Watertown’s Ives Hill Country Club hopes to reopen for golf this summer

WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) - Watertown’s Ives Hill Country Club looks to reopen this summer for golf. Other plans are in the works for the restaurant.

Owner P.J. Simao says the club is maintaining 9 holes and will likely be open to walkers this season.

Golfers would pay “on their honor,” putting money into a lockbox. There could also be a credit/debit card machine onsite.

Ives Hill, formerly an 18-hole course, is only allowed to open as a 9-hole course after the city of Watertown bought the former Watertown Golf Club in Thompson Park for $3.4 million.

That deal with Mike Lundy paid Simao $850,000 to put a deed restriction on Ives Hills, securing the park golf course to be the only 18-hole course in the city.

Simao is also considering choosing a different charity each month to receive proceeds from the golf business this summer.

As for the restaurant at Ives Hill, Simao tells 7 News he is working with a third-party which would reopen it this fall.

Simao says the plans will likely involve a new concept along with dining room renovations, and he wouldn’t be involved with running the restaurant.