GOLF COURSES

Heatherwood Golf Club is a diamond in the rough, a sister course to the Pine Hills PGA championship course located in Manorville. This year-round, public golf course is a beautiful 18 hole, par 60 course situated on approximately 85 acres of heavily treed property.

The first tee is an easy par 3 warm-up. Sand traps flank either side of the green which lies 158 yards from the men's tees and has a slight downhill slope from back to front. Stay in the fairway and you are off to a good start.

The second hole can be a bit intimidating at 351 yards. A par 4 with a sharp, dog-leg left this green has two traps closing in on the front of the green with a convenient opening straight up the middle. But don't get caught in the right-hand bunker. Its depth is just enough to test your wedge savvy. A fairway trap, strategically placed at the left-turn point offers a challenge in getting to the green. Too high or too far left and you are in the trees. Too low, you are in the sand. The less experienced player will choose to aim straight down the fairway off the tee until clearing the trap. A nice, easy short club should place you on the green. Speaking of the green, the second hole also runs downward from back to front with a slippery-slope undulation - making it one of the more frustrating greens to conquer. Of course, this all depends on your putting ability.

There are six, par 4 holes - each of them offering a different type of challenge. A favorite of many, the fifth hole has an elevated men's tee. Women who are playing socially and not as part of a league, may prefer to hit from the "top" as it offers no relief to a woman to play from the lower ladies' tee. From the ladies' tee one is immediately faced with an upward climb and a long bunker on the right side of the fairway which ends short of the crest of the hill. This hole is nice and straight, though, with a wide fairway and large green situated 336 yards from the men's tee. There are a couple of bunkers at the green which may or may not come into play. This is a hole where a decent golfer can "drive" the green and even at a par 4, is not that difficult to play.

A troublesome par 4, the thirteenth hole is not for the faint of heart. This 278 yard hole is flanked by a waste bunker running along the length of the fairway and bordered by trees. Land in it and you fight your way out having to rise up above the crest and get through the trees to, hopefully, land on the green - which is elevated with a strong slope. Gravity can be a friend or an enemy on this green, depending on where you land. Play this green high. Just prior to reaching the green which takes a left turn, there is a large hazard (at times this is a water hazard, at other times it is dry). It is one of the most frustrating yet enjoyable holes. When played well, there is that feeling of accomplishment that keeps you coming back.

Not to be outdone by the par 4's there are a couple of par 3's which can also test the "metal" of many a player. A favorite par 3 is the "Signature" ninth hole. This picturesque water hole has a little bit of everything. The men's tee is 148 yards and well elevated above the fairway. The green is large, elongated and slopes nicely upward with a large trap on either side. The left side bunker can be tricky and a less experienced sand player may "pop" out only to end up in the opposite trap. The ladies' tee is at ground level and gives a nice advantage distance wise-as long as you don't tense in front of water. Keep your cool and this is a nice little par...or maybe a birdie hole.

The eleventh hole has an optical illusion to it which causes a player to line up in such a way that all balls go right. The "feel" of your stance says you are correctly positioned but, in fact, you need to readjust ever so slightly toward the left. Too much to the left and you may end up on the next tee. This is a very pretty hole which slopes downward for 171 yards. A large, shallow bunker on the left side usually does not create much of a stir. The green is large and forgiving.

The par 3, twelfth hole which should be one of the easiest club-wise at 119 yards, can give players a run for their money. This has a sand trap which is not so affectionately called the whale by some......a deep bunker which projects a large "hump" and sits just left of center of the green. Land well into the bunker and getting up and over is a test!

Another tricky par 3 is the 135 yard fifteenth hole. The tee is elevated high above a green which exhibits an ever so subtle gravity effect but to which the ball responds. Play to the right side and you should head toward the hole. Go over the green and you are in the thick of the woods.

The more proficient golfer may find Heatherwood Golf course to be the choice for polishing their short game and offers enough of a challenge on the more difficult holes to peak their interest. Better women players may play from the men's tees to vary the routine and level of challenge. The course also offers the newer golfer an advantage in that the atmosphere is less intimidating than some of the longer, more difficult courses, and a round is usually about 4 hours.

The pro shop staff is congenial and, although small, the shop offers a selection of clothing, shoes, clubs and accessories. Lessons are available through professional staff members.

A snack bar and restaurant attached to the pro shop opens early in-season to serve the early-bird golfer their coffee or a full breakfast. There is also a snack cart which roams the course, and a snack stand at the 9th hole, along with lavatories for that much needed break on the turn.

This is a great little golf course - underrated by some. Heatherwood Golf offers both a challenging and forgiving round of golf. Come try us out!

Note: For our residential community members, there are special discounts on greens' fees at both Heatherwood Golf Club and Pine Hills Country Club-PGA Course

1737 Veterans Highway • PO Box 9008 • Islandia NY 11749 • Phone: 631-234-1600 • Fax: 631-234-1056

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