Bellevue

It’s no secret that much of New York is flush with great golf courses from both Golden Age and modern designers alike. Syracuse drew a relatively short straw compared to other major cities in the state, but it still has a pair of noteworthy classics, in Onondaga (from Walter Travis) as well as Donald Ross’s Bellevue Country Club.

The renowned architect found many a hill to work with at this club when he arrived for the original nine-hole design, and even more when the club acquired additional acreage four years later for him to complete a traditional 18.

A long descent from the tee box is memorable to all golfers, and several holes fit the description at Bellevue, including No. 4 and the closing hole. Although players will get help off of the tee, they’ll need it: The former is the No. 1 handicap hole, and No. 18 will require a long approach to a green that slopes away from the player. The signature feature at Bellevue, however, comes at No. 14, where a visible rock ledge along the right of the fairway may distract players.

Ron Forse has been commissioned for a master plan to restore the Ross elements at the club in the near future.