Golf on Long Island

Thanksgiving Day shotgun starts at Stonebridge, Brentwood CC

Western Suffolk golfers have a couple of shotgun outings to choose from if the mood for holiday golf should strike on Thanksgiving morning.

Stonebridge Golf Links will send golfers off for a Turkey Day 18 starting at 9:00 a.m. for just $39, with cart included.  Reservations can be made on the Stonebridge website or by calling (631) 724-7500.

A few minutes away in Brentwood, the Brentwood Country Club has a 7:30 a.m. shotgun tee time that will get golfers home earlier for the holiday feast.  Reservations with cart included are $42 per player ($38 for seniors).  Call the club at (631) 436-6060 to book a spot.

Can't make any of these outings?  Great Rock, Spring Lake, Mill Pond and others are offering Thanksgiving scrambles and specials as well.

Annual Turkey Shootout on the Thanksgiving schedule at Mill Pond

Mill Pond Golf Course in Medford runs one of Long Island's most popular Thanksgiving Day events, and spots are filling up fast for the 2014 edition.  The eighth annual Turkey Shootout, an early-morning holiday tourney that sets the stage for turkey, stuffing and football, is open for registration. 

This year's Turkey Shootout will be a four-person team scramble with a scheduled 8:00 a.m. start.  The $60 entry fee covers cart, range balls and a continental breakfast before play.  Prizes will be awarded for team score and a closest-to-the-pin challenge.  Sign up before the event sells out by calling the Mill Pond pro shop at (631) 732-8249.  Pre-payment is required.

Wind will be certainly be a factor over Mill Pond's open layout.  The 6,304-yard par-70 features a number of rebuilt bunkers, including one on the par-4 fifth. 

For more on Mill Pond, check out the course flyover.

Newsday: Florida course operator bids to run Crab Meadow Golf Course

The Town of Huntington held a public hearing last week to review the winning bid submitted by a Florida-based course operator to run Northport's Crab Meadow Golf Course, according to Newsday.

Integrity Golf Co. of Winter Garden, Florida will operate both Crab Meadow and the nine-hole Dix Hills Park Golf Course under a five-year contract and will pay the town $559,500 or 10 percent of gross annual revenues.  The company is planning renovations and general improvements at both facilities.

Integrity Golf plans to pay for a new restaurant at the Crab Meadow clubhouse, renovate the Dix Hills pro shop, put new carpeting in all facilities, make improvements to the men's and women's locker room at Crab Meadow, add new golf mats in the driving ranges at both facilities, update and enhance the Crab Meadow bar area and enhance overall lighting and painting, town officials said.  -- Deborah S. Morris, Newsday, 11/4/2014

For more on Crab Meadow, visit the course flyover.

Mill Pond offering a "Comeback Coupon" to Veterans Day golfers

Golfers who tee off at Mill Pond Golf Course on Veterans Day will be able to re-tee for free later this offseason, thanks to a holiday special being offered at the Medford layout. 

A "Comeback Coupon" given to all players on Tuesday, November 11, is good for a free greens fee from now through April 15.  Return plays will be valid for weekday rounds of equal or lesser value.  Cart and reservation fees are not included.

Offseason rates are in effect at Mill Pond.  Eighteen-hole fees with cart range from $35 to $50, and residents can walk 18 for as little as $25.  For more on Mill Pond, check out the course flyover.

Great Rock offering Veterans Day, Thanksgiving specials

Great Rock Golf Club is doing all it can to make sure local players keep the clubs handy for just a few more weeks as the season draws to a close.  The Wading River course is offering a military special on Veterans Day and hosting a holiday scramble later this month on Thanksgiving.

Past and present military members play for free at Great Rock on Veterans Day -- Tuesday, November 11.  Book a tee time and show your military ID at check-in to take advantage of the deal.

On Thanksgiving morning, November 27, Great Rock's holiday event will begin with an 8:00 shotgun start.  The $49 entry fee covers bagels and coffee before the round, plus cart and range balls.  Prizes will go out to the top three teams as well as winners of long-drive and closest-to-the-pin contests.  Sign up at the course or call (631) 886-2700.

Great Rock is just finishing up its first full season under new owners.  Fall rates are in effect, with 18-hole green fees as low as $29.  For more on the course, check out the Great Rock flyover.

Closing dates set for Bethpage Black, Red

The curtain is closing at Bethpage -- the Black and Red courses will both be packed up for the winter by the time November comes to an end.

The last day to play Bethpage Black is Sunday, November 23.  One week later, Bethpage Red will close for the season on Sunday, November 30.  As usual, the Black Course will be closed on Mondays for maintenance, but open for play on November 3.

Once the Black and Red close, the Blue and Yellow courses will remain open for winter play.  The Green Course typically opens only in favorable offseason conditions.

For updated information, call the park at (516) 249-0701.

Thanksgiving Day outing at Spring Lake

The start of November means cold-weather golf, offseason rates and a handful of Thanksgiving Day outings for whoever can brave the chill and a potential holiday frost delay.  Spring Lake Golf Club in Middle Island will host its own Turkey Day event on Thursday, November 27, with tee time scheduled for 8:00 a.m.

For $54, participants get breakfast and 18 holes played as a modified scramble -- a "shamble," as Spring Lake calls it -- in which each golfer will play their own ball from the spot of the foursome's best tee shot.   Check-in and breakfast buffet begin at 7:00 followed by a shotgun start.  At noon, prizes will be given out for various on-course achievements.

Fall rates are currently in effect at Spring Lake.  For more on the Middle Island facility, check out the Golf On Long Island flyovers of the 18-hole Thunderbird and nine-hole Sandpiper courses.