Golf sale to help food bank

Winter is usually a quiet time on the golf course. For four golf courses in the Foothills region, that’s not the case.

The Turner Valley, Sirocco, Crystal Ridge and Nanton golf courses have joined forces for an upcoming merchandise sale on Dec. 5 at the Crystal Ridge Golf Course. However, this sale comes with a twist.

The Four Club Sale will be held in conjunction with fundraising for the Okotoks Food Bank, an initiative that was brainstormed by a former Okotoks mayor.

After deciding with Nanton’s Kevin Davison, Turner Valley’s Scott Meechan and Crystal Ridge’s Dave Robinson to coordinate a big merchandise sale, director of golf for Sirocco Golf Course, Steve Moe, was looking to see which charity they should benefit.

A discussion with former mayor Bill McAlpine, a member of the Turner Valley course, provided Moe with some direction.

“I actually phoned Bill McAlpine, former mayor of Okotoks, to get an idea of what charity would be best for our event and that’s where we came up with the Okotoks Food Bank,” Moe recalled.

Shoppers who bring a non-perishable food item to the sale will be entered into a draw for free green fees and various other door prizes.

“We’re going to give away some green fees to the various golf courses that are involved,” Moe said, along with gift cards and gift certificates to the Sirocco restaurant (which operates year-round).

Following a somewhat down year for inventory sales, the idea to have a pre-Christmas blowout sale was a no-brainer. The chance to give back around the holidays was another opportunity the course officials couldn’t pass up.

“We thought, what can we do that would help move some product and do something good for the community at the same time,” Moe indicated.

Holding a drive for non-perishable food items will be a great chance to help those in need, Scott Meechan, head pro at Turner Valley, emphasized.

“Unfortunately, not everybody is as blessed as others and being able to give back in the community is certainly something that all four of our clubs are interested in, for sure,” he detailed.

With golf being a six-month-a-year business, golf courses are eager to remain in people’s minds. Hosting a gigantic sale like this one will be a step toward accomplishing this goal, Moe stated.

“We’re just trying to make it a great day for anybody that wants to do shopping and is interested in golf,” he said.

“There’s lots of golfers out there that need equipment for next year,” Meechan added.

The Four Clubs sale will be on Sunday, Dec. 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Crystal Ridge Golf Course. Shoppers are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item and will be automatically entered into a draw for great prizes.