British Columbia

Cache Creek golf course, shut down by wildfires, takes another swing at success

Semlin Valley Golf Course shut down after last summer’s devastating wildfires. The property, mostly ranch land, is owned by Brenda Whitehead and her common-law husband who have decided to take a chance running it themselves.

'It’s definitely going to be a challenge,' course's owner-operator says

Bonaparte Ridge Golf Course — formerly known as Semlin Valley Golf Course — is reopening after last year's wildfires put the former operators out of business. (Bonaparte Ridge Golf/Facebook)

A long-standing attraction in Cache Creek, B.C., is taking a shot at making a combeback.

Semlin Valley Golf Course shut down after over 30 years in operation, because of last summer's devastating wildfires, owner  Brenda Whitehead says.

The property, mostly ranch land, is owned by Whitehead and her common-law husband. They have decided to take a chance running it themselves as Bonaparte Ridge Golf Course.

"It's definitely going to be a challenge," Whitehead told Daybreak Kamloops host Shelley Joyce. "The buzz is that people want it here, so we're going to do our best."

Whitehead says the nine-hole course was run by a society until the fires and evacuations of 2017 caused it to fold.

She says the society was also dealing with problems of declining revenue and aging members, with no fresh blood coming in.

The course, itself, is on hilly terrain, she said, and a little difficult to walk, but it boasts challenging holes and beautiful views.

Bonaparte Ridge reopens for the summer on Saturday.

With files from CBC Radio One's Daybreak Kamloops