Lefty to Design Course in Calgary


Phil Mickelson has been pegged to design a new golf course near Calgary's Springbank Airport. Originally to be called Copithorne Club, the 240-acre property was slated to be a co-design by golf commentator Johnny Miller and Calgary golfer Stephen Ames.

But on Tuesday it was revealed by the Calgary Sun that Mickelson will be the designer of the 18-hole layout, which will also bear his name. A press conference later Tuesday will confirm his involvement and outline the project's scope.

Because of Calgary's elevation of 3,428 feet, the course will reportedly have the capability to be extended 7,800 to 8,000 yards in the event it becomes a future site of the Canadian Open, a fixture on the PGA Tour.

The project is being backed by Barry Ehlert of the Windmill Golf Group, which also owns five other golf courses near Alberta's largest city. Calgary Sun reporter Eric Francis wrote that Ehlert and Mickelson have been in discussions for the past six months and that they clinched a deal in San Diego. For Francis's full report, visit http://www.calgarysun.com/2014/09/16/phil-mickelson-to-build-calgary-golf-course-near-springbank-airport-with-canadian-open-in-mind.

Ehlert refused comment, saying only that the press conference will reveal "the biggest (news) in the history of Calgary golf."

If all goes well, construction could begin in the next few months, with a completion date as early as fall 2017. "Phil thinks he can build something that's never been done in Calgary, and he will be working very closely with his team, making several trips to Calgary along the way," said a source close to the deal.

"It's still under design, but they want it to be a PGA-quality golf course that is somewhere between 7,800 and 8,000 yards long. Phil will have final say on the yardage once he's on the ground during construction."

Mickelson has designed several courses in China and is the architect of Whisper Rock's Lower Course in Scottsdale, where he resides. He's currently in the process of remodeling Torrey Pines North in San Diego, the city where he was raised.