Stephen Buzard and other Foxburg Country Club board members are looking to rejuvenate interest in the historic facility this season. Foxburg Country Club has run continuously since 1887 and is the oldest such golf course in the United States.

FOXBURG — Foxburg Country Club is all about history.

It's looking for a rebirth as well.

Open since 1887, the facility is the longest continually running golf course in the United States. The American Golf Hall of Fame sits on the top floor of the clubhouse and is free and open to the public.

“There are golf clubs up there that are 200 years old,” Foxburg CC board member Stephen Buzard said. “There are items there from St. Andrew's ... It's an interesting visit.”

So is the golf course itself.

An early-season rate enables golfers to play 18 holes at Foxburg with a cart for $15. That daily special in April will continue each Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in May.

Foxburg Country Club is a nine-hole course, but different pin placements can turn it into an 18-hole round.

“We want to give people a chance to come out and experience the course,” Buzard said. “For one, the term 'country club' gives the appearance that we're a private course.

“We are very much open to the public. We don't want to change the name because we don't want to mess with the history that's here.”

Buzard is one of seven people comprising the board that runs the golf course. He only joined the board recently.

“I live nearby and I wanted to get involved,” he said. “This place is a historic treasure. We're working on a collective beautification of the course. When everything is in full bloom here, it's naturally beautiful.”

Foxburg Country Club does offer a pair of membership packages. Golfers can play the nine-hole facility all they want all year for $600. They could opt for a $300 package which enables them to play up to twice a week all year for no additional charge.

“We're also offering a time when a parent can bring (his or her) kid to the course and play for free,” Buzard said. “We're interested in the younger golfers as well as the retirees.”The A-C Valley High School team uses Foxburg as its home course.Foxburg Country Club will be offering night golf in May. The flags on each hole will glow. Glow sticks and glow-in-the-dark golf balls will be used.“It's something different. We want to be progressive here,” Buzard said.A hickory stick tournament — where golfers must play with a set of hickory clubs — will also take place this season at Foxburg. The old-style clubs will be available at the course.Joseph M. Fox designed the first five holes of the course in 1887 and the course was expanded to nine holes six years later.Each hole carries an original name: 1-Base Ball, 2-Sheol, 3-Chestnut Tree, 4-Long, 5-Hill, 6-Glory, 7-Ten Strike, 8-Putter's Grief and 9-Yellow.“Some of the names are obvious,” Buzard said. “There's a big tree involved with No. 3 and No. 4 is the only par-5 on the course.“No. 5 plays uphill and No. 8 is the most difficult green on the course. The origin of some of those other names ... I need to find that out.”Buzard said the board hopes to schedule more events at the course. Foxburg was home to five pro-am tournaments during the 1970's and 80's.A league plays there on Thursday nights.“We're trying to get more activity at the facility in general,” Buzard said.Jeff Texter and Ron Elecker maintain the golf course, which is in excellent condition.“They put so much time into it,” Buzard said. “They accentuate the course's natural beauty. So many golf courses have faded away and we don't want to become one of those statistics.“We want to be around for another 150 years. Golf should be fun and enjoyable and is not to be taken too seriously.“This should be the anchor of Foxburg. It's beautiful, it's historic ... It should be a destination,” he added.

The nine holes comprising Foxburg Country Club all received original nicknames when they were first established.