The pro and managing director of the Lac Mégantic golf club, Jean Sébastien Vachon. (Photo Richard Vigenault)
View of the golf course route. (Photo Richard Vigneault)
In recent years, golf practice has become more demarcated. This image of a hobby that we saw reserved for “old people”, sticks to the skin of golf for a long time, now the trend seems to change. We feel a youthful wind blown on this sport.
A guarantee of hope to revive this practice, “the arrival of the Internet has greatly helped to change the image of golf, especially to improve it. Young people are increasingly interested, we see much younger club pros, ”underlines Jean-Sébastien Vachon, pro from the Lac-Mégantic golf club. “It’s part of our mission to” rejuvenate “customers”. We adopted our own approach by creating the Junior Academy; These are three age groups, 8 to 18 years old, who follow workshops one hour over 12 weeks. This activity makes it possible to develop the passion for golf and thus stimulates young people to continue the practice of this sport. We learn, ethics, approaches, long strikes, regulations and decorum ”.
The club director notes the evolution; The dress code tends to become a little more relaxed among professionals, an element to please young people. “But there will always be a decorum to respect,” he admits.
According to Jean-Sébastien Vachon, the COVVID brought beneficial points, “Before the pandemic, the club situation was more difficult, but the afterwards gave a renewed life. first sport to be practiced, attributable to the fact that it takes place in the open air, many interested parties invade the land. At the same time, young people (25-30 years) have many to start again and others wanted to discover this hobby ”. Despite everything, the situation is still fragile in order to ensure sustainability, even for Lac-Mégantic.
Enviable reputation
The Lac Mégantic golf club has reached an excellent reputation over time. Tourists, visitors hitting their balls are unanimous, it is an excellent land in an enviable environment of great beauty. “Lac-Mégantic is certainly part of the top 10 fields in Quebec,” said the managing director without embarrassment. “All types of golfers can find their account there. Maintenance, the environment, a long and not too easy course, the architecture of the field, offer good challenges to amateurs. The new faces have been more numerous for two years and they tend to return, testimony to an appreciation of our club. ”
Tournaments occupy an important place. Among them, the benefit tournament “Invitation”, which features an entrepreneur from the region and gives the opportunity to raise no less than $ 30,000, significant financial contribution for the organization. In addition, interclub tournaments, for classes A and senior, welcome many golfers from the outside who discover the field and come back to it. He also has local leagues, men and women, friendly competitions or the social occupies a place of first choice.
For the past two years, the club has been doing much better financially. Visitors are increasing, more and more “nomadic” golfers. The Lac Mégantic golf club has reshaped the formula of members’ cards with prices adapted to the various clienteles. Currently, there are 285 members. Last year, access to the land was on April 29 and we hope to open towards this same date. “In fact, the land will be accessible when the land is really ready,” communicates Jean-Sébastien Vachon.
