What Golf Courses Are Open in NY?

Nothing sours a golfer's mood faster than the weather turning and the thought of packing the clubs away for the season. If you're a New York golfer, you know the feeling all too well. This guide will walk you through exactly how to determine which New York golf courses are open at any given time of year. We'll cover the general seasons, how to find those elusive year-round gems, and what to do when you get there.

Understanding the Typical New York Golf Season

Unlike states in the Sun Belt, New York has a distinct and undeniable golf season. For the majority of the state, the window for prime golf runs from mid-April through late October. However, the exact timing is a game of geography, with the state's diverse climate creating different seasons depending on where you are.

Regional Timetables: A Tale of Two Climates

Thinking of New York as one big golf season is the first mistake. You have to break it down by region to get a realistic picture.

• Long Island, NYC, and Lower Hudson Valley: This region boasts the longest season. Thanks to the moderating influence of the Atlantic Ocean, many courses here open their doors in late March and can often stay open well into November, and sometimes even later if mother nature cooperates.
• Upstate, Central NY, and Western NY: Areas around the Adirondacks, Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo face a more condensed season. Harsh winters mean a later start, often in late April or even an early May, with a firm closing date around late October or early November before the consistent snows arrive.

Seasonal Milestones to Watch For

Instead of just guessing, you can look for key signals from the courses themselves.

The Spring Green Light

The first sign of life is usually aeration. When you see courses messaging about punching the greens, it means their maintenance crews are hard at work preparing for the season. While playing on aerated greens isn't ideal, it's a fantastic indicator that tee times are just around the corner, often within one or two weeks.

The Late Fall Countdown

Courses don’t just lock the gates overnight. You'll see signs they're winding down. This often starts with announcements of "fall rates," a reduced schedule for the pro shop and restaurant, and alerts that they will be "weather dependent" from here on out. When you see those words, you know the season is on its last legs.

The Hunt for Year-Round Golf in New York

Is "year-round golf" in New York a myth? Not entirely, but it requires a change in your expectations. A handful of courses, primarily on Long Island, will remain open throughout the winter as long as there is no snow on the ground and temperatures are above freezing. This isn't your lush, mid-summer round, it's a chance to get your fix when you're otherwise stuck indoors.

These "frost-delay" rounds are for the dedicated. You can expect dormant, firm turf and temporary greens on some days. Famous public tracks like Bethpage State Park have been known to keep a course or two open under these conditions, but it's never a guarantee. The key is that "open" means "open if playable," which can change hourly.

Your Foolproof Guide to Confirming an Open Tee Time

So, you wake up on a surprisingly mild Saturday in March or November and feel the itch. How do you find a place to play without driving to a locked gate? Follow this simple, three-step process.

Step 1: Start with Online Tee Time Aggregators

This is your first and fastest line of defense. Fire up websites or apps like GolfNow, Supreme Golf, or TeeOff.com. Plug in your location and the date you want to play. If a course has tee times available for purchase, they are planning to be open. Public county and state park websites are also great resources. For example, the official Bethpage State Park website often has a prominent front-page banner detailing which courses are open or closed for the winter.

This method filters out 90% of the closed courses immediately, saving you a ton of time.

Step 2: When in Doubt, Pick Up the Phone

Let's say an online service shows availability, but it’s been raining for two days straight or a frost is forecasted. This is where you go old school. Nothing beats calling the pro shop directly. A quick, friendly call solves all lingering doubts.

Here’s what to ask to sound like a pro who respects their time:

• "Hi there, just confirming you're open for play today?"
• "What are the path rules? Are carts allowed on the fairways or is it cart path only?" (This tells you a lot about how wet the course is).
• "Are you on temporary tees or greens at all?"

This five-minute call can save you a frustrating - and potentially muddy - afternoon. You’ll get real-time, accurate information that no website can provide.

Step 3: Leverage Social Media and Local Forums

For last-minute updates, a course's social media pages - especially Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) - are invaluable. Pro shops will often post a quick message first thing in the morning like, "Frost delay this morning! Tee times pushed back 90 minutes." or "The course came through the rain beautifully! We are open with carts on the path today."

Don't sleep on local golf communities on platforms like Reddit (e.g., r/golf) or Facebook Groups dedicated to your region. A quick post asking, "Anyone know if courses in Suffolk County are open today?" can get responses from fellow golfers who are already out there.

A Coach's Advice for Playing 'Shoulder Season' Golf

Finding an open course is only half the battle. Playing in the fringe seasons of early spring and late fall in New York requires a different mindset and strategy. Conditions are not going to be immaculate, but that doesn't mean you can't have a great time and work on your game.

1. Adjust Your Expectations

First and foremost, don't expect mid-July conditions. Fairways will be soft, dormant turf doesn't offer much roll, and the lies will be inconsistent. This is not the time to gun for your personal best score. The goal is to get out, swing the club, breathe the fresh air, and enjoy a walk. Embrace the challenge.

2. Play Winter Rules

Everyone should be playing "winter rules," or preferred lies. This universally accepted practice allows you to lift, clean, and place your ball in the fairway (typically within one scorecard's length). There's no sense in penalizing yourself for a perfect tee shot that finds a muddy lie or a patch of sparse, dormant grass. It keeps the pace of play up and makes the round much more enjoyable.

3. Know Your Cold-Weather Distances

The ball doesn't fly as far in cold, dense air. It's simple physics. As a general rule, you should plan on taking at least one extra club on your approach shots. If your 150-yard club is an 8-iron in the summer, it's a 7-iron, or even a 6-iron, on a windy 45-degree day in November. Trust this rule. Trying to swing harder to make up the difference is a recipe for mishits.

4. Dress for Success (and Comfort)

This seems obvious, but it's shocking how many golfers get it wrong. The secret islayering. A thermal base layer, a polo or mid-layer, and a wind/water-resistant outer shell give you the flexibility to adapt as the day warms up or cools down. Don't forget a warm hat and a good pair of all-weather golf gloves or even cart mitts. You can’t play well if you're shivering.

Final Thoughts

Finding an open golf course in New York, especially outside the peak season, is all about being a smart researcher. By understanding regional seasonality and using a combination of online tools, phone calls, and social media, you can almost always find a place to tee it up if you’re determined enough.

Once you’ve booked that triumphant shoulder-season tee time at a course you've never tried before, the next challenge is navigating it without a practice round. When you're standing on an unfamiliar tee box wondering about the best strategy, getting an instant second opinion can be priceless. With a tool like Caddie AI, you can get a simple, smart game plan for any hole, or just ask for a club recommendation when you're caught between a 7- and 8-iron. It helps clear the uncertainty so you can confidently focus on making a good swing, no matter the course or conditions.