Golf on Long Island

2022 Thanksgiving and holiday-themed events at Long Island golf courses

Get the hot chocolate and hand warmers ready -- it's time to start preparing for Thanksgiving golf outings.

Local players know Thanksgiving is essentially "last call" for Long Island golf season -- the leaves are down, frost delays are longer, the layers of golf gear thicker.  Thanksgiving is one final opportunity for golf with all the trimmings, including a hot meal, prizes, occasional open bars and more.   

Golf On Long Island will update the 2022 Thanksgiving slate of scrambles and shotgun starts as information is made available.  All outings are designed to get you home to the family with enough time to carve the turkey.  Listed below are many of this year's special holiday events (all are on Thanksgiving, November 24, unless otherwise noted).  These outings tend to sell out very quickly, so it's best to book early.

Brentwood Country Club is typically the earliest riser on Thanksgiving morning.  Shotgun tee time is scheduled for 7:30 a.m.  Rate is $54 for 18 holes and cart.  Call (631) 436-6060 to reserve a spot.

Cherry Creek is offering 18 holes on the Links Course with cart, range balls, hot breakfast, raffles and contests for $70 per player.  Shotgun tee time is 8:30 a.m.  Call (631) 369-6500 to register.

Harbor Links will host its 16th 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 $65 for Town of North Hempstead residents; $75 for non-residents.  Call (516) 767-4816 to sign up.

Island's End's holiday begins with a 9:00 a.m. shotgun start.  Entry fee covers golf and cart.  Call the course at (631) 477-0777 to register.

Mill Pond (pictured) will host its 15th annual Thanksgiving Turkey Shootout, teeing off at 8:00 a.m.  Format is four-person team scramble, and the $79 entry fee includes cart, range balls, hot breakfast and a drink.  The event almost always sells out fast; book in person or by calling (631) 732-8249.

Pine Hills Golf & Country Club continues to hold its holiday outing on Black Friday (November 25).  This year's event includes cart, range, light breakfast and prizes for $85.  Part of the entry fee will be donated to Toys For Tots.  Shotgun start is 9:30 a.m.  Call (631) 878-7103 to sign up.

Spring Lake Golf Club will host its annual Turkey Shotgun, which includes breakfast and 18 holes.  Tee time is 8:00 a.m.  Cost is $75 per player.  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 $60 and covers golf and cart only (food and drinks not included in fee).  Call (631) 369-1818 to sign up.

Willow Creek's shotgun start is scheduled for 9:00 a.m.  The $69 entry fee includes golf and cart.  Call (631) 474-9200 to register.

Wind Watch is hosting a holiday shotgun scheduled to tee off at 8:30/9:00 a.m. (time to be determined based on forecast).  Golf and cart are $69 per player.  Call (631) 232-9850 to register.

Check back through November for updated information.

The Rock Golf Club in Wading River turns private two months into its revival

The Rock came back to Wading River, and in a surprise move earlier this month, the club turned heel.

Just two months after its long-awaited reopening, The Rock Golf Club has slammed the door shut on the public players that it wooed back with promises of an all-inclusive member-for-a-day experience and elevated perks.  The course is fully private and will remain so beyond this season.  Golf director Bill Mackedon confirmed the course is no longer open to the public. 

Prospective members can join The Rock for a $25,000 initiation fee and $10,000 in annual dues starting in 2023.

The decision to make it a members-only facility, Mackedon told Golf On Long Island, was made after its July reopening.  Back in June, with the course preparing to welcome golfers again for the first time since October 2019, Mackedon said the club's goal was to provide a memorable experience "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."

That spirit of belonging and inclusivity only lasted until Labor Day, however.  Then, players who called to book tee times were instead told the club was available only to members.

Given the optics and timing of such a drastic change of course, it seems more likely that public players -- some of whom spent several hundreds of dollars to play The Rock during its abbreviated summer season -- were simply used as beta testers before a planned decision to turn private.  Some players told Golf On Long Island they felt duped, especially since the course had been dropping hints of its return for well over a year.

In May 2021, new owner Chris Vene told the Riverhead News-Review that the concept for the rejuvenated course would be a club-level experience for those without the time to play a lot of golf or the means to afford membership costs.  "So you go to Great Rock and you're a member for the day," Vene said.

The majority of those who played the course this summer and were surveyed by Golf On Long Island praised its greens, which have long been the strength of The Rock's layout.  But many also agreed that the rest of the course remains in need of significant improvements, especially its bunkers and uneven tee boxes.  Others pointed to ongoing irrigation issues and limited amenities.  Recalling the problems that plagued Great Rock in its final seasons, some players suggested the course needs to take more time to address its underlying turf and maintenance issues.  "They need to close for another year," said one player who logged multiple rounds there even after the course turned private.  "It's basically a glorified municipal course right now."

Bill Scherer said he enjoyed his four rounds at The Rock this summer (at $75 per) and was glad it reopened since it's so close to his home in neighboring Shoreham.  "It plays the way it used to," he said.  "I was disappointed when they told me I could no longer play."

The restaurant, Pulcinella's On The Green, remains open to the public.

For more on Great Rock's closure, sale and subsequent reopening as The Rock, see GOLI's write-up from this past June.

[PICTURED: The Rock's downhill ninth prior to the course's 2022 opening.]

Long Island Golf Junkies "Putt for Pink" outing to tee off October 3

The Long Island Golf Junkies players group will hold its second annual "Putt for Pink" golf outing on Monday, October 3 at Port Jefferson Country Club, with donations benefiting the fight against breast cancer.  Shotgun start is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.

Entry fee is $105 per golfer and covers 18 holes with cart.  It is an individual stroke play event with contests for closest to the pin and longest drive.  Spots can be reserved for singles and groups by submitting a donation via the LIGJ website.  (Payment for the golf outing will be made separately.)  Visit the LIGJ website for full registration details.

The Long Island Golf Junkies group is one of the largest and most active players groups in the region.  It 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.

Fall 2022 aeration dates around Long Island

[This schedule was updated on September 22, 2022.]

September is aeration month at Long Island golf courses, and maintenance dates are good to know for local players planning their late-summer and fall rounds.

The following public golf courses will be closed for play (unless otherwise noted) while undergoing fairway and/or greens aeration.  All dates below have been confirmed with representatives or posted online by the course. 

Check back for updates on the courses currently listed as TBA, and for other modifications, as aeration dates are subject to change due to weather and other factors:

• Lido -- September 21 and 28
• Rock Hill -- Late September/early October (dates TBA)
• Eisenhower Red -- October 3
• Bethpage Black -- October 3-5
• Bergen Point -- October 4-5
• Eisenhower White -- October 10
• Mill Pond -- October 11-12
• Bethpage Yellow -- October 11-12
• Eisenhower Blue -- October 17
• Middle Bay -- November 7-8
• Harbor Links -- November (dates TBA)

Some golf courses have already aerated, so be aware that conditions might not be optimal.

• Willow Creek -- August 22-24
• Middle Island -- Week of August 22
• West Sayville -- August 23
• Smithtown Landing -- August 29
• Stonebridge -- August 29-30
• Timber Point Red -- August 29
• Timber Point Blue -- August 30
• Timber Point White -- August 31
• Bethpage Blue -- August 30-31
• Wind Watch -- September 6-7
• Montauk Downs -- September 6-7 (nine holes open)
• Town of Oyster Bay -- September 6-8
• Bethpage Green -- September 7-8
• Poxabogue -- September 7-8
• Swan Lake -- September 8
• Island's End -- September 12 (all facilities closed)
• Bethpage Red -- September 12-13
• Sunken Meadow -- September 12-16; 19-23; 26-30 (course order TBD)
• Pine Hills -- September 13 or 14
• Cherry Creek (Woods) -- September 13
• Cherry Creek (Links) -- September 15
• Glen Cove -- September 13-15
• Holbrook CC -- September 15
• Brentwood CC -- September 19
• Indian Island -- September 20
• Crab Meadow -- September 21

For courses not listed, contact them directly for the latest maintenance schedule.

[This schedule was updated on September 22, 2022.]

The Rock Golf Club, formerly Great Rock, will reopen for play July 1

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.

Bethpage, Montauk Downs represent Long Island in Golfweek's 2022 list of best public courses

Like a rush on tee times at Bethpage and Montauk Downs, you can always count on the two state-park facilities finding their way onto Golfweek's annual list of top public golf courses.

Golfweek released its 2022 Best Courses You Can Play list earlier this month, a collection of rankings highlighting the elite publicly accessible courses in all 50 states.  On the New York list, the Long Island contingent offered no surprises.

Bethpage Black, Bethpage Red and Montauk Downs once again represent Long Island in Golfweek's annual ranking.  The Black Course, as usual, is in the top spot, followed later in the top 10 by its state-park brethren.  Montauk Downs jumped up to #6 -- its highest ranking that we can recall -- and vaulted one spot ahead of the Red at #7.

For many years, Golfweek included a fourth Long Island course on its Best You Can Play list -- Tallgrass Golf Course in Shoreham.  But Tallgrass is gone, and the only other course of local interest is the high-end NYC muni Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point, again ranked #2 in the state.

Bethpage Black also placed #27 in Golfweek's ranking of the Top 200 Classic Courses built prior to 1960.  The list serves as a reminder of the incredible depth of Long Island's classic-course selection, with 15 courses and clubs making the cut, including three -- Shinnecock Hills, National Golf Links and Fishers Island -- in the top 10.  

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.

Great Rock's 2022 reopening delayed until summer

The long-rumored reopening of Great Rock Golf Club in Wading River is delayed until later this summer, possibly around the July 4 holiday.  Great Rock has been closed since late 2019 and was sold to a new local ownership group in spring 2021.

This latest projection follows earlier indications that the course was on track to reopen by Memorial Day.  But the holiday came and passed, and the facility is still not prepared to welcome golfers back to play the hilly par-71, best known for its fast greens.  The course itself appears to be ready for play, though the driving range remains in disrepair, and other work around the clubhouse is still ongoing.

One sign of progress is the announcement of a dining partner at the facility.  Pulcinella's of Massapequa will open Pulcinella's On the Green in the space previously occupied by Blackwells and Pure North Fork.  A restaurant staffer said they hope to open by mid-July.

There are also rumors that the course will be renamed The Rock, though this has not been confirmed.  The course was originally named for the giant boulder unearthed during construction, which now sits next to #10 green.

Great Rock abruptly closed in fall 2019, capping a season in which players complained of deteriorating course conditions and signs of neglect.  Local owners Chris Vene and Anthony Lomangino purchased the course in May 2021, according to the Riverhead News-Review.  Vene has an ownership stake in the nearby Baiting Hollow Golf Club in Baiting Hollow and The Vineyards Golf Club in Riverhead, as well as a golf course maintenance company.  He told the News-Review that one of his goals is to provide Great Rock's players with a "member for the day" experience.

[Pictured: Great Rock clubhouse in June 2022.]

Long Island Golf Junkies holding June Social outing on June 20

The Long Island Golf Junkies players group, one of the largest and most active groups in the region, will hold its second golf outing of the season on Monday, June 20 at The Hamlet Golf and Country Club in Commack.  The "June Social" tees off at 11:00 a.m. and is open to all local players.

Entry fee is $130 per golfer and covers 18 holes with cart, plus range balls and LIGJ t-shirts.  Spots can be reserved for singles and groups at the LIGJ website.  It is an individual stroke play event with contests for closest to the pin and longest drive.  Visit the LIGJ website for full registration details.

The Hamlet is a private club designed by Stephen Kay.  Like Kay's other designs/redesigns at Willow Creek and Wind Watch, Hamlet is heavy on sand traps, and water comes into play on a half-dozen holes.  Kay's work on the Island also includes restorations and renovations at prestigious clubs like Seawane and Cherry Valley, among others.

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.

Mill Pond to host eight annual Last Chance Animal Rescue Golf Outing on August 1

The Southampton-based Last Chance Animal Rescue will hold its eighth annual golf outing on Monday, August 1 at Mill Pond Golf Course in Medford.  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. 

Entry fee is $175 per player and includes golf, cart and range balls along with on-course lunch, beverages and contests.  Format for the outing is team scramble, with consecutive tee times beginning at 9:00 a.m.  Once again a $10,000 par-3 hole-in-one prize will be up for grabs on Mill Pond's 179-yard tenth.

An early-bird registration discount is available until May 15.  Register online at the outing website and be sure to submit your tee-time preferences.  Official tee times will be announced in July. 

To learn more about Last Chance Animal Rescue, including information on adoption, fostering and volunteering, visit the organization's website at www.lcarescue.org.

Long-shuttered Great Rock Golf Club could reopen by Memorial Day

Great Rock Golf Club, the Wading River course that closed in 2019 and was sold to new owners last year, could reopen for play this spring, possibly by Memorial Day, according to staff.

The course, now dormant for nearly two and a half years, has undergone renovation and modification projects since its sale last May.  In addition to general upkeep of the fairways and greens, maintenance crews have improved the irrigation and drainage systems, upgraded facilities to accommodate a new fleet of electric carts, and renovated bunkers and other areas of play.  Trees have been removed from parts of the course, as well.  The layout of the course is unchanged.

Still to come is a rebuild of the driving range.  Visitors to the site today will find a driving range with torn-up grounds and tattered netting.  The first and 18th holes appear to be in playable condition. 

"When everything is finished, the course will be much better than what was here before," the staffer said.

Local owners Chris Vene and Anthony Lomangino purchased the course in May 2021, according to the Riverhead News-Review.  Vene has an ownership stake in the nearby Baiting Hollow Golf Club in Baiting Hollow and The Vineyards Golf Club in Riverhead, as well as a golf course maintenance company.  He told the News-Review that one of his goals is to provide Great Rock's players with a "member for the day" experience.

“So you go to Great Rock and you’re a member for the day,” he said.  “You have a great facility, and you have access to the locker room, the sauna, the showers, the driving range.  You can hit as many balls as you want and then, hopefully, get a great meal at the restaurant.”

The restaurant issue remains unsettled.  Pure North Fork closed prior to the course's shutdown in 2019, four years after a major investment that transformed the dining space previously occupied by Blackwells into a modern, locally focused bistro.

Great Rock's return will be a much-needed win for local players in a part of Long Island that has lost several courses in recent years, most notably Tallgrass in 2017.  Great Rock opened in 2001 on hilly terrain north of Sound Avenue in Wading River and came to be known for extremely fast greens and an upscale yet laid-back atmosphere.  Its namesake rock, dug up during the course's construction, sits next to #10 green.  The course briefly closed in the 2013-14 offseason and reopened a few months later under new owners.

In 2019, word started to circulate that the conditions at Great Rock were deteriorating.  Dozens of local players posted reviews and photos on platforms like Golf Advisor detailing a neglected golf course with crabgrass-covered fairways and bunkers, bare greens and unmowed rough.  In October, Great Rock suddenly closed for the year with little notice.  Aside from a vague Facebook post last spring about a potential reopening, the course has remained silent.

[Pictured: Great Rock clubhouse in March 2022.]