Does a golfer move to Calgary?

[Tim_Weiman]

After spending a few years in Houston (home of the U.S. oil industry), I may be looking at a job offer in Calgary (home of the Canadian oil industry).

Based on my career, skill set and the potential employer, the job offer may be a real good fit. But, I have doubts for personal reasons: do I really want to move to Calgary?

Does anyone have anyone have any thoughts on Calgary, especially from a golfers point of view beyond the obvious issue of climate and real short season?

[Jeff_Mingay]

Tim,

Calgary's traffic is horrible. And golf there isn't much better

It's a neat city though, prosperous at the moment, and close to the mountains - where, as I'm sure you know, there's a really good golf course, at Banff.

When I think about playing golf in Calgary, the Calgary Golf and Country Club is the one course that immediately comes to mind. Otherwise, there are surprisingly few courses that compare with Canada's best in Cowtown.

The golf season is relatively short, but winters can be pretty mild. Especially compared with most other Canadian cities... if that makes any sense!

[Ian Andrew]

I happen to like Calgary

Calgary's traffic is horrible. And golf there isn't much better

Don't agree on both ends.

The ring road has dramatically improved the problem.
The last sections are going in now.

The city golf is OK being a young city ... but Calgary Golf & Country Club is truly outstanding
I would join there but the problem is the 20 year waiting list.

There is some great mountain golf found an hour or two away if that works for you.

The skiing is fantastic if that interests you.
There is an endless supply of places to visit in the National Park if you enjoy nature.
I've made 6 trips to the Park and only played golf twice.

The winter in Calgary can be a bit wild with 0F being in the cards, but a chinook can bring the day to 60F at any moment too.

[Gary Slatter]

Tim, Calgary is certainly not Houston, but it's more American than most of Canada.  And Jeff Mingay overlooked lots of good golf in Calgary, although the season is short (May through September - lots of sun June July and August).  Clubs close early October, regardless of the weather. April can be nice, or not.
1.  Negotiate with your oil company for a golf club membership - there are some good private clubs, if they pay.
2.  Public golf is OK but very busy, t-times are crazy at all of the better courses.   However, with planning there are times available in the nearby mountain courses.  
3.  If you have family, they will like Calgary, as long as they can be driven places.  If you like hiking, biking etc - Calgary is Superb.
4.  Taxes are OK, bring your car from the US.  Traffic is weird, so many roads all set up like a giant Snakes and Ladders game.
5.  Medical services are outstanding, even better with your corporate plan.
6.  Are you Canadian or US citizen?  

I'm a "retired" golf pro, living in Calgary (Okoroks is just south of city)  because we have two sons and their families living here, and my wife doesn't want to be anywhere else as long as we have grand children!   Most of the players at our course (D'Arcy Ranch) are in the oil business, in fact most people with money here are in the oil business, or hockey players.  D'Arcy was designed and built by Texans.
Email me anytime, or call me.  cheers

[Jeff_Mingay]

Two fellow Canucks critized my response then didn't provide the names of any of the fine golf courses they're suggesting exist in Calgary

Fellas?

Gary hints that traffic is "weird", too... which, I guess, could translate as horrible

[Tom_Doak]

Jeff:

How far is Wolf Creek from Calgary?

[Tim_Weiman]

Guys,

Thanks very much for the feedback. Crazy to be thinking about golf when it really is about making a living, but it is funny what you think about when confronted with a possible relocation.

Gary,

Especially appreciate your comments. Glad I recently bought a four wheel drive vehicle.

Will certainly reach out if this potential move becomes a real thing.

[Don Hyslop]

Wolf Creek is about 200 km from Calgary or about 2 hrs. Banff is just 1 1/2 hrs from the city.
You can check out some local courses here.

http://www.playgolfalberta.com/courses-by-region/calgary-area/

[Ian Andrew]

How far is Wolf Creek from Calgary?

About 2 hrs. from the airport


Jeff,

Banff Springs (1.5 hrs.) is great
Stewart Creek ( 1hr.) is really good
Kananaskis (1 hr.) is pretty good too

Calgary G&CC is great
Priddis Greens is good
Glencoe is a good club

[Bill_McBride]

Any Stanley Thompson there?

[Ian Andrew]

Any Stanley Thompson there?

For all the work he did in so many cities throughout the Western cities, it was odd that Calgary was city one where he never found work.
Watertown Lakes (9 holes close to border in National Park), Banff, Jasper Park and Mayfair (Edmonton) are the Alberta works that come to mind.

[Sean_A]

Ummmm, despite what these Canucks are tellin you (their brains must have turned to mush during the Lockout), golfers don't move to Calgary unless they are looking to cut back on the game.

Ciao

[Matthew MacKay]

Gotta agree mostly with Jeff on this one...Calgary is not a great city for golf if you're looking for an in-town club to hang your hat on. Calgary GCC is very good, but to describe it as anything more than that is stretching it. Top 50 Canada.

If you were willing to be a 'weekend warrior' and drive a couple hours then the courses at Wolf Creek are really good and unique, Blackhawk SW of Edmonton is outstanding (although private), and of course you have Banff and a few other decent mountain courses in the area.

I know plenty of people who have relocated to Calgary and by all indications it's a dynamic city that is really coming into itself. Would love to trade mayors with them...

[Ryan Admussen]

I have lived in Calgary for all my 28 years.

As previously mentioned Calgary, Glencoe and Priddis are the usual suspects regarding private clubs.
The Elks, Inglewood and Sirocco are good semi-private options.
D'arcy Ranch is my favorite public course.

Our roads, public transit and infrastructure have not kept up with our population growth over the past 10 years.
The economy is still quite strong, construction is picking up again and in a few years they are expecting it to surpass the levels it hit in 2007. All in all a good city to live in but definitely wouldn't move here for the golf!

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

You have read the good face on a bad deal. The golf season is short ie 4 months. 5 in a good year. If you are a golfer. If you are going to own or have proper position within the company so you can travel at will during the winter. By travel at will from Calgary means a plenty of money for it is expensive to fly to California or Arizona for golf. they are long flights too. Or you private jet as your disposal for long weekends. If not then you are getting one or two journeys out of the tundra life per winter. If your company owns memberships and  are able to cut the waiting list for you join the one good club in this city. If you have the coins and free time to enjoy all the good to ok golf across the Mountains in BC. Then as a golfer you can have a good life there. If not then stay in the land of 12 month golf. The oil industry has been very good to me. You will get other shots at advancement. Plus when you go to Calgary you are officially out of the industry loop period except as to Canada. The game up there except for a few companies is mostly a shell game anyway.

[Dale Jackson]

One more thing to consider.  Calgary is a 1 hour flight from Victoria and Courtenay.  Being an oilman you must be independently wealthy! (aren't you all 1 percenters  ) 

Seriously, the private clubs in Victoria have some members who use Victoria as their weekend/winter golf home.  Even if you fly to Vancouver Island occasionally it does open up some other alternatives.

And for other weekend destinations that are more family friendly and closer (although a longer drive than flight), there is no end to decent mountain golf courses in the Kootenays in eastern British Columbia.

[Gary Slatter]

You have read the good face on a bad deal. The golf season is short ie 4 months. 5 in a good year. If you are a golfer. If you are going to own or have proper position within the company so you can travel at will during the winter. By travel at will from Calgary means a plenty of money for it is expensive to fly to California or Arizona for golf. they are long flights too. Or you private jet as your disposal for long weekends. If not then you are getting one or two journeys out of the tundra life per winter. If your company owns memberships and  are able to cut the waiting list for you join the one good club in this city. If you have the coins and free time to enjoy all the good to ok golf across the Mountains in BC. Then as a golfer you can have a good life there. If not then stay in the land of 12 month golf. The oil industry has been very good to me. You will get other shots at advancement. Plus when you go to Calgary you are officially out of the industry loop period except as to Canada. The game up there except for a few companies is mostly a shell game anyway.

flights from Calgary are not too bad, cheap if you go via Las Vegas.  Westjet flys everywhere and is excellent - many many Calgarians "commute" to Phoenix during the winter.   
Tiger, I see many Texas car plates around town, obviously they are here waiting to advance when they return.
Our government is very close to Texas, in Alberta anyway.

[Sam Morrow]

Tim,

 With the weather how it's been I really don't know how you would want to leave this.

[Gary Slatter]

Two fellow Canucks critized my response then didn't provide the names of any of the fine golf courses they're suggesting exist in Calgary

Fellas?

Gary hints that traffic is "weird", too... which, I guess, could translate as horrible

Yep, weird means horrible most of the time.  Those oilmen all drive like maniacs, and their wives driving those big trucks also plug the roads.
Kananaskis is good value mountain golf too, Calgary courses have many "golf leagues", many golfers play several leagues during the week at two or three courses - D'Arcy, Heritage, Sorocco, etc.   We'd have 70 players and over 50% were members of other clubs.  I can't remember leagues in the East, very popular here, for low handicappers too!

[Tim_Weiman]

Sam,

Through the years I was never a fan of Houston except for the food, but now the place is growing on me even if it isn't exactly a great place for golf. Funny thing, as I consider this possible opportunity I got a call from a contact in the frac sand business who just left Preferred Sand in Philadelphia to join a Houston based start up. For family reasons he lobbied hard to remain in Philly despite his job calling on oil companies mostly in Houston. His new boss finally gave in with one caveat: he insisted the guy join Champions. I don't even know how easy that is.

Anyway, my only reason for considering Calgary is job related and the possibility of something I can't turn down.


Tiger,

I well understand the Canadian industry is its own little club. Always has been. But, lately in the crude oil supply and trading arena it is more tied into the States, largely due to all the barrels moving by rail which is what I'd be working on.

[Sam Morrow]

Sam,

Through the years I was never a fan of Houston except for the food, but now the place is growing on me even if it isn't exactly a great place for golf. Funny thing, as I consider this possible opportunity I got a call from a contact in the frac sand business who just left Preferred Sand in Philadelphia to join a Houston based start up. For family reasons he lobbied hard to remain in Philly despite his job calling on oil companies mostly in Houston. His new boss finally gave in with one caveat: he insisted the guy join Champions. I don't even know how easy that is.

Anyway, my only reason for considering Calgary is job related and the possibility of something I can't turn down.


Tiger,

I well understand the Canadian industry is its own little club. Always has been. But, lately in the crude oil supply and trading arena it is more tied into the States, largely due to all the barrels moving by rail which is what I'd be working on.

Champions is easier than many places of the same quality. If you move we better do lunch before you move.

[Jeff_Mingay]

Would love to trade mayors with them...

Quote of the week, Matt. Awesome, I couldn't agree more

Tom ~ As a few others have pointed out, Wolf Creek is closer to Edmonton. Only about an hour drive from there, two from Calgary.