OT - Cross Border Golf!

[Bob Jenkins]

Until today, I had never heard of the Aroostook Valley G & CC, on the border between Main and New Brunswick. I attach a link to an article from yesterday's Vancouver Sun and another for the club.




https://vancouversun.com/sports/golf/bad-lie-cross-border-golf-course-unplayable-for-canadian-members/wcm/f3d25a45-5930-46b5-9425-8de00ba29802/



http://www.avcc.ca/home.htm


The first nine holes were built in the U.S. side seeing as though there was prohibition in the U.S. in 1929, the clubhouse was built on the Canadian side of the border where alcohol was available. There are nine holes on either side of the border. The membership is half Canadian and half U.S. members but with the current border restrictions, Canadians are not able to go to the course unless they go into a 14 day quarantine on their return as the only road to it from Canada requires one to go through a regular border crossing.


This place sounds quite unique and the membership sounds like they have a lot of fun. Has anyone ever played there? From the more current pics, it looks like not a bad course. The history of the club is very interesting.
 
Peace Portal GC, a Macan design, which is in Surrey B.C. is built immediately adjacent to the border is the only course I knew of that is on the border. A big slice off the #2 tee  could easily end up in Washington state.


Bob J

[Jamie Pyper]

Bob,
I've played Aroostock half a dozen times over twenty years. Its a sporty course with plenty of elevation changes and a cozy little clubhouse with plenty of character. As long as Ive played it, both nines and the clubhouse have been located on the Canadian side of the border with the parking lot on the US side, there are concrete border benchmarks located along the left side of the first two holes to identify the border, but this course is a testament to the long standing friendship between two countries with the longest unprotected border in the world. That all changed after 9-11 when the US closed off the convenient access from the Canadian side
which since then has diverted traffic though the Fort Fairfax, Maine customs office about 25 miles out of the way for the Canadian members.


Currently with the border shut down form COVID-19, and the necessary quarantine period to cross the border, the course is missing half its membership and in dire straits financially.


True story when my brother -in laws and I finished a round after the 9-11 change and one forget his hat at the clubhouse ,he was half way home so he went back the old direct route out of habit and two big black SUVs roared out of the fields to cut him off and send him back.  The hat wasn't worth the extra hour trip through the border so its still probably in the lost and found.
 

[Brad Tufts]

Hi Bob,


I have also played there about 5 times, as we have a family house on a lake about 50 miles south, and we have explored most of the area courses over the years.


AVCC is a good golf course, one might even say very good especially considering the region.  Presque Isle CC nearby is also pretty good, especially so for the northwoods.  It sits on a long narrow property right against the border on the Canadian side (all holes are in Canada), with the parking lot and pro shop on the American side.  Arnold Palmer famously visited in the 60s.  Conditions are normally good, and it has the feel of an old course with upgrades made over the years that maybe removed some character but increased fairness.


The membership has dealt with alot over the last few decades, as nearby Limestone AFB closed in the 90s, taking with it a good portion of the local population and many jobs, and inevitably hurting the # of prospective members.  Border reviews around 2005-2010 identified the course property as a "border weakness," and required Canadian members to head to town to the border crossing to check in before coming back to the course, even if they lived next door.  COVID-19 has certainly complicated things, as the Canadian members seem to be shut out by the quarantine rules. 


I think as a Mass. resident I'm supposed to quarantine for 14 days in Maine if I want to play golf there anyways, so I guess it's not too much different at present.