I really hate to pick on an underfunded muni track in an economically depressed area, but someone should have thought a lot harder about how to make a course in a river valley playable. To say that there are huge drainage issues would be a woeful understatement. In a dry season, there will still be muddy areas scattered around the course. If a season is even mildly wet, the whole front 9 of the north course, and entire 18 of the south course are absolutely miserable. And in a season like this one (very, very wet), the whole place is practically unplayable.

The only saving grace would be if it were a good course to begin with. But unlike Durand-Eastman, which has some similar drainage issues but is a good course otherwise, GVP is not. Pretty boring, back-and-forth on holes of equal distance throughout. No sand. Very little water (at least, planned water). It might be a 2-star course without the drainage problems. With them, it barely deserves the 1 star it gets here.

I'm no snob. I've played mostly muni courses all my life--including some great ones--and I know you have to have realistic expectations about what's possible with them. But trust me, no one's expectations of a golf course should be so low that GVP lives up to them. Really, if there's ANYWHERE else you can afford to play in the Rochester area, go there. GVP is awful.

Customer Service

This review is not a dig at the maintenance crew or management--everyone there is friendly, and it's not their fault the course is just horribly located, thought out, and executed.

Similar Products Used:

Munis far and wide.

Cheap golfing. Two 18 hole courses available. One large putting green and two smaller putting/chipping greens available as well as a driving range.

Conditions can be very inconsistent from day to day and week to week.

A public golf course located near downtown Rochester. It gets a lot of play due to its location. Great watering systems makes the course play longer than the scorecard yardage most of the year. Greens are average in speed and condition and a small.

Customer Service

Personnel are friendly. Snack bar food is average.