Getting up and down in Morden

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/06/2010 (5774 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Hello, fellow flatlanders. Growing weary of going back and forth, back and forth on Manitoba golf courses?

Go to the Minnewasta Golf and Country Club in Morden, where you can go up and down, up and down. On the western edge of the Pembina escarpment, about a 70-minute drive from the west perimeter, Minnewasta offers relief from the usual prairie layout. Be warned, this is not a walking-friendly golf course.

“People who haven’t played here before walk off the 18th green saying ‘Wow. I can’t believe this place,’ ” says head pro Chris Worley. “They play it once and they’ll be back.”

Large, undulating greens, plenty of trees and the meandering Dead Horse Creek give the course even more character.

This is the first year members have had full use of the course since July 2008, when much of the front nine was ripped up to install an oil pipeline, which runs from Edmonton to Chicago. “There was a lot of disruption,” says Worley. “Our members got pretty good at playing the back nine. It’s good to have the full 18 back.”

Not everything about having your golf course torn apart by a big company is bad. It does have its long-term benefits. Compensation was due. The club lost members, pro shop sales went down, restaurant income dropped etc. And the oil men came through. The club used the down time to install a new irrigation system, pave the parking lot and move into a fancy new clubhouse. (see video of the move on the Minnewasta web page at http://www.golfminnewasta.com/

“People who haven’t played here in awhile are amazed when they drive up,” says Worley. “It’s completely different.”

The Les Furber-designed golf course, without doubt, is one of the best in Manitoba. It has played host to a couple of Rural Amateurs, the first two rounds of the 2007 Manitoba Amateur and last year was home for the annual Manitoba-Minnesota Junior Matches. Worley would like to see all four rounds of the Manitoba Amateur played there some year.

Signature hole

THE tee on the par-3 eighth offers a panoramic view. You can catch a glimpse of Lake Minnewasta to the west, the clubhouse and several holes. It’s about 80 feet down to the green. Sweet.

Birdie Time

HERE’S how to birdie the par-five, dogleg left 10th hole: Atomize a drive down the right-centre to gain the best angle to the green. Visualize then galvanize a soaring three-iron to the green. If you come up just short, theorize which way your chip will run when it hits the green. Don’t agonize over the resulting four-foot putt, but mesmerize your playing partners with a bold centre-cup stroke. A birdie will materialize. Proceed to the par-3 11th and accessorize your birdie with a par.

What You’re Facing

Yardage from men’s tees — blue,6,582; white, 6,153; par 72

From women’s tees — 5,652, par 74

Slope 132

Course record: Definitely a 64, possibly a 63

Stay and Play

MINNEWASTA offers lots of overnight deals in concert with local hotels. If you’re going to drive out there, think about staying a night and playing two rounds. Check out the web page or call the course for details 204-822-4922, or toll free 877-822-4922.

The Hit

Adult 18 holes $39

Adult 9 holes $24.50

Junior 18 holes (12-17) $20

Junior 9 holes (12-17) $14

Little Linksters (11 and under) no charge – Certain conditions apply

Twilight $27 (starts 4 hours prior to sunset)

Power carts — electric, complete with windshields, roofs, sweater,

baskets, and coolers. Prices for the power carts:

18 Holes — $34

9 Holes — $23

Twilight — $23

Club rentals — $25

Solar Carts are Coming

SUN-POWERED carts are a big rage in the United States these days, particularly in the south. Considering the bleak weather Manitoba has experienced so far this spring, it’s doubtful the contraptions would even function up here, but they are on the way.

“They’d run for two holes and then die,” laughs Worley. “But they’re coming, they’re definitely coming.

“I don’t know if any courses in Manitoba are using them but it’s going to happen.”

Worley says investing in solar carts would be a little like buying the first in a new line of cars. He would wait and see the first few batches before sinking a lot of dough into them. “I’d wait about three years.”