MANITOUWADGE -- After a tough start at the Manitouwadge Golf course due to damage by the harsh winter, snow mold, rogue ATVers mutilating parts of the green, and the postponement of the SMHT ‘Fit Happens’ tournament, amongst other things, the grass is finally looking greener on this side of the fence.
This weekend, the Manitouwadge Community Services department will host two golf tournaments geared toward the younger folks in town.
Grades four to eight students can participate in the Junior Golf Tournament on Wednesday, Aug. 3. The tournament starts at 1 and runs until 3 p.m. The $5 entry fee ($10 for non-members) include chips and a drink.
Participants completing the three-hole competition will be entered into a door prize draw. There will be other fun events as well, including a contest to guess how many golf balls there are in the bowl. The person with the closest guess will win a Nalgene Water Bottle.
A new activity at this tournament is a ‘Marshmallow drive’ contest, which entails using a super-sized marshmallow in place of a golf ball. “This is an added fun thing we’re trying out. We want the youth to come and have fun on the course,” says Nicki Chik, community services programmer.
The older kids, grades nine to 12, get their chance on the green on Saturday, Aug. 6, starting at 10 a.m. A "Two Person Best Ball" format will be followed for the course’s full nine holes. Participants can also play a round of Golf Pong, in which players chip balls into buckets, with prizes of Nalgene water bottles waiting to be won! Prizes will also be awarded for guessing the number of tees in a bowl.
The entry fee for this level is $15 for members and $25 for non-members. Golf cart rentals are available for $25, plus tax, for players 16 and up. A hot dog lunch is included in the price.
To register for either of the Junior Golf Tournaments, contact Ryleigh at specialevents@manitouwadge.ca.
All of the prizes and awards for these two tournaments were generously donated by local businesses, including Manroc, Brett Redden, Canadian PGA Professional, Moosetrax, 2 Doors Down, Home Hardware, Best Friends Bakery, and Village Pizzeria.
There’s more golfing fun in store this summer! Don’t forget to mark your calendar for Sept. 3, the new date for the Santé Manitouwadge Health Team Annual Golf Tournament Fundraiser and dinner! Entries close on Aug. 24. For more details on this event, see their Facebook page.
And of course, if you’re not into tournaments, the golf course is open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and weekends from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. More information is available on the Township of Manitouwadge website, or by calling (807) 826-4265.
So, get out there, have a great round, and keep it in the fairway.