Fitzgerald told The Citizen they have operated the golf club, which is on Wells College’s campus, under a lease agreement that includes an option to buy the course. They exercised that option before the college announced it will close at the end of the academic year.
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“It’s gotten a bit more complex with the closure of Wells,” Fitzgerald said. “But we remain hopeful that everything will fall in line and we’ll be able to purchase (the club).”
Robert Trent Jones, a famed golf course architect, redesigned the course in the 1960s. Jones’ wife, Ione Davis Jones, was a Wells College alumna and served on the college’s board of trustees.
After Dugan and Fitzgerald became co-managers of the course in 2021, they renovated the clubhouse and deck. On the course, they improved the sand traps and turf maintenance.
“Wells really never had the appropriate budget to manage a golf course,” Fitzgerald said. “I think our success out here is directly attributable to the condition and the value. We are very reasonably priced. The course is in extraordinary condition for a small nine-hole course with limited irrigation.”
The Wells College Golf Course in Aurora.
Kevin Rivoli, The Citizen
Their work has been supported by the community, Fitzgerald continued. The club’s membership is growing and non-member play is on the rise.
“The renovation and the investment here has turned, really, the state of the golf course here around,” he said. “It would’ve been closed had we not stepped in at the time we did.”
Fitzgerald noted that the future is bright for the club’s ancillary businesses, including its bar and restaurant. The course is also engaged in philanthropic efforts. Two weeks ago, a fundraiser was held for the Cayuga County Veteran Support Fund. Forty golfers participated in the event.
Once the sale is finalized, there might be one more change coming to the course. The golf club includes the school’s name, even though outside entities have managed the course.
Fitzgerald, who said it’s “unfortunate” that Wells College is closing, lauded the insitution for being a great partner. But he hinted there will be new branding after they acquire the club.
“We will pivot there,” he said.
The Wells College Golf Course in Aurora.
Kevin Rivoli, The Citizen
What won’t change, Fitzgerald hopes, is the club’s presence in Aurora. With Dugan, he wants to build on the success they’ve had since taking over the course’s operations in 2021.
That success is why they exercised the option to purchase the golf club, which celebrated its centennial in 2023.
It was “a roll of the dice,” Fitzgerald said, but their plan has delivered results.
“It’s a community treasure,” he added. “It’s been here for 100 years. It’s incredibly important to the golfing community in southern Cayuga County.”
A flyover of the first hole at Wells College Golf Course.
Wells College Golf Course
Gallery: The Wells College Golf Course in Aurora
The Wells College Golf Course in Aurora.
Kevin Rivoli, The Citizen
The Wells College Golf Course in Aurora.
Kevin Rivoli, The Citizen
The Wells College Golf Course in Aurora.
Kevin Rivoli, The Citizen
The Wells College Golf Course in Aurora.
Kevin Rivoli, The Citizen
The Wells College Golf Course in Aurora.
Kevin Rivoli, The Citizen
Wells College closed Sunday after 156 years.
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The Middle States Commission on Higher Education said Thursday that Wells College has not complied with requests for information about where its institutional and student records will be stored.
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An accreditor has taken action in response to Wells College’s plan to close at the end of the academic year.
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At the final commencement in Wells College’s 156-year history, the school’s president relinquished nearly all of his speaking roles and sat behind faculty and staff.
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The Citizen interviewed or received messages from more than 20 Wells College alumnae who shared memories and their thoughts about the college’s sudden closure announcement.
After Wells College announced that it will close at the end of this semester, Dr. Heather MacAdam’s patients at the campus medical center had higher blood pressure than normal.
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Wells College President Jonathan Gibralter was paid more than his counterparts at similarly sized institutions and received over $300,000 in bonuses, tax filings show.
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Three organizations are collaborating to inform Wells College students about their legal rights after the school announced it will close at the end of the semester.
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“It’s just important to show that we can win, and that we will win for the last lacrosse season at Wells.”
An Aurora church opened its doors to give Wells College employees and students a forum to express their feelings about the school’s closure.
The United Ministry of Aurora hosted a Wells College Lament on Tuesday.
The village of Aurora and Cayuga County lost one of the area’s historic gems this week with the announcement of the closure of Wells College, …
Wells College will close at the end of the spring semester due to declining enrollment and financial struggles.
After 156 years, Wells College in Aurora will close at the end of the spring semester.
The lakeside campus of Wells College in Aurora was serene as ever Monday afternoon, with birds chirping among the spring blooms.
Cayuga County leaders react to Wells College’s announcement that it will close at the end of the spring semester.
Tax records show the losses Wells College incurred over the years and how it was boosted, temporarily, by donations and other aid.
Government reporter Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding.
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