Palmer Golf Course opening its earliest ever

PALMER — March 6 at 2 p.m., the first musher left the starting chute in Willow on a trail headed for Nome marking the start of the annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. At that same moment on the other side of the Valley, Palmer Golf Course was open for business.

The first day of the Iditarod and the opening of a golf course aren’t expected to share the same month on the calendar, let alone the same day. But March 6 at 2 p.m., Palmer Golf Course officially opened for the season, setting a record for the course by more than two weeks. In 2015, Palmer Golf Course opened on March 21.

“That felt strange,” Palmer Golf Course director of golf George Collum III said Thursday afternoon. “This feels ridiculous. But the great thing, it’s fun to let everybody play golf.”

The course opened a dozen holes March 6 — holes 1-7 and 14-18 — and local golfers took full advantage of the earliest opening in course history this week, basking under sunny skies and temperatures in the low 40s Thursday afternoon. A steady stream of golfers teed off next to the clubhouse, where more than a dozen vehicles were parked by 1 p.m.

The early March opening had golfers raving about the ability to play golf so soon in the season.

“We’re in paradise,” said Palmer’s Steve McComb, who played Thursday with fellow retiree Dan Phillips. “Pure heaven.”

Although the grass is still brown and the water hazards remain frozen solid, golfers said the course is in pretty good shape — especially considering it’s not even St. Patrick’s Day yet.

“It’s playing like it’s March,” said Dan Kelly, who took the day off work to hit the links with pal Eric Murphy. “A little hard out there but we don’t care.”

All 18 holes will be open starting Friday, Collum said. Of the 12 holes that have been opened, only three feature temporary greens. The additional six holes opening Friday will have temporary greens.

PGC’s official date to open the season has varied greatly in recent years. Last year it was March 21, a dozen holes opened on April 14, 2014, but in 2013 the course did not open for good until about May 1.

“Any time you can open by mid-April is a good time,” Collum said.

But by mid-March — even better.

“It’s been fun. Every year we can do this, it’s just a blast,” Collum said.

Typically this time of year, players have to travel out of state if they have an hopes of getting on a course. Collum said he’s talked to golfers who are traveling out of state this month, who are thrilled for the chance to play the Palmer course before they even leave. Collum has travel plans of his own. He’ll be headed to South Carolina. Collum said never in a million years would he have imagined Palmer opening this early.

In addition to all 18 holes being open, Collum said the driving range will also be open starting Friday. It will be some time before players will be able to use powered carts, he said.

Starting Friday, there will be a $20 green fee, and that will be good for the entire day, Collum said. PGC officials are allowing players to hit the course at about 11 a.m. PGC is not currently taking tee times. For more information, call 745-4653.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.