Ladies golf proves popular
Inaugural tournament shows participation is on the rise at Road's End Golf Course
Mark Rieder
Northern News Services
Thursday, July 16, 2015
INUVIK
The first ever Inuvik Ladies Golf Tournament was by all accounts a success with eight golfers taking part at Road's End Golf Course, July 8.
The first ever ladies golf tournament at Road's End Golf Course July 8 featured Marjorie Baetz, left, Tanya Gruben, Debbie Boudreau, Anne Marie Jennings, Marybeth Pokiak, Stacey Christie, and Onida Banksland (missing is Marsha Branigan). The team of Stacey Christie and Anne Marie Jennings went on to win the two-ball best ball tournament. - Marck Rieder/NNSL photo
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Event organizer Conrad Baetz said, since there is small pool of female golfers to draw from, they measure success by enjoyment of the game, not numbers.
"We got nothing but positive feedback," he said. "By watching them golf, I saw they had a really good time."
Marjorie Baetz, co-organizer and participant, said the golfers describe themselves as beginners, so the tournament was not competitive.
"There were more giggles and high-fives than anything else," she said.
The tournament had a two-ball, best ball format.
Conrad Baetz said this is only the second year that a woman's flight has been at the golf course and the tournament was held to entice more females into the sport.
"We had a season opener and we noticed not a lot of ladies were coming out," he said.
The tournament grew out of the success of the women's golf night, which happens every Wednesday evening during the season.
The team of Stacey Christie and Anne Marie Jennings came in first place, Onida Banksland and Marybeth Pokiak came in second, Marjorie Baetz and Marsha Branigan came in third, Tanya Gruben and Debbie Boudreau came in fourth.
Conrad Baetz said the three-hole grassed golf course has come a long way since its humble beginnings more than ten years ago, when it was only a driving range in a muddy field.
"It happened because of a lot of hard work and dedication by people with a vision," he said.
As with any small and remote community, facilities like a golf course can only survive with help from people who have a common goal.
"We now have a good volunteer following," Conrad said. He added that now the first three holes are open, they are beginning work on the next three holes.
With its location along the highway, Conrad described the golf course as the "gateway to the community." He said it is the support and efforts from the people of the community that makes it a viable organization.
