The Nassau County Department of Parks, Recreation and Museums provides a total of seven golf courses to accommodate players with a range of skills. In addition, there are three driving ranges, and for children and families two mini-golf courses, in Eisenhower Park in East Meadow and Cantiague Park in Hicksville

PGA Tour golfer Jay Haas at the Red Course in Eisenhower Park during the Commerce Bank Championship.

At Eisenhower Park, three of Long Island’s finest golf courses are open to the public, including the famed “Red” course. The Red course has a storied history, having been designed by prominent golf architect Devereux Emmet in 1914 and having hosted PGA championships as far back as 1926. These days, the Red course plays host to the PGA Tour’s Commerce Bank Championship (scheduled in 2008 from from June 23-29).

A second championship-level course, the White, was designed by Robert Trent Jones, a major 20th-century architect of American courses. Jones also designed the third 18-hole course at Eisenhower, the Blue.

Eisenhower Park has an excellent driving range with 60 bays and night hours in season. Two other County parks provide driving ranges: Cantiague Park, centrally located in Hicksville; and North Woodmere Park, located by the water in the southwest corner of the county.

In addition, there are four executive-level 9-hole golf courses that are perfect for a relaxing morning or afternoon of practice. These courses are conveniently spread around the County park system at the following parks:

• Christopher Morley Park on the North Shore in Roslyn-North Hills;
• Cantiague Park, which is centrally located in Hicksville;
• Bay Park on the South Shore in East Rockaway;
• and North Woodmere Park on the South Shore in North Woodmere.

Nassau County Scheduled to Reopen Two Nine-Hole Golf Courses on March 14

With spring around the corner, the Nassau County Department of Parks, Recreation and Museums will reopen two of its four nine-hole golf courses on March 14, weather permitting, announced Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi.

The two courses, in Christopher Morley Park in Roslyn-North Hills (516-571-8120) and Bay Park in East Rockaway (516-571-7242), have been closed since December; they will be open six days a week. Two other courses, at Cantiague Park (516-571-7061) and North Woodmere Park (516-571-7801), have remained open during the winter, as weather allows.

Each of the four 9-hole par-30 courses provides a slightly different playing experience. Christopher Morley, at 1,603 yards, is a small but hilly course, while Bay Park offers a venue by the water and two holes over 300 yards (total yardage is 1,956). North Woodmere’s course is the largest of the four at 2,282 yards, with four holes over 300 yards, two of which approach 400 yards. Cantiague Park’s golf course is flat and easy to traverse and play, with total yardage of 1,878.

Nine-hole course fees for Nassau County residents are $10-$15; non-resident fees are $20-$30. Motor cart rentals and caddy cart rentals are available.

Long Island Press Names Eisenhower Golf "Best of Long Island" Course

The Long Island Press has included the Eisenhower Park golf course among its “Best of Long Island” public courses, in its January 10 issue. Each year, the weekly newspaper publishes a “Best of Long Island” issue in which it touts the best services and companies in a wide range of categories.

The Eisenhower Park golf facility, which includes three 18-hole courses, is one of the busiest and finest public courses in the New York metropolitan area. In 2007, Newsday named the Red course at Eisenhower No. 4 among its top-10 list of public courses on Long Island.

The Red course has a storied history, having been designed by prominent golf architect Devereux Emmet in 1914 and having hosted PGA championships as far back as 1926. These days, the Red course plays host to the PGA Tour’s Commerce Bank Championship (scheduled in 2008 from from June 23-29).

A second championship-level course, the White, was designed by Robert Trent Jones, a major 20th-century architect of American courses. Jones also designed the third 18-hole course at Eisenhower, the Blue.

During the winter, the White and Blue courses are open seven days a week, as weather allows.

As Warm Weather Descends in January , County Golf Courses Draw Summer-Like Crowds

As the temperature on Tuesday, January 8, soared into the 60s, golfers in large numbers took to the links at the four County courses that were open, announced Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi

By mid-afternoon at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow, the 18-hole White and Blue courses had recorded some 500 rounds of golf, close to the level of activity that is recorded on a weekday in spring or summer. (The 18-hole championship Red course is closed for the winter.)

In addition, two of the County’s four nine-hole courses were open, at Cantiague Park in Hicksville and North Woodmere Park, where a combined total of more than 300 rounds was recorded.

All four of the courses remain open in winter seven days a week, as weather allows, as do the three driving ranges at Eisenhower, Cantiage and North Woodmere parks.

For information about Eisenhower golf, call 516-572-0327 or 0328; for information about the Eisenhower driving range, call 572-0336. For information about Cantiague Park golf and the driving range, call 571-7061 and 571-7082, respectively. For information about North Woodmere Park golf and the driving range, call 571-7814 or 7815.

Newsday Ranks Eisenhower "Red" Among Top 10 Public Golf Courses on the Island

In May 2007, Newsday ranked the Eisenhower "Red" golf course at Eisenhower Park No. 4 among its top 10 public golf course on Long Island.

The Red course, one of three 18-hole golf courses at Eisenhower Park, has a storied history. Originally, it was part of the exclusive Salisbury Golf Club, begun by wealthy Long Islanders such as A.T. Stewart, a 19th-century retailer and property magnate who founded the Village of Garden City. The Red was designed in 1914 by a prominent local golf course architect, Devereux Emmet, who was married to one of Stewart’s nieces. Emmet was also a descendant of Thomas Addison Emmet, a founder of New York City’s Tammany Hall political machine.

Most of Emmet’s courses were designed during the era of hickory-shafted clubs and were short by current standards, at around 6,000 yards. (The U.S. Golf Association did not accept the use of steel shafts until 1924.) Today, the course measures 7,030 yards from the championship tees, 6,784 yards from the middle tees, and 5,588 yards from the forward tees. Working with PGA Tour architects, the Parks Department’s experienced golf crew is continually enhancing the quality of this championship course.

The Red course’s history with championship golf goes back to 1926, when the course hosted the PGA Championship. In that contest, legendary golfer Walter Hagan won the third of four consecutive PGA titles, capturing an $11,100 purse in the process. These days, the Red course plays host to the PGA Tour’s Commerce Bank Championship. PGA golfer Lee Trevino has called Eisenhower Red “one of the better and one of the toughest courses we play.”

From June 29 - July 1, PGA Tour golfers will again gather at the Red course for the Commerce Bank Championship. This year’s much-anticipated event features some of the finest players on the senior tour in a spectator-friendly venue. Among those expected to compete are Ben Crenshaw, Hale Irwin, Gary Player and Jim Thorpe. The event also includes numerous family-friendly activities. For information, call (516) 802-GOLF or visit www.commercebankchampionship.com.

Ahead of that event, the Parks Department is opening the course for a special day of Monday play on June 11.