Aurora Chamber of Commerce’s annual Golf Tournament is enjoyed by dozens of networkers at picturesque and historical Westview GC

September 18, 2026 · 0 Comments

The Aurora Chamber of Commerce’s annual Golf Tournament was enjoyed by dozens of business owners and community members on Wednesday afternoon at Westview’s Middle and Homestead nines.

An ominous forecast of 90% rain did not transpire and a few cloudbursts only dampened the elevated, emerald fairways of Westview.

Long-time General Manager Michael Nisbet offered a topographical explanation for the salvaged tourney: “The varied elevations of the Moraine work in great ways. Often, the storms track north and south of the course and our tee times go ahead on schedule much as we saw at the Chamber’s tournament on Wednesday. The elevation helps us.”

Nisbet’s connections to the course and its nuances are evident. He’s a links lifer—representing the third generation of his family providing recreational golf experiences for tournament organizers such as the Chamber of Commerce: “It’s great to keep the Chamber’s tournament here in Aurora. We’ve been hosting it for six years.”

The Chamber’s annual tournament is one of many that Nisbet’s hospitality team coordinates every year.

“Wednesdays are set off as our event days. We hosted the Wicked Eats tournament earlier in the Summer. Next week, we’re hosting the York Regional Police tournament and we also enjoy hosting the Special Olympics kids on Sundays so they can come out and enjoy a round. It’s especially satisfying to see their parents enjoy a glass of wine on the patio and relax knowing that their kids are well looked after on the course. Our partnership with Special Olympics is in its fifteenth year.”

The beautiful 27-hole course—with its three distinct nines—plays host to an array of community groups and is in its sixty-eighth year of operation. It will provide over 8,500 rounds of golf in 2026 based on Nisbet’s rough calculation of “325 rounds per week for the 26 power weeks that we get per season.”

Of those 8,500 rounds, the welcoming General Manager suggested that many will be played by members of Westview’s Ladies’ League.

“We see ourselves as a community and have over 400 participants in the Ladies League which runs on Monday and Tuesday. Most of the ladies play nine and they enjoy their social time on the patio. We have 130 in our Men’s League on Thursdays where the guys tend to play eighteen holes.”

In addition to the satisfaction of building communities of golf enthusiasts, Nisbet noted that the best part of his job is “that there’s something different every day.”

“You don’t know what you’re going to see. Part of that is because we’re running three businesses here: the pro shop which is retail; the Cabin House, which is a restaurant; and the turf management side of the golf course which is like running a landscaping business. There’s always a new challenge every day. We have employees that have been with us for 25 years. Another interesting dynamic regarding our staffing is that Westview provides people with their first jobs and their last jobs. We employ students who pick up experience with their first job and so many return to us after they finish their school year, but we also employ many recently-retired people who are looking to stay active and have a final job.”

In addition to providing work for a range of employees from the surrounding area, Westview’s roots in the community run deep.

The golf course has a rich history and legacy.

Nisbet’s ancestry manifests itself above the farmhouse fireplace where a portrait of his grandfather, Colin “Pop” Nisbet is displayed proudly. Posthumously inducted into the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame in 2022 as a Builder, “Pop” developed and improved the neglected Aurora Golf and Country Club, renamed it Aurora Highlands, and, as his grandson recollects, “sold it in 1956 after establishing a foothold in the golf business.”

Nisbet, speaking in the farmhouse “Pop” purchased in 1955, explained how Westview remains his grandfather’s legacy.

“‘Pop’ bought 200 acres of farmland at Leslie and Vandorf in 1958 and looked out from what is now The Middle’s ninth hole tee deck – a great finishing hole – and saw the view all the way west to King Township, and named the course Westview. Homestead was opened to the public in 1958. Middle was built the following year, and Lakeland was opened in 1963. Homestead is popular with golfers who want to walk the course. Middle has the greatest elevation. Lakeland has the greatest number of hazards. By creating three nines, he created a variety of golfing experiences for local golfers. He wanted to make golf accessible to everyone. It’s been interesting to note that there’s been quite an uptick in demand to play only nine holes. We offer three kinds of nines for seniors, for example, who don’t want to play 18 anymore. As we approach our 75th year, we’ll put a book together to commemorate the course’s beginnings and its current community of golfers. It’ll be a coffee table book for people to enjoy.”

It was evident on Wednesday that dozens of Chamber tourney golfers enjoyed their round at Westview—rising to the challenges in the Middle and Homestead nines in Scramble teams.

They enjoyed their BBQ lunch at the turn, sponsored by Bruce Spragg, Re/Max Hallmark York Group Realty Ltd; partook in on-course contests including two Hole-In-One contests, sponsored by both Hickory Dickory Decks and McAlpine Ford; a fun golf ball challenge game, sponsored by Julien Laurion Real Estate; and a Putting Green challenge, sponsored by Key Advantage.

The networking golfers also experienced the divine powers of the Westview staff as they turned off the rain that threatened to turn the day into a squishy-sloshy event. They indulged in a libation from the beverage cart, sponsored by CleanRiver Recycling Solutions; enjoyed post-round refreshments and snacks on the patio sponsored by Rothman Real Estate/Samuel Sarick Ltd; and 25 lucky golfers walked away with prizes supplied by the many generous local businesses which donated gift certificates.

The Chamber and Westview offered golfers a memorable afternoon of networking, Scramble golf, and hospitality—a pleasant mid-week escape to count our blessings in mid-September and enjoy the nines that “Pop” Nisbet and his family built over sixty-five years ago.

By Jim Stewart