MARCY, NY – The restoration of Crestwood G.C. proceeds apace, even in the face of the Biblical floods which have devastated the region and indeed the entire eastern seaboard. As you recall from this article from last year, Crestwood was rescued two years ago from the scrap heap by PGA Head Professional Steve Nacewicz and family. The course had not only reopened, they had grown from a dismal 11 members to 185.
This year the number exceeds 210, and the region still toasts the glory of Nacewicz’s name for his resurrection of Big Bad Crestwood to beyond even its glory days of the ’70s and ’80s. Old tee boxes, some even forgotten have been re-opened, some trees have been cleared to open up long views across the property and give the golfers more room to play the game, a practice facility has been finished and, best of all, the pride is back in the club.
Take, for instance the old second tee box. The long runway tee that stretched the gargantuan par-5 second hole from 560 to 605 has not only been reclaimed, but with tree removal, can be seen from the first fairway for the first time since the ’50’s.
This is what it looked like when the Nacewicz’s took it over:
Now it looks like this: (view from first fairway!)
It was wonderful, they had the whites weeeeeeeeeeell back, about 580 and the final carry over water to a dime-sized green. What a thrill; we hadn’t played that tee box since 1999. Here’s what it looks like on the tee:
But that was just the beginning! As they say in infomercials, “But wait, there’s more!” We get to the par-3 eighth and everyone wonders, “Where are the white tees?” They were absent from the long runway tee box. That’s when I said to myself, “They can’t be on the other box…” You know the one I mean: the one used so sparingly anyway except by the ladies and which was way right, flush against the trees. But there they were! The box I had forgotten about and my playing partners never knew existed.
Snaz throwin’ it back to 1980 with THAT tee placement! Check it out:
Here’s the view from the tee:
The only other big throwback to the glory days we await is the alternate tee on the gargantuan par-3 12th, a Biarritz hole with the swale in front of the green. I thought it was murder from the new 245 yard tees that play dead at it…but then I took a look from the angled tee on the other side of the creek that stretches back to a behemothish 260…the original distance it played back in its heyday! Here’s the 245 yard, direct angle tee box:
Here’s what the left tee boxes look like from that spot:
Sheer murder. A true par 3.5!
There are superficial improvements too that foster a real sense of high morale among members. Everything from the addition of new birdhouses, (which brought the bluebirds back), to a stone garden beside 14 tee, to a new practice center, it’s a touch of charm and class to Big Bad Crestwood, the toughest course in the region. For goodness sake it was over 7,000 yards back in the 1970s! And the regulation men’s tees are still around 6,700 yards! Even the women play a remarkably respectable 5,900 yards.
It all adds up to a Crestwood that’s surpassing itself every day.
“We love it here!” beamed the jubilant members. “It was our home course for twenty years in the old days, and we hope it to be our home for the next 20 as well!
HAPPY 75TH ANNIVERSARY VOSS’!
If there’s one thing better than a bare knuckle brawl with Bug Bad Crestwood, it’s ending the day with two Voss’ relish dogs on toasted buns, (for two bucks each!), followed by a three dollar chocolate malted!
Happy 75th anniversary Voss’! Place has been open since 1938!
