Nova Scotia golf courses in for tough year after late start

Nova Scotia golf courses are battling Mother Nature in their quests to open for the season, but they are coming up short of the green.

At Granite Springs Golf Course in Bayside, the course is opening on Thursday, six weeks later than usual.

The late start not only cost the course revenue, but staff who had to leave because they couldn't wait for it to open.

"We really didn't have anything for them until the last week or two, so that's been hard to deal with as well," said general manager Andrew Chant.

In Cape Breton, the Lingan Golf Club in Sydney is still working to open its doors to golfers after the long winter. It asked its clients to be patient this spring.

"In talking to other golf courses around — you know, throughout Nova Scotia and the Maritimes —  just about everybody is facing a little bit or a lot or varying degrees of damage," said course general manager Donnie Rowe.

"It's just a combination of a winter that never seemed to want to end."

Though it's late to start, Lingan Golf management says the best part of the season is still in store for golfers in the area.

"That's what we're asking our members, is to stick with us during this tough time so we can get through it," said Rowe.

"With a little bit of luck, if the greens are open by the mid to late June, you still get a lot of good golf in July, August, September and even into October."

Rowe says delaying the golf season is always a risk. He's hoping people won't cancel their memberships and go elsewhere.

"There's still quite a bit of the season left, so that's what we're hoping for — they'll stay with us."

Temporary greens

Once the fairways are in better condition, Lingan Golf Club says temporary greens will be installed to allow golfers to play through.

With the temporary greens in place, the club is advising members that it could be late June before the damage is repaired with reseeding.  

Rowe says while winter has been tough, spring hasn't been much easier.  

"Although it's been sunny, it hasn't really been warm. It's just a bad combination for growing grass."

In the meantime, Lingan Golf Club says golfers can practice their swing at their driving range, which opens Monday May 11.