The Town of North Hempstead's golf course, Harbor Links, opened for the 1999 season on Friday, April 9. Most Mondays are already booked for golf outings with the first scheduled for April sponsored by the Manhasset Baseball League.

We visited Harbor Links on March 31, a beautiful breezy spring day and the course appeared to be in beautiful condition. According to North Hempstead Parks and Recreation Commissioner Gerard Olsen, the greens were blanketed over the winter season and they already are a brilliant green. Commissioner Olsen said that the course was closed last Nov. 22 even though there were two or three weeks of good weather still to come. The greens were double cut, top dressed, seeded and blanketed. The result is now evident--greens in perfect condition. The course is managed and operated by Arnold Palmer Golf Management under the direction of general manager Matt Ehrie. Arnold Palmer Golf Management was founded by Palmer in 1984 and acquires, leases, franchises and manages quality golf facilities worldwide.

According to Mr. Ehrie, other work that was done in the off season was the installation of Belgian block curbing in areas where the wear from golf carts is the heaviest. Several "waste bunkers" were also built, with sand and decorative rocks adding to the beauty of the course. According to Craig Scheidler, the course superintendent, the waste bunkers were installed where "a lot of people shot out of bounds."

Ongoing projects include the construction of steps made of railroad ties where the approach to tees is especially steep (we heard references to "mountain goats" last season). A second rain shelter has been built between the eighth green and the ninth tee. Mr. Scheidler said that more landscaping is being done this spring, including the planting of Japanese blood grass, an ornamental grass that grows to 24 inches in height and is blood red in color. These grasses will be planted at the 150' markers. He added that four or five thousand plants of beach grass have been planted to prevent erosion.

Harbor Links has hired Kale, the course Border Collie, to manage Canada geese on the property, keeping them out of the way of golf carts, golfers and golf balls. She is a specially trained dog that gently chases geese away without causing any harm to wildlife. She won't bark, chase golf balls or otherwise disturb golfers.

As was mentioned when the course opened last year, Harbor Links is a member of the Audubon Signature Program. Based on the environmental framework provided by Audubon International, a member must design and implement a Natural Resource Management Plan for the property by addressing the issues of wildlife conservation and habitat enhancement; water quality monitoring and management; integrated pest management; water conservation, energy efficiency and waste management. Harbor Links has installed 150 bird boxes and several osprey platforms and is hoping for avian visitors this spring.

This year golfers will have the option of playing the nine-hole executive-styled course. When the championship course is filled with an outing or a tournament, golfers wishing to play at Harbor Links can still be accommodated at this par-31 course. The executive course is a walking golf course. While carts will be required during weekends on the championship course, this will not be the case on the executive course where walking will be allowed at all times. New this year is the Hub/Club House Building at the nine-hole course, where, in addition to rest rooms, a snack bar will be located.

The driving range, which has been open all winter, was fully occupied the day of our visit. By August the driving range stalls will be lighted and enclosed. Also by next fall, Harbor Links will have a miniature golf course on the premises and four athletic fields are soon to be completed.