Spotlight on Business

Stamford Golf Club and Tavern 1897

163 Taylor Road
Stamford, NY 12167

607.652.7398

stamfordgolfclub.com

info@stamfordgolfclub.com

Mon – Thurs 6:30am-8:30pm
Fri 6am-8:30pm

Sat/Sun 6am-9pm

June 2020

To those in the know, the Stamford Golf Club and Tavern 1897, its food and beverage operation housed in its clubhouse, are critical local assets, enhancing the quality of life to those who make use of their facilities. Nevertheless, they perplexingly remain among the region’s best-kept secrets. Perhaps it is because of the aura of exclusivity that is attached to golf clubs; yet this is a course that is open to the public with specific programs designed to attract and encourage novices and young golfers. To anyone who has played on this course, with its magnificent views of the Catskill Mountains, particularly striking during fall foliage season, and then enjoyed a post-game beverage and meal on the tavern’s veranda, boasting arguably the finest terrace view of any public establishment in the region, the fact that the club and tavern exist is immensely reassuring.

The Stamford Golf Club was organized in 1897, first located near the legendary Rexmere Hotel, a Stamford landmark that was sadly destroyed by a fire in 2014. The club began to occupy its current location around 1940, eventually covering the 150 acres it currently owns and operates. Wayne Lord, President of the Stamford Golf Club, is a high school math teacher at Cobleskill Richmondville Central School and grew up in Stamford. He places particular emphasis on demystifying golf and making it more accessible to the greater community:

“We have a great staff to help you get started playing the sport of golf if you are a beginner. The course is great for both new and experienced golfers. We offer a full driving range if you just want to come up and have fun hitting balls or work on your game to become a better player. We have a PGA golf professional for instruction and Brad Anderson, our Director of Golf, is always there to help guide you in the right direction.”

Lord also coaches varsity golf and believes in opening the sport to young people, seeing it as “a lifetime sport…a great way to get outside, enjoy an activity that will provide an outdoor experience, some physical exercise, and great camaraderie with friends and family.” To that end, the club offers special rates for junior golfers and has established partnerships with the local school districts:

“We help local schools with facilities for the students who want to participate in a new sport, offering the club as a place to practice and have golf matches for the golf program in schools, and we offer an easy way to run fundraisers for school districts to raise money for their programs. We recognize that our juniors are the future lifeblood of the club. Our junior golf program is growing very fast and we’re focusing a lot of our efforts in this area. We provided juniors with high quality instruction, free membership for attendees, and have been working on grants to help with scholarships and providing the necessary equipment for these young players. This program is a great way to get young golfers, male or female from the ages of 6 to 17 to get started in a lifetime sport that they will enjoy for the rest of their life. Camps are only $50 per week, including instruction, lunches, camp shirt, and club membership for the remainder of the season. We also allow juniors to play/ride in a golf cart for free with a paid adult.”

While the food and beverage program at the club had previously been run by outside vendors through concession arrangements, the club’s Board of Directors resolved last year to take full control of operations at the clubhouse. As Lord describes:

“The decision was not an easy one. Board members already contribute a lot of time and effort on the golf side, having an additional commitment in the tavern is a tall order and a lot to ask of an already depleted volunteer resource pool. Nevertheless, here we are. What the club hopes to gain with this endeavor is greater synergy with the club for specials and promotions, control over the menus for food and beverage offerings, consistent and flexible hours of operation, and restaurant name recognition throughout the community (rebranded as Tavern 1897 in 2020). Despite the pandemic, we’re off to a great start with a terrific staff. This off-season we’ve renovated the kitchen and much of the clubhouse. Weekly specials are routinely sent out over email and our social media accounts. We are also very proud to have the opportunity to employ people in our community. We are certainly blessed with the employees we have hired for both the club and Tavern 1897. They are friendly and happy to accommodate all your needs.”

Regarding the challenges posed by operating as a club and tavern during the Covid-19 pandemic, Lord says:

“It has definitely made providing for the community more challenging. As a seasonal business, this cuts into the open time even more. It’s difficult to plan things like events, tournaments, outings, and catering. Nevertheless, Stamford Gold Club and Tavern 1897 will continue to move forward to service the community and provide people with the best possible experience despite the challenges.”

The Stamford New York Business Alliance is proud to count among its members the Stamford Golf Club and Tavern 1897. They are providing crucial services in the outdoor recreational and food and beverage sectors for residents and visitors. The Alliance seeks to build on the hard work and dedication of member businesses and organizations like them and thereby contribute to this area’s well-being. In Lord’s words:

“Living in a small, rural area, it’s important for local businesses to network with one another. We all share the same goal of providing a product or service that enhances the lives of our customers. Servicing our local communities and driving new business to our area is something we all have in common and benefit from.”