At this rate, Greater Sudbury-area golf courses could open earlier than usual, and in at least one case, the earliest on record.
“It will definitely be earlier than average,” Golf Sudbury business development director Tom Arnott told Sudbury.com this week.
“If it keeps up,” he added. “I mean it’s tough this time of year because we’ve been lucky all winter, but we all know that in Northern Ontario it can turn at any time.”
Golf Sudbury oversees five golf courses (Timberwolf, Cedar Green, Monte Vista, Pine Grove and Stonehill), which usually open around the third week of April, with TImberwolf dragging behind slightly.
If the weather keeps up, they’ll be opening a week or two before that.
“I know everybody’s champing at the bit to get out there, especially seeing the courses down in Toronto opening up, so we can’t wait to open up the doors,” Arnott said.
The courses are in great shape, he added.
This, despite limited snowpack during the winter months, which he said would usually spell trouble. In this case, mild weather persisted alongside limited precipitation, so the grass thrived.
“That would be the case for probably most golf courses in the area, which will be all in the same boat I would think,” Arnott said.
If we continue to avoid heavy snowfall and the soil temperature hits 10 C and stays there, he said the courses will open.
At this temperature, he said, “That means the frost is out of the ground and if it rains it has somewhere to go ... so any damage it sustains is actually repaired itself.”
Forest Ridge Golf and Country Club south of Chelmsford, is also looking at an early opening, manager Alice Aupin said.
That said, she clarified that she’s still a little bit skeptical.
“I think a little snow will be coming,” she added.
Crews are out on the links getting things ready and installing an in-ground sprinkler system for the front nine, after having already installed the system on the back nine last season.
The course usually opens up around May 13, but she said that if the weather keeps up they’ll be opening early.
“It might be the first year for an April opening,” she added.
Some more wind would help dry out the ground, she said, adding that its opening date will depend on the dryness of the course.
Sudbury.com reached out to the management of all area golf courses this week, but the majority were closed and had automated phone messages in place for the off-season.
Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.
