Maui Nui GC proves writer overlooked great golf deal

By Gord Montgomery (iG)

If you're heading to Maui and planning to golf while you're there, please don't make the same mistake I made for several years - driving past the Maui Nui Golf Club without stopping.

Many Canadians find themselves stayig in the Kihei area of the island and likely drive by the fairways that line the Piilani Highway never really giving this playground a second thought, thanks in large part to it being overshadowed by its more famous cousins in Wailea and Ka'anapali.

Well, think again and hit the brakes my friends, for this is one place you want to tee it up.

Lief Smith, the director of golf at the Maui Nui, said people are truly taken off-guard when they first set foot on this layout, designed by a Western Canadian, Bill Newis.

"What we have here is a lot of people see the neighbourhood just off the highway and think "private club," and costs that run upwards of $300 a round," Smith explained. "Our golf course is not a resort course," with wide open, hard-to-miss landing areas. "You can have all sorts of challenges out here," especially if you set up on the wrong starting blocks.

"From the Blues or the Gold championship tee boxes you're going to get a far bigger challenge," than from the more forward boxes," warned Smith. "Blind tee shots. Forced carries. Long 220-yard second shots. Elevation changes. We have some water and the wind to deal with late in the afternoon usually."

Maui Nui's director of golf, Lief Smith.

This par 71 layout has a challenging start on the front nine with some steep demands placed upon your skill from the get go. No. 1 is a demanding 409 yard par-4 from the whites followed by a par-5 that is no cakewalk. Then holes four through seven, in particular, can put some big crooked numbers on your scorecard but the good news is the course softens after that.

"You want to try and get out of 4, 5, 6 and 7 with a par, or a bogey at worst, and if you do that you'll feel really great about your round, because once you get to eight, nine and the back nine, there are lots of scoring opportunities," Smith pointed out. "But literally, two through eight, with the exception of three, a short par-3, are pretty tough holes."

One of the past complaints about this course, when it was called the Elleair Golf Club, was that it was too long from the front tees. That issue has now been resolved under new ownership, making this a family-friendly locale.

"We were built in 1986 and the forward tee boxes were something like 5,800 yards," said Smith. "In the past eight to 10 months we've put six new tee boxes in that shortened up our par-5s and some of our longer par-4s that brought us back down to around 5,200. That's made it a lot more enjoyable for the golfers looking to play the forward tee boxes."

The thing is, no matter what tee you play from, the Maui Nui is a surprise if you haven't teed it up here before. It features interesting slopes and angles, both on the fairways and the greens. As well, for the most part, the holes aren't so demanding that you need to hit long irons/hybrids/fairway woods into greens on your approach shots ... as long as you play from the right tees.

Yes, the first first hole is a challenge and there is that previously mentioned four-hole stretch on the front nine but beyond that, well placed tee shots are rewarded with reasonable length approaches to the putting surfaces leading to an enjoyable day on a fun golf course.

Another great thing about Maui Nui, that many may not be aware of, is that there are great deals in place to play here. On an island where golf can run upwards of $200 a round, and more, this place offers great pricing, especially if you want to golf lots, like many Canadians do in the winter.

"Our highest rate all year is $119 (during peak season) but what we have is the Maui Nui Player's Program. No other golf course has a program like this," where with that card in tow green fees are slashed dramatically, explained Smith.

And by dramatically, we mean dramatically.

For a one-time fee to enter the popular program, a person pays anywhere from $56 at the most during winter prime time to a low of $24 during the summer months per round, with no limit on the number of rounds. As well, that purchase price includes two free rounds and some driving range tokens to work out the kinks on the course's lighted range.

"You can play every day of the week with that. We have people that purchase this that play three to four times a week," said Smith, adding there's also a great short-term deal here. "We do have a limited weekly pass, for only $349 for a couple," who can get more than their fill with that pass.

So if you're in Maui and looking for affordable golf at a great facility, don't overlook Maui Nui because what it offers is beyond what is expected.

After all, Maui Nui gives you something different from any other resort course you're going to play here. With the least amount of wind, the least rain on Maui not to mention the least costly rounds, this is a place to play. Because truthfully, Maui Nui gives you some of the best golfing challenges you'll find on the island at a price that saw the course recently voted as America's Best Value by GolfAdvisor.

For more on this course, go to their website at mainuigolfclub.com.

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 has written for Inside Golf for the past nine years. He can be reached at noraltagolf@gmail.com. He’s also on Twitter at @gordinsidegolf.

Wailea Blue offering more than just a round of golf

By Gord Montgomery (iG)

WAILEA, MAUI - As the business world of golf changes, so must golf courses change their offerings to the public in order to keep people interested in using their facilities. And that doesn't always mean just offering services dealing strictly with the game itself.

That's the case at the Wailea Blue Course in Maui, where general manager Barry Halle is still offering up some great golf deals. But now, there's more on tap than just golf, although the golf course does still come into play.

The Blue's GM, Barry Halle.

Halle explained that the GolfB.C.-owned course has stepped outside the box to draw non-golfers to his grounds for a Maui-oriented attraction - the beautiful sunsets.

"We have the Sunset Golf Tour," Halle explained, noting this is for anyone that wants a unique, Made-In-Maui evening. "A couple can come out late in the afternoon before sunset. We give them a brochure that highlights some spots on the course to stop where the best views are. As part of the package, if they want, we'll provide them with a bottle of wine, a couple of complimentary wine glasses and they can work their way around to our 17th fairway where they watch the sun go down into the ocean."

Sunsets like this are one of the new offerings that the Wailea Blue Golf Course is offering up, for those who are non-golfers.

As for the golf, well, the course that set the standard for such playgrounds in Maui, still remains a staple for residents and visitors alike. And  even though there were some changes a couple of years back, the history of the layout remains much the same.

"We've tried to keep it the classic course it was," Halle said, referring to the pro shop moving and the nines being switched. "We tried to minimize any major changes. People come here year after year and they love our big, wide fairways," along with the big greens, bunkers and holes.

"When the course was first built, it was actually the first thing built in Wailea," so the course architect had lots of room to lay down his work of art. "It was designed with character. The neat thing about it is you don't have to stress the tee shot, you're not going to spray it out of bounds most times," said Halle. "The equalizer for the low handicapper might be the greens. They're not the easiest greens to get used to," with elevation changes and Bermuda grass with its finicky grain.

The Blue is an old fashioned sort of course, with large fairways and greens, and yes, large bunkers as well.

As for drawing players into this course, the Blue does offer some great deals. Halle said there are a couple in particular that will interest Canadians, given the weak state of our dollar.

"One thing we've tried to position the Blue with in the golf market on Maui is it's the course with the best value. We offer a resort golf experience but we do offer value," including early-bird specials each day from 7 to 8:30 a.m. where players can save upwards of $30 per round. As well, the Twilight Rate starts here at noon each day, and there is a Super Twilight rate.

Something else that's new at the Blue is the 9-hole round. That was something that couldn't be offered before because the way the course set up, the clubhouse was only approached at the start and end of a round. That's now a thing of the past however with the new building in play.

Kids are also welcome at the Blue, and receive special attention. "After three o'clock, with an adult, kids are free," Halle pointed out. "And until the run out, we offer junior (rental) sets for free. We try to encourage kids. During the summer we do a family rate," and there is also a 4-passenger golf cart so dad (or mom) can load the kids up for a round while the other parent if off elsewhere taking care of business.

Above all else though Halle stressed, there is one major objective that the Blue, and Wailea Golf, have in mind - customer service.

"First and foremost we're really committed to offering a first-class experience. We want people to come here and  just enjoy themselves. We haven't cut back on amenities or the service levels we offer. If anything, we've tried to step it up and yet our rates are pretty much the same. We try to stay on top of trends but the one thing we're very committed to is the golf experience, the experience people get when they come here."

And at the Blue Course, be you a golfer or not, you're sure to enjoy your outing here whether it's in search of birdies, or sunsets, or both.

Southern Strand courses offer feel of Old South

By Gord Montgomery (iG)

Murrells Inlet, SC - There may be no finer way to end a golf trip than by playing lots of golf, so it was decided to play 54 holes within 36 hours to wrap up a wonderful journey to a golfing Mecca in the U.S.

For the final two days in Myrtle Beach, it was all about Lowcountry golf, with rounds at Heritage Club and Pawley's Plantation in one day and then wrapping things up at the wonderful Caledonia Golf & Fish Club the next. What made this easily doable was the proximity of the first two courses and the third not much of a drive either.

The first taste of this style of golf, which has a different feel than that in the northern part of the Myrtle Beach area showed the area to look and feel, like you'd imagine Southern golf feels. The homes are magnificent and the oak trees even more so, with huge wing spans that drape over the fairways. Those limbs are draped heavily in Spanish moss adding to the look. On to of all that, the continual sightings of alligators on the shores and waters throughout the courses drove home the fact you were someplace special.

The Heritage Club, the first 18 we tested in the Southern Strand area, is a great all-round deal for golfers. For a single, reasonable price you get your round of golf on a good course and are also treated to a buffet breakfast, lunch and two beer or pop.

The Heritage Club offers wide fairways, but also some big old Oak trees which can prove hazardous to well-struck shots.

The golf here is great with scenic holes at every turn, where back in the days of slavery this was home to a huge rice plantation. In the recent past, the greens have been revamped and are now  seeded with Champions Bermuda, a blend where the ball rolls quick and true. The protection for the greens comes from deep bunkers, which are plentiful.

Playing to a lengthy 6,600 yards off the back tees, and that's a even bigger number when the sea breezes come to life, this popular playpen also has boxes measuring 6,300, 5,700 and 5,200 meaning anyone and everyone can enjoy this taste of Southern golf, not to mention the great all-around deal.

Next up on the day's list of jobs-to-do was to take on Pawley's Plantation Golf & Country Club, a Jack Nicklaus signature course which combines the feel of both parkland and links styles of golf. This is one of the bigger tracks in the area, topping out at over 7,100  yards but playing to more modest numbers like 6,500 and 6,100 from the blue and white tees. The front two boxes clock in at 5,500 and 4,900 yards.

As the name suggests, Pawley's Island offers lot of water to navigate.

Since this is a resort course, like Heritage, the fairways here are quite generous and the greens large. Again though, there is lots of sand on Pawley's and with plenty of water as well, it becomes a course that's as much about strategy and shot placement as it is about hitting it big. After all, three of the four par 5s on this track are under 500 yards, but that doesn't take anything away from their difficulty.

As for Pawley’s short holes, one of the most intimidating holes here is the shortest. The 13th test is nothing but Lowcountry marsh, reeds, water and finally, a green which sits above all of that. Lengthwise, the hole tops the scales at a meagre 150 yards, and plays as short as 40 yards from the front tee, but as the course attendant noted, "It's the shortest par 5 that Jack ever designed," referring of course to the initial tee shot of many that find marsh instead of the putting green meaning hitting three off the tee with your do-over.

A second tough par-3 comes to life on 17, and this could easily be another signature hole. It is a bit longer than its adjacent little sister but considering the tee shot again has to cover that marshy area, it's no guaranteed birdie chance. And yes, “5” is again a real possibility here.

The final stop on our Myrtle Beach swing was a beautiful setting, and the home to another former rice plantation, the renowned Caledonia Golf & Fish Club. The facility offers a great short game practice area to get you sharpened up for what awaits you on a loop that features tighter fairways than many of the courses here, and greens that are deceptively fast and tough to read.

The hazards are many on these South Strand area courses, but if you leave the beasts alone they'll leave you alone. At least, that's the theory around here.

Even though this track lost over 200 trees to the major storms in this area last fall, you  can't tell that as the fairways are heavily bordered by massive oak trees. Given its age, this is a course that isn't overly long, playing to 6,100 yards off the blue tees but, it's said, you can safely add 200 yards to that total in the manner it plays.

This is a course where it is important you play the right tees - after all, it is such a good test that playing from too far back can become frustrating given the length of the par 4 holes in particular. Only one of those holes is under 350 yards and the three par-5s here are all well over 500 yards off the blue tees on this par-70 track.

This is a beautiful course with its trees and flowers that are nicely cut into a piece of property that while once home to rice fields is now home to a great piece of golf real estate.

Now, going 36 holes in a day and 54 in 36 hours isn't an easy thing in what can be a humid and warm climate, but trust me, it's fun. And given the number of alligator sightings our group had on the final few days, it was a fun way to wrap up a memorable trip to the great courses in this part of South Carolina.

Tidewater a tricky treat; Lots of Love at Barefoot

By Gord Montgomery (iG)

North Myrtle Beach, SC - When you travel you want to play the best courses you can, As it turned out, the courses in this part of the Grand Strand area got the best of me.

The Tidewater Golf Club is one of those unimposing setups that can catch you by surprise, especially if you underestimate its tough greens. While the fairways here are wide the greens themselves make up for that by providing a number of false fronts and subtle breaks.

There are a number of memorable holes here, including a couple of the par-3s and a pair of interesting short par-4s.

The best of the short holes has to be the 12th, known as the Wishing Well, where, if you hit your tee shot like I did into the wind, and at sea level, you wished you had played one more club. Or even two more.

Yes, there really is a green back there, although this tee shot on No. 12 at the Tidewater Golf Club is an imposing one but when you make par, or even a bogey, you can walk away with your head held high.

That tee shot has to carry the lowland marsh area on this 152 yard test and with the ball going into a long, but narrow green well protected by a phalanx of bunkers, this is anything but an easy hole.

As for an interesting par 4 hole, the one called Tar Kiln proves you don't need to be stretched out to well over 400 yards to be tough. In fact, with this one coming in at an even 300 yards off the white tees, it looks like a birdie hole from the get-go. That is, of course, if you get your ball on the green in regulation and don't land it in one of the big bunkers that front the putting surface, or worse yet, tug the shot to the left side of the green. There, the bunker sits about 30 feet below the green which calls for a huge swing - and a lot of luck - to land anywhere near the green, let alone close to the hole.

This is a courses set in amongst a housing development but with a difference - you know the homes are there but they are set well enough back from the fairways to let you swing away without (too much) fear of smacking one. However, interestingly enough, the homeowners are nice enough to let you retrieve your ball from their premises, if you can reach it without setting foot on their property (I didn't get to try this out firsthand, so I just have to believe what the starter told me).

This hole on the back nine is a short par 4, but again, accuracy off the tee and with your approach shot are key to success as all sorts of trouble awaits a wayward volley.

From the tips this course measures out at just over 7,000 yards, but since it's at sea level, the whites which were used on this day, with the wind up, played to a fairly tough 6,300 yards.

The only downside to this course, which would be a great one to walk, is that that idea is spoiled  by the huge distances between greens and tees. In fact, some of those cart rides from Point A ti B seemed so long you wondered what the fare in a taxi would have been and if it would have equalled the green fee paid to play on this day. Well, probably not, but you get the idea.

That aside, this track has received great acclaim by notable publications, including being the only course ever to be honoured as the Best New Course by both Golf Digest and Golf Magazine.

So I guess their raters weren't bothered by those lengthy and possibly expensive cab fares.

Lots of Love for Davis

As one of four courses in the Barefoot Resort area, the Davis Love III course is seen by many as the top track among the layouts also designed by Pete Dye, Greg Norman and Tom Fazio. In fact, the foursome was so popular this fourplex was named as the 2017 North American Golf Resort Of The Year.

The Love Course at Barefoot Resort is said to be the most popular of the four-course layout, and from the first tee box, it's easy to see why.

The Love track is yet another one with large, generous landing areas but you often find your approach shots are into several false-fronted greens that are said to have much in common with those found at Pinehurst #2.

One of the interesting things about this course, and the other three, are the grasses used. There is a mixture of Tif-sport Bermuda for the approach areas; the greens are a newly acquired Champion Ultra Dwarf and the rough is seeded with 419 Bermuda. Not sure what all that means but it seems to work as the Love course on this day was in immaculate condtion.

The Love namesake is more of a links-style layout than its brothers, with a number of waste areas scattered. While there isn't a lot of water it is there so you can't just whale away without caution. The greens, while large, don't have a lot of undulation to them so if you can hit your putts straight, which I seem to have trouble doing, you can score well here.

The Love Course offers up a glimpse of the past, with a reconstructed ruins of a Plantation home from the Deep South.

One of the most interesting holes on this 7,000 yard layout from the tips, or just over 6,000 off the whites, is the short par-5 13th. At only 484 yards from the back, and 447 off the whites, it would seem like easy birdie pickings. That though is belayed by the fact the fairway is split down the middle by water with the longer route being down the left side. Then, to top things off, the  green is elevated making for a great risk-reward hole.

And if you're unsure whether this is enough of a course to test  your game, just remember it hosted Golf Channel's Big Break, so that in itself should be enough to ensure you a challenge on this Davis Love III grand design.

Southern golf swing a chance to end winter's fast

By Gord Montgomery (iG)

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina - Even though it's had a facelift and a name change, Pine Lakes GC is still a looker.

Originally known as Ocean Forest Hotel & CC, the first golf course in this area where more than 100 tracks line the area, Pine Lakes went under the surgeon's knife in the early 2000s to become a fun course where you don't necessarily have to hit it long. From the back deck it measures out at just over 6,600 yards, however that is countered somewhat by the fact it's at sea level.

Well, OK, the elevation is about 30 feet but in this game, what's 10 yards here and there?

The thing is, Pine Lakes may not be long but be warned, you do have to hit it straight. While this was a Scottish replica back in the day before it's design mulligan, it still has some Old World charm to it. One of the club pros described it as "A Scottish style tee to green course," which is about as good a character reference as you're going to get. 

This track, that was in outstanding condition for early March, opens with a nice little par-4 that is followed by a pretty par-3, letting you get your feet on the ground quickly with those two tests, especially if you haven't played the game for a few months.

The third hole is a long, challenging 426 yards from the middle tees and with a green guarded by water, it's one of those holes where if you put a big crooked number on your card, you feel fully justified. Immediately after that hole things smooth out again with a short, manageable par-4 and a mid-length par-5.

From the front porch at this course, those that don't have a lot of "Oomph!" in their swing will find it an enjoyable play. The total distance for all 18 holes, from tee to green, is 4,758 yards with no forced carries, as their teeing ground is often well removed from the tees further back

The fairways here offer plenty of landing space and the greens are smooth and they do hold fairway shots well. They aren't overly large in size or in breaks but the slight inclines on them can be well disguised meaning the odd putt, if you tend to rush and not take your time looking things over,  can come up a little light ... or way, way heavy!
One thing that should be mentioned here, especially for us Western Canadians that aren't used to sea level golf is to not just think about using that one extra club but actually pulling it out of the bag and swinging it, especially if the wind gets up.

The landing areas for tee shots at Pine Lakes are huge, making your opening round of a new season a wee bit easier.

What's really nice about Pine Lakes is the time it takes to play - we went out at 9 a.m. on a day where the tee sheet was full, and were off the course four hours later, a testament to how this course is designed in order to let it's guests enjoy a day of fun golf without too many of those big, crooked numbers sprayed onto their scorecard.

Although some of the original design elements from 1927 still exist the changes here were well done so it's likely original course designer Robert White would still be proud of this playground.

Thistle Golf Club

"If you think the clubhouse is nice wait until you see the golf course ... and I don't even golf!"

Those words from the restaurant waitress at Thistle Golf Club echoed time and again through my head as we toured this outstanding property in Sunset Beach, North Carolina.

Simply put, this 27-hole facility, about a half hour from North Myrtle Beach, is stunning in its beauty and its challenges. As it turns out, these tracks are named in honour of one of the original Scottish courses that was founded in 1815. The present day club sits just over 100 miles away from Charleston, SC, which is the site of the first mention of golf in America.

From the get-go on the Cameron and Stewart nines (we didn't get to the MacKay nine) this was a  continual test of hitting your target. If you tend to stray too far left, or right, you're going to need lots of ammunition to make it around thee nines as there is, it seems, water everywhere. And if it's not the wet stuff making life difficult for you out here there is also a tremendous amount of sand, and in particular waste bunkers, scattered about the premises.

The Thistle Club is a beauty from the word "go," but it certainly doesn't offer a player many breaks if their tee or approach shots are off-line on this great course. That's reflected here on Hole No. 2.

In fact, on the Stewart's No. 7 hole, a 397 yard par-4, the waste bunker is massive - so massive in fact, that the cart path runs down its length, starting just after the teeing grounds and ending up guarding the right side of the green. Add to that the thick vegetation down the left side of the fairway and this is one hole where you definitely need to stripe it.

On this day it was decided the white tees at 2,949 yards on the Cameron nine and 2900 on the Stewart were enough of a challenge, and that was proven true quickly, as the opening tee shot on Cameron found a fairway bunker.

And remember, these courses  are at sea level, although for some reason the ball seemed to fly a bit farther here than at Pine Lakes, so distances can be deceiving. By the end of the day this was indeed a wise choice because it was more about hitting your shot where you were aiming, not about slaying the beast with big drives.

But, if you are mor adventurous off the tee, these particular two nines stretch out to an imposing 3,300 and 3,400 yards from the back deck.

A good thing here is the fact there are five tee boxes, with the front end being a total of 4,000 yards. Even at that short range these two tracks are still an enjoyable play and the natural way these courses flow is a real plus.

As for the most scenic hole on this camera-friendly day trip, the second on the Cameron had to win that award. A shortish par-4, it demanded accuracy from start to finish. From the tee, water runs all the way down the right side and then across the front of the green. On top of that, OB down the entire left side adds to the drama of that opening salvo. This was most definitely a fun hole that looks as nice from behind the green looking towards the tee as it does from tee to green.

The 7th on the Stewart Nine pays homage to its Scottish ancestry with a huge waste bunker that interestingly enough, doubles as a cart path.

As the day wrapped up, in just over three hours for our twosome for 18 holes, the words from the waitress came floating back into my memory, because indeed, this is a course is one you'll remember, not only because the clubhouse which is done in traditional Scottish styling with stucco over limestone from the early 1899son the right side; the centre portion is finished with quarried stone used mainly in the mid-1800s and the left side of the building is red brick, a commonly used material towards the end of that century.

As for the course, well, it's beauty is beyond words. It's something you have to see for yourself to truly appreciate.

Not Quite Planes, Trains & Automobiles

By Gord Montgomery (iG)

COLLINGWOOD, ONT. — To a lazy golfer there is nothing better than a golf cart with power, one that zooms up and down the fairways at what would have to be called “breakneck speed.” You know, something pushing the limits of, oh say, 15km/h.

In the real world of speed and power though, nothing tops a good ol’ muscle car. And when we say “muscle,” we mean those with sleek stylings, brawn, a muffled but still thrilling roar of exhaust pipes singing the car’s praises and its pure speed.

You know, something like you’d feel, and hear, seated in the driver’s cockpit of say a Lamborghini or a Porsche or a Corvette. Not that you’d ever find those particular rides on a golf course, of course.

But as it turns out, I found those particular rides on a golf trip.

One of the off-course activities I got to engage in on a recent “working” trip to Ontario was the chance to step up from a putt-putt golf cart, and as it turns out even from my own personal ride, a little 2009 Cobalt, to each of those above named beasts — and what a step it was! Thanks to Northern Exotic Tours, I was given the opportunity to sit behind the wheel of each one of those muscle cars, and drive on actual roadways, in the town of Collingwood.

John Bors, the owner of the fledgling business, said for him the idea of renting these beauties out gives ordinary people who simply dream of driving one of these iconic cars the chance to actually do exactly that.

“You know what? We have a bit of elevation here, and some pretty good scenery, so we thought we’d grab a couple of these cars (from a private collection) and put on tours. What better way to give people a chance to drive these cars?” he queried in response to where this idea came from.

While you can actually rent such a vehicle elsewhere, Bors noted that there’s a bit of catch.

“There’s a seven to $10,000 deposit and it’s about $1,500 a day to rent a car like this,” thus putting them out of reach of the Average Joe.

Bors was careful to point out “It’s not about how fast these cars can go,” because trust me, they do go fast. “How fast does your own car go? At the end of the day we can still have fun, feel the acceleration and feel what’s it like to drive the cars we all grew up with on our walls,” was his reply to how they keep excited drivers under some sort of speed control

The thing about driving these go-fast machines is this, he continued: “These are high profile cars. The police are watching us,” Bors said about rental drivers keeping things under control (at least to a certain extent). We do accelerations to feel the power,” but those in the driver’s seat must sign a plethora of waivers about receiving tickets, etc., and the fact they forfeit their deposit should they run afoul of a radar gun.

“Accidents do happen,” Bors agreed, “so we just keep an eye on the drivers,” whether it be from the passenger seat as was our case, or on a trailing motorcycle with larger groups. “A day of fun can change real quick, absolutely.”

“People really enjoy this. It’s very affordable, especially for a group and this is what makes memories.”

From those speedy machines we next headed to the waterways where horsepower was exchanged for arm power in a canoe. We hooked up with Cruising Canoes, a business in Belleville, to do some paddling.

This enterprise, started by Andrew Twigg, is about exploring the back country experience and includes day trips and longer journey, complete with portages, if one so wishes.

We were only on the rive for about 90 minutes — fortunately with no cross-country carrying of the canoes — and that was more than enough for me. As it turned out, I hopped in the front of a canoe thinking I’d have a great view of the passing scenery, wildlife and fish. As it turns out, the front of the boat means the most work as you’re the motor, more or less, so needless to say we chugged along much slower than I did in the Porsche.

The interesting thing is, as hard as you have to work to keep up speed, this kind of transportation is relaxing. You have the time to take in all the wonderful sights and sounds around you as you float/paddle down the Moira River.

This certainly wouldn’t be the way I choose to cover any great distances  — after all, you can’t beat a Lamborghini for getting somewhere fast — but it is an ideal way to work off stress, take in some scenery and get a workout all at the same time.

And the chances of getting a speeding ticket on the water, well, they’re pretty well non-existent!

For more on either transportation mode, go to their websites at northernexotictours.ca or cruising canoes.ca.

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 eighth year of writing for Inside Golf.
He can be reached at noraltagolf@gmail.com. He’s also on Twitter at @gordinsidegolf.

Be a PLYR both on and off the course

By Gord Montgomery (iG)
EDMONTON — If you’re looking to become a PLYR, both on and off the golf course, then a new Saskatchewan clothing company may have the answer you’re looking for.

While this may not be the clothing line for every golfer, or golf course for that matter, this new brand of apparel that’s geared toward a young population is swinging into the golf market in a noticeable way.

The company known as PLYR, headed up by Chase Porter and his partner Brandon Kuse aren’t out necessarily to take business away from the major players in the golf clothing industry. What they are here to do is help outfit those who aren’t into the country club look of tailored pants and shirts.

“We’re identified as a casual golf brand,” Kuse noted.

“We want to hit those guys who come out on a Friday afternoon after work, play golf with their buddies, listen to music, maybe have a couple of drinks who want to wear tee shirts on the golf course,” chimed in Porter. “We both worked at a public golf course and we saw the changes in an industry that’s transitioning, especially with Millennials, into a lot more casual appearance.”

One thing to note here is that both young men stressed they are not in competition with the big clothing lines and are indeed a brand unto themselves. And when you look at their stylings that’s not hard to see. After all, they describe themselves as a clothing line for “all athletes.”

Their snapback headwear with the distinctive logo on front and the eye-catching circled golfer on the back, both done in puff embroidery, are fresh and innovative. As for the clothing, it ranges from sharp looking short-sleeve, mid-length and long-sleeve tees to hoodies (or as they’re known in Saskatchewan, a bunny hug) to pullover jackets and polos. Colours range from the standard black and white to shades of purple, red, royal blue and kelly green.

“The golf industry is changing. We are non-traditional, kind of non-conformist, trying to bring our own little thing to the golf industry,” said Kuse.

Brandon Kuse (left) and Chase Porter feel they have found a new market for young golfers with their line of headwear and clothing that is beginning to catch on in a big way in Western Canada

The front and back views of PLYR's baseball cap headwear.

While golf is set in its ways there are changes afoot and this pair is looking to be trendsetters in the on-course, and yes off-course, fashion side of the game. It does take time for changes to take hold in the game — remember the introduction of coloured golf balls that are now seeing a resurgence — but Porter and Kuse point out they are gaining traction.

“Alberta is awesome for us,” said Porter in speaking to the industry’s reaction toward PLYR and what they offer. “You’ve got a lot of industry guys who like to have fun. They work hard but they also play hard and they like to play golf, go enjoy themselves.  A lot of courses in this area don’t have dress codes as strict as private clubs do. As to on-course wear, players can now wear jeans, tee shirts, so our off-course wear becomes on-course wear. To that, we say, “Take the option. Wear a tee shirt, be comfortable. Enjoy yourself. Be comfortable.”

At the same time though, Porter added, there is still some resistance to this much of a change in playing apparel. But then again, music is now becoming an on-course staple for many Millennials, seen as the next growth factor in the game, who may just be entering the sport and who want to carve out their own niche.

“We’ve had guys come by our booth (at the PGA of Alberta Buying Show) and say “That wouldn’t work at our golf course,” because of traditional dress codes. All the same, some courses have decided to go with this new brand in their pro shops for off-course wear,” Kuse explained.

“They aren’t going to allow it on the course but when guys leave the course they put on our product. It still helps the golf market, and golf as a whole, when guys wear our product away from the course. That’s huge.”

In half a year of operation, starting with only the short-sleeved tees, the company has found success. As they move forward they’ll look to adjust the look of items like the polo shirts seeking a style that separates them from others in order to stand out from others. The reaction so far has been strong, considering the age of the business which hit the streets in April of 2016.

“We started with zero pro shops and we’re up to six in Saskatchewan. We’re looking at 20 next year in Saskatchewan and probably a dozen in Alberta,” and with the Saskatchewan junior golf team sporting their brand at the national finals, the pair expect that upswing to continue for one very simple reason: “It’s a lifestyle more than a golf brand,” ended Porter.

For more on PLYR and its products, go to their website at plyrgolf.com.

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 noraltagolf@gmail.com. He’s also on Twitter at @gordinsidegolf and on Instagram at gordinsidegolf2.