Weather puts golf courses back into hibernation
If you’re getting antsy waiting for your favourite golf course — or any golf course — to open, you’re not alone.
This time of year, many golf courses are usually opening. But the latest snow, ice and freezing rain have forced golf course superintendents and head professionals back into hibernation.
In fact, Hidden Lake in Burlington and others, who had opened, took the unusual step of taking to Twitter to announce they had closed again, but would reopen when conditions improve.
Dean Baker, the golf course superintendent at Burlington Golf and Country Club, acknowledges that every course is different but thinks the recent wintry weather has probably pushed course openings in general back a week or two weeks.
Baker also puts forward a more troubling thought, one that seems to align with what some meteorologists are saying.
“Back in the day, historically, April was the time to get going but in recent years April is becoming more a part of winter than spring, and this is a classic example,” says Baker.
“I’m trying to remember the last time we had an early spring. The cold temperatures in April are becoming a norm and it’s unfortunate because the public golf courses and the mom-andpop operations, a lot of them rely on an early spring because its revenue for them.”
•••
A number of members at Port Colborne Country Club had their shorts in a knot recently.
A news release sent out to all members announced that after almost 90 years as the Port Colborne Country Club the name is being changed to Wainfleet National Golf Club.
Although the club, located on Golf Course Road., is technically in Wainfleet the members identify more with Port Colborne, so the new name left some of them steaming.
And then there was the new logo that arguably looked like a bit of a steal from the Masters insignia. Port Colborne C.C. already had a great logo, which included a ship’s wheel, a tribute the city’s nautical history.
The news release went on to say the new logo would be on all the merchandise in the pro shop including beer cozies, tank tops and flip-flops.
The kicker should have been the announcement that a tattoo artist would be on hand at the club the first week of the season to tattoo the new logo on any member who wanted it.
“We had some members call us to complain until we pointed out that the date on the news release was April 1 and it was all an April Fool’s joke,” said Tom Vanderlip, Port Colborne’s general manager who was the author of the hoax.
•••
The Hamilton-Halton Junior Golf Tour has opened registration for the 2018 season.
To sign up, go to their website, www.hhjgt.com and scroll down to 2018 qualifying date info.
Deadline to sign up is May 24. The qualifying tournament will be played Sunday, June 3 at Chedoke. •••
Golf courses or driving ranges that would like to report an opening, have holes-in-one or tournament results they would like to see in the newspaper — or even have a good story idea — can contact me at the email address below.