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CORNER BROOK
CHRIS QUIGLEY
The Western Star
While skiers and snowmobilers continue to curse the winter that really never was, local golfers have cause to celebrate.
Although, there will probably still be a little cursing going on for some once they shank that first shot.
Golf courses in the area will be open earlier this year thanks to the unseasonably warm temperatures so far this spring.
The Blomidon Golf and Country Club will welcome those desperate to dust off their drivers on April 28, while the Humber Valley Resort course will begin its season on May 1.
“The long range temperatures are getting warmer, so we’re comfortable with that,” said Blomidon general manager Wayne Allen.
There’s still work to be done at Blomidon, but Allen is confident all will be completed in time.
“We need the temperature to raise above 10 degrees for the grass to grow,” he said. “We’re still getting a frost at night, but the sun is certainly helping.”
Allen, a native of England, is a relative newcomer to the area, but still understands how much of an aberration it is to have golf in the area before the Victoria Day weekend.
“It’s surprising, although it’s not surprising at the same time, considering the winter we’ve had,” he said. “We’re usually pretty happy if we can open before the middle of May.”
The club is also planning a family day on May 15, which will feature a barbecue, tours of the course and putting and chipping contests.
“It’s just for a big family day out, for golfers or non-golfers to see the course,” he said.
Humber Valley Resort owner/manager Gary Oke is excited about the early start, especially after there was so much debate locally over whether the course would be open at all.
“Unless we get a lot of frost or cold temperatures between now and then, it should be the first of May. That’s a good three weeks earlier than normal.”
Excellent shape
There are no real challenges with getting the course ready in time, as Oke said the course came out of the snow in excellent shape. Now all he wants to see is plenty of golfers decorating the fairways.
“We were open to the locals quite extensively last year too, so I’m hoping to see some increased traffic up there,” he said. “We did a lot more traffic last year than Humber Valley Resort has ever seen before, so I’m hoping that continues again this year.”
