The phoenix of the Interlake

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/09/2023 (749 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The legend lives on from Oak Point on down

Of the big lake they call Manitoba

The lake, it is said, has a spirit all dread

That the locals all call Manipogo…

Or something to that effect…

My apologies to the late Mr. Lightfoot. Lake Manitoba’s answer to the Loch Ness monster certainly has a more entertaining enunciation, but I suspect our mythical creature is likely just three humps of sand visible during low-water levels. There was even a golf course on the shores named after the mythical creature. It closed a few years ago but, like another mythical creature, the phoenix, the course rises again, and is now, finally, in full operation. West of Highway 6, near Twin Beaches and Saint-Laurent, is the newly renamed Lake Manitoba Resort Golf Course.

Now, this resurrection did not happen overnight. I have literally been waiting all summer to play it. In June, July, and August, while visiting my Métis relatives in the area, I popped in to see if the place was ready. On each occasion, I was told it would be “just another week or two.” Well, it finally opened for business at the end of August, and I finally played it in early September.

Was it worth the wait? Yes!

What really struck me was the impressive state of the grounds. The fairways were in very good shape, but the real treat was the spectacular greens. They were very healthy and played better than most of the greens I’ve encountered around the province this year. I hope the grounds winter well, as I am quite likely to return in the spring for more rounds. There is a driving range and a large practice putting green. A fleet of newer electric carts await you at the front step. You may not need a cart, however, as this course has no significant elevation changes and is definitely walk-friendly. The clubhouse features a well-stocked pro shop and serves hot dogs and sandwiches. However, there is no restaurant just yet. Beer – I mean, soda pop – is available at the pro shop desk. From the brand-new tee markers to the brand-new cups and flag sticks, all this freshness gives the links that ‘new course’ smell.

I think it is fair to say you need to have a decent skill level to enjoy yourself here. Despite the flatness of the fairways, this is certainly a tricky course to play. Novices and show-offs alike will find plenty of trouble here. There are no less than five doglegs, seven holes with water hazards, and every single hole features a sand trap, or two, or three. Hole 1 offers examples of all these challenges. While you’re on the green at 1, look west and you’ll see the shores of the big lake — which makes it my pick for the course’s signature hole.

You don’t have to wait long to meet one of the two par 5s. Hole 2 makes your re-think your second swing due to the water hazard 130 yards from the green. Fortunately, the next par 5 on the course lets you hit a traditional second poke without restriction. Both the par 3s on the course punish you if you go long, as your ball will go for a swim in both instances. On hole 8, a strong south wind will push you out of bounds. Both holes 7 and 9 are narrow doglegs, bordered by the thick poplar brush that dominates this part of the Interlake.

For more information, visit www.lakembresort.com/golf-course