mk.s Unsplash
Oakville used to be talked about as a "golfer's paradise," where golf enthusiasts around the world could happily spend a full work week and never play the same course twice.
As of late, this reputation has faced some challenges as we've seen the closure of multiple facilities and recently lost the title of host for the Canadian Open.
As someone still trying to master their slice, I had to see what other communities had to offer before I committed myself to play exclusively in Oakville. This advice was given to me by a local avid golfer who suggested that I needed a broader perspective on what various destinations offer before assessing Oakville.
My endeavour consisted of:
- Mount Nemo Golf Club
- Chedoke
- Cardinal
- Parkshore
- Tyandaga
- Streetsville Glen
- Rattlesnake Point
- Piper's Heath
All of the above courses which provided good experiences. However, the greens at Parkshore and Streetsville Glen certainly needed maintenance.
When I ventured into Oakville, I wanted to understand the business aspect of the game more so than the experiential component. The first thing I noticed was that the clubs in Oakville were a lot busier, and the crowds consistently seemed to be more sophisticated.
The hospitality also stood out, which influenced me to approach the head golf pro at Deerfield Golf Club, Lee Beauchamp, to find out more.
"Lee, how do you guys market this place? Every other club I've been to has had an angry group behind me and a lot of partiers."
His reply took me aback; "We don't," Lee said. "Covid really enriched the game of golf in this area, and we've stopped running the promotions we used to."
Deerfield sees an average of 275 tee times daily and has a 94% utilization rate. Pre COVID-19, they'd peak at 200 tee times per day with a utilization rate of 70%. Lee went on to explain how so many people took up golf during the pandemic because, at one point, it was just about the only social outing for some.
Alexandra D'Cunha from Oakville Executive made a similar case, stating that since the pandemic, the club has never been busier.
"Getting outside, being active, connection, all those things we hear are good for you - Golf has it," D'Cunha stated.
It became clear that the golf community was there for residents during a time when they needed the outlet. But playing in Oakville is no simple task, with some tee time bookings having to be made up to a week in advance.
Lee and Alexandra both expressed similar despondency when it came to talking about all the facilities that have closed in the town and losing the hosting privileges for the Canadian Open.
Golf Canada Chief Championship Officer Bill Paul pointed out that Glen Abbey is too small to accommodate the requirements for a PGA event.
What stood out was the notion that the skill level in the game is evolving to a point where, yes pro's need more challenging courses, but everyday golfers expect more than just the traditional golfing experience; they seek sophisticated surroundings, excellent hospitality, and the camaraderie that golf brings.
This is certainly something you'll find on a public course in Oakville. Still, nothing beats the experience at the private organization of Oakville Golf Club - which a local member was kind enough to give me access to.
Ben Brown
"These greens almost don't look real," my enthusiasm for the club was something I couldn't hold back, but unexpectedly we were rained out at the 4th hole and forced to pack up early. Nonetheless, I enjoyed those four holes more than 18 at any other course I'd played beforehand.
After experiencing the best and worst that the golf community offers in the area, I understood the importance of developing a destination that evolves with golf enthusiasts' changing needs and expectations.
Oakville's golfing landscape is a microcosm of this in a broad sense of the Canadian golf community, which is at a point where the sport is as, if not more popular than when Tiger Woods came on the scene, according to Beauchamp.
