Snow delays opening of local golf courses

Frontiersman

MAT-SU — It looks like local golfers will have to wait a few more days to play their favorite 18-hole course, thanks to the mid-week snowfall.

Early in the week it looked like both Palmer Golf Course and Settlers Bay in Wasilla were expected to be open this weekend. But those plans have been changed.

“We were planning on opening (Friday),” Settlers Bay head professional Ryan Sparks said on Thursday afternoon.

Settlers Bay, located off Mile 7 of Knik-Goose Bay Road, received about five inches of snow Wednesday, Sparks said, but the accumulated white stuff is already melting fast.

Other than the late snow, Sparks said Settlers’ spring conditions have been excellent. Sparks said the course will open all 18 holes late next week with no temporary greens, as long as the weather cooperates. The greens are actually green already, Sparks said, and ready to be mowed.

“It’s the best I can remember in years,” Sparks said. “There are no problems with any frost.”

Palmer Golf Course officials were ready to open a seven-hole loop, director of golf George Collum said Thursday. PGC received about three inches of snow, Collum said, but like the snow at Settlers, it’s melting fairly quickly at Palmer.

Collum said the goal now is to open holes 1-4 and 16-18 during the middle of the week. He said the late snow is tough for golfers eager to hit the links, but it’s just part of golf in Alaska.

“It’s disappointing, but if you’ve been in this business for any length of time, you’re not surprised,” Collum said. “There always seems to be that last snow that hits you.”

Collum said there is a positive side to a little extra snow.

“It’s good for the golf course,” Collum said. “It does hydrate the course a little bit. It does give the golf course a little more time to come out of hibernation.”

Other than the late snow, Collum said the Palmer course looks good. The winds that gust down through the Matanuska River Valley tends to naturally clear the snow. The bigger battle can be with standing water on the course.

Collum said the Palmer course opened April 17 last year. Sparks said Settlers has opened about this time in April the last few years.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.