The course is kept in pristine condition, exceptional for a public course. Oyster Bay was one of the first municipal courses in the country to require spikeless golf shoes, and going spikeless has helped the course stay in such good shape. Today, more than half of all Long Island golf courses are spikeless. The front nine is very tight and demands accuracy, with undulating greens and changes in elevation. The back nine widens out and lengthens considerably.
Water is also in play on four of the final nine holes.
It certainly poses a challenge as far as accuracy goes on the front nine, and length on the back nine. From the championship tees, the par-70 course measures 6,376 yards. Although it's a relatively new course, Oyster Bay looks as if it has been around for years because it is located on the site of the old Bruce Estate. The grounds feature hundreds of specimen trees and plants, including dogwoods, azaleas, mountain laurels and rhododendrons. The clubhouse and Christo's Restaurant are located in the large mansion at the heart of the former estate.