Golf on Long Island

Spy Ring Golf Club in Setauket working its way toward a soft opening this fall

Gone are the sounds of hammering construction and the roar of heavy machinery.  In their place, in a pristine golf and residential complex in Setauket, are the soft whispers of fairway sprinklers and quiet music drifting from an apartment terrace. 

Soon those sounds will be joined by the echoes of a purely struck iron and the cheers from a well-deserved par.

Spy Ring Golf Club, Long Island's newest public course and arguably the most ambitious public-golf project on the Island in a quarter century, is steadily progressing toward a soft opening this fall.  Designed by Tyler Rae, Spy Ring is a modern nine-hole course featuring big, uniquely contoured greens, hefty bunkers and a startling amount of elevation change.  The course plays around newly built Heatherwood residences on a property that for nearly 60 years was the site of Heatherwood Golf Club, an executive-length 18.

Jimmi Conway, the longtime golf director and now vice president of golf operations at both Spy Ring and Pine Hills in Manorville, says the Spy Ring team is taking the opening slow to make sure the grounds are fully prepared for the rigors of play.  Even though the course looks like a finished product, Conway and Heatherwood president Chris Capece say they have the luxury of time to let the course mature ahead of its unveiling to the public.

"We want to do this the right way," Conway says.  "We don't want the course to get beat up before it's ready."

Still, to the naked eye that sees nothing but smooth fairways, freshly cut rough and rippling greens, it's hard to put aside the urge to drop a few balls and give the course a test run.  The par-3 seventh is the looker, a 145-yard shot over a row of four surprisingly large sand traps.  Rae built "fun" greens with plenty of pinnable space, and here on #7, a front-right tongue and a rear plateau set up some very interesting pin positions. 

From #7 tee the entire back half of the course is in view -- the downhill par-3 fifth, the punchbowl-style green on #6, the elevated green on #8 and the down-then-up par-5 closer.  Many of the greens feature broad entrances that allow for running and bounding approaches, a rarity for Long Island publics.  And the sandy base will allow the course to play firm.

A small patio overlooks the first tee and a huge, sloped practice green.  A practice bunker is nearby as well.  Conway loves the intimacy of the pro-shop setup, where he's close enough to the first tee to applaud someone who opens their day with a perfect drive -- or razz someone who needs to take an early mulligan.  Inside, the pro shop offers a small collection of Spy Ring apparel and features a black-and-white mural depicting Heatherwood's original grand opening in the early 1960s.

As for the site's 2023 opening, growing conditions this summer and early fall will ultimately determine when the course sends its first groups out for limited play.  As of yet there is no determination on green fees.

For more on Spy Ring and its design, check out our GOLI feature from last May:
Coming Soon: Heritage Spy Ring GC, Long Island's first shot at the Sweetens Cove model

2023 Summer Golf Camps on Long Island

Golf participation remains at a high level following the Covid spike, meaning spots at local junior golf camps are still in elevated demand.  Junior golfers of all ages and skill levels have a wealth of options at Long Island's public golf courses for learning the fundamentals of the game, from swing to etiquette, and making a smooth entrance into the sport.

Many public courses in Nassau and Suffolk feature summer camp programs that school young players 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 2023 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, 8:00 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 $320 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 26.  Register for full-day ($775) and half-day ($500) sessions at the Bethpage / Golf Channel Academy website.

Cedars Golf Club (Cutchogue):  The Cutchogue course offers two separate month-long sessions with start dates of June 28 and July 31.  Campers age 5 to 13 meet Mondays and Wednesdays for four weeks.  All participants receive a Cedars camp shirt, a full-season Junior Pass and daily pizza lunch.  Cost is $700 per session.  Register in person or e-mail [email protected], and check the Cedars website or for full details.

Cherry Creek (Riverhead):  Cherry Creek camp programs will be available in July and August.  Specific 2023 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 26, 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.

Glen Cove Golf Club (Glen Cove):  From the last week of June through the end of August, Glen Cove is offering ten weekly sessions designed for juniors age 8 to 16.  Camps run Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and cover all parts of the swing, plus rules and etiquette.  Cost is $425 per camper.  Sign up at the Glen Cove Golf Camps website.

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 26, 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 week-long 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 16.  Week-long sessions run from late June through the end of August.  Each session ends with a five-hole scramble competition on Friday afternoon.  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, $745 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 10.  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 $519 per week with discounts available for siblings and multiple sessions.  Call (516) 766-1880 for pricing, program details and additional information.

Mill Pond (Medford):  Camps are available in 4-day and 2-day sessions beginning July 3.  The longer programs are designed for teen golfers age 12 to 16 and focus on all aspects of swing technique and fundamentals, plus course management, rules and etiquette.  Each session concludes with a Friday team competition held at the Rolling Oaks Golf Course in Miller Place.  Shorter programs meet Tuesday and Wednesday and are geared toward beginners age 6 to 11 with a focus on swing fundamentals.  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.

Pine Hills (Manorville):  Pine Hills is offering two separate camp sessions that meet on Tuesday evenings in June and July.  Each session meets from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on three consecutive Tuesdays and covers the swing, etiquette, short-game skills and more.  The camp is open to juniors age 6 to 16 and includes pizza and snacks on the final day.  Sessions are $345 each or $595 for both.  Email [email protected] for details or registration.

Poxabogue Golf Center (Sagaponack):  A total of ten sessions run from the week of June 19 to the week of August 21.  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 $659 per session.  Visit the Poxabogue website for info and registration.

Smithtown Landing (Smithtown):  Smithwon Landing's 2023 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 Mondays, Tuesdays or Wednesdays.  Registration is $275 per session.  Visit the camp website or call (631) 979-6534 for 2022 information.

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 Tuesday through Friday beginning June 26.  Cost is $375 per half-day session and $550 for full-day.  Visit the PGA Junior Camps site for complete information.

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 Tuesday to Friday beginning June 27.  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 five sessions that meet Monday to Thursday from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. during the weeks of June 26, July 10, July 17, July 24 and July 31.  Sessions are open to new and experienced juniors age 8 to 14.  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.  Visit the West Sayville junior camp page for info and registration.

2023 golf course reopen dates on Long Island

After a mild Long Island offseason where roughly zero snowflakes found their way from the sky to the ground, Old Man Winter teamed up with the golf gods to make sure March -- the month of golf's local reopening -- began with a coating of slush.  Go figure.

Unless you were banking on checking out the rebranded Sandy Pond Links on its opening day (postponed), this year's one light dusting of snow won't impact the reopening season that is set to kick off in a little over a week.  From the lead-up to St. Patrick's Day through mid-April, all of Long Island's seasonal golf courses will get back up to speed and welcome local players back to the first tee.

The following is a list of tentative 2023 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.

2023 GOLF COURSE REOPENINGS:

• Sandy Pond Links -- March 1
• Indian Island -- March 10
• Timber Point -- March 15
• Holbrook CC -- March 15
• Brentwood CC -- March 15
• Woods Course at Cherry Creek -- March 16
• Bergen Point -- March 17
• West Sayville -- March 17
• Harbor Links - Championship/Executive -- March 18
• Bethpage Green -- March 18
• The Golf Club at Middle Bay -- March 31 (tentative)
  
• Town of Oyster Bay GC -- OPEN
• Bethpage Red -- April 1
• Eisenhower Red -- April 11
• Bethpage Black -- April 15

[This post was updated on April 3, 2023.]

Rebranded Sandy Pond Links to reopen in March under new ownership

Riverhead's Sandy Pond Golf Course is taking a rare winter break this offseason, and when it reopens in March, it will do so with a new name, a modernized logo and an ownership group looking to blend the old with the new.  Brian Stark, one of the new controlling owners of the rebranded Sandy Pond Links, plans to restore some of the features he recalls from his youth, when the small par-3 course on Roanoke Avenue was in its infancy. 

And the way he sees it, one of the most effective ways to bring the course back to its roots is by reaching down and pulling them up.

"We've been in the ponds, removing the reeds from the ground instead of just cutting them back, so the water is clear like it used to be," says Stark, who worked at Sandy Pond while growing up nearby in the late '70s.  "When I was a kid, the third hole had a clear pond, and there were sand dunes and a big green up on the hill."

The 2023 season will be one of change at the course, including in the layout itself, the facilities and the amenities, but it will retain the quaint East End vibe it's been known for since it opened a half-century ago.

Previous owners Ken Weinstein and Chris Wahlers "built a great clientele," Stark says, since they took over operation of the course in 2012.  "They brought in leagues and outings, they have a few members.  There is a real religious following here."

On the course, much of the focus will be on expanding the greens to their original size.  "We're going to bring back the contours of the original greens," Stark says.  "You can still see areas where the contours were lost, and how the greens have shrunk significantly over time.  They used to have more character and pin positions." 

Stark, one of the original owners of the neighboring Long Island National Golf Club, also wants to reintroduce some of the course's original sand-dune features.  Sandy Pond was built out of an old sand quarry, after all.

The orientation of the course will change too, with the ninth hole flipping to the top of the scorecard as Sandy Pond Links' new opener.  (The other eight holes will move down a slot.)  That modification is being made to accommodate a new clubhouse to be built on the north side of the property near the current ninth tee.  Plans there include a simulator, an outdoor patio and beer and wine service.  Food trucks, a common sight at wineries and breweries in the Riverhead area, could eventually be part of the offerings as well.

Most noticeable on that end of the property will be the addition of a miniature golf course, which is currently pending approval by the Town of Riverhead.  Stark hopes it will be ready by the fall.

Even though the course's longtime shack (and its famous green-fee dropbox) will eventually become part of Sandy Pond's past, the new owners don't expect the facility to lose any of its charm.

"Complaints about golf always revolve around three things -- it's too hard, it takes too long and it's expensive," Stark says.  "Sandy Pond is none of those."

[PICTURED: Sandy Pond, as seen in 2014, following upgrades under previous ownership.]

Winter Golf On Long Island: 2022-23 Edition

Some people wake up a little groggy on New Year's Day and spend the morning in pajamas, clutching a cup of coffee.  Others wake up a little groggy, see the sun shining on a 45-degree day, and spend the rest of the morning on the golf course, clutching irons and hand warmers.

Golf on a January morning might seem like a bizarre concept to those in the pajama group, but for the ones scanning the 24-hour forecast on their weather apps as the ball gets set to drop on New Year's Eve, it's just another day in Long Island's winter golf season.

There's no official start date to winter golf season -- some might say Thanksgiving, others might argue it begins with the first frost delay.  By late December all of Long Island's seasonal golf courses are closed, leaving the year-round courses with Christmas through mid-March all to themselves.  From a player perspective, if you can handle cold, biting wind and ground conditions that get soggier and sloppier as the offseason progresses, there's no reason to stay home and let your golf clubs and new holiday-gift gear collect dust.

So far the 2022-23 winter has been OK despite the cold snap that temporarily froze everything shut.  We've seen blizzards wreck offseasons before Christmas, so a snow-free Long Island into the new year is always a win.

Some things have changed about winter golf in recent seasons.  Golf On Long Island used to post notable winter-rate specials that were available at local courses, but there's no longer any need.  The days of heavy discounts -- or even moderate price breaks -- appear to be gone.  Courses now keep their winter rates much closer to peak prices than the $35-45 rounds with cart (and sometimes a free breakfast or lunch) from just a few years ago.

Note that some courses are still offering trimmed-down pandemic-era amenities, so check in advance if you want your winter round to include food and drink options or access to the pro shop.

There's also more competition from modern indoor facilities like X-Golf in Commack, Birdies in Patchogue and the semi-enclosed TopGolf in Holtsville.  All offer enjoyable high-tech golf experiences combined with the social attraction (and warmth) of a sports bar and grill.  Another X-Golf is on the way this year in Westbury, and Simplay remains an indoor stalwart in Hauppauge.

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.

2022 closing dates for Long Island's seasonal golf courses

[This information was updated on December 24, 2022.]

We've made it to December, and while many on Long Island have already packed away their golf clubs for 2022, the area's cold-resistant players are still out looking for tee times.  The selection is about to get smaller though, because December is closing month on Long Island. 

By the middle of December, the Island's seasonal public golf courses lock up for the final time and hang a "See You In March" sign on the clubhouse door.  So if you have the urge to take on Gibraltar at Timber Point or drive the greens on Brentwood's short par-4s, get those swings in now while you still can.

Or you can just sit back, relax and pick your spots at the Island's many courses that stay open year-round.

The following golf courses are preparing to close for the season this month:

• Eisenhower Red -- December 4
• Bay Park -- December 9
• Sumpwams Creek -- December 10 or 11
• Harbor Links -- December 11 (or later, weather permitting)
• Cherry Creek - Woods Course -- December 11 or 18 (weather permitting)
• Brentwood Country Club -- December 11
  
• Holbrook Country Club -- December 11
  
• West Sayville -- December 18
• Timber Point -- December 18
• Bergen Point -- December 18
• Indian Island -- December 22

Some courses have already closed for 2022, including:

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

Check back daily for the latest closing dates.  And for more information on Long Island's winter season, stay tuned for our annual Winter Golf On Long Island primer.

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.]

Kids play free this summer at Spring Lake's Sandpiper Course

Spring Lake's junior golf special is back for another summer.

On Wednesdays and Thursdays through the end of August, Long Island kids under the age of 14 play a free round with each paying adult.  The special covers nine holes on Spring Lake's Sandpiper Course, home to the facility's namesake lake and signature hole.

Book online at the Spring Lake website or call the course at (631) 924-5115 for additional info and reservations.  Cart fees are not included, and proper attire is required.

For more information on Spring Lake's Sandpiper Course, check out the course flyover.

Shelter Island Country Club celebrating 120 years with throwback golf classic

The historic Shelter Island Country Club, a fixture on the East End and part of the first wave of golf courses to be built on Long Island, will celebrate 120 years of golf with a special 1900s-themed event later this summer.

Shelter Island's Hickory Golf Classic will tee off on Sunday, August 7 at 10:00 a.m.  The event is a four-person scramble with a throwback twist -- each team will share a set of hickory clubs, and players are encouraged to rock classic knickers, caps and other period accessories.  Walking is also encouraged, and caddies will be on hand to carry each team's clubs.  Carts will also be available for those who need them to get up and down Shelter Island's many hills.

Entry fee is $100 for walkers and $125 for riders, and includes continental breakfast, lunch and a gift, in addition to clubs and caddies.  There will be contests, raffles and golf attire for sale.  All proceeds benefit the Owen N. Dickson Junior Golf Program.  Register on the Shelter Island CC website by July 15.

Shelter Island, also known as Goat Hill, dates to 1901, and is largely unchanged from its original construction.  It is a nine-hole public course that rises and tumbles over a series of hills, with the majority of its holes requiring blind shots.  The classic clubhouse overlooks a hillside green on the par-3 ninth.

For more info on the outing and the course, visit the SICC website.

Coming Soon: Heritage Spy Ring GC, Long Island's first shot at the Sweetens Cove model

Looking out from a flat, elevated square marked with dusty footprints, Jimmi Conway points toward a slender oasis in an expanse of tire-tracked sand, the pings of a bustling construction site echoing in the background.  Four bunkers stand in line from left to right, their wavy edges framed by strips of green sod.

"I can see this becoming the signature hole," Conway says.  "Picture what this will look like when it's all grown in."

Off to the right are the bare bones of a tumbling fairway, though all that's recognizable to the unfamiliar eye, at the moment, are three more sodded bunkers leading the way to a future green.

This square, possibly sometime next year, will be one of nine tee boxes at Heritage Spy Ring Golf Club in Setauket, soon to be the newest public course on Long Island and arguably the most ambitious public-golf project since Harbor Links was built on a reclaimed Port Washington sand mine nearly a quarter-century ago.  The tee will start players on the 145-yard seventh, and the downhill fairway will be the closer, the dogleg par-5 ninth.  Conway expects the high quality and appeal of these holes will leave Spy Ring's visitors counting down the days -- or maybe minutes -- until their next go-around.

Spy Ring, part of the newest residential development from Commack-based Heatherwood Luxury Rentals, is tentatively scheduled to debut in the second half of 2023 on the grounds of the former Heatherwood Golf Course.  Named as an homage to the Culper Ring and the Setauket area's prominent role in covert ops during the American Revolution, it will be a full-length nine that can be stretched as long as 3,300 yards. 

For many of its nearly 60 years, Heatherwood filled a niche as Long Island's only 18-hole executive course.  The plan is for Spy Ring to also fill its own local niche -- that of a modern, fun-forward nine-hole destination on par with others that have attracted design enthusiasts and curious golfers to places like rural Tennessee and suburban Florida.  There, imaginative architects took spent or outdated golf courses and spun them into darlings of the public-golf world with bold features, strategic design and a streamlined building process.  Conway and Heatherwood president Christopher Capece think they've captured the same formula on the north shore of Suffolk County.

"This has a chance to be something special and unique for Long Island," Capece says.  "I think this is going to be up on the same level with Sweetens Cove."

Tyler Rae is the man behind Spy Ring's design.  Though young as far as golf architects go, Rae has a wealth of experience that includes work alongside Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw (known locally for Friar's Head and East Hampton, of course), as well as Ron Prichard, Keith Foster and other acclaimed figures in the architecture field.  His resume is a laundry list of restorations and renovations of Golden Age courses, heavy on Donald Ross classics, with some Flynns, Raynors and Tillinghasts thrown in as well.  Spy Ring is one of his first solo designs, and he approached it with the heightened standards of Long Island golf in mind.

"Golf intellect is very high on Long Island," he says.  "You can't just come in with Mickey Mouse bunkers and flat greens and expect to have success.  Especially with a course like St. George's right down the street."

The enthusiasm for the project is hard to miss.  Conway, the longtime director and general manager at both Pine Hills in Manorville and the Heatherwood course, says working on Spy Ring has provided a jolt of energy.  Leading a walking tour on a sunny spring morning, Conway pauses to admire one of Rae's greenside bunkers at the par-3 fifth.  "Sometimes you walk around here and wish you could just spend the day with a bucket of balls," he says.  Capece stops on top of another perch to take in scenic views of rolling fairways and point out how the residences will blend into the course's background.  All in the group rave about Rae's use of open approaches, contoured greens and run-off areas.

For Rae, designing the golf course he envisioned and maneuvering it around the shared property was a challenge.  Initially he considered making the course a reversible nine, but that idea was scrapped over logistical concerns.  He opted to go with a clockwise routing that begins on the flattest part of the site, a "handshake," he describes, to ease players into the round.  Then Spy Ring "gets wild," beginning at #3, a straight, downhill par-5.  Conway says the third tee is "where the course really starts," kicking off a steady build of interest and excitement with each hole.

Pandemic-related delays turned out to benefit the construction process.  Rae and his team of builders had the time to personally shape every feature on the course to their exact specifications, so project costs remained low, a source of pride for the designer.  The crew also stripped off all the topsoil from the site, leaving behind nothing but sand.  ("Boy, it's going to be freakin' dry," Rae says with a laugh.)  The course will be seeded with turfgrass adapted for sandy, firm-and-fast golf, and a state-of-the-art irrigation system will keep everything in balance.  But golf balls will bound down fairways and roll over mounds, a rarity for Long Island publics.

"We set it up to be a turnkey firm-and-fast course," Rae says.  "Very easy to maintain."

On the greens, Rae's internal contouring and funneling leave surfaces that will be fun without going over the top, unique but with enough restraint to make them appear as natural parts of the landscape.  The green on #6, he says, is inspired somewhat by Seth Raynor's famous punchbowl at Fishers Island.  The seventh has elements of a volcano par-3, a hole type often associated with Ross.

"There's a ton of variety in the greens, and plenty of pinnable space," he says.  "Each one can play really easy or really hard." 

To the experienced Long Island public player, Spy Ring might bring back memories of Gil Hanse's now-departed Tallgrass Golf Course in Shoreham, particularly the openness of the entire property and the creative introduction of elevation to a largely flat site (in Tallgrass's case, a former sod farm).  Some might look at the bunkering on the par-5 ninth and draw parallels to #13 on Bethpage Black, where a center trap is farther from the green than it appears from afar.

Whatever comparisons and thoughts players have in mind when they walk off that ninth hole, Rae simply hopes fun is at the forefront. 

"I want people to come off the course saying, 'I enjoyed those nine holes, and I can't wait to play them again.'"

[PICTURED -- TOP RIGHT: View from the par-3 seventh tee; TOP LEFT: The par-5 ninth tumbles downhill before turning left for the final approach; BOTTOM RIGHT: After a flat start, Spy Ring brings elevation change into the mix starting at the downhill par-5 third; BOTTOM LEFT: The last of three fairway traps is farther from the green than it appears on the par-5 ninth.  The green is located near the trees at center.]