There has been no talk of the work at these courses, where one is already completed, and one is in planning.
CC of Rochester has been recently restored by Gil Hanse, and it opened newly for play this spring. Having played the full course twice, I was suitably impressed. My idea of the course was always a decent track with wild greens, but with bunkers in serious disrepair. The real drawback were the RTJ replacement holes at 5-7. However, Hanse cleaned up the bunker work there, making each green wide open to the ground game, though these three greens are more elevated than most at the course. One thing I have noticed is deception plays a large key in the challenge, and the vicious greens ensure that a player will walk off 18 thinking he could have been 5-10 shots lower. A good example is the 9th, a 425-yard par four from the whites. One of my playing partners had seemingly beaten the hole into submission, with a solid drive leaving a short iron to the green. However, the bunker which comes out to greet the golfer short of the green makes the green seem much closer than in reality. My playing partner left his approach well short of the green, and could not get down in two. Meanwhile, remembering earlier observations and being a very short hitter, I hit Driver-3 Wood some 50 yards short in two. Refusing to be fooled, my firm pitch settled some five feet away, and the putt ensured a victory. The newly restored bunker, causing the deception, helped some local knowledge prevail. At least for me, this is agreat inprovement.
I had also played Monroe Golf Club recently and was suitably impressed. After a slow start to the course, the bunkering and greens are quite bold, especially 4, 7, 17, and 18, the latter including an eight foot wide trough running diagonally across the green, which almost literally sits on the clubhouse porch. The course is rendered somewhat defenseless against long driving, as my 16 year old playing companion shot a remarkable 67(!). I was also excited to find that Gil Hanse would be doing extensive restoration, though not without some resistance from aged members, who say the awful pine trees between 11 and 12 were always there, etc. etc.
Sincce these two outstanding courses are "hidden in Rochester, they get little exposure here. I should hope to get photos of both courses to further elaborate on my points.