Heather Glen golf club gets into the swing of things and opens this weekend

Golf season starts Saturday at one Calgary course Golf season starts Saturday at Heather Glen and golfers are ready to roll. Glenn Campbell reports.

CALGARY — Polish up those golf clubs,  get ready to chase birdies, because Calgary golf season just arrived.

Heather Glen announced Friday it's opening up its fairways to golfers this weekend and it didn't take long for golf-mad Calgary to fill every available time slot.

Heather Glen had room for 400 golfers this weekend, and within seven minutes all the times were filled.

Play Golf Calgary C.O.O. Slade King said opening day is as exciting for golf course employees as it is for golfers.

"It's just exciting," King said.  "We just love to open up and make people happy.  Especially this year you know, people have been inside for a long time and they're just looking for something."

COURSE IN GREAT SHAPE

King said March 20 is one of the earliest dates they've opened up in Calgary, adding that despite that, the greens look awesome and the course in great shape for this time of year.

"It's mid-March," he said, "but the golf course itself feels like mid-April as far as the softness of the ground, the temperatures and what the turf looks like."

A LOT GOES INTO OPENING UP

King said a lot goes into opening a course this early.  A lot of different things come into play.  Club administrators went back and forth several times but decided this would be a good time to open up Heather Glen.

"The snow has melted really quickly this week," King said.  "We watch it hourly, looking for the different forecasts to kind of line up with each other.  You're looking at overnight temperatures and daytime temperatures.  Looking for trends in the long range.  We decided we'll be ready to go for tomorrow."

OTHER COURSES TO FOLLOW

And there's more good news for golfers in Calgary.  King says it's a good bet Play Golf Calgary's other courses (Links at Gleneagles, Blue Devil and Serenity) will open next week.

Strathmore Golf Club is also open for nine holes on temporary greens.