The Williams Lake Golf and Tennis Club will officially open on Friday, April 11.
Several members have already taken advantage of the sunshine and enjoyed using the range which opened last Friday.
"The course conditions are beautiful," general manager and pro Rob Yaworski told the Tribune Friday, April 4.
“During the winter we tarp our greens and pea boxes because it helps with fungus. As long as the snow doesn’t melt and freeze and melt and freeze again, they will even take the snow off the tarps and sometimes blow oxygen in with blowers.”
Brenda Murray and Brian Merrick were among the golfers enjoying the range being open Friday.
“It’s beautiful,” Murray said of the course. “We have a great pro and he’s really helpful for lessons.”
The course has accessibility, is challenging enough but not overwhelming, she added.
Merrick, a member for more than 25 years, also likes the course's challenges and the view.
“I’m the men’s club captain and we have an excellent men’s night turnout. Probably an average of 112 per night,” he said. “It’s really good."
When asked if they are avid golfers, Murray responded ‘oh yes.’
They are also happy the Fox’s Den Restaurant is on site as well.
“When our restaurant was in jeopardy quite a few years ago now it was a little bit trying. We were with the Sunday Sinners and then the restaurant wasn’t open so you couldn’t go up as a group, have your beer and do your scores. Now we can,” Murray said.
Yaworski has been the GM for four years now, he said.
“I’ve golfed all my life and I started to get my tickets once I got the job here for teaching lessons and other things.”
He said he moved to Williams Lake 25 years ago for work and a change.
“We lived in the city and we had small children and I didn’t want to raise them in the city. I’ve always liked the small towns. I grew up in Saskatchewan in North Battleford.”
Yaworski said the club is funded through a combination of course revenue, public grants, and sponsorship and advertising donations from the community.
The club has more than 300 members and it's a private course run by a non-profit organization with a board of directors.
Annually the course sees over 20,000 rounds played through a mix of annual members and public green fee players who are composed of a broad spectrum of ages, genders and backgrounds, he added.
“We do get new members joining every year. I've run a junior club for the last three years that has been very successful,” he said. “We are getting a lot of younger players too, which is a good thing.”
Volunteer instructors and mentors help with the junior program, which aims to start building skills through fun games that teach the basics of the game as dexterity and motor skills grow.
“We have smaller, lighter, plastic clubs that we use for play to start to develop the swing and motion of golf," Yaworski explained.
The are various clubs including 50-plus on Wednesday mornings at 10 a.m., Toonie Tuesday when everyone is welcome to join a social round and play from 11 a.m. to noon. On Friday nights they have a play nine and dine format with tee times from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The Ladies Club is every Tuesday and geared for players of all skill levels. Thursday afternoon is the mens’ time to have the course all to themselves.
This spring the club will host the high school zones, with a tentative date set for Monday, May 12.
