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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2015-09-16, Page 7Wednesday, September 16, 2015 • Huron Expositor 7 Seaforth golf pioneer transformed 105 acres of farm land into a golf course Ken Doig Sr. sips a cold can of Coors Light in the clubhouse at Seaforth's golf course. His blue eyes shift upwards towards the aged beams supporting the ceil- ing. He reminisces of when the structure was his father's barn. Way before beers and golf gear were sold, this was a farm. It's been 56 years since him and his brother Rod decided to recruit two young locals from Seaforth to rip out the fields with six John Deere tractors and a handful of furrow plows. They wanted nothing more than a place to drive some balls and sharpen their golf game. Doig had recently returned to Canada from playing hockey overseas in Scotland and Switzerland. The 87 -year-old from Seaforth said he had no intentions of making a profit. At the time, hockey was paying the bills and good at that he said. In Motown, Gordie Howe, who's also 87 years old, had won numerous Stanley Cups with the Detroit Red Wings. Doig researched the yearly earnings for the man they call "Mr. Hockey." While the legendary hockey player made $14,000, Doig laughed and said, "Well, guess what, I made $15,000 playing and teaching hockey in Switzer- land." Doig was content competing in hockey at a professional level in Europe. "There were only six teams at the time, so I didn't want to kiss butt to play in the NHL," said Doig during an interview at the Seaforth Golf & Country Club. His employment in hockey didn't proceed as expected. When one of the leagues eventually went out of business, Doig and his wife thought it would be a wise decision to part from Scotland and give Canada a try with their three children. While Doig was preparing for the big move, his mother had passed away at the young age of 56, leaving his "We built nine holes for $2,000. Now a days, you couldn't build a tee for $2,000," — Ken Doig Sr. father in Seaforth to farm the 105 acres of land alone. When returning to Huron County, Doig heard wind that his father wanted to sell the hefty property. The large landscape that produced wheat, oats, hay and beans was appraised for $16,000. He had no intentions of let- ting the property be sold, so the two brothers Rod and Doig decided to buy out their other two siblings. And allowed their father to con- tinue farming. A year or two went by and Bob Stuart to the right next to club pro Cam Doig. Stuart walked away the winner of the Low Net Bermudian Seaforth Golf & Country Club weekend tournament results Seaforth Men's Invitational September 12 1st Low Gross 1st Flite- Winner-Scott Kay -Score of 71 1st Low Gross 1st Flite- Winner-Logan Lammerant- Score of 72 2nd Low Gross 1st Flite-Win- ner-Reegan Price -Score of 75 2nd Low Gross 1st Flite- Winner-Ryan Jeffrey- Score of 76 3rd Low Gross 1st Flite- Winner-Kyle Brodhagen- Score of 76 3rd Low Gross 1st Flite-Wm- ner-Willy Keller -Score of 78 International Scramble September 13, 2015 Group winners with a score of -8 Logan Lammerant, John Flemine, Jack Buckly one summer, Doig remem- bers playing in the Ontario Open at Cherry Hills in Fort Erie, Ont. with Rod being his caddie. Once the tourna- ment ended, they packed up all the golf clubs and drove up Queen Elizabeth Way. During the three-hour drive back to Seaforth, Rod men- tioned to Doig "you know, they can make a golf course out of (crap) like Cherry Hills, then we can make one on our farm." The two Doigs made a blueprint that night and started brainstorming of how they could possibly turn the old farm they were raised on into a nine -hole golf course. When the winter had come and gone, all the holes were mapped out and placed to where they would be located. The next step was to level the ground and grow ea ort huronex 1 ositor.co the grass. "We worked the land our- selves with an old 1928 Kay - Gee tractor, made a set of rings out of wagon wheels and bolted them together, dragged them behind, lev- eled the farm out until it was smooth," Doig said. The Seaforth natives worked day in and day out slaving the entire summer building their vision, a golf course, while still maintaining 9-5 employment elsewhere. Currently the Seaforth Golf & Country Club is filled with huge cedars, thick evergreens and willow trees. Doig said the fifty -foot foliages were noth- ing but shrubs when they planted them, no larger than a pinky finger. The project took one year to finish. "We built nine holes for $2,000. Now a days, you couldn't build a tee for $2,000," said Doig while look- ing out the window of the clubhouse at the ninth hole of the now 18 -hole course. It's 2015, Doig's passed the torch of golf down to his six children who all have their hands in golf, some profes- sionals, PGA tour caddies, golf inventors amongst many other things attached to the sport and their children are successful golfers also. Doig's great-grandchild is three -years -old and he's cer- tain the youngest of the ancestry will be sure to be picking up a club shortly, the golf pioneer said. "I was basically born on this course, I've had a great life, if I die tomorrow don't cry for me because I lived a hundred years," said by the man who transformed some crops into a lifelong dream of golf. Monteith Ritsma Phillips Professional Corporation Business Feature Kevin Wilbee Kevin was raised on a cash crop family farm outside of Walton that produces wheat, soybeans and corn. Kevin is a High Honors graduate of Carleton University in Political Science and holds a Law Degree from the University of Ottawa. He is currently a Lawyer at Monteith Ritsma Phillips Professional Corporation. In October 2014, Kevin was elected as a councillor of the Municipality of Huron East and he believes that in order to achieve meaningful results and solutions, it's important to work hard, listen, engage in dialogue, and collaborate with others. MONTEITH RITSMA PHILi.IPS r RCif LSSLONA.L CDR POLATI1@Fd URRESTER$ PE EnT.1CTT FIS 1{. k:' 'I :• 11.179 144 Stratford 56 Albert Street Stratford N5A 6W3 519-271-6770 His first job was working at JR's Gas Bar in Brussels and since he has held numerous positions such as Parliamentary & Outreach Assistant on Parliament Hill and Office Manager at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. As a passionate advocate of various community, farming and legal issues, he has developed a unique blend of knowledge which he is excited to put to use serving your interests to achieve meaningful results. Kevin, who is bilingual, is delighted to provide you with services in English and French. Mitchell 154B Ontario Road Mitchell NOK 1NO 519-348-8112 Listowel P.O.Box 248 Listowel N4W 3H4 519-291-3420