It was forty years ago that Richie Dolce, Brian "Beau" Hughes, Nick Cestare, and Rob Reilly started playing regularly. On Friday afternoons the four met at Bethpage for nine holes of friendly competition. Before long, friends and relatives, with whom they had competed in various sports, joined in. The early members were mostly from Rosedale and Cambria Heights. Soon co-workers from the Fire and Police Department entered. The club needed a name: Beau's Schmoes and Cestare's Nightmares were quickly rejected. That left Rob and Richie. Richie's computer skills won the day, and Rob's Lob's was discarded in favor of the Dolce Duffers.
The club’s rapid expansion and extension to 18 holes necessitated a move to Hauppauge Country Club. Although before my time, these were considered to be "The Golden Years" of Dolce Golf. After several years, in a effort to rid the course of riffraff, management changed some policies. The plan worked, as the club moved over to Commack Hills. Developers took over Commack Hills, and it became The Hamlet a semi-private course. This necessitated a move east where the Duffers would be able to continue a scramble format after their round.
