It’s an orchestra of lawn trimmers, mowers and golf carts at Mactaquac Provincial Park as organizers prepare to welcome over 150 professional golfers to their greens.
Mactaquac is one of two additional stops on the PGA Tour Americas this year – the other is in Brazil.
Melanie Deveau, assistant deputy minister for parks, tourism, sport and recreation with the Government of New Brunswick says it was golfers who recommended the course to PGA officials.
“They needed another tournament spot,” she said. “And it was recommended and they called and said, ‘Are you willing to do this?’ They came and checked it out, and here we are.”
It’s the first time a PGA-level tournament has come to New Brunswick. Officials say there was a stop in 1992, but it was a lower level.
And it’s not a one-off – PGA officials have signed a five-year agreement at Mactaquac.
A golfer tee’s off at the golf course at Mactaquac Provincial Park. (CTV/Laura Brown)Deveau says Mactaquac’s agronomist team has been working with the PGA agronomists to ensure the greens are picture perfect – and they are.
She says June’s heat wave didn’t impact them too much, and staff have been working around the clock to ensure they remain flawless.
Qualifiers begin Wednesday at West Hills Golf in Fredericton, and the Explore NB Open officially begins on Thursday until July 14 in Mactaquac.
A car drives through the course ahead of the upcoming PGA tour stop at Mactaquac Provincial Park. (CTV/Laura Brown)Activities start Monday at Mactaquac where Deveau says N.B.’s top junior golfers will be showing off their talents too.
The province estimates the tournament will create $2-3 million in economic spin-off for the area. While they’ve signed for five years, Deveau’s hoping it will continue beyond that.
“This is just the beginning of what comes next,” she said.
Tournament director Mark Dunbar says if you like golf, Mactaquac will be the place to be to see world-renowned talent.
“It’s an opportunity for people to get out to see, you know, the future stars of the PGA tour,” he said. “I think there’s been 97 graduates from the PGA Tour Americas that have gone on to the PGA tour, representing 35 wins at the PGA tour level, most recently, even last weekend.”
The blank leaderboard is set up ahead of the PGA tour’s next stop. (CTV/Laura Brown)There are 300 volunteers who are making the event happen, including the caddies.
The purse is $225,000.
“These guys are really, really good. A lot of them are just recent graduates out of universities, top NCAA universities, and they’re going to see some shots some length that they’re not used to seeing in their average round with their friends at the golf course,” he said.
There’ll be food, drinks and other activities, and there are still some campsites available to book at the provincial park. They’re not limiting ticket sales, which run $17.25 for general admission/day.
The park is staying open over the weekend to all golfers, but officially closes Sunday afternoon.
