Cold Spring Country Club in Belchertown will open its doors to the public on June 1.BELCHERTOWN – Local Golf Peril: Four-letter word describing the condition of golf on the Cold Spring property.
What is . . . OPEN?
Cold Spring Country Club will open to the public on June 1, ending approximately 15 years of legal and financial troubles from the previous owners.
What golfers will find is a scenic, playable course described as having a “Crumpin-Fox” feel and day-pay access.
“We will be a premium facility with moderate (priced) greens fees and attractive membership rates,” said Bill Tragakis, director of Cold Spring CC and head golf professional. “We’re very excited. A starter course is a lot of work, but we’re going to give people a fantastic experience.”
The 260-acre property, located on both sides of Highway 21, has long been a topic of discussion within the golfing community, but is now less than seven weeks away from opening to the public.
“We can’t wait…the golf course itself has been ready for over a year,” Tragakis said.
Cold Spring CC will be the first golf course to open in western Massachusetts since the summer of 2002, when the Ranch Golf Club in Southwick and Ledges Golf Course in South Hadley each opened.
The course was purchased, partially completed, for about $2.35 million at an auction in 2009. The new owner – a China-based family with several international business ventures – asked that their name not be made public.
“Owners love golf and want a five-star operation, from conditions to facilities to service,” Tragakis said.
Tragakis described the 260-acre property as having a “Crumpin-Fox” feel, referring to a layout where most holes are separated from each other, aesthetically pleasing and that appeals to all levels of golfers.
The par 71 layout, with seven holes located on the east side of Route 21, is unique in that it features six par 3s and five par 5s.
“That’s why (total) distance can be misleading…it’s going to be the longest 6,521 you’ll play,” Tragakis said. “We have a few par 4s in the 450 (yard) range and it’s not boring. There are doglegs to the right, doglegs to the left, short holes…”
The course plays to 6,521 yards from the black tees, where the course rating is 71.7 and the slope is 130. White plays to 67.8 with a course rating of 120.
Course conditions and maintenance are under the care and direction of Superintendent Doug Stachura, who spent 30 years at Springfield Country Club, and First Assistant Robbie Dickson.
Bill Tragakis, Cold Spring Country Club Director and Head Golf ProThe original Cold Spring CC project began during the sport’s boom, and the first rounds (May 1 for members) will mark the end of a string of misfortunes since talk of building the club on a former apple orchard began in 1997.
Construction began in 2000, but was derailed when a business partner of the original ownership group was convicted of wire fraud.
The project then fell into the hands of an on-site contractor, who arrived within “weeks” of opening before ultimately defaulting on a $4.2 million mortgage.
The process took so long that the original architect of the course at New Hampshire-based Armstrong Associates has since changed gender. Additionally, a number of greens have been remodeled and the original drainage system has already been replaced.
But what members and paying golfers will see this spring is a glimpse of what could quickly become one of the region’s gems.
“We had a full growing season in 2010, to see how the turf responds to weather conditions,” Dickson said. “It can avoid a lot of problems and that’s one of the main reasons they wanted to wait.”
Water hazards are rare and its bunkers, with bright white sand, are filled with crushed marble from the North Adams quarries.
“You’ll have to wear sunglasses, no lie,” Dickson said. “People think there’s snow there.”
Green fees, with cart, during the summer weekend are $75. Twilight rates (after 2:00 p.m.) are $35 without cart. Tee times can be booked seven days in advance.
Full individual membership for a single adult costs $1,725 per year, while the family rate costs $2,900. Junior membership costs $300 and seniors $750. Tragakis said there is no initial target number of memberships, but said 300 would be ideal.
The 6,700-square-foot clubhouse, with a pro shop on the first floor, an upstairs restaurant and a west-facing outdoor patio, is located halfway up the “mountain.”
Plans for up to 150 homes and a banquet hall are envisaged at the top of the hill, with panoramic views in all directions.
“You can see the Berkshires, Connecticut, Vermont…” Tragakis said.
The course is located seven miles north of Exit 7 of the Massachusetts Turnpike in Ludlow and its main telephone number is (413) 323-4888.
A full price description is available here.
