Whatcom County Courses Hope British Columbians Keep Coming
North Bellingham GC - image courtesy North Bellingham GC
By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf
(February 17, 2025) - Golf course operators south of the border in Whatcom County will be nervously examining their tee sheets in the coming weeks to determine what effect the threats of tariffs and Canada becoming a “51st state” will have on their businesses.
With snow on the ground last week and courses closed, it was too early to say what effect U.S. President Donald Trump’s tough talk regarding Canada is having on golfers who regularly play Whatcom County layouts.
But with polls showing that many Canadians are vowing to avoid travel to the United States, it seems likely that Bellingham and Blaine-area courses like Loomis Trail, North Bellingham and Shuksan could be hurt. Those courses rely heavily on play from British Columbians.
Nathan Vickers, the longtime head pro at North Bellingham Golf Course, said he’s hopeful the British Columbians will keep coming.
“The demand that Covid has driven into the game has definitely outweighed the exchange rate, which is the lowest it has been in a decade,” Vickers said. “The demand (from Canadians) is as a high as it has ever been. The courses in Canada are filling up, so if you want to golf you have to travel. We’re not concerned right now, but obviously if that comes true, it could hurt a little bit.”
British Columbians account for nearly 40 per cent of the play at North Bellingham. Loomis Trail in Blaine gets more than 50 per cent of its play from Canadians.
“We are the closest course to the border,” said Justin Conlan, director of golf at Loomis Trail. “Once we get back open we’ll hear more of the chatter going on. A lot of our customers are pretty regular, so I don’t anticipate that swaying them, but you never know.”
John Tipping, the new general manager at Shuksan Golf course, said his facility does not want to get involved in the current political controversy. “As a facility we need to stay out of that discussion,” Tipping said. “We don’t have any official comment.”
Over at Semiahmoo Golf & Country Club, where British Columbians comprise between 35 and 40 per cent of the membership at the private club, general manager Jeff Mehlert hopes the current political climate doesn’t cost the club any members. “We haven’t had anybody leave because of this situation,” Mehlert said.
“Do they comment on it? Yeah. We are still under some snow, so it hasn’t been super busy. I imagine we will hear more when things thaw out. Of course, we are going to listen and be sympathetic to everything that anybody goes through.”