LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON - The 10th anniversary of the Seven Spruce Golf Course's Best Ball Tournament will be one to remember.

The two day tournament in Fort Simpson was marked by a record breaking attendance and a new golfing experience.

Sporting their winners' jackets are the team of Jake Waugh, left, Byron Blyth, Darrell Littlechild and Bruce Waugh (not seen). They are congratulated by Val Gendron, far right, one of the organizers of the Seven Spruce Golf Course's Best Ball Tournament. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

Eighty-five golfers participated in the 36-hole, four-person best-ball-style tournament from July 25 to 26. The attendance shattered the previous record of 68 golfers, set last year.

The best ball tournament also marked the first time the seven new artificial greens at the course were officially open for play. The greens were installed during a two-week process from July 10 to 21 finishing just in time for the tournament.

"Perfect, they couldn't of been better," is how Byron Blyth described the new greens.

Blyth, Jake Waugh, Bruce Waugh and Darrell Littlechild formed the tournament's winning team. The team finished at 122, 22 under par for the 36 holes.

Blyth credited the win in part to Bruce Waugh's drives.

"The rest of the game was all around good," he said.

The team was eight under par on its first nine holes on Saturday and 12 under after 18 holes. On Sunday they finished 10 under.

Second place in the tournament with 123 went to the Fort Smith team of Sholto Douglas, Gord McSwain, Dan Brown and Jean Soucey. Kevin Menicoche, Eric Menicoche, Kenny Harrison and Arnold Hope came in third with 126.

"I love the new greens," said Hope.

The greens are more consistent and eliminate the task of matting the sand, he said.

In the first 18 holes the team finished at 60 which is 12 under par.

"All the bounces went our way yesterday," said Hope.

On Sunday, the team had to work hard to get 66. Overall every hole was working for the team, he said.

"You just have to get on the green and putt," said Hope.

Other winners included Trevor Kjeldsli who placed his ball closest to the tire on hole nine to win $500 redeemable at P.R. Contracting. After placing her ball on the helicopter landing pad on hole three Phyllis Harris won a helicopter trip donated by Great Slave Helicopters.

The new greens took four years and over $400,000 to complete, said club president Shane Thompson.

The ninth and fourth holes were converted in 2006. There wasn't enough money to do the remaining seven greens at that point, said Thompson.

The remaining funds came from Indian and Northern Affairs Canada's Strategic Investments in Northern Economic Development program. Because the course enhances tourism it qualified for $125,000.

Thompson credits the leaders of the village's tri-council and MLA Kevin Menicoche for their letters of support for securing the funding. The project also wouldn't have been possible without the help of eight corporate sponsors including Rowe's Construction, Simpson Air and P.R. Contracting, he said.

"These three companies have been a huge attribute to the community of Fort Simpson," said Thompson.

"They're the foundation of this golf course."

The instillation of the greens was also a community wide effort, said Thompson. Residents, both golfers and non-golfers alike, put in approximately 800 volunteer hours over the two weeks.

"It makes me feel proud of the community," he said.

Thompson said he's "totally pleased" with the new greens although work still has to be done around the edges of the greens.

The course is a tourist draw for the village and the new greens have only enhanced that, he said.

Approximately 75 tourists from outside of the NWT have golfed on the course. Eight had to be turned away during the weekend tournament because the course was full, said Thompson.

"At the end of the day it's another asset for Fort Simpson," Thompson said.

The next tournament on the course is the Nahendeh Classic that will take place on Aug. 3.