it’s a new decade for golf in...
TRANSCRIPT
By Rick Zurak, Golf EditorNow that the Calendar reads
2010, a new decade of golf isunderway. The past decade wasbolstered by a number of newfairway features.
An area that had no newcourses for over a decade andthen saw six new courses,Arrowhead, The Links at IvyRidge, The Buffalo TournamentClub, Diamond Hawk, HarvestHill and Gothic Hill come at usin just three years. Throw inJohn Daly’s creation ofThundering Waters and theamazing Grand Niagara Club,just over the border, and it wasan avalanche of new golf unlikeany other time in this area.
There was this guynamed Tiger thatbrought many peopleto pick up a club for thefirst in their lives. Youmight not admit it nowdue to the unveiling ofrecent escapades, butTigers influence on thegame, especially withjuniors golfers, wasunprecedented. Askany golf courseowner/operator andthey would admit to allbecoming multi-mil-lionaires if a “Tiger-type” player came tothe game every year.
And there were thegolf companies such asTaylorMade, Nike andCallaway that createdsome of the wackiestlooking golf clubs inthe history of the game.You name it, from put-ters with two and threeballs on them, to square
and triangular shaped driversthat looked more like geometriccontraptions that somethingyou would use to hit a ball, toirons with huge gaps on theback or bands rapped aroundthe bottom of the club. Andthen there is, of course, thegreatest invention in irons ever,the hybrids. Easily the mostpopular clubs of the 2000s.They have revolutionized thegame to the point that they are25 percent of the club marketand still growing. I think I saidit about eight years ago, but ifyou STILL don’t have a hybridin your bag, you are givingstrokes away, especially if youare a senior who has unfortu-
nately seen his or her dis-tance fade with age.
So here we go with the2010 season and what’s new.Unfortunately there are nonew golf courses to reporton, but many of the localshave made changes. Some ofthose changes may seemtrivial to you, but are gargan-tuan to the courses. Changesthat have been planned foryears have finally come tofruition and some changesthat were just thought of lastweek are now in place.
We start with the LPGA inRochester. It is no longer theWegman’s Rochester LPGA.Starting in 2010 it is one of
the four majorson the LPGATour. What usedto be theM c D o n a l d ’ sL P G AChampionship inMaryland is nowthe LPGAChampionshippresented byW e g m a n ’ s .Locust HillCountry Club inPittsford is stillthe location, butthe best of thebest will now behere to try andwin a major.
Look for Americans PaulaCreamer, Natalie Gulbis andMichelle Wie to take on theworld June 24-27. Just for therecord, it sure would be nice tosee Rochester’s very ownDanielle Downey, three-timeNYS Amateur Champion andformer Auburn University starraising that trophy Sundayafternoon. Go Danielle!
As for the courses, we beginwith The Links at Ivy Ridge inAkron. It’s “the closest thing wehave to a real Scottish linkscourse,” as one player called it.2010 marks the first year thecourse opens with a full drivingrange. A little warm up cannever hurt before you go out
and enjoy one of the premiercourses in the Buffalo area. Thedrive up from Main Street willalso get you in the mood as itnow looks much like the coursewith the mounding and heatherto greet you right away. You’llalso be able to enjoy some greatgreen fees in April at $30 week-days and $35 weekends. Betteryet, it’s only $25 after 2pm. ForMay through the summer takeadvantage of the after 2:30 spe-cial of $35 seven days a week.Carts are always included.
A course similar to Ivy butdown the road in the Rochestersuburb of Victor is Ravenwood.This course has hosted two
It’s A New Decade For Golf in WNY
Picturesque view of hole No. 10 from the clubhouse with hole No. 1 in the backgroundat The Links at Ivy Ridge.
Beechwood Golf & Country Club in Niagara Falls, Ontario is celebrating its 50thAnniversary in 2010. continued on page 8
By Pam BorgesTrying to survive and thrive
during the economic downturnand questionable economy in2010, golf equipment compa-nies are ambitiously attemptingto revitalize the market withnew materials and technology.Industry newcomers arelaunching their inventions andhoping to lure golfers, instruc-tors, and outlets to buytheir products. Featuredhere is a sampling of someof the industry’s innova-tive new products debut-ing at the 2010 PGAMerchandise Show.
DriversCobra S2 ($299)
www.cobragolf.comThe Cobra S2 is a driv-
er for all golfers lookingfor forgiveness andsuperior distance withball flight optimiza-tion. The all-titaniumclubhead features a 9-point face technology –a thin rhombus faceinsert engineered tomaximize energy trans-fer and increase ballspeed. Theadjustable flightt e c h n o l o g y(AFT) offersthree club-f a c e - a n g l es e t t i n g s(neutral, open,closed) allow-ing golfers tooptimize trajec-tory forincreased dis-tance and producestraighter ball flightfor improved accuracy.
Cobra S2 Offset design:($249)
Offers maximum draw bias(anti-slice), promoting a squareface at impact for longer, moreconsistent drives. Does nothave AFT technology.
Player Comments: “Sleek,black, sexy driver – looks andhits like a stealth bomber.”“Ladies model stands out fromthe crowd with its attractive,brilliant blue clubhead”“Lightweight, balanced, stablefeel.” “Directional misses areminimal and distance penaltiesare minor.” “Vastly improvedsound over previous Cobradrivers.”
Cobra ZL ($349)Cobra Brand Ambassador,
Ian Poulter captured his secondwin with the new ZL Driver.
The ZL Driver is engineeredfor maximum distance. The ZL(Zero Limits) offers all the tech-nology of the S2 in addition toadvanced multi-material con-struction – the carbon fibercrown and sole, titanium bodyand face, along with the swingweight screw, provide optimalCG, MOI and spin characteris-tics for high launch, maximumdistance and more control.
Player Comments: “Solidand stable impact.” “Possiblythe highest average ball flight ofthe “Tour” driver category.” “Alot of straight power.” “Itsounds so pure even miss-hitssound good.”
Tour Edge Exotics XCG-3($349) www.touredge.com
Tour Edge guarantees theExotics XCG-3 driver to hitlonger than your current driver.The ingenious design combinesan aerospace titanium body andface, tungsten sole weights, anda strong, lighter carbon crown
joined by a weld-free brazingtechnique to create more pureenergy transfer for longer morepowerful drives. The X-contourdesigned clubface technologygenerates faster launch speedfrom all areasof the face,a largers w e e t
spot,and less varia-
tion between center and off-center hits. The lighter, thinnercrown allows more weight to bepositioned in the sole creatingthe lowest, deepest CG of anyExotics driver. The result is ahigher MOI, less club headtwisting and score-saving for-giveness.
Player Comments: “This is abomber…clean profile witheffortless power.” “Better-than-average distance on misses.”“Swings that should have pro-duced a hook didn’t.”
PuttersHeavy Putter – Light Weight
Series ($119.95)www.boccierigolf.com
The Heavy Putter has a 75percent higher balance pointthan conventional putters,which leads to a more consis-tent release through impact. Itclaims to eliminate excessivehand/wrist action, promoting asmoother stroke, more solidcontact and better distance con-trol. The new Lite-WeightSeries is the lightest in theHeavy Putter family of putters,but still incorporates thepatented back weighting sys-tem. It is still about 25 percentheavier than a conventionalputter. Featuring a total weightof 600 grams – a 375-gramhead plus grip-weighted shaft –it comes in six distinct modelsand satin or black PVD finish.
Player Comments: “You canfeel engagement of the heftyarm muscles.” “You can feel itsweight locking my hands inplace.” “It’s almost impossible
to turn your right hand overand yank it.”
Ringer ($299) www.rollmas-tergolf.com
The Ringer claims to be “Theonly putter in the world thatlets you hear your good putts!”A “ring” sound at impact inte-grates the auditory senses to
improve consistency and effec-tiveness of a golfer’s stroke. TheRinger offers the world’s first“Electric Discharge Machining”strike face machined into thestainless steel putter head. Thisprocess produces over 30,000protuberant dimples that pro-vide a flat, non-slippery surface,which in turn producesstraighter putts as it “grips” theball at impact. The “AcousticChamber” behind the strike-face accents the “ring” soundat impact when sweet spot ishit. The 400 grams of clubhead and 125 grams ofcounter-balancing weightat the top help to produce asmoother, more consistentstroke.
Player Comments:“Nice steadier weight—more control.” “No skid-ding—let’s the ball rollright away.” “Forces youto use your shoulders fora smoother stroke.”“The only putter whereyou can hear the sweetspot.”
Training AidsAzimuth Golf
System –A golf lessonin a bag ($36.95)
www.AzimuthGolf.comVoted among the top 3
“New Products” at the 2010PGA Merchandise Show.
The key to good golf isgood alignment. The
Azimuth Golf System teachesthe mind and body how toachieve correct alignment. Thecore of the Azimuth GolfSystem is the patented PuttingLane, which aligns the golfer’seyes and mind to see square.The entire system is designed tohelp the golfer achieve betterresults by aligning themselvescorrectly to their intended tar-get and then focusing in ononly that which is in theirperipheral vision. The AzimuthGolf System includes thePutting Lane, four vinyl align-ment discs, an instructionalDVD and cotton carry bag.Using their alignment tools,this product claims to improvealignment and “make you a bet-ter putter, improve your chip-ping and show you the propertakeaway on your full swing.”
Pivot Pro ($89.99)www.PivotPro.net
Winner of the Best “NewProduct” Award at the PGA FallExpo.
Pivot Pro is the “World’s No.1 Pivot Training Aid.” The pivotis the engine that drives the golfswing. Pivot Pro helps golferspivot properly by forcing themto correctly position their hipsand legs. It helps players staycentered and leveled behind theball through impact and aids inproper footwork for a well-bal-anced finish. The Pivot Proforces the golfer to keep hisweight on the left side (forright-handed golfers) for prop-er loading and to prevent sway-ing.
GripIt Rite ($19.95)www.gripitrite.com
It is said that 90 percent ofamateur golfers do not have a
correct grip. GripIt Rite claimsto check, correct and reinforce aprofessional grip that will leadto longer, straighter shots. TheGripIt Rite product is a one-piece unit that snaps onto yourclub’s grip, forcing correct fin-ger and hand placement.Attached is a dial alignmentindicator that allows alignmentwith club face to either set upfor a neutral grip position for astraight shot, or it allows you toset up for a draw or fade. This isa great product that comes in avariety of colors, sizes and handpreferences. The recently addedGripIt Rite Jr. teaches kids theproper grip from the start!
Bags, Accessories,Gadgets
Eazy Bag ($199.95)www.eazygolfbag.com
The Eazy Bag is a golf bagspecifically designed forwomen, seniors and others whofind it difficult to remove theirclubs from the traditional cartbag. The Eazy Bag has wheelson the base and a convenienthandle for pushing, allowinglimited “lifting or carrying” ofthe bag. It features a unique U-shaped front opening for easyclub removal with no lifting ofclubs over the bag edge. Aunique club lock system keepsclubs in place – every club tohave its proper place, allowingimmediate identification of theclub you want, and it limits anybanging of clubs while cart ismoving. Other features includea zippered, clear vinyl raincover for easy access to clubswithout exposing the otherclubs to the rain. There are
ample pocketsfor personalitems andfour ball/teeh o l d e r s ,which areattached to thefront bag exterior.
Bionic Performance SeriesGlove ($29.95) www.bionic-gloves.com
The most sophisticated gloveever designed for golfers, theBionic Performance Seriesglove is a mirror image of thenatural three-dimensionalshape of the hand. Each glovefeatures the 3-D Bionic technol-ogy and has 44 unique anatom-ical features which include: Thetriple-row finger-grip system –each finger has three multi-lay-ered zones on the palm sidemade of terrycloth and leather,which absorb moisture andhelp the glove conform to thehand shape for a more comfort-able, relaxed grip. Leather isremoved in the elongated sur-round flexion zones – wherethe natural creases occur in thefinger and palm – and replacedwith Lycra, which stretches andbreathes, enhancing comfortand flexibility to promote alighter grip. The mid-axis lon-gitudinal seam placement hasbeen moved to reduce resist-ance during hand closure whengripping the club, which helpsfight hand fatigue. The BionicPerformance Glove offers cross-ventilation with its 26 Lycravent windows, which makes itone of the most flexible, breath-able leather golf gloves on themarket.
Spotless Swing ($19.95)www.SpotlessSwing.com
Spotless Swing is three golf
t o w e l sin one – a one-
tool solution to clean golfclubs, club grooves and alsokeep hands and face clean. Itfeatures two remarkable fabrics.The outside portion keeps yourhands, face, gloves and gripsclean and dry. It is made ofdurable microfiber fabric,which is six times moreabsorbent than cotton, hidesdirt and remains dry afterrepeated use. The new and pro-prietary MicroBrush fabric onthe inside traps debris fromdirty, muddy, wet clubs andcleans club grooves effortlesslyfor optimal club performance.Spotless Swing features a handycarabineer that attaches it to thegolf bag. It can hang with theopening at the top or bottom,whichever is more convenientif you are riding or walking.
Epoch-S3 Performance Teewww.evolvegolf.com
Epoch Performance Tee –Winner of the “ComprehensiveGolf Tee Test by GolfTest USAbased on appearance, ease of use,durability and eco-friendly com-position.
Claimed to be “The No.1Performance Golf Tee on Tour,”the Epoch is the only sustain-able tee with radius posts thatspan the width of a golf balldimple. This unique featurecreates the lowest coefficient offriction of any tee, eliminating
New products to lure the golfer in 2010
continued on page 8
Niagara Academy ofSports was found-ed in 2010 andhas operated as
Niagara Academy of Tennissince 1997. It has attractedstudents from around theworld who come to this inde-pendent school for high per-formance training in tennisand golf and for excellence in
education. Niagara Academyis a Ministry of Educationinspected private high schooland has had 100 percent suc-cess in placing every gradu-ate in an athlete scholarshipprogram in universities inthe United States andCanada.
Students who attend theNiagara Academy of Sportsgolf program will be located
at thea c a d e -m i e s
Eagle Valley Golf Club cam-pus in Niagara FallsOntario. Students willreceive the same level of aca-demics as well as elite levelgolf training, and be athleti-cally managed for universitysport scholarship opportuni-ties. They will be preparedfor the SAT scholarshipentrance examinations andwill receive recruiting assis-tance through CollegeProspects ofAmerica. Additional tutor-
ing, course selection andcareer and guidance counsel-ing will be available to stu-dents throughout the term.
The greater focus of theAcademy is on the process oflearning how toimprove. The skill of identi-
fying your weaknesses andworking to improve are tal-ents that will lead to successwith and beyond the game ofgolf.
If you are interested inattending and would likemore information on this pri-
vate golf high school pleasecontact Adam Christie atEagle Valley Golf ClubNiagara Falls, Canada, 905-374-2110 or by e-mail [email protected]. Orvisit website www.golfeagle-valley.com
Eagle Valley offers more than just golf,
Course location Phone Daily/Weekend rate
Cattaraugus CountyBirch Run Allegheny (9) 716-373-3113 $25/28 inc cartCardinal Hills Randolph 716-358-5409 $30/35 inc cartElkdale Salamanca 716-945-5553 $44/54Holiday Valley Ellicottville 716-699-2345 $49/59 inc cartIschua Valley Franklinville (9 ) 716-676-3630 $11/12St. Bonaventure Allegheny (9) 716-372-7692 $12/15Turkey Run Freedom (9 ) 716-492-2888 $12/12Water Way Hills Hinsdale 716-372-9144 30/30 inc cart
Chautauqua CountyBemus Point GC Bemus Point(9 ) 716-386-2893 $10/12Cassadaga Lakes Cassadaga (9 ) 716-595-3003 $11/12Chautauqua GC Chautauqua 716-357-6211 $55/65 inc cartHillview GC, Fredonia 716-679-4571 $20*/20*Peek’n Peak Upper Course Findlay Lake 716-355-4141 $99/119 inc cartPeek’n Peak Lower Course Findlay Lake 716-355-4141 $49/59 inc cartRose Brook Irving 716-934-2825 $30*/35* inc cartSouth Hills Jamestown 716-487-1471 $20/22Sugar Hill GC(9 exec.) Westfield 716-326-4653 $13/15
The Vineyards Golf Course Fredonia 716-672-7888 10/10Tri-County Forestville 716-965-9723 $45/50 inc cart
Erie CountyArrowhead Akron 716-542-4653 44/62 inc cartAudubon Amherst 716-631-7139 $13r,23nr/13r,23nrAudubon Par 3 Amherst 716-631-7124 $5r,8nr/5r,8nrBeaver Island Grand Island 716-773-4668 $45/49 inc cartBob-O-Links Orchard Park (par-3) 716-662-4311 $13/16Bright Meadows Akron (18 holes) 716-542-4653 $22/22 inc cartBrighton Tonawanda 716-695-2580 $16r;25nr/19r;29nrBuffalo Tournament Club Lancaster 716-681-4653 $33/42 inc cartCazenovia Buffalo (9 holes) 716-825-9811 $10/12Concord Crest East Concord 716-592-7636 $29/29 inc cartDande Farms Akron 716-542-2027 $35/39 inc cartDelaware Buffalo 716-835-2533 $13/16Diamond Hawk Cheektowaga 716-651-0700 39/59 inc cartEden Valley Eden 716-337-2190 $25/26 inc cartElma Meadows Elma 716-652-5475 $18/21Evergreen Amherst (9 holes) 716-688-6204 $10/13Glen Oak Amherst 716-688-5454 $42/52 inc cartGrandview Angola (9 holes) 716-549-4930 $11/13Greenwood Clarence (9 holes) 716-741-3395 $10/12Grover Cleveland Buffalo 716-836-7398 $16/18Hamburg Hamburg 716-648-4410 $16r;23nr/17r;23nrHarris Hill (9 holes, par 3) Bowmansville 716-684-4653 $10/10Harvest Hill Orchard Park 716-662-1980 39/59 inc cartHolland Hills Holland 716-537-2345 $36/36 inc cart Kis-n-Greens Alden 716-937-4741 $28/32 inc cartThe Links at Ivy Ridge Akron 716-542-6342 $45/55 inc cartOakwood (9) Amherst 716-689-1421 $6r,12nr/6r,12nrPine Meadows Clarence (9 holes) 716-741-3970 $11*/13*Rolling Hills(9 holes, par 3) Chaffee 716-496-5016 $10/10Rothland Akron 716-542-4325 $22.50 $28/38 inc cartSheridan Tonawanda 716-875-1811 $16r;25nr/19r, 29nrSouth Park Buffalo (9 holes) 716-825-9504 $10/12South Shore Hamburg 716-649-6674 $25/33
Public Golf Courses in and around
Western New York
MAY 2010 SPORTS & LEISURE MAGAZINE
Course location Phone Daily/Weekend rate
Genesee CountyBethany Hills(Exec. length, par 69) Bethany 585-591-2763 $15/15Batavia CC Batavia 585-343-7600 $25/30 inc cartChestnut Hill CC Alden 585-547-9699 $30/40 inc cartDavis Countryside Meadows Pavilion 585-584-8390 $23/27 inc cartLeRoy Country Club 585-768-7330 $26/31 inc cartTerry Hills Batavia 800-825-8633 $37/44 inc cart
Livingston CountyBrae Burn Dansville (9 ) 585-335-8840 $15/16 inc cartCaledonia Caledonia 585-538-9956 $26 (mon/tues)
inc cart/lunchConesus Conesus 585-346-2100 $27/33 inc cartFairview Golf Course Avon (585) 226-8210 $23.50/29.50 inc cartLima (Charleston Pines) Lima 585-624-1490 $32/37.50 inc cartLima (Island Oaks) Lima 585-624-1490 $32.50/37.50 inc cartLivingston Geneseo 585-243-4430 38/40 inc cartOld Hickory Livonia 585-346-2450 $30/32 inc cartSonyea (formerly Keshequa) Mount Morris (9) 585-658-4545 $13/14 inc cartTriple Creek Nunda 585-468-2116 $23/28 inc cartWoodland Hills Nunda 585-468-5010 $20/25 inc cart
Monroe CountyBraemar Spencerport 585-352-5360 $20/25 inc cartBrockport Brockport 585-638-6486 $37/50 inc cartButtonwood18 hole (par 3) Spencerport 585-352-4720 $13/13Chili Scottsville 585-889-9325 $30/32 inc cartChurchville Churchville 585-293-0680 $30/31 inc cartCragie Brae Scottsville 585-889-1440 $25/29 inc cartDeerfield Brockport 585-392-8080 $29/38 inc cartDurand-Eastman Irondequoit 585-266-0110 $30/31 inc cartEagle Vale Perinton 585-377-5200 $44/49 inc cartExecutive South 9 holes (par 3) Henrietta 585-334-1300 $8/10Genesee Valley Rochester 585-424-2920 $30/31 inc cartIsland Valley Fairport (9 holes) 585-586-1300 $11/12Lake Shore Greece 585-663-0300 $36/36 inc cartLatta Lea (Par 3, 9 holes) Greece 585-663-9440 $8.50/8.50Mill Creek Churchville 585-889-4110 $39/49 inc cartMill Creek Short Course 585-889-0739 10/10Perinton Perinton 585-223-7651 CALLPinewood Spencerport (9 ) 585-352-5314 $12/12Riverton Henrietta (9) 585-334-6196 $20/22Salmon Creek Spencerport 585-352-4300 $34/38 inc cartShadow Lake Penfield 585-385-2010 $40/45 inc cartShadow Pines Penfield 585-385-8550 $40/45 inc cartShadow LakeExecutive 9 Penfield 585-385-2010 $13/13Shore Acres Executive (9) Greece 585-621-1030 $10/12Southern Meadows (9) Rush 585-533-2440 $10/11St. John Fisher Rochester (9 ) 585-385-8458 $10/11Twin Hills Spencerport 585-352-4800 $30/40 inc cartWebster East Webster 585-265-1920 $41/49 inc. cartWebster West Webster 585-265-1920 $30/34 inc cart Wildwood Rush 585-334-5860 $42/45 inc cartWoodcliff Golf Course Fairport (9) 585-248-4880 $15/18
Niagara CountyDeerwood N. Tonawanda 716-695-8525 $14r;26nr/14;26nrGothic Hill Lockport (9) 716-438-5477 $10/10.50Hyde Park Niagara Falls (18) 716-297-2067 $16r;18nr/18r;21nrNewfane Pro-Am (9 holes, par 3) Newfane 716-778-8302 $10/11Niagara County Lockport 716-439-7954 $28/31 inc cartNiagara-Orleans Middleport 716-735-9000 $30/34 inc cartOak Run Lockport 716-434-8851 $34/36 inc cartShawnee Wheatfield (9) 716-731-5177 $13/13Willowbrook Lockport 716-434-0111 $26/31
SPORTS & LEISURE MAGAZINE May 2010
Course location Phone Daily/Weekend rate
Ontario CountyBig Oak Geneva 315-789-9419 $25/28 inc cartBristol Harbour Cananadaigua 585-396-2200 $54/69 inc cartCenterpointe Canandaigua 585-924-5346 $30/40 inc cartOzzie’s Corner Golf Course Hamlin 585-964-5440 $ CALLParkview Fairways East Bloomfield 585-657-7539 $ CALLRavenwood Victor 585-924-5100 $53/63Reservoir Creek Naples 585-374-8010 $42/47 inc. cartVictor Hills Victor 585-924-3480 $23/27Victor Hills Executive 9 holes (Par 3) Victor 585-924-3480 $10/10Winged Pheasant (27 holes) Farmington 585-289-8846 $25/32 inc cartWinding Creek Executive (9 ) Victor 585-924-0280 $8*/10*
Orleans CountyHarbour Pointe Waterport 585-682-3922 $22/25 inc cartHickory Ridge Holly 585-638-4653 $24/28 inc cartRicci Meadows Albion 585-682-3280 $20/20 inc cartWhite Birch Lyndonville (Par 3) 585-765-2630 $7/8
Seneca CountySilver Creek Waterloo 315-539-8076 $25/30 inc cart
Wayne CountyCrooked Pines Macedon 315-986-4455 $25/30 inc cartErie Falcon Newark (18 tees) 315-331-2370 23/26 inc cartGreystone Walworth 315-524-0022 $52/59 inc cartPort Bay Golf Course Wolcott 315-594-8295 $29/29 inc cartSodus Bay Heights Sodus 315-483-6777 $47/52 inc cartTaranwould Newark 315-331-9128 $28/32 inc cartWayne Hills Lyons 315-946-6944 $34/45 inc. cart
Wyoming CountyArchie’s Chip & Putt (11 hole, Par-3) Java 585-457-9505 $12/12Byrncliff Varysburg 585-535-7300 $39/47 inc cartIronwood Cowlesville 585-805-0350 $33/37 inc cartQuiet Times Attica (par 62) 585-591-1747 $15/15Rolling Acres Pike 585-567-8557 $27/29 inc cart
Yates CountyLakeside Penn Yan 315-536-7252 $59/66 inc cart
MAY 2010 SPORTS & LEISURE MAGAZINE
Canadian Public Golf Courses
Course location Phone Daily/Weekend rate (Can.$)Beechwood Niagara Falls 866-883-3633 $49/59 inc cartEagle Valley GC (Par 63) Niagara Falls 905-374-2110 $24/24Emerald Pines (formerly Coyote Golf & CC) Port Colborne 905-835-2234 $25/25Fort Erie Golf Club Fort Erie 905-991-8883 $20/25 inc cartGrand Niagara Resort Niagara Falls 905-384-4653 $99/110 inc cartInternational Stevensville 905-382-2000 $30/40 inc cartLegends on the Niagara (Ussher’s Creek) N. Falls 866-465-3642 $85/105 inc cart/taxLegends on the Niagara (Battlefield) N. Falls 866-465-3642 $85/105 inc cart/taxLinks of Niagara Niagara Falls 800-790-0912 $54/64 inc cartLochNess Links Welland 905-714-4659 $70/70 inc cartNiagara GC (9 holes) Niag.-on-the-Lake 905-468-3424 $27/32Niagara Falls GC Niagara Falls 905-358-5846 $40/43Oakland Niagara Falls 905-295-6643 $25/30Peninsula Lakes Fonthill 905-892-8844 $75/85Queenston Queenston (9) 905-262-4528 $13/14.50BillRio Vista Fort Erie (9) 905-871-0921 $13/13Rockway Glen GC St. Catharines 877-762-5929 $59/69 inc cartRolling Meadows Niagara Falls 905-384-9894 $42/55 inc cartRoyal Niagara Niag.-on-the-Lake 866-ROYAL-18 $55/70St. David’s (9 holes) Niag.-on-the-Lake 905-262-4522 $13/14.50Thundering Waters GC Niagara Falls 905-357-6000 $71.99/89.99 inc cartWhirlpool GC Niagara Falls 905-356-1140 $75/95 inc cart/taxWhiskey Run Port Colborne 905-835-6864 $35/35
SPORTS & LEISURE MAGAZINE May 2010
Due to space constraints, complete pricing information for each golfcourse could not be printed. Several courses offer season passes,senior and youth discounts and variable pricing throughout the day,week and weekend.Weekday fees are listed in front of the slash (/), followed by weekendand holiday rates. Some weekend prices are for Friday, Saturday, andSunday and Holidays, while others are for Saturday and Sunday only.Fees which include carts are denoted by “inc. cart.” An asterisk (*)denotes 2009 prices, as not all golf courses are yet open for the sea-son and could not be reached for their updated pricing information.Resident prices are indicated with an “r,” and most require an IDcard. Non-resident prices are indicated by “nr.” Prices for 9-holecourses are for 9 holes only, but some courses offer discounted ratesfor completing the course twice. All prices for Canadian golf coursesare in Canadian funds (Can).
New York State Opens in thepast few years, but don’t beintimidated. With five sets oftees it is a “friendly, fair, andenjoyable course,” that accord-ing to General Manager MikeRoeder. “And it’s affordable”says Mike. “You can go to ourwebsite, Ravenwoodgolf.com,plug in the rate you want to payand we’ll let you know whenthat rate is available. It’s kind oflike priceline for golf.” If youhave a tournament, outing, orwedding you are planning,Ravenwood has a new glassed-in, 225 seat banquet facility thatoverlooks the golf course. It’s apretty view from the room, butit’s far prettier when you are outplaying one of WNY’s best lay-outs. There are 68 newly reno-vated bunkers to negotiate atRavenwood, but they just addto the thrill of playing thecourse. If you are looking for agreat deal try Rochester’s “fabu-lous foursome” of Ravenwood,Mill Creek, Greystone andBristol Harbour Resort for just$189, that, as well some greatgolf school information is avail-able at the website,Ravenwoodgolf.com.
Another course that hasrefurbished all of its bunkers isHoliday Valley. Best known asthe “Vail of the East” when itcomes to snow skiing, TheBlack Diamond Course, as it isnow known, has gone througha ton of changes lately. If youhaven’t been there in a coupleof years you won’t recognizemany of the holes. One througheight have remained fairly intact, but they now have a signa-ture par three in No. 9. Thetenth hole is the former num-ber twelve, which is now eight-
een. The eleventhhole used to playdownhill, but is
now uphill and number seven-teen. You get the picture. PGAMaster Professional SteveCarney is in charge of golf atHoliday Valley and under hisguidance the complex hasmade more improvements thanin the past ten years combined.
Across the border in NiagaraFalls, Ontario is Beechwood.This former war site of the1800’s presents a battle againstpar that is quite enjoyable fea-turing a great layout and someof the best greens you will everplay. What’s more, 2010 marksBeechwood’s 50th anniversaryin the golf business. OwnerBrian Antonsen, a die-hardNotre Dame fan, has had theluck of the Irish working forhim in developing Beechwoodinto one of Niagara Canada’sbest places to play and enjoyyourself after golf. As for thecourse, Beechwood is great forall levels of play, but thisSeptember will host the NiagaraRegion Champion ofChampions tournament. Thisprestigious amateur event start-ed in 1951 and features the clubchampions (men, women, sen-iors and juniors) from theentire Niagara Peninsula. Theywill enjoy Beechwood’s newlyremodeled banquet room andoutdoor patio as well as fournew championship tees entend-ing those holes another fortyyards each. You’ll have a hardtime finding a better bar thanthe one at Beechwood. With anaccent on golf and Notre Dame,it’s a fine place to have a “NuttyIrishman,” Irish coffee, or aGuinness. After all, the onlything better than Beechwood’s18 holes, is it’s 19th hole!
In Holly, NY you will find
Hickory Ridge. Catering to sen-iors with great green fees it isonly natural that they haveadded new senior tees on allholes. Within the last couple ofyears Hickory Ridge became anRV Park as well. So, if you are asenior, that likes to RV, thatlikes to golf, that likes the sen-ior tees, that likes low greenfees and a friendly place to play,go to Albion, NY and just fivemiles to the east you will findsenior heaven... Hickory Ridge.
Here are some more new tid-bits from area courses for 2010.Lochness Links (formerlyHunter’s Pointe) in Welland isturning private, but for thisyear you can still play the only“true” links course in the areawith a five day advance teetime. Glen Oak, the excellentRobert Trent Joes designedcourse in East Amherst hasbeen moving some rocks. You’llsee them along the banks of thetenth tee. Not only are they anadded addition to the pictur-esque layout, but they will stopsome of the erosion caused bythe creek waters. Glen Oak stilloffers one the areas best dealswith $36 green fees weekdaysbefore 9am. Birch Run inAllegany has a new owner inDanny Kaye. Part of the famousKaye family in WNY (therewere four, maybe five Kayes asPGA professionals at one timein the past decade), Danny wel-comes you to come enjoy hisnew course. Rothland GolfCourse in Akron, part of the“54 Flags” group withArrowhead and BrightMeadows has completelyremodeled their club house. Ifyou like beer, you will likeIronwood even more. TheWyoming County course nowhas a club house featuringlunch specials, hot dogs and...
you guessed it, beer! DelawarePark in the center of the city ofBuffalo has moved the pro shopto the lodge and added theLunch Box Cafe off the 18thgreen. Cazenovia Park in SouthBuffalo now has a meetingplace with an awning and tablesand chairs by the golf house.Wayne Hills, one of the bestcourses in the Rochester area, ishosting the NYS SeniorAmateur in September. BraeBurn in Dansville has a newgreen on the 4th hole and newtee boxes on No.9. Oak Run inLockport promises smootherriding on the golf course with anew fleet of 40 golf carts. If yougo there, be sure and say hi toOwner Joe O’Shaunessey, one
of the real good guys of golf inWNY. The Vineyards inChautauqua County is new for2010; formerly the back nine ofHillview Golf Club in Fredonia.They also have new carts andwelcome you to take advantageof their $10 green fees whenyou decide it’s a good day for awalk. And Eagle Valley inNiagara Falls, Ontario, an exec-utive 18 hole course, also fea-tures the Niagara Academy ofSports. Golf and Tennis schoolsare available with young playersfrom all over the world gettingsome excellent instruction.Checking their website, golfea-glevalley.com. Looks like play-ers of all ages will enjoy a pret-ty little golf course.
So there you have it. Justsome of “What’s New” for theupcoming decade of the golf inthis area. Now all you have todo is get out and enjoy 2010,the start of a new decade, andthe first golf holes of the rest ofyour life!
Rick Zurak is the host of theWNY Golf Report TV Show,Tuesdays at 6:30 on Time WarnerCh. 20 and Director of the NYState Junior Golf Tour (halfprice-golf.com). He also owns RickZurak’s Golf Warehouse, Transitand Genesee in Lancaster, NYand invites you to come by forFREE lessons, Mon-Fri from5pm-8pm. That’s right, FREE.
WNY golf from page 1
deflection at impactand increasing ballspeed and control.The new Epoch-S3features the sameinnovative anddurable design asthe original Epochin addition to incor-porating the compa-ny’s groundbreakingSweet Spot System,a proprietary inter-net application.Markings on the tee stem takethe guesswork out of consis-tently teeing up at the properheight by aligning the ballwith the driver’s “sweet spot”,assuring optimum distance onevery drive. To select the rightmark for insertion depth, visitwww.evolvegolf.com/settingsto find the custom tee heightsetting for your driver model.
Various new cosmeticoptions are now available forthe Vireo-S3 line, whichinclude a more traditional teecup design, vibrant colors or a“natural” finish, and they aremade from a combination ofrenewable and recycled mate-rials – sustainable and moredurable than wood tees.
Tin Cup ($17.95) www.tin-
cup.comWinner of the best
“New Product” awardat the 2010 PGAMerchandise Show.
Tin Cup is aunique personal ballimprinting systemthat gives golfers theability to make theirown personal markon their golf ball so asto easily identify theirball during play. The
100 percent stainless steelshell fits over a golf ball, allow-ing a golfer to mark his ballwith a customized templateand a permanent ink pen.Choose one of the whimsicaldesigns offered by the compa-ny or customize your own and“make your mark”!
Golf equipment from page 2