Lifestyle
Life is a fairway
TODD ROBSON
Summer 2008 |
“We had always dreamed of owning a golf course together,” said Sam. “Honestly, what better way to make a livelihood?
“And being in the golf business now for almost a quarter century has taken us to places we’ve never dreamed of.”
Growing up on Walford Rd., just down the street from Sudbury’s Idylwylde Golf and Country Club, Mike and Sam were exposed to golf early.
In 1983, Sam was a course pro at Cedar Green. His older brother, Mike, had recently been laid off from Inco. Pine Grove Golf Club (Countryside Golf at the time) was in receivership. The brothers saw an opportunity.
“At that time interest rates were so high, so we gathered up what money we had for a down payment and took out a mortgage on our own course,” said Mike. “We knew this was what both of us had wanted and we knew we wanted to do it well.”
And since then, neither Sam nor Mike Yawney has looked back.
The brothers went on to purchase Cedar Green Golf Course in Garson in 1989 and further expanded the business into a higher calibre course with the construction of Timberwolf, which opened in 1999.
“Before we opened Timberwolf in 1999, there was nothing like it in Northern Ontario,”
explained Sam. “In the 1990s, the golf market was headed to higher-end and longer yardage facilities. We set out to build a premier golf course for Sudbury that we could market both here at home and to golfers from outside of the north.”
And that idea was gold! In 2000, Timberwolf was named the Best New Canadian Course 2000 by Golf Digest and one of Canada ‘s Top 10 Best Values by Score Golf Magazine in 2002 and 2003.
The brothers acquired Stone Hill Golf Course, just off of Long Lake Rd., in 2005.
With four courses operating under the Golf Sudbury umbrella, it is estimated the Yawneys’ properties are responsible for hosting more than 200 tournaments each summer. That, combined with the general public’s thirst for golf and this year’s membership nearing 900, there will be close to 100,000 rounds of golf played at the four courses.
Both brothers are amazed at how far they have come over the past quarter century.
“Mike and I do not always agree or see eye to eye on things, but that is inevitable in any business,” said Sam. “But being in business with your brother means that when you have a falling out or an argument, you talk it out among your family and not with your lawyer.”
His older brother is in agreement. “Sam and I have had a great ride for the last 25 years in Sudbury. The thing is when it is a family business, you move on when you have a disagreement. You forgive and forget because at the end of the day, this is still your family.”
