We gotta save the turtles. Specifically, the ones living in ponds at Niagara’s golf courses. Because they are the ones in real danger. And I’m not just talking about how last week my buddy ripped five straight tee shots into the pond on Hole 7 (the infamous “Green Monster”) at Whisky Run Golf Club; I’m pretty sure turtle shells are resistant to golf ball strikes.
No, I’m talking about the real threat to the innocent water hazard turtles, I’m talking about the scourge of housing development.
And yes, I know what you’re thinking. “You’re such a hypocrite, you’re always saying to build houses and don’t be a NIMBY and blah-blah-blah.”
To which I will respond: yes.
You are correct. When it comes to golf course housing projects, I am a big fat NIMBY hypocrite.
From a town planning and housing perspective, I don’t have a lot of solid reasons for being opposed to developing golf courses into subdivisions. But from a very selfish and personal perspective, I have a few reasons, so hear me out.
The first, and most obvious, reason being that I want to play golf at golf courses. I love me some golf. I was extremely fortunate enough to have a golf course (Rio Vista Golf Club) within walking distance of my house, but unfortunately it was one of Niagara’s first courses to fall victim to the housing boom, and it closed in 2018. It’s now on its way to becoming 700 homes.
Which is… good. I guess. In a very begrudging way, I can see how having 700 new houses is better than having one golf course, even if it was super convenient for me to play there.
But now, the golf-course-to-housing train is picking up steam, and it’s coming for some of the nicest tracts we’ve got.
Grand Niagara is down to just nine holes this year, after it was sold to a developer who is putting up homes on the back nine. Next year, the remaining nine are scheduled to become homes also. Thundering Waters Golf Club is, quite famously, being redeveloped by a Chinese state-backed development company into a sprawling housing project. Hunter’s Pointe Golf Club in Welland suffered the same fate; sold for a housing project.
There’s plenty of rumours about more golf course closures around Niagara (say it ain't so, Willodell Golf Club) as the housing boom’s rapacious lust for land hoovers up property all over the place.
As golfers in Niagara, we are a bit spoiled, I’ll admit. In fact, while reading an article on PelhamToday just this week about the top 25 courses in Canada, it was interesting to see four of them were right here in Niagara. Well, three-and-a-half I guess, since one of them was the aforementioned half-shuttered Grand Niagara.
The point is, we have a lot of amazing golf courses here. But if they start shutting down left and right, it’s going to mess with the delicate ecosystem… of golf course pricing.
Which brings me to my other (not very good) reason for being opposed to golf course housing projects, which is that it’s putting upward pressure on green fees.
Just two years ago, I could play Pen Lakes for a slightly pricey, but not absurd, green fee of $99. Last year, it jumped up to $170. And this year? A whopping $350.
With fewer golf courses to choose from, but more golfers than ever, Niagara’s green fees are going wacky as demand outstrips supply.
I could also try and claim that golf courses are important pieces of environmental land which support habitats for all kinds of critters and whatnot. Which is true, but also, I don’t really care about that. I just want to be able to golf at a nice course for a reasonable price. And if that means some Toronto guy doesn’t get to retire and buy an overpriced townhome on a former golf course in Niagara, well, I’d call that a win-win.
James Culic shot a 92 at Whisky Run last week, so don’t confuse him being a golfer with him being good at golf. Find out how to yell at him at the bottom of this page, or tee-off on a letter to the editor.
