Golf on Long Island

Meet Marty Lyons, Art Shamsky at Last Chance Animal Rescue Golf Outing on July 31

Last Chance Animal Rescue will hold its 11th annual golf outing on Thursday, July 31 at Stonebridge Golf Links in Smithtown.  All proceeds from the event benefit the non-profit organization's efforts to rescue animals from inhumane kill shelters and relocate them to safe facilities and foster homes.

Former New York Jets defensive lineman Marty Lyons and New York Mets 1969 World Series champion Art Shamsky will be on hand for a meet and greet with outing players.  The Last Chance outing will once again include a $10,000 hole-in-one contest.  Entry fee is $285 per player and includes golf, cart and range balls along with lunch, dinner and open bar.  Contests, prizes and raffles will be part of the festivities as well.  Format for the outing is team scramble, with shotgun start scheduled for 1:00 p.m. 

Registration info and sponsorship opportunities are detailed online at the outing website. 

To learn more about Last Chance Animal Rescue, including information on adoption, fostering and volunteering, visit the organization's website at www.lcarescue.org.  And for information on Stonebridge, check out the course flyover.

Long Island Golf Junkies to host spring outing at St. George's on May 12

The Long Island Golf Junkies players group, among the largest and most active golf groups in the region, will hold this year's spring golf outing at one of the Island's most highly regarded clubs.  The event tees off on Monday, May 12 at St. George's Golf & Country Club in Setauket.  Shotgun start is 12:30 p.m. and registration is open to all local players.

Entry fee is $370 per golfer and covers BBQ lunch and in-round snacks and drinks, including alcohol.  After the round, there will be a full dinner with cocktail hour, open bar and raffles.  Spots can be reserved for singles through foursomes at the LIGJ website.  Format for the event is team scramble with contests for closest to the pin and longest drive.  Visit the LIGJ website for full registration details.

St. George's is a classic Devereux Emmet course known for its rolling terrain, unique bunkering and a collection of remarkable par-3s, including the uphill 17th.

LIGJ hosts several formal outings, casual rounds and social meet-ups each season at both public courses and private clubs.  Interested local golfers can become members via the Long Island Golf Junkies Facebook group.

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.]

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 Thanksgiving golf outings at Long Island courses

For the many Long Island golfers who do not play golf year-round, there is usually a distinct point where the golf season comes to an end.  Some might call it a year at Halloween, others Thanksgiving.  Some might end it the first time they put the heat on at home, others might end it at the year's first frost delay.

Only one of those particular times, however, comes with a slate of golf outings and events.

Local players consider Thanksgiving morning the border between fall golf and winter golf, and they celebrate the transition by layering up and hacking around a local scramble.  Conditions are often dicey, but with the winter playing season only one blizzard away from getting wiped off the calendar, a brief November chill is tolerable.

Golf On Long Island will update the 2024 Thanksgiving slate of scrambles and shotgun starts as information is made available.  All Thanksgiving outings are designed to get you home at a reasonable time for family and football.  Listed below are many of this year's special holiday events (all are on Thanksgiving, November 28, unless otherwise noted).  These outings tend to sell out very quickly, so it's best to book early.

Cherry Creek is offering 18 holes on the Links Course with cart, range balls, hot breakfast, raffles and on-course contests for $79 per player.  Shotgun tee time is 8:30 a.m.  Call (631) 369-6500 to register.

Crab Meadow is hosting a Turkey Trot that includes cart, range balls, breakfast, food and beer.  Call the pro shop at (631) 757-8800 to register.

Harbor Links will host its 18th annual holiday Turkey Shoot.  Registration and breakfast begin at 8:00 a.m., followed by a 9:00 shotgun tee time.  Golf, cart and breakfast are $75 for Town of North Hempstead residents; $85 for non-residents.  Call (516) 767-4816 to sign up.

Middle Island Country Club will tee off with a holiday shotgun start.  Call (631) 924-3000 for details and reservations.

Mill Pond (pictured) will host its 17th annual Thanksgiving Turkey Shootout.  Format is four-person team scramble.  The event always sells out fast; book in person or by calling (631) 732-8249.

Pine Hills Golf & Country Club continues its tradition of hosting a holiday outing on Black Friday (November 29).  This year's event includes cart, range and prizes for $85.  Shotgun start is 9:30 a.m.  Call (631) 878-7103 or visit the pro shop to sign up.  Part of each outing fee benefits Toys for Tots.

Spring Lake Golf Club will host its annual Thanksgiving Day Shotgun, which includes breakfast and 18 holes.  Tee time is 8:00 a.m.  Cost is $80 per player due at registration.  Call (631) 924-5115 for a spot.

Swan Lake's holiday outing begins with 7:00 a.m. breakfast and an 8:30 shotgun start.  Beverages and BBQ will be available until 1:00.  Entry fee is $70 and covers golf and cart only (food and drinks not included in fee).  Call (631) 369-1818 to sign up.

Check back through November for updated information.

Momentum building toward Golden Age-inspired restoration of Timber Point

Stars aligned in recent years to free Long Island's original Lido Club from grainy black-and-white photos and resurrect it halfway across the country at Wisconsin's Sand Valley.  Now it seems they might be positioning themselves again to inspire another Golden Age rebirth, one that stays right here on the Island's south shore.

The restoration of Timber Point, for decades a far-off fantasy confined mostly to circles of golf historians and design enthusiasts, is making its way toward reality.  Peter Ganley, assistant to Suffolk County Parks Commissioner John Giannott, is leading an effort that would bring the course a century back in time to golf's architectural Golden Age, when Timber Point was a sand-swept 18-hole course designed by Charles Alison.  Golf writer Daniel Wexler once wrote that Timber Point would be a top-25 American golf course if it still existed in its original form.

Specific details on designers, project costs and timelines are unavailable or confidential at the moment, but the next step in what has been a positive process to date, according to Ganley, is a meeting with Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine and other political officials.  The plan is to raise enough money from foundations and private sources to limit the costs taken on by Suffolk County. 

"We don't want to use county money," Ganley says.  "The intent is to keep Timber Point an affordable golf course."

A full restoration of the course includes revitalization of the site's natural wetlands, which were filled in when the course was remodeled in the 1970s, a decision that would never be permitted today by New York State's Department of Environmental Conservation, Ganley says.  The DEC has been "exceptionally understanding" so far regarding plans for the property, he says, adding that the restored wetlands would alleviate water concerns and decrease pesticide use. 

Ganley envisions a restored Timber Point as a world-class, championship-level public golf destination that is Suffolk County's version of Bethpage Black.  "Timber Point is so intriguing because of what it once was," he says.  Of the course's 18 original holes, 12 remain in place on the current Blue and Red courses, including the famed "Gibraltar" par-3 and the subsequent bayfront par-4s.  The course would be brought back to its 1920s design and likely its sandier-on-the-edges layout, lengthened in spots to accommodate the modern game.  Yardage from the tips will potentially be in the vicinity of 7,500 yards.  Off the course, upgrades to the historic clubhouse, marinas and other facilities are planned.  Added perks like a par-3 short course are also under consideration.

For years, historians and golf-architecture followers have weighed the potential of a Timber Point restoration.  Designers have walked the grounds and drawn up detailed building plans.  In 2021, The Fried Egg listed Timber Point as one of America's "sweet 16 of golf courses we'd love to see restored to their original glory." 

"So maybe Timber Point’s best move would be to shed nine holes and restore as many of the rest as possible.  After all, there’s certainly a demand for great accessible golf on Long Island," wrote The Fried Egg's Andy Johnson.

Timber Point has been a 27-hole facility since the early 1970s, when Suffolk County took control of the once-exclusive private club and hired William Mitchell to build an additional nine holes.  Under the proposed redesign, the biggest change to the existing layout would be the elimination of Mitchell's White Course.  In its place, restored native wetlands and several reoriented holes would connect the interior and waterfront portions of the course.  During the course's early-1900s prime, players emerged from Timber Point's wooded front nine onto a sprawling sandscape with Great South Bay in the distance.  The tenth played toward the bay, and #11, a wind-aided par-4 with multiple fairways, brought players back to the current "Harbor" hole — #2 on the Blue Course.  Ganley says the revival of Alison's 10th and 11th holes would be "special."

"County Executive Romaine wants to create a masterpiece — that's the plan," Ganley says.  "It will be a nice giveback by Suffolk County to the public."

[PICTURED: TOP TWO — The famed Gibraltar par-3 today and as it appeared in the early 20th century, when Timber Point was more of a sandy links than a parkland course. BOTTOM TWO — Modern and early views of the Harbor par-3, currently #2 on the Blue Course.]

Bethpage Red, Montauk Downs highlighted on Golf Magazine's affordability list

Two of Long Island's top public golf courses known for being hard on scorecards recently earned some praise from Golf Magazine for going easy on golfers' wallets.

Bethpage State Park's Red Course and Montauk Downs both made the cut in Golf Mag's 2024 list of America's best golf courses for $100 or less, "where memorability meets affordability," as determined by Golf's course raters and editors.  The list features 101 golf courses in four different regions of the country where peak-season weekend walking rates do not exceed $100.  The selected courses "represent exceptional bang for the buck."

In addition to the green-fee requirement, selected courses must be open to the public and offer "the kind of golf experience you’d recommend to a friend."  

Of the 19 golf courses representing the Northeast region, five are from New York State.  Bethpage Red and Montauk Downs are joined by En-Joie in Endicott, Saratoga Spa State Park in Saratoga Springs and Seven Oaks in Hamilton.  The Northeast has the lowest regional representation, mostly due to high costs around metropolitan areas, according to Golf editors.  Approximately 40 percent of the featured courses are municipally owned.  List editors praised "those public officials who understand the value and importance of funding exceptional public golf."

Bethpage Red and Montauk, of course, are fixtures on another annual list, the "Best Courses You Can Play" ranking published by Golfweek.  That list highlights the best publicly accessible golf courses in all 50 states.  In the 2024 Golfweek ranking, the Red Course landed at #6 with Montauk Downs one spot behind at #7.

[PICTURED: The signature par-3 12th at Montauk Downs.]

Long Island Golf Junkies hosting July Social outing at The Hamlet Golf & CC

The Long Island Golf Junkies players group, one of the largest and most active groups in the region, will hold a July Social outing next month at The Hamlet Golf and Country Club in Commack.  Event date is Monday, July 15 with a shotgun start scheduled for 10:00 a.m.  The LIGJ outing is open to all players.

Entry fee is $155 per golfer for 18 holes and cart.  Format is individual stroke play with contests for closest to the pin and longest drive, plus raffles and prizes.  Visit the LIGJ website to reserve spots for singles and groups and for full registration guidelines and details.

The Hamlet is a private club redesigned in the 1990s by Stephen Kay.  It is a par-70 with heavily bunkered fairways and greens and several prominent water hazards.  

LIGJ hosts several formal outings, casual rounds and social/networking meet-ups each season at both public courses and private clubs.  Interested local golfers can become members via the Long Island Golf Junkies Facebook group.

Bethpage, Montauk Downs listed among Golfweek's 2024 Best Courses You Can Play

There are certainties in Long Island golf life — group photos at the Black Course warning sign, wind at Montauk Downs, and Bethpage and Montauk ranked highly in Golfweek's list of the region's top public golf courses.

Golfweek's 2024 Best Courses You Can Play rankings were published earlier this month and Bethpage Black finds itself on familiar ground atop the local list, followed closely by its next-door neighbor Bethpage Red and its New York State sister course at Montauk Downs.  The Best Courses You Can Play list ranks the elite publicly accessible courses in all 50 states.  The three courses are typically locks for New York's top eight with the Red Course and Montauk Downs jockeying for position.  This year the Red Course at #6 edged out Montauk by a spot.

Also of local interest, Bally's Ferry Point (formerly Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point) in the Bronx is ranked third behind only the Black Course and Leatherstocking in Cooperstown.

Bethpage Black is featured prominently on Golfweek's broader lists as well.  The Black moved up one spot to #9 on the national Best Courses You Can Play list, jumping ahead of the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island.  It also held its #26 spot on the Best 200 Classic Courses list, which ranks public and private courses built before 1960.  That list showcases Long Island's enormous depth of internationally renowned golf courses, with three courses in the top 10 (Shinnecock Hills, National Golf Links and Fisher's Island) and a total of 15 courses overall.

For many years, Golfweek included a fourth Long Island course in its annual Best You Can Play — Tallgrass Golf Course in Shoreham.  Tallgrass is gone, of course, but another "lost" course with local ties — sort of — did crack the list.  The resurrected Lido at Sand Valley in Wisconsin lands at #15 on the national list and #2 in the state.  That course is a nearly identical replica of C.B Macdonald's original Lido Club located on Long Island's south shore from 1917 to 1942.

For more on the three Long Island publics, including a Closer Look breakdown of Red #13 (and Tallgrass #8, just for old time's sake), check out the course flyovers via the above links.

[PICTURED: Bethpage Black #5 in spring 2024.]