The parking lot was nearly filled and the electrified ‘Open’ sign was clearly lit up in the front window.
The Couchiching Golf and Country Club was open for business on Sunday.
And with those two images imbedded in my brain, I was left with the comfortable feeling that all was right with the world once again.
Under sunny skies, approximately 100 members and their guests gathered to toast the new golf season in Orillia.
For any of you who are not regular readers of this column, I have to admit golf is my passion.
And for most of the past 40 years, Couchiching has been like a second home to me.
After yet another nasty winter, it was great to walk through the front doors on Sunday and see Bobby The Blade, McGiggles, Stumpy, Muisey, The Mad Irishman and all the other guys and gals who make the nine-hole facility something special.
It’s a place where the social interaction is as important, if not more important, than the actual golf itself.
Everyone mixes well and there isn’t any of the stuffiness you find at other more up-scale courses.
Having said that, you can’t go wrong teeing it up at Hawk Ridge, Lake St. George, Heritage Hills, Trehaven, Horseshoe Resort, Settlers’ Ghost or any of the other local courses that make central Ontario such a paradise for golfers.
Monday’s snowfall has put a damper on plans to open Couchiching for public play on April 10, but the clubhouse is open for breakfast daily and will be hosting golfers during the traditional Masters Weekend event.
Hawk Ridge will also be hosting an open house this weekend, with no shortage of events planned.
Currently, the golf industry is at a crossroads, with feverish attempts being made by courses to attract new members in the midst of a struggling economy.
High-end courses in Muskoka and southern Ontario, who were eagerly charging $125-$150 for green fees, not so long ago, are now encountering a much more selective golf clientele.
Some, like Couchiching, were daring in their membership pricing and reaped the rewards.
From 2007 to 2008, the Orillia course experienced an influx of more than 150 members. This year, expectations are the club could approach 400 members before the last application is filled out.
So if that is the case, maybe the golf industry is in for an economic lift this year.
For those who make their living during a relatively short season, I hope this is the case.
I know I can’t wait to hit the tees. Fore!
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