Metropolis Gets Set For An Upgrade

Metropolis Country Club, one of my favorites in the Westchester County neighborhood, will undergo some renovation after the completion of the 2011 season. It sounds like they're planning to make a couple of holes better, not just longer.

The tees on the 5th hole will be rebuilt, with 15 yards added to the back tees to stretch the hole to 401 yards. The dogleg right will be softened and the fairway will be more visible from the tee boxes.

For the 18th hole, the goal is to create a memorable finish that reflects the character of the complete layout and underscore the caliber of golf course. The renovation will eliminate the severity of the dogleg right and add approximately 20 yards to the back tees, lengthening it to 404 yards.

The work, planned and overseen by golf course architect Dave Heatwole, will slightly alter the two holes and enhance the playability of this venerable golf course. Famous, as well as infamous, for its relentless dogleg par 4s, Metropolis is making the modifications to meet the changing needs of its golf membership.

A challenging par 71, Metropolis was established in 1922, with the original design enhanced by noted architect A. W. Tillinghast. The course features many doglegs, as well as a collection of undulating greens that tests every aspect of even the best player’s shot-making ability.

The original 18 holes at Metropolis were designed by Herbert Strong, with architect Joe Finger assigned in the 1970s to make the changes to allow room for parking and tennis courts.

Long respected for its golf course, Metropolis has a roster of notable head golf professionals: Paul Runyan (1931-43); Jack Burke, Jr. (1948-50); Joe Moore and Bob Watson (co-golf professionals from 1950-53), Harry “Lighthorse” Cooper (1953-1978); Gene Borek (1980-2005); Ron Philo (06-07), Craig Thomas (2007-present), and its prominent members.

Named 2011 Club of the Year by the Metropolitan Golf Writers Association (MGWA), Metropolis was cited for upholding the spirit and traditions of golf through energetic support and consistent dedication to the game.

Metropolis has hosted every significant championship in the Metropolitan area, including the Met Open, Met Amateur and The Ike.

In addition to writing about golf, Dave Donelson distills the experiences of hundreds of entrepreneurs into practical advice for small business owners and managers in the Dynamic Manager's Guides, a series of how-to books about marketing and advertising, sales techniques, hiring, firing, and motivating personnel, financial management, and business strategy.