Published May 09, 2025 • Last updated 1 hour ago • 4 minute readThe Lakes Golf Club and Resort kicked off its 2025 season on Friday with opening day in Ben Eoin. The club has high expectations for the new year and is reporting its greens to be in “fantastic shape.” Photo by Contributed /The Lakes Golf Club and ResortOne of the sure signs of spring is the increased activity around local golf course as they prepare for what they hope to be a busy season.Several golfers have already been around the links a few times this year, taking advantage of an unusual Cape Breton winter which saw little snowfall and fairly mild conditions for the most part.Read More Five Cabot golf courses ranked among the best in the world Plenty of aces recorded at Cape Breton golf courses in 2024 THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentWhile the golfers who have hit the greens already may be enjoying the few extra holes, the clubs themselves are also pleased with how the offseason went for their courses.“The Lakes is in fantastic shape, it always raved about early in the season,” said Wes Stanford, head golf professional at The Lakes Golf Club and Resort in Ben Eoin.“We’re a fully bentgrass facility, so our greens are as good on May 9 when we open as they are on Oct. 31 when we close, so it’s something we’re excited to see develop this season as we head into the summer months.”GREENS ‘IN GREAT SHAPE’Meanwhile, the same can be said for Seaview Golf and Country Club in North Sydney. Much like The Lakes, they are reporting their course to be in good shape coming out of the winter.“The greens were in great shape,” said Craig Aucoin, who became the new head golf professional at Seaview in March following the retirement of Lorne Jennex.“There was no damage or anything like that to the course. We don’t have any temporary greens and we’re happy about that.”Article contentPasschendaele Golf Club, which was originally put up for sale last August, was the first course on the island to open on April 18 in Glace Bay.Alderdale Greens Golf Club in Point Edward and Seaview would follow with Alderdale kicking off the season on April 25 and Seaview on April 30.Since the start of the month, seven more golf courses have opened including The Lakes, Gardiner Greens Golf Club, Dundee Resort and Golf Club and Lingan Golf and Country Club, as well as Cabot Links, Cabot Cliffs and The Nest at Cabot in Inverness.Bell Bay Golf Club and Baddeck Forks Golf Club, both located in Baddeck, as well as Cape Breton Highland Links in Ingonish and Le Portage Golf Club in Cheticamp will all begin the new season on May 16.‘VERY BUSY SUMMER’Earlier this year, Stanford attended the Toronto Golf and Travel Show in Mississauga on behalf of The Lakes Golf Club and Resort. If the sense he received from the event is any indication, it should be a good golf season in Atlantic Canada.Article content“For Cape Breton as a whole, I think we’re going to see a very busy summer in terms of travelers coming east,” said Stanford.“The number one thing that consumers said at the golf and travel show was that they were definitely going east and not going south and that they feel that their dollar goes a little farther in the east than it does in Western Canada.”Stanford noted that you never know what will happen until the season starts and the courses get into the swing of things heading into the summer months.“It was a little shocking to see as many American golf courses there as we did,” said Stanford.“The consumers weren’t at those booths, they were definitely at booths whether it was Green Gables Golf Course in Prince Edward Island or other courses in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, so it seemed like the consumer wanted to come east this year.”Stanford acknowledged Cape Breton as an attractive destination for golf and not only because of the well-known Cabot courses and Highland Links.Article content“We’re a family as a group,” said Stanford. “If one or two courses succeed then the other feeder courses can also be successful. It’s good for travel and tourism on the island.” Seaview Golf and Country Club was one of three Cape Breton golf courses that opened for the 2025 season in April. The North Sydney club opened on the final day of the month on April 30 and is preparing for a busy season. Photo by Contributed /Seaview Golf and Country ClubPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIPBack in North Sydney, Seaview is also preparing for a big season. Along with its regular tournaments, the club will also be the host for the Nova Scotia Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship July 24-27.“So far, so good,” said Aucoin, when asked how the first week of the season has gone. “The weather has been cooperating, and it’s been a busy start.“The mid-amateur is a big tournament for us to host. It’s competition from across the province and we’re looking forward to seeing the competition and welcoming the players for the event.”Another notable and well-known tournament that will take place this summer is The Roadbuilders, presented by Inglis Jewelers, at Lingan Golf and Country Club. The prestigious event will be held July 19-20.Last month, a pair of Cape Breton golf courses were named to GolfWeek’s list of top 100 international courses.Article contentCabot Cliffs was the highest-ranked course in Canada at No. 12, while Cabot Links was ranked No. 45 in the world. Overall, five golf courses in the Cabot portfolio made the list.‘EVENTS ARE THROUGH THE ROOF’Aside from golf at The Lakes, Stanford said the hotel side of the business has always shown promising numbers for the season.“Events are through the roof, we know that our cooperate events are booked solid this summer,” he said. “On the hotel side, I don’t think there’s a Friday or Saturday that you can get a hotel room on the resort all the way until the middle of October.”As for local golfers, Lori LeBlanc was the first to hit a hole-in-one on the island, recording the ace on No. 9 at Seaview on May 3.Like previous years, the Cape Breton Post will be publishing a monthly hole-in-one report throughout the season in print and online at capebretonpost.com. All island courses are eligible to report their aces on a monthly basis.Article content
Cape Breton golf courses hope to continue momentum with busy 2025 season
