Fair way to play; cold does not keep a group of golf nuts off the ice

Feb. 27, 2007

By MATT TUNSETH/ Frontiersman

PALMER - With a fairway consisting of a clear, four-foot-thick slab of solid ice, Palmer's Finger Lake isn't exactly Pebble Beach.

But for the few dozen frozen duffers who turned out for Saturday's nine-hole scramble on the lake, it might as well have been.

&#8220We just love golf that bad,” golfer Randy Luffberry said as he prepared to send a bright orange golf ball skipping across the ice.

The Palmer Elks Lodge sponsored the winter golf outing as a way to both raise money for their scholarship fund and cure some pent-up cabin fever.

&#8220Some golf is better than none,” said Jan Affinito, a member of Luffberry's foursome.

Participants used a variety of specialized gear for the tournament, including mittens, ice cleats, parkas and cordless drills - used to drill holes into which tees could be wedged.

Four-wheel drive trucks were the preferred method of transportation.

&#8220It's a little more expensive to run these golf carts,” tournament organizer Don Erbey said.

One benefit of playing golf on ice, Erbey said, was added distance. In fact, most participants chose to use short irons and wedges to hit their tee shots, which bounced and skipped hundreds of yards before finally rolling to a stop.

&#8220Anyone who takes a full swing out here is a fool,” Erbey said. &#8220You can hit it 800 yards.”

Although distance wasn't an issue for most players, accuracy was. Once a tee shot was hit, it was usually at the mercy of the cracked, undulating ice.

&#8220Look at the action on that one,” Erbey said while watching a partner's tee shot bouncing willy-nilly in the general direction of a makeshift hole. &#8220Hit the crack!”

Winter golf has been played in the Valley for more than 20 years, and many of the participants in the Elks' event have been playing at least couple times a year.

Conditions can vary wildly. Sunday's tournament was played under clear, sunny skies, but last year's event was contested in a snow storm.

&#8220We got six inches of snow through the duration of it last year,” golfer Robert Scott said.

Competition isn't exactly fierce. Most participants said they simply like the idea of doing something different during a time of year that is traditionally a little slow for many outdoor enthusiasts.

&#8220This is how we take care of waiting for salmon fishing,” Scott said.

Indeed, many of the golfers seemed more interested in finding the makeshift drink cart - a beat up Suburban - than putting up a good score. After all, with many of the holes surrounded by nearly-impossible ridges in the ice, scoring was often left to the imagination.

&#8220The biggest liars always win,” Jan Affinito said.

The key to having a good round, most agreed, is simply bringing the right mental attitude to the course.

&#8220This is pure serendipity,” golfer Bill Gartrell said.

The winter golfers said they plan on keeping up the tradition. After all, with a good two months until golf season, there really isn't any other option for Mat-Su golf nuts.

Despite the fact that the golfers seemed to be having more fun that should be allowed on any golf course, tournament organizer Don Erbey said he doesn't' think the event will be attracting top-flight professionals and high-dollar golf tourists any time soon.

&#8220I wouldn't recommend this to the Travel Channel,” he said.

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