L.I. - Mid-Island Public Golf Beyond Bethpage?

[jholz]

Have any of you ever played the Al Smith course on the North Shore? What about Smithtown Landing?

 

Rates look reasonable. Google maps shows a pretty nice looking layouts. I'm left to guess that tee times might be tough to come by. 

 

I've got family close by, so it would be cool to play up there without having to go down to Bethpage. Any information is appreciated!

 

 

[sgolf711]

10 hours ago, jholz said:

Have any of you ever played the Al Smith course on the North Shore? What about Smithtown Landing?

 

Rates look reasonable. Google maps shows a pretty nice looking layouts. I'm left to guess that tee times might be tough to come by. 

 

I've got family close by, so it would be cool to play up there without having to go down to Bethpage. Any information is appreciated!

 

 

Smithtown Landing is a fun track. Considering the astronomical amount of rounds played there, it is usually in relatively good shape. Stonebridge isnt far from Landing another fun course in good shape typically.

[McMunch]

Landing is a fun track. Town of Smithtown course. A few par 4's where its not Driver- 7 iron all day and 2 par fives where you're not going for it in 2 unless your Rory...I like that kind of mix. Pretty easy to get times there.

 

Al Smith (AKA Sunken Meadow State Park) is another good one-  three 9 hole courses that they make 18 and 9 out of. It's a NYS run facility but to be honest it looks like most of the State $$ goes to Bethpage. Tee times at all State courses are always difficult with one exception- Montauk Downs it's one of my favorites but obnoxious to drive to so unless your already out east don't bother.

 

If you're going to be on the North Shore also look at Crab Meadow in the Town of Huntington. I cut my teeth at Crab and play there more than any other course. Its great with all but one hole having views of LI Sound and CT.

 

Stonebridge is cool and the Windwatch at Marriot is consistently in good shape. Those are center Island. If you want to drive south for a half hour you can play at Timber Point. 3- 9 hole courses. Very flat so semi American Links style and a lot of water. Bring an extra sleeve.

[Golfbit2X]

I've played both Sunken Meadow as well as Smithtown Landing. Both tracks were good courses but nothing memorable.

 

if you'd like a little bit more character,  try Oyster Bay GC in Woodbury.

 

I recently played the only Tom Fazio-designed Par 70 (only 2 Par 5s) track on Long Island (08/11/24) and still enjoyed it very much even after being whipped by the course with a 98.

 

I've played this track several times in the past 3 years and have never broken 90.

 

The course stands out from its nearby and more well-known tracks like Bethpage and Eisenhower with its mix of eclectic but difficult holes on the front nine and scoreable holes on the back nine, including two drivable holes (9 and 11) from the white tees.

 

The greens ran true, but the speed was a bit slow.

 

Compared to Tom's other more famous track that charges the most expensive green fee in the USA at $1,250.00 a round - Shadow Creek in Vegas, Oyster Bay is a good deal at $38 ($33 + $5 reservation fee) for a weekend twilight round and was definitely worth it.

 

Obviously, the track is not as pristine and well-maintained as Shadow Creek, but the unique design is a really good mix of difficult but fair holes as well as scoreable holes sprinkled with risk and reward options to keep it really interesting.

 

There's a decent range and putting green on site with recent improvements, including rebuilt tee boxes and additional mobile restrooms close to the first tee box.

 

The previous restroom was about 1 mile away at the halfway house.

[ptorlax18]

Take a drive a little further out east. Check out Willow Creek, Mill Pond, Pine hills, and Rock Hill. All 20 mins from that smithtown area. All still public tracks but worth the drive compared to smithtown landing, sunken meadow and crab meadow. All are nice course but you'll tell the difference between a state/town owned course and a privately owned public course. Mill pond is a gem for $65