Marine Park Golf Course: Polishing the Robert Trent Jones Gem
Marine Park Golf Course has always won praise for its country club greens. These days visitors to the Robert Trent Jones gem at the end of Flatbush Avenue are playing their rounds in country club type times – completing 18 holes in under 4 ½ hours!
During two recent weekday rounds (one in mid-morning the other in early afternoon) our foursome completed each of our rounds in just over 4 hours. “Let’s face it, nobody wants to be on a golf course for 6 hours,” says Dominick Logozzo of East Coast Golf operators of Marine Park.
Part of the improvement to longer headways between foursomes. While most public courses try to push groups out as fast as possible, (in some places as little as 7 minutes apart) the headways are 10 minutes at Marine Park.
Along with the 10 minute headways tee time reservation times honored. If you have a 9:30 tee-time (barring frost and other weather delays) Logozzo promises to get you out there for at your reserved time. “Our reservation system doesn’t allow for a 9 o’clock and a 9 o’clock a, 9 o’clock b, and 9 o’clock. And we don’t squeeze people in between groups,” he says.
Other improvements to the golf course itself are also helping to speed up play and making for a more enjoyable round.
Since taking over operations at Marine Park last year East Coast Golf, with the approval of the Parks Dept., cut down more than 200 trees and removed much of the overgrown vegetation. Golf is played so much faster when you can find those wayward golf balls. A Border collie and series of wooden silhouetted wolves have thus far successfully reduced the geese population and the mess they leave behind.
And then there are those greens. For all their reputation and good looks the greens at Marine Park were sickly under the surface.
“Actually the greens were very weak and there was a great deal of thatch. (Course Superintendent) Ryan (Volger) has done a great job,” says Logozzo. “Along with a lot of repair and restoration, we aerated them four times last year. It was tough. They’re still not where we want them but they’re coming around and are much healthier. They’re rolling well, and they’re rolling faster,” says Logozzo.
In addition, the clubhouse has been remodeled with new larger bathrooms; and both the pro shop and snack bar have been expanded. The practice green has been moved to the area between the clubhouse and the 18th green; and a pitching green has been installed between the clubhouse and the 10th tee. An “irons only” practice range is also under construction and Logozzo hopes to have it in operation by mid-summer.
East Coast Golf has also brought in the golf course design team of Steven Kay (The Architects Golf Club The Links at Unionvale ) and Douglas Smith to make other more substantial improvements. “They are going to redesign all the par 3’s which right now can all be hit with the same club and swing,” says Logozzo.
New bunkers and tee boxes as well as championship tees will be introduced lengthening what is already the longest golf course in the city to 7,200 yards.
“The response to what we’ve done has been nothing but positive. There’s a sense of excitement to see the changes taking place. Everyone who comes out tells us they’re totally in love with it,” says Logozzo.
“We are only in the middle of a three year plan. When its fully executed and we take in the design changes, the distance, the wind all on a course designed by perhaps the greatest designer of a generation Robert Trent Jones, this is going to be the best golf course in the city.”
And no one can doubt his commitment.
Not long after East Coast Golf signed a 20 year contract to operate Marine Park an audit by City Controller Bill Thompson discovered Logozzo’s father had loaned money to an alleged member of the Colombo crime family, and the city terminated the contract.
In March, Logozzo and East Coast Golf who claim they have been falsely accused have filed suit against the city to hold on to the golf course. Because of the litigation Logozzo cannot comment on the case or certain other aspects concerning the current and future operation of the course.
He has however collected signatures from hundreds of golfers on a petition urging the city to allow East Coast Golf to remain.
wow i just played the course and i see now improvements. i couldnt tell wether my ball was in the rough or the fairway because everything was completely torn up. only good part of the course was the greens and even they were sub par. go to dyker and have more fun playing a better course.
Comment by miguelito — October 6, 2007 @ 3:15 pm
I’m taking my wife to NYC for her 40th B’day next year. Sounds like I should bring my clubs as well, although I don’t think she would ever forgive me!
Comment by Paul — November 8, 2007 @ 3:47 pm
That last comment was c… New management did great job on course that already had great
‘bones’ and was far superior to Dyker. Rather than dinky little par 4’s like Dyker’s 1st,
2nd, 5th etc, this one is a ‘grown up’ course with great sloping greens and usually a
good wind blowing to add to the challenge. It’s a good thing for single handicappers like me
the Dyker people have their head in the sand and don’t come over and slow up the play.
Comment by Anthony Faulkner — November 23, 2007 @ 9:26 pm
I’M SORRY TO SEE EAST COAST GOLF LEAVE THE PREMISES.I THOUGHT WE FINALLY HAD PEOPLE WHO WERE GOING TO DO THE RIGHT THING. TAKE THE COURSE TO ITS POTENTIAL.BUT I’M NOT SORRY TO HEAR AMERICAN GOLF IS TAKING OVER THIS YEAR (I HOPE THAT BECOMES PERMINENT).IT WILL BE NICE TO SEE GOLF ETIQUETTE SOMETHING THAT COURSE NEVER HAD.MOTOR CARTS GOING EVERY WHICH WAY ,BUT THE CORRECT WAY.DRIVING ON THE GREENS OR JUST AT THE EDGE.
TO THE FIRST COMMENTATOR : THIS WAS THE FIRST YEAR THERE WAS DEFINITION IN FAIRWAYS AND ROUGH I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU WERE LOOKING AT
THERE WAS A COMMENT ABOUT THE SEVEN MINUTE SOREAD ON TEE TIMES TEN IS SUFFICIENT YOUR WRONG I WAS A STARTER THERE FOR EAST COAST GOLF THEIR FIRST YEAR.IT WAS THE DILLY DALLYING ON THE SECOND AND THIRD HOLES THAT HELD UP PLAY.PLEASE DON’T GET ME STARTED ON SLOW PLAY .
Comment by EDWARD DURHAM — December 13, 2007 @ 3:44 pm
I’m taking my wife to NYC for her 40th B’day next year. Sounds like I should bring my clubs as well, although I don’t think she would ever forgive me!
Comment by Paul — November 8, 2007
Paul,
Yes, bring your clubs! Do not miss VanCortlandt Park Golf Course in the Bronx. There are great golf courses to play all over New York City.
Comment by BCGolf — December 14, 2007 @ 10:24 am
Does anyone know the current status of Marine Park?
Comment by BCGolf — December 14, 2007 @ 10:42 am
BCGOLF
I UNDERSTAND AMERICAN GOLF IS GOING TO TAKE OVER AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR TEMPORARILY AND THEN IT WILL BE RE-BID .PERSONALLY I HPOE AMERICAN GOLF ENDS UP WITH IT. I’M SICK OF PEOPLE ABUSSING THAT
PLACE
IF ANY BODY IS INTERESTED THE SEA GULLS ARE CHEWING UP THE GREENS TO GET TO THE GRUBS
Comment by EDWARD DURHAM — December 28, 2007 @ 9:16 am
MARINE PARK GOLF COURSE LOOKS LIKE A BIRD SANCTUARY.I PASSED BY THE OTHER DAY AND I THOUGHT THEY WERE FILMING A REMAKE OF THE BIRDS (ALFRED HITCHCOCK). 10th GREEN LOOKS LIKE A BATTLE ZONE . I’M SURE THE OTHER GREENS ARE THE SAME . SEA GULLS LIKE TO RIP THE GRASS UP TO GET TO THE GRUBS . THEN THERES THE GEESE FESIS . HERE WE GO MARINE PARK AGAIN PEOPLE STICK IT TO YOU. SOME DAY THIS COURSE WILL BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET ITS POTENTIAL I ONLY HOPE I’M AROUND TO SEE IT . I’VE BEEN WAITING SINCE 1964
Comment by EDWARD DURHAM — January 5, 2008 @ 6:21 am
MARINE PARK IS STARTING TO SHAPE UP LOOKS LIKE WE’LL HAVE GOLF THERE PRETTY SOON (I HOPE THE MILD WEATHER HOLDS UP).IF YOU GO TO AMERICAN GOLF WEB PAGE YOU CAN CLICK ON TO MARINE PARK .THEY WILL SHOW WHEN IT WILL BE OPENING . AND WATCH FOR THE TEMPORARY SIGNS TO COME DOWN ON FLATBUSH AVE.
Comment by EDWARD DURHAM — February 6, 2008 @ 5:12 am
thanks Edward for the updates. Have been playing Forest Park waiting for Marine Park to reopen. It would be a shame if the seagulls continue to rip up the greens. hopefully we’ll b playing there before too long.
Comment by steve taylor — February 9, 2008 @ 12:28 am
CLEAN UP YOUR GEAR AND GET READY TO PLAY GOLF
2/14/2008 I WAS AT THE GOLF COURSE TODAY AND THEY ARE OFFICIALLY OPENED .THEY SEEM LIKE THEY ARE ON TOP OF THE SITUATION . I FEEL CONFIDENT WE ARE FINALLY GOING TO SEE A GREAT GOLF COURSE (I’VE BEEN WAITING SINCE 1964 PLEASE GOLF GODS LET THEM BE THE RIGHT GROUP). I WANT TO WISH MIKE THE BEST OF LUCK. HE IS THE THE NEW MANAGER
Comment by EDWARD DURHAM — February 14, 2008 @ 3:56 pm