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10-29-2016, 07:23 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 814
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Northern Bear Golf Course, Strathcona County
Looks like course is in financial trouble big time. Can't pay the bills and even the locals are bailing out. Several of residential homes are for sale. Too bad. Really nice course.
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10-29-2016, 07:42 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 2,485
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I thought that course was doomed from the get go. Too far out of town to keep busy enough to pay the bills.
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10-29-2016, 07:47 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 814
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Course was doing well until new owners took over six years ago.. Extremely busy with tournaments and lots of members up to that point. New management not the best. Not that far out with the Anthony Henday.
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10-29-2016, 07:50 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 3,082
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Quote:
Originally Posted by arrow dog
Course was doing well until new owners took over six years ago.. Extremely busy with tournaments and lots of members up to that point. New management not the best. Not that far out with the Anthony Henday.
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Nice Course. First class all the way.
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10-29-2016, 08:13 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 2,051
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Quote:
Originally Posted by arrow dog
Looks like course is in financial trouble big time. Can't pay the bills and even the locals are bailing out. Several of residential homes are for sale. Too bad. Really nice course.
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Where are you getting the info from?
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10-29-2016, 08:38 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: edmonton
Posts: 11,434
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Quote:
Originally Posted by diamond k
Where are you getting the info from?
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I'm interested in this as well. I don't golf anymore, but I do hunt 2 properties that border Northern Bear golf course. Have seen many a deer and and some of them nice bucks, on the course.
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10-29-2016, 08:40 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 9,675
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People will drive to a nice course to play it. Something else must be at play. Too high green fee's or memberships. Heard it was a nice course but never played it when we could golf other nice courses for less. That was when it first opened. Some group will buy it when the owners have no choice to sell for pennies and try to make it better.
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10-29-2016, 09:39 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Central Alberta
Posts: 7,861
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Golf is dying in North America. I see many, many golf courses closed in Florida, and homes on golf courses are not selling for the premiums it used to.
Average age of golfers now? 63 years.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos...ing-popularity
http://www.economist.com/blogs/econo...ist-explains-1
Not to mention, ecologically, golf courses are horrible for phosphorus and nitrate runoff and polluting wetlands. Of course, cost is another issue.
So, it is no surprise that some golf courses in the Edmonton area are closing.
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10-29-2016, 09:40 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Central Alberta
Posts: 7,861
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Quote:
Originally Posted by diamond k
Where are you getting the info from?
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The Sun has an article that the course is in receivership.
http://www.edmontonsun.com/2016/10/2...moths-payments
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10-29-2016, 09:49 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 2,051
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Quote:
Originally Posted by avb3
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Thanks
Interesting. I was looking at a lot last year and glad. I decided against it.
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10-29-2016, 09:56 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Alberta
Posts: 1,028
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I live 1/2km away from the bear and I could see this coming. I'm an avid golfer and frequent this beautiful course. I definitely don't have a issue landing a tee/time even at prime times.
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10-29-2016, 10:14 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 882
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This is going to be morencommon. i worked at a large very nice and expensive course the summer and on average they got about half the normal business they would see. Shame about the the small course they they really are nice for comunitys.
__________________
I seem to really be rather long winded.
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10-30-2016, 12:44 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Central Alberta
Posts: 7,861
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hilt134
This is going to be morencommon. i worked at a large very nice and expensive course the summer and on average they got about half the normal business they would see. Shame about the the small course they they really are nice for comunitys.
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We have a 9 hole, sand green course in our village. In fact, we actually have a bylaw that allows people to drive from their garage directly to the golf course on the road. (Drives the new RCMP constables nuts, because as far as I know, no other place outside of Arizona or Florida allow that).
We are pretty expensive though. $75.
A year. 
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10-30-2016, 01:57 AM
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Gone Hunting
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Between Bodo and a hard place
Posts: 20,168
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I've always thought a golf course was a waste of good Labrador training ground. 
__________________
I'm not lying!!! You are just experiencing it differently. 
It isn't a question of who will allow me, but who will stop me.. Ayn Rand
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10-30-2016, 03:14 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 90
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This is unfortunate, I really enjoy playing out there. Unfortunately golf is like an expensive hobby and higher end courses will be the first to feel the effects of the slow economy. As much as I like the course. Its hard to put up $120 a round when there are several options close by for half that price.
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10-30-2016, 03:51 AM
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Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 814
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Quote:
Originally Posted by diamond k
Where are you getting the info from?
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Big article in front section of Edmonton Journal Oct 29.
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10-30-2016, 06:42 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Lloydminster
Posts: 4,515
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they have been plagued by problems and set backs since the beginning, lots around the golf course were over priced, stringent architectural designs if you build, water problems for a few years and the course was in terrible shape during that time, over priced green fees not to mention a pile of competition in the Edmonton area regarding good golf courses to play, but they are not alone there are a lot of courses struggling during the last couple years, times are tough and the first thing that gets cut off when money is tight is recreation, how long do you think Whitetail Crossing in Mundare can survive ??? they have been operating on a shoe string for years when times were good.
__________________
The problem we have today is that the people who work for a living are outnumbered by the people who vote for a living.
We were all born ignorant but one must work very hard to remain that way.
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10-30-2016, 08:16 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 3,082
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Make for a nice off-road mx track. 
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10-30-2016, 08:24 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 817
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Golf rounds are declining!
Avb3,is right . Going down even quicker in the USA .
Lots of courses outside major urban area are in trouble .
Once seniors are your major source of income your hooped .
aVB is that 75. For the year .....how are house taxes ?
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10-30-2016, 08:29 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 3,082
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Would make a great (Private),Dog walk park. Young generation seem like they like Dogs, cats more than golf.
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10-30-2016, 08:46 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Alberta
Posts: 1,028
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Make the whole area wifi accessible and turn it into a Pokemon safari.
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10-30-2016, 08:59 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Central Alberta
Posts: 7,861
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Newellknik
Avb3,is right . Going down even quicker in the USA .
Lots of courses outside major urban area are in trouble .
Once seniors are your major source of income your hooped .
aVB is that 75. For the year .....how are house taxes ?
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I think they give us value; I checked the financials before I moved here, and was surprised with the fact the village has no debt at all. I'm not aware of many municipalities that don't have debt.
Yes, the fee is $75/year. Or $10/round via the donation bucket.
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10-30-2016, 09:10 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 933
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Make a nice shooting range out there...
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10-30-2016, 09:24 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,675
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Too bad. Great course but it's pricey and with the economy 120$ a round is tough to justify.
__________________
Take a kid fishing, kids that fish don't grow up to be A-holes.
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10-30-2016, 09:29 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Central Alberta
Posts: 7,861
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Quote:
Originally Posted by play.soccer
Make a nice shooting range out there...
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Doubt many of those high priced homes would appreciate that.
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10-30-2016, 10:56 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 433
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Northern Bear GC
Always unfortunate to see these headlines make it to the front page of the papers. Northern Bear is a great course, one I have played on numerous occasions but the 2 hour drive from home kept me from playing it more often.
Just like every other business, the golf industry is not immune to the state of the current economy. Sometimes even with good management bad things happen. Alberta has seen it share of business foreclosures over the past two years, wait until our new carbon tax comes in, guaranteed we'll see more nails in more coffins next year.
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10-30-2016, 11:10 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Sylvan Lake
Posts: 3,426
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The golf industry has shot themselves in the foot. I loved to golf but they priced me out of it years ago. Anyone with children could hardly sleep at night making the financial commitment golf takes today. One has to practise and play a couple of times a week to be into it and that is a huge investment not even including gear and refreshments.
Eckville's Last Hill use to do fine until they priced locals out of it. Rimbey had a lovely little course and it is now gone as well. This was long before the latest down turn in the economy.
At a buck a hole there would still be a line up. At three bucks a hole +++ it becomes an expensive way to frustrate yourself.
I could either hunt/fly fish or play golf. It would seem many have made the same decision that I made.
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