Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/130253
5/9/13 9:24 AM Page 1 FROM THE FRINGE BY GORD MONTGOMERY The Sun Is Always Shining On Yellowknife's Midnight Tournament Trust me, this golf tournament isn't for the faint of heart or for those looking for an easy round to boost their ego - but it is a must-do for any player who likes a challenge. Undoubtedly the Yellowknife (NWT) Golf Course isn't the prettiest 18-hole track you've ever seen but at the same time it has the best lie for every shot, every time, that you'll ever see. That fact was played out time and time again at the club's biggest event of the season, the Midnight Golf Tournament and we "outsiders" that teed it up to play under the Midnight Sun found the course is, if nothing else, somewhat of a nightmare for the short gamechallenged among us. You see, while the course plays to a par 71, few if any make that number, unless of course your name is Dave Barr and you're a Canadian golfing legend and one of two celebrity guests at last year's edition of the play-all-night tourney. Barr or "Barrman" as he was referred to by Bob Panasik, the other noted guest on hand (and also a Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member), carved out a 69 on a course short on grass but long on dust and sand. So out of a scenario like that, how do you always end up with a "perfect lie" PERFECT LIES ARE GUARANTEED ON THESE FAIRWAYS even in the bushes and rocks along the course? Well, that's simple. You see, here you carry your fairway with you — a chunk of plastic grass that you dig down into the sand base to build the perfect lie and angle for your upcoming shot. Sounds helpful but really, that's only part of your problems. Shots here are basically all carry. There is no bumpand-run to the game because when the ball hits terra firma here it stops — dead. And unless you can spin the ball big-time on the artificial green putting surfaces you're going to have a hard time making par, or in many instances, even putting for par. That, Head CPGA Pro Gordon Brayton says, is what makes the Yellowknife Golf Course, the northern-most 18 hole course in the country, so demanding, so intriguing and yes, so much fun to play. That this tournament is so unique, and fun, is shown by the fact Barr and Panasik came in to play as well as conduct a clinic beforehand. The tournament has been in operation for 25 years and continues to grow in popularity. Through that, it helps grow tourism in the area, he noted. "It brings people together," echos Gerard LePrieur, the outgoing executive director for Northwest Territories Tourism. "For Canadian North airlines this is one of their major events. For the golf course, it brings money in to pay for the infrastructure and to raise money for junior golf as well." While the course conditions catch many people by surprise, LePrieur feels they, along with the weather, are a truly unique characteristic of the Northwest Territories in the summer. "The impression is that it's a cold place and it's cold all year long," he said. "That's wrong. In the summer it's dry, it's like a desert. We do get a little rain now and then, but it's dry here. Temperatures here are generally around 30 degrees (C)." "From a tourist standpoint, this event is great," Brayton confirms. "This tournament is on many people's bucket list; to come out and play nine holes at midnight. Our yearly average for players in the tournament is ASSISTANT PGA PROFESSIONAL around 240, 250 people." COLE MARSHALL LETS RIP WITH A DRIVE DURING 2011'S MIDNIGHT GOLF CLASSIC. The Midnight Golf Tournament goes off in four draws, noon, 6 p.m. 11:45 p.m. the first day and then at 7 a.m. the second day. One of those brave enough to battle the course, and yes, the mosquitoes which are always happy to see fresh THE ARTIFICIAL GREENS meat, was Donna HERE WILL TEST THE NERVES OF EVEN THE BEST PLAYERS. Matthews from Saskatoon, SK. She, like others, purchased her entry into the general public in their event. tourney through a charity auction and felt what she spent was worth every As for first appearances, well, never cent simply for the experience."It's judge a book by its cover or a course awesome! It's so interesting, so different by its colour. "People are at first a little from what I imagined," she began. "I shocked with what they see," Couvrette thought we'd be ricocheting our balls conveniently understated. "They truly off of rocks and stuff. I had no idea it do get the full golfing experience here would be sand – so much sand!" and we're happy with that." Of course, there were two hall of famers As for golfing under the midnight sun, playing the course as well, and they it's something everyone should both came away expressing delight experience at least once, the club with being involved. This was Barr's first president said in conclusion. "It is quite time in Yellowknife while Panasik was an experience. It's not really the midnight on his second go-round. "I'm basically sun – we do have a bit of dusk and blown out of the water," Barr said about dawn but people can still go around the course. "It's a unique experience and experience this all night." hitting off astro-turf and keeping the Ah yes, Yellowknife, Northwest ball on the greens was a real challenge. Territories — an area so aptly described I didn't know what to expect here and by Robert Service so long ago when he I got lucky to shoot a 69." penned, "There are strange things done Panasik raved, "You don't realize how in the midnight sun," likely never great the north is until you experience realizing that sentiment now includes it," he stated. "The golf course keeps a golf tournament that is a totally you alert. I've played in a lot of Pro/Am's unique, wonderful experience. and this has got to be one of the best About the writer: Gord Montgomery is two-day events I've ever been in!" the sports editor of two weekly The president of the Yellowknife Golf newspapers in the Edmonton area. He Club, Andy Couvrette, said the has written for Inside Golf for the past tournament is one of a string of events six years with the majority of his the area hosts in order to draw visitors coverage in north and central Alberta. to their area and he's proud of how H e c a n b e r e a c h e d a t well the club, and course, host the noraltagolf@gmail.com. IMAGES CREDIT GORD MONTGOMERY iG1304--proof 49