Designer: Ganson Depew (1902, 1905), Walter J. Travis (1911, Redesign), Donald Ross (1918, Redesign)
Location: Buffalo, New York
History: Originally part of The Country Club of Buffalo, the first course on this property was designed in 1902 by local member Ganson Depew. By 1905, it was 18 holes, but Walter J. Travis arrived in 1911 and redesigned the course in preparation for the 1912 U.S. Open. This tournament was won by John McDermott Jr., who became the first person to break par in a U.S. Open. In 1918, Donald Ross redesigned the course. Soon however, The Country Club of Buffalo began plans for a new course in nearby Amherst and hired Donald Ross for this design as well. When he was done with the new course in 1925, the original course was sold to the City of Buffalo and renamed Grover Cleveland Golf Course after the former Mayor of Buffalo and U.S. President. Grover Cleveland hosted the 1926 U.S. Amateur Public Links and is the only course to host both this tournament and a U.S. Open. In 1947, the city sold 16.5 acres to the government to build the VA Hospital and lost four holes in the process. Grover Cleveland is currently owned and operated by Erie County.
Conditions: 6/10, While the greens are predictably slow, Grover Cleveland is in fine shape for a cheap municipal course.
Value: 10/10, Although the course is a bit underwhelming, $21 to walk weekdays at a former U.S. Open venue is one of the best values in golf!
Scorecard:
Tee Par Yardage Rating Slope
White 69 5565 66.5 107
Red 72 5009 68.9 109
Hole Descriptions: While Grover Cleveland holds the neat distinction of hosting an early U.S. Open, you would probably never know it unless you did your research beforehand. And although it’s true that only about 11 holes remain from the 1912 U.S. Open routing, today’s course tops out at just over 5500 yards as a par 69 and would have trouble defending par in a local high school match, let alone a U.S. Open. It just goes to show how much technology and golf’s popularity have changed over the last century! Built over flat, easily walkable terrain, Grover Cleveland feels mostly like your standard municipal course besides some interesting mounding and several greens which are clearly the work of Travis or Ross. Unfortunately, a century of municipal ownership and the loss of 16.5 acres in a 1947 land swap really diminished the course, as the new holes are extremely short and quite simplistic compared to the originals. As it currently stands, Grover Cleveland is a perfectly fine municipal option for all levels of local golfer, but is not really worth traveling for unless you are a big time golf history buff.
Grover Cleveland opens with an original hole in the 350 yard par 4 1st. Featuring a narrow fairway lined by sporadic trees down either side, this hole features a circular, fairly flat green tucked off to the left. The 2nd hole is another original and is one of the stronger holes on the course as a 405 yard par 4. Running straightaway with OB down the left, this hole also features a rather narrow fairway lined by a few trees. There are a few bunkers well-short on either side of a very small, flattish green. The 3rd hole wasn’t there in the U.S. Open but features an original Ross green as an 160 yard par 3. This is an interesting mid-length par 3 with a green containing two humps on its back side.
At 415 yards, the 4th is probably Grover Cleveland’s most difficult hole as its longest par 4. This hole is not quite the same as the 1912 design but contains an original green. Today’s hole plays straightaway to a tight fairway lined by trees for the first 260 yards. At this point, the fairway bends to the left with a large mound down the left at this point. This approach plays towards a large, flat green in the distance.
The 5th is another original hole as a short 320 yard par 4. Playing straightaway and potentially reachable for longer hitters, this fairway ends at about 275 yards with a brief carry over rough required to reach another flat, circular green.
As a result of the 1947 landswap, today’s 6th and 7th holes are consecutive par threes. At 230 yards, the 6th is the longest par 3 on the course. Although requiring a long iron or wood, this is a simplistic hole featuring a back-to-front sloped, two-tier green without any hazards. The 7th hole is a shorter one-shotter at 194 yards and another rather basic hole. This par 3 essentially plays in an open field with a severe, back-to-front sloped green in the distance.
The original 8th hole used to stretch over 600 yards as a par 6 (!) but due to the land lost is now a short 463 yard par 5. Besides the shortening, the hole is otherwise preserved and plays straightaway with trees down either side and a left bunker at 190 yards. This flat green is open up front and readily accessible, with the only danger coming in the form of bunkers well-short on either side.
At 380 yards, the 9th hole is a bunkerless straightaway par 4 running along the edge of the property. This is an original hole that plays quite narrow and features a back-to-front sloped green at its terminus. The 10th hole is another original as a short, straightaway 312 yard par 4. This is another very tight hole where accuracy is more important than length. The trees begin to clear around 270 yards, but an interesting pair of crossbunkers line either side at this point. This green contains a central hump and is surrounded by rough.
The 11th hole combines two original par threes as a 339 yard par 4. This is a somewhat awkward hole that plays as a slight dogleg right with barrier bunkers constricting the fairway around 265 yards. Additional bunkers line just short on either side of another flatter green. The 12th is the longest hole on the course and is conserved from the U.S. Open as a 524 yard par 5. This hole plays straight the entire way with a narrow fairway lined by rough. At about 390 yards, the fairway briefly gives way to a rough patch and this approach plays over a bunker to a flat, circular green.
The 13th is one of the better holes on the course as an 142 yard par 3. This attractive one-shotter plays over an Alps-like barrier bunker to a large, flat green.
At 319 yards, the par 4 14th hole begins an easy and short finishing stretch. Wedged between the 7th and 13th holes, this is a slight dogleg left with a narrow, tree-lined fairway. This green is one of the best on the course as a classic Ross turtleback similar to what you find in Pinehurst. The 15th and 16th holes occupy space that was originally polo grounds and are new holes built in 1947 by an amateur architect if I had to guess. At 296 and 245 yards respectfully, these straightaway short par fours run parallel to each other and both contain severely back-to-front sloped greens. There’s a small bunker short left of the 16th green but otherwise these two weak holes are devoid of any strategy or memorability.
The 17th hole is another Ross design and one of the better holes as an 146 yard par 3. Playing over the only water hazard on the course, this attractive one-shotter features an elevated green with a back-to-front slope running off a large back hump. There’s a deep bunker short of the green as well.
Grover Cleveland closes with the original 18th as a 325 yard straightaway par 4. While neither long nor intimidating, this is a memorable hole with pine trees down either side and a large Alps-like bunker about 30 yards short of the green. Your approach must cover this hazard to find another awesome small green with mounds on its rear and right portions.
General Comments: Grover Cleveland’s clubhouse is rather rudimentary and practice facilities are very limited, with only a small putting green by the 1st tee. The course is a very easy walk and pace of play was pretty good when I played, but I imagine this course gets lots of play.
Verdict: While it’s an interesting piece of trivia that Grover Cleveland hosted the 1912 U.S. Open, today’s course is a flat, easy, short municipal course with mostly bland architecture besides a few memorable original greens. This is a cheap option with a lot of history for locals but probably isn’t worth extended travel to see.