on Saturdays and Sundays at all its facilities. It’s offered a free round of golf to every student at each school that is a program participant and has implemented a ‘Kids Play Free’ program after 2 p.m. Evans indicated to me that Golf North now sponsors 32 schools in Golf Canada’s ‘Golf in Schools’ program and has committed to another 30 schools a year over the next 4 years. It also helps to be less evasive about what you’re giving back to the game. Playing host to the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic is a huge step forward for being a better corporate golf citizen. Some of this is clearly changing with Evans at the helm. Finally, I don’t believe it’s been a good corporate golf citizen in the past. Also hard to understand is an almost secretive attitude it’s had about its business. While I won’t go into a long, drawn-out criticism, Golf North’s reputation for yielding profits without reinvesting some back into their properties has always been a bone of contention, especially when course conditioning becomes substandard. Evans and I chatted during the round about some of the issues I’ve had with Golf North as a business entity the past few years. Founded in 1994 it currently has more than 6,000 members, does in excess of 500,000 rounds a year, hosts 1,500 tournaments and employs close to 700 people.īut just because its successful does not make me a fan. It offers what it describes as, “affordable golf at multiple locations for its members including play at 18 courses in Southwestern Ontario.” It’s hard to deem Golf North anything other than successful. You might also be unaware Golf North is Canada’s biggest operator of semi-private and public golf facilities. For those unaware, the Research in Motion founder/chairman is Golf North’s owner and largest stakeholder. He’s a bright young guy who has moved up the corporate ladder since being hired by Jim Balsillie in 2003. I had the pleasure to play with Evans at Grey Silo. Best part about all this: according to Golf North’s new president and CEO Shawn Evans many of these concerns are already being dealt with. I was told however the LPGA Tour has already stopped by and given it the thumbs up. As for the range facility it seems hopelessly inadequate for the pros. I’m also not sure how much available room there is for corporate tents, concessions, caddies, media or even the players and their families. So will logistics, as the movement of spectators and even players in a few areas is going to be challenging. Some of those have grown to the point of infringing (rather abruptly) on the sight lines at a few holes. Grey Silo was built on a parcel of flood plain with large expanses of environmental areas throughout. It’s fun, and if you haven’t been there I’d recommend it.īut the golf course is going to need some work prior to the arrival of the best female professionals in the world. Green complexes are more about subtle pitch than crazy mounding, bunkering is satisfactory, and though the golf course winds its way around the Grand River the forced carries are easily negotiable. Kind of a faux links, the Stephen Young-design has a number of interesting holes and some pretty good shot values. I’ve never played Grey Silo before but it has its charms. My guess is this event will draw solid attendance figures. The Nationwide Tour drew well during its years at Whistle Bear in Cambridge as did the Canadian Women’s Open when it was played at Kitchener’s Westmount back in 1990. This area of Ontario has always been a hotbed for the game. What are the chances of its success? I’d say pretty good given the expected field and golf’s popularity throughout the Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge corridor. Bottom line, the event will run at Grey Silo through 2014 with a two-year LPGA option for 20. Apparently a few misconceptions were floating around about this tournament’s status. This is a sanctioned LPGA Tour event that will certainly attract the top golfers on the women’s side. It is not a qualifier for it nor is it linked in any way to the Futures Tour. To be clear, this tournament has nothing to do with the CN Canadian Women’s Open. I spent a chilly late summer day at Waterloo, Ont.’s Grey Silo GC, site of next summer’s Manulife Financial LPGA Classic, this past Tuesday.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |