Newsday: LIU Post is Establishing a Women's Golf Team

4/21/2014 10:38:00 AM

Doors are opening for any promising high school golfer looking for a college, and vice versa.

On the latter score, LIU Post has established a women's golf team that will begin play in the fall. It has hired Tom Kane, one of the most successful high school coaches in Long Island golf history, to lead it.

"It's a different challenge for me, on a different level," said Kane, who coached Smithtown West's boys team for 29 years and the girls team for 18 years, winning six Suffolk championships and serving 23 years as a county chairman. He also has taught young children in Michael Hebron's golf school at Smithtown Landing.

Part of the new challenge is finding places for his new team to practice and play matches. So far, the Glen Cove Golf Club and Town of Oyster Bay course have offered to host. Kane's bigger job is to find golfers. He already has signed one, Hannah Pohalski of Our Lady of Mercy Academy, but has an otherwise open roster. He already has scheduled his first practice, Sept. 1.

On the other side, high school golfers will try to get themselves recruited during a day-long Dormie to Dorm Golf Showcase Monday at Brookville Country Club. Organized by some high school coaches, it is patterned after the combines that top football and basketball players attend. For a $200 fee, each participant will receive instruction from local pros, breakfast, lunch, five hours of play on the course, tips on the recruiting process and a chance to meet college coaches.