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Kwiniaska Golf Club, located along Spear Street, has a long history in Shelburne. The course was built by A. Bradford Caldwell in 1964, and has been owned by his daughter Bonnie Caldwell since 1992. As the current on-site owner (she lives next to the fifth hole) Caldwell bears witness to all of Kwiniaska's seasonal ups, downs, and in betweens.

As for the name, Kwiniaska, what does it mean? Caldwell explains. "It's an Abnenaki name, meaning ‘elbow in the river,' in this case, the bend in the LaPlatte River."

The season at Kwiniaska lasts approximately six months, roughly from April to October. If Mother Nature allows for plenty of sunshine, Caldwell mentions that July and August are the club's busiest months. She explained that the business is entirely weather driven, and that the past few years have been more damp than in years past.

Despite the fluctuations in weather, Kwiniaska has a steady stream of golfers, club members and the general public, who utilize the course on a daily basis. Caldwell notes that there is a core group of Shelburne golfers, a good number of players from Wake Robin, and that it is "nice to be a part of the community."

She said the membership is a diverse demographic, which offers an opportune schedule for playing on a not-so-crowded course. Caldwell went on to explain that the seniors often play during the week and the "working class" golfers tee off on weekends.

As far as the course itself, PGA golf professional and 17-year Kwiniaska employee Mike Bailey said the course is long and difficult. "It's the type of course that when you play it, it does not feel like you're playing the same course over and over," explained Bailey. He said the contributing factors of this are the wind, its changing direction, and that the course is long. "At Kwiniaska, you use every club in your bag, and there's a lot of different shots to play here."
Shelburne resident and nine-year Kwiniaska member John Madden agreed. Madden has played golf for 30 years and said, "I like Kwiniaska because it is a challenging golf course that never gets boring. I think that's why it's different than the other public courses in the area, because it allows you to hit every club in your bag. That makes it fun and it's never the same two times in a row: always a different course and a lot of fun to play."

Norbie Lavigne, member at Kwiniaska for almost 20 years, has a lot to say about golfing in Shelburne. "My first attraction to Kwiniaska was the course layout. It flows well from hole-to-hole yet with diversity that makes golf interesting. It is a player-friendly course. Also, Kwiniaska runs many events for their members such as the Presidents Cup, the Member/Guest, the Leagues, the Kwini Cup, Course Championship et al. These events are competitive in a really good atmosphere. I enjoy many of them each year. I also enjoy the other members as they are both competitive and friendly."

Another aspect of Kwiniaska that sets it apart from other golf courses is its "green" practices. Although the golf course utilizes pesticides and chemicals, they do so less often and very responsibly. "We are respectful of state spraying regulations," she explained.

After a round of golf, patrons can be found enjoying a cold beverage and a tasty meal in the clubhouse restaurant. Caldwell nots that the dining area offers a great selection of food in a casual atmosphere, one that the public, both golfers and non-golfers alike, are welcome to enjoy.

As the 2010 golfing season moves into high gear, Caldwell is hoping for plenty of sunshine and another good season at Kwiniaska, four decades after her father established the course. As I'm leaving this idyllic spot, I stop to admire the view of the fairways . It's easy to imagine the pleasure A. Bradford Caldwell had in developing the course, and how proud he would be of both the history he helped start over 40 years ago, and of his daughter Bonnie at the helm.