Babylon, NY

Cedar Beach DGC

Seasonal course
2.815(based on 8 reviews)
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Cedar Beach DGC reviews

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13 0
HyooMac
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 6.7 years 415 played 382 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Simple, flat, straight. It’s all about the Wind. 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 18, 2021 Played the course:once

Other Thoughts:

A short 18 hole layout with baskets set near each golf green and tees near the ball golf tees - so you're playing an "executive" length golf course with discs. The baskets are 10 year old Chainstars and the only signage is for ball golf (in yards - and to the hole, not the basket).


Public golf courses maximize traffic by eliminating things that will slow down play (no water hazards, few sand traps, simple greens on straight holes), so there isn't much to be done for disc golf. The few obvious highlights are slightly tucked-away baskets on #3 and #9, an obstructed fairway on #11, trouble tight and a few slightly raised baskets.


But even though there doesn't appear to be much challenge, every shot has to consider the effect of wind off the ocean (only a line of dunes lies between the course and the beach). If you're more than 10 feet from the basket, you have to think about how the wind is going to affect flight.

After a few holes, I noticed that Cedar's basket placements tend to have little space behind them before you're in gnarly bushes. This made for a very specific challenge: can I make the distance with a low straight shot? If not, how do I play the wind? And how do I drop the disc into C1 without getting caught in a gust and going long into the thorns?


Another challenge is timing your visit. There's a gated parking lot with a very high fee for non-residents during the summer (it's The Beach!). There is a separate dirt parking area for golf, and I understand you can drive up to the gate during the summer and explain that you're there just to play - and pay much less for "golf parking." Play off-season to avoid any fee. Gates were closed when I tried to play one weekday last winter, and there's no easy place to park nearby to walk on during the winter. I was successful on a Sunday in mid-October - gates open, no fee (and almost nobody on the course).


With the reported closure of Calverton, Long Island is back down to two courses (a crime!). Heckscher is a much better disc golf experience than Cedar Beach in almost every way, but don't count this little track out. The wind makes it sneaky challenging.

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13 0
enragedmullet
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 12.4 years 115 played 79 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Backseat to the Ballers 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 26, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

+ Baskets: In decent shape and seem to be catching well and have white poles on top that help pick them out from behind bushes

+ Navigation: No issues here, even the above average map here isn't necessary

+ Amenities: Restrooms at the club house; Benches & garbage at every tee

+ Challenge: There are some unique challenges here - from the pictures you can't tell but the main challenge here are the winds and rough (poison ivy). Out of 80+ courses this is the first time I've seen these two things come together to be THE defining characteristic of a course

Cons:

- Tees: Natural tees I don't mind, but the stone markers alluded to in other reviews can be hard to find, overgrown w/ grass, and are not in a consistent spot relative to the ball golf tees, so it becomes a bit of a scavenger hunt.

- Signage: Signs are for the ball golf course & baskets are set further afield than the golf holes so distances listed don't apply

- Elevation: Flatter than a pancake, like, Kansas-level flat. A couple holes have elevated baskets which is nice, adding the idea of some dimension to your putt a couple times.

- Variety: While you might vary a little between FH & BH, there's very little shot shaping, and little variety in distances. The place is pretty vanilla. Once you've played a couple holes you've gotten a taste for the rest of the course. Nothing here in terms of the Butter Pecan at Heckscher or the Rocky Road at Calverton.

- Mosquitoes: Bring bug spray. Just trust me on this.

- Design: Designed as a ball golf pitch-n-putt there's not much that comes across as remarkable to a DG'er. That said it plays a loop and, unless the wind takes your disc, no crossing fairways.

- Challenge/Maintenance: The aforementioned combination of wind and poison ivy, while adding a unique challenge, can become frustrating as all Hell. By themselves it'd still be interesting, maybe even fun, but put together it's a recipe for playing it safe and being happy with your bogies. As such I'd suggest beginners stay far, far away, and experienced recreational players to bring plenty of discs they don't mind losing. The poison ivy is seriously that bad. The fairways are immaculate but off-fairway there's no way to get a disc back w/o serious risk of getting hit with the stuff. It's everywhere. The rough consists of thickets of bushes and brambles that would make me think twice on a good day, but add the poison ivy that's woven itself into every nook and cranny and it's a lost cause. A disc gator is your only option, and that's if you can even find the disc from the edge of the thicket to begin with.

- P2P: Not always a con to me necessarily, but $8 for vanilla golf and the inability to retrieve any discs that go into the rough made that seem pretty pricey after the round was over.

Other Thoughts:

I'd been trying to play Cedar Beach for years. I visit Long Island semi-regularly and have played both Heckscher and Calverton on previous trips, so I was excited to finally cross Cedar Beach off my list. I may have gotten my hopes up.

Upon arrival I was reminded of a putt-putt course w/o the bells and whistles. No windmill, no clown face spitting balls back at you, but I thought it would still give me a unique time though perhaps a bit bland. Suffice it to say I was surprised how challenging it became for all the wrong reasons.

Amidst the meticulously manicured fairways, with dozens of small island rabbits hopping about doing small island rabbit things is the, 1-2 punch of constant sea winds and that omnipresent poison ivy. It's been said numerous times in numerous reviews, but it really can't be understated.

Baggers will enjoy it once for that simple thrill that comes w/ bagging but even if I lived nearby I'd hesitate to go back. The course really is for ball golf first, in its design and the fact that you're expected to yield to the ballers - one thing that also left me with a bad taste in my mouth: As I got to tee 18 I noticed I had 9 ballers at the basket for 18, all of them practicing putting. After waiting within sight of them for 15 minutes I surmised that they were basically telling me they weren't budging, so I didn't get to play that last hole. Not a big deal as it was a hole just like every other one on the course so I didn't miss much, but I was also irked by the fact that they were not only being kinda rude, but also using the basket as a purse holder (see my photo in the "Not Cool Pic" thread). My sister-in-law, being a local, was ready to go, as she put it, "all Long Island on them", but I managed to talk her down to a loud snide comment as we passed them by. Again, not a big deal as it was the same hole as the previous 17. Once you've played one or two here, you've basically played them all. Vanilla golf.

In summation, unless you're a bagger, I would definitely head to Heckscher or Calverton for DG on Long Island - they are leagues above Cedar Beach in almost every way. I'm not thrilled to give it a 1.5, but between the wind, poison ivy, yuppies, and monotony, I can't justify anything higher. Fix any one of these (not the wind of course), and we'll be getting somewhere. Get rid of poison ivy and the attitude of the locals, and then we'd really be getting somewhere. I actually liked the idea of constant wind at first because, with the short distances, it seemed like GREAT practice but it was not to be.
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2 3
Meglovin
Experience: 8.8 years 3 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Not a bad course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 21, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

I like this course because it's fairly short and I can't throw very far. Easy pars, depending on the wind. It's clear and very, very clean.
The community is great and everyone is really friendly and welcoming.

Cons:

Poison Ivy is rampant, the brush and thorns make it impossible to retrieve discs in the bushes.
You have to let ball golfers play through since you're on the same course.
It can get pretty windy.

Other Thoughts:

Paying to play is never what I want to do, but the course is so clean it is worth it.
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6 0
DGPete
Experience: 22 played 3 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Fun in the sun 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 26, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

On a nice day there is nowhere else I would rather be.

The people at the front desk are amazing. I have never had anything but a good experience dealing with any park worker, including the people at the front parking toll.

Located on a 18 hole pitch and putt ball golf course, the fairways are not just well manicured, but perfectly manicured.

Bench at and every hole, garbage cans throughout, and never too far a walk away from the facilities with bathrooms and vending machines.

Long and short tees on every whole. Every basket is a Chainstar, and as of last Sunday they all have a fresh hole sticker on them.

Good use of the land given, made some fun elevation changes with the sand dunes etc.

Easily navigated, no map needed.

This is a fun course. I prefer to play this when i'm trying to just have fun. Shorts and sandals will do just fine.

It is definitely a more beginner friendly then some other area courses.



Cons:

Poison ivy in every OB. If you are coming for a tournament and are playing seriously, I recommend long sleeves and pants. If you are coming for some relaxation and a tan, bring discs you don't mind leaving in the bushes.

Fairly short course, but sometimes that's not a con.

Elevation is a problem pretty much everywhere on the south shore of LI, but they did great with some raised baskets.

No wooded holes, everything is pretty open.

Pay to play, but its worth it for the quality of the upkeep.

Bugs can be a problem, bring spray.

Can get busy on the weekends, usually from ball golfers. You can call before you go.


Other Thoughts:

When I first played this course a few years back I hated it. I was fairly new to the sport, and couldn't really control my drives very well, and because of that I consistently ended up in the bushes.I still ended up with a low score, and tons of poison ivy, but I didn't play the course correctly. Playing with all bushes, other fairways, and sand traps as OB makes this a much more challenging.

I believe just because a course is short, doesn't mean its not a good course. I like to have a challenge, but I also like to have fun.
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1 7
demamazins
Experience: 20.3 years 91 played 6 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Pitch and Putt Disc Golf Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 20, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

You can use a putter or mid-range for each of the holes as they are laid out on a Par 3 golf course. Leave your drivers at home! Holes are between 60 - 110 yards in length. Incredibly easy.

Cons:

The course is neatly groomed, but after the grass is cut, the clippings are left instead of being bagged and hauled off. Never been to a golf course where they don't clean up the grass after cutting.

Other Thoughts:

Very easy course. Try to keep your disc low as the wind coming off of the beach may inadvertently put your disc in the bushes alongside the fairways. Wear pants and bring bug spray or fabric softener sheets to ward off the mob of mosquitoes that are awaiting your arrival.
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8 1
RamsFan1
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.5 years 91 played 91 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Mixed Emotions 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 3, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Cedar Beach is the 1st permanent disc golf course on Long Island. Set up on an existing par 3 ball golf course, it has nice fairways, signage (in yards, not feet) and is easy to navigate. Two permanent tee off areas per hole- a "short" and a "long" tee- are marked by stone pavers that are set in the ground flush with the existing fairway. All baskets work well and flags sit atop each one for easy visibility. Several raised baskets add to the challenge and make up for a lack of natural elevation. Distances at each hole are manageable for all levels of play. Benches exist at each hole. There are bathrooms, a snack pavilion on the premises and the course is right next to the beach. Very nice part of Long Island.

Cons:

Oppressive out of bounds areas on every hole. Long pants (poison ivy) and bug spray (mosquitoes galore) a must when playing here. Ever present wind is a constant source of frustration. Many holes a bit too "lefty friendly" in my opinion. Pay to play (8 bucks for the day) will turn off some players. Course will not appeal to those preferring a more technical or wooded layout.

Other Thoughts:

My rating is a reflection of the respect I have for Ernie and Neal, the course designers, who have worked tirelessly to set up this course and bring disc golf to the Island. It is not a bad course. Tremendous work has been done here, and many more revisions are planned. Truth be told, however, I was beyond frustrated playing here. A good disc golfer embraces a healthy challenge, but simply stated between the rough, the bunkers, the fairway boundaries and the spray painted lines on numerous holes there is WAY too much OB here. Couple that with the typical 25-30 mph gusts that come in off the beach and every hole is a struggle. I went out of bounds 12 TIMES here in 2 1/2 rounds of tournament golf- just completely ridiculous- and I'm a 915 rated player who plays conservatively; not pro caliber but not a weekend hacker either. I have no doubt these guys will continue to improve Cedar Beach. Relaxing some of the OB rules would be a good start.
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6 2
discgolfcrazy
Experience: 12 years 14 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

1st ever disc golf course on Long Island!!!!! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 20, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

IT IS THE FIRST EVER COURSE ON LONG ISLAND! Being only 14 and have a passion for the sport, being so close to my house is a big plus.
- The course is on the cedar beach golf course and that means that they have regular maintenance on the place. neil and ernest have put hundreds of hours into this dg course for no compensation at all . (thumbup)

- overall the course is quite short and simple, but it is great. there are great shots where you have to use fh ,bh, and oh. There is little to no elevation changes, but i could live with that. ALOT of shots actually are right turning, and me being predominantly fh, i love this course. Since the course is on a pitch and putt golf course, it may seem like a joke or its easy, but in fact it is quite difficult in the sense that there are alot of OB's and wind and the fact that there is such a range of different shots. The way the baskets are placed is really cool . at first you wont see the basket, but then you look and just barely see it and you could tell they put alot of time and effort to making this course unique.

- There are both pro tees and am tees.

- they also have rental discs and the price to play the course is 7 dollars, which considering the fact its the only course on LI, it is worht it.

-The location is awesome. you can go play dg while your spouse/mom/sibling or whoever can go to the beach and go tanning or do whatever

Cons:

POISEN IVY- it is every where, so be very careful.
Wind- because it is in such a close proximity to the beach and ocean, there is always going to be wind. whether it is alot or a little, it will always linger around.

- the tees are just the ground so every now and then i slipped but no big deal. they did their job.
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7 1
pabtheghost
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Cedar Beach Disc Golf 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 18, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Since the course is also a pitch and putt golf course, the fairways are all insanely well groomed.

The awesome guys operating and maintaining the course do trips around the course collecting lost discs, and keep them all at the building.


Cons:

-TONS of poison ivy! All of the bunkers on the course are totally filled with it, in addition to thick, thorny growth that makes it a real challenge to retrieve your disc if it lands pretty much anywhere but the fairway.

-If landing in the bunkers or OB wasnt so punishing, the holes would be fine, but its pretty much impossible to throw from anything but the fairway.

-I think the lack of elevation changes is what I'd like to change the most about the course. Its pretty much completely flat.

Other Thoughts:

The wind is about as much a factor as you would expect from being within close proximity to the ocean. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you should take a look at the location on google maps. Go on, I'll wait right here. Okay, so now that you have an idea for what the wind is like, note that its not such a bad thing. Since there is no woods component, and a rare obstacle or major dog leg, the wind is kinda nice, because it keeps things a bit more interesting.

Also, like i mentioned already, this is also a ball golf course. The tee pads for disc and ball golf are near each other, and the baskets are usually pretty close to the putting greens. Any golfers i reached usually let me play through, since i was alone and disc golf is so much quicker.

You don't need to pay to play after 5pm for now, but they will keep the window open till dark after Memorial day. If you do pay, though, you get to play as many rounds as you'd like for the day. You cannot stay after dark, as the park closes, and they lock the gates in and out of the parking lot. If they feel like writing you the ticket, its $300.

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