There is a long legacy of golf in Connecticut’s capital city. Its two golf courses, always open to the public for play, have endured through hurricanes and floods, as well as significant changes in the City and national economy. Goodwin Park Golf Course first opened in 1906 in the 237-acre park designed by the famous firm of Frederick Law Olmstead. Keney Park Golf Course was designed by heralded golf course architect Devereux Emmet and opened in 1927. In their heyday, both courses supported more than 75,000 combined rounds of golf annually.
In the fall of 2013, after nearly twenty-five years of leasing the City of Hartford golf courses to private, for-profit management firms, the City of Hartford decided to move the operational ownership back to City Hall and under the supervision and direction of the Department of Public Works.
After extensive review, the City decided to partner with both the Connecticut Section PGA and KNOX Inc. The PGA and the City signed a consulting agreement, through which the PGA would help the City set up its new business model. The PGA hired a dedicated employee to serve the City, and used the expertise of additional PGA Professionals to serve as subject matter experts.
In the spring of 2018, the City of Hartford has signed a new agreement with the Connecticut PGA Section to continue the consulting project at both City golf courses. The 2018 golf season represents the full return of Golf in Hartford, as it is the first time in at least 6-7 years that both Goodwin Park Golf Course and Keney Park Golf Course, along with their clubhouse restaurants, will be fully open and operational together.
In March 2020 the Connecticut Section, PGA of America (PGA), was assigned the City of Hartford’s golf professional services agreement at Keney Park Golf Course. The PGA took over for PGA Professional Peter Seaman who was offered and accepted the head golf professional position at Watertown Golf Club.
For any inquires regarding golf course consulting please email Executive Director Tom Hantke at thantke@pgahq.com