Weather extremes, rising rounds, and a Ryder Cup spotlight defined the 2025 season
By Chase Skrubis, Extension Support Specialist and State Park Agronomist
2025 marked the most successful year in NY State Park Golf Course history. From the first Ryder Cup hosted by a state park golf course to every facility surpassing its record number of rounds played, this year confirmed that golf in New York is booming.
For Cornell, each year begins in March at the state park training days. Hosted at Bethpage, James Baird, and Chenango State Parks, the Cornell Turf Crew meets with NYSPGC turf staff to review the prior year’s impact and data. The state of the game of golf, facility EIQ totals (Environmental Impact Quotient), BMP’s, soil testing, and total rounds played are amongst the annual discussion as superintendents prepare for the year ahead.
2025 was a year of Mother Nature’s turbulence. In some regions, the state saw 20 consecutive weekends of precipitation, beginning in January and lasting until the end of June. Due to the wet start, rounds were initially down from normal, and maintaining playable conditioning became the challenge. Disease pressure, cart traffic, and early season wear became present as the state struggled to dry down. July brought the first relief from the rain, which quickly turned into drought conditions and the addition of supplemental irrigation. Rounds saw a sharp increase this month and continued at this pace well into October through the end of a pleasantly warm September.
The Ryder Cup, played the third week of September, was an overwhelming success for the turf team at Bethpage. Despite the demanding hours, sleepless nights, and rains the day before the event, and team USA’s shortcomings, the Bethpage staff portrayed the ethos of the NY State Park system at the highest level and showed the world what is possible. Our team at Cornell could not be prouder of the entire crew.
As the golf industry continues to boom, so will golf at the New York State Parks. The opportunities that these courses offer the public are invaluable and will continue to steward the environment and lead the turfgrass industry for years to come. We are confident here at Cornell that the New York State Park Golf Course system offers the highest quality of golf, at the greatest value to the public, of any state in this country.