Islanders are part of LI's golf fabric

Among the first to call James Wisniewski after he was traded to the Islanders July 30 was his best friend, a golf club pro in their Minnesota town. The defenseman recalls his buddy's first words: "Oh my God, do you know where you're going? It's a golfer's paradise."

That was just fine with Wisniewski, a plus-1 handicap who was playing golf before he took up hockey. He is among the newest links, so to speak, between the Islanders and Long Island golf. Since the team was established in 1972, players, coaches and executives have joined some of the better area clubs, played at others and visited yet others in charity events such as the New York Islanders Children's Foundation Outing at Bethpage Red Monday.

An Islander was in each foursome in the fundraiser for the fund that supports health, education and youth hockey ventures. "Any questions a casual fan has, they can fire away for 18 holes," said coach Scott Gordon, who plays in it every year. This time, the golf lasted only about six holes before rain chased everyone off the course. Still, it was considered a success. Ann Rina, the team's community relations manager, said the fans took it in stride, saying they got a chance to spend more time with the entire team at an extended post-round reception.

Time is just about up on golf season for most Islanders, what with the season opening Saturday. So who's the leader in the clubhouse? Teammates still love Rick DiPietro's fluid swing, but they're really impressed with Wisniewski's length off the tee and his all-around game.

"It's a good release from hockey," Wisniewski said after practice Friday, while the Ryder Cup was on the locker room TV. "It's a mental game, you challenge yourself. It's just you against the course. It's something that I just really enjoy and that I've been doing for a long time."

His mother played four years of varsity high school golf for the boys team. She introduced him to the game when he was three and he developed without formal lessons. Being a plus-1 means, essentially, that if he is playing a 13 handicap, he has to give 14 strokes. In his first look at Sebonack Golf Club, Wisniewski shot 78 from the back tees, unfazed by the sweeping, sloping greens that he heard were running at 14 on the Stimpmeter.

"I loved it, I thought it was great," he said. "I'd love to play it a second time and hopefully I can shoot a little better."

He is just as hopeful of playing more classics in the "golfer's paradise."

Trent Hunter has been with the Islanders long enough to have compiled a list of favorites: Tam O'Shanter, Eisenhower Red, Bethpage Red. "I'd like to get out and play the Black," said the 6 handicap, also known for big drives. "Well, that is one of the points that determines how well I play - if I'm hitting the ball straight off the tee or scrambling."

Although veteran defenseman Mark Eaton played junior hockey for the New York Apple Core, he never has played golf on mainland Long Island. The closest he came was a round at Fishers Island Club. "It's in great shape, the views can't be beat. It's right there on the top of my list of places I've been fortunate enough to play," the 5 handicap said.

"Obviously, being a fan of golf, you see courses like Shinnecock and you hear about National [Golf Links]," said Eaton, a Stanley Cup winner with the Penguins. "Hopefully, in my stay here, I'll be fortunate enough to play on one or more of those courses."

Eaton is a firm believer that golf is natural for hockey players. "A slap shot is as close as you're going to get to a golf swing," he said. But the Islanders' current gold standard for golf is someone who never took slap shots. It is former goalie Mike Dunham, the goalies coach and son of a club pro. Dunham was an alternate for the U.S. Amateur this summer and missed by one shot of qualifying for this past week's U.S. Mid-Amateur in Bridgehampton.

"He's a boring golfer," Wisniewski said. "He always hits fairways."

For most Islanders, fairways - and bunkers and the rough - will be out of reach for a while. "Call me a fair weather golfer or whatever, but I'm a 75-degrees-and-over kind of guy," Eaton said. "During hockey season, the focus is on hockey. I don't need to go out on the golf course and strain a back muscle or something like that."