2020 was a record-setting year for rounds of golf played despite the challenges associated with Covid-19. Little did any of us know that the game of golf would be revitalized as numerous people flocked to get out of the house and enjoy some fresh air and exercise. Even on bad weather days it was difficult to get a tee time. It is thought that this renewed popularity is what the future holds as many new people are taking up the game.

We were so very fortunate to have the continued support from the golf courses as all of them were packed from dawn to dusk and tee times were a premium.

Back in February of 2020 when the Corona virus was upgraded to a pandemic who thought it would be with us a year later? In those early times of lock-down and isolation we were hard pressed to find ways to stay positive and active, the isolation started to take a toll on our minds, bodies and spirits. Then the golf courses were allowed to open with protocols established to keep us safe and we turned to golf as an outlet. Playing a game of golf offered us respite from despondency and isolation, it was our bright light and offered us a semblance of normalcy.

As we head into 2021 we believe our golf will be much the same, we will still have to distance; we will still have to follow established protocols; we will still be able to enjoy and have fun.

If you are not a member of GOLFAROUND INC and you want to play golf we are open to registrations in Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer. Don’t delay though there are only so many spots available and as you can see golf is at a high demand

Great News!!!  We have planned a 9 Hole Day league for the Edmonton ladies on Wednesday mornings. This is a nice option for those that do not have the whole day for a game of golf.

There are benefits to playing 9 holes for all of us. Let’s face it we live in a very busy world with work and family commitments and it is tough to find some time for ourselves. It is important to get a well-deserved break every now and then but going out and playing 18 holes of golf isn’t always easy due to time, cost, and physical limitations.

• Playing 9 holes should take just under 2 ½ hrs
• 9 holes rates are less than 18 hole rates – as we try to get the best bang for our buck these days
• Playing nine holes allows you to get great exercise without overdoing it if you face health restraints

Come out and play holes – no more excuses!!!

It is really hard to plan when you don’t know what is around the corner, however always optimistic.  By now we would have been hitting balls for 4 weeks and played some virtual golf.  The north and south domes  have not been open and I am not sure if the south dome will be available due to the collapse after that heavy snow fall.  Once things get open we will communicate the plans for practice this winter. We are hopeful and look forward to seeing everyone, I think we are all missing socializing and to quote CJ “getting sick of our own company”.  We won’t plan a virual golf league on a regular basis but hope to provide  a couple of separate events.

Looking forward to welcoming back the members we refunded last year due to Covid and looking forward to meeting the new members. Registration opens up on the website  February 1.

Looking back over the first 20 years of Golfaround  we found that it was maybe time to recapture the last four years. Remembering where we went and what we did will give us something to look forward to in the seasons to come. This will be the first of three articles.

The 2016 season certainly had it’s challenges, the weather Gods were not too kind to us. The big, black cloud came in at about 4pm every week day and sometimes on the weekends as well. We couldn’t remember when we had such violent storms. We were lucky though to have an early Spring start and instead of hitting ball inside the Dome in April we actually played outside on the course at Fox Hollow. We had fun at the Mystery Bus trip which saw us in Golden with a great theme of “Golf is like a box of chocolates you never know what you are going to get”. If you saw Forrest Gump you will remember that line but it was about life. However it does adequately describe the challenge of the average amateur golfer every time he or she tees it up. What game is going to show up today? Our spin was the mystery of what you got on every hole. Also the Play & Stay in Fernie and Edmonton’s wind-up at Broadmoor enjoyed some favorable weather.

2016 was also when The Elks Golf Club changes their structure and with it their name, it changed to The Winston the golf course didn’t change and we continued to have great golf at a reasonable price.

For 28 of us and that does include 6 spouses the highlight of 2016 had to be Italy. A beautiful country offering magnificent architecture, beautiful landscapes, ancient ruins, and brilliant art. Some entire cities that we visited are works of art in themselves, Venice, Florence and Rome. In Venice we were surrounded by magnificent sights and sounds as we cruised along the Giudecca canal to St. Mark’s Square We admired the Bridge of Sighs and the beauty of St Mark’s Basilica was amazing, as was the ornate Doge’s Palace. We enjoyed some stuning architecture; saw mysterious passageways; explored the canals by gondola in the rain, it was fun. A trip to the beautiful island of Burano, known for its lace production, gave us the opportunity to visit local shops and a museum to admire high-end lace on display, and also to admire the island’s brightly colored fishermen’s houses.
On the way to Lake Garda we stopped for a while in Verona, the setting for Shakespeare’s most famous play, and saw the Roman Arena and Juliet’s balcony. It was here that we experienced our first excellent meal at a little out of the way restaurant accompanied by some delicious Amarone wine which comes from this area, very good. We loved the Lake Garda area and had fun exploring the jewels of the area Brescia and Sirmione. We could only approach the town by foot crossing the draw bridge but once inside we felt immersed in the Middle Ages, since there is a profusion of historic buildings at every turn. Cars are not allowed inside the city, which is ideal for pleasant strolls through the narrow cobblestone streets where an air of nostalgia fills the entire town.
On our way to the UNA Poggio dei Medici Golf Resort we stopped in Milan to see the La Scala Opera House, the Duomo di Milan with it’s amazing architecture and the high end Galleria Vittonio Emauelle II where we gasped at the prices. Our rooms at the Poggio were great as were the other amenities The course itself was great and quite a challenge, we were all happy we got to play it twice thinking it would be easier the second time around, but no, we still got lost. One of the great things about here was that we were all in the same area so happy hours on the patio were great and we all got to know one another a little bit better.
One day in Florence is not enough time to absorb all the wonders. Masterpieces are everywhere and the magnificent Duomo and Baptistery are wonderful. We visited the Uffizi in the afternoon the art was outstanding. The day ended with sunset over the Arno high above Florence, what more could you ask for.
Onward to the South and Pistoia by way of Pisa where we admired the famous Leaning Tower. In Pistoia we golfed again which was great, went to the local market which was fun and the majority of the group attended the cooking school where we made delicious pasta, pesto, biscotti and more. Other places we enjoyed in the area were San Gimignano and Lucca. The wine and olive oil tasting we did at the Fattoria il Poggio was excellent. Our last experience was Rome, everything is gigantic with the exception of Joan’s beer at the hotel, it was pretty small for the price but we’re in Rome. Everywhere you look there seems to be remnants of the Roman Empire. Both Vatican Ciy and Rome has to be seen to be believed. Within the Vatican are 11 Vatican Museums which hold some of the best art in the world. We saw the Sistine Chapel with Michelangelo’s ceiling fresco and St. Peter’s Basilica, a huge and beautiful church holding priceless works of art. St. Peter’s Square is a huge circular piazza where people gather to see and hear the Pope. Again we only saw a small portion of what is Rome but what we saw, the Colosseum, the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain were a sight to see. Our last golf game unfortunately had to end after nine due to rain, but other than a sprinkle when we arrived in Venice and the last day in Rome we had sunny warm weather. Our farewell dinner was excellent and the opera singers gave us an entertaining show enjoyed by all.

Stay tuned for the next episode in the March newsfeed.

Happy New Year – the new year, a time to say good bye and a time to say hello.  I am sure many of you are like me,  looking forward to moving on to a new year. There will still be some challenges but we are optimistic about managing what is, instead of worrying about what could be. I am expecting the golf courses will operate in a similar way as last year but because we have been through it we know how to manage and we learned some new things along the way.

Let’s watch that light at the end  of the tunnel grow brighter and brighter. We will be out on the golf courses before we know it, enjoying each other’s company and that human connection we are missing.

Registration has to be handled differently this year. Members that deferred 2020 lessons and league membership have been contacted by us already requesting your lesson choice. We will open up registration on the website February 1 for members refunded and new members. Members that were refunded will get priority but it is important that you registered sooner vs later.

Sending you all Christmas wishes for joy and merriment seem inappropriate this year but we do wish everyone good health and a blessed Christmas. As we approach the holidays we fear that they will be different as we abide by the regulations to keep us all safe. We will need to be willing to adapt to a different environment and to find new ways to celebrate with our friends and family and by doing this we will enjoy.

The holidays will be different but can be joyful, there will be less but we will make it enough, it will not be the things that we miss but the closeness and connections we treasure. We will feel sad but we can be hopeful that all this will be over sooner vs later. There is light at the end of the tunnel. We are thinking of you all and hope that we will survive, stay positive and strong.

To say I have been procrastinating planning winter practice puts it mildly.  We are determined to stay positive and are trying our best during these trying times. If we all stay safe and do what is being asked of us, and yes I know it is in some ways confusing, but we will do what we  need to do so that COVID can be behind us. I am working at organizing practice sessions at the Eaglequest Golf Dome in the north and the south dome at the National Golf Academy. Practice will have to be organized and communicated earlier and numbers may be restricted; and in some cases early payment required. A schedule and procedures will be sent by email before the end of the year.

As we all know golf, this season, got us out of the house and gave us the opportunity to have some fun while staying safe in a controlled environment.

Winter in Calgary can be long and because of COVID it will seem longer than usual because we need to stay in our bubbles. A winter golf league is a great way to remain social while keeping our golf swing looking good. We golf around during the summer but our Winter Golf League will offer us a wide variety of golf courses, many of which we may find too expensive for our budgets and they will all cost the same.  Our Virtual golf league gives us way more choices, we will never play the same course twice and we get to play some of the world’s best golf from one location and no rush hour traffic to contend with. We are planning a daytime league on either Monday or Tuesday in the late morning starting in January 2021. If we can get space we will consider running in the evening and other areas.