Spring has sprung, and golf courses around the region are revving up the carts and waiting for golf lovers to get the clubs out and ”“ why not? ”“ shoot 4 under par.
Much of the buzz in Ulster this year comes via the new nine holes being built at the Lazy Swan Golf and Country Club in the village of  Saugerties that will complement and be joined with its existing nine-hole course. Work has progressed nicely on the new section, with the grand opening slated to toward the end of summer.
Lazy Swan owner Tony Bacchi  has already opened the original nine holes at the Saugerties club. He brought back golf course designer Barry Jordan, who laid out the original nine, to fashion the rest, making the 18-hole layout 6,500 yards with a par of 70.
“Barry did an excellent job designing the original holes and the reputation of the course speaks for itself,” Bacchi said. “It adds a certain level of prestige, which the course in entitled to.”
The open space where the existing nine course is located  will be flanked on both sides by densely wooded holes with narrower fairways. The two nines will be integrated once the 18-hole layout is completed.
Richard Remsnyder, executive director of Ulster Tourism, said Lazy Swan”™s quiet elegance and its proximity to the Saugerties exit on the New York State Thruway have caught the attention of a growing number of golfers from the region.
“In a short time, Lazy Swan has established itself as a major player in the golf business,” Remsnyder said. “The course is immaculate and challenging. The staff is very efficient and courteous and it has an outstanding restaurant, clubhouse and a beautiful facility that has become a fashionable place to hold a wedding. Once it opens its new nine, I think it will be one of the best 18-hole courses in the region.”
Remsnyder said 2011 promises to be an exciting year as the county”™s dozen courses have all opened and survived the harsh winter in good condition.
“Our golf courses are so diverse that visitors can play any type of course here,” Remsnyder said. “If a golfer likes mountain resort courses, he or she will be thrilled golfing at the Robert Trent Jones-designed golf courses at the Honor”™s Haven Resort and Spa in Ellenville, the Hudson Valley Resort and Spa in Kerhonkson and the Mohonk Mountain House, which is located at the wonderful five-star resort in New Paltz.”
If they  are looking for a challenging course with great risk-reward potential, Rondout Golf Club in Accord has lots of water and some reachable par-5”™s that provide enough of a test for those brave enough to tee off. And the 27-hole Apple Greens Golf Course, which is cut right out of an apple orchard in Highland, is a unique experience for golfers of all levels.
Highlighting the opening of Ulster County”™s golf season is the variety of specials at its 12 golf courses. For more information, visit ulstercountyalive.com or call Ulster County Tourism at 340-3568
