Golf in the Sand
The Yellowknife Golf Club is unique. It started as a 9-hole in June 1948. Before artificial turf, the greens were oiled. And the first clubhouse was a crashed DC-3 fuselage. It was in the era before a highway north was only a dream. One can golf late at night and early in the morning. On the weekend before the Solstice, June 16, 17, & 18; golf tournament games were played around the clock. Serious golfers, who visit Yellowknife, bring their golf clubs. Of course if you live in Yellowknife, (like we do) and you didn't bring your golf clubs, you rent clubs and play 9 or 18 holes. Elder Brown took a couple of hours on P-day to play 9 holes and I went along for the walk and to take pictures. (This club does have electric carts, but we always walk to golf. It is good exercise.)
https://yellowknifegolf.com/history/photo-gallery
When you rent the clubs, you are also getting a patch of artificial turf to play your ball. If you bring your own clubs, the golf club will rent you a patch of artificial turf.
Pick your ball. Yellow balls are the preferred color.
The tee is artificial turf.
Some tees are on the small side.
The first hole is a dog leg. The green is off to the right.
Getting ready to shoot the second shot.
The first green. There is a grass skirt around the green made of real grass.
The ball landed on the green and rolled off the back. And the grass mat is so stiff it is next to
impossible to get under the ball and chip it up to the green.
The green is a raised platform of sheared artificial turf, which they also sand. There wasn't break in the greens, just long and flat. And hard and smooth like a slab of concrete.
It doesn't show well, but the second tee was on a platform on top of a large outcrop of rocks. There were stairs going up to the platform.
The green is through the trees and even though he didn't particularly plan it, the ball went through the trees and landed near the green.
The second green was in the worst shape.This one all the grass is dead. How do you like the sand trap?
The irrigation must not be working. There is no lack of water in Yellowknife.
Some of the green maps have the tee at the top and the green at the bottom, and then again some were the reverse.
Other unique features:
This is not asphalt. It is a black rock, cart path.
The sand is deep in places.
We were glad for big fat buggy wheels on the walk cart.
This cup isn't being played today. Hope it is not in the way.
There are reminders everywhere that a raven could steal your ball.
Canadian trees also grab balls.
This is the rough.
The only water hazard. It was horizontal to the fairway.
There were different sponsors for facilities and different types.
This is an inukshuk at the course. It is the only one we have seen made of anything but rock.
The Inuit's would build inukshuk (in-ook-shook) to mark the correct path,or to lead others to a cache of food.
It has been too long since I posted a blog. I am going to try to
make them more often and not so long. So be expecting a couple more pretty
soon, until I get caught up.
Love, Sister Brown, Grandma, Mom and Robyn
