London Ontario Golf Promotes Municipal Courses In 2011,
by Patricia Cifani

London Ontario Golf www.LondonOntarioGolf.com has always assisted with the promotion of the municipal golf system which many people in London enjoy each summer. London Ontario Golf is enjoying its seventh season in 2011, and concurrently is the official online marketing partner of the City of London municipal golf system.

The City of London trio of golf clubs – Fanshawe Golf Course and the Parkside Nine, Thames Valley Golf Club and the Hickory 9, and River Road Golf Course – are now officially showcased by London Ontario Golf.

London Ontario Golf continues to grow each year, and 2011 is no exception. Editor of London Ontario Golf, Jeffrey Reed says, "I've always admired how the City operates what is widely considered one of the best-run and best-kept municipal operations in Canada." Reed says it's important to note that the City offers accessible, great golf at an affordable price.

To further promote the City of London courses, London Ontario Golf will be announcing a new fundraiser and community golf award that will help make this possible. "With the assistance of Fanshawe and River Road golf professional manager Andy Shaw, we've created a real win-win," says Reed.

When asked how this new partnership will benefit the three clubs and London Ontario Golf, Reed responds, "The City now has an international forum, really, to promote their trio of courses." There are hundreds of thousands of people all around the world who visit London Ontario Golf. A 24-year CPGA professional, Shaw states, "Having LondonOntarioGolf.com on board as an official partner will help us showcase our beautiful and challenging courses to an even wider audience."

London Ontario Golf now has further support from the City which will add to their already industry-leading credibility, mentions Reed. Tourism London has called London Ontario Golf "an absolute key to promoting and generating interest in London and area golf." This partnership plays a crucial role in promotion of City of London golf.

You might be wondering, what separates this trio of golf clubs from others? Fanshawe offers multiple unique experiences. The Traditional course is "heavily-treed and the newer Quarry Course has wide open fairways," says Reed. In 1998 the Parkside Nine opened as one of North America's only course designed for physically-challenged golfers.

Thames Valley is one of the oldest public courses in Eastern Ontario and according to Reed, "It still provides a great test of golf today thanks to its many trees and risk-reward golf."

River Road is unique, and is the youngest course amongst the City golf system. It offers what Reed calls "a supreme test of golf with its narrow fairways."

Now that the City of London and London Ontario Golf are marketing partners, there is great new growth potential not only for the golf system here in London, but London Ontario Golf as well. As winner at the 2010 Golf Journalists Association of Canada for Best Website Feature, London Ontario Golf looks forward to a great 2011 – and beyond.

Patricia Cifani is a member of the Class of 2011, Corporate Communication and Public Relations post-graduate program at Fanshawe College of Applied Arts & Technology in London, Ontario.

Return to Women's Golf