听
The construction of a new green is underway at the Pipestone Hills Golf Course.
听
Chair of the Board at the Pipestone Hills Golf Club Pat McDonald says the golf course decided to extend its course rather than redo the aging green.
听
鈥淕olf courses need changes and updates and mixups and everything along that line. So we came to where one of our greens was aging and we were struggling a bit to keep it in good playing shape. So we decided that it was time to look at doing a rebuild. So for us, when you鈥檙e going to make a change and rebuild it, it鈥檚 either take a green out of service for a year or relocate. And for us, our long-term capital plan is to do some relocating and make some different enhancements to the course,鈥� McDonald explained.
听
鈥淭his was an opportunity since own the land north of us to go in there and start construction on a new green, make it a little bit bigger, and lengthen the hole a bit. It gave us a few options to enhance the course and in particular this hole. So we鈥檝e been working on developing the plan, and that鈥檚 what we settled on and now we鈥檙e getting into the construction side of it.鈥�
听
While the current green at Hole 8 will be available through the summer, McDonald says the construction of the new hole should be complete in late fall or early spring in 2022.
听
鈥淚t鈥檒l take through the summer. The golf course is open now and we鈥檙e playing on the existing Number 8 green. Building the new one is probably going to take us the better part of the year.
听
鈥淚t was all natural land. We have to develop it and we have to get the right makeup for a green, get the right rock. It鈥檚 a bit of a process to build and establish a green. If we were to get on and play it in the fall, we would look at that as a bit of a bonus. But if we don鈥檛, it鈥檒l be open next spring.鈥�
听
Once complete, Hole 8 will be moved to the new location and the old green will be turned into fairway.
听
鈥淚t will actually be absorbed as part of the fairway then because we鈥檙e lengthening the hole. The green will actually come out of play and we鈥檒l shape it to make it more part of the fairway. Because everything will be behind it, it鈥檒l be absorbed into the fairway,鈥� McDonald explained.
听
Utilizing in-house services and volunteers, McDonald says the golf course is planning to keep the project budget around $30,000.
听
鈥淲e have about a $30,000 budget to do it but we鈥檒l do a lot of it with our in-house resources. Our head greenkeeper with part of his crew and some volunteer help we鈥檙e thinking that with the budget we鈥檝e set out how we鈥檒l do it for around that $30,000. There may be incidentals in there, but that鈥檚 our ballpark figure.鈥�
听
Through the COVID-19 pandemic, golf was one of the few sports that was able to be enjoyed in nearly full capacity. Because of the distance and small group sizes associated with golfing, it was a prime choice for many who were unable to enjoy their regular sports.
听
McDonald says that because of this, the Pipestone Hills Golf Course saw an increase in younger golfers and new golfers.
听
鈥淚n general all courses did. We saw two demographics, a lot of younger golfers coming out there and a lot of first-time golfers. People who couldn鈥檛 travel and we were open and there was no minor sports or anything, people looked for things to do with their kids and we ended up being the benefactor of that. Our course was extremely busy last year,鈥� McDonald said.
听
With COVID-19 restrictions still in effect across Saskatchewan, McDonald says the golf course is expecting a busy year.
听
鈥淲e鈥檙e preparing for a busy season. Last year, golf rules came out as part of the Re-Open Saskatchewan Golfcourse Guidelines, they were stricter than what they are now with our opening. I had talked to the Saskatchewan Golf Association last year and some of the rules that they were coming up with were tailored around 18-hole golf courses and city golf courses where people could come and go and never cross paths. But on a small course like ours, a 9-hole course, if you鈥檙e playing 18 holes you might merge with the group coming on to Hole 1. So we had some of these interfacing challenges. So we talked a lot to them and said the rules are essential for us to open but they鈥檙e not conducive to smaller courses, and they really listened. They lessened some restrictions last year, and this year the restrictions they have in place related to COVID-19 are way looser and user friendly for a golf course to function and operate.鈥�
听
McDonald says that the clubhouse will be open this year, following COVID-19 restrictions which include proper masking, limited capacity, and social distancing.
听
鈥淭his year we鈥檙e opening up inside the clubhouse with more restrictions, less seating, and some of those things. That鈥檚 going to be a challenge for us but we鈥檙e confident. We have a great staff and we鈥檝e done this through COVID once before.听
听
鈥淲e actually have a COVID-19 committee for the course which is myself, the groundskeeper, the grounds superintendent, and the clubhouse manager. We discuss things that are COVID-related and we鈥檙e prepared to open up and manage around this.鈥�
听
