Country Club of Rochester
Encyclopedia
One of the oldest golf clubs in America, the Country Club of Rochester is a championship golf course in the Towns of Brighton
and Pittsford
, in suburban Rochester, New York
. Members of the elite Genesee Valley Club founded the golf club in 1895, on a farm four miles east of downtown.
The original course was of rather primitive design, reflective of the early era of golf. In 1912, the Club hired Scotsman Donald Ross to design a more modern course on the same grounds. Ross would become one of the most famous golf course architects in the game's history. Years later, the Country Club of Rochester course would be refined by Robert Trent Jones
, a local man who was inspired by Ross as a boy, and ultimately followed in his hero's footsteps to become one of the most famous architects in the game.
Golf legend Walter Hagen
started caddying at the Country Club of Rochester when he was 7½ years old. He progressed to become the assistant club pro, and won the 1914 U.S. Open
. Later named head pro at CCR, Hagen went on to be one of the most influential figures in the history of the golf, winning 11 majors, 44 official tournaments and dozens of exhibitions, while becoming one of the greatest ambassadors the game of golf has ever known.
Sam Urzetta, who won the 1950 U.S. Amateur, served as Head Golf Pro at the Club for 37 years. Sam also holds the current course record with an 18 hole score of 61, which he has shot an astonishing three times at CCR. He is now succeeded as Head Golf Professional by his son, Michael.
The general manager at the club today is Al Antonez. He is known around the club for his hard work on the course.
The Country Club of Rochester hosted the 1953 U.S. Women's Open, the first women's open sanctioned by the USGA. It also hosted the U.S. Women's Amateur in 1962, and the U.S. Women's Open again in 1973.
Brighton, Monroe County, New York
Brighton is a town in Monroe County, New York, USA. The population was 36,609 at the 2010 census.-History:The Town of Brighton, located on the southeast border of the city of Rochester, was originally settled approximately 1790, and formally established in 1814—earning it recognition as one...
and Pittsford
Pittsford (town), New York
Pittsford is a town in Monroe County, New York, United States and is an affluent suburb of Rochester. The population was 29,405 at the 2010 census....
, in suburban Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
. Members of the elite Genesee Valley Club founded the golf club in 1895, on a farm four miles east of downtown.
The original course was of rather primitive design, reflective of the early era of golf. In 1912, the Club hired Scotsman Donald Ross to design a more modern course on the same grounds. Ross would become one of the most famous golf course architects in the game's history. Years later, the Country Club of Rochester course would be refined by Robert Trent Jones
Robert Trent Jones
Robert Trent Jones, Sr. was a golf course architect who designed about 500 golf courses in at least 40 US states and 35 other countries all around the world...
, a local man who was inspired by Ross as a boy, and ultimately followed in his hero's footsteps to become one of the most famous architects in the game.
Golf legend Walter Hagen
Walter Hagen
Walter Charles Hagen was a major figure in golf in the first half of the 20th century. His tally of eleven professional majors is third behind Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods . He won the U.S. Open twice, and in 1922 he became the first native-born American to win the British Open, which he went on...
started caddying at the Country Club of Rochester when he was 7½ years old. He progressed to become the assistant club pro, and won the 1914 U.S. Open
U.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
. Later named head pro at CCR, Hagen went on to be one of the most influential figures in the history of the golf, winning 11 majors, 44 official tournaments and dozens of exhibitions, while becoming one of the greatest ambassadors the game of golf has ever known.
Sam Urzetta, who won the 1950 U.S. Amateur, served as Head Golf Pro at the Club for 37 years. Sam also holds the current course record with an 18 hole score of 61, which he has shot an astonishing three times at CCR. He is now succeeded as Head Golf Professional by his son, Michael.
The general manager at the club today is Al Antonez. He is known around the club for his hard work on the course.
The Country Club of Rochester hosted the 1953 U.S. Women's Open, the first women's open sanctioned by the USGA. It also hosted the U.S. Women's Amateur in 1962, and the U.S. Women's Open again in 1973.