Golf Local, Rochester

Starting its 56 season the SGA headed by President, Jeffrey LaBelle has a solid new 2011 – 24 week “Pay As You Play” Tour starting April 23rd at Ravenwood Golf Club. Adding Livingston Country Club and Bristol Harbor as first time stops and returning stops as in Clifton Springs, Blue Heron Hills Golf Club and Country Club of Mendon rounds out a outstanging tour.

With over 190+ members, they average 91 players in 2010 for 24 weeks. The SGA has a lot of room for growth, according to Jeff. SGA is still after a big private course  to open their doors and give them a Saturday morning or afternoon to enjoy the revenue from the SGA  members. Please visit www.saturdaygolfassoc.org  to learn more about the Saturday Golf Association.

LOCATION: Durand-Eastman Golf Course

DATE: Saturday June 4, 2011

TIME: 9:30 AM Shotgun Start

COST: $75/Person (Single) – $300/Team  (4-man scramble)

Details:

In June 2010, many of us lost one of our greatest friends, Steve Paraka. In response to our great loss, we would like to celebrate his wonderful life and celebrate the number of lives he touched during his all too short time with us. For the first time, we are planning with great excitement a golf tournament in Steve’s name on June 4, 2011 at Durand Eastman Park in Rochester, NY.

All proceeds from this tournament benefit The Stephen Paraka Memorial Scholarship Fund. Your donation will be directly deposited into The Stephen Paraka Memorial Fund at the University of Rochester.  The Stephen Paraka
Memorial Committee comprised of family members will award a scholarship(s) to at least one Rochesterian who excels at both computers and piano, and demonstrates academic promise.

We want to thank you in advance for your kindness and generosity. Without your donation/participation, The Stephen Paraka Memorial Fund would not be possible, and this Fund encompasses everything Stephen believed in, thus keeping him alive in spirit by helping others.

Or for more information contact: Lil Paraka at lilparaka@gmail.com or download flyer.

Registration deadline is May 9, 2011.

GolfLocal.com Invitational – Golf Tournament

Webster East Golf Course was the home for the GolfLocal.com Invitational 4-person scramble on September 25th.

About 60 golfers and 10 volunteers took part in the tournament aimed to help raise money for the Wilmot Cancer Center. “Cancer has affected many people in my life and the lives of many others, so it only seemed fitting to donate to such a great organization,” said co-founder of GolfLocal.com Cody Dalton.

Good weather and great turnout

“The turnout was great and the tournament ran smoothly” said co-founder of GolfLocal.com Eric LaBarr who help to organized the tournament. All the teams had smiles on their faces and really enjoyed the golf course.

“We got a lot of help this year,” said Dalton who also helped to organize the tournament. More than 10 local businesses donated to the event. Prizes included overnight hotel packages, golf equipment such as putters and bags from Izzo, rounds of golf at multiple area golf courses, and other great prizes.

The tournament was open to any golfer in the area, friends and family and members of the EWGA (Executive Women’s Golf Association) and Genesee Valley Men’s League graciously stepped up to support the cause.

“I really enjoyed the tournament and enjoy playing at Webster East,” said Robert Gelb in the clubhouse after the golfers finished for the day. “This was our first year playing, and I know we will come back next year.”

2010 GolfLocal.com Invitational Champs

Three teams came in at 9 under par for a 63. To determine the winning team, it came down to a putt off which continued for 3 rounds. The team including Garry Hurwitz, Jamie Hurwitz, Randy Hurwitz and Robert Gelb came out victorious.

“The tournament was well organized, the food was great, and it was a great day,” said Keith Stein.

Awards were given out for the longest drive and closet to the pin for both women and men. The men’s longest drive winner was Jamie Hurwitz and the women’s winner was Kirsten Mortensen.

Closet to the pin went to Gary Hurwitz for the men and Kirsten Mortensen for the women.

GolfLocal.com would like to thank everyone involved including the sponsors, the golfers, and all the volunteers. It was a great tournament to help such a great organization. Thanks again and we look forward to next year’s tournament.

More Photos

To view more photos or download for your personal use check out our GolfLocal.com Invitational photo set on Flickr.

Leave comments

If you attended our first golf tournament, please leave a comment below. Thanks!

The fall golf season is closely approaching. During the months of September – November, Western New York is one of the most beautiful places to play golf. Not only is it one of the most beautiful seasons to play golf but it also becomes the most affordable times to play some of the best courses in the area.

Ravenwood is One of the Top Public Courses in Northeast

Ravenwood Golf Club has quickly become one of the best public golf courses in Rochester, NY. It was selected by Golf Digest as the “5th Best New Upscale Daily Fee Course” in the country. It has been recognized as one of the top public golf courses to play in the Northeast.

Designed by world renowned architect

The course opened in 2002 and was designed by world renowned architect Robin Nelson. Nelson has over 35 years of experience designing golf courses and has designed other great courses like Tanah Merah Country Club in Singapore and Royal Kunia Country Club in Leeward (Oahu, Hawaii). He was recently honored by being listed as one of the top ten golf course architects in America in a story by noted golf writer Jeff Williams in Cigar Aficionado Magazine.

Ravenwood Golf Club is one of the most beautiful courses with its newly renovated bunkers and gorgeous bent grass fairways. Finishing your round on the eighteenth hole could not be better. It is a par 5 that bends slightly to the right. It has 10 bunkers, 7 of which surround the green making the hole one of the most challenging. It shares a beautiful view of the clubhouse that sits within large beautiful trees right behind a natural amphitheater created by a hill.

The practice and banquet facilities at Ravenwood are some of the finest in the Rochester area. The practice facility is one of the largest with a 12,000 square foot practice green and a golf range that is lit until 10pm. They offer seven target greens and a special short game practice area which includes bunkers. The newly renovated banquet facility, with the ability to hold up to 200 guests, is beautiful with large sliding glass doors that open to a garden with a lighted waterfall. In addition to the beauty of the greens and facilities, the staff and management are very courteous and helpful as well.

Strength is Golf Outings & Events

Ravenwood offers some of the best golf conditions as well as some challenging holes. They have hosted many tournaments and have been home to the New York State Men’s Amateur Golf Championship. Mike Roeder, the General Manager, mentions

“Ravenwood’s strength is putting on golf events. From the great conditions and challenging course to the GPS in every cart, we do them well.”

The GPS is one thing that really makes this public course stand out. It shows you yardage to the pin, and your scorecard can even track the leader board of your tournament.

5 ways to save on rounds of golf at Ravenwood

Ravenwood has been viewed as one of the top public courses in the Rochester area but with that title also comes a price. The course has a higher price for golf than other public courses but with some research you can find some great deals at this fantastic golf course. Here are just a few ways to save on golfing Ravenwood.

1. Save up to 10% to 30% off when you book your tee time online. Ravenwood is a partner with Golfnow.com, a website that offers discounted tee times through online booking. When you purchase your discounted tee time, Ravenwood is notified and you are all set. Simple, Easy and Fast!

2. Try the Rate Finder on the Ravenwood Golf Course website. It gives you the times and rates to help you save money. If you want to play Ravenwood for $35 you can find out what time of the day and year you can find that deal. This is a great feature!

3. Visit the specials page on the Ravenwood Golf Club website. They do a good job at updating this page with current and good offers. They share great deals!

4. Sign-up for the Ravenwood Golf Club email newsletter. They send out deals and keep you up-to-date with course specials. They also give out a free round of golf to one subscriber a month.

5. Purchase the Fabulous Foursome. This golf package is the best in Rochester. For only $189 you get to play one round of golf at Ravenwood Golf Club, Bristol Harbour, Greystone Golf Club and Mill Creek Golf Club. Cart and range balls are included. Just email any of the courses and mention you saw this package on GolfLocal.com.

Go the the Ravenwood Golf Club profile page to view more photos, information and details.

Earlier this summer, Braemar Country Club was purchased by brothers Steve & Walt Pavlovych of Hilton, NY.  After spending most of their lives in the Tool & Die Industry, they were ready for a challenge; and a challenge is what they got.
 
Braemar Country Club always had the potential to be an elite course, but after many years of neglect, the course became run down and outdated. That didn’t stop Steve and Walt though.  They saw something special in this golf course and knew that with some time and hard work they could bring it back to the type of course it should have been all along.
 
Their first order of business was to make improvements that would present an immediate impact. The brothers started out by fixing the run down sand traps that encompass much of the course. They removed all the old sand, increased the size of the traps, and edged around them. They added over 200 tons of professional grade golf course sand making them more playable and visually appealing. Walt stated that the golfers were very appreciative of the new sand but joked that they now would have to improve their game to hit out of “real” sandtraps. Michael Leahy of Walworth said “I love the new sandtraps. The bright white sand gives the course a totally different look.”
 
The next order of business was to trim all the low hanging branches on each tree throughout the course.  The goal was to help speed up play, eliminate the number of loss balls for their customers, and give the course a more cleanly and maintained appearance. Much of this work was performed by the high school and college students that work for Braemar Country Club each season. The brothers also added flower beds near the tee boxes, filled in the low spots that were present in each fairway, fixed the pot holes on the cart paths, and turned on the irrigation system that many of the seasonal employees didn’t know even existed.  
 
In just under 2 months, Braemar Country Club has experienced more changes than ever before.  They are currently in the process of remodeling the inside and outside of both the current pro shop and the restaurant. The outside of each building has been painted and cedar shake siding has been added at the peak of each building. The women’s bathroom was completely remodeled with the men’s bathroom to follow. The inside of the pro shop and restaurant was painted giving it a nice clean appearance. Both Walt and Steve said they want to create a private course atmosphere at a public course price. Joe Pagano of Greece loves the changes so far. He said “I have played here more in the last 2 months than I have in the last 5 years. I love the changes and can’t wait to see what the future holds for this course.”
 
The restaurant/bar is now open Monday thru Friday, offering a fish fry on Friday’s.  With the ability to accommodate 60 -70 people, Walt and Steve are excited to know they have the capabilities to host large gatherings. They also have a hot dog stand that is open throughout the day that offers a quick lunch or snack.  On the course, you can grab an ice cold drink from one of the cart girls that drive up and down the fairways. 
 
Some other future improvements include:
 
 – 50 new electric carts arriving in mid August
 – Large patio off the 18th green
 – New hole signs and ball washers
 – More ponds and sandtraps
 – Increasing the course length
 – New putting green
 
With the all current improvements made, we recommend that you visit Braemar Country Club. Their weekday rates are $20 for 18 holes with a cart and only $25 on the weekend. They are currently offering an unlimited play membership for the remainder of the season for only $250. Contact the pro shop at 585-352-5360 to schedule your tee time today.

After almost a 3 1/2 hour rain delay Gavin Hall finally got the chance to display his game to the large crowds at The Turning Stone Resort Championship in Verona N.Y.  Looking relaxed and confident on the 1st Tee, Gavin Hall along with playing partners Tim Wilkinson and Cameron Tringale began their 1st round at Atunyote Golf Club.

Gavin, an upcoming sophomore at Pittsford Mendon High School, calmly approached the 1st tee and hit his drive straight down the middle of the fairway as the crowd roared.  As if he had been here before, Gavin was cool, calm and collected taking it all in stride.  However, he opened up his round by taking a double bogey on the 1st hole after a wayward approach shot and failed chip.

Not to be defeated, Gavin quickly got on track by parring the 2nd, 3rd and 4th holes. The 5th hole, a 520 yard par 5 was no match for Hall. After his tee shot found the rough just in front of the large bunker, Hall hit a 3 wood just right of the flagstick approximately 20 feet from the hole.  Using his putter off the fringe, he ran his 3rd shot within 2 feet of the hole nearly making an eagle.  With a tap in birdie, Gavin was now at 1 over and looking confident.

Making par on the 6th hole, Hall’s tee shot found the trees on the left side of the 7th fairway.  With his ball resting in the wet mulch, Gavin hit a spectacular shot onto the left side of the green.  With a long putt left for birdie, Hall ran it up within a few feet and tapped in with another par.

It is hard to believe how incredibly talented Gavin Hall really is. On the 8th hole, Hall hit his tee shot approximately 327 yards straight down the fairway, nearly 50 yards further then his playing partners.  With length like that it is no wonder why he beat the field by 18 strokes at the Rochester District Amateur Championship at Oak Hill Country Club back in July.

Hall’s approach shot on 8th drifted left, bounced off the cart path,  and came to rest on top of a drainage grate. After getting relief, he calmly chipped up and 2-putted for his 6th par on the front 9. With a bounce in his step and the front nine almost complete he once again hit a smashing tee shot on the 9th hole just right of the fairway.  His approached shot flew over the flagstick leaving him with a 25 foot winding downhill putt for birdie. Leaving the first putt short, Hall ended his front 9 with a 3 putt double bogey going 2 over on the front nine.

Starting off par, par on the back, Hall then proceeded by going bogey, triple and then another bogey taking him to 7 over par after 14. Rattled but not completely defeated, Gavin put up pars on the next 3 holes and finished his day with a nice birdie on the 18th.  With an opening round of 78, 6 over par, Hall finds himself 13 shots behind the leader Omar Uresti.

Gavin Hall and all of Rochester should be very proud of what he did in his 1st round of The Turning Stone Resort Championship.  Remember he is a 15 year old playing with men 2 and 3 times his age.  Gavin, keep your head up and good luck with your 2nd round. It is certain we will be seeing a lot of you in the near future.

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Eagle Vale Golf Course is one of Rochester’s best public courses located minutes from downtown. They recently made some changes to improve the location of the tees to better accommodate the growing number of golfers. They now offer yardages that appeal to golfers of all ages and skill levels.

From Beginners to the Scratch Golfer

We recently spoke with Chris DeVincentis, Head Pro at Eagle Vale Golf Club for the past 8 years, who provided us with a list of changes they have recently made to improve the course over the last two seasons.  Their main goal was to accommodate everyone, from beginners to the scratch golfer, and from kids to adults.

Addition of Family Tees

In order to make Eagle Vale more family friendly, they now offer family tees.  These tees are approximately 100 and 175 yards away from each green making a Level 1, Blue Tee  measuring about 1100 yards and a Level 2 Gold Tee measuring just over 1700 yards, respectively. By offering such tees, Eagle Vale is more accessible and playable to the average family.  In today’s hectic and busy world there is nothing more special than a family enjoying the afternoon together playing golf.

New Women’s Tees

Eagle Vale also worked very hard to create 7 new tee boxes for the female golfers.  The course, which used to play at 5801 yards, has now been shortened about 400 yards, making it a much friendlier course for women golfers. The outcome has been overwhelming.  Chris stated that the women golfers have said that they truly appreciate the time and effort the Eagle Vale staff put into the changes. Now these golfers enjoy the course more than ever.

More Challenging Men’s Tees

Back in 2005, Eagle Vale hosted a Nationwide Tour event in which they received high rankings by the PGA Tour Committee running the event. The committee loved the course conditions and recommended that they extend the length of the men’s tees. This would help make the course more challenging for the more advanced golfer. Eagle Vale decided to extend 6 of the men’s tee boxes making the course longer.

Other changes at Eagle Vale Golf Club include:

– Brand new riding golf carts
– Hand held GPS rentals (rates vary from $3 – $5)
– Glen Gary Inn opening in August (formerly Tailgaters)
– Possibly in 2011 the addition of a claw shaped pond around the 9th hole
– Expanding the pond to the left of #9 green, creating a claw shaped pond, bringing the water hazard into play off the tee and on your shot into the green.

With continuing improvements like these, it is no wonder that Eagle Vale Golf Club is one of the premier public courses in the Rochester area. From the Beginning golfer to the Scratch player, Eagle Vale offers everyone a great golf experience at a very affordable price! With all the amenities Eagle Vale has, stop out and see why they say, “We Offer More”!  You’ll thank us later.

Here at GolfLocal.com we get asked all the time “Where should I play golf this weekend?” One of the courses that always comes to mind is Greystone Golf Club.

Greystone Golf Club is one of the best public golf courses in Rochester, NY. It is one of the most beautiful, well built and challenging courses in the area. It is Located on 1400 Atlantic Avenue in Walworth just outside of Penfield. Greystone Golf Club is only 8 miles away from Shadow Lake Golf & Racquet Club which is one of the most centrally located courses in Rochester. Recently we visited Greystone and it only took us approximately 25 minutes from our location in Chili.

In addition to Greystone being centrally located, there are 5 reasons why you should play your next round at Greystone Golf Course:

1. Public Course with Private Course Service

As you drive up to the club house the road is lined with beautiful boulders that add to the scenic layout and beautiful rolling hills of the course.  The staff waiting outside takes your clubs and places them into the golf cart as if you are a VIP member or some sort of celebrity. This type of service is only seen at private golf clubs with large membership dues.

As you walk toward the pro shop you can’t help but notice the elegant clubhouse that overlooks the signature 18th hole respectively named “Greystone.” Every staff member in the pro shop greets you with a smile and makes you feel as if you are the only customer on the course.

2. Perfectly Designed Greens

This Craig Schreiner designed golf course opened in 1996. Course superintendent Tim Hahn (from Oak Hill) keeps this course in fantastic shape. The greens and fairways consist of bent and poa grass. Every other week the greens are top dressed, cut vertically and rolled maintaining a 9.5 to 10 on the  stimpmeter.

The greens were perfectly built and have the best drainage in the area. So why is drainage critical? With the proper drainage system it helps “waterproof” the greens allowing for water to drain fast. It will allow for faster greens and give a more consistent play. It also cuts down on disease and pest problems.

When Craig Schreiner designed Greystones greens he made sure to include the best slope, size, angle, shape and location for every hole. Schreiner uses distance, bunkers and elevation changes to balance each and every green. He looks at the green as being the heart of every hole.

3. Great Course for Leagues & Tournaments

Greystone does not have any private members, instead they offer season passes. They provide (2) options: Premier pass and Greystone pass. The Premier pass ($2595) includes three 18 hole courses owned by the Dolomite Group (Greystone, Shadow Lake, Shadow Pines), one executive 9, cart, GHIN, league fees and club events. The Greystone pass ($1995) includes 18 holes at Greystone, cart and ½ off league fees.

Leagues and tournaments are plentiful at Greystone.  League nights are offered on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights. Some of the tournaments held at Greystone include: Highland Hospital, Dorschel Lexus Pro Am, Greater Rochester Association of Realtors and Visiting Nurses-Golf for Hospice.

A great reason to select Greystone for your next tournament is Mark Regan the PGA Pro. He offers a wide selection of merchandise and works with the tournaments to provide them with personalized prizes for their players. Mark has been with Greystone since the creation of the course in 2006. As Greystone’s PGA Pro he offers a full lesson program and will design it to the players need and requests.

4. Challenging For Any Level Golfer

With rolling hills, elevated tee boxes and multiple ponds and lakes this course is not only fun to play but it also challenging for any level golfer.  While at Greystone, we were able to spend some time talking with Bill Middlebrook – Director of Golf.  We asked Bill what was something that surprised him the most.  Bill said

“You would not believe the number of golfers that come from Buffalo, Syracuse and even Toronto to play this course, they absolutely love Greystone. They are always complementing on how beautiful and challenging the course is. We are working on partnering with local hotels to create golf packages for the out of town golfer; this is an exciting time for us.”

We also asked Bill what his favorite hole on the course was, and his response,

“18th hole hands down. You have to lay up off the tee, and then hit your approach over a giant pond to the green that is shared by the 9th & 18th holes. Big numbers can be put up on this hole if you are not careful.”

We decided to walk this hole to see what he was talking about.  Off the tee, you want to hit about 200 yards which will put you in front of the pond. Your approach shot will need to carry the water about 90 yards to the massive double green which has multiple bends and turns. We have to agree with Bill, what an amazing hole.

5. Great Staff and Fantastic Pub

We also spend time speaking with some players on the course as well as some of the staff.  We caught up with some golfers on the 17th & 18th hole and here is what some of them said.  Ben Barlow of Fairport, NY stated

“There is nothing I do not like about this course. I play here often and it is absolutely beautiful.”

Paul Valliere who has been playing since it opened in 1996 said

“The club house staff is great. It is great when they know you by first name.  What other public course does that?”

Everyone we spoke with had the same response; they love Greystone.

When at Greystone make sure you stop in and grab a bite to eat and a drink. They have one of the best bars I have seen at a public course. From the custom woodwork to the Rachael, who has been a bartender at Shoney’s Pub located in the Greystone Clubhouse said,

“I love seeing the golfers come in because they are excited to tell me about their round of golf and the course. They always talk about how great the course is and how they love playing here.”

We were extremely impressed with Greystone Golf Club. The course was beautiful, the staff was top-notch and the golfers we talked to did nothing but rave about their experiences. Don’t take our word for it – give Greystone a try and see for yourself, you will not be disappointed!

If you have played Greystone Golf Club make sure you put your review on the course profile page. Write Review on Greystone Golf Club

Cristie Kerr wins her 14th LPGA title

With a final score of -19, Cristie Kerr dominated the field and won her 14th LPGA title and second major championship at the LPGA Championship presented by Wegmans.

Kerr goes on top as #1

With this win at Locust Hill Country Club, it moves Kerr into the number one spot of the world’s best woman golfer. She tops Ai Miyazato who held the title and tied for third in today’s match with a score of -6.

Miyazato had a great day with a -6 but could not catch Song-Hee Kim for the second place finish.

Song-Hee Kim comes in at #2

To our excitement, Song-Hee Kim closed at -7 for the tournament and came in 2nd overall. Song-Hee Kim was our favorite for this tournament but we are so glad to see her make it to the 2nd place with total winnings of $207,790.

Cristie Kerr played some fantastic golf this weekend and never stopped. Her finish on 18, ending on a 4 foot birdie putt, displayed what a quality golfer she is.

Thank you Locust Hill

Golf Local would like to thank all those from Rochester, NY that put on this fantastic event:

• Gerard Heller, Peter Rogers, Steve Barber for hosting the event at Locust Hill Country Club
• Jim Albright and Kim Osur who head up the media tent
• Colleen Wegman and family for supporting such a great caliber of golf
• All the great volunteers and players.

Photo Gallery

View images from the final round at Locust Hill Country Club.

If you would like to use any photos displayed please email golflocal@gmail.com.

It is a big deal, Rochester

The LPGA Championship presented by Wegmans at Locust Hill Country Club is a big deal for Rochester. It is not only a big deal, it is a Major. Bringing in a Major Championship for the LPGA is not an easy task. It takes a great course, a welcoming community, and a strong fan base. The LPGA has always loved bringing their game to the Rochester area but believes it is a great place to hold one of the top championships in golf.

Golf Local was able to get out and meet with the players, volunteers, and fans.

Top-Notch Women Golfers

Watching the professional women golfers as they hit the center of the green is an energizing experience. You can feel their passion and dedication for the game. Cristie Kerr is a fantastic player and has not disapointed her fans this week. She draws large crowds and has an amazing short game. It would make even Tiger jealous. She has played Locust Hill so well despite the hard conditions and the unforgiving weather.

The Friendliest Volunteers

It takes many volunteers to put on the event and there were many that had to be turned away. The volunteers at Locust Hill are some of the friendliest event personal we have ever encountered. Whenever we had a question there was always a helping member to guide us in the right direction.

Great Fan Turnout & Support

There has been a great turnout to the LPGA Championship presented by Wegmans this year. There are many fans from all over the country and even world that have come out to watch and show their support. Cristie Kerr has a majority of the fans following her every shot. They cheered her on as she sank a birdie putt on the 15th hole.

GolfLocal.com is proud to be part of Rochester golf.

Photo Gallery

View images from Round 3 at Locust Hill

If you would like to use any photos displayed please email golflocal@gmail.com.