[This flyover was updated on October 15, 2023.]
SEE ALSO:
Observations: North Woodmere Park GC (7/3/2014)
For those picking up the game either as an eager junior or as an adult looking for a new recreational outlet, the golf course at North Woodmere Park is an ideal place to start. The relaxed vibe, open fairways and a mixed bag of mid-length to long par-3s and driver-friendly par-4s let newbies test out all their clubs. Meanwhile, experienced players can work out some knots in their swing for just a few bucks more than a large bucket at the range.
Learning the game, for me, took place in the fairways and rough at North Woodmere. Though much has changed since the late '90s (motor carts and tee times are in, for example, and cash payments and two-hour wait times are out), players are still sent off to the first tee from a check-in window plastered with hand-scrawled and Word-printed notes and reminders. The par-31 has undergone a few modifications that have upped the challenge a bit (more on those in Conditions), but it remains the same place at heart — a forgiving parkland course that's welcoming and well-maintained.
Like its sister Nassau County course at Bay Park, North Woodmere is nestled deep within a residential community that you can only find if you're actively looking for it. This gives North Woodmere the feel of a neighborhood course, all the more reason to utilize it as a laid-back entry point into the sport.
LAYOUT:North Woodmere is the longest of the four County-run nine-hole courses in Nassau. Its four par-4s all measure more than 300 yards, something that can't be said for its shorter siblings at Bay Park, Christopher Morley Park and Cantiague Park. The rest are par-3s that range from 140 to 200 yards.
Sitting next to an inlet that leads out into Jamaica Bay, North Woodmere is prone to gusty winds. The first three holes are par-4s of 390, 395 and 310 yards. The opener bends to the left, and a forceful drive over the bank of left-side trees can cut off a nice chunk of yardage. Getting stuck in the trees though is a recipe for bogey. The two par-4s that follow are wide and arrow-straight.
Holes #4 and #5 are nearly identical par-3s of 177 and 167 yards. If there's a wait ahead, the marshland next to the tee at the 200-yard sixth offers the chance to practice landing short irons on the "island green" sitting out across Hook Creek Channel. The par-3 seventh looks even shorter than the 143 yards marked on the scorecard, but the slope in its green is challenging enough to steal a stroke or two if you're not careful.
After four consecutive par-3s, the 360-yard eighth hole is a relief for those itching to let loose with the driver. Even more of a relief is its generously sized fairway, which, like #1, takes a soft left turn at its midpoint. The closing hole is a 140-yard par-3 that can only hurt you if you find your way into the mix of hardened dirt and tree roots behind the green.
CONDITIONS:
For a nine-hole municipal course, the fairways and especially the greens are typically in surprisingly good shape. The players and staff at Woodmere do a better job fixing divots and repairing ball marks than those at other munis in the area. Putting surfaces are soft and smooth, and while some are flat or just slightly pitched, a few greens -- especially #7 and #8 -- feature breaks and ridges that are significant enough to keep the short game interesting. The greens at #1 and #9 also feature notable slopes that separate their high and low points.
The most significant change in the recent past has been the maintenance of the rough, especially alongside the course's par-4s. Normally the rough is kept low and playable, meaning even widely scattered shots could be found and advanced, barring obstruction from a tree or low shrub (or electric tower). But now much of the rough has been allowed to grow out into relatively penal stretches of tall grass and wildflowers. The open rough left of #2 and #3, and right of #8, plays more like a hazard. Accuracy off the tee at North Woodmere is more important than ever.
The bays and inlets that snake through southwest Nassau generate winds that never really let up at North Woodmere. Have bug spray at the ready. Keep in mind Woodmere is not for the easily distracted or the faint of heart — with its position just east of JFK Airport, the course features a never-ceasing procession of landing airplanes, best viewed from the #4 tee.
HOLE(S) TO REMEMBER:
The 1st, 2nd and 8th are the three longest holes on the four nine-hole County courses. They play in three different directions, so expect to have a helping wind on one, a headwind on another and a crosswind on the third.
AREA(S) TO AVOID:
There are usually trees and bushes around the back and sides of the greens, so missing long is usually the only way you can possibly leave yourself with an obstructed pitch, or with no shot altogether. There is nothing guarding the front of the greens, so err short.
OTHER NOTES:
There is a driving range a short walk from the clubhouse, on the opposite side of the bay. You can get there from either the course entrance or the main park entrance. Purchase tokens at the golf course before heading over.
NEARBY COURSES:
Bay Park (5 miles)
Lido Golf Club (10 miles)
SIMILAR COURSES:
Bay Park
Cantiague Park
Gull Haven
WHERE TO GRAB A BITE AND A BEER:
The course and park are surrounded by homes and marshland, but a short drive will fill your stomach. To the south, Rockaway Turnpike has you covered in the fast-food/diner department. Back in the day, when morning waits at Woodmere were long enough to allow for an extended breakfast, we'd sign in and head east for coffee and egg sandwiches at what is now Bagel Boss in Hewlett. The same strip mall features a solid pizza place called Marinara and once housed the renowned Woodro Kosher Deli, which recently moved nearby to Broadway.
CONTACT:
Branch Blvd. and Hungry Harbor Road, North Woodmere 11581
(516) 571-7814 / 7813 (wait time)
SEE ALSO:
Observations: North Woodmere Park GC (7/3/2014)
Bay Park, North Woodmere now open all week
[This post was modified on October 15, 2023.]
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