Golf on Long Island: Flyover: Lido Golf Club

[This flyover was updated on October 6, 2017.]

By Rob Dimino

Sitting on the thin strand of barrier beach between the Atlantic Ocean and Reynolds Channel in south Nassau is the Lido Golf Club, a true test for both the beginning and advanced golfer. A shade under 7,000 wind-blown yards from the tips, this Robert Trent Jones design will leave you mumbling to yourself with every well-struck shot knocked down by the ever-present ocean gusts, and breathing sighs of relief on every shot that finds land. Water comes into play on all but seven holes, and one of the toughest five-hole stretches on the Island features the threat of agua on every stroke. This perilous stretch is undoubtedly one of the main reasons Lido was once ranked by Newsday among the top public courses on the Island.

LAYOUT:
To score well at Lido, you need to take advantage of the first six holes. The first is the easiest hole on the course – a 470-yard par-5 (from the middle tees) with a slight dogleg right that usually plays downwind, offering no obstacles besides a back-to-front sloping green with several humps and bumps. A short, sneaky par-4 follows at #2 with perhaps the shallowest green on the course, guarded fiercely by a huge bunker that eats up short shots to the uphill approach. Water greets you on all sides of the third fairway, but a safely played mid-iron should put you in decent position on a hole that only measures 345 yards.

The fourth and eighth are side-by-side duplicates of one another, short- to medium-length par-4s that fade right and play toward the channel behind the greens. #5 is the first and shortest of the par-3s, an easy hole that you need to capitalize on. Water down the entire left side gives it some teeth, but most left-to-right ball-strikers should stay dry.

Most of the course’s gentler side becomes a thing of the past once you start to get close to the turn. Finding the green in three on the ultra-narrow ninth is an accomplishment. The hole is a 575-yard behemoth that features a gigantic fence along the right side that keeps amateurs from peppering Long Beach schoolchildren with stray golf balls.

Water re-appears – and becomes a constant nuisance – once you reach the 13th tee, the beginning of what I call “Grinder Alley,” one of the toughest five-hole stretches I’ve come across on the Island. There is nothing but the channel down the right side of this par-4, where the wind whips a bit stronger and the threat of wet toys with your head. The 15th is a testy par-3 where short-left is OK but anything right goes for a swim.

You might recognize the 16th hole from Newsday’s Dream 18 (and Golf On Long Island's "Nassau 18") It is a par-5 that demands that you hit (blindly, at times) two separate islands. The slabs of land are guarded by water, weeds and nerves. Your choice off the tee greatly influences your decision on the second. Hit it right and go at the green; hit it left and you’re laying up; or hit it straight and you’re in the water. Lido rookies likely won’t have a clue how to navigate it – just hope for a playing partner well-versed in Lido #16. [For a detailed analysis of the 16th, check out our Closer Look post from August 2011.]

CONDITIONS:
Wind always swirls through the wide-open seaside layout, as the Atlantic is only a short stroll to the south. Gusts up to 30 or 40 mph are common. Lido is pretty flat overall, so if you want to get some exercise it’s a good course to walk.

Water saturation is a constant issue, standing water a near-certainty following a day of rain. Get used to the sound and feel of squishing under your (hopefully waterproof) golf shoes. In some areas of the course, seemingly good fairway lies turn ugly when the ground underneath explodes, complete with the hollow thwack of a muddied-up iron. Other areas turn into temporary ponds after enough rainfall. Depending on your patience level, Lido's waterlogged grounds range from annoyingly inconvenient to maddening.

In the spring of 2017, the Town of Hempstead ended its relationship with Double Eagle Golf, a management company that operated the Lido course since 1997. Hempstead assumed control of course operations, and after closing for a brief period in June, Lido resumed its summer season and picked up rave reviews from many of its longtime players. Some were pleasantly surprised by additions and upgrades around the course, while others claimed conditions were the best they've seen in years. Among the changes were renovated cart paths, rebuilt cart bridges, new range balls and lighting, and improvements to the halfway house. For specifics on the course and facility upgrades, see this September 2017 Observations post.

HOLE(S) TO REMEMBER:
The 16th gets all the recognition (rightly so), but the 17th is tougher and LOOKS insanely difficult from the tee box (see right). It is the most difficult hole on the course, in my mind. It plays 185 yards (200 from the back), and almost all of those yards require a carry over water. The green is tucked back-left and guarded by tall weeds and the drink. Short and right is a bailout area where par is difficult to make, but does provide a landing zone for golfers too timid to go after the flag on this visually intimidating par-3.

The par-4 6th will earn the appreciation of the creative golfer who enjoys a hole that offers some choices. One of my favorite holes on the course, it is a dogleg left with two separate ponds that suck up golf balls like a vacuum. Aim your tee shot at the 150-yard marker with an iron or hybrid, but use an extra club or two on an approach that is uphill and usually into a breeze.

AREA(S) TO AVOID:
KERPLUNK. Nothing drives a golfer crazier than wasted strokes. On some holes, your best bet is to aim completely away from OB, even if it means missing a fairway or green. Holes 5, 6, 12 and 13 are examples. Hit an iron or hybrid off the tee on 3, 6 and 14 to avoid trouble. Avoid the urge to play aggressively to the right off the tee at the double-island 16th, as it doesn’t afford enough of an advantage. Shaky iron hitters should think twice before challenging the green on 17; four is a good score.

OTHER NOTES:

The course plays very slow due to its relative difficulty. Give yourself five-plus hours to play during the summer.
On the flip side, this is a great course to visit during the spring, fall and even winter months. Lido is open year-round and most players won’t brave the elements and tough conditions.

NEARBY COURSES:
Bay Park (7 miles)
Merrick Road Park (8 miles)

CONTACT:
235 Lido Boulevard, Lido Beach 11561
(516) 889-8181
www.lidogolf.com

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

Comments

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Great site, excellent writing. I've become a big fan of Long Island public courses of late and love to explore new ones at every opportunity. I've recently become reacquainted with Lido and look forward to many more rounds there, it's a terrific challenge. I write occasionally about my golfing experiences for examiner.com and am inspired by the quality of your pieces to up my game.

Posted by: Christopher Deignan | November 10, 2009 at 08:46 PM

Lido is always in horrible shape. Some holes dont even have fairways, just short rough. They need to put some serious money into this course and fix it up.

The greens fees here should be $25. It absurd that they charge more than this.

Posted by: Steve | September 06, 2011 at 02:54 PM

I played Lido recently and it has really gone downhill since I first played there. The pace of play was really slow even though we teed off around 7 AM. It took 5+ hours to finish our round.

The conditions were bad as well with duck droppings everywhere and a lot of bare ground. It's a real shame since the course layout is challenging and fun. They should definitely try to do a better job of maintaining this course.

Posted by: Golfguy | June 22, 2012 at 01:03 PM

i Played Lido July 22, 2012 and it was in the worst condition of any course i have played all year by far. you could not tell where the rough ended and the fairways began on any of the holes, every tee box was a different length which really playes with your head when your sticking your tee in the ground, and by far the worst part was that you could not walk around the course without getting stuck behind a rope. there were numerous fairways that you could not hit out of because it was either under repair our just dirt.

All of these problems along with a 5 hour round means i will not be back here for a long time.

Posted by: Blumpkin8er | July 23, 2012 at 11:52 AM

Has anyone played at Lido Beach in 2013? I have a tee time this Sunday (August 11, 2013) and hoped that I could see some reviews of the conditions.

Posted by: Ben | August 07, 2013 at 11:59 AM

Got word back in May that the greens were in good shape, and that was before aeration. Overall the course was a little rough around the edges at the time. Not sure how it's stood up to foot traffic since then or how it handled the heat wave and lack of rain.

Posted by: Phil | August 07, 2013 at 12:18 PM