Lido Beach Golf Course

The Lido Beach Golf Course is unlike any golf course I’ve ever played. It starts as a tight, parkland course, plays at times as a windswept links course and finishes with target golf that will you remind you of Florida or the southeast.
In order to be successful, you have to get off to a hot start, particularly on the front nine. The course starts with a par 5 that’s reachable in two with a good drive and followed by three short par 4’s that are pretty easy to score on. The par-​3 5^th next to the channel could be a signature hole elsewhere, but requires a near-​bailout right as the prevailing wind blows tee shots toward the channel just left of the hole. The following tee shot is blind over water and requires safe placement. Closing the front-​9 is a narrow par 5 575 yard monster into the (usually howling) prevailing wind with a screen right and driving range to the left. Reaching the green in regulation is a near impossibility and the chance of losing a ball is quite high.
The back-​9 is much more demanding, open and memorable. Like the front, starting well is critical with two moderate par-4’s and a par 5 reachable in two with the stiff wind now behind you, but there is out-​of-​bounds down the entire right side if you’re not careful. The par-​4 13^th is long and runs with the channel down the right side, an appealing target for the wind. Be careful with your approach shot as missing right just off the green can hit the down slope and get wet. The following 14^th is short, but the fairway is only about 20 yards wide with water on BOTH sides. 15 is a par 3 requiring an accurate long-​iron into a crosswind. The 16^th, a relatively short par 5 may be deserving of it’s own review. It starts with a drive over water onto an island fairway requiring many decisions. A long, straight drive will go into the water. Laying up too short requires either a difficult, long carry or an embarrassingly short layup to clear the water. Your second shot requires a long carry that’s nearly impossible to hit the green with water on all sides. The best move is to tee off with a wood to the left, setting up a blind layup and get there in three. In short, bring lots of balls and pray. If your ball isn’t wet on 16, good luck on 17^th with a nearly 200 yard with a forced carry into a wind blowing into your face and toward the hazard. A bail-​out right short of the green may be the best play. 18 mercifully doesn’t have too much trouble, but is one of the longest par-4’s on the course.
Don’t expect top notch amenities. There’s a range that practically goes into the middle of the course (resulting in more lost balls on surrounding holes due to the confusion) where you can practice irons off of mats. They do have separate putting and chipping greens however. The course is pretty well kept, but the rough and bunkers can be unpredictable — some will say golf should be this way. The greens roll nicely with plenty of breaks (many have vicious pin placements), but can be slow and variable in speed.
Because of all of the water and wind, bring plenty of balls and expect a 5 hour round. $ 70 to play on a weekend with a cart and advanced reservation if not a resident.

I have been playing here for 3 summers now and the reviews above are accurate. This course needs some love from a team that cares.
I usually play Twighlight rounds because I do not see value in paying full wack at a course where management cannot get it right to run a rake through the bunkers once a day.
I’ve been here at least 20 times and am treated like I’ve never been here every time. If your season is short then shouldn’t you make an effort with every guest to make them want to come back.
Expect a 5 hour round and for no one to care once you’ve paid up and left the clubhouse.

Quick review of my round yesterday at Lido. I have played the course a number of times, but not in about two years or more. We had a threesome, and we were all driving. A friend got us a 7am tee time thru Golf Now at a cost of only $ 50, cart included. For NY golf, that’s a huge bargain. The course, on the other hand, left a lot to be desired yesterday.
First off, we check in and head to our carts. Not a real starter, just someone there asking what time we have, which was second off the tee anyway. The guy proceeds to load my clubs on my cart. Not a problem, I can afford to throw him a few dollars, just didn’t seem necessary at a public course in Long Beach, Long Island. This was not Pebble Beach, no need for formalities unless you’re looking to hustle a few bucks on an early Sunday morning I guess. Again, not a problem. Same thing heading out. I’m on an important call with my wife, and the guy is standing there semi cleaning my irons. Threw him a few bucks but, again, not necessary here at a public muni on Long Island.
The course was in bad, bad shape. I know we’re right next to the water, and seagulls are abounding, but can you have your grounds crew at least make an effort for those first off the tee to clean the seagull poop, which was everywhere, including the greens. Am I supposed to use my $ 300 putter to swipe aside crap so I have a path to putt on? Very weak. I know it’s early in the season, and nature is nature, but if you are taking early morning tee times, have the courtesy of having a semi clean course. I know it’s impossible to have all the fairways clean, but the greens? Really? I’ve played Marine Park recently, which was in good shape and a links course itself. Bethpage, of course, was pristine, as was the tiny Kissena Park. My local course, Forest Park, I’m sure was OK, if not way overpriced.
I will not be back here this year, maybe give it another shot in a few years. For real links golf, I’ll stick to St. Andrews or Troon, thank you, which, as you can imagine, would never have conditions like it was here yesterday.

It has been a few years since I tee’ed it up at Lido Beach Golf Course. The setting is really eye captivating as a few holes play along the Atlantic and there fore seems to always make the top 10 public courses in the NYC. My guess is that Lido Beach Golf Course receives this distinction due to the picturesque and panoramic views and the surrounding area, certainly not the pace of play.
For some reason an 18 hole round has always taken 5 hours to play and in some cases a half an hour longer.
The course is never in the presitine condition that it rightly deserves, as fairways need ore maintenance from dealing with grass disease and some areas that do not get enough watering.
Not ab overly demanding course as to length, measuring 6,868 yards with a par of 71. Be aware of the migrating Canadian geese during the end of summer weeks.
A must play at least once a year