Long Islanders woke up this final pre-Christmas weekend to find their holiday decorations covered with three inches of snow, a wet, sloppy reminder that the winter golf season can arrive at a moment's notice.
Many Long Island golfers put their clubs away for the year around the same time they pack up their Halloween decorations, but for a frost-hardened minority, the local golf calendar flips year-round. Sure, cold-season golf features hazards not typically encountered during the summer months — one round on a long-gone New Years Eve afternoon included an unexpected hail storm; a bitterly cold December round saw both a fortunate skip off a frozen greenfront pond and a highly unfortunate bounce off and far over a frozen green.
See also: Winter Golf on Long Island overview
But it also comes with wide-open fairways, no waits and significant discounts. And with ground conditions typically favorable until the first prolonged snow accumulation, the experience, if you get out on a warm day, can pass for a pleasant October round. There's no better time to practice on the course without pressure, introduce a newbie to on-course play or break in that new fleece you got as a Christmas present. (Winter Golfer's Holiday Tip: Use golf-store gift money on a pair of cold-weather gloves.)
As long as the weather allows, all but a handful of Long Island's public courses welcome golfers to the first tee — just as soon as the frost delay is cleared. Golf On Long Island attempts to make winter golf easy to find by posting discount rates through the offseason. At some courses, winter rates can be as low as two bucks a hole. A few throw in lunch, too. Check back for updated specials throughout the winter months.
For a full primer on offseason golf, check out the Winter Golf on Long Island page, which includes some of this season's special rates and offers from previous years.