Golf on Long Island

2025 Summer Golf Camps on Long Island

Golf courses are full, empty stalls at the driving range are often hard to find, and open slots at junior golf camps tend to disappear fast.  Participation in golf remains incredibly high, and more players see the lifelong value of making professional instruction available to new and experienced junior golfers.   

On Long Island, summer camp programs at Nassau and Suffolk County's public golf courses teach the sport's key fundamentals, the various types of swings and strokes, as well as rules, etiquette, sportsmanship and course safety.  Established teaching professionals, many with national and regional accolades and awards, guide young players on the course, at the range and around practice greens and bunkers.  Campers leave each session with skills and knowledge in place for years of enjoyment on the course and as overall fans of golf.

The following is a general overview of 2025 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 June 30.  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 2025 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 June 30, 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 June 30, with sessions available through August.  Weekly programs for kids age 6 to 9 run Tuesday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and include games and drills that help develop important skills and fundamentals.  Separate programs for teens age 10 to 16 are available as full-day camps (8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) and half-day/four-hour AM and PM sessions, all running Monday to Friday.  These cover the full swing, short game, course management, rules and etiquette.  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 $675 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 $750 for Peninsula, $795 for Wind Watch and $389 for Heartland, with discounts available before May 1.  For schedules and registration, visit the Long Island Golf Camps website.

Middle Bay (Oceanside):  Seven full-week camp sessions begin on July 7.  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 $579 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 14, Mill Pond is offering a Junior Golf Academy program for players age 12 to 16 and a Junior Development Golf Academy 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.

Montauk Downs (Montauk):  Montauk Downs offers morning and afternoon camp programs for boys and girls age 6 to 12.  Sessions meet Monday to Thursday and run from the week of July 7 through August.  Instruction focuses on fundamentals like grip, stance and swing, as well as fun-focused skill-building games and exercises.  Morning sessions meet from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.; afternoon sessions from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.  Cost is $650 per session.  Register at the Montauk Downs/Golf Channel Academy website.

Poxabogue Golf Center (Sagaponack):  A total of nine sessions run from the week of June 23 to the week of August 18.  Sessions are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 12 noon, and are open to boys and girls from age 8 to 14.  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 $789 per session.  Visit the Poxabogue website for additional info and registration.

Shelter Island Country Club (Shelter Island):  Starting June 26, 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 6/26, 7/10, 7/17, 7/24 and 7/31.  Tuition is $75 for the five-session program.  Visit the Shelter Island CC website for details.

Smithtown Landing (Smithtown):  Smithtown Landing offers camp programs that meet once a week on select days through the summer.  Programs focus on all aspects of the swing, including grip, alignment and address, plus one-on-one instruction adapted for camper skill level.  Specific camp details will be available in the spring.  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.   Program details to follow.

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 30.  Cost is $375 per half-day session and $575 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.  Program details to follow.

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.  Sessions run from Tuesday to Friday and begin the week of June 30.  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 June 23, July 7, July 14 and July 21.  The July 7 and 14 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.  The June 23 and July 21 sessions are open to intermediate and/or advanced players interested in competitive golf (approval required for the June 23 advanced player session; inquire for details).  Cost for all July sessions is $495.  Visit the West Sayville junior camp page for info and registration.

2025 golf course reopening dates on Long Island

As most local golfers know, March is reopening month on Long Island.  Sure, it's still barely above freezing outside and the ground is mush, but as far as cold-weather players are concerned, that's what hand warmers and golf spikes are for. 

Long Island's seasonal golf courses are getting set to stick the pins back in the cups and unlock the pro-shop door.  By mid-month, many of them will be open for play, and it won't take much beyond 50 degrees to fill up that tee sheet.  When March flips to April, just about every golf course on Long Island will be sending groups out to the first tee.

The following is a list of tentative 2025 opening dates for Long Island's seasonal golf courses.  (Year-round courses remain open as the weather allows and are not included in this list.)  Courses will be added or updated as information becomes available.  Be sure to check back through March for the latest info.

*All dates listed below are subject to change.  Call the courses directly for updated dates and times.

2025 GOLF COURSE REOPENINGS:

• Poxabogue – March 10
• Sandy Pond Links – March 14
• Harbor Links - Championship Course – March 14
• Timber Point – March 14
• Bergen Point – March 14
• West Sayville – March 14
• Holbrook CC – March 14
• Brentwood CC – March 14 
• Bethpage Green – March 15
• Woods Course at Cherry Creek – March 21
• Harbor Links - The Lower Course (Executive) – March 28
• The Golf Club at Middle Bay – March 28
• Bethpage Red – April 1
• Bethpage Black – April 12
• Eisenhower Red – April 8

[This post was updated on March 31, 2025.]

Bethpage Black and Red land in GOLF Magazine's Top 100 Courses You Can Play

Another list of top public golf courses, another chance for Bethpage State Park's marquee layout to shine.  Bethpage Black is featured near the top of the latest course ranking, this time GOLF.com/GOLF Magazine's 2024-2025 list of Top 100 Courses You Can Play, though for once the Black Course is forced to step back and cede some of the elite-tier spotlight to another course with Long Island roots.  Well...sort of.

GOLF posted its Top 100 last month, rating America's best public golf courses (and publicly accessible private clubs) from Pebble Beach at #1 to Wine Valley (#100) in Washington.  Bethpage Black and Red, New York State's only representatives on the list, came in at #5 and #65.

The Black Course cracking the top five of a national ranking is noteworthy, especially when it's slotted directly in front of headliners like Kiawah Island, TPC Sawgrass and Bandon Dunes.  But it's the course ahead of the Black at #4 that's of unique local interest.  The Lido — the Tom Doak reincarnation of the long-lost Long Island club — has been a hit since it opened at Sand Valley in Wisconsin in 2023.  (GOLF ranked Lido #68 in its Top 100 World list during its debut season.)  The course is nearly a down-to-the-inch replica of the vaunted C.B. Macdonald club in Lido Beach once considered among the greatest American golf courses.  For a brief period from the Black's opening in 1936 to Lido's demise in 1942, the two courses were active at the same time, separated by just 20 miles.

Of the two existing Long Island courses on the list, GOLF writes: "The Black enjoys one of the great routings, highlighted by the masterful way Tillinghast placed the fairways and greens from the second hole in a valley all the way through the dogleg left ninth.  The par-5 fourth and its iconic cross-bunkering is a world-beater."

The Red Course "more than holds its own, albeit with much less fanfare than its fellow Tillinghast design.  There’s no warning sign at the first tee like at the Black, the rough is friendlier and the bunkers less dramatic (except for the fistful that split the fairway on the par-4 13th).  But locals know none of that makes the Red a pushover."

2024 closing dates at Long Island's public golf courses

The handful of public golf courses that close for the Long Island winter typically go dark between the end of Thanksgiving weekend and the middle of December.  Some might hang on until Christmas week if warm weather lingers, but usually the only courses still open by then are the ones that welcome players year-round.

So, with that said, now's the time to get in the final swings on Long Island's seasonal golf courses, otherwise your next tee times at places like Eisenhower Red and Timber Point will be in early spring.  With the exception of Bethpage Red and Black, all of the Island's seasonal courses reopen by the end of March.

The following golf courses will close for the 2024 season in the coming weeks:

• Bethpage Red – December 1
• Bethpage Green – December 1
• Bergen Point – December 1
• West Sayville – December 1
• Middle Bay – December 1
• Eisenhower Red – December 8
• Holbrook Country Club – December 15
• Brentwood Country Club – December 15
• Timber Point – December 15
• Sandy Pond – December 31
• Cherry Creek - Woods Course – TBD/mid-December
• Sumpwams Creek – TBD/mid-December
• Bay Park – TBD/mid-December
• Harbor Links – TBD/mid-December
  
• Christopher Morley Park -- TBD

Some courses have already closed for 2024, including:

• Bethpage Black

Check back daily as other courses are added.  And for more information on Long Island's winter season, stay tuned for our annual Winter Golf On Long Island primer.

2024 Summer Golf Camps on Long Island

[Looking for this year's camp info?  See the Guide to 2025 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.

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.

2024 golf course reopen dates on Long Island

It took an extra day to get here this year, but today is the start of Reopening Month.  March is when Long Island's seasonal golf courses put the pro-shop lights back on, stick the pins into the cups and start taking tee times.  Except for Bethpage Black, just about every golf course on Long Island will be open for play by the end of March.

Reopenings typically begin around St. Patrick's Day, so if the weather warms up on March 8, you'll still need to head to one of Long Island's many year-round courses.

The following is a list of tentative 2024 opening dates for Long Island's seasonal golf courses.  (Year-round courses remain open as the weather allows and are not included in this list.)  Courses will be added or updated as information becomes available.  Be sure to check back through March for the latest info.

*All dates listed below are subject to change.  Call the courses directly for updated dates and times.

2024 GOLF COURSE REOPENINGS:

• Sandy Pond Links – March 1
• Woods Course at Cherry Creek – March 14
• Timber Point – March 15
• Bergen Point – March 15
• Holbrook CC – March 15
• Brentwood CC – March 15
• West Sayville – March 15
• Bethpage Green – March 16
• Harbor Links - Championship/Executive – March 23
• Bethpage Red – March 30
• The Golf Club at Middle Bay – March 29
• Town of Oyster Bay GC – April 1
• Bethpage Black – April 13

DATES TBA:

• Eisenhower Red 
• Sumpwams Creek

[This post was updated on March 12, 2024.]

Winter Golf 2023-24: Mild, snow-free offseason forecasts to be tested with looming storm

It's been nothing but good news of late for Long Island's winter golfers — going back to the fall, forecasts for the 2023-24 offseason predicted milder temperatures and precipitation in the form of rain, not snow, thanks to an El Nino weather pattern.  And that's following a 2022-23 winter that was entirely snow-free.

But that prediction is facing a staunch test this weekend as a major storm heads toward the East Coast, with Long Island riding the edge between snow and heavy rain.  How the storm progresses will determine what kind of winter golf season local players can expect.

Winter golf on Long Island used to be for the rugged few.  Now, with milder weather and many more players, offseason golf is mainstream.  Courses stay busy and prime tee times remain hard to find.  

Here's the scoop on Long Island's golf season from January to March:

Until major snow hits and sticks on the ground for a prolonged period, conditions remain decent.  If you can tolerate sometimes bitterly cold temperatures, have at it.  There are plenty of courses open and waiting for you to come out and play.  Once significant snow finally arrives, stays a while and melts, winter golf turns soggy and sloppy until spring. 

Frost delays are common; temporary greens are not (though they used to be).  When there's a mild day above 50 degrees, expect a run on tee times.  

No matter the temperature, don't expect a break on green fees.  Winter rates are a thing of the past.  Courses keep their offseason rates much closer to peak prices than the $35-45 rounds with cart (and maybe lunch) from just a few years ago.

If you prefer to stay warm, Long Island now has a booming indoor golf scene, too.  Modern facilities like X-Golf in Commack and Westbury, Birdies in Patchogue, Simplay in Hauppauge and the semi-enclosed TopGolf in Holtsville are all comfortable options serving food, beer and cocktails.

Golf On Long Island posts relevant course information as necessary throughout the offseason.  Be sure to follow local courses on social media for the latest on weather closures, frost delays and more.

2023 closing dates at Long Island's seasonal golf courses

December is golf's closing month on Long Island, which might come as news to the many players who pack the clubs away before Halloween.  It's true — plenty of people play golf well into December, if not the whole year round.

A handful of courses, though, don't join them, and instead lock the doors and the cart shed sometime between Thanksgiving weekend and Christmas.  Most of them reopen by late March.

The following golf courses are preparing to close for the season in the next few weeks:

• Sumpwams Creek -- December 9
• Bay Park -- December 10
• Bergen Point -- December 10
• Timber Point -- December 17
• Harbor Links -- December 17
  
• Holbrook Country Club -- December 17
  
• West Sayville -- December 17
• Christopher Morley Park -- TBD/weather permitting

Some courses have already closed for 2023, including:

• Bethpage Black
• Eisenhower Red
• Bethpage Red
• Bethpage Green
• Harbor Links - Executive Course

Check back daily as other courses are added.  And for more information on Long Island's winter season, stay tuned for our annual Winter Golf On Long Island primer.

"A World Travelled Sports Writer Plays Lido" - by Ralph Trost, circa 1930s

Few writers, if any, did more to chronicle the growth and development of Long Island and New York-area golf courses than journalist Ralph Trost.  Writing for several New York newspapers, Trost published hundreds of articles and columns on the sport of golf and the local grounds – public and private – on which it was played.  His work, which spanned the 1920s boom period through the post-WWII/1950s course die-off, covered nearly every golf course that existed on Long Island during that time.

One course that Trost wrote about in more depth and frequency than most others was the original Lido Club, and with good reason.  C.B. Macdonald's Lido was considered one of the best golf courses on the planet during its brief run from 1917 to 1942.  

Sometime in the 1930s, most likely, Trost published a pamphlet entitled, "A World Travelled Sports Writer Plays Lido: An Unbiased and Candid Opinion of Lido Golf Course."  In it he compares Lido to olives and clam chowder – items that are "a bit jolting at first," but leave you wanting more once you've acquired a taste.    

A copy of the pamphlet was sent to Golf On Long Island by a member of the Seiden family.  The Seidens owned the Lido Club from 1938 through its World War II-era demise, the losing postwar battle to recover the land and golf course, and the eventual construction of the current Robert Trent Jones course on adjacent ground in the 1950s.  It's not clear exactly when the pamphlet was published or where it was distributed.  

The following is an unedited transcript of Trost's review of the Lido Club, likely written sometime in the 1930s.

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A World Travelled Sports Writer Plays Lido
An Unbiased and Candid Opinion of Lido Golf Course

By Ralph Trost
Nationally Known Golf Authority and Sports Writer

A Robin Hood … in reverse

That’s this reporter’s best description of Lido, the course that gives in abundance to the skilled what it takes in super-abundance from the unwise golfers.

Lido, I’ve heard said, is like olives, Scotch whiskey—or New England clam chowder.  All are a bit jolting at first but then a fellow acquires a taste.  Of Lido, I’m certain, all he wants is more.

Looking back over the years I’ve witnessed golf played at Lido, I’ll admit that at first glance Lido looked a bit weird.  Not a tree loomed against the sky.  Nothing broke what seemed a monotony of unrelieved stretches and the course itself rolled like a rumpled pancake sprinkled with sand instead of sugar.  And that, sir, is the same impression striking the golfer who visits the famed British courses at Sandwich, St. Andrews, Troon, Princes or Westward Ho! and Deal.  Why Deal and Lido, insofar as general atmosphere is concerned, are as alike as two peas in a pod.

Just a golf course built upon land that isn’t much good for anything else.  That’s the first reaction at Lido.  It’s a broad, even if unthinking, compliment to Lido.  Lido is not “natural.”  It was made that way.  At the cost of almost $2,000,000 by a group of millionaire sportsmen who had both the inclination and the courage to buy the best.

Having once built a perfect course, those millionaires built another down at Southampton closer to their summer homes.

Lido, one learns, represents not superb scenery of the sort that prints best in pictures.  Lido’s riches are not evident things to be dangled before the eyes like diamond pendants.  Rather are they like a Rembrandt or a Goya; things which must be studied to be understood and such, in the end, are the true treasures.

Lido is a most precise test of real golf ability.  It was built with meticulosity, not thrown up helter-skelter.  It is a persistent challenge to those who want to play golf and not play at it.  It is a course only as hard as the golfer makes it and it can be most difficult for those who would try to bully it when what should be done is cajole it.  Lido will give — not to a slugger but to a golfer.

If one dare suggest that Lido might be played in the 90s by a woman golfer whose ability with wood-headed clubs includes nothing greater than a carry of 125 yards, the suggestion would be scoffed.  But it has been proved true.  Lido is not a slugger’s course and to prove it this reporter obtained the services of a woman golfer whose play had been confined to a public course where bunkers existed in name only, and the 5600 yards assigned to the 18 holes on the score card dwindled to a mere 4900 yards under a tape.

There was one understanding in connection with her round.  She was to attempt to play her shots where directed.  She did her own swinging, her own putting.  The reporter took care of the wagers which ranged from a bet she would beat 115, all the way down to an even $5.00 that she’d break 100.  Her usually golf-wise parent bet against her attaining such scores even though it was he, at the time, who had established the Lido course record in a championship tournament.

As feared, Lido awed the girl at first and a nine had to be penciled on the score card when she holed out on the first.  Yes, a nine where, of all places on Lido, no nine should ever bloom.  But then she played under direction, with the idea of wheedling out a score and not bullying the course into submission.

I can vividly recall her driving carefully down the right edge of the 11^th fairway as she steered a safe course to a five on the second hole.  With no favoring wind, and a shakiness hanging over from that nine on the first, no effort was made to carry the cliff on a straight route down the second.  The third hole called for a full spoon shot but her course was to play a safe mashie-iron shot, dependence being put upon a chip shot.  The chip was perfectly played and lo, down went a five foot putt for a par three.

No hole played provided a simpler looking six than the fourth.  Her drive across the first lagoon was purposely played for the fairway at the left.  Her second, an iron, was popped along toward the neck from whence it was simpler playing a third shot across the second water.  Another iron put the ball on the green and two putts obtained a six.

Hole after hole was played in a similar manner.  Wild gambling was banned.  A hurried second on the 9^th did plant her ball deep in trouble on the left and an eight blossomed where a five looked so simple.  But, all told the score was about what had been anticipated.  The card read:

PAR                        4  4  3  5  4  5  5  3  4 — 37
PLAYER               9  5  3  6  5  6  6  3  8 — 51

And gambling golf was done with.  She played the inner nine in 48 to beat the 100 mark.  The high spots on the nine were her drive down the 10^th which was hit for the first, not the 10^th fairway, her hugging the right of the 11^th fairway all the way, her tacking first right and then left down the 15^th, her playing short on the 16^th and, off the 18^th tee, driving at the broad handkerchief of fairway on the left.

She had one burst of good fortune and that came at the 13^th, of all holes, where, with a chance for a par four presented, the second shot was half-topped, the ball rolling into a bunker back of the green.  From there she most fortunately got down in two to save at least one shot as swiftly as she had thrown away shots on the first and ninth.

Lack of trajectory, and many safe shots, had piled up an eight on the 575 yard 17^th.  That killed all hope of an easy 95 and presented the chance for gambling with a wood second on the 18^th.  That shot, curved off into one of the shallow bunkers, laid the foundation for an ugly seven.  But the 100 score was beaten and all wagers won.

This, remember, all happened to a woman golfer who played from the red markers, not the women’s tees.  It does, I believe, prove my point and that Lido, tough as it can be made for the big hitters who go well back on the blue tees, is a truly reasonable golf course for those who want to play golf.  For ordinary walking and club-swinging, the writer suggests a beach or polo field.

There were but two good putts holed, at the 3^rd and 13^th.  And three taken on the 18^th made a putt total of 35 which no good player counts as better than normal.  The round, all told, was ordinary except in one phase.  It did break 100 and that, as perusal of week-end score sheets anywhere proves, is better than average.  However, the score was about what the reporter thought it would be — a score within reach of some 90% of all golfdom but not attained by more than half that.  That is, if all putts are holed.

Lido is no flatterer.  But one does get what he or she deserves.  And whether the player be strong or weak, each stroke played is a precise golf shot and not just a fling at the ball.

Since the World War days there has been a demand for golf courses of the type that are extremely difficult for the best players but flattering to the poor.  Courses of this type have no carries to be made from the tee, no bunkers to catch weakly hit or poorly judged seconds.  This variety has little more than length from its elevated tees to its closely bunkered greens.  The result is that ordinary golfers drive with abandon; hit second shots without aim or true consideration and do not begin the actual playing of golf until within reach of the greens.

Little by little these courses are being revamped to fit true golf.  Tees are being moved forward so that the greens will be within reach of the shots ordinary golfers should play.  The result is higher scores but more golf shots.

So too is another idea dying, the one which demanded “scenery” and hills.  Beautiful things, trees.  But they have no place in golf.  Any golf follower who has seen the way trees have ruined fairly good shots from one man’s clubs while acting as billiard cushions for the wild shots of another, knows that trees are golf’s most unfair hazard; a hazard wholly undependable and warranted only as safety measures to direct, never penalize, play.

Hills too, are losing their flavor.  Not entirely because so many players haven’t the heart condition permitting long, steep uphill grinds and sudden down grades, but because golf is becoming wise to the fact that the game requires only gentle rises and slight slopes to introduce the variety of shots in the game.

The reporter whose work takes him to golf courses all over the country finds that other courses change frequently, Lido seldom.  Lido needs no changing with each alteration in golf balls, with each improvement in clubs.  Lido’s charm is not sheer length, it’s subtlety.  Lido is a course for strong minds — not strong backs.