Golf by David McPherson After playing my final golf game of the season, putting my clubs away in the basement and ruminating for far too long, I decided to write my latest column on the “short of it.” The topic is apropos as the days grow shorter and winter’s embrace arrives. So, too, are many of the new courses which are opening – not just across North America. I’ve mentioned the trend of shorter courses in previous columns, but never devoted all of my allotted words to this topic. First things first. These are not mini-golf courses with windmills, obstacles and pirate-themed holes. Nor are they bland and uninteresting nine-hole executive courses where every hole feels the same, except for a slight variation in yardage. Short courses, broadly defined, are shorter in distance than a championship layout. This does not mean that they are any less challenging, any less interesting from an aesthetic point of view or any less fun. From 12-hole tracks to 18-hole courses with reversible routing (to maximize space and reduce environmental impact) to par-three courses to putting courses, these variations of the typical 18-hole layout are cropping up more frequently for many reasons, including saving time and money, maximizing space, and growing the game. The strategy is working. Even snowbirds and retirees have time issues. When choosing between spending five hours on a golf course or spending 90 minutes golfing, and the rest of the time visiting with friends or grandchildren, it’s no wonder that these innovative courses are popular. According to the National Golf Foundation, short courses have accounted for a significant share of new course openings over the past five years – 41 courses, or 37% of openings. Note that three-fifths of these opened at high-end private clubs and resorts. Since 2023, acknowledging this trend, Golfweek now annually ranks the top 25 par-three and non-traditional golf courses. Many of these short loops have great names such as The Gimme, The Sandbox and The Cradle that help with marketing, but also symbolize the raison d’être behind their creation. These courses are about fun and not taking the experience too seriously. If you are a golfer who loves playing courses that are more than 7,000 yards – and to be frank, other than low-handicap players and professionals who still really want length – then these short courses are not for you. For the rest of us, they are a welcome addition to the golf landscape. From coast to coast, these courses – some with holes that measure less than 50 yards – are bringing new players to the game. Many of the most popular golf resorts such as Bandon Dunes in Oregon, Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina and Cabot in Cape Breton have added short courses to their collections. Himalayas Golf, a Canadian-based company, is a leader in building sustainable golf experiences in innovative environments. Many of its current and past projects focus on growing the game by increasing accessibility. Its founder and leader, Paul Janzen champions golf in small spaces. Putting Courses is one of the unique shortcourse solutions in which Himalayas Golf is a leader. These are scaled-down versions of traditional courses. They include bunkers, rough and contoured greens. When Janzen launched the ‘Golf in Small Spaces’ initiative last spring with Nick Faldo, he captured the need for these alternatives to the typical course: “Traditional golf takes a long time, requires a lot of land and can be intimidating for newcomers ‘Golf in Small Spaces’ offers an accessible alternative – shorter formats that need less space – and it helps players build skills. It’s about making the game more inviting and sustainable for everyone.” A couple of recent sustainable designs from Himalayas Golf are this Ontario pair: The Putting Zoo in St. Thomas and Patee’s Mini Putt, along the shores of Lake Erie in Port Burwell, which includes a replica of the famed lighthouse in this historic town. Himalayas Golf is currently building a 30,000-square-foot community putting course next to the new headquarters of Golf Canada at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley. The course, set to open in the spring of 2026, will be free and open 24/7 to anyone. The final hole pays homage to Nick Taylor’s 72-foot putt with which he won the RBC Canadian Open at the 2023 event at Oakdale GCC. Here are three other cool, family-friendly short courses to try on your travels, at home or abroad. The Long and the Short of It 50 | www.snowbirds.org
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