A course with charisma

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/07/2015 (3959 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Mention the possibility of hosting the Players Cup one day and Larry Robinson will say, “Why not us?”

The 36-year head pro, who has spent the last six years at Bridges Golf Course, feels the layout can stand up to any in the province. It just needs to get onto the tongues of golfers.

“The golf course will stand up for sure, so why can’t we?” Robinson said. “It’s just a matter of getting people coming here once. We’re priced accordingly. We’re in that wheelhouse.”

Bridges is trending in the right direction, playing host this year to the Men’s Amateur Championship. No small feat for a public course that must throw away thousands of dollars to shut its doors for the four-day event.

But even with the loss of revenue, which Robinson pegs north of $10,000 over the week, he says it’s worth it.

“That’s OK,” he said. “We’re trying to get the name out. We’re a top-notch golf course and we want more people talking about us.”

Golf Manitoba pitches in $20 per player per round, while also assisting with feeding the players and volunteers. They also make sure prizes are such that any certificates awarded must be spent at the course’s pro shop.

The average green fee price at Bridges is $63.

When Bridges opened 15 years ago, it was a closed-in golf course, says Robinson. He says it takes time for a golf course to mature. Now, he’s working to get people to give the course another chance.

“It always was a beautiful property,” he said. “It’s changed significantly since then and we need people to give another look at it. We know we are good enough to hold a championship, but does Winnipeg know we are?”

Robinson says it isn’t the location of Bridges — a 15-minute drive from the Perimeter Highway and 40 minutes from downtown Winnipeg — but the perception of where it is located.

“People think Granite Hills, and they hear Beausejour and Whiteshell and they think, ‘Well, that’s four hours away from here.’ So when people hear Bridges is near a rural town (Starbuck), some assume it’s a couple of hours away.

“There are so many golfers that have never been here because of that feeling of it being too far, or not sure where it is.”

Robinson says he’s heard nothing but good things from this week’s field of 120 golfers. He’s using a shuttle system between the ninth and 10th holes as a chance to get feedback from some of the players.

“I’ve got a captive audience for a minute and a half,” he said. “I haven’t heard one kid say one negative thing. Maybe it’s (being) polite, but they love the course, the greens, the layout.”

Robinson had to push back a couple of events on the calendar to fit in this week’s championship. He says, however, everyone involved was all for it.

“We’re proudly hosting it, we’re proud of it.”

scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca