Golf on Long Island

Flyover: Timber Point - White Course

The White Course at Timber Point is the shortest and "newest" of the three nine-hole layouts along the waters of the Great South Bay in Great River.  The original 18-hole Timber Point course was part of an ultra-exclusive private club built in the 1920s and considered to be one of the country's finest golf courses of its time.  Twelve holes from the original layout exist today in modified form on the Red and Blue Courses.  Suffolk County purchased the course in 1971, and the area between what is now the inland Red and coastal Blue (and on top of what had been the original course's opening and closing holes, among others) was eventually developed into the White.

Timber Point is one of four Suffolk County-operated courses, joining Bergen Point, West Sayville and Indian Island.  Flat and generally wide open, the White is an easy course to walk and a simple one to navigate.  Its 3,141 yards run straight as an arrow from tee to green, though a couple of ponds complicate the routes along the way.  If you can avoid these hazards there is little else to block your path to the green.  Fairway bunkering is sparse and greenside traps do little to discourage an offensive strategy.  

LAYOUT:
Make sure you stretch adequately and knock the rust off your swing at the range, because the White offers up a prime scoring hole at the start, and you will not want to waste it.  The opening hole is a 308-yard par-4 where a good drive will leave no worse than a short iron to the flag.  However, that second shot will be directed at the White's toughest green, a surface that climbs uphill from the front and rolls back down off the back.  The 465-yard par-5 second feels tighter than it really is, thanks to a pair of hazards and a slim fairway squeezed by one hazard and the adjacent fourth hole.  Playing in the opposite direction, #4 also includes two ponds, the farthest of which is very much in play to the right of the fairway.  While shots may not necessarily find the water, any ball entering the tall reeds around the hazard is more than likely a goner.  This growth can also blind the player who sends a tee shot short of the hazard in the right rough.  From that position, all that's left is a 150-yard shot to the green on this 344-yard par-4, but it will have to be executed with absolutely no view of the back-to-front surface.

From here on out, all holes -- except for the par-3 sixth -- play back and forth.  The fairway on the par-5 fifth makes a left turn just short of the green.  Depending on their length off the tee, players must choose between an aggressive diagonal approach shot over two bunkers and rough, or a safe layup short and right of the putting surface.  The final three holes are straight par-4s with little variation, though the 353-yard eighth does have one defining characteristic.  Its fairway bottlenecks midway to the hole between two small trees that serve as both helpful landmarks off the tee and potentially harmful obstacles.  Shots that miss the green off to the left side are at risk of getting lost in more of the course's tall reeds.

From the #3 tee there is a sweeping view of Great South Bay beyond the Blue's #7 green, but that's as close as one will get to its shore on the White Course.  Both of the White's par-3s face inland and play a club or two shorter with bay breezes whipping in from behind.  A left-side trap is all that shields the back-to-front green on the 136-yard third.  On #6, another small pond presses into the left side and up against the green, but a properly struck short iron should find a safe area of the surface and leave a decent birdie opportunity on this 120-yarder.

CONDITIONS:
Timber Point resides on low-lying land that juts into Great South Bay at the opening of the Connetquot River, exposing all 27 holes to relentless winds.  The gusting wind and its interplay with the coastal holes of the Blue course -- namely the famous Gibraltar hole -- is what makes that layout so popular, but the challenge is certainly heightened on the White too as the wind speeds up.  The low terrain also makes the course susceptible to flooding.

Despite the heavy foot and cart traffic at this highly popular facility, and its flooding issues, Timber Point's fairways and greens are resilient and well-maintained.  Greens are slow and almost all identically sized.  The course is open with room to miss the fairways, but poor shots can overshoot the rough and find patches of taller fescue-type grasses, especially around the closing holes.

Timber Point draws big crowds, largely attributed to its combination of quality golf, bayside scenery and reasonable rates (even for non-residents).  Rounds can move slowly on all three courses during peak times.  The occasional wait though will give you a chance to admire the natural surroundings -- including the deer and other wildlife that tend to roam the grounds.

HOLE(S) TO REMEMBER:
You can walk off the first green either encouraged or bitterly disappointed, because there's a fine line between a nice opening score on #1 and a badly blown opportunity.  The 308-yard par-4 (338 from the back) requires a solid drive and a deft short iron or pitch.  Execute both and you're rewarded with a strong shot at par or better.  Just don't get careless around the green, especially if your short game still hasn't made its way out of the car so early in the round.  The green on #1 has the most pronounced slope on the course.  It's a steep climb from the foot of the green to just past center, and then a rapid drop as it rolls downhill off the rear.  A promising start can quickly turn into an early buzzkill with only one bungled chip or putt.

AREA(S) TO AVOID:
Steer clear of the right side on #4.  This advice might seem obvious considering there is a water hazard within a fairway wood from the tee in that direction, but shots that stay short of the drink in the right rough can still be troublesome.  Views of the green are non-existent from behind the pond's tall reeds, so you'll be taking a fully blind hack with a middle iron over a hazard.  If you catch a bad break and settle too close to the reeds or a tree, a recovery shot back to the fairway might be necessary, and that's nothing you want any part of on a 344-yard par-4.  Avoid all this by keeping it left off the tee.

NEARBY COURSES:
Timber Point -- Blue/Red (on site)
West Sayville Golf Course (6 miles)
Brentwood Country Club (9 miles)

CONTACT:
150 River Road, Great River 11739
(631) 581-2401
www.timberpointgolfcourse.com

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

Newsday: Links at Shirley back from the brink, busier than ever

Last July, it appeared that the days were numbered for The Links at Shirley.  Newsday's Mark Herrmann reported at the time on the course's "bleak future," brought upon by economics and dwindling demand.  Mel Mindich, the Links founder who invested millions in the construction of an immaculate and challenging course, had come to grips with the idea that his work would eventually be sold and dug up for development.

One year later, the Links has slugged its way out of the corner.  Herrmann spoke with Mindich earlier this month and found that the jewel on Suffolk's south shore is surviving and, compared to the summer of 2008, even thriving.  Herrmann writes:

"It stands to reason that a public links championship would require resilience, patience and a knack for hanging in right to the end.  Those are public golf qualities, ones that helped 19-year-old Josh Goldstein of the Grossingers resort win the 62nd Met Public Links Tuesday.

You could say those same traits belong to the host course, The Links At Shirley, which might not be as doomed as it looked a year ago.  Although there was an agreement to sell to developers, the sale is far from definite.  There might be life left in the public course that has lowered its green fees and is busier than ever (a record 295 golfers played July 3)."

(Newsday:  July 9, 2009)

The Links at Shirley, highly regarded for its private club-type amenities and course conditions, is rated one of the top public courses on Long Island by Newsday.

Public course listings now posted

A master list of all Long Island public golf courses can now be found on the right side of the page in the "About Golf On Long Island" menu.  It is separated by county and provides direct links to course websites or, when available, Golf On Long Island flyovers. 

As a reference tool for those interested in course statistics, separate listings of Long Island's top courses by yardage and slope rating are provided as well. 

Flyover: Island's End Golf & Country Club

[This flyover was updated on April 6, 2018.]

Out of reach for many of the region's golfers, the twin forks of Long Island are generally associated more with wineries, vegetable stands and Hamptons extravagance than they are with public golf.  On the South Fork, Montauk Downs attracts vacationers and golfers with a place to crash.  Up north, the road from Riverhead through wine country is free of any public 18-hole destination until it reaches the very aptly named Island's End Golf & Country Club in Greenport.

Golfers who make the trek out to the northeastern limits of Long Island will be treated to an enjoyable round on a flat and forgiving course that features some of the area's most expertly manicured greens.  The view from the 16th tee, atop a bluff overlooking the Long Island Sound, is a reward in itself.  Golfing Magazine named the hole to its Long Island Dream Golf Club, and Golf Digest once gave Island's End a four-star rating in its Best Places To Play listing.  The course is a par-72 of 6,655 yards from the back tees and just over 6,300 from the middle.  It is playable for all skill levels, and though it might not be a tremendous challenge for lower handicaps, the rural and tranquil setting makes it a pleasant destination in one of Long Island's most beautiful areas.

LAYOUT:
Island's End begins with a pair of mid-length par-4s that play back and forth next to one another.  A draw over the left-side fairway bunker is the play on the 351-yard opener.  The 335-yard second fades to the right and culminates with a very narrow green wedged between two large traps.  A mammoth bunker stands guard in front of the green on the 147-yard third and threatens to intercept shots by careful players trying to stay below the hole on this uphill surface.  It is the first and shortest of three par-3s on the front nine -- the 180-yard fifth and 186-yard seventh are both protected by an abundance of sand, and each plays more than 200 yards from the back tees.

Execution off the tee is vital on #6, a hard dogleg right that offers no relief to those who fail to strike a solid tee shot to the fairway beyond the turn.  Bunkers at the near and far ends of the turn and two more steep ones shielding the green make this par-4 one of the toughest holes on the course.  A well-executed approach shot is the key on the 540-yard eighth, where a ridge splits the green into two tiers.  Keep tee shots to the left side of the fairway on the 358-yard ninth to ensure a prime angle into the green and a satisfying end to the front nine.  Losing the ball inside the soft turn on this fading par-4 will likely leave no shot at the flag.

There are three par-5s on the back nine.  The straight 503-yard 12th provides no room to miss down the heavily wooded right side.  Aggressive shots into the green from the left side will go toe to toe with a pair of large traps.  Players that can bust a drive over the corner of the 479-yard 14th leave themselves an opportunity to attack the relatively open green on their second shot.  The 517-yard 17th also calls for a powerful draw over the soft left turn, but thanks to a trio of greenside bunkers, the flag here is much safer from bold approaches.

The back nine gradually makes its way toward the Sound and finally reaches it upon completion of the 284-yard 15th, the course's shortest par-4 (right).  Its green has a tight and deceptive entrance in between two bunkers and some thick rough.  A false front can reject short pitches and even some putts, and send them back down toward the apron.  The signature 16th begins with a few moments to soak in the surroundings.  When that's complete, it's time to refocus on a tough, wind-blown par-3.  At 185 yards -- 210 from the back tees -- the 16th isn't just eye candy, especially for players shaky with their longer irons.  A cluster of bunkers separates the green from the Sound and encourages players to aim for the roomier left side.

CONDITIONS:
An Island's End member (the course is semi-private) said recently that the greens are in the best condition he has seen in years.  Players will get a smooth roll at a medium speed on surfaces that for the most part are generously sized and easy to find.  Nearly all pins are defended by several sand traps.  The same can be said for almost all fairways as well.

The course is flat and, except for the Sound, free of water hazards.  Fairways and bunkers are in excellent shape.  Obviously, on a course situated on a sliver of land between the Sound and Gardiners Bay, wind plays a starring role.  When blowing toward the Sound, wind gusts can send balls toward danger on the 16th and tack significant yardage onto the clubhouse-bound par-5 17th and long par-4 18th.  When the wind blows in the opposite direction, one frequent patron said it's often necessary to aim tee shots on #16 out over the water and let the gusts send them back toward dry land. 

HOLE(S) TO REMEMBER:
The 16th is memorable for the distant horizon, but the challenge shouldn't be overlooked.  As you make your way up from the 15th green, the Sound suddenly comes into view beyond a white wooden fence.  The bluffs and rocky coastline below appear as though they've been transplanted from California or Hawaii.  The green sits slightly below the tee, 185 yards from the whites and 210 from the blues.  Yardage can fluctuate greatly with pin placement on this deep green.  On the left side there is little that should cause any concern, and with the green's right-to-left tilt, it's best to approach the pin from this direction.  A half-dozen bunkers dug into the mounding off the green's right side set up tricky sand shots.  It will be very difficult to save par from inside any of these traps.  Further right is the Island's most gigantic water hazard.

AREA(S) TO AVOID:
There is trouble everywhere on the par-4 sixth, a dogleg that turns right at a 90-degree angle.  Traps wait inside and at the far end of the turn, and the rough on all sides is lined by trees.  This leaves a small area in the fairway from which an aggressive attack on the flag is possible.  Bunkers guard the entrance to the putting surface, meaning #6 requires two excellent shots in order to set up a favorable par opportunity.

As for #16, a sign on the wooden fence near the tee (left) says it all.

NEARBY COURSES:
Shelter Island Country Club (4 miles)
Cedars Golf Club (11 miles)

SIMILAR COURSES:
Middle Bay
Indian Island

WHERE TO GRAB A BITE AND A BEER:
Greenport features a walkable downtown with a bounty of restaurants ranging from trendy grill to throwback seafood spot, with a brewery, dessert shops and bakeries sprinkled in as well.  Don't miss Aldo's -- one of Long Island's best coffee bars -- for a pre-round coffee or espresso.  If you prefer to avoid the summertime bustle, stay close to the course and try Hellenic Snack Bar and Restaurant for Greek food and patio dining.

CONTACT:
Route 25, Greenport 11944
(631) 477-0777
www.islandsendgolf.com

SEE ALSO:
Long Island Dream Club: Island's End #16

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

Web Special at Brentwood & Holbrook CC

If you can't get out to the Brentwood or Holbrook Country Clubs in time to take advantage of their July coupon special, you will have an opportunity to pay discounted rates at both courses on a handful of days in August.

Typically closed one day a week for outings, Brentwood and Holbrook are opening up those days to the public beginning August 3.  Brentwood will be open for play on Mondays, Holbrook on Tuesdays (except August 18).  The special rate of $42 for Town of Islip residents and $48 for non-residents includes a cart and is only valid on the days specified with a printed coupon from the course websites.

Note that availability is subject to change at any time due to booked outings.

Pine Hills CC returns to its old web home

The Pine Hills Country Club is back at its original web home after spending a few months in hiding at a new but hard-to-find address.  The site is up and running at www.pinehillsgolfproshop.com, though the temporary address -- www.completegolf.biz -- still directs users to the site.  Information for the Heatherwood Golf Club can be found here as well.

Pine Hills is a long, challenging par-73 in Manorville with water infringing on half of its holes.  Heatherwood is an executive par-60 in Centereach.

Flyover: Eisenhower Park - Red Course

SEE ALSO:
Newsday: Eisenhower Red still one of Long Island's gems (9/29/2011)
Observations: The Forgotten Greens of Eisenhower Red (6/10/2010)

Eisenhower Park is a breath of fresh air in the heart of Nassau County.  For golfers, the Red Course -- the signature layout at this 54-hole facility -- is a destination within a destination.  All that separates it from the congestion of commercial Old Country Road is one of the few protected strips of the original Hempstead Plains, but the strip malls and big-box chains might as well be a hundred miles away.  Eisenhower Red offers as serene a setting as one can find in central Nassau.   

Its serenity is matched by its history.  Eisenhower Red was originally the #4 course at the Salisbury Golf Club, a five-course complex that was once dubbed the "Sports Center of America."  Famed architect Devereux Emmet designed the course in 1914, and 12 years later, it hosted a PGA Championship won by the legendary Walter Hagen.  It was the only original Salisbury course to survive the club's downturn after the Depression and World War II, and was later joined by the new White and Blue Courses in the 1950s.  Until 2008, the Champions Tour made the lengthened and modified Red a popular stop in recent years for the Commerce Bank Championship.  Newsday rated it as one of the top public courses on Long Island, and Golf Digest has given it four stars in its past Best Places to Play listings.

Eisenhower Red's setup is quite simple.  You can hit strong drives that consistently give you the opportunity to attack the flag from the Red's generous fairways.  Or you can struggle off the tee and play 18 holes of defensive golf, spending a day fighting poor angles on doglegs and navigating around a plethora of strategic bunkers and shot-blocking evergreens.  At 7,040 yards from the blues and 6,400 from the whites, the course demands distance and accuracy off the tee.

LAYOUT:
The Red throws its length around right from the start, greeting you with two par-5s at #1 and #3.  A trio of bunkers will not permit many approach shots to run onto the first green (pictured right), though there is a small landing area behind the first trap.  The 515-yard third turns hard to the right and can be reached in two after a powerful fade off the tee.  Fairway bunkers guard the left side of the drive zone, and tee shots short or right will be blocked by trees.  Another dogleg follows at #4, a long par-4 that turns left at a near 90-degree angle.  Two small traps wait at the end of the turn, and two bigger ones protect the lay-up area from players who leave themselves no angle to the green.

The sixth hole kicks off a stretch of six consecutive par-4s, all but one of which measure, from the back tees, more than 410 yards.  Like #3, the 430-yard sixth fades right around an expanse of trees.  The seventh and eighth are laid straight out and require great care to avoid a handful of large greenside bunkers.  The front nine ends with a scoring hole.  Red's shortest par-4 -- 346 from the back, 301 from the middle -- sports a downhill fairway that can leave just a short pitch to its narrow green.  

Water enters the fray on the back nine, but it only plays a significant role on approach shots to the 15th green.  On this 454-yard par-4 (402 from the middle), a small pond sits at the end of the fairway about 30 yards ahead of the elevated putting surface.  Decent drives into the fairway should take laying up in front of the hazard out of the equation, but playing from the rough could make this a necessity.  A similar pond in front of the preceding 14th tee does little to discourage big hitters, who will likely be intrigued by the hole's wide, sweeping fairway and inviting approach.

The Red's par-3s are fun tests of accuracy that, if failed, then become trying tests of sand skills.  The 185-yard second features a very shallow, oval-shaped green with a ridge that can set up long and challenging putts.  Circular bunkers are recessed away from the green but help cause misjudged distances.  (An alternate hole is also used at #2, an adjacent L-shaped par-4 that is shoe-horned between and around tall trees.)  Both the 164-yard fifth and the 173-yard 16th employ a team of greenside bunkers, but #5 is a bit more deceptive.  With your attention likely focused on the large traps front and left, hidden bunkers on the right side can easily fly under your radar.  The longest one-shotter, the 211-yard 13th plays to a slightly elevated green (pictured left).  Aggressive shots to a right-side pin must carry a hefty bunker.

Just as it began, the Red closes with the challenge of distance.  The par-5 17th is the longest hole on the course and the only one to crack 500 yards from the whites.  The round concludes with a 455-yard par-4 that tees off to a rising fairway.  Players that send their drives off line stand little chance of recovering well enough to make par.

CONDITIONS:
Nearly every swing at Eisenhower Red will aim at a target framed by a mix of trees large and small.  From the fairway, the trees make for a pleasant backdrop.  So do the regrown, protected sections of the Hempstead Plains on the north side of the course and the wispy grasses separating holes on the back nine.  Of the three Eisenhower tracks, the Red is the real looker.

The Red's big greens roll at medium speed and include very subtle breaks and turns.  Stay below the hole on #10 and #12, both of which feature tricky ridges that can sabotage your efforts after the turn.  Fairways are mostly flat and in excellent condition, though you might encounter more unrepaired divots than you would elsewhere.  Accurate yardages can be found easily on sprinkler heads across the fairways.

Slow play is typically the biggest complaint about all three Eisenhower courses.  Head to East Meadow expecting a round in the vicinity of five-and-a-half hours.  Any round completed in under five is miraculous.

HOLE(S) TO REMEMBER:
The ninth hole is one of the few with any dramatic slope in the fairway, and this one works in the players' favor.  It's also the Red's shortest par-4, which makes it a prime location for par or better.  A solid drive will leave a short iron or pitch into a green that is deep and narrow.  There is plenty of sand hugging the front half of the slim green, so don't get too nonchalant thinking about birdie.

It's a straight path from tee to green on the par-5 17th, but traps in between do their best to prevent bombers from reaching in two.  The green is surrounded by bunkers with raised edges.  Some shots that manage to steer clear of the sand can instead settle into an awkward sidehill or downhill lie, calling for a dicey chip shot.  Small mounds in the left rough near the green also work hard to complicate your short game on the Red's lengthiest hole.

AREA(S) TO AVOID:
Attempting to cut the corners too close on any of the Red's doglegs could land you in a world of hurt.  Once inside the treeline, you are at nature's mercy, and advancing the ball with any authority is not often a viable option.  It is tempting to go for the green in two on the par-5 12th, but if you get overzealous and wind up long, you'll have to attack the back-to-front green from rough above the hole -- a bad location.  Even worse, if you breach the line of evergreens behind the putting surface, it may take more than one or two strokes to get back out.

NEARBY COURSES:
Eisenhower Park - Blue/White (on site)
Cantiague Park (3 miles)
Merrick Road Park (8 miles)
Bethpage -- Black/Blue/Green/Red/Yellow (8 miles)

CONTACT:
Merrick Ave. at Stewart Ave., East Meadow 11554
(516) 572-0327 / 0330 (wait time)
www.nassaucountyny.gov

SEE ALSO:
Celebrating the Red, White and Blue at Eisenhower Park as the Red Course turns 100
Bethpage, Rock Hill, Eisenhower make it a "Best of LI" threepeat
Bethpage, Rock Hill, Eisenhower form "Best of LI" trio for second straight year
Bethpage retains title, edges Rock Hill and Eisenhower in annual "Best of LI" poll
Newsday: Eisenhower Red still one of Long Island's gems (9/29/2011)
Golf On Long Island's "Nassau 18" -- Eisenhower Red #3
Observations: The Forgotten Greens of Eisenhower Red (6/10/2010)
2009 Long Island Dream Club: Eisenhower Red #15
Eisenhower Red joins list of 4-star courses

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

July is Family Month at Crab Meadow

From now through the end of July, golfers 16 and under can play the Crab Meadow Golf Course for free with a paid adult after 5 p.m.  Call (631) 757-8800 for details and reservations.

Crab Meadow is a scenic course near the Long Island Sound in Northport.  Its 481-yard par-5 eighth, highlighted by a pond that must be carried to reach the green, was selected as part of Newsday's Dream 18.  The course was also named one of the best public courses on the Island by readers of the Long Island Press.

Flyover: The Rock Golf Club (formerly Great Rock)

[This flyover was updated on September 30, 2022.]

SEE ALSO:
The Rock Golf Club in Wading River turns private two months into its revival (9/30/2022)
The Rock Golf Club, formerly Great Rock, will reopen for play July 1 (6/25/2022)
Observations: "New" 11th green at Great Rock Golf Club (6/12/2013)
Closer Look: Great Rock #11
Observations: Great Rock Golf Club's new 12th green (6/6/2011)
Observations: Great Rock Golf Club (7/8/2010)

[UPDATE - Fall 2022:  The Rock reopened to the public in July 2022 under new owners.  In September, it closed to the public and turned into a private club.  The flyover below includes changes and modifications since the club's initial rebranding and reopening.  For more information about the club's reopening, see this June 2022 overview.]

The Rock Golf Club in Wading River climbs and descends the hills of Suffolk County's north shore, terrain that transforms a 6,254-yard par-71 -- from the tips -- into a rugged test of skill and execution.  Its tight fairways, bordered in places by dense woodlands, and sharp doglegs combine with the changing elevation to create a shotmaker's delight.  Perhaps The Rock's most notable feature, the lightning-fast greens enhance the challenge in every approach, chip and putt.

For nearly two decades since it opened in 2001, the course had been known as Great Rock, and part of the attraction was scenery more reminiscent of upstate New York and New England than northern Suffolk County.  It also drew players, for much of that time, with facilities and amenities -- a Zagat-rated steakhouse, staff-attended bag drop and others -- that contributed to the atmosphere of a private club. 

In 2019, the course closed after several seasons of complaints about deteriorating conditions.  After the club was sold, it re-emerged in 2022 as The Rock, with a newfound focus on an authentic member-for-a-day experience.  On the course, nearly two years of tree pruning and turf rejuvenation restored the course to its initial glory.

The Rock plays only 5,900 yards from the middle tees, but the key to a satisfactory score is course knowledge and experience.  It is full of angles and subtleties, many of which can be adequately logged in golf memory only through repeated play.

LAYOUT:
The Rock rises and falls like a roller coaster, slowly ascending through the woods toward an elevated first green, not to return again until the final descent of the 18th, which, in keeping with the amusement park theme, slightly resembles one of those double-dipper carnival slides.  The opening par-5 -- a member of Golfing Magazine's Dream Golf Club -- can be reached in two, but its green, sloping down from the center, can easily steal a stroke.  Following are two par-4s with contrasting styles.  The 430-yard second is long and straight with a series of irregular bunkers threatening drives to the left side.  The 319-yard third is the first of several left doglegs that require an uphill approach.  A right-to-left draw will get you into early birdie position.

Even shorter than #3 is the 300-yard sixth, where a triangular bunker in front protects the green from potential eagle putts.  Use driver at your own risk -- there is an extremely limited view of the fairway from the tee, and only the luckiest players will be able to retrieve mishits sent left.  Deep misses are out of play.  If the cup is in the front, the second shot becomes very tricky, as the green is tilted away from the bunker.  A perfect blast off the tee must be followed by an extremely delicate and equally impressive pitch over the trap if the ball is to settle close to a front pin.

The lone par-5 on the course between #1 and #18 is the 498-yard seventh.  Its tight fairway rolls up and down, side to side, and narrows as it heads toward the green.  Large sand traps guard the left side of the green, just as they do the fairway on #8, a 376-yard par-4 with another elevated green.  The front nine ends with a par-3 that tees off from one of The Rock's highest and most scenic points, and plays downhill to one of the course's flatter surfaces.

Both Newsday and Golfing Magazine recognize #10 at The Rock as one of Long Island's finest holes.  The 444-yard par-4 plays straight uphill, with trees hugging the fairway on both sides.  Even the strongest drives will be left with a lengthy approach up the slope to a hidden green.  (A centerline bunker ahead of the green was filled in several seasons ago to speed up play.)  The namesake rock observes your final efforts on the signature hole and overlooks the tee on #11, a 351-yard par-4 that sports one of the course's most severely sloped putting surfaces.  Even after a late-2012 renovation designed to keep more shots on the green, balls will still sprint hard from the left side to the right, in some cases into the fringe.  Do all you can to stay below the pin. 

A redesign of the green on the par-3 12th during the 2010-11 offseason created a wider variety of pin-placement options for course staff.  On the old green, short-iron tee shots on this 123-yarder and even close-range putts were at the mercy of the heavily pitched right-to-left and back-to-front surface.  Now, with the left and front edges raised, well-executed shots can hold the green, with birdie and par opportunities as the reward.  The green still demands a careful route to the cup, however, as the subtle slopes are difficult to read and maintain the 12th's reputation as a short hole with plenty of bite.

[Follow the links for a Closer Look at #11 and an overview of #12's remodeled green.]

From here on out, players with a left-to-right ball flight may find themselves fighting against the current.  Five of the final six holes bend to the left, some at more acute angles than others.  The 13th, 15th and 17th are all doglegged par-4s of similar yardage, though uphill approaches make #13 and #17 play longer.  Only #16, a 175-yard par-3 with a large trap short of the green, is laid straight out.

The Rock ends with the downhill 18th, a par-5 whose fairway drops from the tee and screeches to a halt at a lake, then angles left as it squeezes between the hazard and dense treeline.  The lake is an intimidator on all second shots, but it won't be necessary to carry any significant portion of the hazard unless the tee shot settles too far right.

CONDITIONS:
It takes a steady hand and a confident putting stroke to succeed on The Rock's notoriously speedy greens.  Anyone who struggles on fast surfaces or is more accustomed to slower greens will not benefit from any early-round grace period -- the opening hole's wide and shallow surface slopes from the center to its sides.  If the speed gets in your head, the breaks become tougher to read, and before you know it three-putts, or worse, become commonplace.  Even the more innocent-looking greens can cause problems.  If your eyes tell you that the left-to-right pitch of the par-4 11th green is minimal, don't be surprised to find your putt shooting down to the right side of the surface.  The break is one of the most severe on the course.

The Rock's manicured look is a product of heavy maintenance and restoration of ground conditions following the closed club's sale in 2021.  Nearly 1,000 trees were pruned in an effort to increase air flow and improve soil and turf health.  Crews also eliminated crabgrass and other weeds that had overtaken fairways, tees and bunkers in Great Rock's final season and after its closure.  

"The course was closed for two years, but it's been neglected for six," golf director Bill Mackedon said prior to its 2022 reopening.

Off the course, The Rock strives to create a welcoming club atmosphere for its guests.  Players get their names on lockers and have access to a welcome center and member lounge.  Pulcinella's On The Green, an offshoot of an Italian restaurant in Massapequa, handles food service.

HOLE(S) TO REMEMBER:
#10 gets the accolades, and deservedly so.  It is a relentless par-4 that can batter even the strongest shooters.  Players that miss the fairway will do no better than getting on in three.  But strategy-wise, the par-5 18th may be more memorable.  The fairway veers left at the lake, and the perfect play, if you can pull it off, is a long draw over the bunkers to a narrowed landing area.  From there a middle iron or less can get you to the diagonal green in two.  Safer drives will find the meatier part of the fairway, but shots to the right invite the lake into the target line.  Also, a greenside trap protects the pin from right-side approaches.

The best view of a hole might be from the elevated tee on #2 (pictured right).  The Rock's characteristic features -- rolling, tree-lined fairways and spacious, strategic bunkers -- are laid out clearly in front of you.

AREA(S) TO AVOID:
Without course knowledge or an experienced playing partner, there's no way to know that shots behind the sixth green are history.  A landscaped arrangement of plants and shrubs covers the hill on the backside of the green and will gobble up any ball that scoots through the rough or bunkers.  Left of the green isn't much better -- balls to that side will run down a slope toward the cart path.

NEARBY COURSES:
Rolling Oaks (8 miles)
Swan Lake (8 miles)
Cherry Creek - Woods/Links (9 miles)

CONTACT:
141 Fairway Drive, Wading River 11792
(631) 929-1200
www.playtherockgolf.com

SEE ALSO:
The Rock Golf Club in Wading River turns private two months into its revival (9/30/2022)
The Rock Golf Club, formerly Great Rock, will reopen for play July 1 (6/25/2022)
Observations: "New" 11th green at Great Rock Golf Club (6/12/2013)
Closer Look: Great Rock #11
Long Island Dream Club: Clubhouse at the Great Rock Golf Club
Observations: Great Rock Golf Club's new 12th green (6/6/2011)
Observations: Great Rock Golf Club (7/8/2010)
Great Rock's 12th green to be regraded this offseason, will be ready for spring (11/12/2010)
Great Rock Golf Club staff featured in Newsday column
Long Island Dream Club:  Great Rock #10
Long Island Dream Club:  Great Rock #1

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

Robert Moses Pitch-and-Putt Tourney to be held July 15

Confident in your short game?  Show it off at the Robert Moses Pitch-and-Putt Tournament next Wednesday, July 15, at Robert Moses State Park in Babylon.  Entry fee for the event is $39 and includes a shirt, ball, breakfast and lunch.  Awards and prizes will be given for various feats.  Start time is 9:00, and in the event of rain, the tournament will be pushed back to the following Wednesday, July 22.

The course at Robert Moses State Park is located at the west end of the park near field 2.  Call (631) 321-3510 for additional event information.