Weir Steps Into Design

Kent Gilchrist at the Province recently caught up with Mike Weir in B.C., and found Weir and his entourage preparing to tour sites that could become his first golf design:

After having his picture taken with all 18 foursomes playing Monday, Weir and his group headed to Kelowna, where they were scouting potential partners for a West Coast version of Mike Weir Estate Winery and, by invitation, to look at a couple of parcels of land that one day might be his first signature golf course design.

While nothing is official, Weir considers himself ready for the challenge. “I didn’t want to do it,” he said of earlier offers, “until I had the knowledge. I’ve played courses all around the world now and feel I’m ready. We’ve got a few things in the works.”

Which begs the question of which designer Weir will be working with on his golf architecture projects. A little birdie tells me that it won’t be the typical IMG Golf deal (which resulted in places like The Rock and Grandview) and that the player’s agents have spoken to several designers to find one that might be the right fit. The names I’m hearing are intriguing. I spoke with Weir about entering the design business this summer and wrote a column for Score Golf on the matter.

Gilchrist also points out that Doug Carrick has been hired to rework nine holes at Predator Ridge in Vernon, B.C., and add another nine to create a new course. That’s an interesting idea — especially since Doug has done so few courses in Western Canada (one, as far as I can tell). The final nine — done through plans created by Nicklaus Design, and not conceived by Les Furber, as was the original 18, a course that is solid, if unspectacular — was always awkward. It’ll be interesting to see what Carrick can do on the site.