Golf on Long Island

No Long Island Golf Show planned for 2013

The Results Group, the Syracuse-based event and trade-show planner that purchased the rights to the Long Island Golf Show in 2010, will not run a local golf expo in 2013.  The group operated the last Long Island Golf Show in March 2011, which included appearances by John Daly and The Golf Channel's Michael Breed.

"At this time we have no intention of bringing back a golf show on Long Island," said Tom Tarry, president of The Results Group, which runs a series of annual events throughout the Central New York region.

The future of the Long Island Golf Show became murky last winter when the 2012 expo scheduled for March 23-25 at Suffolk Community College was pulled from the schedule.  Prior to that, organizers of the 2011 show expressed concerns about lack of participation and interest from local golf courses and businesses, especially in comparison to the group's highly popular Syracuse Golf Show held each winter.

Great Rock GC closed until March

Wading River's Great Rock Golf Club closed late last week for a short mid-winter hibernation.  The course will reopen on Friday, March 15, weather permitting.

Great Rock's recently remodeled 11th green will make its debut this spring season.  Work on the back side of the heavily sloped surface was completed last month by superintendent Dan Wolf.  More information on the minor renovation can be found in this December 2012 update.

Bethpage, Rock Hill, Eisenhower form "Best of LI" trio for second straight year

Long Island Press readers liked the results of last year's "Best Golf Course" poll so much that they kept the winner and runners-up exactly the same in 2013.  This week the local newspaper announced the results of the sports and activities categories in its annual "Best of Long Island" survey, and Bethpage State Park finished in its customary gold-medal spot.  Rock Hill Golf & Country Club and Eisenhower Park took second and third, respectively.

It's been a busy January for Bethpage, which earlier this month appeared in the top half of Golf Digest's America's Greatest Golf Courses list for 2013.  The Black Course hosted The Barclays tournament this past August, but the renowned five-course complex didn't need a week in the international spotlight to win the honor of Long Island's best.  Press readers have voted Bethpage #1 in the golf course category six years in a row (at least).  With its Black, Red, Blue, Green and Yellow layouts, Bethpage beat out nine public courses and three private clubs across the Island.

Voters apparently favor length in their favorite golf destinations, and clicked Manorville's Rock Hill Golf & Country Club enough for it to repeat as runner-up in 2013.  At 7,050 yards from the tips, Rock Hill is one of Long Island's longest public courses.  High rough and climbing fairways make it one of the Island's most challenging, as well.

Eisenhower Park, noted for its Devereux Emmet-designed Red Course, once again finishes in third place.  The East Meadow facility draws crowds year-round to its White and Blue courses, both designed by Robert Trent Jones.

PICTURED: The par-3 third at Bethpage Black.  [Click photo to enlarge]

Bethpage Black ranked #42 in Golf Digest's Greatest Courses list

Bethpage Black found itself in a familiar place when Golf Digest's February issue hit the magazine racks recently -- listed among some of the best golf courses in the country, both public and private.  Golf Digest published its list of America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses this month, with the Black Course once again in the top half at #42.  Last year's top course, Augusta National, drops one spot into the runner-up position behind Pine Valley Golf Club in New Jersey.

The mag also ran its Greatest Public Golf Courses list, in which the Black settles in at #8, sandwiched between Pinehurst #2 (one spot ahead at #7) and the TV-friendly Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.  Pebble Beach takes the top spot overall.

The Black Course is the only Long Island public to crack the New York rankings, a list dominated by the Island's private clubs and topped by Shinnecock Hills.  Black is ranked eighth in the state, a spot ahead of Garden City Golf Club and one behind Sebonack in Southampton.

Lido Golf Club to reopen March 1

Lido Golf Club, which sustained some of the most severe damage among Long Island golf courses during Hurricane Sandy last October, will reopen for play on March 1, 2013. 

The course and clubhouse were flooded during the storm, and early indications were that the Lido Beach course might not fully recover until later in the 2013 season.   For more on the Lido Golf Club, check out the course flyover.

Early Bird Special available for Golfing Magazine's 2013 Free Golf Program

Paychecks are a little lighter so far in 2013.  All the more reason to check out Golfing Magazine's Free Golf Program, even if it is still only January.

The mag's annual Early Bird Special is available now through April, and enrolls subscribers in the program for $39 -- a $10 discount off the regular rate.  Members of the Free Golf Program receive a certificate good for one "free" round at nearly a dozen area courses.  (Only cart fees are required.)  Participating courses will be announced in May.

[Information on the 2013 Free Golf Program is now available.]

Last year's program included eight Long Island courses -- Brentwood Country Club, Dix Hills Park, Glen Cove, Gull Haven, Harbor Links - Executive, Holbrook Country Club, Tallgrass and Island's End.  The certificate also includes rounds at dozens of courses upstate and throughout New England.

Visit the Golfing Magazine website or call (516) 822-5446 to sign up.

Newsday: No New Year resolution to Suffolk County errant-ball issue

Newsday's "Community Watchdog" Judy Cartwright tied up a couple of loose ends as 2012 drew to a close, filling in readers on the resolutions, or lack thereof, to stories covered during the year. 

Among them was an update on errant-ball issues at the West Sayville and Bergen Point golf courses:

Residents near Suffolk County's West Sayville and Bergen Point courses got our attention in the spring when golf season opened and golf balls once again flew into their neighborhoods.  Early this month we revisited the issue with the county to ask whether they've come up with a plan to try to contain errant golf balls or deal with the damage they cause.

The county told us to expect a response by Dec. 21.  We're still waiting. -- Newsday, Judy Cartwright, 12/28/2012