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148 SASKATCHEWAN BY JERRY ROUSSEAU Cypress Hills: Saskatchewan's Kananaskis If you've spent time in or have heard tales of Kananaskis' majesty, you know the title of this article makes a bold comparative. The Kananaskis Valley located in the Canadian Rockies near Banff offers world class golf, skiing, fishing, camping, hiking, vistas, wildlife... everything the Canadian Pacific Railroad posters promised 100 years ago. Still if you were airdropped blidfolded into the Cypress Hills Inter-Provincial Park, the perfectly spaced lodgepole pine trees inter-mixed with fescue grasslands would give the impression you were closer to Fortress Junction in Kananaskis than Saskatoon... especially if one of the resident moose rumbles by. Canada's only interprovincial park is located about an hour southeast of one of only a handful of places in present day Canada not flattened by the last glacial episode 120,000 years ago. As well Cypress Hills form a water divide meaning they separate rivers draining into the Gulf of Mexico from those draining into Hudson Bay. All this means it's not only unique geologically and geographically, it's unique ecology and climatically. "The Cypress Hills is an island of forest in the dry prairies," according to the University of Lethbridge. It's also a place that is famous for being home to an amzing variety of orchids. 120,00 years later that forest is home to 13 campgrounds, day areas, playgrounds, a small lake, beach, paddle boats and kayaks, fishing, nature trails, horse-back riding, interpretive viewpoints, swimming pool, full resort hotel with cabins and townhouses and perhaps most importantly, a great golf course. INTINIDATING HAZARD ON THE MINI GOLF LAYOUT AN Medicine Hat and straddles the Alberta and Saskatchewan borders. Really the Cypress Hills at 4816' aren't true mountains but they are the highest point in Canada east of the Rockies and west of theLabrador peninsula. Composed of alluvial rock, the area is Continued from previous page Seven Days here in Katepwa decided they wanted to have a nice grass greens golf course," Metzler said about the change and eventual removal of those cool 'carts'. While there aren't any cars on the course anymore, there are plenty of other things to tickle your fancy on the track that Paterson , who still participates in all- night poker games and received a speeding ticket last year for doing 60km/h in a fifty zone, couldn't exactly say when the course started up but did say, "It's been there awhile." My first experience in 'The Park' as The golf course has been in existence longer than people can remember. 97 year old, sharp-as- they-come local resident Meda plays to a variety of pars dependent on which set of tees you choose to play, ranging from 2,508 yards to the back 3,174 yards. What makes this course really fun, and challenging, are the constant elevation changes one encounters. "It is a little bit unique in Saskatchewan to have a course that isn't flat," Metzler pointed out. "That's an attraction. We're FAMILY FRIENDLY CYPRESS HILL GOLF COURSE everyone calls it was on a camping trip in the mid-nineties. I was completely surprised to find a very well routed, out-of place for the prairies, 9-hole, Mt. Lorette reminiscent golf course with astro-turf greens and cowboy hats everywhere. Landing a ball on the fake grass was more like hitting into a paved parking lot but it beat the sand greens of old. One of the best parts was that unlike the plains below, the mosquito situation was almost non-existent. A few years later, professionally designed and built greens complexes were installed by well-known local shaper Garth Keays and the 3362 yard, par 36 course officially became awesome. There was controversy with a few local ranchers who were concerned the new greens would use up too much life-sustaining water that trickles down the hills to the surrounding plains but a negative was quickly turned into a positive by installing an effluent irrigation system. Everyone was happy, especially Park staff who this spring, asked the course to fire up the system early this year so they could get rid of a larger than expected volume of the gray water. Current owner/operators Gary 'Church' Churchill and his wife Marilyn have been at the Cypress Hills Golf Course for the last two seasons and according to local rancher/ member Bob Black, the Churchills have been working hard to bring the course up a notch. Both Church and Black also give a lot of credit to former superintendent lucky enough to have the lake to draw our water from for irrigation, so the fairways are always lush and the greens are always in good shape. It's kind of like a little sanctuary in here." Besides those highlights, this layout boats four sets of tees, something unusual for a nine-holer. "We have four sets of tee boxes," confirms Metzler. "Many people that go out, and aren't Doug Coroy, who is now looking after the course in Bow Island but still does some consulting for Cypress Hills and neighbouring Maple Creek Golf Course. With Marilyn looking after things inside, Gary spends a lot of hours following Coroy's instructions but still finds time once a week to play in men's night. "We'll see 45-60 out ," he says, "and there's a loyal following of ladies as well." Like many smaller operations, it's difficult to keep up with aging infrastructure. Investing in newer and better amenities and equipment to keep the course and facility in good shape is even more difficult but the Churchill's seem to have the right philosophy and work ethic and are making progress. Also the course fits in perfectly with the park as a family place... inexpensive and one of the friendliest atmospheres you will ever encounter. These days it can be important to book a tee time. According to Church, between 190,000 and 210,000 people visit the park each year and many of them find their way up the hill and past the mini-golf and snack bar to play a little real golf. To find this hidden gem, turn south off Highway #1 at Maple Creek, head south for another 30 minutes to Cypress Hills for an experience you won't forget. For more inforamtion, visit www.cypresshills.com. terrific golfers, can still enjoy being out there. For reservations at the Katepwa Beach Golf Club, which is about 45 minutes east of Regina, call the club at 306-332- 2582 because even if they don't have those cool old cars to drive around in, the fun of the game is still in full swing here. Or visit www.golfkatepwa.com. ALL IMAGES CREDIT JERRY ROUSSEAU