FEATURE STORY
Calgary's
Redwood Meadows:
The Nation is Ready
By Andrew Penner,
Contributor
BRAGG CREEK, Alberta (Jan. 7, 2005) -- Gently rolling, clothed with mixed forest and wildflowers, and sitting high above the southwest corner of Calgary, the quality of the land that's owned by the Tsuu T'ina Nation, one of Southern Alberta's most influential First Nations groups, is simply superior to anything else in the area.
Not surprisingly, many feel that their golf course, which parades through the exceptionally blessed terrain, is head and shoulders above the rest as well - including the PGA Tour, who recently decided to award the Nation's Redwood Meadows Golf Club the Alberta Classic of the Nationwide Tour. And, come August 22, contestants will realize first hand just how good this layout really is.
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Calgary's southwest is not foreign to high-profile championship golf tournaments. In fact, Redwood Meadows is just one of a number of outstanding golf clubs on this end of town that has hosted major golfing events. The Glencoe Club, which features two Robert Trent Jones Jr. courses, played host to the 1998 AT&T Canada Senior Championship (Champions Tour). Priddis Greens, also a picturesque 36-hole facility in the area, hosted the 1999 du Maurier Classic, then a major on the LPGA Tour. Other courses to Calgary's southwest, such as Wintergreen, Elbow Springs, and Pinebrook, have been in the spotlight numerous times and are regarded as some of the Calgary area's most scenic courses.
However,
Redwood Meadows has remained in the shadows, apparently shy to
proclaim to the city, the province, the country, just how good
a course lurks in these spindly trees on this far west corner
of the Tsuu T'ina Nation. This year, however, with the announcement
of the Alberta Classic switching venues from the compelling but
ill-equipped Links of GlenEagles in Cochrane
to Redwood, the bubble is on its way to bursting. In fact, the
excitement, the build-up, has already begun.
Actually, the process of Redwood's rise, its path to soon-to-be stardom (as this writer predicts), began in earnest a couple of years ago when the club spent nearly Cdn$3 million on tee and bunker restoration and a new irrigation system. But, as the club's head professional, Dean Walker, explains, it marked a difficult time for the club. "During the summer of 2002 this place was gutted, ripped apart," remembers Walker. "It turned into a dustbowl. The place was almost unrecognizable. Members left. Members weren't seen for months. Shares were sold cheap. But that time is over. There's a buzz here now. The place looks spectacular and we can hardly wait for the Nationwide Tour to pay us a visit. It's going to be a special week and the course will shine."
The
Alberta Classic competitors will play a slightly beefed up Redwood
Meadows track that will tip the scales at approximately 7,200
yards (par 72). Four new tees will be added to the Bill Newis-designed
layout, including a new tee on the existing first (nines will
be reversed for the tournament), which will require a 270-yard
blast to get a look at the green. "It'll be a tough start for
players teeing off on 10," says Walker. "But the toughest change
will be on the seventh where we've bolstered an already long and
difficult par 4 into a 485-yard beast." The club has also added
a long tee on the par-3 fourth, which will now play more than
230 yards. Players there will just try to make par and get out.
Other holes that will be lengthened include the current par-5
14th, which sneaks along the Elbow River, and the par-4 18th.
In addition to the increased yardage, the most significant change to the course for the tournament will be the reversing of the nines. Redwood's existing 18th ends with a green tucked in a grove of mature pines. To accommodate the gallery, to save the trees, and to provide clear television viewing (The Golf Channel is covering all four days of the tournament), the decision was made to flip the nines for the tournament. Thus, weekend rounds will conclude on a dicey 392-yard par 4 that will afford brave hitters an opportunity to shorten the hole by rocketing a driver over a mess of trees and scrub. "It should provide for a fantastic finish," says Walker. "But, really, I think players will walk away from here impressed with the entire course. It's a course with exceptional flow and wonderful character."
A
testament to the quality of the golf at Redwood is how memberships
have grown, both in numbers and in worth. A few years ago shares
at the club were a paltry Cdn$5,000, not even close to the average
in Calgary's golf-thirsty environment. Now, with the recent improvements,
shares have jumped to $15,000. As one long-time member put it,
"I certainly have no other investments that have tripled in the
past five years."
While much of the field will be newbies when it comes to Redwood Meadows, most of the players will have had a chance to test out their game on Canadian soil at the Samsung CPGA Championship, which is being held a month prior to the Alberta Classic at the Whistle Bear Golf Club in Cambridge, Ontario. Whistle Bear, a two-year old John Robinson layout, should also provide players with a stiff test. At nearly 7,400 yards from the back tees, Whistle Bear will be exceedingly difficult if the wind decides to blow. Unlike Redwood Meadows, however, Whistle Bear is relatively exposed and should favor long, powerful hitters that can cheat the wind. Redwood, on the other hand, will require a wider selection of shots, favouring players that can work the ball off the tee.
"Whistle
Bear is a great championship venue," says Director of Golf Brad
Matthews. "To host a tournament as prestigious as this one is
a great honor. I'm sure the entire crew at Redwood Meadows feels
the same. The Nationwide Tour is a fabulous tour. It's laced with
talented players who have all the skills necessary to make the
big show. They play an incredibly exciting brand of golf because
they're gunning for that 'big break.'"
And, speaking of 'big breaks,' Redwood Meadows and Whistle Bear have every intention of taking advantage of theirs too.
For More Information. redwoodmeadows.comwhistlebear.ca
pgatour.com
albertaclassicgolf.com
cpga.com
Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the management. The information in this story was accurate at the time of publication. All contact information, directions and prices should be confirmed directly with the golf course or resort before making reservations and/or travel plans.
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