Playing golf in Vancouver Canada (NO POLITICS!)

[IcemanYVR]

Played The Hills at Peace Portal on Saturday. It was the only place we could get a decent tee time. Course was in pretty good shape for this time of year. Only a couple of wet spots. I guess the natural drainage helps but pushing/pulling a cart up and down those ravines is never fun.

 

Clubhouse is still closed, and seems like they are going/have gone semi-private?

[Shushwap]

Eating my popcorn and reading all this.. keep it up..

Its a interesting read.. All I ask is u all stay on the coast this year and leave us alone in the Okanagan.. Tried to get a Tee time out Penticton osoyoos way and the one course laughed when I asked what they had lol 

Nice drive the states this weekend anyhow.. Penticton golf club looked to be standing room only.. They were parked anywhere they could fit a vehicle.. Total insanity. I guess this is a preview for the year.. 

I hate having to book 3 weeks in advance 

[KBong]

11 minutes ago, Shushwap said:

Eating my popcorn and reading all this.. keep it up..

Its a interesting read.. All I ask is u all stay on the coast this year and leave us alone in the Okanagan.. Tried to get a Tee time out Penticton osoyoos way and the one course laughed when I asked what they had lol 

Nice drive the states this weekend anyhow.. Penticton golf club looked to be standing room only.. They were parked anywhere they could fit a vehicle.. Total insanity. I guess this is a preview for the year.. 

I hate having to book 3 weeks in advance 

Hopefully you have a Tesla.....for those 3 hr rd trip golf outings...LMAO.

WTH...gas is $2.099 here and will rise when more carbon taxes are applied...another WTH.

[KBong]

1 hour ago, IcemanYVR said:

Played The Hills at Peace Portal on Saturday. It was the only place we could get a decent tee time. Course was in pretty good shape for this time of year. Only a couple of wet spots. I guess the natural drainage helps but pushing/pulling a cart up and down those ravines is never fun.

 

Clubhouse is still closed, and seems like they are going/have gone semi-private?

I was not aware of the new The Hills....branding...how appropriate...some think the walk is a challenging one.

 

Membership on a waitlist....IMO....the prices are high for the conditions...or lack there of.

PP has always been a swamp in the winter.

 

PP has potential...but the new owners need to sink in  millions to make it a good course with appropriate conditions.

 

I find Hazelmere so BORING...especially the back 9...namely holes....14-16.

Edited March 8, 2022 by KBong

[The Beav]

Good chat in here.  I often wonder about the future of golf in Vancouver - with regards to courses going private or not.  

 

I can't help but feel like the current state of just "charge high rates for public play" is best for the courses.  Nobody paying $3-10k per year and playing 1-200 rounds and no demanding members to deal with.  

Morgan Creek (since COVID) basically has a system where it's a "private course" with an open guest policy - but everyone pays per play.  Not a bad way to run things as long as they can keep it going. 

 

I can't see Pagoda succeeding.  I'd love to see their math that tells them this massive investment is a good idea.  

Not sure what Peace Portal's end game is.  

[myspinonit]

1 hour ago, Shushwap said:

Eating my popcorn and reading all this.. keep it up..

Its a interesting read.. All I ask is u all stay on the coast this year and leave us alone in the Okanagan.. Tried to get a Tee time out Penticton osoyoos way and the one course laughed when I asked what they had lol 

Nice drive the states this weekend anyhow.. Penticton golf club looked to be standing room only.. They were parked anywhere they could fit a vehicle.. Total insanity. I guess this is a preview for the year.. 

I hate having to book 3 weeks in advance 

I look forward to taking some  of your hoped for times in Osoyoos in September. 😀

[Golfnuck]

More on potential private clubs.

 

Some have asked if Shaughnessy could relocate to the University Golf Club.  Well that is owned by the Musqueam Capital Corporation and resides on Musqueam land anyways.

 

Face it the Board of Directors back in 1960 f$%ked up big time.  A bunch of rich men who thought they could save money by leasing land from the Indians and keep it as their own forever.  

 

Now they are left with no options.  Anyways not here to bash Shaughnessy.

 

But while on the topic of Shaughnessy IMHO even if they could have the rezoning and completely renovate Green Acres I could not figure out the end game there.  It is on a flight path with planes roaring overhead on the regular basis and then there is the road noise.

 

So where else within greater Vancouver but not south of the first arm of the Fraser River, can a new private golf club be located?  Rhetorical question because not even the richest club members would pony up enough money to buy 100 or more acres within Greater Vancouver, even if such a single parcel existed.

 

Morgan Creek and Northview's model works as long as they can charge a premiums and the golfers are willing to pay just to get access.  Why go private if you can get $30k a day or more just in green fees.

 

But I have to ask is this spike in demand permanent? 

 

I was listening to the radio talk about gas prices (are you listening KBong?)  They said that part of the increase is because the gas companies know that they have us by the balls.  We cannot go across the border to get cheaper gas with the border crossing requirements (hope I don't get banned for saying this).  So the commentators are saying for now we are just going to keep getting screwed by the gas companies.  

 

Has the border restrictions also impacted the availability of golf tee times and the local owners are just screwing the golfers because they know we cannot go across the border to play Loomis, North Bellingham, Shuksan, Lake Padden, Homestead etc etc.  And they have got to be hurting without us Canadians.

 

So if and when the border restrictions lift will some of the sanity come back in the demand for golf?

 

 

 

 

[KBong]

40 minutes ago, The Beav said:

I can't see Pagoda succeeding. 

 

I'd love to see their math that tells them this massive investment is a good idea.  

 

Agree.

 

And who says they have deep pockets for the massive investment required.

 

Let's face it....and I bet the answer will be no.

Is there anyone on this site who knows anyone willing to shell out $30-$60K to join Pagoda?

My answer is NO.

[IcemanYVR]

1 hour ago, KBong said:

PP has potential...but the new owners need to sink in  millions to make it a good course with appropriate conditions.

 

I find Hazelmere so BORING...especially the back 9...namely holes....14-16.

1) Still no driving range or practice area which IMO is a MUST for a Private facility. Although they own the 18 hole Par 3 next door, and could easily convert it into a world class facility and still have a 9 hole Par-3 course. 
 

2) Hazelemere has a great dawn patrol rate and a decent driving range. And I hate the 18th hole.  

Edited March 8, 2022 by IcemanYVR
Spelling gremlins

[IcemanYVR]

4 minutes ago, KBong said:

Agree.

 

And who says they have deep pockets for the massive investment required.

 

Let's face it....and I bet the answer will be no.

Is there anyone on this site who knows anyone willing to shell out $30-$60K to join Pagoda?

My answer is NO.

I wouldn’t even play $30-60 to play that course. I don’t like it. 

[KBong]

32 minutes ago, myspinonit said:

I look forward to taking some  of your hoped for times in Osoyoos in September. 😀

Maybe @Shushwap and his golf pals will set up road blocks on Hwy 1, Hwy 3, the Coq, etc to block off all Albertans and GVRD residents....just like the Trucker's Freedom Rally.🤣

 

My Toronto cousin has already emailed me on golf suggestions for his BC Interior golf vacation in June.

[KBong]

13 minutes ago, IcemanYVR said:

1) Still no driving range or practice area which IMO is a MUST for a Private facility. Although they own the 18 hole Par 3 next door, and could easily convert it into a world class facility and still have a 9 hole Par-3 course. 
 

2) Hazelemere has a great dawn patrol rate and a decent driving range. And I hate the 18th hole.  

1) I wasn't implying PP turning private. Just making a comment that if money is spent, PP has the skeleton to be reshaped into a nice public course.

 

2) Many HATE 18.....I don't play Hazelmere often and keep on forgetting about the pond to the left of the green on a blind approach shot.

[KBong]

24 minutes ago, Golfnuck said:

Face it the Board of Directors back in 1960 f$%ked up big time.  A bunch of rich men who thought they could save money by leasing land from the Indians and keep it as their own forever.  

 

LOL.

Hindsight is 20/20.

If all our parents had a magic 8 ball...we'd all be retired by 35 and living off their millions and playing daily golf in Maui and drinking Mai Tai's afterwards.🤣

[KBong]

27 minutes ago, Golfnuck said:

But I have to ask is this spike in demand permanent? 

 

I was listening to the radio talk about gas prices (are you listening KBong?)  They said that part of the increase is because the gas companies know that they have us by the balls.  We cannot go across the border to get cheaper gas with the border crossing requirements (hope I don't get banned for saying this).  So the commentators are saying for now we are just going to keep getting screwed by the gas companies.  

 

Just watching the news....Point Roberts with their special status....minimal issues & restrictions to go fill up your tank and return.

 

But I live on the North Shore.

[Golfnuck]

2 minutes ago, KBong said:

LOL.

Hindsight is 20/20.

If all our parents had a magic 8 ball...we'd all be retired by 35 and living off their millions and playing daily golf in Maui and drinking Mai Tai's afterwards.🤣

 

Yes but $2M in 1960 would be worth $19M today so based on 800 members that would be $24k a member.  How many would pay $50k to join a club with their own land.

 

One thing is that back in 1960 signing a lease with the Government regardless of who owns the land had them thinking they would never be kicked off of it.  That part is very different 1960 to now.

[KBong]

30 minutes ago, Golfnuck said:

But I have to ask is this spike in demand permanent? 

 

Not permanent....but high golf demand with remain.

 

What I'm seeing are golfers who previously gave up golfing....picked up the game during Covid.....50% will give it up...but the remainders are loving their return to golf and spending money on their new passion for the game.

[myspinonit]

9 minutes ago, KBong said:

Just watching the news....Point Roberts with their special status....minimal issues & restrictions to go fill up your tank and return.

 

But I live on the North Shore.

Me too Edit: (looking at the news that is. I live in Kits) . I looked at the Bald Eagle site and they hope to open by summer. Be nice if they get some CDN play this year. Not willing yet though to try sending shaft, clubs or ball deals online to a shipping depot there. But, my bag is set anyway, right? Right? (lol)

Edited March 8, 2022 by myspinonit

[KBong]

3 minutes ago, Golfnuck said:

One thing is that back in 1960 signing a lease with the Government regardless of who owns the land had them thinking they would never be kicked off of it.  That part is very different 1960 to now.

This....

[KBong]

1 minute ago, myspinonit said:

Me too. I looked at the Bald Eagle site and they hope to open by summer. Be nice if they get some CDN play this year. Not willing yet though to try sending shaft, clubs or ball deals online to a shipping depot there. But, my bag is set anyway, right? Right? (lol)

It was a NIGHTMARE driving to and from McCleery on Sat....never mind trying to drive and play golf across the border....and so much road and condo construction in the GVRD.

 

BTW....McCleery was fairly dry...but the greens were kinda slow and not like the 10 stimp greens there in late Jan

The only course I could find any tee time and it was for a single.

 

At 6pm....it was a GONG SHOW at Park Royal.....close to 1 km car line ups...WTH.

 

Maybe I should take up gardening.🤣

[Golfnuck]

10 minutes ago, KBong said:

It was a NIGHTMARE driving to and from McCleery on Sat....never mind trying to drive and play golf across the border....and so much road and condo construction in the GVRD.

 

BTW....McCleery was fairly dry...but the greens were kinda slow and not like the 10 stimp greens there in late Jan

The only course I could find any tee time and it was for a single.

 

At 6pm....it was a GONG SHOW at Park Royal.....close to 1 km car line ups...WTH.

 

Maybe I should take up gardening.🤣

 

I think you are a Seymour GC kinda guy    .............    or maybe Capilano.

[myspinonit]

3 minutes ago, KBong said:

It was a NIGHTMARE driving to and from McCleery on Sat....never mind trying to drive and play golf across the border....and so much road and condo construction in the GVRD.

 

BTW....McCleery was fairly dry...but the greens were kinda slow and not like the 10 stimp greens there in late Jan

The only course I could find any tee time and it was for a single.

 

At 6pm....it was a GONG SHOW at Park Royal.....close to 1 km car line ups...WTH.

 

Maybe I should take up gardening.🤣

Interesting on the traffic comment. We went to North Burnaby to meet friends mid afternoon last Saturday. It took less time than usual to get there.  And though steady coming home at maybe 5:30, home in maybe half an hour. We of course avoided Brioadway that will be a Gong Show from Main-ish to Arbutus for the foreseeable.

 

My friend was at Vancouver Club ("social member"?( Is not a full member but can use practice s-facilities  )Friday afternoon-nice day-  and he said most stalls were free. Before or after he was at Coquitlam Centre and he said it ewas REALLY quiet. He figured it was the gas prices.

 

Ok enough..it's time for dinner, more wine and TV.

[KBong]

49 minutes ago, Golfnuck said:

 

I think you are a Seymour GC kinda guy    .............    or maybe Capilano.

Holes 1 & 2 are kinda weak holes...and the back 9 too short at Seymour.

 

I don't think I'm the right nationality at Cap.🤣

[The Beav]

I agree on Peace Portal having the bones in place for a great course/club.  Would just take some money, time, and an owner who gives half a krap.  I've always liked playing there before the conditions got terrible sometime in the last few years.  

 

I too hold out hope that removal of border restrictions will play a huge role in easing the golf demand here.  I know that Morgan has a ton of Semi members playing there right now.   My own groups used to cross the line to play once or twice a month on the regular (I don't know what it is about the place, but I LOVE the North Bellingam course!) as well.

[Shushwap]

4 hours ago, KBong said:

Hopefully you have a Tesla.....for those 3 hr rd trip golf outings...LMAO.

WTH...gas is $2.099 here and will rise when more carbon taxes are applied...another WTH.

I may have to invest in a moped this year.. These fuel prices are going to hurt 

Cost me $70 to run over the border and back home the other day 

The one upside is perhaps everyone will stay out of the Shuswap this year... 

My buddy usually drives when we golf out of town.. Hopefully that's the case again this year.. He can afford the fuel bills 

[myspinonit]

36 minutes ago, KBong said:

Holes 1 & 2 are kinda weak holes...and the back 9 too short at Seymour.

 

I don't think I'm the right nationality at Cap.🤣

don't think I'm the right nationality at Cap.🤣

True a lot of years ago. Not now.

[Shushwap]

3 hours ago, myspinonit said:

I look forward to taking some  of your hoped for times in Osoyoos in September. 😀

Going to call tomorrow and see what they have for the weekend in Penticton or osoyoos.. Nkmip is going to be open I think.. If not we'll try and get on in Penticton 

On a side note.. U couldn't pay me to live on the coast these days.. I guess that's why so many are selling and moving this way and driving our housing prices to outer space 

Edited March 8, 2022 by Shushwap

[KBong]

10 minutes ago, Shushwap said:

Cost me $70 to run over the border and back home the other day 

 

The one upside is perhaps everyone will stay out of the Shuswap this year... 

 

Where were you (Penticton)???.....that you drove over the border to gas up?...does that make sense from Penticton?

 

It's pretty sad that you have to drive all the way to the Shuswap to get your golf fix.

[KBong]

34 minutes ago, The Beav said:

before the conditions got terrible sometime in the last few years.  

 

but I LOVE the North Bellingam course!) as well.

PP has always had lousy conditions....and I'm not overly picky about conditions....except for greens conditions.

 

IMO....NB is the most boring of the Bellingham rota...but I will admit I prefer parkland style courses.

NB does have good winter drainage.

[Shushwap]

1 minute ago, KBong said:

Where were you (Penticton)???.....that you drove over the border to gas up?...does that make sense from Penticton?

 

It's pretty sad that you have to drive all the way to the Shuswap to get your golf fix.

Trying to get new golf shoes and I can't get extra wide in Canada.. So I ordered into oroville.. Just over the border from osoyoos.. The one upside to having had covid I dont need to test to cross over the border now..

They didn't fit and I sent them back.. Im just about to give up on trying to find a wide enough golf shoe that fits my feet where the heel doesn't slide up.. 

Going to try new balance next if they ever get stock 

I have tried most of the foot joys in ew as well as scechers in ew 

Adidas aren't wide enough.. Puma makes a ew.. Heel slides up in those as well 

[KBong]

2 minutes ago, Shushwap said:

Going to try new balance next if they ever get stock 

I have tried most of the foot joys in ew as well as scechers in ew 

Adidas aren't wide enough.. Puma makes a ew.. Heel slides up in those as well 

IMO....I think the golf shoe industry is an overpriced SCAM.

 

Yes, I have 5 pairs of golf shoes

BUT

I have been wearing my running shoes sometimes in the summer w/o issue.

 

I have been playing with Goretex running trail shoes in our wet winter golf slop w/o issue.