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August is National Golf Month, and there’s no better place to celebrate than the ultimate golf destination of Long Island.
Long Island has served as the host destination for 23+ professional golf championships - from the first ever US Open golf championships held in 1896 at Shinnecock Hills to the 2021 North Trust Open and 2019 PGA Championship held at Bethpage Black, and now the upcoming Ryder Cup in 2025 solidifying the region as one of the most desirable golf meccas in the world.
With its rich golfing history and world-class courses, Long Island is the place to be when it comes to booking your next tee-time, no matter if you’re an aspiring pro or an amateur. Our team put together some top courses, simulators, and more, as the ultimate Long Island golf guide.
Insider Tip: Scroll to the bottom to learn more about several upcoming golf events on Long Island where you can watch the pros compete!
Bethpage State Park Golf Course
Located in Farmingdale, Bethpage State Park is a golfing haven featuring five public 18-hole courses, including Bethpage Blue, Green, Red, Yellow, and the famous Bethpage Black. Designed by A.W. Tillinghast, this course is known for its challenging play and has hosted major events like the 2019 PGA Championship. It’s a must-play for those looking to experience top-tier golf. Bethpage Black is the site of the upcoming Ryder Cup in 2025, where Team USA will be hoping to avenge a defeat at the hands of Europe in Rome in 2023.
Spy Ring Golf Club
The Spy Ring Golf Club just opened nearly a year ago in the fall of 2023. It is a modern 9-hole course with resort-style amenities. It was designed for fast and neat gameplay. The grounds were originally an executive-length course known as Heatherwood Golf Club, part of the Long Island public-golf scene for over 50 years. Located in Setauket on historic grounds, it was named to honor the town’s own Culper Spy Ring of patriots who secretly helped turn the tide of the Revolutionary War.
Sunken Meadow State Park
Sunken Meadow in Kings Park offers three courses designed by Alfred Tull in the 1960s, blending seamlessly with the natural landscape. The hilly woodlands provide a relaxing and unique golfing environment, ideal for a leisurely round. The courses can be played as either 9 or 18 holes.
Montauk Downs Golf Course
Credit: Jeremy Garretson
Montauk is typically known for its great seafood, surfing scene, and walkable beach town, but there is also the Montauk Downs Golf Course! The course was designed by Robert Trent Jones and offers a unique beachfront game experience. With its ever-changing wind conditions, it presents a fresh challenge to golfers every time you visit. And, unlike other places in Montauk, the course is open year-round.
The Woods at Cherry Creek
In Riverhead, The Woods at Cherry Creek is one of the best options for a round of East End Long Island golf. It is a par 71 consisting of rolling tree lined fairways, winding doglegs and seven holes overlooking beautifully sculptured ponds. It is considered one of the most challenging and diverse Long Island courses, so if you’re looking for a challenge with some scenery, take your swing at The Woods.
X-Golf
For a rainy day or those just looking to stay indoors, X-Golf in Commack or Westbury offers cutting-edge golf simulators where you can play famous courses from around the world with unparalleled accuracy and realism through a combination of camera systems, infrared lasers, impact sensors, and advanced gaming software. With a full bay-side bar and food menu, you can fuel up before you start swinging or toast a good game with a beer.
Birdies Indoor Golf and Cocktail Bar
Right in the heart of Patchogue, the golf-themed sports bar, Birdies, is the perfect place to unwind after a round of golf, catch up on your favorite game on the big screen, or bring your clubs and use a simulator. Their food menu is affordable and crowd-pleasing, and the golf-themed cocktails are sure to be a hit. On weekend nights, Birdies joins the rest of Downtown Patchogue with a nightlife scene.
Check out a full list of Long Island’s golf courses here.
The Future of the Long Island Golf Scene:
2025: Ryder Cup to take place on Long Island for the first time at Bethpage Black
For the very first time, the largest and most prestigious international golf competition in the world, the Ryder Cup, will be played on Long Island at the iconic Black Course at Bethpage State Park in September 2025. While Bethpage Black has set the stage for many championships including the 2021 North Trust Open and 2019 PGA Championship, The Ryder Cup solidifies Bethpage Black as one of the most desirable courses across the globe. Unprecedented global demand for the event is expected. In preparation of the historic event to come in 2025, park of the Black Course underwent an offseason renovation this year, to reshape the mounding between the first tee and 18th green allowing a new open line of sight for future spectators sitting in the Ryder Cup grandstands.
2026: U.S. Open Golf Championship to Return to Shinnecock Hills
Just eight years after hosting the 2018 U.S. Open Golf Championship, Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton will stage the championship for the sixth time in June 2026. U.S. Opens at Shinnecock Hills have yielded memorable competitions and champions like Raymond Floyd and Retief Goosen and always provides a perfect event for those looking to pair world-class golf with a world-class weekend in the Hamptons.
2036: U.S. Open AND U.S. Women's Open to be Held at Shinnecock Hills
Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, in Southampton, N.Y., has been chosen by the USGA to host both the 136th U.S. Open and the 91st U.S. Women’s Open, with the championships taking place in consecutive weeks in 2036. This will be the first time that Shinnecock Hills Golf Club hosts the U.S. Women’s Open and the seventh time the club will host the U.S. Open.
