Other than local tournament golf these days, the big news is the proposal by the owners of Westwood Country Club to flat-out trade their property to the town of Amherst for the Audubon Golf Course. The guys who bought Westwood a few years back want to leave the golf business, it appears; the principle question is: is this a good deal for either or both sides?
We can answer half of that question immediately~OF COURSE it’s a good deal for the Westwood owners. Why else would they propose it? They get to develop a huge parcel of average golf course (the current Audubon tract) in a prime location (between Maple Road and Millersport/UB North.) The plan calls for the very trendy designation of mixed-use. This seems to mean some housing, some business, maybe even some industry, but who knows.
Does the town of Amherst win? That’s a tougher call to make. From a facilities perspective, it might appear so. The Audubon par 3 course abuts the Westwood property, eliminating the need to bring mowing and other equipment across a busy stretch of Maple Road. The clubhouse at Westwood towers (literally) over the Audubon shack in its elegance and size. The practice facilities at Westwood are stronger than Audubon’s, despite the addition of the new driving range at Audubon.
How about that new driving range at Audubon? They eliminated the old first hole, moved the fairway to the ninth and tucked in a little hole next to nine, where the trees used to be. I never understood why they didn’t run road, electric and sewer out past the 13th hole, to that plot of land next to the woods, and put their facilities and equipment storage there. Why have it in the middle of the golf course? You might guess that I don’t like the new driving range, but that’s one opinion.
Back to the swap topic. There’s a pool at Westwood. Does the town of Amherst need another pool? If so, here it is. If not, what to do with it? The golf courses, coincidentally, were both designed by landscape architect William Harries, the same fellow who laid out Brighton and Sheridan golf courses in Tonawanda, and Brookfield Country Club in Clarence. It’s safe to say that he didn’t do his best work for the town of Amherst; the Audubon course is a series of back and forth par fours, with the occasional par three and par five hole to spice things up. I know this because Audubon was my home course for six years back in the day. It’s a huge step up from Oakwood (the other Amherst town course), but does it compare with Westwood?
Westwood has more character than Audubon. It shares the same topographical boredom as its neighbor, but the holes are better balanced. To be sure, there are a few goofy holes at Westwood, but the recent success of its junior golfers (Jake Katz, Dave Berkun, James Grachos, Gregory Sibick, et al.) suggests that the course has the potential to develop terrific players. I suspect that the membership at Audubon would be thrilled to move a block south to Westwood, assuming that the town is able to maintain conditions at Westwood. The course wont’ be country-club kept, but something close will suffice.
As always, leave your comments below. I suspect that you know more than I do, so tell me what I’m missing.
What happens to the members of Westwood now who shelled out 4 grand for a family membership? I almost joined there. I am glad I didn’t now.
I really have no opinion on the matter of who it is a better deal for.
I don’t know what kind of money is involved. i only have limited details.
I would have to break it down that way.
It seems though that the town of Amherst loses. They will spend money maintaining a course while the owners of Westwood now are getting prime real estate to develop. The become the ultimate winners.
It is only a surface opinion though without really knowing the breakdown of the deal.
Thanks, Tim. The Westwood guys will develop Westwood land in the same way, if they don’t get the land swap. Since there are many more neighbors by Westwood, it would be in the town’s interest to develop the Audubon property versus the Westwood property.
So Westwood CC is just going away no matter what? Interesting. I have no issue with the swap if someone wants to develop that land into something. I doubt the town ever had visions of doing anything else with the property.
It looks that way. The majority of the old-line members have joined other clubs (Transit, Brookfield and CCB) so the club is filled with new members. It would be a shame to keep Audubon and lose Westwood, albeit not a huge one. This one will take a while to play out, I’m certain.
I have no skin in this one, because I have no interest in playing Audubon, and I am not a Westwood member. But, note to the Town of Amherst: I will pay a decent greens fee to play the current Westwood course, because there are some very nice golf holes on that site. If the Town can swap the land for $1, it would seem to be a big win – they get a much better golf course, which they can charge more to play and maintain.