Grover Cleveland Golf Course

The Grover Cleveland Golf Course is a historic golf course located in Buffalo, New York that hosted the 1912 U.S. Open[1] that was founded as The Country Club of Buffalo.[2] It is one of two courses owned by Erie County.[3]

Grover Cleveland Golf Course
Grover Cleveland Golf Course is located in New York
Grover Cleveland Golf Course
TypeCounty Park
Location3781 Main St, Buffalo, New York 14226
Coordinates42°57′40″N 78°48′33″W

Course

The golf course is located at 3781 Main Street. The 18-hole course is 5,621 yards (5,140 m) (from the back tees) and is a par 69.[4] It has a course rating of 65.5 and a slope rating of 102.[3]

History

The course was founded as The Country Club of Buffalo on February 11, 1889, and was originally located at the intersection of Elmwood Avenue and Nottingham Terrace, near the present-day Delaware Park and SUNY–Buffalo State College. After purchasing the 1823 Samuel Schenck House, which included the Old Stone House, farm and orchard at 3781 Main St, they moved from their site on Elmwood Ave.[5] The CCB built the original club house, polo field, archery field, tennis courts and lastly the 18 hole golf course. Noted architect E.B. Green designed the first clubhouse, which opened in August 1889.[5]

In 1899, the club relocated to make way for the 1901 Pan-American Exposition. The clubhouse became the Women's Center during the Pan-American Exposition. The club acquired land at the intersection of Main Street at Bailey Avenue at the City of Buffalo’s border with the Town of Amherst. The club began construction of a golf course at that time and constructed a clubhouse on the site in 1901. George Cary, who also designed the landmarked Buffalo History Museum, designed the clubhouse. The 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, and a polo field were completed in 1902. In 1910, A.L. Pfitzner, a pilot from Curtiss, made the first airplane flight in Western New York from the club's grounds. In 1910 and 1911, Walter J. Travis renovated the course in anticipation of attracting a major golf tournament.[6]

In 1912, the course hosted the 1912 U.S. Open,[7] won by the defending champion, 20-year-old John J. McDermott, Jr.,[8] still the youngest-ever champion and the first American to win the title.[9] McDermott won the tournament with a score of 283.[1][10]

Sale

In 1922, the Country Club of Buffalo began acquiring new property, and in 1925, the existing course was sold to the City of Buffalo for $800,000. In 1926, the club completed its relocation to its present location in the Town of Amherst at 250 Youngs Road in Williamsville, New York.[2][11]

When the club moved to its present location in Amherst, the existing site was renamed Grover Cleveland Park to honor the former Mayor of Buffalo, Governor of New York, and President of the United States.[12] It was at this time, that the Main St. property was rezoned from being part of Amherst, NY to becoming part of Buffalo, NY.[2]

The present course has hosted the U.S. Women's Amateur in 1931, the Curtis Cup in 1950, the Carling Cup Matches in 1960, and the National Junior Girls Championship in 1962.[2]

Country Club of Buffalo

The transported Country Club of Buffalo, located in the Town of Amherst is a 6,600-yard (6,040 m) (from the back tees), par 72 Donald J. Ross, ASGCA designed golf course also opened in 1926. The course rating is 71.8 and it has a slope rating of 127 on Bent grass. Timothy P. Minahan, CCM manages the course as the general manager. The clubhouse, which overlooks the eighteenth green, was designed by Duane Lyman and opened in 1927.[6]

References
  1. "M'DERMOTT WINS OPEN GOLF TITLE; Atlantic City Professional Repeats Last Year's Performance -- Travis Finishes Tenth". The New York Times. 3 August 1912. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  2. Mancini, Tara (14 October 2016). "The Story of the Buffalo Golf Club". Buffalo Rising. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  3. "Grover Cleveland Golf Course". www2.erie.gov. Erie County Parks, Recreation and Forestry. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  4. LaChiusa, Chuck. "Schenck House". buffaloah.com. Buffalo Architecture and History. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  5. Buffalo, Country Club of. "Home - Country Club of Buffalo". www.ccofbuffalo.org. Country Club of Buffalo. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  6. Staff Writer at Buffalo Rising (4 April 2017). "McDermott's mid-iron Mashie, used to win the 18th US Open in Buffalo, goes up for auction". Buffalo Rising. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  7. Barkow, Al (2000). The Golden Era of Golf: How America Rose to Dominate the Old Scots Game. MacMillan. p. 24. ISBN 9780312252380. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  8. Donnelley, Paul (2010). Firsts, Lasts & Onlys of Golf: Presenting the most amazing golf facts from the last 500 years. Octopus Books. p. 1910. ISBN 9780600622550. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  9. "MASKED GOLFER CHALLENGES; Britisher Will Play McDermott, "Pro" Champion, for $1,000 a Side". The New York Times. 8 November 1912. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  10. "PUBLIC LINKS FIELD BEGINS TO GATHER; William Serrick of New York Equals Par in Practice Round at Buffalo". The New York Times. 2 August 1926. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  11. "CITY GOLFERS AWAIT START OF PLAY TODAY; Ford of New York, With 71, Tops Those Who Practice at Buffalo for Qualifying Round". The New York Times. 3 August 1926. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
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