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Jon Kuiperij Sports Editor sports@oakvillebeaver.com Sports which taught the game to inner-city kids. "My mom and dad gave me a certain outlook on life," Armatage said. "Some people are born lucky with good health, the opportunity to get an education. If you're in that group, you should give a helping hand. I was able to apply that to the golf facility." He also offered discounts for seniors, half price for anyone in their 70s and free use of the facility for golfers over the age of 80, all as a way of encouraging them to stay involved in the game. It is participation in the game that Armatage, a CPGA professional, sees as the biggest problem facing golf. The number of places to play the game, especially in urban areas, continues to decrease. In Oakville, both White Oaks and Saw-Whet have been sold for development and other practice facilities have also disappeared. The Family Golf Learning Centre had been leasing its land from the province. However, the land was rezoned in 2011 and sold for industrial development. As Armatage sees it, golf has been hurt by the recession but there are other more serious problems with the sport -- it takes too long, it is too expensive and practising on the range "is largely boring. It's a last resort." While that may seem odd coming from the owner of a driving range, Armatage says it's a fact because most ranges "don't have the physical facilities to make it fun." That's what he strived for with The Family Golf Learning Centre. In addition to its two-tiered covered range -- including 28 heated decks to allow for year-round practise -- the golf centre had an 11-acre short-game area, bunkers and a 36-hole mini-golf course with its signature sunken pirate ship. He hopes to not only continue, but enhance, the ability to create a fun experience at a new location at Burnhamthorpe and the 407. In some ways, Armatage said, the facility had outgrown its previous location. It was never set up the way he wanted as the shortgame area was added after a neighbouring property became available in the late 90s. He also points out that in 1982, the PGA Tour's longest driver was Greg Norman, whose average drive was 260 yards. The centre's range was 270 yards, but with many weekend golfers now hitting the ball that far, "we were losing a lot of balls over the back of the range." The plans for the new golf centre include a four-sided 350-yard long, 205-yard wide range with six target greens. The corners will feature a wedge range with small target greens from 20-85 yards. A short-game area will feature a putting green as well as an area 23 | Friday, September 13, 2013 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com "Connected to your Community" Family Golf Learning Centre was first of its kind by Herb Garbutt Oakville Beaver Staff T he lights once towered high above the ground, illuminating the sky. Below, the echoes of `Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!' filled the night air as golf balls were launched like tiny, white, dimpled missiles. Today, the lights lie on the ground, extinguished for the last time. No more golfers are trying to fix that frustrating slice, attempting to finally master that bunker shot or introducing the game to their kids on the mini putt course. It was the first of its kind, but after 31 years, Oakville's Family Golf Learning Centre is closed. It's a day owner Larry Armatage knew was coming. But after more than three decades at the corner of Upper Middle Road and Joshuas Creek Drive, the golf practice facility has closed its doors. For now. The golf centre opened in 1982, under license from the PGA Tour, which used it as a prototype for five more golf facilities in the United States. The Tour disbanded its golf centre program five years later, but even without the tour's endorsement, Armatage endeavoured to make the centre unique. A longtime Rotarian, Armatage offered free programs for the physically challenged, the Special Olympics, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the National Junior Golf Academy, Family Golf Learning Centre is well-known in Oakville for its sunken pirate ship (top right) and mini-putt course. | top photo by Herb Garbutt -- Oakville Beaver; bottom photo courtesy Family Golf Learning Centre to not only practise greenside, but also fair- close. way bunker shots and an area on the range "I'm devastated it's gone. I'm sure a lot of to practise shots from uneven lies. people are," said Danny Kearns, who went "You'll be able to recreate every golf shot as many as five times a week. "There were from 100 yards in," Armatage said. day camps for children, there were old peoThe mini-putt course will also be return- ple. My grandson loved the old wreck of a ing. But what Armatage hopes will really set ship. It really was family golf. It's something the new facility apart will be a professional- you want to treasure, not get rid of." ly-designed six-hole course (two par fours, Even as it was being dismantled, people four par threes). were arriving, putters in hand to play mini "You will be able to come to our place, hit golf. 30 or 40 balls on the range, practise chip"It's a sad day," said Puma, "but at the ping, putting and then play six holes and same time, we're really excited about the do it all in under two hours for under $25," new place." he said. "You can have a fun, enjoyable golf outing, in a reasonable amount of time at a reasonable price with your family." Armatage is currently working through all the approvals and zoning for the new property and Halton Men's Men's Halton hopes to have the new facility Recreational Recreational built by 2015. Hockey League Hockey League Angelo Puma, who started ( Our 55th Season! ) teaching lessons at the centre 21 Fall/Winter years ago and is now its general (Our 30th Year!) manager, said the toughest part is Divisions For: saying goodbye -- even tempoRegister Now For: rarily -- to the customers. Oldtimers (30+) Masters Oldtimers (27+ and (40+), 30+) "We have such a loyal followClassics (47+), Intermediate (18+) Masters (40+) Classics (47+) ing. We've made a lot of friendand Women's Rec /Comp(18+) ships along the way," said Puma, ··Non-contact play Non-contactrecreational recreational play surrounded by boxes bound for ··Prime Primetimes times storage. "And it was such a broad ··Uniforms Uniformsprovided provided spectrum. You would have an ··Excellent Excellentofficiating officiating 85-year-old grandfather bringing ··Team Teambalancing balancing out his six-year-old grandson. ··Individual Group Entry entry Individual//Team And it was something they could Information and/or Registration Information and/or Registration by Phone: do together." Longtime users of The Fam905-849-9712 or or: www.hmhl.bizland.com www.hmhl.bizland.com 905-849-9712 ily Golf Centre are sorry to see it Oakville Non-Contact Hockey