WASILLA — Alaskans have finally found a Tiger-proof golf course.

With a shotgun blast from the deck of the Mat-Su Resort, 24 golfers teed-off rainbow colored golf balls into plowed fairways and snowy roughs for this year’s Ice Golf Classic on Sunday at the frozen links of Wasilla Lake.

“These are the narrowest fairways we’ve ever seen,” said golfer Travis Jorgnson, with each hole consisting of a plowed track only about 10 feet wide.

TODD L DISHER/Frontiersman Golfers kick their way through the fresh snow looking for their multi-colored balls in this year’s “Ice Hole Classic” on Wasilla Lake.

“The sand traps are pure hell,” according to James Hastings, general manager of the resort with his wife Mary and co-director of the event. He was referring to the areas outside the fairways that got dumped with 12 inches of fresh snow the day before.

Because of the course conditions, golfers either spent most of the day digging though the snow or used their putters to roll their balls down the fairway. There were no formalities once on the white greens, and players kicked a clear path in the snow trying to get their shots to roll true into the hole augured into the ice.

“I’m course marshal, so that gives you an idea of how tough the rules are,” warned Hastings.

“Rules! There are no rules,” objected a veteran of ice golf.

“I’ve got no issues with playing through,” continued Hastings. “You don’t have to play the holes in order. Golf carts, anything you’ve got is a golf cart.”

Each golfer was given two painted golf balls by Lyn Carden, representative of the Greater Wasilla Chamber of Commerce and the other co-director of the event. Replacements were purchased from Carden, as was string used to expanded the diameter of the holes. For $15, golfers could buy three feet of string to make each hole six feet around.

“Basically, you’re buying to cheat,” said Hastings.

All of the proceeds from the string, the mulligans and entry fees went to the chamber. Additionally, local companies sponsored each hole. As part of Iditarod Days, the Ice Golf Classic is a fun event and fundraiser with the goal being community involvement, according to Carden.

After a explanation of the course that circled Wasilla Lake, Hastings sent the golfers out with beer tops and bottle caps as tees. The best thing to use, he said, is an inverted Crown Royal bottle top.

The teams scattered around the course for the start, players riding in pickup beds and hanging out back windows. True to the name of the shotgun start, the golfing commenced when Hastings fired a blank round off the deck.

“There are no rules, right?” said Jorgnson at the first tee box. “I’ll just brodie the truck around and we can hit off the flat bed.”

While the narrow fairways foiled that plan, their team took the aerial approach. With a variety of drivers and irons, each member launched his ball straight into the snowy rough. They then went to the divot where the ball entered the snow, dug around the hole and moved it back to the fairway if found.

This pattern was repeated by most foursomes off their first tee. Pretty soon, more and more golfers switched to the more conservative method of punching the ball down the fairway with their putters.

One team wised up and played best ball from the approximate landing spot of the farthest hit ball.

Once the teams reached the green, the sponsor of that hole had something to greet the golfers. The Houston Chamber of Commerce set up a pike fishing tent around holes they augured into the lake to raise awareness for their ongoing pike derby. Grandview Inn and Suites pulled a twin bed onto the lake and Excel Physical Therapy set up a message chair to relax weary golfers.

The best strategy for putting consisted of kicking a trail in the snow for the ball to travel on. With the alternating snow and ice, green speeds were highly variable and gimmes were generous, even with the string length added to the hole.

Throughout the day, Hastings enforced the rules from his official snowmachine and a hospitality Kawasaki Mule delivered fresh beers and bloody marys. With blue skies, high sprits and a great turn-out, Hastings was impressed by the show of the community.

The event was such a success that Hastings is planning a second round for March 22. If interested, call 232-1527 or e-mail jhmhn3@mtaonline.net for details.

Contact Todd L. Disher at todd.disher@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.