08 • MANITOBA GOLF GUIDE 2014
Way back in 2005, the town of Niverville was to be the site of a new golf course – The Links at Crow Wing. However – for a variety of reasons, the project stalled. That is, until two summers ago. Then, a group called Links International, headed up by President Jeremy Lumgair, took control of the golf course. They enlisted one of Canada’s most notable golf architects to fill in the blank slate that was supposed to be The Links at Crow Wing. Today, Lumgair has teamed with noted golf course architect Graham Cooke to resurrect the course, which has fittingly taken on a new name: Old Drovers Run. “We began the process of bringing back the course two years ago this April,” said Lumgair, who also holds the title of director of golf operations at Old Drovers Run. “The course had fallen into disrepair after four years, so it’s taken us two years to re-establish what was there. Right now, we’re moving forward 100 per cent. Most of the old holes have been fixed, so we’re now moving on to the back nine. We hope to have the first nine holes in play by mid-to-late June.” He added that the quality of the weather will determine if that target is hit. “To be honest, the course is still in the grow-in stage in many areas, so there are some bare patches,” he said. “That said, if all goes well – good weather is crucial – we should be done construction within the next two-and-a-half to three months. We just need the right weather conditions for the course to blossom.” For his part, Cooke said he’s excited about the potential of Old Drovers Run. “I toured the course with Jeremy last summer and liked what I saw. It’s a links-style course all the way that’s reminiscent of Prestwick and St. Andrews,” said Cooke, who’s not only a top-rate golf course architect,
but a much-decorated amateur player. “I love the site – it’s a quiet property that allowed us to build a course into it, much like a course you’d see in the Old Country overseas. It has the potential to be the best links course in Canada.” Lumgair said that assessment is a fair one. “It really is an excellent site with good bones for a links-style course,” he said. “Graham was really excited when he saw what we had, that it really had a true links flavour to it.” Cooke said it just took a little earth moving to get the site where to it needed to be. “Actually, we moved a lot of earth – we did that to put more power into the site in four or five areas. The result was a great mix of holes. There are stretches of strong holes, then the course settles down. Greens are set into mound complexes, as well as open prairie, while the fairways are generous, and green fronts are open so you can run or bump your approach in,” he said. “There are no weak holes; each hole has its own character. Best of all, you won’t have to go to Scotland to enjoy some true links-style golf.” As for the course make-up, Lumgair said there will be four to five tee boxes to play from, with the course playing anywhere from 5,180 yards to 7,700 yards or better. “It’s going to be a course that everyone can play,” he said, adding that the course will feature about 160 bunkers. “It looks tight from the tees, but the landing areas are actually quite wide. Once the course dries out and we get some good growth, we’ll open nine holes for play. With its fescue, grass-walled bunkers and natural areas between holes, it’s going to be a good test of links golf, and it will continue to look even better as it matures.”
Old Drovers Run By Todd Lewys For the Winnipeg Free Press
Links International took control of the unfinished Links at Crow Wing, and with the help of golf course architect Graham Cooke, will open the course as Old Drovers Run. PHOTO CREDIT: Old Drovers Run
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