WILTON — The historic McGregor Links Country Club has seen several improvements and additions in recent years, adding a driving range, expanding its pro shop, and establishing or bringing back events.
Head Golf Professional Michael Decker, who joined McGregor in 2021 after three years as the assistant professional at Shaker Ridge Country Club in Albany, said the course offers “a little something for everybody.”
Since arriving at McGregor, Decker has taken ownership of the pro shop, established and grown a large PGA Junior League, and overseen the introduction and return of numerous events.
Decker said he had heard “nothing but great things” about McGregor prior to accepting the job.
“I think it went through a little stretch where it was a little rocky, so my goal when I took the job was to come in, do whatever I can with the new owner, Joe Kehn, and help turn the place around,” Decker said.
While McGregor is a country club, Decker emphasized that it is not fully private. McGregor is open to the public Mondays all day; 10 a.m. and later Tuesday through Friday; noon and later on Saturdays and Sundays, Decker said.
“It’s semi-private, so it’s open to the public,” said Decker. “We are limited at certain times. … But we absolutely are open to the public.”
Decker said one of his major efforts since taking the job has been to build McGregor’s Junior League program. Last year, the program featured 89 kids, Decker said, noting he was awarded the ‘Gamechanger Award’ from the PGA for having the largest junior league in PGA’s Northeastern New York section.
This year, McGregor’s junior program has 100 kids, Decker said. He said running the program is “extremely rewarding,” noting he feels part of his job as a PGA professional is to grow the game.
“I spend a lot of time doing that, and to watch a place that didn’t have any PGA Junior League three years ago to now having the biggest one in the entire section, and one of the biggest in the country, is actually amazing,” Decker said. “It’s something that I definitely pride myself on, and look to keep growing year after year.”
The Junior League is open to the public, allowing all kids under age 15 to participate regardless of prior experience. The program offers six practices and six matches at McGregor Links, according to the course’s website.
“We shut down the front nine of the course,” said Decker. “We’ll have 150-plus people out there any given PGA Junior League match, with the parents following the kids, riding in the fairways, having some drinks and food. It’s a sight to see.”
The club hosts a ‘Links Together’ program on Tuesdays and Thursdays as well, which Decker described as “a summer camp for kids.”
“They get to use the pool, they get to learn a little golf, they can do arts and crafts, they can learn pickleball,” Decker said. “That’s awesome. … We’re using basically all the facilities that we have here.”
In addition to a new driving range, McGregor features a pool, six pickleball courts, and a tennis court, all of which have been recently renovated, Decker said.
Decker has also taken over ownership of McGregor’s pro shop, he said, and was awarded 2021 Merchandiser of the Year by Northeastern New York PGA for his efforts.
The shop offers a wide variety of products, with Decker saying golfers can find “anything you can really think of,” including major brands of golf clubs, balls, footwear, clothing, as well as other equipment such as range-finders and ball markers.
McGregor Links also works with the on-site restaurant, Hills and Hollows, to host a variety of events, including Nine and Dine events and Cigar and Bourbon Nights, and private events such as bachelor parties.
Decker has additionally helped reintroduce events such as the McGregor Links Invitational, a two-day event featuring two-person teams. This year’s Invitational is scheduled for July 28-29, according to McGregor’s website.
“I brought that back probably for the first time in 10 years, and we’re starting to grow that again, which is great to show off the course, show off all the stuff that Joe Kehn and his staff have done out on the course,” said Decker.
Decker, a native of Pine Bush, said he initially accepted the job after recognizing McGregor as “an opportunity.”
“The potential of it that I saw, I mean, you’re in Saratoga, you’ve got one of the best golf courses around, and you’ve got a new owner (Joe Kehn) who loves the place more than anyone and is putting money into it,” said Decker. “I saw that as an opportunity. I liked the sounds of that, and wanted to grow with McGregor.”
