On June 27, The Cavalry Club will celebrate 50 years of operation as a golf course with a dinner and nine- and 18-hole tournaments.
“Every milestone is significant,” said Brandi Gough, general manager of the club, which is a private golf club located on Trook K Road in Manlius. “We celebrated the 100th anniversary of the actual facility in 2004 and we’re very proud of our golf course — it’s a prestigious golf course in the area … having such a wonderful golf course that’s challenging yet friendly isn’t easy to come by.”
According to club information, the Cavalry Club’s history started in 1904 after the Spanish-American war, when a group of men from Syracuse who wanted to form a cavalry troop got together and became designated as Troop D, 1st New York Cavalry. The National Guard built an armory in Syracuse to provide year-round quarters for the cavalry, known as the Jefferson Street Armory, but some men of Troop D didn’t feel this was sufficient to keep and train horses, provide a place for members to relax and socialize and to build a drill area and small arm ranges.
A group of about 60 members of the troop, who called themselves the “Troop D Association,” bought the Devendorf Farm in the town of Manlius for $3,000 in 1909 in order to make this happen.
In 1965, the golf course was built and opened, and the Cavalry Club was formed into a private golf club. Over the years, the course has hosted both men and women’s Syracuse and Central New York regional tournaments.
Today, the club has more than 800 members who can enjoy social, golf and pool memberships. According to Gough, the original farmhouse of the club is still standing and holds event banquets and dining.
“The social aspect is important,” said Gough. “Everyone is looking to make new friends and become a part of a community and I feel as though our club really defines that. Our members are very close — we consider everyone like family.”
Gough said in the future, the Cavalry Club is looking to make some minor golf course renovations and some renovations to the facilities.
To find more information or history about the Cavalry Club, go to cavalryclub.org.
Hayleigh Gowans is a reporter for the Eagle Bulletin. She can be reached at [email protected].
