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 Ken, Candy and Kaylee Brown staff the kitchen at the Seven Spruce golf course clubhouse. The clubhouse, like the course itself, was built using volunteer labour. - Derek Neary/NNSL photo |
Seven Spruce golf course offers up six holes but it's on the verge of expanding to nine. It also sports a new clubhouse, constructed by individuals who donated their time. The 24x36 foot building contains a fully operational kitchen (and a decent menu), a cooler for snacks and beverages and an entertainment system.
"I'm so proud of this community," said Ken Brown, who runs the pro shop and canteen.
Some of the volunteers aren't even golfers, according to Brown. A number of local businesses have also contributed, he added. There's also excitement over the prospect of three more holes being ready for play next season. One will be a tree-lined fairway stretching 430 yards with a dog-leg right. It will be a par four.
The second will be a short par three at 180 yards. Golfers will face a real test of endurance on the third new hole, which will be a marathon at 600 yards, with a standard of five strokes.
Roger Pilling, who has spent many of his spare summer hours bettering the course, admitted he, like everyone else, is anxious to try out the new holes. However, there was hope they would be in play this season and last, so he's taking a wait-and-see approach.
"We still have the same six holes (right now), but they've improved," said Pilling as he watered the grass seed on the hole three tee box.
The golf course is now in possession of a new mower, too. It's not brand new -- it a 1995 model -- but it replaces a weathered 1970s edition. Members of the golf course raised the majority of the $20,000 needed to purchase it.
Gerd Fricke, manager of tourism and parks for the Deh Cho, noted that Seven Spruce is definitely an asset to the community.
"When you come into town and see the nice golf course, it gives a really good impression of Fort Simpson. I do believe it's a tourism attraction," said Fricke, who added that a Northern golf tour package is an idea that has been tossed around by those in the tourism industry.
