Jan. 31 will be a big day for golf in the Owen Sound area.

That’s the day Stone Tree Golf and Fitness Club officially takes over the former Owen Sound Golf and Country Club.

Financial trouble in recent years forced the 91-year-old Owen Sound club into receivership in the summer and it was sold in October to Kinsale Investment Limited.

Shortly after the sale the Richmond Hill-based company indicated it was interested in having someone else operate the course.

The recently-announced sale only involves the golf course and Kinsale will retain about 195 acres of property surrounding the course, including the driving range.

“We are home builders, not golf course managers,” Kinsale president Ed O‘Brien said in a prepared statement. “We have spent the past two months carefully exploring our options going forward with the golf course. We decided the best option for the golf course was to team-up with Stone Tree.

“Stone Tree has a superb track record as one of the best courses in the region. Existing members of the former Owen Sound club and the golfing community in general, can rest assured that the application of Stone Tree's expertise will be very positive as this club moves into a new era,” he said.

While many details have yet to be worked out, Stone Tree Director of Operations Michael Todd said the Owen Sound course will be ready for play in the spring.

A new name is to be announced in early February.

“We haven't settled on a name yet,” said Todd, “but we are very close. We are looking at a name that will reflect the long history of the club, but at the same time demonstrates a new and positive image.”

Todd, who will manage both facilities, is confident the dual-ownership situation will lead to cost savings and efficiencies that will help return the club to profitability.

“This purchase means that we will be in a position to apply our expertise and experience to the former Owen Sound club, to return it to a viable – in fact – a profitable operation. One of our major principles at Stone Tree,” he said, “is continuous improvement. Our golfers often mention that as one of the major reasons they golf here.”

“You can be assured we will apply that principle to the newly acquired course as well.”

While membership details are still being worked out, Todd said the price of a full membership at the former Owen Sound club will be under $2,000 and there will be other categories with different rates.

All members will have full playing privileges at Stone Tree and unlimited use of the club’s driving range. The only difference is three-day advance booking privileges versus the 7-day privileges available to Stone Tree members.

Stone Tree members will also be able to play the former Owen Sound club “5 or 6 times” during the season at half the price of the posted rate, Todd said.

With the sale closing on Jan. 31, Stone Tree won’t be in a position to sell memberships at the former Owen Sound club until Feb. 1.

Stone Tree is a unit of Balnar Management Ltd. of Guelph, Ontario.