Finally, The Rock has come back to Wading River.
Excuse the early-2000s wrestling reference, but it works. The Rock Golf Club, the rebranded and rejuvenated course formerly known as Great Rock, will reopen for play this Friday, July 1, after nearly three years out of Long Island's golf rotation. The course will be open to the public with membership options available.
Golf director Bill Mackedon says the new vision at The Rock is an authentic member-for-a-day experience, one that elevates the 20-year-old course among the top daily-fee facilities on Long Island, if not the best.
"Our concept is a private-club atmosphere for the person who might only be able to get out and play a few times during the season, where everyone feels like they belong," Mackedon says. "We have three strict rules -- play fast, have fun and be nice."
The Rock is emphasizing the "play fast" part of the house rules by spacing tee times at 12-minute intervals to ensure that rounds end up closer to a club-like four hours and 15 minutes, rather than the five-hour rounds typical of a crowded public or municipal course. All players will have access to a variety of perks -- names on lockers, an "On The Rocks" member lounge and a welcome area with refreshments, to name a few.
The modernized clubhouse includes a renovated pro shop where The Rock's new red, white and blue shield logo is prominently displayed on apparel and accessories. Pulcinella's On The Green, a satellite location of Italian restaurant Pulcinella's of Massapequa, is set to offer casual on-site dining.
As for the course itself, players who recall Great Rock in its heyday will not find any differences in the routing. Aside from a scheduled drainage project on #2, which will require reshaping the green, the layout of the course remains the same. The massive namesake rock still stands tall and majestic as it overlooks the signature par-4 tenth. Much of the focus since the course was sold to Chris Vene and Anthony Lomangino in spring 2021 has been on turf and soil health, and it's evident in the remarkable conditions of the fairways and rough.
"The course was closed for two years, but it's been neglected for six," Mackedon says. "It's in fantastic shape now, and the greens are spectacular."
Crews at The Rock pruned close to 1,000 trees in an effort to improve air flow and reverse much of the ground-level damage that had set in over Great Rock's final seasons, which were filled with player complaints about deteriorating conditions, including overgrown fairways and weedy sand traps. Off the fairway, much of the rough beneath the tree canopies had turned into rocky hardpan, according to Mackedon.
The only part of the facility that won't be up and running on day one is the driving range, which is expected to open around Labor Day. New synthetic pads were recently installed, and the range will feature grass tees available for use on weekends. Range access will be included in The Rock's $75 green fee.
Great Rock opened for play in 2001, part of the turn-of-the-millennium building wave that included Tallgrass, Long Island National and others. The course became well known for its lightning-fast greens and unique hilly setting on Suffolk's north shore. After a brief closure and sale in 2014, the club invested heavily in a new restaurant, but eventually players began to gripe about course conditions. During the 2019 season, players flooded golf-review sites and other forums with descriptions of a course that was essentially left to nature. The course abruptly closed that fall and never reopened.
Players can find more information at The Rock's new website.
