Today marks the "official" opening of the Frear Park Municipal Golf Course even though the course actually opened for business last Friday. I had the opportunity to play 18 holes on Saturday (the front 9 twice because the back 9 was still closed) and the course is in great condition for early April. This excites me because the conditions can only get better which will make for a great season of golf in Troy. As a side note, one of my favorite holes, the par 5 7th, still offers one of the best vistas of the City and surrounding areas, it truly is priceless.
It’s become evident just how popular this course is. Nearly 50,000 rounds are played each year on the course and recently the 2010 Metroland Readers Poll named Frear Park as the second best golf course in the region behind Saratoga National. This is something we should be proud of because as avid golfers can attest there are a number of great courses in the Capital Region. The city continues to invest into course improvements making play more enjoyable. But most importantly they have kept the rates at a very reasonable level. And if you are a resident of Troy the city offers a resident ID pass so that those who live in Troy receive discounted greens fees (18 holes for just only $17 during the weekdays and $19 for weekends and holidays).
When the course was originally constructed it was just nine holes and then in 1964 the course was expanded to 18, all of which were designed by world renowned golf course designer Robert Trent Jones. Other fun facts and accolades include being named the best golf course in the Hudson Valley in 2003 by Hudson Valley Magazine and the original 22 of the 247 acres of land that make-up the park as we know it today were granted to the City of Troy in 1917 by the William Henry Frear Estate, if you have heard of the Frear's you would know that they are steeped in Troy history.
A visit to Frear Park wouldn’t be complete without a stop by the Park Pub Restaurant. The Park Pub is the golf courses 19th hole and on-site eatery offering a wide-verity of menu offerings. They have been operating at the course for several years now and by far they have been one of the best additions to the park as of late. If you haven’t eaten at the Park Pub you are missing out on one of the most talked about and highly recommended restaurants in Troy.
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Jim, as a fellow golfer and season pass holder at Frear, I have a slightly different take on the course. It has tremendous potential, but it really needs some work. Some progress has been made, but I believe the nickle-and-dime approach is taking it's toll. Kudos to the city for the drainage improvements on 12/13/16, but what about 9 and 11?
ReplyDeleteWhen Pete Scheeran left last year, the green maintenance was pathetic. Mowing was uneven at best, and cup movement was disaster. Every time the hole was changed, a mark was left that took weeks to heal. Something has to be done soon with the green on 7. Every year, the slope of the green increases, and if they cut the green too short, impossible pin placements abound.
Finally, let me echo your thoughts about the Park Pub. Mark and Mike have done a great job. We really enjoy stopping after a round, especially on Friday nights when the raw bar is going.