Officials say Niagara County Golf Course's reputation is on the rise
Apr. 17—The operators of the Niagara County Golf Course have made some positive steps forward to improve the course with an eye on generating revenue for future growth.
The course has been open for about a month but recent, unsteady spring weather has had an impact.
As the weather is bound to improve, so too is the outlook for the Lockport course. Niagara County Public Works Commissioner Garret Meal said that currently there are some conceptual sketches for additional changes and noted that the county-owned golf course has done better since it was put under the parks department in March 2022.
"The number of golfers is up and the weather has cooperated as well," he said.
County legislator Rick Abbott said gross revenue from the golf course was up $120,000 in the first year it was operated by the parks department, to $620,000 from $500,000 the previous year, and revenue increased by another $100,000 in the past year.
Funding golf course operations through the parks department, and investing approximately $1 million of American Rescue Plan Act funds in improvements, infrastructure has turned a "hidden gem" into a "competitive golf course," Abbott said.
"We used to be called a C course. Now we're a B course."
Improvements in 2023 included addressing drainage problems on the driving range and the back nine, removing more than 50 trees and stumps, and purchasing 70 new golf carts and several new mowers.
This year, Abbott said, there's a plan in the works to connect three separate buildings — Groff's Cafe on the Green, the pro shop and bathrooms/locker room — as one clubhouse, with plenty of shade and places to sit with plans to install a patio in the front.
Abbott and Meal both noted that the fee schedule was modified to attract more golfers to the course.
In 2023 there were some fee increases, but going forward, there are no additional increases planned, Abbott said.
