Detailed description of Grover Cleveland Golf Course
Grover Cleveland Golf Course is a Public, 18 hole golf course located in Amherst, New York.
Grover Cleveland Golf Course has an important history. The course was originally The County Club of Buffalo Golf Course. The County Club of Buffalo built a clubhouse on the site in 1901. The 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, and a polo field were added in 1902. In 1910 and 1911, Walter J. Travis renovated the course in anticipation of attracting a major golf tournament.
In 1912, The County Club of Buffalo hosted the 18th U.S. Open. The course at that time played to a par of 74 and measured 6,376 yard, including the first and only par 6 played in a U.S. Open. Twenty-year-old John McDermott successfully defended his 1911 U.S. Open title with a two-stroke victory over Tom McNamara.
The County Club of Buffalo acquisition of property about 5 miles North/East of Amhust in Williamsville, New York began in 1922, and their new Donald Ross designed course opened in 1926. The city purchased the Amherst course in 1925. The site was renamed Grover Cleveland Park to honor the former Mayor of Buffalo, Governor of New York State and President of the United States Of America.
The course continued with the U.S. Open layout for 22 more years. It was in 1947 that the course was shortened to 5,621 yards (from the back tees) to accommodate the building of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Three-holes of the original course were sacrificed to make room for the hospital.
While the post 1947 course retains some of the original routing, enough alteration was required that the course bears little resemblance to the U.S. Open layout.
This flat course features several dogleg fairways lined with mature trees. In fact, all the fairways are tree lined, but afford generous landing areas. The greens are large, and water hazards come into play on a few holes. In addition, grass bunkers come into play on a few other holes, Grover Cleveland Golf Course puts a premium on accuracy not distance. The course plays to just 5,621 yards with par being 34-35-69. The smaller, well bunkered greens reward those with a pinpoint iron game.
Guest (cart not included), played on Friday, May 2013 at 6am
They just cut grass, bad drainage when it rains, run by the county,needs more people to work their to maintain the golf course. Greens are good compared to the rest of the course, bad sand traps, when it rains some of the sand traps are filled with water.
Do Not Recall (cart not included), played on Friday, October 2007 at 2pm
Great value for the money. Well maintained although short, relatively flat course. Greens make up for shorter fairways.
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$10 (cart not included), played on Sunday, July 2012 at 2pm
Unique course with more history than any other course in Buffalo area. Some holes, and many of the greens, date back to 1912 US Open. Often a step back into an older, very interesting era in golf course architecture. Back nine too short, and condition is spotty, but it is still one of my favorite courses, just for the unique experience.