The club in upstate New York is considering a plan to add 40 feet to its sandy lakefront beach and also to level a hill leading from its clubhouse to the lake, all to make it easier for families with children, and older members, to get to the waterfront and enjoy that part of the property. “Little members become big members,” said General Manager Jim Fields.
Skaneateles (N.Y.) Country Club is considering a plan to expand its beach and reconfigure its waterfront to become more family-friendly, reported The Post-Standard of Syracuse, N.Y.
The plan would add 40 feet to the club’s currently tiny sandy beach and level the now-hilly lawn on the waterfront side of Skaneateles’ clubhouse, which is cut into a hill, club President Sandy Battaglia told The Post-Standard. Leveling the lawn would make it easier for families with children, and older members, to get to the waterfront, Battaglia explained.
Some other landscaping work would also be involved with the project, which has been discussed with members of the non-profit club, The Post-Standard reported, with the final decision on whether to go forward with it to be made by the Board. The club has not yet put a price tag on the project, which, if approved, could begin as early as the end of 2015, Battaglia told The Post-Standard.
The private club, which will celebrate its 100th birthday in 2015, started as a yacht club on Skaneateles Lake, The Post-Standard reported. It had a nine-hole golf course until 1963, when it was expanded to 18 holes.
The club now has about 650 memberships, which represent 1,500 to 2,000 people, Battaglia told The Post-Standard
Battaglia said he didsn’t expect the club’s planned reconfiguration of the waterfront to affect Skaneateles Lake, which is a source of drinking water for the city of Syracuse, The Post-Standard reported. The plans would have to be approved by the Skaneateles town planning board before construction could begin, Battaglia added.
Skaneateles CC has been moving recently in a more family-friendly direction, the The Post-Standard reported. It added tennis courts five or six years ago, and recently added 32 more boat slips, bringing the total to 112, according to Battaglia.
The club offers children’s programming in golf, tennis and sailing, and holds a day camp. “Little members become big members,” General Manager Jim Fields told The Post-Standard.
Nationally, the number of people who golf has dropped 10 to 30 percent, depending on the age group, with the biggest losses coming from younger people, The Post-Standard reported, citing the St. Louis-based McMahon Group as its source.
The McMahon Group has encouraged private clubs around the country to diversify their offerings to include fitness facilities, swimming pools, youth activities, tennis and casual dining, as well as golf, in order to appeal to younger people, The Post-Standard noted.
Tell Us What You Think!
You must be logged in to post a comment.