Golfers, less than 1 week 'til Christmas and some of us are feeling the stress of the season. Are you hustled and bustled out? Let's face it, the shopping, the wrapping, the making of lists and checking them twice? Well at Cordova Bay, we've got you all taken care of, just listen and see!

Now grab your clubs and head down for 18 or 9, just tell them you're shopping, they'll say, "take your time"! Or why not pop down to visit the range, it will surely help out with that Christmas strain! Have you still got a golfer left on your list? Let Jim and his gang, find that special gift....we totally insist! And when you're all done, and plum tuckered out, head to Bill Mattick's for some great food & fun. So there you have it, we've shown you good reason, that we'll always take care of you, no matter what be the season!

From all of us here at Cordova Bay, best wishes to each
and every one of you for a safe and
Happy Holiday!

Here's To More Great Golfing In 2006!

PRIORITEE MEMBERS!

2006 PRIORITEE MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS

Just a quick reminder that 2006 member renewals are now available...stop by the ProShop anytime to renew your membership for the 2006/07 golf season.

For those Player's Club Members who have requested to be placed on our waitlist for Prioritee Membership, you will be contacted by January 31st, 2006 with information regarding upgrading your membership status to Prioritee Membership.

Prioritee Members have until February 28th, 2006 to renew their membership so don't delay, hurry down to the ProShop today! If you have any questions regarding your membership, please do not hesitate to contact us by phone @ 658-4444!

Santa's favourite time of year has come and before your shopping list is done make sure you stop by the shop at Cordova Bay. We have items to make any golfer's Christmas Day!

From technical shirts to keep you dry and cool, to rainwear that you could wear in a pool! Ladies down vests to keep you warm, and jackets to get through winter's worst storm.

Still need a present and clothing won't do? Try a gift certificate for a lesson or two. How about a round of golf or a range key, these will be highlights under the Christmas tree!

We wish you a Happy Holiday Season and hope that the snow doesn't keep us away. But if this December ends up being white, Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!!!

(In conjunction with our Audubon Certification, we are pleased to share with you short feature each month on the numerous resident birds you will encounter when golfing here @ CBGC. This month, we bring you the Ring-Necked Pheasant)

Ring-Necked Pheasant
Phasianus colchicus

Length 21"
Wing Span 31"
Weight 2.5 lbs

Recently we have had a visitor at the golf course and he seems to have made himself at home. He is a beautiful Ring-Necked Pheasant. He was first spotted on the edge of the creek near the 10th tee. Lately he has been visiting us at the maintenance building. First he made himself comfortable on my car, and then he began hanging out in our plant holding area. He likes to hide out in the bamboo by the 17th pond. It seems that he is going to stick around and make the course his home. Hopefully a female or two will join him.

Ring-Necked Pheasants are larger than chickens and they have a long pointed tail. Males are much more striking than the females. Males have distinctive mottled brown plumage, flashy red eye patches, with a head that ranges in colour from brilliant green to purple hue. Females are mottled sandy brown, with a shorter tail, and they are often smaller.

Pheasant's native range is Asia. However they have been imported and released all over North America. They were originally imported so they could be hunted. Pheasants prefer farmlands, pastures, and grassy woodland edges. In spring they eat mostly a plant-based diet including wild berries, pine seeds, acorns, grains, and weed seeds. They will also feed on insects and sometimes snails. The adults are not long-lived birds. Males usually live for about 10 months and females 20 months.

Ring-Necked are polygamous and one male will mate with as many as 12 hens. Males establish large territories, which they will defend through vicious fighting with other males. Females nest on the ground in a shallow natural depression in grasses, hedgerows, grain fields or ditches. Nests are lined with grass and weeds. Sometimes two hens will lay eggs in the same nest. Up to 15 olive brown eggs are laid with incubation lasting 23-25 days by the female. Upon hatching young will leave the nest permanently and begin to feed on protein rich insects. They stay with mom for 6-7 weeks for protection and help finding food.

Hopefully our new friend will get himself a harem of ladies and we will have pheasants all around. Until this happens keep your eyes peeled for this beauty around #10-18 ponds and creek edges as well as the maintenance shop.

Happy Golfing and Merry Christmas!!!

Victoria golfers don't play snow golf. Even though the recent snowfall was expected it still is a jolt when it comes. A good two inches fell on the Ridge closing the course for that day and next.

We re-opened on 2 days later, but the afternoon brought more snow and colder weather forcing another closure.

Conditions improved enough to open on the next Sunday and then sunshine was out in full force come Monday morning, a nice way to start the week.

December is a busy time of year for most everyone as the Holiday season approaches. Our only event in December is the Candy Cane Open, a family event which will be held on Sunday Dec. 18th. If you don't get a chance to get out to Cordova Bay before Christmas then we would like to wish you all a very Happy Holiday season and we look forward to serving you again in the New Year.

The Ridge staff would like to acknowledge two special people who applied their trade at the Ridge Course over the past few seasons. Noni Ousey, who was in charge of the Cafe for two years, has moved on to a sales position with the North Douglas Food Systems. Donna Bell, who spent two earlier seasons here at the Ridge before moving to the Bay Course last spring, is moving on as well. Donna will be getting into the accounting field with KPMG, something she specialized in at university. Donna will also be getting married on Dec. 31st in her hometown of Prince George. Noni and Donna were two of the finest employees a company could ask for and we wish them both the very best in their new endeavors.