Cameron Penney
With the warmer weather finally here, golf courses around the district have opened for the season.
Kitchen Creek Golf Club was the first out of the blocks—welcoming golfers onto the course April 22.
Kitchen Creek general manager Glen Kellar said this is about the usual time of year for the course to open.
“Like everybody else, it depends on the weather,” he noted.
Ahead of opening day, there was plenty of interest from golfers to get back on the links.
“There was lots of interest, everybody is wanting to golf,” Kellar remarked.
“It’s spring time—it’s time to golf,” he added. “So they all want to be out there hitting the ball.”
Heron Landing on Couchiching began its season Friday (April 29).
“Things worked out pretty good,” Heron Landing general manager Sheldon Kelly enthused.
“The weather co-operated and we were able to get people out on the course,” he noted.
“We were quite pleased to see all the people that came out this weekend for our opening weekend.”
Meanwhile, Spruce Creek Golf Course in Morson began its season April 30.
General manager Laurie Pentney said this is a little earlier in the year for the course there to open.
“Most times we would open just into May,” she recalled.
Pentney also noticed an interest from golfers as the season approached.
“It seems like everybody is ready for spring,” she remarked, adding plenty of golfers hit the course on opening day.
None of the three golf courses were impacted negatively by the weather this past winter.
“The course weathered well, greens came out in great shape, and it was good and ready to go,” Kellar enthused.
“I think it weathered quite well,” echoed Pentney of the Spruce Creek course.
“The grass hasn’t really started growing yet but we have cut the greens,” she noted.
Kelly said Heron Landing fared much better this off-season compared to past years.
“In the past we’ve had some issues, but this year has been a good year,” he remarked.
“We had some ice damage a couple years back that affected our greens, but this year it is far better.”
To celebrate the start of another golfing season, all three courses are offering various specials to encourage new and veteran golfers to hit the greens.
“We have a 2-for-1 every Saturday and Sunday after 1 p.m.,” said Kellar.
“We have our kids’ [special] every second and fourth Monday of the month. That’s a popular thing,” he added.
Out at Spruce Creek, there will be a weekly special for kids, although a date has not been set yet.
“We’ll have a parent and child or a grandparent and child day, where we have a short lesson and a shortened course, and send the kids and the adults out,” Pentney explained.
“It’ll be a learning experience [for everyone],” she enthused.
Heron Landing, meanwhile, will have a special “spring rate” for the first couple of weeks of the season.
“We’re looking to [take] 10 bucks off of our normal green fees,” Kelly noted.
Experienced golfers looking to compete at tournaments will have plenty of time to warm up before competitions begin.
Kitchen Creek will host a law enforcement tournament in June, among other tournaments.
The senior men’s tournament will be in July while the Kitchen Creek Classic is set for August.
“It’ll be a good summer with tournaments and that,” Kellar enthused.
Heron Landing will host their first tournament of the season May 28, and also will plan future tournaments.
Spruce Creek will hold the fifth-annual Ken Pentney Memorial Tournament on July 23, as well as a second tournament to be determined later.
