-4s of 390, 395 and 310 yards.  The opener bends to the left, and a forceful drive over the bank of left-side trees can cut off a nice chunk of yardage.  Getting stuck in the trees though is a recipe for bogey.  The two par-4s that follow are wide and arrow-straight.

Holes #4 and #5 are nearly identical par-3s of 177 and 167 yards.  If there's a wait ahead, the marshland next to the tee at the 200-yard sixth offers the chance to practice landing short irons on the "island green" sitting out across Hook Creek Channel.  The par-3 seventh looks even shorter than the 143 yards marked on the scorecard, but the slope in its green is challenging enough to steal a stroke or two if you're not careful.

After four consecutive par-3s, the 360-yard eighth hole is a relief for those itching to let loose with the driver.  Even more of a relief is its generously sized fairway, which, like #1, takes a soft left turn at its midpoint.  The closing hole is a 140-yard par-3 that can only hurt you if you find your way into the mix of hardened dirt and tree roots behind the green.

CONDITIONS:
For a nine-hole municipal course, the fairways and especially the greens are typically in surprisingly good shape.  The players and staff at Woodmere do a better job fixing divots and repairing ball marks than those at other munis in the area.  Putting surfaces are soft and smooth, and while some are flat or just slightly pitched, a few greens -- especially #7 and #8 -- feature breaks and ridges that are significant enough to keep the short game interesting.  The greens at #1 and #9 also feature notable slopes that separate their high and low points.

The most significant change in the recent past has been the maintenance of the rough, especially alongside the course's par-4s.  Normally the rough is kept low and playable, meaning even widely scattered shots could be found and advanced, barring obstruction from a tree or low shrub (or electric tower).  But now much of the rough has been allowed to grow out into relatively penal stretches of tall grass and wildflowers.  The open rough left of #2 and #3, and right of #8, plays more like a hazard.  Accuracy off the tee at North Woodmere is more important than ever.

The bays and inlets that snake through southwest Nassau generate winds that never really let up at North Woodmere.  Have bug spray at the ready.  Keep in mind Woodmere is not for the easily distracted or the faint of heart — with its position just east of JFK Airport, the course features a never-ceasing procession of landing airplanes, best viewed from the #4 tee.

HOLE(S) TO REMEMBER:
The 1st, 2nd and 8th are the three longest holes on the four nine-hole County courses.  They play in three different directions, so expect to have a helping wind on one, a headwind on another and a crosswind on the third.

AREA(S) TO AVOID:
There are usually trees and bushes around the back and sides of the greens, so missing long is usually the only way you can possibly leave yourself with an obstructed pitch, or with no shot altogether.  There is nothing guarding the front of the greens, so err short. 

OTHER NOTES:
There is a driving range a short walk from the clubhouse, on the opposite side of the bay.  You can get there from either the course entrance or the main park entrance.  Purchase tokens at the golf course before heading over.

NEARBY COURSES:
Bay Park (5 miles)
Lido Golf Club (10 miles)

SIMILAR COURSES:
Bay Park
Cantiague Park
Gull Haven

WHERE TO GRAB A BITE AND A BEER:
The course and park are surrounded by homes and marshland, but a short drive will fill your stomach.  To the south, Rockaway Turnpike has you covered in the fast-food/diner department.  Back in the day, when morning waits at Woodmere were long enough to allow for an extended breakfast, we'd sign in and head east for coffee and egg sandwiches at what is now Bagel Boss in Hewlett.  The same strip mall features a solid pizza place called Marinara and once housed the renowned Woodro Kosher Deli, which recently moved nearby to Broadway.

CONTACT:
Branch Blvd. and Hungry Harbor Road, North Woodmere 11581
(516) 571-7814 / 7813 (wait time)

SEE ALSO:
Observations: North Woodmere Park GC (7/3/2014)
Bay Park, North Woodmere now open all week

[This post was modified on October 15, 2023.]

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

Getting Started

When this site gets up and running, I hope to make it a place where scratch golfers and high-handicappers alike can come to find some information about the public golf courses they are about to or want to play here on Long Island.  For a region so jam-packed with great golf courses -- mostly private but a great deal of which are open to all -- I cannot understand why there are so few details available for those, like myself, who like to know a thing or two about the 18 holes they are about to take on.