Large crowd on hand for Spruce Creek grand opening

It was a fantastic day for a grand opening and people took full advantage as the Spruce Creek Golf Course near Morson was officially opened Saturday.
About 100 rounds of golf were played and more than 120 people attended the grand-opening celebrations.
Golfers came from all over the area including a busload of 20 from Fort Frances, to try out the new nine-hole, par 36 course.
Some took lessons from golf pro Dave Spence, then headed out on the course. If people had booked ahead, they were likely lucky enough to get a cart.
Otherwise, many folks walked the course, which was fine because the weather was gorgeous and the course is truly beautiful.
Many commented it was not only beautiful but peaceful, being that it’s away from the noise of larger centres.
At 2 p.m., Spruce Creek owners Ken and Laurie Pentney gathered their staff for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony. Afterwards, Laurie Pentney spoke of how she and Ken visited Dave Grant, the course architect, back in April, 2004.
“We told him we were bored and thought maybe we should build a golf course. We were sure he thought we were nuts,” she laughed.
But after Grant visited the property, located on Highway 619 just south of Morson, everyone was on the same page.
“He told us we had excellent soil and good terrain for a course,” Pentney recalled.
She also noted how both her husband and Grant came up with basically the same vision for what the course would look like.
Pentney said that despite it taking a bit longer to come to fruition, she credited her husband with having the vision and for never losing sight of it.
She concluded her remarks by thanking her staff and Grant for all their hard work. “I hope pursuing that little ball around the course will give you hours of enjoyment for years to come,” she said.
Grant said it was a real treat for him to come to work with the Pentneys.
“Every course starts with a dream and this is a great day,” he said. “Congratulations, Ken and Laurie.”
Course superintendent Greg Ross said from his years of experience in the business that Spruce Creek is a top-notch course.
“Ken and Laurie put a lot of energy and passion into this,” he noted. “Dave Grant has done a wonderful job designing this for all levels of golfers.
“It is a great thing and all the people in this area should be thankful for it,” Ross enthused.
Lake of the Woods Reeve Valerie Pizey also was on hand to offer congratulations to the Pentneys.
Laurie Pentney was very pleased with the turnout at their grand opening and how things are progressing. She noted they already have three tournaments booked for the summer, including the Rainy River Open.
The grand draw prize for the day—10 free rounds of golf—was won by Tammy Crowe of Fort Frances.