With the golf season wrapping up for the winter, pro shop staff at the Pincher Creek Golf Course spoke on the course's future,
cheap golf clubs the successes of the past months and the importance of members and business support.
In his first year as manager of the pro shop, Bruce Black said he had a steep learning curve to begin the season, but the members helped him learn the ropes.
Despite an excellent end to the season, Black explained the golf season started off with too much rain and high winds; golf did not get underway in Pincher Creek until the beginning of July.
"We don't have much of a spring lately," Black noted. "The problem is we have to sacrifice some of the golf in the spring for maybe a little extra in the fall. We had a great September and a good couple of weeks in October."
Just as the course has to deal with warm Chinook winds and heavy snow
callaway x24 irons that melts quickly, Black said the Pincher Creek course is one of the few that actually covers their greens. Despite much of the expertise focused on green and tee box care, even the winter maintenance has its pros and cons.
"If you cover them too early, it gets too hot and the greens burn underneath," he said. "If you cover and all of a sudden two feet of snow shows up in the morning, then you have to shovel it all off and then put the tarp on. It's a fine line."
Looking back on successful tournaments, Black thanked the membership's volunteers who helped to host many different golf events.
"The businesses in this town have really supported this golf course through their sponsorship for the tournaments, whether
Callaway X22 Irons it be sponsoring a hole in one hole or donating a prize," Black said. "We couldn't run (the golf course) without the volunteers who actually help us do that and the businesses themselves."
Black said the most important aspect of the golf course for himself is the junior program, but that he would like to see more young golfers hitting the links. While both the Piikani School and Livingstone School in Lundbreck are involved with the course, he said he would like to see more students come out from the high schools to golf.
"I know it's tough to do because by the time school starts, the season is winding down and in the spring, it's a question of weather cutting into the playing time," he said. "We have a couple of schools now who have a program."
Looking forward to next
Callaway RAZR Hawk Driver golf season, Black said there is still room for more tournaments, but that he can't take too much time away from the course's paying members. He noted the golf staff is looking to cover the greens for the winter on Oct. 26.
"It was successful for me; it was a brand new job," Black said, of his position as pro shop manager. "It was a very interesting summer.
Callaway RAZR Hawk Fairway Wood I would probably look at doing it again."
