Though the property does not yet have a name and new owners have not been disclosed, the Wading River, N.Y., golf course will open June 2 after it closed in January.
The unnamed golf course in Wading River, N.Y., formerly known as Great Rock, will be re-opening to golfers on June 2 after being closed since January, the Mattituck (N.Y.)-based Riverhead News-Review reported.
An August 15 opening date is planned for the restaurant on the property, the News-Review reported.
Brian Curtin, who had served as general manager of the course and its restaurant, then called Blackwells, since 2008, is coming back to help lead operations at the new course, which still doesn’t have a name. He’s also hiring back many of the former employees who had lost their jobs when the course and restaurant shut down, the News-Review reported.
The incoming ownership won’t be disclosed until they close on the property, Curtin said. In the meantime, they will be operating under a user agreement, the News-Review reported.
Curtin said there are no plans to build any housing on the property, as had been sought by the prior owners, Great Rock Golf 2006, LLC. Operations were shut down after the developers fell into tax default and got involved with several protracted lawsuits, including with the town, neighbors and creditors, the News-Review reported.
“The only interest and desire is to provide a fantastic public golf facility and an affordable-yet-upscale American dining experience,” Curtin said. “We’ll be honoring all gift certificates owed by the previous ownership throughout the season. There were also some members who bought discounted packages; those will be honored as well.”
The course also hired Great Rock’s prior superintendent, Dan Wolf, who started caring for the grounds again earlier this month. “I’m very optimistic about the course and its conditions for this year,” Wolf said. “Luckily, the winter was longer than usual so real growth didn’t start until I got here almost a month ago. Given the commitment of the new ownership, I expect to have the grounds at full strength very soon.”
As for more long-term plans, Curtin said the restaurant building will be renovated this summer, and the course itself will be getting reconfigured, the News-Review reported.
“At some point, the plan is to do a complete redesign, with a golf course architect adding between 400 and 700 yards to the golf course, if plans allowed it,” Curtin said. “But our number one priority this year is to keep the golf course very enjoyable, so people have a memorable round. Roughs will be cut shorter, so people can be able to find their balls. We’d also like at some point to re-grade the greens for a faster outing.”
“We’re all very excited about the future here,” Wolf said. “Expect big things in the coming months.”
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