Why the start of a bye week is the only reason for Ottawa Redblacks to celebrate an anniversary
Expectations are that Dru Brown will start at quarterback and the coaching staff will be intact when the free-falling Ottawa Redblacks return from their bye week to host the surprise team of the CFL, the Calgary Stampeders, on the last night of July.
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But while it's believed Brown will bounce back from the controversial head shot he received in Sunday's loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the overall health of the Redblacks is not good.
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Monday marked the one-month anniversary of the team's first, last and only win of the season, a 20-12 victory in stormy conditions on June 21 at Calgary's McMahon Stadium
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Since last season's promising 8-3-1 start, they are 2-11, or 2-12 counting the 20-point beating they took from the Toronto Argos in the East Division semifinal.
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And despite an organizational belief in Bob Dyce, the Redblacks are 15-31-1 since he took over as head coach from the fired Paul LaPolice late in the 2022 season.
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Likely needing to go 7-4 or 8-3 when they return from their bye, Ottawa's chances of making the playoffs are in grave condition after what Dyce termed 'critical errors' that stacked up in their 30-15 loss to the Tiger-Cats.
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He cited three examples:
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Having to settle for a field goal after Adarius Pickett intercepted a Bo Levi Mitchell pass on the first play of the fourth quarter and gave Ottawa the ball on the visitors' 24-yard line while trailing 20-12;
The decision by American return specialist Easop Winston Jr. to run a punted ball out of the end zone, and making it only as far as the Ottawa one, rather than concede a single point;
Allowing Mitchell to find Kiondre Smith for a 63-yard bomb to the Redblacks' three after 'our deep players don't play deep enough' on a second-and-18 situation.
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'We talk about maximizing opportunities … it's the critical situations,' said Dyce. 'I believe we have a talented team, and that's why I'm optimistic about the future. But at the same time, you've got to be able to perform at critical times.'
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Dyce thinks so.
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'It's almost good for them to get out of here and enjoy their family,' he said of the players. 'No different than we will as coaches. It's time for introspection, right? We've got to identify what our challenges are, and they've got to identify what their challenges are. All of us together have put us in this situation, and the only way we're going to get out is with all of us as well.'
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Peter Godber, the veteran Canadian centre the Redblacks signed as a free agent in the offseason, is expected to be among many players returning from the lengthy injury list when the team tries to get it right in its return to action against the 5-1 Stamps on July 31.
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St. Charles golf club turns back clock to restore legendary architects' original visions for Winnipeg course
Tucked into a deep bend of the Assiniboine River in a western corner of Winnipeg is hallowed ground. It's where legendary golf-course architects Alistair MacKenzie, Donald Ross and later, Stanley Thompson protégé Norman Woods carved out their vision for golf excellence on the Canadian Prairies — three distinct nine-hole layouts, two of which date back to roughly a century ago, that make up St. Charles Country Club. But St. Charles, a private enclave established in 1904 that was then situated well beyond a bustling city's boundaries, had in recent years reached the point where a refresh was needed. SUPPLIED Historical shot of St. Charles clubhouse. SUPPLIED Historical shot of St. Charles clubhouse. At the most basic level, it needed to replace a failing irrigation system. More importantly, it needed to maintain its reputation as the pre-eminent golf club in Manitoba. That meant preserving its rich history — St. Charles is the only club in the world blessed to have the fingerprints of both Ross and MacKenzie on its fairways — while preparing for the future. The club's ambitious plan was approved in 2019 and work started in 2022, with renowned restoration expert Jim Urbina tasked with drawing up the blueprint. A number of different ideas and proposals were considered, but ultimately St. Charles opted to go with restoring the MacKenzie and Ross nines and doing a total revamp of the Woods nine that is being implemented with a heavy influence of Thompson, a Canadian golf architectural legend. MIKE PETERS PHOTO St. Charles Country Club was established in 1904. At the time, it was situated miles away from the city of Winnipeg's edge. MIKE PETERS PHOTO St. Charles Country Club was established in 1904. At the time, it was situated miles away from the city of Winnipeg's edge. 'We were fortunate to be gifted two nines from two of the greatest architects to ever design golf courses in golf history, so it made sense to go with an homage to Thompson,' said Cory Kartusch, who is the director of golf and COO at St. Charles Country Club. 'At the club, we feel that because we were gifted this, it's our duty to preserve it and celebrate it, as opposed to changing it.' Closing nine holes at a time brought a few challenges, but it was for the betterment of the project — more than $13.5 million has been invested since 2022 — and the rewards are now being enjoyed, with the ultimate payoff right around the corner. Urbina admits he was skeptical initially. When the American restoration expert was first approached about getting involved with a multimillion-dollar project at St. Charles, Urbina wasn't convinced MacKenzie had embarked on any projects in Canada. But after doing his due diligence and confirming Winnipeg was in fact home to the only nine holes MacKenzie — whose most famous credits include Augusta National in Georgia, the annual home of the Masters, and Cypress Point and Pasatiempo in California — had designed in Canada, Urbina got excited about the prospect. SUPPLIED MacKenzie's sketch of the nine-hole plan. St. Charles is the only Canadian course designed by the legendary architect. SUPPLIED MacKenzie's sketch of the nine-hole plan. St. Charles is the only Canadian course designed by the legendary architect. 'I came here with the intent of finding out if you really had a MacKenzie golf course,' Urbina said during a recent fireside chat at St. Charles. 'I'm always skeptical.' Several discussions with people from the MacKenzie Society, a non-profit organization devoted to locating, identifying and protecting material related to the legendary architect, got Urbina's juices flowing — though that came with a caveat. 'They said it looked nothing like a MacKenzie golf course,' he said. Harsh as that sounded, Urbina travelled to Winnipeg to see the property for himself, viewed historical aerial and ground-level photos and began to envision the restoration possibilities. SUPPLIED The fourth hole of the original MacKenzie layout in 1931. SUPPLIED The fourth hole of the original MacKenzie layout in 1931. 'It was the only Alistair MacKenzie course in Canada, so why would you want to wipe it off the map?' Urbina asked rhetorically. 'My favourite part (of the project) is showing what you always had.' Work began in 2022 and focused on several key areas: the restoration of the bunkering as it was originally intended, plus the addition of bent grass for fairways, greens and tee boxes, along with an improved irrigation system. Fairways were widened to help improve shot variety and five bunkers were restored between the second and fifth holes, enhancing the visuals and providing some additional hazards — and challenges. The greens were restored to their original size, preserving the contours from the 1928 design. 'My problem is that I'm in love with golden-age designs,' said Urbina. 'I'm not going to modernize it.' On the MacKenzie nine, Urbina also restored the third hole to its original form, making it a short par-4 that offers ample temptation, when considering the risk and reward elements that accompany it. Given the technological advancements in clubs and golf balls, there's often debate over whether other changes should be incorporated into a restoration. Complicating matters is the fact club membership is comprised of a wide range of golfers when it comes to ability and distance, so keeping everyone happy is nearly impossible — even with multiple sets of tee boxes. MIKE PETERS PHOTO The restoration of the Alistair MacKenzie nine included returning the bunkering to what was originally envisioned. MIKE PETERS PHOTO The restoration of the Alistair MacKenzie nine included returning the bunkering to what was originally envisioned. That's why Urbina kept the bunkers in their original spots, rather than try to adjust for modern yardages. 'Who am I to decide what you should be able to do? My job is to restore the golf course to the best of my ability. To a fault, almost,' he said. 'That's the tough part in restoring a golf course. It's not my job to start changing the paint-by-numbers. I don't start changing numbers or changing colours. I give you what you had. ' The MacKenzie nine reopened in 2023 and has matured nicely since. The second wave of the project stuck with the theme of restoration on the nine holes designed by Donald Ross, who is known for his work on Pinehurst No. 2, Seminole and Oak Hill in the U.S. and has 18-hole designs in Manitoba at Pine Ridge Golf Club and Elmhurst Golf and Country Club. SUPPLIED Ross's original drawing of the fifth hole. SUPPLIED Ross's original drawing of the fifth hole. This restoration leg also included significant bunker work to go with the installation of bent grass and an improved irrigation system. Some re-routing of the fifth, sixth and seventh holes also brought back the original vision laid out by Ross. The fifth hole is now a par-4, rather than a sharp left-to-right dogleg par-5, while the seventh hole has reverted back to a right-to-left dogleg par-5. Sandwiched in between is a challenging par-3. 'Recreating the ground green on No. 5 of the Ross; taking out the silly dogleg left seventh hole and returning it back to how Ross initially had drawn it. That wasn't my idea. That was Ross's idea,' said Urbina. 'I just simply put it back, so now members are playing the fifth, sixth and seventh holes as Ross had intended. That was the fun part.' The Ross nine reopened for play in late spring of 2024. St. Charles is nestled in a bend of the Assiniboine River in west Winnipeg. (Google Earth) The final leg of the project is the renovation of the Woods nine, named after Norman Woods, who worked closely with Thompson. Overseeing this project is Riley Johns, who worked with Urbina as a shaper for the MacKenzie and Ross restorations. Johns oozes enthusiasm and has closely studied Thompson's work, which includes 144 courses in Canada beginning in the 1910s. The Thompson influence was evident during a tour of the final nine holes that are under construction. Transforming the Woods nine with a distinct Canadian character is something in which Johns takes great pride. 'I kind of leaned towards doing something different — let's not make this gimmicky and let's just let this thing be its own character in this trio here,' said Johns, who is from Canmore, Alta., and grew up playing the classic Thompson courses at Banff Springs and Jasper. 'Being a huge Stanley Thompson fan, having played many of his golf courses and studied his best, I thought we should do something that was more paying homage to (Thompson). Let's cherry-pick his bunker style from the late 1920s.' For the majority of St. Charles members and guests, the Woods nine was the least favourite of the trio, which is why it's undergoing a more extreme makeover. KEN WIEBE / FREE PRESS The Woods nine, currently under construction, will feature elements favoured by architect Stanley Thompson. KEN WIEBE / FREE PRESS The Woods nine, currently under construction, will feature elements favoured by architect Stanley Thompson. The revamped nine will make excellent use of the 55 acres and will play as a par-35, with five sets of tees that can play 3,301 yards from the farthest tees. Since this layout is being overhauled rather than restored, it will give the club three distinct layouts that offer consistency in terms of quality, but the variety of having the influence of three genius designers on the same property. The aim is for St. Charles to eventually be considered among the premier golf and country clubs in the country. 'Having an Alistair MacKenzie golf course and a Donald Ross golf course right next to you certainly ups the ante,' said Johns of his redesign. 'We knew the course had to at least be in the conversation and stand on its own two feet with these two (other) amazing courses the club has. That was the starting point. 'The next thing is, how do we make this course function? We started to dissect the constraints. Drainage, safety, corridor width and pond size. It was all an issue. The course was broken. There was no patching it together. It was a full remodel, a complete blow-up, shake the Etch-a-Sketch and start over. There were a lot of concerns.' MIKE PETERS PHOTO The fifth, sixth (above) and seventh holes have been returned to the original Ross layout. MIKE PETERS PHOTO The fifth, sixth (above) and seventh holes have been returned to the original Ross layout. Those concerns will be alleviated, thanks to the creativity of Johns and his partner Keith Rhebb. Reshaping the elevation on a number of holes will be visually pleasing and provide better drainage. Bentgrass fairways, tees and greens will be consistent to the MacKenzie and Ross nines, while reconstructed ponds with soft edges will retain more water and present a more natural look. As part of the design, the third and fourth holes will be shorter risk/reward par-4s that feature ample landing area but also potential for bigger numbers with a wayward tee shot or approach. 'No. 3 is probably the one I'm most excited to see come to fruition and play,' Johns said. 'There's a bunker right in front, kind of obscuring the green below. It conceals the land between the bunker and the green and it compresses the land form. There's a deception to it. We started carving bunkers into the old green complex and it really started to come to life. We added a bunker in the back. 'It's a driveable par-4 for the long hitters, it depends on the wind. You're going to have to shape your shot in there.' Johns figures the degree of difficulty for the hole could be raised further in match-play situations, depending on what happens with the first tee shots that are hit in the group. 'If someone goes for it and they get it on the green, everyone else has to kind of follow suit,' he said. 'Those are my favourite holes, the one that forces everyone else to do what the player in front of him just did. I really love the concept of not knowing where your ball has come to rest, but knowing that you hit a good shot. 'As members play this hole more and more and more, they get that feeling 'that's a good one.' So there's an excitement factor of coming around the edge and seeing your ball a foot away from the pin, there's going to be a lot of those scenarios. The reveal.' The yet-to-be named nine — which is almost ready for seeding — is tentatively scheduled to open in late spring of 2026. Another addition to the St. Charles restoration project is the Sitwell Short Game Area, an awe-inspiring space that features a putting course with sweeping undulation sprawled over 35,000 square feet to go along with two other greens that can be used for chipping, wedge play and bunker shots. MIKE PETERS PHOTO The Sitwell Short Game Area is a new addition at St. Charles Country Club which features a putting course that sprawls over 35,000 square feet. MIKE PETERS PHOTO The Sitwell Short Game Area is a new addition at St. Charles Country Club which features a putting course that sprawls over 35,000 square feet. Inspired by the 12th green at Sitwell Park Golf Club in Sheffield, England (a course also designed by MacKenzie), Johns came up with the concept that utilized an untapped area of the property that was used for the collection and storage of grass clippings and trimmed branches. With a scenic view of the Assiniboine River in the background, it's now the equivalent of an amusement park for golfers. It opened for members on July 1. 'It's safe to say that most people who have visited the place are quite blown away,' Kartusch said. 'We were fortunate to have that piece of land available and fortunate to have Riley and his vision for the area. It's far beyond what many would have envisioned for that area. We're very lucky.' MIKE PETERS PHOTO With putting greens and chipping areas, the Sitwell Short Game Area is the equivalent of a golfer's amusement park. MIKE PETERS PHOTO With putting greens and chipping areas, the Sitwell Short Game Area is the equivalent of a golfer's amusement park. Being able to showcase the golf course and its amenities on a national and global stage is something St. Charles has done since its inception. In 2028, the course is committed to hosting the Canadian women 's amateur golf championship. Don't be surprised to see St. Charles welcome back the top women's professionals from the LPGA Tour in one of the years that follow. Should it occur in 2030, that would mark the 20-year anniversary of Michelle Wie winning the CN Women's Open at St. Charles. SUPPLIED St. Charles hosted the 1957 Canadian Amateur championship. With its restoration project nearing completion, it hopes to attract more national and international events. SUPPLIED St. Charles hosted the 1957 Canadian Amateur championship. With its restoration project nearing completion, it hopes to attract more national and international events. The Golden Bear, Jack Nicklaus, participated in the Champions Tour event at St. Charles in 2000 and that's just one of many events that's been hosted there. 'The club is always looking to host national championships and we're always on the lookout for the possibility of events happening at the club,' Kartusch said. Seeing the project in the home stretch — and knowing what is on the horizon — is exhilarating for Kartusch. 'It's super satisfying because it's been a long process for our membership,' he said. 'Their commitment and dedication to this process is finally showing itself. 'For it to be coming to an end and getting back to a 27-hole golf course and being fully functional from a service and experience perspective will be a nice treat for everybody.' X and Bluesky: @WiebesWorld Ken WiebeReporter Ken Wiebe is a sports reporter for the Free Press, with an emphasis on the Winnipeg Jets. He has covered hockey and provided analysis in this market since 2000 for the Winnipeg Sun, The Athletic, and TSN. Ken was a summer intern at the Free Press in 1999 and returned to the Free Press in a full-time capacity in September of 2023. Read more about Ken. Every piece of reporting Ken produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
