Putting the polish on Silver Lake
After years of operation by California-based American Golf Corp., Silver Lake Golf Course is now in the hands of a pair of Staten Islanders. And there is no doubt the “The Lake” is responding well under its new hometown caretakers.
It’s been just over six weeks that Doug Johnstone and Eve Taranto moved took control and the improvements are both subtle and sublime.
From the time you sign in and pick up the newly designed scorecard — featuring a Tom Flannagan watercolor of the clubhouse and its red brick veranda — and arrive at the first tee (and its newly redirected tee box) you can feel the positive vibes.
There is no better indication of how sincere and serious they are about turning things around then when you make the turn.
After unclogging and repairing drainage lines, the stream that cuts across the 10th fairway now runs the way it was supposed to run. And, if you find yourself short of the green you can actually walk to your ball without fear of being sucked into the netherworld underground.
And then you arrive at the (146-yard) Par 3, 11th Hole. The change is stunning!
All the overgrown vegetation that had turned what is supposed to be the signature hole into a blind Par 3 has been removed and you can actually see the flag from the tee.
“There is something not right about a blind par 3. This is a beautiful golf hole and all it took was man hours,” explained Johnstone. While putting in those hours the groundskeepers uncovered a forward tee box. Along with the new forward tee, Johnstone has added a new championship tee on the other side of the stream stretching the hole to 168-yards.
In addition to these improvements, damaged and downed trees have been cleared and removed and permits were obtained to cut down others; the course has been re-measured and new distance markers have installed; the greens are being expanded and the collars re-done.
“Did you know that John Van Kleek’s original design called for nearly all the greens to be 33-paces deep? You would never know that by the way they look now. We are going to restore them to that original design,” said Johnstone.
While their agreement with the city is for 20 years, Johnstone and Taranto who also operate the Staten Island Practice Center near the Bloomfield tanks, have a five-year plan and bigger changes on tap for the Silver Lake.
Golf course architect Stephen Kay has been tapped to make those changes. Among the ideas being planned are new bunkers. Currently there are only 13 bunkers on the 107-acre course; and, extending the (397-yard) Par 4 9th Hole into a long Par 5.
“We’re just getting started,” said Johnstone, 52. “Right now we want to get things to where the conditions should be for people to enjoy their round. If we do that I know people will come out and play.”
And those who do will not be disappointed.
–Bill Farrell
