By: Lauren T. Agnew
Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. announced that Essex County Francis Byrne Golf Course has been reopened to the public on Thursday, July 27th, after an $8.7 million renovation project.
The improvements are part of the County Executive’s ongoing initiative to revitalize the Essex County Parks System and provide the most up-to-date recreation facilities.
“Essex County Francis Byrne Golf Course is known for its historic features and beautiful vistas.
The work that was done addresses long-standing issues affecting the course and modernizes drainage and irrigation systems so that golfers are provided with championship-caliber playing conditions,” DiVincenzo said.
“My hat is off to the County Executive for creating another wonderful gem for our residents to enjoy,” Commissioner President Wayne Richardson said. “What is amazing is that these renovations are ‘par for the course.’ The County Executive has done projects like this throughout Essex,” Commissioner Vice President Carlos Pomares said.
“Thank you, Joe, and everyone involved for doing an amazing job. What you’ve done here at the golf course is exactly what you have done with recreation facilities throughout Essex,” said Tom Byrne, son of former Governor Brendan Byrne and grandson of Francis Byrne, for whom the course is named.
“This is another great job by Joe DiVincenzo. It’s easy to see the results of Joe and his team,” retired NFL player Ottis Anderson said.
“I am proud to be here to congratulate Joe DiVincenzo. Think of what he has done year and year out. He continues to do more and more for the residents of Essex County,” retired MLB player Rick Cerone said.
The project included rebuilding all the greens complexes, bunkers, cart paths, and tee complexes, removing dead and hazardous trees, redesigning several golf holes, and invested in new electric golf carts. Improvements that golfers will not notice, but are integral to operations, are new irrigation systems at tees and greens for better and more efficient use of water, new irrigation pumps to enhance efficiency, a new maintenance building to house golf maintenance equipment, new bathrooms, and a new open-air pavilion for golf outings.
Work on the open-air pavilion and maintenance building is ongoing. The upgrades to the maintenance area are not visible to the public.
Stephen Kay Golf Course Architect, Inc. from Egg Harbor City was awarded a professional services contract for $285,000 to design the improvements to Byrne Golf Course. Turco Golf, Inc. from Pompton Lakes was awarded two publicly bid contracts for $6,837,631 and $1,664,657 to perform the construction work on the course and build the open-air pavilion, respectively.
The improvements were funded through the Essex County Capital Budget and with grants from the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund and American Rescue Plan. Work began in September 2022 and was completed in 10 months.
The first hole at Francis Byrne was reconfigured in 2019 to enhance safety at the course and reduce the number of balls that left the golf course and landed on residential properties across Pleasant Valley Way. The last major upgrade of the course was completed in 2009.
The completion of renovations at Francis Byrne Golf Course means that work at all three of the County’s public golf courses has been completed within the last six years.
Hendricks Field Golf Course in Belleville underwent a similar modernization initiative and was reopened in 2021. Weequahic Golf Course in Newark saw its entranceway revamped with a new parking lot and open-air pavilion, renovations to The First Tee Learning Center, and redesigned 10th and 11th holes completed in 2017.
The Essex County Park System was created in 1895 and is the first county park system established in the United States. The Park System consists of more than 6,000 acres. It has 23 parks, five reservations, an environmental center, a zoo, an ice skating rink, a roller skating rink, three public golf courses, a golf driving range, five off-leash dog facilities, a castle, and the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens.
Francis Byrne Golf Course was a private golf club before the County acquired the property in 1978. It is named after Francis Byrne, a West Orange community leader and 15-year Town Commissioner.
Other golf facilities located in the Essex County Park System are Essex County Hendricks Field Golf Course and The First Tee Learning Center in Belleville, Essex County Weequahic Golf Course and The First Tee Youth Golf Facility in Newark, and the Essex County Golf Center in Roseland.
IMAGE: Glen Frieson
NOTE: Writer, Lauren T. Agnew, is employed by The Essex County public information office and contributes these reports to RLS Media.