Mark Ahrens set to retire from Kawartha Golf Club

Mark Ahrens is ready to enjoy the back nine of life.

After 25 years as the head professional at Kawartha Golf Club the Don Mills native who has adopted Peterborough as his home is set to retire next month.

When Ahrens left Toronto’s Tam O’Shanter golf club in 1999 to replace Al Hosick, KGC’s head pro from 1968-98, he didn’t expect Peterborough to become his permanent home. He and wife Betty Anne, who worked for years in KGC’s pro shop, raised their boys Mitchell and Ryan here and built a home six years ago in Peterborough and moved his father Lyle here recently. Mitchell, 28, works for Darling Insurance and Ryan, 26, at Lifestyle Home Products.

Ahrens worked eight years at York Downs and three at Toronto Hunt Club before joining Tam O’Shanter for two and originally thought Kawartha would be a stepping stone but he and his family grew attached to the club and the area.

“You never think you’re going to leave Toronto as a Toronto kid,” said Ahrens. “When the kids were one and three we came here to check out Peterborough and thought, ‘Yeah, we could live here.’ I couldn’t imagine it working out any better. I’ve had the opportunity to go back to Toronto two or three times over my 25 years but we decided this was home.”

Ahrens, 58, wanted to retire while young and healthy. Four years ago he lost good friend Ian Webb – the former head pro at Peterborough Golf and Country Club – and more recently colleague Ken Tarling to brain cancer and that really hit home.

“I want to enjoy the back nine of life,” he said. “I’m going to be a member here and play some more golf and help out and do some volunteering in the city at some point. My dad’s health is first and foremost right now because he’s only got so much time. We hope to do some travelling. I’ll maybe do a little bit of teaching but I have no plans on that just yet. We’ll see how things go.”

In 201,3 Ahrens was the PGA of Ontario Head Professional of the Year. The same year he, Marc Savard and Marilyn Self teamed to win the Ontario Club/Pro Championship. He helped grow the club’s junior program which was a mandate when he was hired and has watched players like Sam Meek and his son Ryan go to the U.S. on golf scholarships.

He’s proud of the team he’s assembled over the years including current associate pro Blake Ulrich and Shana Kelly.

Club president Rob Elliott hopes to have someone in place by the end of the year. They have struck a committee of three to interview candidates and the job will be posted shortly.

“Mark has set a pretty high expectation,” said Elliott. “We love how he drove his customer service skills and the members really enjoyed that and we don’t want to take a step backwards on that. When Mark came here 25 years ago he came from York Downs which was more of a private club and he certainly understood what members expectations and service needs were. We want to maintain that with the new head professional. The good news is he’s built a strong team with Blake his associate professional and we brought in Shana and the members love her. We want to maintain what Mark spent 25 years building.”

“Mark has done a great job,” said KGC general manager Jamie Carter.

“His attention to detail is wonderful. He puts everything he has got into not only day-to-day but special events. No doubt Mark’s impact on the Invitational has been great as well as all other events we’ve hosted. His level of service delivery has made the members feel as though it’s their club.”