Golf on Long Island

Hole modifications on the way at Eisenhower Park's Red Course

Friend of Golf On Long Island Rob Toffolo walked away from a recent round at Eisenhower Park's Red Course with interesting information about scheduled alterations to the century-old layout, some of which are currently in the early construction stages.

Two holes on the Red's front nine are in line for future modifications, and it won't take long during a round for golfers to notice the difference.  New tees will soon be added on #1, according to park staff, shortening the par-5 opener by about 40 yards and reintroducing it as a lengthy par-4.  Farther ahead at #7, park crews have already started clearing trees and marking ground for a project that will stretch the 452-yard par-4 into a slightly doglegged par-5.

When complete, the new teebox at #7 will be set way back near the perimeter fence along Salisbury Park Road, about 25 yards behind the current back tee.  Flags currently mark the site of #7's future green, to be situated farther back and to the right of the present surface.  The end result will likely be a shade over 500 yards with a late-turning dogleg that fits with the rest of the Red Course's long, bending fairways.

Hole realignments and redirected fairways are nothing new to the Red, of course -- especially the front nine, which has undergone a strange set of changes over time.  Back in 2010 GOLI highlighted the Red's ghost greens at #4 and #6, each of which served as alternative targets at one time or another before being removed from the rotation.  While old #6 is now long gone, the alternate #4 green -- once dubbed hole #4A on scorecards back when it was in use -- was recently restored with new bunkers and briefly used as a stand-in for the par-3 fifth while that hole was under repair.  Otherwise it has mostly sat idly behind small trees.

And you cannot discuss realigned holes at Eisenhower Red without mentioning #2, where the longtime par-3 was paired up with an alternate par-4 back in the 1990s, an awkward 90-degree dogleg that's shoehorned between overhanging trees.  Thankfully the par-3 remains the primary hole there.

For more on Eisenhower Red, a Devereux Emmet original and home of the 1926 PGA Championship, check out the course flyover.

[PICTURED: New #7 tee under construction near Salisbury Park Road.]

2021 Summer Golf Camps on Long Island

[Looking for this year's camp info?  See the Guide to 2024 Summer Golf Camps on Long Island.]

Golf participation at the junior level is up during the coronavirus era.  The sport's socially distanced nature led many new, young players onto the course in 2020, and according to many local course pros, the demand for structured camp programs for kids was greater than expected as well.

Now that more kids are on the course, the next step for many of them is learning the right way to swing and manage a round of golf.  Luckily teens and tweens (and younger) in our area have plenty of places close by to find a qualified teaching pro with the skills to help put the building blocks in place for a swing that could last a lifetime.

On Long Island, in addition to the many outlets the casual or advanced golfer can turn to for instruction, summer golf programs for junior players are designed to transform the youngster, whether new to the sport or experienced, into a skilled golfer.

Many public courses in Nassau and Suffolk feature summer camp programs that school young players in golf's key fundamentals, the various types of swings and strokes, as well as rules, etiquette and course safety.  Kids work closely with teaching pros on the course, in the range and around practice greens and bunkers; in some cases, the pros working with your young golfer have been recognized nationally for their work as junior instructors.  Campers leave each session with skills and knowledge in place for years of enjoyment on the course.

The following is a general overview of 2021 summer golf camps available and open for registration at various public courses around Long Island.  For more information, follow the links below to the course websites and junior camp pages. 

(Please note this list only includes camp programs hosted at public golf courses.  This does not include golf programs held at general summer camps or any type of private instruction.)

Bethpage State Park (Farmingdale):  Bethpage's Summer Junior Golf Program is open to players of all skill levels from age 6 to 17.  Half-day programs are geared toward younger players, while full-day camps are designed for intermediate and advanced players with on-course experience.  A monthly program with tournament play is also available for competitive juniors.  All programs feature a combination of skills development and performance-related training and fitness.  Sessions begin the week of June 28.  Register for full day ($775), half day ($500) and full-month sessions ($2,900) at the Bethpage / Golf Channel Academy website.

Cedars Golf Club (Cutchogue):  The Cutchogue course offers two separate month-long sessions with start dates of July 5 and August 2.  Campers meet Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, with times varied by age group.  Juniors age 6 to 10 benefit from group instruction and on-course play, and also receive a ten-round Cedars Junior Pass.  Campers in the 11-to-15 group receive private instruction each week in addition to on-course play, group work and a full-season Junior Pass.  Cost is approximately $600 per four-week session.  Call (631) 734-6363 or e-mail [email protected] to register or for full details.

Cherry Creek (Riverhead):  Cherry Creek camp programs will be available in July and August.  Specific details to follow.  Call (631) 506-0777 for the latest information.

Eisenhower Park (East Meadow): PGA Junior Golf operates a series of camps for all ability levels, including advanced camps for competitive juniors.  The program includes full-day camps for players age 11 to 17, modified full-day camps for experienced players age 10 to 13, and half-day camps for beginners and intermediates age 8 to 11.  There is also a special 90-minute session for "Wee Ones" age 6 and 7.  All regular camps include hours of hands-on instruction led by certified PGA professionals.  Full-day camps include on-course play and teaching.  Weekly sessions for all programs begin July 6.  Visit the PGA Junior Golf Camp site for full information on pricing, session dates and available discounts.

Harbor Links Golf Course (Port Washington):  Harbor Links offers a wide variety of programs led by teachers all named U.S. Kids Golf Certified Instructors.  Camps begin the week of June 28, with sessions available through August.  Weekly programs for kids age 6 to 9 run Tuesday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and include games and drills that help develop important skills and fundamentals, in addition to a skills competition and gift packet.  Separate programs for teens age 10 to 16 are split into four-hour AM and PM sessions and run Monday to Friday.  These cover the full swing, short game, course management, rules and etiquette, and conclude with a two-day "Junior Scramble" team tournament.  Rates vary based on age group and time of sign-up.  For all program information, schedules and registration forms, visit the Harbor Links website.

Indian Island Country Club (Riverhead):  Indian Island's annual golf camp consists of week-long sessions that include lessons, lunch, prizes, golf gear, skills contests and on-course competition.  Camps are open to boys and girls of all skill levels between the ages of 7 and 16.  Fees are $550 per week, per camper, with family, returnee and multi-week discounts available.  Week-long sessions begin June 28 and continue until Labor Day weekend.  See the Indian Island website for all details.

Long Island Golf Camps / Mike Reilly Golf Academy (Massapequa, Babylon, Hauppauge):  Long Island Golf Camps runs programs at three public courses -- Peninsula Golf Club (Massapequa), Sumpwams Creek/E. Donald Conroy Golf Course (Babylon) and Wind Watch Golf & Country Club (Hauppauge).  The Peninsula and Wind Watch camps are week-long, full-day programs (9:00/9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.) with sessions beginning in late June.  They include instruction on different aspects of the swing, on-course play and daily lunch.  Babylon camps run Monday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; afternoon sessions might be available based on demand.  Instruction takes place on the course and in the short-game area.  Enrollment is $645 for Peninsula and Wind Watch, and $289 for Babylon, with discounts available before May 1.  For schedules and registration, and for information on a fourth camp program held at the private Colonial Springs Golf Club in East Farmingdale, visit the Long Island Golf Camps website.

Middle Bay (Oceanside):  Six full-week sessions begin on July 12.  Campers meet Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  Call (516) 766-1880 for pricing, program details and additional information.

Mill Pond (Medford):  Camps are available in 4-day and 2-day sessions beginning July 6.  The longer programs are designed for teen golfers age 12 to 16 and focus on all aspects of swing technique and fundamentals.  Each session includes a team competition on Friday held at Rolling Oaks in Miller Place.  Shorter programs are geared more toward beginners age 6 to 11 with a focus on swing fundamentals, rules and etiquette.  Discounts for Town of Brookhaven residents are offered.  Visit the Mill Pond website or call (631) 732-8249 for info on registration, pricing, schedules and program format.

Poxabogue Golf Center (Sagaponack):  A total of ten sessions run from the week of June 21 to the week of August 23.  Sessions are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 12 noon, and are open to boys and girls from age 7 to 16.  Campers will learn basics of the full swing, short game, course management, rules and etiquette, and will receive golf gear, snacks and giveaways.  Cost is $549 per session, with family and multi-week discounts available.  Visit the Poxabogue website for info and registration.

Stonebridge Golf Links (Hauppauge):  Starting in mid July, full- and half-day programs are available for beginners through intermediate players.  Half-day sessions (9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.) are geared to beginners age 6 to 10 and focus on fundamentals, rules, etiquette and course/club basics.  Full-day camps (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.) help experienced players age 10 and up improve on skills and knowledge through on-course play and instruction.  Cost is $215 for half day and $385 for full day.  All campers receive a Puma string bag.  Discounts available for siblings and multiple sessions.  Call (631) 724-7500 or visit the Stonebridge website for session schedules and registration info.

Sunken Meadow (Kings Park):  PGA Junior Golf operates half-day camps for players of all skill levels from age 7 to 13, and modified full-day camps for juniors age 9 to 16.  In each camp, players are divided into groups based on experience and receive hands-on instruction led by certified PGA professionals.  Weekly sessions meet Tuesday through Friday beginning July 6.  Cost is $299 per half-day session and $425 for full-day.  Visit the Sunken Meadow site for full information.

Town of Oyster Bay Golf Course (Woodbury):  Full-day camps (11 a.m. to 6 p.m.) for boys and girls age 10 to 16, and half-day camps (12 noon to 4 p.m.) for boys and girls age 6 to 10, are available starting June 29.  Camps meet Tuesday through Friday.  Teaching pros cover chipping, putting, rules and etiquette, and instruction takes place on and off the course.  Full-day camp is $650; half-day camp is $475.  Referral discounts are available.  Call (516) 364-3600 or visit TOB's Lucas Golf Center website for information and registration.

What's become of Long Island's recently departed public golf courses

With signs that Great Rock Golf Club in Wading River might be returning to Long Island's public golf roster, it's worth taking a look back at other lost courses in the area.  Back when Golf On Long Island began covering the region's public golf scene in 2008, the list of local courses was a little bit longer.  Over the past decade-plus, the Island -- especially the East End -- has seen a couple of public courses lose out to development, privatization or other factors.

Here's a look at Long Island's recently lost golf courses and where they stand today, if at all:

CALVERTON LINKS

What it was:  A mix of parkland-style holes on the front nine and sprawling, rolling, wide-open terrain on the back.  Originally a nine-hole course, Calverton Links expanded to 18 in 1999 with new holes built on farmland.  Aside from its very distinct personalities, the course featured a variety of tiered greens -- including a massive slope on its par-5 15th -- and a generally low-key vibe.

What it is now:  Calverton's run on the East End came to a sudden close in fall 2013 with word that the owners were no longer interested in running it.  Eventually the property was leased to a nearby company operating paintball and other outdoor activities.  Passing motorists on Edwards Avenue in Calverton will find land that still resembles a golf course, though much of it is used for various sports and events.  The back extension of the course sits largely untouched, as seen on aerial imagery.

[2022 Update:  After years of discussion and planning, a solar farm was built atop Calverton Links in early 2022.]

DIX HILLS GOLF CLUB

What it was:  A quaint nine-hole fixture in Dix Hills with a small, shaded cabin for a clubhouse and lots of old-fashioned charm.  It was a 2,600-yard par-35 with deep rough and a ravine that cut across two of its holes.

What it is now:  The course closed in 2012, and its gravel driveway and wooded cabin sat weedy and overgrown for more than a year.  Today, the property is the site of luxury housing.

GREAT ROCK

What it was:  In its prime, Great Rock offered as close to a private-club experience as any public course on the Island.  Off the course, staff members loaded your bag and cleaned your clubs, and a Zagat-rated steakhouse and bar (later a refurbished American bistro) hosted plenty of post-round cocktails.  The stories told over beer and burgers likely centered on Great Rock's fast greens and extremely hilly terrain, including its dead-uphill 10th and roller coaster-ish closing par-5.

What it is now:  A course that might be on its way back for a second time (it closed once for six months in 2014 during an ownership change).  Great Rock's latest run in Wading River came to a sorry end in 2019 -- the restaurant closed and the course was largely neglected, leading many players to voice their displeasure online about overgrown fairways, weedy bunkers and scorched greens.  Great Rock closed that October, hinted at improvements for 2020, and never reopened.  There have been whispers though that a new owner might resurrect the golf course sometime in 2021, though details are scarce to date.

[2022 Update:  So...a lot has changed over the past 18 months.  Great Rock reopened as The Rock in July 2022 after a few seasons of prep, then kicked the public out in September and became fully private.]

HEATHERWOOD

What it was:  A rarity on Long Island -- an 18-hole executive course.  With a dozen par-3s and six par-4s, Heatherwood sported an easygoing par-60 with no frills.  It wasn't a total pushover though -- all but three of its par-3s stretched out between 150 and 200 yards.

What it is now:  An overgrown lot being used as a political football between a real estate developer and the Town of Brookhaven.  For the past few years it's been no secret that the course would be cut down to nine holes to make way for a senior housing complex, but late in the approval process the developer, Heatherwood Golf and Villas, told the town its project couldn't get off the ground without millions of dollars in tax breaks.  When Brookhaven swatted down several aid requests, the developer abandoned the course and let it grow into a very visible eyesore.  The standoff is ongoing.

[2022 Update:  Heatherwood is now the site of a fully redesigned nine-hole golf course called Heritage Spy Ring that developers are touting as Long Island's version of Sweetens Cove.  Designed by Tyler Rae, the course is due to open sometime in 2023.]

JONES BEACH PITCH-AND-PUTT

What it was:  For almost as long as there's been a Jones Beach State Park, there's been a short golf course just to the southeast of its iconic tower.  The pitch-and-putt course was a simple, no-frills respite for beachgoers looking for fun in the sun while confining the sand to bunkers.  Fun fact -- one prominent mid-1900s golf writer credited the design of the course -- erroneously, most likely -- to Alister MacKenzie.

What it is now:  It turns out that beachfront golf courses and Long Island storms aren't a great match, and Jones Beach was repeatedly battered by the region's frequent nor'easters and hurricanes.  Flooding and saltwater damage were a seasonal nuisance.  In 2010, the opening was delayed until summer due to storm damage, and two years later, Hurricane Sandy shut the course for good.  The site is now a climbing and adventure park called WildPlay.

LINKS AT SHIRLEY

What it was:  A high-end public course known for a private-club feel and immaculate conditions.  Like many of the courses on this list, it arrived during the Tiger boom, and within a decade it was fending off pressure from developers.  It was a challenging course that the owner described as the "fulfillment of a dream."  Ultimately it was likely done in, at least in part, by some of the Island's highest green fees.  The course closed in 2010.

What it is now:  Part of the Links is now home to a luxury retirement community called The Colony Preserve.  More than ten years since they closed, some holes still exist on the back end of the development and, at some point, will be used as parkland.

LONG ISLAND NATIONAL

What it was:  A Robert Trent Jones Jr. course with as much rolling, wind-swept, links-style golf as one could find on Long Island's public side.  Wavy, fescue-bordered fairways led the way, in some spots, to double greens.  The contours of the course were all the more impressive given its prior life as a flat Riverhead potato farm.  According to the design company's website, Jones Jr. was so proud of the course that he hosted his 60th birthday there when it opened in 1999.

What it is now:  A private club.  New ownership took over in 2013 and made that the last season in which public golfers would be welcome.

MILL POND (EAST)

What it was:  The third nine of what for a short time was the 27-hole Mill Pond Golf Course in Medford.  The East course arrived with its 18 companion holes in 1999, but by 2006 it was taken out of the rotation and left to decay in plain sight for years next to the present-day 12th hole, until construction eventually began on a new development. 

What it is now:  The entire course was replaced by a Meadowbrook Pointe residential community.

TALLGRASS

What it was:  A Gil Hanse design that was consistently ranked among the best publicly accessible golf courses in New York State.  Unfortunately, it was also consistently trailed by rumors about development.  Like Jones Jr. at Long Island National, Hanse took a flat expanse of agricultural land and made it move, in this case by digging down and creating a berm with several holes playing around its rim.  Sandy waste areas and namesake fescue bolstered what was a relatively short par-71 (later a par-70).

What it is now:  Its final years were spent parrying the approach of a proposed solar farm.  Though the course held out longer than expected, in the end, the development won.  Today Tallgrass is covered head to toe in solar panels.  Don't look at Google Earth if you're squeamish.

Signs of life at recently closed Great Rock Golf Club?

Great Rock Golf Club is no stranger to bouncing back from a closure.  The Wading River facility already did it once a few years ago -- the course closed amid an ownership change during the 2013-14 offseason, then reopened that June.  Now there are some signs that the again-closed Great Rock is preparing to come back to life a second time.

Since the course's late-2019 closure, rumors have circulated around a potential sale of Great Rock, including whispers of the involvement of another East End golf course owner.  Last week some activity on Great Rock's long-dormant Facebook page drew the attention of area golfers.  Silent for nearly 16 months, the course's page suddenly posted a "Play the Rock!!!" message along with the upload of an old course photo.  Days later, the post was removed, though the photo remains up.  Some commenters have noted construction vehicles and maintenance activity on the property.

Meanwhile, no further information from the course has followed.  Great Rock's old phone number remains disconnected and e-mails to its listed address are unanswered.

Prior to Great Rock's closing in October 2019, players complained privately and on public forums like Golf Advisor about a deeply neglected course with crabgrass-covered fairways and bunkers, bare greens and unmowed rough.  Off the course, services were limited.  Once the course closed just before Halloween, it began a heavy "See You Next Year!" marketing campaign -- however, the only thing that arrived in 2020 was a locked gate and a sign saying Great Rock was out of business.

[PICTURED: Great Rock's #1 green.]

Bethpage Red open for 2021, Black to follow as crews finish projects around the course

Mother Nature washed out Opening Day at Bethpage Red with a soggy April Fools' joke that saturated the course, much like the cold and snow that Old Man Winter whipped up to lop off six weeks of offseason golf and maintenance work.  Bethpage Red instead reopened for the 2021 season yesterday under a stiff breeze, and the Black Course is on schedule to open April 15.

Despite those weeks of sitting snow, "the winter treated the courses fairly well," says Andrew Wilson, director of agronomy at Bethpage.  "No winter damage to the greens, which is always the major concern."

In fact, much of the work this winter focused on residual cleanup from last summer's Tropical Storm Isaias, which caused extensive tree damage around the park when it swept through in August.  Crews pruned or removed affected trees, including a large oak on Red #1.

Returning players will notice some minor changes on the Black Course when it opens this month.  The tall native grass surrounding the lobed greenside bunker on #2 has been replaced with bluegrass sod and will be mowed at regular rough height.  This change makes the area more manageable for players and staff, Wilson says, while also allowing for other irrigation tasks to be completed near #2 green and #3 tee.

Black Course superintendent Mike Hadley oversaw the expansion and resodding of walking paths around the course.  "Increasing width on the paths, particularly the holes with native grass from tee to fairway, was a request of the PGA of America that we can slowly accomplish over the next few seasons," Wilson says.  Bethpage Black is scheduled to host the Ryder Cup in 2025.

Less obvious to players are drainage improvements made on the #18 fairway bunkers, including the discovery of a jammed drainage pipe.  "A much-needed infrastructure project," Wilson says.

Elsewhere, a new back tee is open on the eighth hole of the Yellow Course, offering a new look on the drive at the short par-4.  "Adding a new back tee is a bit of a novelty for us," Wilson says.  "We've been adding forward tees the last few years, which have been popular with our shorter hitters."

The six lost weeks of winter scuttled plans for one additional tee project that would have been very noticeable to Red Course players.  Back in the fall Wilson posted a photo of a newly built forward tee on Red #13, a split-fairway par-4 with a large bunker complex in the center of the fairway.  Due to follow was a renovation of the main tee that would raise the box by several feet and offer players a slightly elevated glimpse of the diverging fairways.  As Red players know, many of the hole's features are hidden from the current tee.  But winter conditions took that project off the agenda, at least for now.

Wilson credits superintendents Hadley, Vincent Herzog, Erik Feldman, Eric Newell, Hamilton Lopes, Shawn Brownell, Ryan Murphy and their maintenance crews for doing the heavy lifting in prepping the courses while also battling the realities of the coronavirus era.  "Our staff was impacted, some quarantined, all while rounds were up last year," Wilson says.

"We hope to have less disruption this year and more opportunity to improve bunkers, tees and other parts of the courses."

View photos of the offseason and ongoing renovations by visiting Wilson's and Bethpage Golf's Twitter pages at @Greensideup17 and @BethpageGolf.

[Photos above courtesy of Andrew Wilson.]

Heatherwood Golf Club remains closed amid real estate fight

A years-long battle over a proposed senior housing complex in Centereach that would cut the Heatherwood Golf Club from 18 holes to nine has instead reduced the entire course to overgrowth as the future of the development dims.  Heatherwood has been closed since early 2020, and it appears likely the course will stay closed for good.

Heatherwood slowly grew into an eyesore along busy Nesconset Highway during its abandoned 2020 season, Kyle Barr of TBR News wrote in October.  At one point a sign that read "What Should We Build?" was erected over the dormant golf course.

The deserted course and weedy lot are the culmination of a lengthy struggle pitting the Town of Brookhaven against a Commack-based real estate developer that wants millions of dollars in tax breaks to build 200 housing units for seniors on part of the golf course property.  Arguing that tax breaks would take revenue away from local school districts, the Brookhaven Town Industrial Development Agency rejected several requests in 2019 for economic-aid packages for the developer, Heatherwood Golf and Villas, ranging from $2 million to $7 million in exemptions.  Heatherwood contends that the project -- which would keep nine of the club's 18 holes -- is dependent on the tax breaks.

The developer was originally granted a zoning change for the project in 2014 and already has most of the approvals it needs to start construction of the housing complex, according to Newsday.   Local residents and civic associations spoke out against the development at the time, and after continued opposition, some feel that the abandonment of the golf course is a "vindictive" counter to the town's aid rejection, Barr reported.

As for Heatherwood Golf Club, part of the Long Island public-golf scene for more than 50 years, it filled a niche as the Island's only 18-hole executive-length course.  The 4,100-yard course featured six par-4s and a dozen par-3s, most of which played longer than 150 yards.  Its signature hole was the 148-yard ninth, where shots to a deep green needed to sail over a small pond.