It’s ‘exciting times’ for new Niagara National
International Country Club in Fort Erie has a new name, new look
Rebranding really only works if you improve the product.
Looking at the changes and improvements in just a few short months — and those that are planned — gives you a pretty good indication it will work at the new Niagara National Golf and Country.
That’s the old International Country Club, down the Niagara Peninsula.
Located just off the Queen Elizabeth Way, on Netherby Road in Stevensville, the new Niagara National has begun an ambitious project that it is determined will make it one of the top courses in Ontario and a must-play for anyone living in or visiting Niagara.
“It’s very exciting times,” said Tom Vanderlip, an Ancaster native who has been hired as general manager to spearhead the project.
Vanderlip has a wealth of experience in the golf business at Heron Point, King’s Riding, Copper Creek, Peninsula Lakes and Port Colborne.
“This course has all the potential in the world and it’s a great location. Forget what it used to be, you have to come and see it now,” Vanderlip said. “You will be blown away with the transformation. And every day it’s getting better.”
The course was designed originally by Rene Muylaert and opened in 1976.
Muylaert, who died in 2005, is a bit of an unsung Canadian golf course architect.
His course designs in this area include Peninsula Lakes, Scenic Woods, Chippawa Creek, Granite Ridge, The Greens at Renton as well as Indian Wells.
Originally a 27-hole layout, Niagara National will be 18 holes for the time being.
“We’ve closed one nine to redo that in the coming years so now we’re just focusing on 18 holes and keeping it properly irrigated so the turf conditions are substantially better than they’ve ever been,” Vanderlip said. “We also have something like 30 new bunkers on the course.”
Under the current configuration, the course will be a semiprivate operation.
Vanderlip describes it as part parkland style and part linksish with a fair number of lakes and ponds. It will play about 7,100 yards from the tips.
The facility is owned by The Jukic Group, which is composed of the Rudan family from Niagara and Hamilton developer Darko Vranich.
They have contracted the American golf course architectural firm of Fry-straka to do a master plan and to renovate the whole facility.
“Dana (Fry) and I are ecstatic to be back working in Ontario on such a creative collaboration with the owners of this great property,” Jason Straka said.
“The scale of the property is quite grand and has some great natural features to build upon to create something really special,” he added.
Fry-straka may be best known for designing Erin Hills Golf Club in Hartford, Wis., near Milwaukee, which hosted the 2017 U.S. Open.
The firm’s work in Ontario includes such noted courses as the Devil’s Pulpit and Paintbrush, both in Caledon, the Georgian Bay Club, in the Blue Mountains, near Thornbury, and The Club at Bond in Beeton, as well as Dundarave on Prince Edward Island and Le Diable in Mont-tremblant, Que., northwest of Montreal.
Niagara National’s website is at niagaranational.ca.