Some South Okanagan golf courses are dealing with Mother Nature’s unruly conditions from mudslides and snow still on the course to unwanted water features.
Typically open at the start of April, Twin Lakes Golf Course has tentatively set their opening to next week.
“It’s interesting. I have been here 15 years and I don’t think I have every seen this long of a winter,” said Kate Trahan, Twin Lakes general manager. “We don’t have all the crazy damage that some of the other courses have had, but all our melt is happening right now.”
Some snow was removed off the greens a week ago and staff have been busy building new tee boxes for Hole 9 that they will bring into play in the next month or so.
“All the greens are in pretty good condition. We are waiting for some new water features to dissipate right now. Really all we can do right now is wait for Mother Nature. Sometimes all this water can cause damage but we are up high in the mountains so once the sun hits us we dry out quite fast,” said Trahan.
Fairview Mountain Golf Club in Oliver suffered a mudslide on March 23, just one day after opening the full course. With the help of almost 60 volunteers they opened on April 5.
Penticton Golf and Country Club pro Guy Dow said current course conditions are great, however they did open on March 29 which is three weeks later than usual
“To be honest, I can’t recall the last time we opened so late. It was due to the weather conditions with the snow and it being cold. We were fortunate that it didn’t do any damage,” said Dow.