The 2025 season is underway at Killarney Lakeside Golf Club and golf shop manager Scott Lawson is thrilled to welcome back members and new guests to the beautiful course.
"Things have been really busy out here," an excited Lawson says. "It's been nice to see everyone back. We've had some good weather the past couple of weeks and that had members coming out golfing. This weekend wasn't so good, but we're happy to be back."
Getting ready for the season was a process, according to Lawson, but many hands make light work. "We clean up the clubhouse and our grounds maintenance crew has done a ton of work since the snow has melted, they work really hard and we wintered really well. Everything is green and watered, we've got our pumps going. We are doing a lot of seeding this year, we got seed donated by some of the groups here, so we're going to be in good shape. We're also switching to a new system called 'Golf Now' for tee time bookings. To book a tee time, we're on 'Golf Now' now. It's going to be simpler for everybody, it's going well."
Lawson says that the course being located where it is allows for some very beautiful, scenic golfing. "We're called the 'hidden jewel of the south'. We're the Killarney Lakeside Golf Course, so our back nine, the last four or five holes are all along the lake, so you get that view. I mean, our trademark holes are 14 and 15 on the lake. The front nine is trees, so you get the best of both worlds. Wide open on the back nine and front nine is more treed. We have a little bit of everything for everyone."
A real point of pride for Lawson is when golfers spread the word about how good the course is. "It means a lot, it's big for us. We want to have a great reputation. For a small town, to have a beautiful golf course is something special."
As a course, Lawson says it's a nice mix for golfers of all skill levels and especially junior golfers. "Golfers will deal with some water on the back nine, so you have to stay away from there. As far as challenging goes, you will be challenged but I'd say it's great for all golfers. We have a big junior group here. We have four tee boxes, from kids to senior men to regular. Our front nine in the trees is a little tighter but then the back nine along the lake is wide open."
With the explosion in popularity, Lawson says it's been amazing to see so many passionate about the game. "We've really been pushing our junior golf programs, we have a couple of guys that come down each summer to teach lessons. We want to get as many kids into it as possible, we've seen a lot of growth in that area. As far as memberships go, our member group is climbing, especially in the last three years. Our golf course is in beautiful shape and everyone is every happy."
Along with all the members, new friends are more than welcome. "We have a lot of out-of-towners come out," Lawson says with a smile. "The last two years, we've noticed a huge growth in that and we love to have you. Come check us out, we're definitely worth playing at least once. No one will regret it. That's how a course like us succeed, having people come out and play then tell the stories about how great it is."
For more details on the course, check out the website: Home - Killarney Lakeside Golf Club