by Brent Long
Apparently there are a least two great golf minds living in Elora. Of course, we all know Norm Woods who has been publishing GolfScene out of his home in town since the spring of 2000. However, in this rural community about a half-hour north of Guelph, on the main drag at 73 Metcalfe Street, you'll find Shawn P. Watters & Associates.
It seems a bit odd, that squeezed among the town's quaint gift shops and with charming pubs on each side you'll stumble across the store front offices of a golf course architect. You peer through the glass windows and turn the brass handle on the antique oak door and visitors walk into the world of modern-day golf design.
I had been intrigued about meeting Watters after notching my first hole in one last summer at the newly opened Quarry GC just outside of Peterborough and wanted to thank him for the ace on No. 14.
Watters, who has degrees in Political Science and Landscape Architecture from the University of Guelph also happens to represent Elora on the local municipal council as a Councillor.
He first worked at Mississauga G&CC as a teen helping to rebuild a couple of green sites as a summer job. He had another taste of the golf business during his second degree working construction at Devil's Pulpit and Paintbrush in Caledon for contractors Gateman-Milloy Inc.
By the time he graduated with his second degree from Guelph in 1992 Watters and his wife Debbie had two young children, breaking into the design business wasn't easy. Instead of following the traditional path of working for a big-name architect for several years to earn his stripes, Watters charted his own path by going into business for himself.
The 47-year-old can look back and laugh at it now, but in the early days, working out of a hack bedroom he took on anything from residential to commercial projects to make ends meet. "I think I wrote the book on how not to do it, but in a lot of was it has been very rewarding and I wouldn't change it' Watters says.
His first golf course design was in association with Doug Black for the Waterloo Golf Academy - an entertaining nine-hole course, then came nine new holes at Pike Lake G&CC Resort and the second nine of the Highlands Course at Horseshoe Valley Resort.
Watters' designed his first 18-hole layout, Wildwinds Golf Course in 2001 for a group of Fergus businessmen - interestingly he notched his first hole-in-one playing Wildwinds for the first time with a good buddy!
Back at the office, where Roger Stacey manages the technical aspects of each project, the duo have their hands filled with two new projects that are under construction and a possible job in Libya of all places!
Clearing and initial earth moving started last summer at a project that is easily Watters' most exciting and high profile design to date - Oak Bay Golf Course - a 500 unit residential community near Port Severn. "For us Oak Bay is our first foray into Muskoka and we're looking forward to showcasing what we can do with a great piece of land," says Watters, who plays to a six handicap anti carries his clubs in the trunk of his car just in case he has time to fit in a quick nine here and there in his travels. And after being on the drawing board for seven years, Watters finally received the green light from the City of Kitchener to proceed with a nine-hole addition at Doon Valley GC. Construction is slated to start in 2008 and the course should open in 2010.
Brent Long is a Burlington, Ontario based Freelance golf writer and photographer who operates his own golf marketing business - Long-shot Communications.
This article was published in the Spring 2008 edition of GolfScene.
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