By CHAT News Today

Golf courses preparing to open after long winter

Apr 11, 2018 | 5:04 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — After what felt like an endless winter, warmer weather is on the way.

And with the warm weather, golf courses in the city have opened up or are in the final steps of opening to the public.

On Tuesday, Paradise Valley opened up the front nine for the first time this year, while the driving range at Connaught Golf Course made it’s opening debut as well.

“I think particularly after this long winter which never seemed to end, to have the sun shining and to get the driving range open is definitely exciting times for the golf course,” said Trevor Ellerman, executive professional at the course

Ellerman says the course opening is approximately 2-3 weeks behind schedule, noting in the past several years, Connaught has been open in March. He says they’re usually operating by the first week of April.

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“Lots of years, we’ll open then, and then we maybe we get snow and have to close down for a week,” he said. “For myself, in this area, for 25 years in the golf business, this is the latest opening.”

Ellerman says they expect the course to be fully open by April 20, but it could be sooner, depending on the weather.

As for other courses in the city, two are ready to open this weekend, while others will likely have golfers on by next week.

Desert Blume Golf Course is set to open Saturday with a 10 a.m. shotgun start. Their driving range opened on Wednesday.

Riverview Golf Course in Redcliff is also scheduled to open Saturday.

The Medicine Hat Golf and Country Club has removed the tarps from their greens, but are still repairing the driving range fence, which was damaged during the wind storms in October. The club is aiming to have the driving range open by the weekend, and has a tentative opening date for the course on April 18.

Cottonwood Coulee Golf Course is opening its driving range starting Friday from 1-5 p.m., and continuing Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. A date for the course opening hasn’t been finalized.