Serenity’s Dancing Bull Fills Calgary’s Public Player Need
- Details
- Category: Inside Golf
- Published: 2017-07-05
It's Rather Hard To Miss The Dancing Bull's Namesake, Money, Who Called A Section Of The Great New Calgary-Area Course Home. His Personal 3-Hole Stretch Is A Good Test Of Accuracy And Nerve Control For Every Golfer. (Photo/Gord Montgomery)
ROCKY VIEW, Alberta (Gord Montgomery/iG) — With housing developments creeping into where golfers once played in the Calgary area, a new 36-hole facility called Serenity, is certainly going to meet the public’s demand for tee times in the future.
And that future starts now.
While only half of the property east of Calgary’s city limits is open at present, what is there, and already an enjoyable play, is a treat for golf-starved folks. Called Dancing Bull, the 18 holes that are up and running offers up a parkland style of play for those marching around the quiet countryside here. First up off the tee is an open concept front nine followed by the back half that offers more of a tree-lined test.
Head professional Kevin Graf spoke to what he feels these new layouts will mean to Calgary golfers going forward.
“We wanted to create something that is unique in Calgary and also something that is value-driven for price points,” the pro said. “Two years down the road, when we get Suncatcher (the second 18) up, we’ll have two very different courses. Suncatcher will be more of a links-style course and Dancing Bull more of a parkland style.”
It actually took some time to get the first half of this 36-hole dream up and running due to unusual circumstances. Dancing Bull took a bit longer than projected to come on stream due to another project right in the city of Calgary.
“We purchased this property in 2008 and started doing the underground work. Then, in 2011 we purchased Blue Devil, so we moved everything (heavy equipment) from here over to Blue Devil,” to finish the task of putting that course into operation, as eight holes hadn’t yet been completed when the property was purchased by the parent company, Play Golf Calgary.
“In 2015 was when we really started back on Dancing Bull,” and while the greens are in great first season shape, the rough still needs a bit of time to fully grow in. Even so, this is a good, fun test of golf.
What the Calgary-based ownership company ended up with at Dancing Bull is a challenge demanding some skill, lots of accuracy, and steady nerves especially when entering what’s known fondly as Monty’s Rut, a three-hole stretch on the back nine that is stressful, to say the least. By the way, Monty is a bull moose that inhabited a particular part of this area and made his presence known as construction took place.
“You’ve got a front nine that’s a little more open; a bit of a warm-up if you will,” where wandering tee shots won’t hurt one too much, said Graf to the openness of the first nine. “When you get to the back nine, when you get to Monty’s Rut, you have to start picking your spots, pick your way around the golf course.”
Those issues begin in earnest on No. 11, a 166 yard par-3 tester. While the green is large it is protected left by water and sand and if the wind is up, simply hitting the green with your tee shot is reason to do a happy dance.
The next hole is a par-5 and likely the hardest hole on the course although nothing has been officially handicapped yet. It plays to “only” 470 yards off the blue deck, but the hole is a big sweeping dogleg right with water left of the landing area and OB down the right side, making this a hole where even a bogey ‘6’ feels good.
The Closing Hole On The Dancing Bull Course At Serenity Is A Challenging Par 4 That Is A Great Way To Wrap Up A Fun Day On The Links. (Photo/Gord Montgomery)
To wrap up the Rut section, there’s a “simple” par-4 of slightly less than 400 yards that bends a little right off the tee. Stray with your tee shot and you’ll find thick bush left and if you scramble too far right out of there you run into heavy rough on the other side, adding up to another interesting test of skill and accuracy.
“We call those our three most diabolical holes,” enthused the pro. “We just wanted something to really highlight those holes and that’s where we brought out Monty. It’s unique stretch.”
While this track can be a test if one wants it to be, tipping the measuring tape at just over 7,000 yards from the very back and 6,363 from the blues, there are shorter yardages available. The front deck here plays to an enjoyable 4,913 yards and the white tees top out at slightly over 6,000 yards meaning anyone, and everyone, can enjoy this experience.
“We wanted to create a course where any skill level could play,” said Graf to those yardages. “That’s why we did five different tee boxes. It’s friendly for beginners, it’s friendly for juniors and yet it’s a great test for scratch golfers who want to come out and play the tips.”
Even though it’s in its infancy, Serenity Golf Club and its first 18, Dancing Bull, are getting plenty of interest and that will only continue as the property grows, the pro concluded.
“That’s the thing. People are still finding out about the course and that there is a property out here that will be 36 holes. Our phones are ringing steadily. We’re starting to book up a lot, especially on weekends,” as tee time challenged golfers in Calgary and area make their way out to meet Monty and the 18 tests that ‘his’ golf course offers.
For more on the Serenity Golf Club, go to serenitygolf.com or give them a call at 403-936-2008.
About the Writer
Gord Montgomery is a retired sports editor of two weekly newspapers in the Edmonton area and is a member of the Golf Journalists Association of Canada. He is now in his ninth year of writing for Inside Golf. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. He’s also on Twitter at @gordinsidegolf and on Instagram at @gordinsidegolf2.