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    Jim Brown, who owned Brown’s Horse Exchange and a herd of beef cattle, owned the land for the golf course. Jim Brown was a member of a pioneer family and owned this property for more than 40 years. The land, Concession 4, South part Lot 8, Reference plan TER418 Part 1, PCL16635SST, was bought from his son Glen Brown in 1967, for the sole purpose of building a golf course.

    There were many people involved in this purchase: Don Shepherdson, Jim Sargent, Ken Ebert, Cliff Leroy, Ron Dobson, Ott Gibson, Don Perrin, Max Steele, Wilf Ryan, Denis Gabriel, Ron Hilson, Ken Montgomery SR, Gaetan Rivard and many more. A total of 42 shareholders came to join approximately 6 months later.

    The Wabi Valley was the official holding company. The original suggestion for the name of the golf course was Glendale Golf Course, but there was already a golf course registered under that name near Hamilton. They decided to name it the New Liskeard Golf and Country Club. 

    They had work parties every weekend, some week nights and holidays, to help the commencement of the golf course. Due to the fact that a “cow pasture” was being converted into a golf course meant that endless work was required. Up to 50 workers at a time had to plow, transport dirt for the tees and greens and seed the land for the nine hole golf course.

   They gave up golf for the summer of 1967 to work on this project. Since the whole farm was not required for the first nine, they rented the unoccupied portion of the farm to Herb McLean. Mr. McLean farmed this land where he cultivated hay, oats, and kept it very well fertilized. Jim Sargent designed the layout for the front nine and took care of organizing work parties and assigning jobs. Ken Ebert was responsible for the watering system. Ev Sargent had her own method of fundraising. On weekends, she sold beer on the golf course and raised enough money to buy the first flags, tee markers and cups for holes.

    The New Liskeard Golf Club officially opened in 1968 with memberships of $50.00 to $70.00 being purchased by approximately 100 members.The original pro-shop was built in 1968. It housed the pro shop, storage and clubhouse for approximately two summers. In 1969-70, under the leadership of Gaetan Rivard, the clubhouse was constructed. Pedersen Concrete Ltd. laid the blocks and the owners along with other workers built the structure. The clubhouse was practically completed (with the exception of the windows and porch) when a twister touched down. It tore the roof off and relocated a majority of it on 9th green. This happened on the Thursday prior to the Saturday of the opening day scheduled.

    Approximately 50 members got together and rebuilt the roof in time for the Saturday celebrations as scheduled. Fortunately, insurance was purchased and the clubhouse was back to original shape a month after the storm In the year 1969, the first Civic Tournament was held on the long weekend of August. The Jim Sargent /NorthernTel Mobility Civic Tournament continues to be held every year on the same weekend.

   The original nine greens were rebuilt in 1969, spear headed by Jim Sargent. Ladies and men’s night began the same year and are still going strong. In 1985, Junior Lessons were introduced. A third building, an equipment shed, was built with the help of a Wintario grant.

    In 1986 the New Liskeard Golf Club hosted the 60th Northern Golf Association Amateur Golf Tournament as well as the Northern Canadian Professional Golfers Association Pro Championship. One of the golfers that took part in the Pro Championship was Bob Pannisuk. He was considered the best Canadian golfer at the time. During these years, trees were being planted to embellish the golf course. They required fast growing trees, therefore, weeping willows were planted which are now causing some drainage problems.

    Through the years, tees were upgraded and new ones were added. By approximately 1990, all shares had been bought back and the Wabi Valley holding company had been dissolved. In the 90’s Dave Morland from North Bay golfed at the New Liskeard Golf Club and he has participated on the PGA tour off and on since 2001. Another renowned celebrity that golfed every summer at the club was Lloyd Robertson.

   Membership grew to about 300 members, which created problems. A bigger golf course was needed and that is when the members decided to start construction of the back nine in 1991.Steve Shepherdson designed the back nine along with his father Don Shepherdson, who was the project supervisor. A lot of the discussions were held by phone since Steve Shepherdson at the time resided in Thailand. Don Shepherdson coordinated this project and if answers and explanations were needed, he would contact his son. It took five seasons to build the back nine. Free Labour was obtained from the Government – Section 25, to help realize this project. With the assistance of these men, along with the co-operation of the superintendent of the golf course (since their equipment was required), the project was put together and the back nine was born.

   Peter Grant, of Grant Development, was a great supporter of the golf course. He donated all the heavy equipment that was needed to do the heavy work required to make the back nine come to life. The members extend their thanks to Peter Grant, because without his support, this project could not have been realized. A new well was required along with five miles of tile drainage and five ponds, to be able to water the greens, tees and fairways for the back nine. The tile drainage fills the ponds with warm water which helps the growth better than cold. Upon the Ministry of the Environment’s request, a half mile of ditch was dug along the full length of the western boundary, to accumulate the overflow so no water would flood Herb MacLean’s farm. All excess water then runs back into the Wabi River.    

    During the 1991 project of the back nine, a 6-inch line was run to edge of the front nine. The course designers and developers assured that the pumping system, wells and ponds would be sufficient to water all 18 holes and not just the new back nine.

    The existing Pro-Shop was built in 1995. The back nine opening ceremonies took place in 1996. Present for the ribbon cutting were Reeve Carmen Kidd, Mr. and Mrs. Don Shepherdson, Steve Shepherdson and his wife Stephanie, Sue Shepherdson, Golf Club President Alvin Williard, Jim Sargent, Walter Chatwin and Bob Taylor. Steve Shepherdson traveled from Singapore to attend the opening ceremonies. Don, Ruth, Steve and Sue Shepherdson played the first official round on the back nine immediately following the ceremonies.

    The Northern Ontario Senior Amateur Tournament was held here in 2000.In the year 2000, water from the ponds on the back nine was pumped to the front nine to complete the warm water irrigation system. Also, in the year 2000, renovations were commenced on the clubhouse. The kitchen was expanded and a new roof was installed. In 2001, the upstairs and locker rooms were expanded.The New Liskeard Golf Club is still going strong and membership continues to grow. In 2004, a partnership was agreed upon with the Haileybury Golf Club to allow for Duel Memberships to be purchased. This has proven to be nothing but positive for both clubs.  

 

A POEM BY JIM SARGENT (1992)

 

Seldom in one lifetime

Do you have a dream come true,

But back in '67

It happened, for quite a few.

 

A golf course for New Liskeard,

Some said it couldn't be done,

But now it's ninety-two

And we're out there, supposedly having fun.

 

We know it's not Glen Abbey,

As some people think it should be,

But man you should have seen it

Without a single tree.

 

Denny Gabriel was the driving force

Always saying, "We're in luck!",

And out there nearly every day

You could see an Ebert truck.

 

Monty looked after the electrical work

Cliff Leroy the water lines,

Morgan Grant supplied the dump trucks

And everyone planted some pines.

 

Ev Sargent delivered the refreshments

And all the guys chipped in,

She managed to raise enough money

To buy all the cups and pins.

 

Ron Dobson looked after the portable bar

Mac Steele was our "galloping gourmet",

Don Perrin always paid the bills

And kept the wolf away.

 

Ott Gibson and Shep cut the fairways

Wilf Ryan was the roofing guy,

Ron Hilson loved to drag the greens

Decked out in a white shirt and tie.

 

Whenever you think of miracles

Jimmy Swaggert's name holds sway,

But thanks to Gaet Rivard

A miracle came our way.

 

At a cost of seventeen thousand

He built this cozy place,

Five thousand dollars less

Than Kapuskasing's fireplace.

 

But on the week of our opening

A tornado came our way,

Blew the roof off our clubhouse

Much to our dismay.

 

But the good people of New Liskeard came

And in just one day,

The roof was back in place

And the party was underway.

 

Twenty-five years is a long, long time

No matter what they say,

And during that lengthy period

Some good friends slipped away.

 

Floyd Hinds, Morgan Grant, Ron Dobson, Bob Henderson,

Denny Gabriel, Ken Ebert, Mac Steele, Wilf Ryan, Ron Hilson,Ott Gibson,

Elwood

Kidd, Clayton Pollock, Grant Moore, Clayton Perrin, Don Perrin, Jack Lacarte, all have

left the race,

But perhaps they're golfing somewhere,

In a much, much better place.

 

 

NLGC  804027 Golf Course Road, Dymond, Ontario P0J 1P0 (705) 647-6651