If I recall correctly, the old retirement paradigm called for the newly retired to either play more golf or to take up golf – as if playing golf was essential to having a successful retirement. Although I was skeptical about all that, I was greatly amused to discover that when I Google searched “golfing in retirement” recently, all kinds of offerings popped up promoting the concept and touting the benefits of golfing in retirement. Apparently not everyone thinks Pickleball is the sport of choice for older individuals. 🙂
Many of these sites remind us that golf is a reasonable form of activity for older people and that it is one of those almost cradle-to-grave sports that everyone and anyone can play. Here is a link to one such article posted by a real estate company in the UK.
I suppose along with the physical aspects, one could also make an argument that it is beneficial to cognitive function as well. There is always a whole lot of thinking and problem-solving going on during a round – including, perhaps, even doing too much thinking. 🙂
If I think about it a little bit more, the social aspect is also an important facet of the game. Keeping up social contacts in retirement is very important. I suppose even the competitive nature of golf is good for one’s psyche. Every round we play usually involves a wager of a ‘toonie” or two.
So, maybe it is a good idea for people to consider taking up golf in retirement. I suppose I have always thought that that is way too late in life to be able to figure out how to play to an enjoyable level. That said, my game has certainly improved in retirement, so maybe it is the ideal time to have a go at it if you’ve never done it before. And, we have a family friend who is still playing nine holes a day in his 90s.
As I was reading through all the interesting articles and sundries I found I was most amused by the following question that popped up on Quora:
“If most people take up golf after retiring, what do golfers do?”
During your working years, you are lucky to be able to get out one or two times on the weekend. A number of retired folks that I have spoken to claim that they are playing four or five times a week. The group of guys that I play with have regularly scheduled games on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and some members make it out for an extra game or two during the week as well. So, the answer to the question “If most people take up golf after retiring, what do golfers do?” We tend to golf more and in a more routine or regular manner.
So, when you are playing more routinely, what do you do to spice things up a bit? Why, we go on a golf getaway of course
The Golf Getaway
And what exactly is a golf getaway? That is where you pack up your clubs and hop in your car or on a plane and decamp to someplace interesting where you can golf to your heart’s content and socialize with your golfing pals 24/7.
Ideally, you pick a spot where your accommodation, required amenities (restaurants, bars, etc.), and the golf course are all clustered together, so you don’t spend a lot of time travelling instead of playing. I will tell you about the place where we have been going for several years, and did so again this year, to give you a sense of what the experience is all about.
We have been going to Blue Mountain Resort in Collingwood for several years now. Originally, we used to go to Niagara Falls because there were some very interesting courses to be played and golf packages were being offered by the municipality. Often, you will find that a resort or municipality will offer golf packages that include the golf and the accommodation to make it much easier to organize one of these things.
I can’t remember when we decided to try out Blue Mountain, but the simple logistics offered by the place were probably the drawing card. We get to stay right in the Village, which means we can walk out our hotel door into a restaurant or bar and then get back to our rental unit without anybody having to drive anywhere. The golf course, Monterra Golf, is right on the property as well, so you can just stroll down to the pro shop to get underway in the morning if you don’t mind carrying your clubs.
Golfing On the Way to the Resort
We all live about a 2-hour drive from Collingwood, so to mix things up a bit we always try and play a round of golf on the way there. We can’t check in to the hotel until 3 o’clock in the afternoon so there is lots of time to squeeze in 18 holes before we arrive.
We have golfed at a couple of places on the way up or on the way back but lately, we have largely settled on playing at Batteaux Creek Golf Club. It is about half an hour away from Collingwood, and directly on the route that we take to get there.
Yes, we could drive directly to the Blue Mountain Resort and play a round there before check-in, but we do like to try our hand at different courses because they offer different challenges.
Batteaux Creek
According to several websites:
“Situated amidst the scenic Georgian Triangle, Batteaux Creek Golf Club stretches across 250 acres of rolling hills that are sprinkled with lakes and ponds. The challenging, 18-hole links layout has many risk-and-reward opportunities that appeal to players of all skill levels.”
We certainly enjoy playing there or we wouldn’t be going back every year. It offers a fair challenge for all four of us who are at slightly different levels of skill. And, stopping there provides a nice break from the drive.
Photos from our round.
Blue Mountain Resort
I should point out that in no way am I promoting the Blue Mountain Resort here, or encouraging you to try it out. Everyone has different tastes and interests and what works for me and my friends, may not work for you. The idea is to draw your attention to some things that are important or helpful and contribute to a fun, problem-free golf getaway. And then I encourage you to go out and find your golf getaway happy place. 🙂
Blue Mountain Resort website:
“Nestled at the base of the Mountain, the Blue Mountain Village’s charming cobblestone streets are lined with shops, restaurants, and activities. Throughout the year, join us weekly for live music and entertainment, events and festivals.”
That statement largely says it all. You can walk from your accommodation to a selection of restaurants and bars. There are other services available like clothing retailers, a variety store, gift shops, occasional live music, and even a craft brewery and a cannabis outlet. The only thing that is missing is a place to buy wine and spirits. So, if you want those beverages to be consumed in your accommodation, you need to bring them with you. If you fail to do so, you can go into the town of Collingwood, which is close by.
Here are a few photos of what the Village looks like.
Accommodation
A variety of accommodation is available at Blue Mountain as you might expect. There are Inns and Hotels and two and three-bedroom suites plus some townhomes to choose from.
Over the years, we have opted for a two-bedroom suite, which usually provides comfortable sleeping accommodations for four of us. This year I was going to book a three-bedroom suite, but due to a conference being held on site, they were all booked.
Given that we’ve only ever stayed in suites, they are the only type of accommodation I can speak to. The photo selection below consists of stock real estate photos of suites along with a slightly larger end unit that we have managed to secure a few times over the years.
The end units in which we have stayed several times. Included in this photo carousel is a shot of our invoice showing how much we paid for the three-night stay this year.
Monterra Golf
It’s nice knowing where you’re going to stay and what amenities are on offer there, but the thing that should matter the most on a golf getaway is the course… or courses. The course that we play most during our golf getaway is the resort owned and operated by Monterra Golf.
Monterra is a more challenging course than the one we play regularly. But hey, if you’re going on a special golf trip, you should be playing on special golf courses as well.
Booking tee times is quite easy. When you call to book your accommodation, they will book your tee times for you at the same time. Or, if you are undecided about the timing when you book your accommodation, you can phone the pro shop directly later on.
If you want to play a second round each day, they will typically try and squeeze you in. It used to be that they would only charge $25 for a second round, but we discovered this year they no longer do that, – but they will give you the twilight rate.
With all the logistical considerations out of the way, let’s have a look at the course and some of its interesting holes. It is an 18-hole venue designed in 1989 by Tom McBroom.
From the Blue Mountain Resort website:
“An inclusive course designed for golfers to exceed their own expectations from tee-off forward. Monterra Golf features rolling bent grass fairways, 86 bunkers, ravines, creeks, lakes, and elevated tee shots in an inspiring mountain setting that makes for memorable rounds. We take care of the little details like GPS tracking on all carts so that you can focus on the big picture.”
The only thing negative that I have to say about the course is that I now must golf with a blue handicap flag to save me from walking long distances and up and down hills, especially around greens. They don’t give you a physical “blue flag” at Montera. Rather it is all designated and controlled electronically. If you get too close to a green, it will shut down the cart and you must back out. It is clear to me that you aren’t allowed to get too much closer to greens with a blue flag designation than you do with a regular cart so, I find the course much more difficult to play because of that issue.
Let’s check out a few shots from the course!
After the Round
After the round, we usually go and have a beverage on a patio, followed by dinner at a local restaurant. There are lots of restaurant choices, so our selection is always a point of negotiation. 🙂 Regarding our watering hole, not so much negotiation – we always head to the Irish pub.
A Special Activity
A golf getaway doesn’t mean it’s all golf. For three years now we have been able to enjoy a very special outing to cap off our golfing adventure. We have been attending a house concert at “studio79.atblue”. This event is hosted by Anna Potvin in a studio she has created in her garage. The maximum number of attendees is 40. During our first visit in 2022, we saw Canadian singer-songwriter legend Tom Wilson, followed in 2023 by the world-renowned guitarist, and producer Colin Linden. This year we got to see Ottawa singer-songwriter, Jim Bryson.
I don’t think I can properly convey to you the delightful closeness of these events. There is lots of interaction between the performer and the audience and a great chance to meet and mingle at the end of the event. Here is the photographic evidence.
And why not throw in a little musical clip? This is one of my favourite songs from the great album that Jim did with the Weakerthans, ”The Falcon Lake Incident”.
The Big Wrap-up Dinner
On the last night, we always try and wrap things up with a good dinner at a nice restaurant. In the case of our visit to Blue Mountain, this means Oliver and Bonacini in the Westin Hotel.
The Road Home
After checkout, we are loaded up and on the road back home. Only one final stop for breakfast on the way.
A Photo Tip for golfers
This may only pertain to people who use Apple’s “Photo” app, but there’s a good chance you can do this in other photography apps as well. It is a great way to figure out, what hole you were playing later on if you take photos during the round. Scrolling down from the image will reveal a little map indicating your location…. if your phone is set up to Geotag all of your photos of course. Double-clicking on that map brings up a larger separate map, which will provide you with an overview of the whole course and should help you figure out on which hole the photo was taken.
There you have it, our annual golf getaway. I am certainly not suggesting that you head up to Blue Mountain and replicate what we do, but the things I have talked about might provide a framework for you to develop a golf getaway with your friends.
Four!
