Planning your next round in the Rochester area or just looking for a new local spot to tee it up? Monroe County, New York, is an incredible golf destination, packed with historic and challenging courses that are open for public play. This guide will walk you through some of the best public-access courses the county has to offer, giving you the essential information and a little bit of inside strategy to help you play smarter and have more fun.
While the region is famous for its exclusive private clubs, the public golf scene is equally impressive. The county park system, in particular, operates three phenomenal courses that provide both value and a quality experience. Here’s a look at some of the courses ready for you to book a tee time.
Steeped in history, Genesee Valley is home to one of the oldest public courses in the country. Located where the Genesee River and the Erie Canal meet, it offers two distinct 18-hole layouts, making it a popular and accessible hub for local golfers.
If you're a student of golf history, playing the North Course is a must. Designed by the legendary Donald Ross in 1908, it’s a living piece of Golden Age architecture. Don't let its shorter yardage fool you, this course is a masterclass in strategic design.
Forget pin-hunting on Ross greens. Your primary goal on almost every approach shot should be the center of the green. Ross designed his greens to reward shots that land in the middle and punish those that go for the edges. Trying to get too aggressive will often result in your ball rolling off the side, leaving an incredibly difficult chip back up the slope. Aim for the fat part of the green, trust your putting, and you will score much better than the player who tries to fire at every flag. Embrace the two-putt par, it’s a great score here.
The South Course provides a more modern contrast to its historic sibling. It’s longer, more open, and generally more forgiving off the tee, making it a great option for a more relaxed round or for golfers who like to use their driver.
Often considered the jewel of the Monroe County Parks system, Durand Eastman boasts a stunning setting within a 900-acre arboretum. This Robert Trent Jones, Sr. design is famous for its dramatic elevation changes, doglegs, and breathtaking views of Lake Ontario.
The biggest challenge here is judging distance. Rule of thumb: for every 10 feet of elevation change on an uphill shot, add one club. For a downhill shot, take one club away. More importantly, focus on your setup. On an uphill lie, your body will naturally tilt back. To compensate, feel like you're leaning into the hill to level your shoulders. This will help you make a rotational swing around your body instead of trying to lift the ball up the hill, which often leads to thin or fat shots. A balanced, athletic setup - the kind you practice on the range - is even more important when the ground isn't perfectly flat.
Located on the west side of the county, Churchville offers 27 holes of championship golf. This allows for three different 18-hole combinations (East, West, South nines), providing great variety and making it easier to get a tee time. The design, credited to Peter Craig, offers a nice mix of challenges for all skill levels.
On a 27-hole course, the focus is adaptability. No matter which two nines you play, be prepared for doglegs. Many golfers make the mistake of just aiming down the middle on a dogleg. This can leave you blocked out by trees or with a very long approach. Instead, before you tee off, look at the hole shape and identify the 'corner' of the dogleg. Your goal is to aim for that corner, even if it feels less aggressive. A well-placed 3-wood or hybrid that finds the ideal spot in the fairway will set you up for a much easier approach Sthan a driver that runs through the fairway into trouble.
For those looking for a premium public golf experience, Ravenwood is the answer. Located just south of Rochester in Victor, this Dr. Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry design is consistently ranked among the best public courses in New York State. It has hosted numerous USGA and PGA qualifiers.
This is a thinking person’s golf course. The secret to a good score here isn't trying to overpower the course, it’s making smart decisions. The architects give you options on almost every hole. Before each tee shot, ask yourself "what's the smart miss?" With wetlands and deep bunkers protecting many greens, aiming away from the serious trouble is more important than attacking a tight pin. Your goal is to avoid the big numbers. Sometimes, that means laying up short of fairway bunkers or playing to the side of a green away from water. A safe par is always better than an attempted birdie that turns into a double bogey.
A local favorite, Cragie Brae offers rolling hills, mature trees, and a classic layout that has been enjoyed by Rochester-area golfers for decades. It's a family-run course with a friendly, welcoming atmosphere that delivers a fun and fair challenge without the intimidating feel of a bigger championship venue.
With its hills and varied hole designs, Cragie Brae rewards shot creativity. Instead of just thinking about distance, think about trajectory. On a hole with an elevated green, hitting a higher-trajectory shot will help the ball land softly. On a windy day, a lower, more piercing shot will be more effective. This is where understanding your swing fundamentals pays off. Your body a is the engine of the swing, by maintaining your posture and rotating through the ball, you can control the kind of shot you hit. Practice hitting a "three-quarter" shot on the range, it's a valuable tool for controlling distance and trajectory on a course like this.
Monroe County offers a fantastic range of public golf courses, from historic Donald Ross layouts and Robert Trent Jones, Sr. designs to accessible county-run facilities for every skill level. No matter what kind of challenge or setting you're looking for, there's a course open and waiting for you.
Getting familiar with a new course is part of the fun, but it's also where you can lose the most strokes. When you're standing on an unfamiliar tee or facing a tough lie, having the right information is invaluable. This is where our app, Caddie AI, comes in. You can get instant, data-driven strategy for any hole, club recommendations, and even ask it for the best way to play a tricky shot by taking a photo of your ball's lie. We help you take the guesswork out of your round so you can swing with confidence on any of Monroe County's fantastic courses.
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The compression of a Pinnacle Rush golf ball is one of its most defining features, engineered specifically to help a huge swath of golfers get more distance and enjoyment from their game. We'll break down exactly what its low compression means, who it's for, and how you can use that knowledge to shoot lower scores.
Figuring out which spikes go into your new (or old) pair of Puma golf shoes can feel like a puzzle, but it’s much simpler than you think. The key isn't the brand of the shoe, but the type of receptacle system they use. This guide will walk you through exactly how to identify your Puma's spike system, choose the perfect replacements for your game, and change them out like a pro.
The Golf Genius app is one of the best tools for managing and participating in competitive golf events, but figuring it out for the first time can feel like reading a new set of greens. This guide cuts through the confusion and shows you exactly how to use the app as a player. We’ll cover everything from logging into your tournament and entering scores to checking the live leaderboard so you can enjoy the competition without any tech headaches.
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