Leggate introduces Rines Creek Park Golf

A new and interesting type of golf opened recently at Rines Creek, near Shubenacadie. To be known as Rines Creek Park Golf, a bit of background on the founder.

Gavin Leggate, born in Scotland, came to Nova Scotia as a young boy with his parents James and Mary Leggate, and family. Gavin, his two sisters, and one brother grew up on their father’s dairy farm in Rines Creek. Leggate would later live for 30 years in the Truro area, he was employed for 27 years with Scotsburn Dairy.

Leggate will be familiar to some Colchester County residents, having delivered milk around Truro, North River, and Onslow. Now working for RMS Pope, Leggate delivers to Truro area stores, schools, and senior complexes. Familiar with most area rinks, Leggate played a number of years for Scotsburn Dairy and other local teams, in gentlemen’s hockey.

Having known Leggate for some time, it was several weeks ago we talked after he had made a Brookfield delivery. It was my first introduction to Park Golf. I found the concept interesting, and I was impressed as Leggate shared regarding his research and vision.

Park Golf originated in Japan in 1983.

“I first heard of this kind of golf watching a video on Facebook in September of 2022,” Leggate, 61, said. “In my initial research, I found that there were 1,300 courses in Japan, millions play the game annually.”

Proceeding, Leggate learned there were only two courses in the United States and no Park Golf courses in Canada. Locating a supplier of equipment in Texas, he learned of the costs involved. Having moved back to Rines Creek recently, he began doing some serious thinking.

“I had the land sitting idle, the location is good, less than an hour from downtown Halifax and only a half-an-hour from Truro. I have a tractor, I have the time for such a project and the cost factor was reasonable, I felt it was a good fit. The whole concept interested me. The idea of being the first person in Canada to offer Park Golf, and here in Nova Scotia, that had some appeal to it as well.”

By the fall of 2022, Leggate had jumped in with both feet. He began planning his 18-hole course on an old hay field and pastureland. In October, he registered the course as a business.

“The bulk of the physical work was done this spring,” Leggate said. “I’ve been really, really busy the last couple of months in preparing for the opening. I actually took a couple weeks vacation which really helped.”

Leggate said he has got the word out on Park Golf mainly through a Facebook page.

“Word of mouth also helped, and people can Google ‘Rines Creek Park Golf’ to learn more. “I wanted it to be affordable, the cost is $10 to play nine holes, $15 for 18 holes, and children under12 can play 18 holes for $10. This allows a family to come out for a couple of hours of fun for a reasonable amount of money.”

A recent tour of the course provided a lot of good information.

“As long as you can swing a club, you can play Park Golf,” Leggate said. “It has components of mini-golf, regular golf, and croquet. We provide one club, and one ball the size of a cue ball in pool. The club has the shaft of a regular putter and a head of a driver with no loft. The hole you putt your ball into is larger than regular golf.”

With an emphasis on having fun and an exciting golf outing for all ages, Rines Creek Park Golf officially opened Saturday, May 20.

“We had a good opening day, we had 22 golfers,” Leggate said. “I was very pleased, I thought that was a really nice turnout. I also appreciated that we got good reviews from everyone.”

The first four golfers to play the course on opening day were First Nations golfers Ian Knockwood, Barry Gloade, Shauna Gloade and Vera Marr.

“We really enjoyed our round of golf,” Ian said. “And we were pleased to be the first golfers from First Nations to play on this first Park Golf course in Canada.” Shauna commented. “We really enjoyed Park Golf, it was so much fun. I’d recommend you bring your kids out, you’ll get real value for your buck.”

Built on a beautiful landscape in Rines Creek, Hants County with the Shubenacadie River in the background, it can be reached by taking exit 10 off the 102 Highway and driving 5 km west on Highway #215.

Park Golf is open Monday through Friday from 3 to 7 p.m. On Saturdays and Sundays, open hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Congratulations to Gavin Leggate.