LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON - The Seven Spruce Golf Course was the destination of choice for 44 golfers on the civic holiday.

Eleven teams participated in the ninth annual Nahendeh Classic sponsored by Nahendeh MLA Kevin Menicoche on Aug. 2. Jim Antoine started the tournament when he was MLA.

Paul Simon, right, watches as his teammate Steven Thompson putts his ball towards hole 9 during the Nahendeh Classic on August 2. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

"It's about just getting the community out and participating and enjoying our golf course," Menicoche said of the event.

The tournament was also started to add another event to the course's summer schedule, which was wide open at the time. Now there's a tournament almost every weekend, Menicoche said.

The way that tournaments unfold has also changed. This year the participants finished the 18 holes of four-person best ball style play in five hours compared to the six hours it's usually taken in the past. The course has gotten better at organizing tournaments and the level of play has improved too, allowing for shorter times, he said.

As the teams handed in their scorecards in the evening, it was Lawrence Norwegian, Gabe Buggins, Keyna Norwegian and Owen Rowe who emerged at the top with a score of 63, nine under par.

"I was surprised," Keyna said. "I thought somebody would be playing a bit better than us."

The team had a lot of chances for birdies and eagles but failed to capitalize on them, Keyna said. The group did manage to get an eagle on hole three during their first nine.

Keyna credited the team's drives that always landed in the centre of the fairway for the first place finish.

"Lawrence and Owen can really hit the ball so it gave use a good chance for birdies and eagles," she said.

In second place and only two strokes back at 65 was the team of Shane Thompson, Steven Thompson, Paul Simon and David Lawson.

"We had a great time, and we all shot really good," said Simon.

The team finished their 18 holes bogey free. They also, however, lipped out on three eagles when the ball either hit the pin while it was in the air or skimmed off the edge of the cup and missed four birdie chances.

The team came in second because the members were well-practiced, Simon said. Both Simon, Shane and Steven played a practice round of 18 holes and another 36 holes in Fort Smith at the Merchant's Tournament earlier in the weekend.

The weather at the course also lent itself to good golfing, said Simon.

"It was great. It was hot at first but when the clouds came it was perfect," he said.

Third place went to Kevin Menicoche, Eric Menicoche, Kenney Harrison and John Moreau, who finished with 68.

Individual prizes for longest drive went to T.G. Wilson, Karen Simon and Madison Pilling. Darrell Littlechild won the closest to the pin prize for landing six feet and six inches from the pin while Nathan McPherson won the longest putt at a distance of 23 feet and eight inches.

An honourable mention prize went to Travis Hanna for his unique shot on hole seven. Kevin Menicoche and his team were watching the drives to see if anyone would get a hole in one when Hanna teed off.

Hanna's ball had a nice approach, but then it started heading right for Menicoche's team where they were parked on the cart path, Menicoche said. Menicoche and his teammates ducked for cover as Hanna's ball flew in and wedged itself into Menicoche's bag on the back of the golf cart.

"It could have been a hole in one if he'd hit it straight," Menicoche said.

The final prize of the day went to John Moreau, who was the last person standing in an elimination draw for a trip for two to Yellowknife courtesy of First Air.

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