challenge to host an event the size of the Pan Am Games, third largest international multi-sport event in the world, was a first for both the city of Toronto and Angus Glen, which makes Superintendent Doug Erwin very proud to be a part of it. With a plethora of experience hosting both large and small tournaments, Angus Glen boasts not only a challenging golf course, but the facilities and infrastructure necessary to entertain large crowds. “The Pan Am Games really falls into place for us because we are all about hosting events and making them into something personal,” says Erwin. “We are always looking to be a little different from everyone else, so this means a lot for us because nobody has done it and we will have been the first. That keeps us ahead of the curve in that respect.” The city of Toronto got the bid to host the Games on November 6, 2009, while Angus Glen got the news that they would be hosting the golf event in early 2013, while planning for renovations to the South Course. “We didn’t renovate the golf course for the Pan Am Games, that process really began in 2010 as we were looking for efficiencies and where to save money in the operation of the club,” says Erwin. “We got the bid to be the site and I was wondering if they knew we were going to be renovating because it was a lofty goal in terms of timeline,
but they did know, it didn’t faze them and the venue seemed right.” With the City of Markham fully behind them, the Games were officially heading to Angus Glen. With a full golf course renovation in the cross hairs, the pressure for those involved to deliver was about to begin. As technology progresses and the costs to sustain businesses continuing to rise, reconstruction was deemed necessary to an aging course from a maintenance and player perspective. Erwin and company wanted to create efficiencies in the day to day operations while updating the property. They wanted to correct performance issues on greens and bunkers, while decreasing fertility and water use by adding approximately 20 acres of fescue, eliminating large expanses of maintained rough. ...continued on page 18 SUMMER 2015 | Green is Beautiful 17