Beginning April 1, the 179-acre golf course and facilities will go public after nearly a century of private membership. New owner Matt Syrocki plans to transform the main dining hall into a restaurant, and boost membership numbers in hopes of eventually returning to private status.
After almost a century of private membership, the Monroe (Mich.) Golf & Country Club will be open to the public, beginning April 1, the Monroe News reported.
New owner Matt Syrocki, who bought the 179-acre golf course and its facilities in December, announced that he plans to open the course to the public this spring. “We would like to keep it private, but the numbers tell us we can’t,” he said.
Syrocki, owner of the Monroe Mall, bought the country club at auction for $850,000 after the previous owner defaulted on a loan. A judge approved the sale in mid-January and a required 21-day waiting period followed, the News reported.
When he purchased the club, the sale did not include its membership, which in recent years had been in the 300 range. But now, Syrocki is starting from scratch and has no members. In order to make the club private, which he would prefer to maintain tradition, he said he needs 225 to 250 members. In the meantime, the public will be welcome, the News reported.
“It was a difficult choice we had to make it,” he said. “But we want people to enjoy it. We want to take it back to its former glory.”
The main dining hall will be transformed into a restaurant that the public also will be welcome to enjoy. Although a name for the restaurant has not yet been determined, Syrocki said meals will be prepared by Chef Joe Rizzo, who has worked in New York, New Jersey and at resorts in the Pocono Mountains, the News reported.
Syrocki’s immediate remodeling plans include creating a private dining area in the old gallery for incoming members. He also has other ideas he plans to pursue but since he’s only had full access to the property for only about seven days, many decisions still must be made, the News reported.
The club was built on a farm in 1884 by Col. Ira R. Grosvenor, a lawyer and Civil War Army officer. The property was sold as a private facility in 1919 and has undergone several remodeling projects over the years, the News reported.
“It’s a challenge,” Syrocki said. “It’s a grand old club. I think the people will be happy.”
Greens fees have not yet been determined but Syrocki said it is important to maintain its reputation. “There will be a dress code,” he said. “We want to keep the standards as high as we can.”
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