Golf courses see 34% increase

As the golf season wound down last year, Monroe County Parks director Larry Staub and his staff found themselves rooting in unison, “Come on 100,000, come on 100,000.” That would’ve been the number of rounds played on the county’s three municipal courses and represented a milestone since the county resumed full operational responsibility of its historic golf facilities at Durand-Eastman, Genesee Valley and Churchville parks from a private management company in 2015.

Under the leadership of Monroe County superintendent for golf Greg Klem, who oversees individual superintendents at each course, the condition of tees, fairways and greens has collectively been restored to a former luster, earning praise from customers.

John Brophy, 66, a General Motors retiree from Greece who is a season pass holder with his wife, Kim, 64, said he noticed course conditions improve almost immediately at Durand-Eastman and Genesee Valley when the county stepped back in.

Foot golf, a hybrid soccer/golf game offered at Genesee Valley’s South Course, the only one in Monroe County certified by the American Footgolf League, has been another successful new revenue stream.

Monroe County has made a commitment to improving county owned golf courses.

Kim Brophy of Greece plays Genesee Valley Golf ClubBuy Photo Monroe County is making efforts to improve its county owned golf courses.

The job the county parks department has done in operating and managing the golf courses has resulted in a “transformation,” not only in quality of conditions but in public perception, County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo said.

Rounds of golf and operational losses at Monroe County’s three municipal courses from 2014, the last year of private management, and since the county took back full operational responsibility in 2015