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SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Golf and Polo Club has secured a $3.53 million loan from Adirondack Trust Co. The club plans to use the money for renovations that include an update to the golf course, the pool, the addition of a cabana, a platform tennis court and a warming hut.
According to Ron Ireland, General Manager of the club, the golf course’s renovations are almost done and pool renovations will be completed by Memorial Day of 2019. Everything else is going through the approval process with the city and construction will likely begin after Labor Day. Ireland suspects the entire upgrade will be completed shortly after the start of 2020. He says it is a major renovation.
“We’re bringing the golf course back to what it was like when it was built in 1896 but with a modern touch to it,” he said.
The 122-year-old, Victorian era golf course was known for its views of the Adirondacks, so the upgrade includes adding mounds, deepening the bunkers, re-designing tees and removing trees to maintain the view. The property, located at 301 Church St. in Saratoga Springs, is roughly 80 acres and has a nine-hole golf course. The clubhouse, which has three dining rooms, four meeting rooms, a bar, an additional golf shop, a billiard room and employee offices, is also getting renovated. The golf shop will be moved to another location on the property.
“It’s part of a long-term master plan. We surveyed our members a couple of years ago and what they told us was that we really should upgrade our amenities. They were willing to pay for it so we’ve established a monthly capital fee and using that money to do the actual renovations. We also established a capital reserve for the future to maintain and upgrade the facility,” Ireland said.
When asked what the membership fee was, Ireland declined to respond. Saratoga Golf and Polo Club already does have dining year- round, golf and four grass tennis courts, a clay course and three hard courts.
“We have a myriad of events, everything from drive-in movie nights for the kids, family New Years Eve, Valentines Day dinner, I mean we have something going on all the time,” Ireland said.
The golf club also has summer programs and a full- time tennis coach to accompany tennis programs.
