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Owning a golf course has always been on Norman Parent's bucket list.
"Who wouldn't want to own a golf course?" asked Norm facetiously.
"It's such a fun business and the best part is you can play the course whenever you want."
The course of which Norman speaks is 18-hole, 3,721-yard, par-63 Michaelbrook in Kelowna.
He bought the 53-acre property, including clubhouse, Brookside Grill restaurant and four-bedroom home, for an undisclosed amount with his brother, Neil, and their niece, Nadean Ostrom.
"It's a family business buying a family business," said Nadean.
"Tom and Betty Stanbrook did a great job as owners over the past eight years."
In fact, the property is in such good nick the new owners are keeping all 30 of the dedicated staff and the only changes planned are minor and cosmetic.
"We've discovered two hidden gems here -- the course and the employees," said Norman.
The new owners all played the course in the past and Michaelbrook has a loyal following of both local and visiting golfers.
However, Nadean want's to ramp up awareness.
"We'll definitely be doing more promotion," she said.
"We're tucked away in a rural setting, but we're also just off busy Gordon Drive beside the busy Mission Sports Fields and Mission Creek Greenway. We want more people to discover us for golf and lunch, dinner and coffee at our restaurant."
Michaelbrook is positioning itself as an affordable and approachable, flat, fast and walkable recreational course.
"Kelowna already has many high-end courses," said Neil.
"We're not a country club, but an executive-style course that's great for seniors, juniors and beginners, but also has enough challenges to test the more experienced golfer."
Neil and Nadean worked together at family business Pentar Homes, which is wrapping up operations after 47 years of custom and subdivision home building.
Norman is director of strategic initiatives at GRM property maintenance.
While they have a background in construction, they aren't planning to build homes around the golf course or redevelop it for housing.
Michaelbrook is protected by the Agricultural Land Reserve, meaning it can't be redeveloped to housing.
Green fees at Michaelbrook are $30 for nine holes and $42 for 18
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