During the 1990s and early 2000s, a wave of new golf course development swept across Canada, with many of these courses serving as centrepieces for residential communities. Since then, that growth has slowed as golf's popularity has waned. Some of those courses are now closing, opening prime real estate that, in many cases, is being redeveloped into new subdivisions.

The result has been a boon for builders and homebuyers, as land becomes available for new residential development within desirable, well-established communities. However, it has also created resentment among long-time residents of these neighbourhoods, who originally purchased their homes with the golf course as a major selling point.

There aren't many people who don't trade "good mornings" with Cathy Burton when she arrives to work, and that's one of the many things she likes about her job as head golf professional at Willow Park Golf and Country Club.

"I've gotten to know a lot of the members," she said, before pausing to congratulate a passing member on her second round in as many days.

Local golf courses facing common plight

Two proposed residential redevelopment projects on Calgary golf courses are at the tipping point of an economic sustainability challenge hitting the golf industry throughout North America.

A proposal for new homes in two pocket areas at the Hamptons Golf Club — to support a substantial overhaul of the golf course itself — and the proposed closure of the nine-hole Harvest Hills Golf Course for the construction of single and multi-family homes, are working their way through community consultation and city application processes.

Hamptons Golf Course Ltd. has released preliminary concepts for northwest Calgary club's redevelopment, which would see a reconfiguration of the existing 18-hole course that would facilitate the construction of 35 to 65 new homes.

Cedarglen Homes purchases Harvest Hills Golf Course

Despite being purchased by Calgary developer Cedarglen Homes, there are no immediate plans to develop Harvest Hills Golf Course in the city's northeast, officials said.

"Cedarglen purposely didn't draw a plan in advance," said Chris Ollenberger, managing principal for QuantamPlace Developments Ltd., hired by Cedarglen to act as development manager on the project.

"They went with a blank sheet of paper. They knew it would have some questions from the neighbours in the very least, so they wanted to involve them from the start, which I think was the right thing to do."