La Broquerie Golf sees major changes
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This article was published 18/01/2021 (1575 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
A new name is just one of the things that golfers will see when they tee it up at the golf course in La Broquerie this season.
First opened as La Verendrye Golf in 1991, the 18-hole layout has a new owner as of Jan. 1 of this year, and a new name as it has rebranded to La Broquerie Golf.
La Broquerie businessman Ken Tallaire, a property developer and major booster of the community, has purchased the golf course from Gil Dubé, the owner for the past 20 years. Tallaire is the owner of T & T properties.
For more than 30 years, through three ownership groups, now that Tallaire has taken over, it has remained under local ownership.
La Verendrye Golf first opened for play in the spring of 1991. It was built by La Broquerie’s Gauthier family, on land that the family owned.
Dubé, who grew up in La Broquerie, a local hockey legend of sorts, a prolific scorer who went on to become one of the highest scorers in the history of the storied Hanover Tache Hockey League, moved to Winnipeg after high school and continues to live there where he owns a trucking company.
But his La Broquerie roots ran very deep. “I’ll give you an example of how important La Broquerie is to my family. My daughter, who has lived in Winnipeg all her life, tells people that La Broquerie is her home town.”
Dubé, who is also a past owner of the La Broquerie Hotel, said it was time to sell the golf course or the next step would be to shut it down as it was losing money. The reality is, the land, as it is with so many courses, is worth more than the business itself.
He says he was very pleased that he and Tallaire were able to make a deal on the golf course and to keep it open for the community. “He is in the development industry and that will enable the golf course to remain open.”
In order to make the business model work, Tallaire will be building 55 Plus rental units on what was the old 18th fairway and elsewhere.
Remaining at the golf course under the new ownership will be Darren Dundas, the longtime superintendent and a former minority partner with Dubé.
Also back in the fold is Mitch Tetrault, a familiar face from years past. Tetrault will be the Director of Golf. He was previously employed at La Verendrye Golf from 1992-2011, including the last 10 years as part owner and Director of Golf. He left La Verendrye in 2011 to take a position at HyLife.
Tetrault says when the Gauthier family originally built the golf course, “it was a huge investment in our community.”
“I am excited to be back in the golf industry, following my passion in my hometown of La Broquerie. This course means so much to our community and Gil Dubé and Darren Dundas have worked very hard over the years to ensure we have a beautiful golf course in La Broquerie.”
For Tallaire, the decision to purchase the golf course was twofold. “There is a business opportunity, but the main reason was an emotional one, I am local and I didn’t want the golf course to close.” Tallaire also recently became part owner of the Lorette Golf Course, with the future intention to also develop some of the property there.”
Although not much of a golfer himself, “I rejoined the men’s league again in La Broquerie last summer, and that’s kind of how it all started,” said Tallaire.
They currently have plans that are awaiting municipal approval to develop housing on the golf course.
To accommodate those plans, they are changing the 18th hole from a par 4 to a par 3, which would allow the Adult Living 55 Plus housing to be constructed on the former 18th fairway. The green will remain as is but the tee boxes are being moved up to accommodate a tee-shot over the existing pond.
There are other changes being made as well. Although the famous par 6 hole is remaining untouched for now, the 9th hole will be reverted back to a par 5 from a par 4. The blue tees will be moved back 36 yards to its original distance of 488 yards.
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Tetrault says they also be interchanging the nines in the layout. “This might take some getting used to, but the front nine will now be the back nine, and vice versa. This will allow us to finish with a par 5, rather than a par 3, and it will also allow for quick pick-up of food and beverage items at the turn.
A number of other changes and major investments are being made with probably the most significant one is a new fleet of 50 E-Z-GO lithium electric golf carts.
A new cart shed and large deck is also being built being between the pro shop and the practice green. That new building could also serve as a large gathering area for tournaments as an alternative to being in the clubhouse.
Renovations are also being made to the clubhouse, which will include the pro shop moving upstairs from its current location in the lower level.
Also in the plans is a new 18-hole miniature golf course on the property.
And Tetrault says in addition to a wide of range of leagues that golfers can play in through the season, “we are also bringing back the ever-popular Summer Spectacular Hole-in-One Tournament, where all 18 holes are converted into par 3’s, with big money up for grabs at every hole for a hole-in one.”