Tucked away in Birch Bay Village (BBV), a gated community of roughly 1,100 homes on the north shore of Birch Bay, is a nine-hole golf course that has for years been reserved almost exclusively for residents since its construction in the 1960s.
That changed recently when BBV’s HOA board voted to open the golf course for 25 to 50 new members from nearby Semiahmoo and Sea Links homeowners associations.
David Franklin, general manager of BBV, said the HOA wanted to be able to keep up its maintenance of the course, a task that has proven too challenging for other HOAs that have been forced to shutter courses due to rising costs.
“The course could use more play,” Franklin said. “There’s a fixed cost for running this golf course. If one person plays it or if 500 play it, it costs the same amount to cut the greens and run everything. It makes more sense for us to try and supplement the members’ dues with those from people from outside.”
Franklin said that not all residents were immediately keen to open the neighborhood’s gates. Franklin landed on a “trial period” for the public by reaching out to residents of nearby homeowners associations because they would be familiar with the rules and regulations of BBV.
Franklin said if that trial goes well, more discussion will be had about continuing to open up the course to the general public.
“This community really rose to the challenge this last year,” Franklin said. “On social media, we saw a lot of support for what we are doing here.”
Dave Pimblett, president of the BBV Golf Club, said the course is surprisingly difficult despite its relatively small footprint. Each hole has multiple tees, meaning a nine-hole course can actually be doubled back and played as a full-size, 18-hole course.
BBV has kept its course alive as labor and maintenance costs increase, but were noticing that the course wasn’t fully booked, leaving lots of openings for golfers who lived outside the gates.
“We’re spoiled, but it’s not sustainable,” Pimblett said.
Don’t be fooled by the sub-200-yard holes, as this is not a simple executive course, Pimblett said.
“Once people come and play this course, they’re going to go, ‘I’ve got to come back and play better’ because it’s tough,” Pimblett said.
The course is still a few weeks away from being fully ready for the summer golfing season, with a duo of full-time groundskeepers working to dry out and prepare the course.
Franklin said opening up the course to more golfers hasn’t degraded the course. Recently, BBV opened the course as a practice facility for Blaine and other nearby high school golf teams.
Membership to the course for a calendar year runs $985 and is currently only open to members of Semiahmoo Resort and Sea Links HOAs. Prospective members can contact Franklin at david@bbvcc.com for a trial round on the course before committing to a year membership.
