BACK IN THE SWING
Once on the brink of closing, Wiltwyck Golf Club has bounced back after opening its course to the public
KINGSTON, N.Y. » In the fall of 2017, Wiltwyck Golf Club was very much at risk of going belly up.
At its peak, Wiltwyck had more than 500 members, but that number began to decline after IBM closed its town of Ulster plant in the mid-1990s. In 2018, it had sunk to 126. But a group of 11 local investors, known as WGC Holdings, pitched in and bought the 404 Seward Lane facility in the town of Ulster for a reported $1.8 million or half the asking price.
Today, that group has reported a resurgence at Wiltwyck, in no small part due to its opening of the club to the general public, as well as a boost in the membership program.
“WGC Holdings provides Wiltwyck members and guests a level of golf facility performance in playing surfaces and conditioning that is pre-eminent and not available elsewhere within the local area,” the group said in a statement. “At the same time, upon the transfer to WGC Holdings, Wiltwycks’ facilities were opened up to those in the public who want to play Wiltwyck but who do not wish to avail themselves of the responsibilities of membership.”
“The compromise has been to provide a semi-public/semiprivate experience where lowercost access is traded off against restriction on time of play,” the group said. “This change to semi-private status has been a key element of the club’s current success.”
The club’s paid membership, which ranges in price, has grown since 2018 to 206. Still, they say, success is counted in other ways.
“The strongest evidence of Wiltwyck’s resurgence, growth and improvement since 2018 is our year to year increase in the number of golf rounds played at the club by both members and the public,” the group reported. “In 2018, we counted 14,000 aggregate rounds played, which increased to 18,000 rounds in 2019.”
“In 2020, we are easily on pace for 24,000 rounds,” the statement read.
Also, the owner say the club has hosted four successful leagues this past summer — two for men and two for women — during the week, all of which were open to the public.
Two additional leagues will be hosted there this fall, one of which will be open to the public.
“All of our leagues have proven particularly popular during the (COVID-19) pandemic with upwards of 70 golfers regularly participating on league days,” the owners said.
They have also utilized funding to make improvements.
In total, the owners reported that nearly $1 million has been invested in club improvements. An additional $300,000 has been targeted for future upgrades.
“Reinvestment has been a recurring theme under operation of Wiltwyck by WGC Holdings, and the reinvestment theme again plays into the role of custodianship,” the owners say.
“There has been an inexhaustible list of items that required repair, replacement and upgrade over the last three years,” the group said. “Many areas of the property required investment and we have been chipping away at significant upgrades to the property
Among the more notable investments made (or are about to make) are:
• In 2018, a completed renovation and upgrade of the club’s tap room and clubhouse, dining facilities as well as a “refresh” of the banquet area.
• A substantial investment in a 2019 replacement to the club’s irrigation pump system, a critical piece of infrastructure supporting the operation of the golf course.
• A planned investment is set to upgrade of the pool facilities, starting this year.
The group says among important accomplishments since they took over has been to attract and keep key staff. They include:
• Husband and wife Luke and Savanah Burbach. Luke Burbach is head golf professional and his wife oversees and coordinates member relations, the pool operation and marketing. The couple moved to the Kingston area in 2018.
• Greens Superintendent Jason Nalepa and First Assistant AJ Perry head up the greens crew at Wiltwyck and are the “backbone to our ability to provide superior conditions on our most important asset — our golf course,” the owners say.
• Chef Dominique Mitais joined the club this year. He is a classically trained French chef, with 20 years of experience creating sophisticated cuisine in a high-end country club setting. He served for many years as the executive sous chef at the Carlyle Hotel in New York City.
Under Wiltwyck’s new ownership, the club has renewed programs for children. For example, in 2020 alone, under the leadership of Senior Golf Professional Jack Breno, more than 50 boys and girls ages 4 to 18 have participated in junior golf clinics. In addition, more than 30 boys and girls ages 8 to 13 participated this summer in Wiltwyck’s first Golf, Tennis and Swim Camp.
As recently as August, 100 junior golfers participated in a US Kids Junior Tour Event at Wiltwyck, “thereby providing a muchneeded golf and social outlet to juniors otherwise holed up at home during the pandemic,” the owners said.
Wiltwyck says it has also has participated in COVID-19 assistance.
“When County Executive Pat Ryan announced the ‘Project Resilience’ Community Fund and Local Food Distribution Effort to support Ulster County residents impacted by the pandemic, Wiltwyck stepped up and provided to Project Resilience over 1,000 meals prepared by our Chef Dominique,” the owners said in the statement.
Wiltwyck was formed on April 7, 1933, and was originally located off Hurley Avenue.
In 1953, the state filed a plan to build the state Thruway, which would eventually cut the club’s original ninehole course in half.
Proceeds from a settlement were combined with funding from the sale of first mortgage bonds and from the sale of the remaining club property wound up paying for the former Steward Farm, the current Wiltwyck location.
Robert Trent Jones Sr. was retained to design the new golf course, which opened in 1955.