NORTHERN BEAR IS COMING OUT OF HIBERNATION
Plenty of optimism as one of Edmonton’s top golfing layouts has a new owner
Northern Bear is on the prowl again.
Fort McMurray businessman Irv Williams has bought the Sherwood Park golf course out of receivership after the previous owners missed last October’s mortgage and equipment payments.
That’s simply outstanding news for Edmonton’s golf community because Northern Bear is arguably one of the top layouts in all of Canada and presents a stern challenge to anyone’s game.
“It’s finally official,” said
Jay Barrett, who has been the course’s head pro for six years.
“We’ll be ready to go as soon as the weather co-operates.”
Opened in 2002, the Jack Nicklaus signature course is superb from start to finish. There are so many great holes that it’s impossible to pick out even half a dozen signature holes.
“When I drove through the gates to meet Irv at Northern Bear, it was like driving down Magnolia Lane. It’s like home for me,” said Barrett, who was going to be the head pro at Raven Crest when Northern Bear initially faced it’s money problems.
Blair McDowell, who spent 12 years at the Fort McMurray Golf Club — which is where he came to know Williams — will be the director of golf.
“It’s fantastic news, I’m really excited about my new opportunity,” McDowell said. “It’s the best course in the Edmonton area, in my opinion.
“Every hole is different. Every hole presents its own challenges. That’s why it’s such a great course to play. We want everyone who plays it to finish their rounds and say that it was even beyond their expectations.”
Able to play anywhere from 5,800 to 7,400 yards, when Mike Weir played in the Wayne Gretzky and Friends tournament, which officially opened the course in 2002, Weir said: “This course demands to host the Canadian Open.”
SCENE
As well as Barrett’s return to Northern Bear and McDowell’s transfer from Fort McMurray, there was, as usual, a lot of movement of personnel at Edmonton’s courses.
Rob James, who was the associate pro at Stony Plain last year, is now the course’s head pro. Jeff Cuthbertson, who was Stony’s head pro, is now the executive professional.
Michelle Van Slyke has also joined Stony Plain after being the head pro at Country Side.
Sticking with Stony, Class A professional Jordan Murphy is now there as well after moving from the Whitecourt G&CC.
Another Class A professional, Chris Toth, has moved from the Cardiff G&CC to Jagare Ridge.
Dave Gray has been named executive professional at Trestle Creek, while Matt Matheson has transferred from the PGA of B.C. to become Trestle Creek’s head pro.
Also on the move: Candidate for Membership (CFM) Stephen Yanitski is now at the Royal Mayfair after leaving Jagare Ridge. CFM Brandon Ryan is now at Eagle Rock, which is where another CFM, Cody Yaremovich, previously at the Academy at Golf Town-Edmonton, will now call home.
Nicholas Vandermey has moved from The Links at Spruce Grove to Windermere, while Derek Schaefer joins The Links from RedTail Landing.
Evan Dyki is now at Blackhawk having previously worked at The Quarry, and Kasey Timms joins the Highlands from Drayton Valley.
Meanwhile, Jan Novotny, who has been the highly personable and effective general manager of The Derrick Golf & Winter Club for 20 years, is retiring at the end of the month.
“I’m leaving with mixed emotions,” Novotny said. “I love this job and the people here are all fantastic. But I’m 67 and it’s time to go. There are a lot of things I want to do while I still can.”
At the top of Novotny’s list is getting back to photography, which was his career path before he joined the Royal Glenora as a badminton instructor in 1972.
“In my time at The Derrick, we saw over $30 million of improvements. Everything from essentially a completely new golf course to great additions to the sports and fitness facilities, like a 25-metre swimming pool, new badminton courts, and then a new clubhouse and dining facilities.”
The Derrick also has curling, tennis, a multi-purpose gymnasium and indoor golf.
Replacing Novotny is Jim Hope, who was GM of Calgary’s Canyon Meadows for eight years and the GM of Earl Grey, also in Calgary, the previous seven years.
“The Derrick is a great club with a wonderful group of members,” Hope said. “There’s the golf course, but there’s also a really solid athletic side. It’s got it all.”
NOTED
A new Golf Tour with a great upside will debut in Edmonton this season.
Called the YEG Golf Tour, it’s open to all levels but particularly those with handicaps of 18 or less.
“Amateur golfers don’t have a lot of places to play tournament golf in Edmonton,” said Sean Hill, a former Nike sales representative, who has teamed up with Canadian Professional Golf Association member Garrett Hadfield. “Our goal is to build a better golf community.
“It will be fun and relaxed but with a Tour-like atmosphere. We want avid golfers, we don’t want those who just want to drink 100 beers.”
There are two different series: Four nine-hole events on Friday nights and five 18-hole events, which will be played at courses like Stony Plain, Jagare Ridge, The Ranch, Riverside, River Ridge and Broadmoor.
The Tour will be capped off with a year-end two-man scramble at The Ranch.
There are three divisions: One for pros, one for handicaps six and under and a net division.
The first event is May 26, a nine-hole event at Jagare Ridge.
The membership fee is $50 with a portion of the proceeds going to the Edmonton Youth Emergency Shelter.
For more information go to www.yeggolftour.ca
Edmonton’s Luke Quanson, 12, was the first-round leader before finishing third in the peewee boys division of the first Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour event of the season at Morgan Creek in Surrey, B.C., with rounds of 74 and 82.