Tee Talk

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It brings numerous "green fee" players to visit the course and regularly holds provincial and national class events, all of which support the local economy and increase the profile of the city in tourism.

Our golf events are recognized for the excellence of the volunteer organization and the North Shore warmth and friendliness offered.

A golf club within any community has a social effect. Predictably, the formation of a club to pursue a specific sport - be it golf or hockey - polarizes opinion for and against those following or participating in the sport as an "elite." So it was when Bathurst's golf community formed around the Golf Street (now, how did it come to be called that?) nine-hole course and, subsequently, the Gowan Brae golf club.

The 1958 transfer to the Gowan Brae site from the downtown location of the earlier course (now part of the nine-hole Squire Green golf course), and the subsequent expansion of the nine-hole Gowan Brae course to 18 holes in 1962 only served to underscore this process.

Somewhat elitist it may have been, but Ivan Stairs and his era's golfers picked rocks as they played and the ground was sculpted until the ploughed fields of the Gowan Brae farm gradually matured in to our superb golf course. Originally, funding was also obtained by selling shares in the organization in addition to membership dues. This selling of shares has been discontinued and this has helped dispel the elitist myth.

Gowan Brae has become much more egalitarian. The move to bilingualism in the province has been readily reflected in what was once a primarily anglophone organization. Along with this has come a huge increase in the level of interest and participation in the sport by the local population. There have been a number of changes to accommodate this increased number of players.

Whereas starting times were once a matter of placing your ball in a spiral at the first hole, and playing when it came to the end, the system now requires that you call up to 48 hours ahead to reserve a spot on an automated telephone system and there are now multiple tee boxes to spread the wear and tear.

At one time, women had reduced dues providing they took their turn "contributing" to club events generally by cooking or serving the meals. Today there is a vibrant and active ladies' club without any such requirement and a first-rate catering service for in-house and rental functions.

The clubhouse, designed by Bathurst architect Jim Gavin and built to replace the original clubhouse' which was the Ferguson family farmhouse, has demonstrated the flexibility of the concept in that it has been developed in to a facility as good as any to be found in a club anywhere in Canada. (If you are interested in what the original clubhouse looked like, there is a picture outside the banquet hall.)

Gowan Brae is also one of remarkably few clubs with a dedicated junior course where the very young can learn the joys of golf without tangling with often-impatient adult players. Juniors matter – they will be members one day.

Also, before I forget: club members with e-mail addresses are reminded to send an email to golfing@gowanbraegolf.ca to enable the club to update the mailing list.

See you on the tee!

Jim Duncan is a member of the Gowan Brae Golf and Country Club.