Golf on Long Island

Eisenhower Red, Woodmere, Morley closed for the season

The Red Course at Eisenhower Park has been closed since Hurricane Sandy arrived last month, and it will remain closed through the offseason, according to park personnel.  Eisenhower's signature layout -- a Devereux Emmet design -- typically shuts down for the season in early to mid-December, but tree damage from the storm kept it quiet through November.  The Red should reopen on time in late March.

Also closed for the season a little earlier than usual is Christopher Morley Park.  The Roslyn nine-holer usually closes in December along with Bay Park in East Rockaway, which, as profiled by Golf On Long Island earlier this month, suffered tree and flood damage.  Phone calls to Bay Park have gone unanswered since the storm.  (The park has been in the news, however, since damage to the on-site sewage treatment plant has impacted nearby residents and discharged millions of gallons of partially treated waste into Reynolds Channel.)

Somewhat of a surprise is the closing of North Woodmere Park.  The year-round golf course is closed until March, according to a park employee.  There is damage to the layout and no electricity at the course.

Nassau County golfers who only play where their Leisure Pass is accepted can still go for a round at Eisenhower Blue, Eisenhower White and Cantiague Park.

Timber Point open again for 18 holes

Timber Point Golf Course in Great River is open again for 18 holes, and has incorporated part of the hurricane-damaged Blue Course into its modified post-storm layout.  

The Red Course -- the most inland of the three nines -- is available in full.  For now, the other half of an 18-hole round consists of a combination of six holes on the White Course (#1, 5-9) and three on the Blue (#1, 2, 9).  Most notable among the holes that remain in play is the Blue's "Harbor" hole (#2), a short par-3 over water to a peninsula green.  Closed, however, is #5 -- "Gibraltar" -- the Blue's signature par-3.

A full reopening of all 27 holes is expected sometime in 2013.

[Pictured: Blue #2 -- "Harbor"]

Lido Golf Club closed indefinitely

Wildly popular for its waterside layout and scenery, the Lido Golf Club is closed indefinitely, a victim, for now, of its greatest asset.  The golf course along Reynolds Channel on the north side of Lido Beach suffered significant flood damage to the grounds and clubhouse during Hurricane Sandy.

Golf On Long Island's Rob Dimino, who spent the duration of the October 29-30 storm in Long Beach and owns a business on the barrier island, said the Atlantic Ocean on the south met the channel on the north around Lido during the hurricane.  In the days following Sandy, Dimino passed by and noted standing saltwater on parts of the course.

Other bayside and oceanside courses on the south shore remain closed, including some of Nassau's nine-hole munis.  In Suffolk, the Blue Course at Timber Point is shut down until sometime in 2013. Given the severe flooding and damage to Ocean Parkway and parts of Fire Island, Long Island's barrier-beach pitch-and-putts are likely in poor shape.  A recent Newsday photo of the Jones Beach tower after the storm showed the adjacent pitch-and-putt course submerged in saltwater.

[Pictured above, the channelside green on Lido's double-fairway 16th in August 2011.  See this Closer Look post for more on Lido's signature par-5.]

Brentwood CC reopens, will host Thanksgiving morning shotgun

After nearly three weeks of storm recovery and cleanup, the Brentwood Country Club reopened all 18 holes this past weekend, just in time to host a golf-and-go Thanksgiving outing. 

The Town of Islip course invites holiday golfers for an early-morning shotgun this Thursday at 7:30.  Golf and cart is $42.  With no post-round festivities, you'll have plenty of time to get home and help set the table.  (For more time-consuming, food- and beer-friendly holiday outings, see last week's Thanksgiving events post.)

Sign-up is first come, first served.  Call (631) 436-6060 to register.

Hurricane Sandy Update: Latest from Bethpage; Red and Black closed for season

Two of the five courses at Bethpage State Park have reopened for play after Hurricane Sandy, and a third may be available at least partially later this week, but the Red and Black courses are closed for the season, according to the park's reservation hotline.

The Yellow and Green courses are open, with the Yellow available only to walk-up players.  Reservations are being accepted for the Green.  The Blue Course's front nine might be open in time for Thanksgiving.

Bethpage Black typically ends its season in mid-November, so the closure comes as no surprise.  As posted here earlier this month, a Golf On Long Island reader observed severe tree damage on areas of the Red Course near the bike path and polo field in the week following the storm. 

Barring any setbacks, the Red and Black courses should reopen in April.

Thanksgiving golf events around Long Island

A handful of Long Island golf courses that escaped major damage from Hurricane Sandy will be hosting their annual Thanksgiving outings this holiday.

Crab Meadow in Northport, which was closed for two weeks after the storm, will hold a four-person scramble that tees off at 8:30.  Players should arrive early for continental breakfast and range balls, and stick around if possible for beers and appetizers.  The $70 entry fee includes cart, range, food, drinks and prizes.  Call (631) 757-8800 to register.

Spring Lake's annual best-ball outing begins at 8:00.  Entry fee is $54 and includes breakfast, cart, range and the opportunity to win long-drive and closest-to-pin prizes.  Call (631) 924-5115 to sign up.

Though its sister course, the Woods, closed for the season with storm damage, Cherry Creek's Links Course will send holiday players out with a 9:00 shotgun start.  The $50 entry fee includes cart, range and breakfast.  Call (631) 369-6500.

Timber Point's Thanksgiving scramble will include closest-to-pilgrim and Wildest Turkey prizes this year.  Play begins at 9:00 and the format is nine-hole, four-person scramble.  Also in the mix are driving and putting contests, bagels and mimosas.  Call (631) 581-2401.

Mill Pond's annual two-person scramble is currently sold out, but they are accepting registrations for alternates.  Entry fee is $59.  Call (631) 732-8249 to get on the wait list.

Hurricane Sandy Update: Damage and debris at Bay Park

The least important update out of East Rockaway in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy is the condition of Bay Park, the Nassau County park and nine-hole golf course surrounded on three sides by Hewlett Bay and its inlets.  The community outside the park's gates was hit hard during the storm, evidenced by the curbside piles of furniture and belongings that have become all too familiar through Long Island's slow recovery.  

Still, the conditions at Bay Park and similar coastal courses and parks are notable for local golfers -- especially ones who grew up on these beginner nines -- and those who take pride in Long Island's beautiful open spaces.  Nassau's parks have been slow to get back on track after Sandy, either because of damage or diversion of staff and resources.  The golf course at Bay Park is damaged -- not badly, but enough to keep it closed two weeks after the storm and potentially through November.  

Bay Park does not stay open year-round, and it wouldn't be a surprise if the course closes the curtain on the 2012 season well before its usual end date in late December.  Two of the large willows to the right of #1's fairway were toppled by the storm.  On the eastern side of the course, next to #2 and #3, a dislodged segment of the adjacent docks sits on top of a portion of chain-link fencing.  Debris can be seen scattered around the sickly colored fairways and tees.

A few miles west, North Woodmere Park also remains closed.  Currently, the park and golf course are inaccessible from the south.  Branch Boulevard, the park's main feeder road from the Five Towns area, collapsed during Hurricane Sandy, no more than a few hundred feet from Woodmere's first green.

Hurricane Sandy Update: Crab Meadow open, Cherry Creek Woods closed

Northport's Crab Meadow Golf Course is close to a full recovery from last week's Hurricane Sandy.  After being closed for a week and a half for storm clean-up, Crab Meadow will reopen tomorrow, November 10, to walkers only.  Motor carts will be available again beginning Sunday, November 11.

Out east in Riverhead, the Woods Course at Cherry Creek was victimized by the abundant supply of fairway-hugging trees for which the course is named.  The Woods suffered heavy tree damage during Hurricane Sandy and is closed for the season.  The Links Course across the street made it through the storm in good shape and has been open for play since last week.

Hurricane Sandy Update: Latest Suffolk County course openings

The bayside West Sayville Golf Course has recovered from Hurricane Sandy and is open again on Suffolk County's south shore, walking only.  Another Suffolk County municipal course, Indian Island Country Club, has opened all 18 holes in Riverhead.

Stonebridge Golf Links in Hauppauge is open and running a $37 online special today through Thursday.  Last week the course's Facebook page showed a tree collapsed on top of the fifth tee.

Island's End Golf & Country Club in Greenport is open.

All 18 holes are open at Great Rock Golf Club in Wading River.

Be sure to refresh the Golf On Long Island homepage or check the GOLI Facebook page for all previous and updated post-storm course news across Nassau and Suffolk.

Hurricane Sandy Update: Nine holes open on Bethpage Yellow

One week after Hurricane Sandy toppled trees all over the complex, nine of Bethpage State Park's 90 golf holes reopened for play on Monday.  The back nine of the Yellow Course is open to walk-ups only.  No reservations are being taken.

Be aware that Yellow #10, a par-5, is currently playing as a par-3 as it recovers from wear and tear sustained during The Barclays in August.  Golf On Long Island featured Yellow #12 -- Tillinghast's "Reef" -- last offseason.

The other 81 holes at Bethpage are closed until further notice.