Canmore GCC Hosts the Ladies Amateur

By Kevin Smith

The Town of Canmore, nestled in the mountains 45 minutes west of Calgary, is used to hosting elite athletes for competition, whether it’s the Winter Olympics, the Alberta Winter Games or in this case, a provincial golf championship. In early July, the Canmore Golf and Curling Club will be the host of the 2022 Alberta Ladies Amateur Championship and the golf club’s general manager Darren Cooke says everyone involved is eagerly looking forward to hosting the tournament.

“We are very excited to participate in an event of this calibre,” Cooke explained. “We’re always proud to bring events like this not only to the Canmore Golf and Curling Club but to the entire community. Canmore has always been a community ready to welcome the world really, going back to the Olympics in 1988. Up to that time, there were two separate entities: Canmore Golf and Canmore Curling. For the Olympics in 1988, we became known as the Canmore Golf and Curling Club.”

The golf club itself dates back to 1926, has 630 adult members, over 100 juniors, 88 life members and is a very busy semi-private facility. The members are so involved that the volunteers for the Ladies Amateur championship may actually outnumber the competitors. As for the golf course itself, the competitors will have to plot their way around the tree lined layout and try not to get distracted by the jaw dropping mountain scenery.

“The competitors this year are going to find it a nice challenge. Our superintendent Reid Solodan has been with us over 18 years and has done a great job and the club supports him to produce the best product that he can,” Cooke said. “Looking at the scorecard, you wouldn’t consider it a long golf course, but you have to keep awake and pay attention. Course management is key. The fairways are narrow and tree lined; it’ll be a really good test for them.”

After the round, where better to reflect on the great shots and the ones that got away than bonding with fellow competitors on one of the most beautiful golf course patios anywhere in Canada.

“The deck is beautiful and we’ve expanded it over the years,” Cooke beamed. “The patio overlooks a nice body of water and when you look up at the mountains, it’s always beautiful. This is a pretty special place and we hope the ladies enjoy it and will be happy.”

The calibre of female golf in our country is at an elite level. Brooke Henderson is a global superstar on the LPGA Tour, Ontario’s Hailey Katona shot 29 on the back nine to win the 2021 Alberta Ladies Amateur Championship at Broadmoor in Sherwood Park and Alberta’s Kim Carrington has competed internationally for decades.

“All the ladies deserve our support and we’re 100% behind them,” Cooke stated. “Our facility will open its arms to all the competitors. I even received a text from Kim Carrington on how excited she is to compete on our golf course. She’s another one of those wonderful players that has represented our province and country.”

The field will be a mix of established amateurs in our province as well as the best juniors testing their games against more seasoned competitors. From July 5-7 at the Canmore Golf and Curling Club, it will be time to clear the air and compete for a provincial title in the mountains.

Hole #5 at the spectacular Canmore Golf and Curling Club.