For years, Buffalo Hill Golf Club general manager Stephen Dunfee has been proud of his course, his clientele and his knowledgeable employees.
But there was always one thing missing: a really good driving range. That’s why Dunfee can’t wait for Aug. 6, when Buffalo Hill holds a grand opening to introduce to the public a state-of-the-art practice facility and driving range with the largest tee area in the state.
And in the process, the Cameron nine-hole course at the 27-hole Buffalo Hill Golf Club was revamped, resulting in a shorter and more accessible course for all abilities. The Cameron has been open since the beginning of the golf season.
“The course is now much more fun for beginners and is more appealing to a diverse audience,” Dunfee said. “We want to grow the game of golf and we want players of all caliber – ladies, men, kids – to be able to enjoy the Cameron, regardless of handicap.”
The driving range replaces an old range that was cramped and required golfers to use reverse dimple balls that didn’t travel as far as regulation balls. In the years before the course switched to those balls, Dunfee said the range was often an “unsafe situation.”
“When you have a quality, standard course,” Dunfee said, “it’s really hard to grow the game when you have a substandard practice facility. We weren’t satisfied with it.”
The new range allows golfers to hit regulation balls without worrying about space restrictions, while providing a practice facility that encourages “shot-making,” Dunfee said, rather than simply hitting into the “wild blue yonder.”
There are four target greens located at distances of 100, 150, 200 and 250 yards. The facility also has several bunkers to give it “the look and the impression” of a real course. Trees and topographical features along the edges also add to the experience, Dunfee said.
“You think, ‘I’m hitting actual golf shots,’” Dunfee said.
Dunfee said Buffalo Hill now has a proper practice range to accommodate its “high-quality clinics and lessons.” His golf professionals are excited.
“They’re chomping at the bit to have a quality facility and get out there and teach,” he said.
The idea to build a new practice facility has circulated for years. Dunfee said coming up with an idea that would reshape the Cameron required input from numerous people, including the expertise of course superintendent Jon Heselwood. Buffalo Hill officials reached out to its members and the community in drafting a plan.
Buffalo Hill’s board approved a final plan in October. Flathead Valley Community College’s heavy machinery class spent the “winter moving dirt and working out there in the ice and cold snow.”
“Bill (Roope) and his class – they did a wonderful job for us,” Dunfee said.
Heselwood and other in-house management conducted work on both the Cameron and practice facility. Old Cameron’s holes 1 and 9, along with about half of hole 8 and half of the old driving range, became the new driving range. All other holes were modified and in some cases shortened except for 3, 4 and 5.
The project’s price tag is roughly $600,000. The regular 18-hole course was untouched.
“Even people who were against it are coming up to me and telling me they like it,” Dunfee said. “It’s really cool to see people happy about this.”
The Aug. 6 celebration will last all day, with a dedication ceremony at 11 a.m. and prizes, drawings and contests beginning at noon. Golf pros will be on hand to offer free tips and a barbecue is scheduled. There will also be a putting contest and a hole-in-one contest with a chance to win up to $10,000, Dunfee said.
“It’s been a tiring, long process,” Dunfee said, “that’s also been rewarding and educational.”