Abbotsford's Tom Hall saw firsthand the devastation left by the fire in April that destroyed the Ledgeview Golf and Country Club's clubhouse.
Memorabilia, trophies, and even many of the original statistics recorded by the club were lost in the blaze, but the course was undamaged by the fire and is getting set to ramp up for a busy summer.
Hall, a former golf coach at Yale Secondary and the golf chair for the 2016 Abbotsford BC Summer Games, said the potential is there to have a great season at the course, despite not having a clubhouse for the foreseeable future.
"We want it to be a phoenix effect," he said. "Ledgeview is not burned out and finished. The club is doing fine, but for a lot of old guys like me that spend a lot of time in the clubhouse it's like not having a home."
Hall said activity ramps up starting on Monday with the BC high school golf AAA championships. The Robert Bateman Secondary Timberwolves are the host team, and will be the lone team from Abbotsford at the event. A total of 144 players from schools all over the province are hitting the links.
Bateman team players included: Devin Cutforth, Hugh Corne, Ryan Alexander, Ryan McGee, and Minho Sung. The club is coached by Dan Village and Joel McCall. The Timberwolves placed eighth at the Fraser Valley championships on May 26, but qualify for the provincials because they are the host. Village said he hopes his team, made up of one Grade 11, one Grade 10 and three Grade 9s can use their home course to their benefit and build for next year.
"We are hoping to come top five this year," he said. "We didn't have the best showing at Fraser Valleys, but I predict we will fare much better at our home course."
It all kicks off on Monday with a practice round and a skill competition for all players. The tournament opens on Tuesday, with teams teeing off at 9:30 a.m. The event concludes on Wednesday, with all teams participating in a shotgun start beginning at 8 a.m.
Ledgeview is also the host for the BC Summer Games, with competition getting underway on July 22 and medals being awarded on July 23. Hall said the two-day tournament is still looking for volunteers, and all interested in helping out in the golf event can contact the club at 604-859-8993.