Two years after the long-running Skydrive Golf Center was torn down in Farmingdale, the busy Route 110 corridor near the Nassau-Suffolk line regained another golf facility, all thanks to one Long Islander's passion for ... pickleball.
Yes, pickleball, the hybrid of badminton, tennis and ping pong introduced to thousands of teenagers each year by way of high school phys-ed teachers, shares the spotlight at Pickle N Par, Long Island's newest indoor golf venue. Unlike Skydrive, whose landmark range nets towered over Route 110 near Republic Airport, Pickle N Par is tucked away in a modern, newly constructed sports-and-fitness building just up the road in Melville.
Pickle N Par manager Andrew Ritter was one of those Long Island high school students who briefly flirted with pickleball in gym class. A decade after playing the sport at Glen Cove High School, he picked it up again in 2015 at a local community center, learned more about its intricacies and techniques, and eventually became certified as an IPTPA instructor.
The way Ritter sees it, the two elements of Pickle N Par are a natural fit. "Pickleball and golf are multi-generational," Ritter says. "And they are two of the most social sports we have."
Unlike other sports, where players might be able to come and go without really interacting with teammates or opponents, Ritter says there's a social element that naturally emerges during and after pickleball matches, the same way it does between shots in an 18-hole round of golf. Ritter thinks this will attract people to Pickle N Par, not to mention its central location among bustling Long Island commercial centers and office parks.
The facility currently features two Full Swing golf simulators with space for a third. Players can choose from 85 golf courses -- including nearby Bethpage Black (approach shot on Black #1 pictured left) -- and customize their rounds for weather and ground conditions, scoring formats and more. Full Swing's "Showdown Golf" also offers a variety of golf games, challenges and competitions that Ritter sees as a potential hit for kids' birthday parties and work functions. Professional golf instruction will also be offered.
Hourly rates for the golf simulators range from $45-50, with a $5 surcharge added for non-members (membership is $95 annually). All rates include access to a putting green and ping-pong tables. Each simulator bay has a TV tuned to sports.
In addition, members and non-members can book reservations on the Pickle N Par website and through the Court Reserve app. (Members have access to a longer booking window.)
As a courtesy to GOLI readers, Pickle N Par will waive non-member surcharges through the end of October for visitors who mention this Golf On Long Island profile.
Pickle N Par is located at 515 Broadhollow Road (Route 110), Suite 500 in Melville (entrance and parking lot off Baylis Road). For more information, visit the company website or call (631) 777-PICK.
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