Cedars Golf Club, a serene, old-fashioned fixture on the North Fork, was in good shape but in need of some essential maintenance when Tim McManus and Paul Pawlowski took over earlier this year. So they dug in and focused on irrigation, bunker renovation and condition of the greens. And they didn't stop there. Long story short, today at Cedars you can supplement a nine-hole round with some indoor golf or a trip on a kayak.
The first year at Cedars under McManus and Pawlowski is wrapping up, and thanks to the staff's hard work, the nine-hole course tucked away south of Main Road in Cutchogue looks and plays much different than before.
"I believe the most noticeable changes are to the greens," McManus told Golf On Long Island this summer. Two aerations this season and a full-time crew dedicated to the putting surfaces have turned soft, spongy greens into smooth ones that players would normally find elsewhere.
"The days of wedge shots plugging three inches deep are over," McManus added. "The greens are now relatively firm and comparable in speed to most 18-hole public courses."
Around the greens, the Cedars staff devoted plenty of time to renovating, repairing or filling in many of the course's bunkers. New sand was brought in to replenish the traps, while eroded edges were strengthened on some and beach grass was planted in others. As the season progressed, a new irrigation system was installed from tee to green.
The perimeter of the course got a facelift as well. The staff cleared areas where dense, thorny brush had taken hold. Not only does this improve the look of the course, McManus said, it "also makes it much more friendly to juniors and beginners, who can now quickly find their ball and play on." In addition, new artificial-turf forward tees have proven to be a hit with less-experienced players.
Water comes into play on the course's final holes, though nowadays it operates not only as a hazard, but also as a source of recreation. Cedars partnered with Bayview Tours to offer kayak and stand-up paddleboard rentals and lessons in the creek next to the ninth hole. When the birdies aren't dropping, at least you can catch real fowl in action at home in North Fork waters.
Indoors, where the quaint, retro-style clubhouse used to be filled with stacks of VHS golf tapes and other throwback goods, the facility has been modernized with a new high-definition simulator room, which has received positive feedback from regular players and this summer's junior campers.
"We think it will be a great year-round addition to the North Fork golf community," McManus said.
For more on the course, visit the new Cedars website, and for a general overview of the (pre-renovation) course, check out the Cedars flyover.
PICTURED: The recently installed irrigation system in action and a new patio overlooking the course. (Photos courtesy of Cedars Golf Club)
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