Long Island was blessed with perfect weather on Memorial Day Weekend, and while thousands headed east to ring in the summer on Hamptons and Montauk beaches, plenty of folks gathered their playing partners and instead made their way to an Island golf course.
On Sunday afternoon, I took a ride to Medford for the first time since the Mill Pond Golf Course reconfigured its 18 wind-swept holes. The new opening hole — formerly #10, and a member of Golfing Magazine's 2009 Dream Golf Club — tees off directly behind the clubhouse from one of the course's highest points. Despite a heavy turnout under a blue, nearly cloudless sky, the round got off on time and waits between holes were minimal at worst thanks to Mill Pond's ever-present on-course staff.
After the turn, however, the new 10th (a par-3, formerly #8) was the site of something rarely seen this far east into Suffolk — the buzzkill of a three-group backup. I asked the ranger if this was a product of the new hole alignment, where the route from the ninth green (old #18) to the clubhouse and back out to #10 tee is rather circuitous. He assured us that this delay was the first of its kind, and that it had nothing to do with the layout — instead, the cause was a combination of high volume and a series of slow groups on the back nine.
As a consolation, the staff offered us the opportunity to replay the wide-open front nine. With only slight improvement upon our first go-around, we finished up on the back side in under two hours.
Along the way I made sure to take in the view from Mill Pond's high points — the tees at #10 and #11, and #18 green. All combine to form one of the most pleasant golf-course settings on the Island. Throw in the helpful staff and the great grill, and Mill Pond remains one of the area's most enjoyable golf destinations.
Unrelated to the day on the greens, the old nine-hole layout east of the current back nine is being developed for upscale adult housing.
Mill Pond is located at 300 Mill Road in Medford. For a complete overview, check out the course flyover.
[Pictured above: The approach to the fifth green, formerly #14 — photo taken November 2008]