'Golf is becoming cool again': Winnipeg seeing increased participation on golf courses
The popularity of golf in Winnipeg has steadily been rising in recent years, with the City of Winnipeg saying more rounds are being played at the courses they own and operate.
As of June 4, Kildonan Park Golf Course has seen 8,640 rounds played since opening, up from 4,400 last year. Windsor Park has 7,290 rounds played this year, while Crescent Drive Golf Course has seen more than 4,000 rounds played.
“Golf has always historically had peaks and valleys in terms of golfer participation,” said Ben Fey, the general manager of golf services with the City of Winnipeg. “And we're obviously in a considerable uptick right now, in terms of number of people playing the game. It's as healthy as it's ever been. And golf is becoming cool again.”
Fey said since they opened up the courses on April 27, the booking sheet has been full, especially later in the week and on weekends.
Fey said the COVID-19 pandemic was one of the reasons they’ve seen more people grabbing clubs and hitting the links. Due to public health orders in place, many rec centres and rinks closed, but golf courses were able to remain open, as they were best to handle physical distancing requirements.
"We didn't have to close and I think, you know, because of that, we saw a number of new people take up golf during the pandemic,” he said. “We saw those that maybe got away from the game returned to golf. And the retention has been outstanding.”
The sport is attracting a new crowd as well, Fey said, noting more women and younger people are taking it up. He adds a more casual dress code, fun leagues for after work, and even people playing music on their golf carts are other things that are helping build interest in the game.
“Golf always had this stigma that it’s your dad or your grandpa’s game, or it’s a rich man’s game,” Fey said. “At least on our courses, we’re really making an effort to get away from that. We want golf to be available, and a game anybody can play. We want you to come out and have fun on our golf courses, and not worry about some of those old, stuffy rules that a lot of people remember about golf.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
Residents of northern Alberta First Nation told to shelter in place
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Metro Vancouver mayors call for serial killer Robert Pickton to be denied parole
A dozen mayors from around Metro Vancouver say federal Attorney General and Justice Minister Arif Virani should deny parole for notorious B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, and reassess the parole and sentencing system for 'prolific offenders and mass murderers.'