FORE!

It's March 1st and I have officially had enough of winter at this point. I recently tried to embrace winter, went skiing and actually enjoyed my time on the hill even if I was a bit rusty after a 25 year hiatus. Still, with February behind me and Daylight Savings Time on my doorstep next weekend it is only natural that my attention has fully shifted to my golf game.

More than any other year I am eager to get out on a course (any course) and hit the little white ball around. I played more golf last year than I ever have before and was able to lower my handicap to 16, which is just a bit higher than my goal was. I played on more courses in Atlantic Canada than I have, some for the first time.

2014 will be my best year ever on the golf course, in fact it will be a great year all round for golf in Atlantic Canada. While my personal goal is to shave at least 5 strokes off my handicap, I also want to experience a few more courses this year.

Northumberland Links in Pugwash NS is truly a gem and it has been a few years since I have experienced the fast greens there, I highly recommend this public course to all golfers as it is one of my favourites. I'd also like to play the friendly course at the Truro Golf Club in 2014, the changes there over the past few years have made the course even more friendly.

No doubt I will play my share of rounds in my home province of New Brunswick. With my membership at Lakeside Golf Club I will see the lions share of my rounds there, but also at Fox Creek in Dieppe and Royal Oaks in Moncton. Consistent play with scores in the 80's will be my goal.

In early July the new course at Ashburn Golf Club in Halifax Nova Scotia will be hosting the first ever Canada Cup and the Nova Scotia Open, a Web.com Tour event. I am already making my plans to be there. Not as a player mind you, as a spectator only.

Yes, Spring is still three weeks away and there is way too much snow on the fairways here in Moncton to actually play the game, but I can see the warmer weather coming. I bet I will even be able to get a cold weather round in this month at a course in Nova Scotia... Stay tuned for updates to the best year for golf in Atlantic Canada, and the year I play the best golf of my life!