Really, what are the chances grass on the greens, kept as short as it is, could possibly survive such terrible conditions?
As it turns out, chances aren’t just good, they’re positively incredible. Just take the Lynbrook Golf Club as an example.
The 18-hole course layout opened tee-to-green this week – yes, tee-to-green – with the greens themselves looking to be in mid-summer shape despite weathering one of the coldest winters in recent memory.
“They wintered really, really well,” said Lynbrook pro shop manager Dwight Bearchell. “I guess there was enough snow that they didn’t get hurt really bad and they’re in great shape. It’s looking really, really good…. They dress them in the winter before things happen and those tarps they put on over top, they work to have a little greenhouse effect. So they’re in amazing shape.”
Bearchell said even greens superintendent Owen Morhart was surprised just how good of shape things were in once the tarps came off.
“And I was surprised, too, I just went out and did a little tour it might have been a little cool out but things are looking really good,” Bearchell said. “We have no water accumulation, usually in the spring of the year on No. 2 and No. 4, there’s a bit of water off to the sides but it’s really good this year, too.”
Players were wasting no time hitting the links, with the course itself seeing a steady stream of early birds taking advantage of the fortuitous conditions. That’s on top of the driving range, which on Friday afternoon was lined with people taking some of their first swings of the season.
“We’ve already had people trickling in here because they’ve been bottled up all winter, so they’re getting their memberships and hitting balls,” Bearchell said. “You could hardly get on the range last Sunday, there were people everywhere.”
The main tournament schedule for the season has already been set, with the Senior Men’s on June 19, Canada Day and Civic Holiday tournaments on July 1 and Aug. 5, the Club Championship on Aug. 17-18, 49th Annual Women’s Rosebowl on Aug. 21-22, Labour Day tournament on Sept 1-2 and the return of the Carl Jorgenson Par-27 Classic on Sept. 7-8.
For tee times and more information, be sure to call the Lynbrook pro shop at 306-692-2838 or check out www.lynbrookgolf.org.
