9-hole course hooks local golfers

April 17, 2007

By MATT TUNSETH/ Frontiersman

PALMER - It's time to start swinging.

With the opening of Fishhook Golf Course in Palmer, the 2007 Valley golf season has finally begun.

The course, located just off the Glenn Highway on Palmer Fishhook Road, has been open since last week. On Saturday, anxious duffers packed the parking lot and driving range as the newly-opened course did a steady business. From the clubhouse, course co-owner Skip Pelletier said it's apparent local golfers are ready for some action.

&#8220It's starting to pick up,” Pelletier said. &#8220Word's getting around.”

Although much of the Valley is still in the final in the final throes of break-up, the course - located on wind-swept converted hay fields - is high and dry. The windy location is what enabled Fishhook to open sooner than other courses in the area.

&#8220They don't have the advantage of the wind that I've got,” Pelletier said.

A few wet spots were evident Saturday, but for the most part, Pelletier said the links-style layout is starting to dry out nicely.

&#8220It's drier than it normally is when we first open,” he said.

That starting date usually comes around mid-April, although the course was able to open much earlier last year due to high winds and a lack of snow.

&#8220We opened on the 28th of February last year,” Pelletier said. &#8220But that's not normal.”

The course still has a ways to go before it's in prime condition, but all but one green is open for putting. Pelletier is currently charging $8 for a nine-hole round, but that's likely to change by this weekend. The usual price for nine holes is $14.

Fishhook isn't as popular as Palmer or Settler's Bay courses, although Pelletier said the 10-year-old course is beginning to attract its share of regulars.

&#8220We're starting to build a clientele,” he said.

The course is located on the old farm site owned by Tracy Moffett. About a decade ago, Moffett, Pelletier and Jess Werner went into business together on the course. Pelletier said Moffett didn't want to see the land subdivided, so a golf course was a way to keep the land clear of development.

&#8220He's old school,” Pelletier said.

Since then, the course has slowly developed into a hidden gem, with excellent mountain views in all directions and a rolling, 3,426-yard layout that features smooth-rolling bluegrass greens.

The owners don't advertise, preferring to let area golfers find the course for themselves. They do, however, work with the two other area courses foster a competitive spirit, and there are tentative plans to offer discounted rates at the three courses collectively.

&#8220We're trying to get it going where we all help each other out,” Pelletier said.

Out for an early season round Saturday, course regular Jim Gray - who said he plays Fishhook &#8220oh, two to three hundred times a year” - said the regulars like the course because of its laid-back atmosphere, scenery and long season.

&#8220We play even in the winter,” Gray said.

Playing partner Chuck Cavyell said he enjoys playing Fishhook because its wide-open location gives golfers a world-class view at an affordable price.

&#8220You can go to Vegas or anywhere else and you're not going to see this kind of scenery,” Cavyell said.

Skip Pelletier said the strategy of charging an affordable price and letting the course's reputation spread by word of mouth seems to be working.

&#8220If it didn't work, we'd pull the flags and put it back to hay,” Pelletier said.

But it is working. So well, in fact, that rumors have sprouted lately that the group has plans to put in another nine holes. Pelletier, however, said any such talk is far premature, and there are no plans at this point to expand the course.

&#8220It's just a rumor,” he said.

The idea at this point is to simply continue to improve upon the current design before entertaining any ides of expansion.

&#8220It's a work in progress.”

Contact Matt Tunseth at 352-2265 or matt.tunseth@frontiersman.com