Genesee Valley golf course receives $250K donation from PGA of America

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Rochester’s Genesee Valley Golf Course is one of the oldest public golf courses in the country. Soon it will have a new look, and some extra features all thanks to the PGA of America and its generous donation to help restore the course.

What was once old will be new again, and golfers who are loyal to Genesee Valley are looking forward to the new upgrades.

“We’re gonna make a $250K donation to the Genesee Valley Golf Course,” says PGA Chief Executive Officer Seth Waugh.

As a token of appreciation for the Rochester area hosting the 2023 PGA Championship, PGA officials have chosen to give back to the community and the Genesee Valley Golf Course giving access to a new generation of golfers.

“We are all about growing the game everywhere we go. And every day, if we can make 28,000 lives better, we can make millions of lives better through the game,” said Waugh.

Golfers like Mark Simmons are excited to hear the good news.

“The improvements can definitely build the course up,” says Simmons. “Make it more playable. Make it more lively, and exciting to play. It’s a good thing. Appreciate it very much.”

Artist renderings show some of the upgrades planned for the course. Upgrades such as a 14,000 square foot area that includes a practice, a short game facility, plus a synthetic area for chipping and putting. Golfers tell us the improvements they’d like to see.

“I’d like to see them do some work on the south. I know they’re going to do most of it here, but there’s a real problem with drainage in this golf course. It’s a swamp,” says Kelly Spaulding of Webster.

“First of all they need more staff,” added Rochester resident, Mark Hine. “They need more staff to take care of the course. That’s the big thing. You know maybe you add a few sand traps here and there.”

Hine says Genesee Valley Golf Course is very sentimental to him.

“In the 70’s my mom used to drop us off here at noon. If you can imagine dropping a 12-year-old off at the golf course, and saying, ‘hey we’ll see you at 5, be back here.’ I grew up playing here you know. This course is really special to me. It really is,” says Hine.

So far, no word yet on when the restoration work will begin at the Genesee Valley Golf Course. Just a heads up though, if you are looking to play a round of golf at Genesee Valley, tee times are booked solid for the rest of the week.