Golf Kenosee, located in Moose Mountain Provincial Park, has been around for a very long time. This course was started back in 1935 and was owned by the government.
The 135 shareholders took it over in 1986 and is run by five board members.
Golf Kenosee is an 18-hole grass green course known as the Jewel in the Moose Mountains.
About 12 or 14 years ago the course received major renovations with the holes all being redone.
鈥淭hey made it a true par-72 course,鈥� explains Brent Lothian, pro shop manager at Golf Kenosee for his fourth year. 鈥淭hey turned it into a championship golf course that it is today.鈥�
鈥淚t was a short golf course and it wasn鈥檛 near as beautiful as it is today,鈥� says Lothian. 鈥淭hey turned it into quite a challenging course.鈥�
There have been a few changes in recent years. The pro shop was renovated last year and Club 19 upstairs is being redone this year with new flooring, paint and blinds. The old bar was replaced and the old fireplace was switched over to a gas fireplace.
Golf Kenosee plans to open for the season on April 30.
The tarps were still on the greens as of Saturday afternoon but reports are that they are in great shape and tarps were slated to be removed this week.
The latest snowfall greened up the fairways so the plan is to give the fairways one more mow before opening day.
鈥淭hat鈥檒l spruce things up,鈥� says Lothian.
Golf Kenosee boasts approximately 220 members. Tuesday nights are men鈥檚 nights and Thursday nights are ladies鈥� nights at the Club. Wednesday morning is Senior Men鈥檚 Day for anyone 50 and older.
Approximately 20 women take part in the Tuesday morning Ladies League.
Annual events include the Moose Mountain Classic in August and Skins Night every Friday for 40-50 golfers taking part. The Kenosee Ladies Club always puts a tournament on in August as well.
鈥淟ast year all golfers had to pre book a tee time but we normally have a lot of green fee players who pay as they play,鈥� explains Lothian.
Golf Kenosee has a lot of golfers out for a round of golf while camping for the week or visiting for the day.
鈥淭he COVID rules are slightly relaxed as compared to last year,鈥� explains Lothian. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e similar to how we finished out the season in 2020, except anyone stopping in at the pro shop will have to wear a mask and use hand sanitizer upon entering.鈥�
鈥淲e will be continuing to sanitize the carts between uses,鈥� says Lothian.
Four to a group is maximum but that鈥檚 considered a normal golf game.
Shotgun starts are allowed this year during tournaments, they are allowed two groups per hole so long as they keep the required three metres away while one group is at the tee box.
Club 19 hopes to open on Mother鈥檚 Day weekend so the COVID rules will definitely impact the restaurant as they are only allowed 50 per cent capacity.
鈥淚t鈥檚 possible that some of our big tournaments won鈥檛 happen again this year because of the COVID rules still in place,鈥� explains Lothian.
鈥淲e probably had our best year ever last year for green fee players,鈥� says Lothian.
Golf was one of few sports everyone could still do.
鈥淲e had a lot of golfers last year,鈥� says Lothian. 鈥淲e had about 22,000 rounds, whereas 18,000 to 20,000 is an average year.鈥�
Lothian comments on some of the features of Golf Kenosee that would entice a golfer to play a round there.
鈥淓veryone comments on the first tee because you鈥檙e standing up on the hill looking down at the beautiful sites all around,鈥� explains Lothian. 鈥淧eople have commented that it鈥檚 the best start hole visually in all of Saskatchewan.鈥�
What better way is there to start a round of golf?
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very challenging hole because of the water and trees and there鈥檚 all kinds of other obstacles,鈥� says Lothian and he adds 鈥淔rom a visual point of view it鈥檚 breathtaking.鈥�
Lothian says one of the best reasons a golfer should try out their golf course:
鈥淔rom both the restaurant and Pro Shop perspective, we want to make sure everyone has the best possible experience. We like to think that we treat all of our customers the best that we can treat them and then they can enjoy their round of golf. There are so many different views on every hole. Our greenskeeper Kelvin Van Winkoop does such an amazing job that it is just a pristine golf course.鈥�
Golf Kenosee was so busy last year, both during the week and on weekends.
鈥淲e had many new first time members sign up last year that we hadn鈥檛 had before,鈥� explains Lothian.
Make a trip to the park this summer and golf a round at Golf Kenosee.
