Golf Canada’s Calgary Putting Course Is Catching On In A Big Way

Little Brother Feels Big Brother's Pain As His Par Putt Rolls Just Past The Hole At The 9-Hole Mini-Putt Course At The Golf Canada Calgary Centre. (Photo/Gord Montgomery)

CALGARY, Alberta (Gord Montgomery/iG) — In this day and age, the introduction to a sport doesn’t have to be long and involved. It can be something as short as say a half-hour tour of a putting green course that whets the appetite of a youngster to pick up a new game and hold onto it for life.

Such is the thought, and the case, with the nine hole putting course that was put into play at the Golf Canada Calgary Centre last summer. This vision, and the fun it presents, is beginning to pay off in a big way, says Bill Murchison.

Murchison, the Director of Instruction and Corporate Programming at the centre, noted that while it took a while to get the ball rolling here, the idea of giving kids the chance to experience the game in a safe and friendly environment is exactly what they were looking for.

“I think absolutely,” he said of meeting the demand, and expectations, of those using the facility. “Everyone that plays it really enjoys it. They did a great job of it; it’s aesthetically pleasing bringing in the view of the river which runs right past it. There’s a waterfall feature here, so we’re really happy with how the course turned out.”

An unfortunate time lapse between shutting down the old mini-putt at the learning centre and opening the new one has somewhat dampened the usage of the facility but that is slowly being washed away, Murchison pointed out.

“I think there was a long enough lag from when we lost the other mini-putt, which was a natural grass one, until we opened this one (on synthetic turf) in July of 2016 so we had some time where we were without the mini-golf and I think as a result of that people started to think it didn’t exist anymore.

“The first year after the (2013) flood, people came in and were surprised we didn’t have it. So we took our time, did our due diligence and built it well and in a good location (right next to the pro shop) that was easier for people to access. Now, it’s just a matter of letting people know it’s there. People come out and enjoy it. It’s a good product and we hope to build another nine to complement it.”

Now don’t get the wrong idea about this putting track. It is not one of those tricked-up ones you see at lakeside resorts with clown noses to hit, windmills to navigate through and other trick shots. This is, pure and simple, about getting your golf ball from Point A to Point B in as few strokes as possible, with a few golf-oriented lateral hazards, like wa-ter, chipped in along the way.

What this is all about, is helping whet the appetite of youngsters, and even their parents, as to how tasty the game of golf can be.

“This is just one more entry point for us and our Grow the Game initiative with Golf Canada,” said Murchison about the importance of this “real” kind of golf playpen. “There aren’t many facilities in Calgary that have mini-golf. It’s new. It’s fresh and it looks good. And it gives you the chance to have everyone participate.”

Oh, did we mention this course isn’t just for kids? Adults cab use it to as a team building tool and that is an idea that’s catching on, said Murchison.


While The Kids Get A Kick Out Of This Pretty Little Putting Course In Calgary, Adults Are Finding That It Can Help Them With Their Short Game As Well. (Photo/Gord Montgomery)

“We’ve had corporations come in where there are golfers and they can play the Par-3 course here that is a real good test but sometimes they have people that don’t golf and they can play the mini-golf.”

For the uninitiated as to what a putting course is, it’s simply just that — you make your way around the nine hole loop here using only a putter and some hand-eye coordination.

“You just come in, it’s basically a walk-on basis, and there’s a variety of different lengths out there,” Murchison further explained of the set-up. “There’s some opportunities to make some ‘1’s’, some other holes where ‘3’ is a pretty good score. It accommodates all levels and it doesn’t have a lot of the crazy, gimmicky things where you’re going to be hitting the ball back and forth and be frustrated at the end,” trying to get it into the hole.

While this is a great introduction to the most important part of the game, it’s not only for those that haven’t played before, the pro pointed out. After all, everyone can, at some point and time, derive benefit from this short course.

“It would have some benefit, yes. I’m not sure as a coach of high level players it would be my first choice of having them out there working on putting but anytime you’ve got a putter in your hand and you’re looking at putts, reading greens, and working on your touch, you’re going to improve your touch, your distance control. So absolutely, there’s plenty of benefits,” ended Murchison.

The putting course is at the Golf Canada Calgary Centre, located at 7100 - 15 St., and is open from first thing in the morning until late in the evening. The cost is $8.50 for an adult and there is incentive pricing for juniors and kids under five, so if you’re looking to introduce someone to the game, or maybe just want to have a fun way to fix up your lat-est putting flaw. head on down and enjoy a truly fun, and well designed, facility.