Golf on Long Island

2024 Summer Golf Camps on Long Island

As golf participation continues to rise, more and more young golfers are filling up driving-range stalls and looking to take live swings on local courses.  With valuable instruction and guidance from Long Island's wealth of teaching professionals, they will be hooked on golf for life. 

Many public courses in Nassau and Suffolk feature summer camp programs that school players of all ages and skill levels 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, at 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 lifelong enjoyment on the course and as overall fans of golf.

The following is a general overview of 2024 summer golf camps offered at various public golf 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.)

Bergen Point (West Babylon):  Weekly sessions run from Monday to Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon, and are open to kids age 7 to 17.  Instruction includes short-game practice, driving range, on-course play and daily contests and competition.  Cost is $300 per session.  Sign-up forms are available on the Bergen Point website.

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 July 8.  Register for full-day ($775) and half-day ($500) sessions at the Bethpage / Golf Channel Academy website.

Cherry Creek (Riverhead):  Cherry Creek camp programs are typically available in July and August.  Specific 2024 program 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 8 to 12, and half-day camps for beginners and intermediates age 7 to 11.  There is also a special 90-minute session for "Wee Ones" age 6 to 8.  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 1, and discounts are available for Nassau County residents and First Tee participants.  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 July 1, 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.  A "Birdie Program" is also available for advanced juniors looking to improve for competition.  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 ten sessions that include lessons, lunch, golf gear and on-course competition.  Camps are open to boys and girls of all skill levels between the ages of 7 and 15.  Week-long sessions run from late June through the end of August.  Each weekly camp ends with a scramble competition and dinner on Friday afternoon.  Registration is $625 per session with multiweek and family discounts available.  See the Indian Island website or call (631) 727-7776 for details.

Long Island Golf Camps / Mike Reilly Golf Academy (Massapequa, Deer Park, Hauppauge):  Long Island Golf Camps runs programs at three public courses — Peninsula Golf Club (Massapequa), Heartland Golf Park (Deer Park) and Wind Watch Golf & Country Club (Hauppauge).  The Peninsula and Wind Watch camps are week-long, full-day programs (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.  The Deer Park camp sessions run Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.  Instruction takes place on the course, at the driving range and in the short-game area.  Enrollment is $695 for Peninsula, $795 for Wind Watch and $369 for Heartland, with discounts available before May 1.  For schedules and registration, visit the Long Island Golf Camps website.

Middle Bay (Oceanside):  Six full-week sessions begin on July 8.  Campers meet Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m and receive instruction on the range and the course, with snack and lunch included.  Registration is $549 per week with discounts available for siblings and multiple sessions.  Call (516) 766-1880 or visit the Middle Bay junior golf page for pricing, program details and additional information.

Mill Pond (Medford):  Beginning the week of July 8, Mill Pond is offering a Junior Golf Academy program for players age 12 to 16 and a Junior Development program for kids age 6 to 11.  The 12-to-16 sessions meet four days a week and focus on all aspects of swing technique and fundamentals, plus course management, rules and etiquette.  Each session concludes with a Thursday team scramble held at the Rolling Oaks Golf Course in Miller Place.  The 6-to-11 sessions meet Tuesday and Wednesday at Mill Pond and Thursday at Rolling Oaks, with focus on swing fundamentals and sportsmanship.  Discounts for Town of Brookhaven residents are available.  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 17 to the week of August 19.  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 $679 per session.  Visit the Poxabogue website for additional info and registration.

Shelter Island Country Club (Shelter Island):  Starting June 27, boys and girls age 7 to 16 will meet once a week on Thursdays for instruction from teaching pros and on-course play.  Younger campers age 7 to 10 will meet from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m.; age 11 to 16 will meet from 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.  Camp dates are 6/27, 7/11, 7/18, 7/25 and 8/1.  Tuition is $75 for the five-session program.  Visit the Shelter Island CC website for details.

Smithtown Landing (Smithtown):  Smithtown Landing's 2024 camps will meet once a week for six consecutive weeks beginning at the end of June.  Campers meet for one hour at select times on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.  Programs focus on all aspects of the swing, including grip, alignment and address, plus one-on-one instruction adapted for camper skill level.  Registration is $300 per session.  Visit the camp website or call (631) 979-6534 for information.

Spring Lake (Middle Island):  Spring Lake and Swan Lake (Manorville) will be offering a joint camp program this summer led by pros Cristy Jurgens and Peter Cowan.  Four separate three-day sessions are open for registration: July 23-25 and August 13-15 at Spring Lake, and July 30-August 1 and August 6-8 at Swan Lake.  Programs cover all facets of the swing plus course management.  Cost is $315 per session or $1,100 for all four sessions.  Full registration details can be found at the Spring Lake website.

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 10 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 Monday through Thursday beginning June 24.  Cost is $375 per half-day session and $550 for full-day.  Visit the PGA Junior Camps site for complete information.

Swan Lake (Manorville):  Swan Lake and Spring Lake (Middle Island) will be offering a joint camp program this summer led by pros Cristy Jurgens and Peter Cowan.  Four separate three-day sessions are open for registration: July 23-25 and August 13-15 at Spring Lake, and July 30-August 1 and August 6-8 at Swan Lake.  Programs cover all facets of the swing plus course management.  Cost is $315 per session or $1,100 for all four sessions.  Full registration details can be found at the Swan Lake website.

Town of Oyster Bay Golf Course (Woodbury):  Oyster Bay's Lucas Golf Center offers full-day camp for juniors age 10 to 16 and half-day camps for boys and girls age 6 to 10.  Teaching pros cover the full swing, chipping, putting, rules and etiquette, and instruction takes place on and off the course.  Camp dates and times will be announced in late April.  Call (516) 364-3600 or visit TOB's Lucas Golf Center website for information and registration.

West Sayville Golf Course (West Sayville):  West Sayville offers four sessions that meet Monday to Thursday from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. during the weeks of July 8, July 15, July 22 and July 29.  Sessions are open to new and experienced juniors age 8 to 13.  Under lead instructor Sean McLaughlin, head golf coach at Sayville High School, campers learn all aspects of the swing, plus rules and etiquette, and practice on the golf course daily.  A special competition camp for advanced juniors is also available the week of June 24.  Cost for all sessions is $450.  Visit the West Sayville junior camp page for info and registration.

Bethpage Black opens 2024 season with bunker tweaks, irrigation upgrades

Players who went looking for a one-on-one fight with Bethpage Black on the golf course's opening day were instead met with an ambush by briskly cold temperatures and a brutal, relentless wind.  But the surprises weren't all bad — waiting on the first tee for some of the park's morning players was the Ryder Cup, perched on a pedestal in all its golden glory.  Representatives from the PGA of America were on hand to give away hats and let players from all five courses pose for photos.

The trophy's presence at Bethpage Black's grand 2024 opening was a gleaming reminder that Long Island is just a year away from hosting the famed international tournament and that Bethpage's accomplished staff continues its years-long effort to prepare the course for the global spotlight.

This offseason the Black Course received another set of upgrades, the most important of which, according to director of agronomy Andrew Wilson, was the completion of its irrigation system.  Longtime Black Course superintendent Mike Hadley led the effort to install new irrigation on holes 13 and 18, and with those two holes finished, the staff now has precise control of water usage throughout the course.  "The building blocks of a successful course are the irrigation and drainage systems," Wilson says, "so we are excited for the work to be done."

Up on ground level, players will find one notable change at #13.  Wilson says the crew "leapfrogged" the two fairway bunkers on the bending par-5, filling in the near trap and creating a new one just beyond the far bunker.  The new alignment will better defend against longer drives.  From the tees likely to be used in the Ryder Cup, the two traps will sit between 300 and 350 yards away.  Regular players will encounter them roughly 260 to 300-plus yards from the middle tees.

Also on #13, Wilson says the fairway has been widened by about 10 yards leading up to the traps.  "Over the past year or two we have widened fairways on many holes so running balls will not get caught in the rough," Wilson says.  "Now they could run into the bunkers."

The massive fairway bunker on the par-4 fifth will be even more intrusive this season.  Crews widened that trap a bit and made some improvements designed to prevent flooding.

As for Ryder Cup preparations, Wilson says there will be no changes to the Black Course's routing, as some have speculated.  The course will be played in order, from 1 to 18, starting at the Black's recently built Ryder Cup tee.  Other changes could be in the works as this season progresses.  

"We will see once the Ryder Cup captain is chosen," Wilson says.

[PHOTO CREDIT: Andrew Wilson]

Golf Channel Academy with Kelley Brooke steps in as program operator at Hempstead golf courses

The Town of Hempstead golf courses at Lido Golf Club and Merrick Road Park are getting a bit of a refresh at the hands of one of Long Island's most prominent golf figures.

Golf Channel Academy with Kelley Brooke is the new operator of the pro shops and instructional programs at the two Hempstead municipal courses, part of a 10-year contract with the town that also includes new logos, expanded web and social media marketing, and a rebranding of Merrick's course as "The Nine at Merrick."  Brooke, the 2018 LPGA Professional of the Year and longtime contributor to The Golf Channel and several regional golf publications, currently operates similar programs at Bethpage and Montauk Downs.

GCA announced the agreement on social media earlier this week by posting new minimalist-style logos for Lido and Merrick, which will be featured on apparel and other course items, Brooke says.  Players will notice changes immediately as work gets underway to revamp Merrick's long-barren pro shop.  Brooke says the updated shop should be up and running as soon as next week.  New course websites are set to launch this month and, like at Bethpage, there will be a heightened focus on connecting with area golfers through social media.  

At Lido, the Town of Hempstead tore down the course's dilapidated clubhouse facility last season and currently has no permanent structure on the site.  Brooke says a temporary trailer will be used this season to house a moderately sized pro shop.

GCA's wide variety of camps, lessons and other instructional offerings will be available at both sites, including kids' summer camps, adult 101 clinics, PGA Junior leagues and LPGA Girls Golf programs.  Private lessons will be available from GCA pros.

The arrangement does not include any changes to the golf courses themselves or operation of the courses, Brooke says.

Brooke and Golf Channel Academy took over pro-shop and instructional operations at Bethpage State Park in 2018 and immediately bolstered the facility's social media presence and marketing reach.  Several seasons later she became operator at Montauk Downs.  Brooke has managed golf facilities across New York City and Long Island and launched programs for children with special needs and the economically disadvantaged, among other developmental initiatives.  

For more on Golf Channel Academy with Kelley Brooke and available instruction, visit the GCA website.

Proposed homebuilding plan calls for major modifications or possible closure of Stonebridge Golf Links

The future of Stonebridge Golf Links and Country Club suddenly appears to be in doubt.

A proposed plan to build additional homes at the Hauppauge course would modify or eliminate several golf holes and remodel Stonebridge into two separate layouts, said attorney David Altman at a March 20 meeting of the Smithtown Planning Board.  If the town board does not approve amendments to longtime covenants attached to the property, said Altman, who spoke on behalf of Stonebridge ownership, the alternative might be closure of the golf course.

The project, as outlined in a presentation by Altman and Islip-based architect Jerry Rumplick, calls for 28 houses and a new access road to be constructed along the property's western perimeter, which is currently occupied by several holes on the course's back nine.  Maps and renderings indicate the plan would eliminate the existing 17th hole, heavily modify holes 11, 16 and 18, and shorten Stonebridge's western half into an executive-length course.  The eastern section of the course would likely remain as part of a full-length nine.

However, development at the site is limited by covenants put in place in 1999 when Stonebridge, an 18-hole semi-private course that surrounds a 105-home residential community, took over the former Hauppauge Country Club.  The covenants restrict further homebuilding and particular changes to the golf course and membership.  

Altman's project overview did not explicitly raise course closure as a possibility, but when pressed by a board member to explain how the plan benefits Smithtown residents, Altman said the alternative was loss of the golf course. 

More than a dozen residents of the course community and neighboring areas spoke out against the plan, citing concerns over the course alterations, environmental impact, proximity to the adjacent county park and decline in home value.  They also argued the covenants were integral factors in their decisions to buy or stay in their homes on the property and should not be amended to accommodate major changes to the site.

Stonebridge and the previous Hauppauge Country Club, both full-length 18-hole courses, have occupied the property along Veterans Highway since the 1950s.  Community resident Sue Stavrakos told the board that keeping a par-70 golf course on the site is required by the covenants.  Another resident who lives next to the tenth hole said golfers and potential members have little interest in playing an executive-length course and advised the town board to take steps to protect Smithtown's golf courses, similar to recent zoning changes enacted in the Town of Brookhaven.  Several homeowners said the site is too compact as is, leading to property damage, overcrowding during clubhouse events and, in some cases, severe injuries to residents.

According to renderings, the current 17th hole would be eliminated by the new home sites and #18 would be shortened and reoriented.  Rumplick said other changes would be made to improve safety in general and reduce ball strikes on the existing homes.  The par-4 16th would be split into two par-3s, one of which would feature a newly built island green.  At #10, new tees would be built parallel to the line of homes in order to cut down on property strikes.  Same at #2, a long par-4 on the other side of the course that would be shortened with new tees relocated ahead of an existing pond.

There is no timetable for a decision by the planning board, but several attendees at the March 20 meeting urged the board to schedule a second public hearing given the number of people who were turned away due to capacity limits.

Stonebridge is unique among Long Island's public courses as it is comprised entirely of template holes made famous by renowned designers C.B. Macdonald, Seth Raynor and Charles Banks.  Macdonald biographer and historian George Bahto redesigned the previous Hauppauge Country Club course to include replicas of holes typically found at early-20th-century clubs.  The troubled 17th hole, for example, is modeled after  Macdonald's "Eden" par-3s.  Other replicas include the Redan at #4, Biarritz at #7 and Hog's Back green at #16.

For more on the course, see the Stonebridge flyover.

[PICTURED: The 16th hole, which would be split into two par-3s under a proposed course remodeling.]

Spy Ring Golf Club to open to the public May 6

[NOTE: Spy Ring GC is now open.  Read more about the course in the Spy Ring flyover.]

The wait is nearly over.  The slow and steady rollout of Spy Ring Golf Club, the first non-executive public golf course built on Long Island in nearly two decades, is moving ahead toward launch. 

Spy Ring will make its grand opening to Long Island's public golfers on Monday, May 6.  Designed by Tyler Rae, the modern nine-hole layout in Setauket replaces the former Heatherwood Golf Course with a boldly contoured, fun-forward course built from the ground up in the mold of other top-tier nine-holers around the country.  Reservations will be available starting in late April.

Optimism has been sky-high ever since Rae and a team of builders began shaping the course during the early days of the pandemic.  "This has a chance to be something special and unique for Long Island," said Heatherwood president Chris Capece during a 2022 course tour.  "I think this is going to be up on the same level with Sweetens Cove."

Given the course's forward-thinking design and lofty aspirations, Spy Ring is the most ambitious golf project on Long Island since Harbor Links was built in a reclaimed Port Washington sand mine in 1998.  When it opens next month it will be the first public course (excluding pitch-and-putts) to debut in the region since Coram's Pine Ridge in 2006.

Spy Ring is one of the first solo designs for Rae, whose resume includes many Golden Age restorations and renovations, with emphasis on Donald Ross courses.  Here Rae laid out a 3,100-yard par-36 that plays up and down a series of rolling holes.  The eye-candy hole is #7, a 145-yard par-3 with a Ross-inspired volcano green perched above the surrounding terrain and guarded by four large traps.  Rounds conclude on a 515-yard par-5 that runs downhill from the tee, then back uphill past bunkers to a massive green.  Many of the putting surfaces feature broad entrances that set up ground-game approaches.

It will also stand out among Long Island publics because of its sand-based construction and specially adapted turfgrass designed to allow balls to bound across fairways and over Rae's pronounced green contours.  The pandemic slowed construction overall but provided time for Rae and crew to strip off all the site's topsoil and mold the exposed sandy base to their precise specifications.  Rae said the setup and ground conditions create a "turnkey firm-and-fast course" for local players.

When designing Spy Ring, Rae considered the high standard for Long Island golf courses, especially in that corner of Suffolk County.  "Golf intellect is very high on Long Island," Rae told Golf On Long Island during grow-in.  "You can't just come in with Mickey Mouse bunkers and flat greens and expect to have success.  Especially with a course like St. George's right down the street."

Rae's greens feature internal contouring and funneling that set up fun putts without going over the top.  "There's a ton of variety in the greens, and plenty of pinnable space," he said.  "Each one can play really easy or really hard."

While the course's style is geared toward the present and future, Spy Ring is not shy about nodding to the past.  It is named for the Culper Ring, the famed network of colonial spies that operated in Setauket and along Suffolk County's north shore during the Revolutionary War.  Behind the pro-shop counter hangs a large black-and-white photo of opening day at the original Heatherwood course in the early 1960s.  In a LinkedIn post that revealed Spy Ring's official logo — a Setauket-area spy peering suspiciously from beneath a trifold hat — Capece called the opening a "special accomplishment" for a local, family-owned company with Long Island roots that go back nearly 75 years.

Next on the pre-opening agenda is the launch of a new Spy Ring website, likely sometime next week.  Local players will be able to make tee times beginning in late April.   

READ MORE:
Spy Ring Golf Club in Setauket working its way toward a soft opening this fall (2023)
Coming Soon: Heritage Spy Ring GC, Long Island's first shot at the Sweetens Cove model (2022)