INUVIK
Last weekend offered some real appeal for clubbers and swingers.

Nick Saturnino showed off his form during the season-opening tournament at the Road's End Golf Course on June 20. - Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo

The season-opening tournament at the Road's End Golf Course attracted nearly 30 golfers to test their skills on June 19 and 20.

While the tournament is mostly for fun, there was a competitive edge to it, according to participants.

"We've got a really good turnout," said Conrad Baetz, who heads up the volunteers working to keep one of Canada's most northerly golf courses in playable condition.

"We've got 10 teams of varying skill levels and talent, and that's a really good thing to me, since it tells me the skilled players are coming, and also there's some newer players coming out and wanting to learn how to get better. That's pretty much what it's all about."

Baetz, despite being one of the driving forces behind the development of the course, rated himself as one of the novice players. He might have had a slight advantage, though, considering he designed the course.

"As a season-opener, it's also a gauge for us as an organization to understand what the interest is going to be this summer," Baetz said. "And it'll kind of tell us what we need to do."

The course was in good shape for the event, he said.

"We've had just the right amount of rain, but you know, there are always challenges. You need to cut every few days, because if you don't the grass is twice as thick."

A three-hole expansion is on the books for this summer, Baetz said.

He chuckled when asked how competitive the tournament was.

"It's a front," he said. "Like anything, you need to have clear rules so everybody is on the same page. But I also think everybody understands it's for fun. It's not like there are any scouts here for the PGA. But the good golfers are out here to do their best."

Nick Saturnino said the tournament was "going great."

"It's good exercise, and good laughs."

He's a regular player but he said he wouldn't classify himself as an avid golfer.

"I come out often and I like to hack around," he said. "This course is in great shape, and for where we are it's a great course."

"I think there's a lot of bragging rights at stake," Saturnino added in reference to the tournament. "And there's a bit of cash on the line."

Mo Ipana claimed he has won the tournament the last two years, although there was some laughter from other golfers about that claim.

"My game, it's going pretty good today, depending on the weather. I golf a couple of times a year, but I like to come up for Conrad Baetz and his guys, who do a lot of stuff for the community. They do a perfect job on this," he said.

Ipana laughed and added he was just grateful no bears had been seen on the course.

He said he had friends who had a bear run out onto the course while they golfed in the past, and that was something he didn't care to see.

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