Things to Do in South Farmingdale

Practice is the foundation of golf. Without it, the game can be frustrating, eventually sending golfers' into a fragile state of agitation. Knowing how important practice is, Indian Head Golf Park's instructors and staff focus their efforts on helping golfers improve their game. At the park's well-lit driving range, staff members keep golfers well stocked with buckets of range balls to blow off steam as they aim for the ball-retriever cart. Instructor Bob Greenstein works with students during private lessons to fine-tune their swings, and he hosts junior golf camps during summer to introduce youngsters to the game.

A member-supported, nonprofit organization, the Seatuck Environmental Association works to promote the conservation of Long Island's natural environment through research and educational programs. Members regularly gather with field experts on its 70-acre marshland preserve for scheduled hikes, photography classes, and meditation sessions. The trails and boardwalks that wind through the salt marshes and upland forests also lead to the Suffolk County Environmental Center, housed in a 1917 Normandy-style chateau. Members may tour the historic mansion while admiring features such as arched doorways and diamond-cut windows that allow sunlight to filter into the garret and onto the place where its original steam-powered Nintendo would have stood. The Seatuck Environmental Association also hosts regular fundraising events such as the End of Summer Barbecue and the Bats-N-Brews fundraiser, as well as an array of educational programs for all ages.

Bayville Adventure Park stretches across land rumored to have been passed down by the pirate patriarch of the Bay family. Here, visitors can capture the Bays’ adventurous spirit by immersing themselves in adrenaline-pumping explorations. Attractions include the Mystery Funhouse, the Bungee Bounce Dome, and the Lost Temple of the Forgotten Maze, which showcases ancient artifacts such as ceremonial daggers, painted skulls, and the widely unpopular square wheel. Visitors also can attempt to scale an indoor rock wall and earn redemption prizes at the arcade, whose $500,000 worth of games include skee-ball and air hockey. To reenergize between activities, guests can stop by one of three onsite restaurants for hot dogs, pasta, or, if they’re old enough, a glass of beer or wine.

Studio Art supplies the media and the instruction for customizing everything from canvases and pottery to skateboards and sneakers. During birthday parties, afterschool programs, and camps, artists transform everyday objects into one-of-a-kind works of art. Mirrors, moccasins, and belt buckles dress up in an arsenal of paints, glitters, jewels, and trinkets according to creative whims or the demands of the preschool fashion scene. Classes hone specific skills such as sewing and fashion design, and teen night occupies adolescents with henna, beading, and scrapbooking in an informal setting.

North Star II Fishing & Charter Boat's crew has learned to analyze the weather, tides, and times of day to deduce when fish will come out of hiding. To supplement their instincts, the crew also gleans wisdom from a fish-detecting GPS radar and a local grizzly bear. The company's fiberglass-coated Northstar 2 meets the standards of the USCG's annual inspections, and can accommodate up to 100 passengers on each chartered trip. Extensive seating options, a sound system with Sirius radio, and a kitchen to prepare snacks make fishing trips comfortable as well as aquatically lucrative. The company's newest vessel, Nautic Star, fosters a more intimate brand of fish-storytelling on its 40-person capacity boat. Fluke, flounder, bass, and live eels are among the species hauled in from the deep, whether by fishing line, cast nets, or polite invitations to hop onboard.

St. James 1st Tee Fitness & Performance guides golfers through a complete golf fitness and performance program that focuses on injury prevention and swing consistency. Titleist Performance Institute-certified fitness instructors teach the principles of mobility and stability, ideals that help a player generate swing speed while correcting bad posture or a tendency to sneeze out lunch during a backswing. The instructors begin by assessing a golfer's physical health and limitations as well as their swing style, then design a fitness program to address these issues. Golf-specific stretches and exercises focus on improving balance, endurance, and pre-tap-in ribbon dances, ultimately increasing the consistency of the swing plane and improving the ability to hit the sweet spot. Rehabilitated golfers can practice their new swings on the in-house golf simulator, which provides a respite from bad weather and the expensive greens fees associated with the real versions of famous courses, such as Pebble Beach, Pinehurst, and Bethpage Black.