Golf season ready to tee off as Kitchener prepares to open Doon Valley

Good Friday will be even better for some golf fans. CTV’s Colton Wiens visits a Kitchener golf course teeing up for the start of a new season.

The City of Kitchener is set to open one of its two golf courses on Friday.

“Doon is opening tomorrow. Finally,” Lisa Collins, Manager of Sport Development & Golf for City of Kitchener, said during an interview on Thursday.

The city is opening Doon Valley Golf Course on Friday. Collins said mid-April is traditionally when their courses open. However, there’s been some challenges with the weather this year.

“Wet conditions, obviously, but we’ve dried out nicely. Nice enough that the whole course here at Doon Valley will be open tomorrow on April 18th. So, nothing that’s impacting us from our ability to open,” Collins said.

For the past couple years, golfers have seen renovation work on Doon which often forced some holes to be closed. There is also construction work happening on the adjacent 401 Highway. Collins said this year, players won’t see any construction on the track, but they will still need to pass under work happening on the highway to get to some holes.

“Construction is still ongoing on the highway, at least. It does not impact the play here at Doon Valley Golf Course,” Collins said.

Collins said most of the city’s golf memberships are now sold out, but they still have some availability for junior and pitch and putt memberships.

“There’s just a general buzz and excitement. We’re really excited to welcome golfers back,” Collins said.

While the Doon tee sheet is quickly filling up, Kitchener’s Rockway Golf Course is aiming to open on April 25, weather permitting.

Several privately owned golf courses have also opened around the Region of Waterloo, while others are aiming to open in the coming weeks.