Waterton Lakes Golf Course is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year and the golf club’s management company, Lakeland Golf Management (Alberta) Inc., is making sure the milestone is recognized during the season.
Lakeland is tying in the 100th anniversary with a visit from the Stanley Thompson Society for a western Canada event in July — which will include an appearance from former LPGA champion Sandra Post.
Stanley Thompson designed the course.
“So, just trying to get a little more promotion for the golf course and try to spruce it up a little bit,” said Harry Brotchie, Lakeland president.
“It’s a nice little golf course, a great cart setting — and just a little townsite. But it’s just needed a little bit of work and we’re hoping to get that going over the next few years, bring it back a little bit.”
There are discussions to resurrect the Waterton Open at the same event and have new logo merchandise sold in the golf shop.
Brotchie thinks the course has reached 100 years because of the setting.
“It’s spectacular scenery,” he said.
“Once you get into Waterton … it’s a real popular tourism area — a lot of day trips and campers and mobile homes. The campgrounds, there’s two in the area, and they’re both pretty much sold out. I think in a lot of their past marketing, they’ve talked about just the scenery alone is worth the experience playing there.”
Brotchie said it’s exciting to run a golf course for Parks Canada.
“That’s our first federal-operated course,” he said.
“Certainly, we have a couple of other Stanley Thompson-designed courses in Regina. So, you know again, that’s an attraction to have a well-known architect be involved with the course. And you know anytime you have a course that’s celebrating its 100th anniversary…we’re looking forward to it.”
Brotchie hopes to see more tourism come to the area.
“I know they draw from the US side of the border,” he said.
“So, we’re just hoping for more tourism in the area and certainly want to improve the course conditions and make it an enjoyable public experience.”
Lakeland signed a long-term lease with Parks Canada last year to take over the managerial operations of the course.
Lakeland has set up a capital improvement fund for the golf course.
“The course was, let’s say, tired when we took it over,” he said. “So I think we’ve made some improvements already.”
The hope is to automate the irrigation system in the fall, with clubhouse renovations planned for the spring. Electric carts have been added this year to the course.
