Few pastimes say 'spring is here' like a round of golf. (battlefordsNOW File Photo)

By Martin Martinson

Hittin' the Links

Battlefords and area golf courses tee off for spring season

May 2, 2024 | 5:59 AM

With the turn of the calendar to May, local golf courses around the Battlefords and area are teeing off for spring 2024, with strong turnouts kicking off the season in full swing.

North Battleford Golf and Country Club

At North Battleford Golf and Country Club, the course opened April 24, followed closely by their annual Spring Scramble Apr. 27-28, which featured an incredible 102 golfers this year.

“The golf course is in great shape for this time of year and everyone was excited to get golfing, so it’s been crazy busy for us which is awesome,” Director of Golf, Dana Johnson said.

“The numbers are probably about the same as years past, except this year we got off to a little earlier start. Everybody’s so anxious after the winter to get out and smack the golf ball around and play on the golf course, which is in pretty good shape for this time of year.”

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The turnout has been so good to start the year as Johnson said even a bit of a gloomy day Wednesday, which featured some rain here and there, didn’t deter a full tee sheet of golfers out on the course to take in a day on the links.

Jackfish Lodge Golf Course

Jackfish Lodge Golf Course opened for the season, on Apr. 26, and also hit the ground running last weekend, leading into what’s been another busy week.

“We seem to be up again,” general manager and golf director, Kyle Kellgren said of the turnout. “We were pretty full Saturday and Sunday for the first weekend, and we opened up a couple days earlier in April and we were full then too, so it’s a little more traffic than usual and we’re just getting excited getting into May here, to keep it going and have a great start to the year.”

Kellgren said between the constant flow of people coming out to take in a round or two, and the course condition itself, they couldn’t ask for a better start to the season.

“It’s been very busy, lots of people have been coming out, and the golf course has come through the winter probably the best I’ve seen in the 22 years I’ve been here, so definitely a fantastic start to the year,” he said.

Rustic Nine Golf Course Par 3

Getting set to open for the season Friday, Elaine Liebaert, who runs the Rustic Nine Golf Course Par 3 with her husband Victor, said this is generally about the time they usually open their doors for the season.

“Every year seems to be a little bit different, but our goal is usually around the first weekend in May, and this year our greens wintered really well, so everything’s looking pretty good out there,” she said.

In addition to several phone calls from people inquiring to book tee times for the opening weekend, Liebaert said they’ve also seen some real success this year with their newly-implemented website.

“It’s kind of exciting this year because we just had a website created, so now people can actually go on our website and book tee-off times that way,” she said, adding, “We’ve had numerous people [reaching out] already, anxious to get out there and get going.”

In addition to tee times, the Rustic Nine website also features information on upcoming artists coming to perform in the barn loft on the grounds, a new wrinkle added last year.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @MartyMartyPxP1