It’s Shocking How People Don’t Respect Lightning

It says in our membership terms and wherever we post anything that we will sound the horn if we know there’s lightning in the area, but it’s a golfer’s responsibility to get off the golf course and seek shelter.
The problem is that they use the horn as their only warning, but the weather at the [...]

Emergency Response Plan Is Critical

We’ve had a number of incidents that illustrate the importance of a good emergency response plan.
Recently, two guys were out fishing on the Bow River. One of them came running up and said, `Call 911.’ The other man was in diabetic shock, but he was showing signs of a stroke.
We had one golfer last year [...]

Environment And Evolution Will Shape Golf

The appearance of giant hogweed, which can blister skin and potentially blind somebody, out east is an example of how the environment can change.
Hopefully, hogweed doesn’t affect golf courses out there or spread west, but it illustrates the point that, as golf courses, we have to be aware of the environment.
We need to be on [...]

Bats Are A Creepy Way To Battle Little Pests

We’ve constantly got West Nile Disease warnings up around the golf course and so far this year, it’s been pretty quiet despite the mosquitoes that have been absolutely atrocious here.
Mosquitoes are part of life. We’re out in the country. We’re right along the Bow River and, as I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, we had an [...]

Memories From Half A Lifetime At Cottonwood

I’ve spent half my life at the Cottonwood Golf and Country Club, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, and like anybody, an occasion such as that is cause to reflect.
I started about three weeks after Cottonwood opened. I drove down here the third week in July of 1990, interviewed and started that day as an [...]

What’s That Strange, Yellow Ball In The Sky?

It’s amazing what a yellow ball in the sky will do to people’s morale, but the deluge that I wrote about in a previous blog is over in this area and everybody is happy to see summer.
When the weather is good, members are more apt to hang out in the shop and visit with the [...]

Humour Helps Ease That Rainy Day Feeling

As I mentioned in my previous blog, after opening early this year, we have been hit with inclement weather including snow and rain that have affected rounds played here at Cottonwood.
Honestly, you get sick and tired of talking about the weather. You’ve got to keep people positive, not only the members, but also the staff.
You [...]

Early Opening Is Ruined By Rain and Snow

We opened early this year on April 23 and some courses in the area were open a week before us.
Everybody was pumped. We got the range open, people were out hitting golf balls and then, things just started to unravel and clubs in the Calgary area are feeling it. To be closed this time of [...]

Reaction To Minimum Is Far From Minimal

Cottonwood was one of the few private courses around here that didn’t have a minimum on food and beverage – until just recently.
Change is always tough for people. We knew there was always going to be that 15 or 20 per cent of membership that just didn’t like it, but the reality of it is [...]

Jamie Kureluk Has Home Club Pride With Him

By now, most people have heard about the 25 shot by Cottonwood’s associate professional Jamie Kureluk on the back nine of his first round of the RBC Insurance Alberta Open a couple of weeks ago.
That’s just one of the highlights for Jamie recently. He’s grown so much professionally over the last year-and-a-half and he’ll be [...]

Your Best Teachers Are Usually Around You

What I like about the current national board of the Canadian PGA is that it’s spending a lot of time listening to the each of the zones. My own feeling is that it truly honestly cares about what each zone is doing and how they’re doing it.
Everybody is learning to play in the same playground, [...]

May Went From Slow To Overdrive Quickly

We first opened on April 21, but then we got snow and shut down again. The first week of May was just a wash because of the snow.
We had our Scramble on May 8 and we just went from there with beautiful weather in a month that is so important in the operation of a [...]

Partnership With Suppliers Means Both Sides Win

The advancements in technology, equipment and fitting the past few years are truly mind-boggling.
I recently had one woman come to me and say. `I tried four different sets of clubs and they’re all better than what I have. What should I do?’
It takes time to sell golf equipment because you’re not only selling equipment, you’re [...]

You Can Create Your Own Opportunities

There’s been much discussion recently about the challenges faced by young people entering the business and I think it’s the same whether you’re a young touring professional or a young club professional.
It’s the same as apprenticing for anything. You get into the business because you want to be in it.
I love what I do. I [...]

Winter Storm Shows How Things Change Quickly

If you’ve been paying attention to the news and weather, you’ll be aware that we’ve been hit by a major winter storm, which illustrates that anything can happen in the golf industry.
A lot of the golf courses in Alberta opened in good shape and wintered really well, so this will provide some great moisture. At [...]

PGAs Around The World Can Learn From One Another

I was recently in Moncton for the Canadian PGA annual general meeting and, as president of the Alberta zone, I was very proud to be there.
What outgoing president Lindon Garron had to say, not only at the AGM, but also in closing, made me realize and appreciate all the things he’s done and I’m sure [...]

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