Winnipeg golf clubs looking to the future

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 26/05/2009 (6287 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

THE status quo serves as a game plan at fewer and fewer Winnipeg golf clubs as they look to the future.

Some have gone with modest undertakings, others have required heavy lifting but the upgrade to facilities and courses is evident nonetheless.

We have seen a new clubhouse at St. Boniface to a new pro shop building and continuing course restorations at St. Charles to comprehensive drainage and bunker improvements at Niakwa to maintenance and drainage enhancements at Transcona.

And at Rossmere, renovation and drainage refinements are already underway and work has begun at Elmhurst on a complete Donald Ross restoration and new member facilities.

And the obvious is out there, of course, that Southwood’s members have voted to move and construct an entirely new course.

Joining the looking-forward clubs recently is Glendale.

The private club at the city’s west end has tried in recent years to just advertise openings to its membership. But now the club’s braintrust has taken an entirely new approach and with a strong mandate from existing shareholders, is moving boldly towards making the 63-year-old club more member-centric than ever.

Dramatic

The most dramatic changes on the drawing board at Glendale are a complete revamping of an aging clubhouse facility, which currently stands at about 19,000 square feet, and a hope for an unencumbered first tee — translation: Fewer or no outside tournaments.

The clubhouse detail is not finalized, but Glendale is certain it can do without a large and costly banquet hall and concentrate more on everyday member facilities like higher-end locker rooms and a sports lounge with great food.

By all standards, Glendale’s golf course is hardly overused. That’s both the nature and the beauty of many private clubs. If its plans come to fruition, taking on less, not more outside play will be an even bigger bonus to members.

“Exceptional experience,” is Glendale’s end game, according to membership services chair Steven Atnikov, who said the final plan could see a significant reduction of the new clubhouse’s total size.

In order to give the implementation plan a green light, Glendale’s board has authorized a special assessment on shareholders and set goals for new members and its capital campaign.

“The plan now is to continue to focus on the success of membership growth and to continue towards a new member-focused club house down the road,” Atnikov said.

Even in the economic downturn, Glendale has taken big steps in that direction, already with 30 new full members on the way to its goal threshold of 75. And the club’s members have already pledged more than $1.4 million on the way to the approximately $1.9 million it wants to have in place.