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Inuvik hosts most tournament golfers
Celebrities and residents golf their way through a fun-filled, six-hole course at Peter Gzowski Invitational

Katherine Hudson
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, April 5, 2012

INUVIK
The Peter Gzowski Invitational Fundraiser for Literacy finished off its four-day spree in Inuvik with a golf tournament on the snowy-white Road's End Golf Course.

NNSL photo/graphic

Ivan Cockney, of the team Aurora Scorealis, drives a floor hockey ball with a broomball broom at the Peter Gzowski Invitational Golf Tournament last Thursday. At this hole, the golfers had to swing the club the opposite way they usually would, while wearing snowshoes. - Katherine Hudson/NNSL photo

The celebrities who converged on the town last Monday for the week included CBC radio host Shelagh Rogers; Canadian music legend, Prairie Oyster's Russell de Carle; CBC TV's Jonathan Torrens; singer, songwriter and author Connie Kaldor; musicians and harmonic-player extraordinaire Mike Stevens; and the Globe and Mail's Alison Gzowski who is the daughter of the late Peter Gzowski, the tournament's namesake.

Celebrities and residents alike golfed their way through a six-hole course – including three holes which were originals of the golf course and three which were manufactured by Conrad Baetz.

"It worked out well. We were able to clear off some of the real greens that we use. I was quite happy with how it all worked out at the end of the day," said Baetz, who, along with a few others, spent about three evenings preparing the course for its random March use.

Baetz packed the fairways down in preparation for the tournament and smoothed them out. For three holes, he used the original cups. For the manufactured holes, he used coffee canisters.

Golfers used broomball brooms as clubs and bright orange floor hockey balls which could be easily found in the white snow.

There were six teams in total, with some representing the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, town council and Aurora College.

There were about 40 golfers in total, and 15 volunteers helping out at the holes.

Each hole had a theme. Some were typical of a golf competition, such as the longest drive contest and closest-to-the-pin. The third hole was an average golf hole, and then things got weird.

"The fourth hole was the snowshoe hole and you also had to golf on your off hand. Everyone had to be on a pair of snowshoes but also swing backwards from your normal swing. That was a bit of a challenge as well," said Baetz. "I think people had a lot of fun with that."

One could hear the laughter from the final hole before they came upon it. Each team member had to be blindfolded and only be guided by instructions from other teammates.

Resident Eugene Rees fit in perfectly with the blindfold hold, wearing a bright orange wig and a Scottish bagpiper hat as he peeked out from his blindfold.

"The weather's wonderful," he joked as -30 C winds blew freely over the unprotected course.

"It's been about an hour and we haven't finished two holes yet, so someone should bring over dinner for us. We're here for the night. Thank God it doesn't get dark until 10 (p.m.)," he said.

In reality, the teams finished up around 4:30 p.m., a little more than an hour after they began.

Participant Ruth Wright had never golfed before, even in the summer, but said she had a wonderful time.

"I'm falling down in the snow a lot," she laughed.

"I'm learning a lot. It's like it's for fun, you don't have to be so serious."

Bev Garven, head librarian at the Inuvik Centennial Library, said there were more golfers participating in this PGI than ever before in the NWT.

"The celebrities really enjoyed their visit. They especially liked working with the children and had a great time in the schools and golfing with them," she said. "I think it went very well."

The busy week included a community feast, a community concert, visits to the pre-schools, schools and long-term care unit at the hospital.

The last time the PGI was in Inuvik was in 1993. Since 2000, Nunavut and the NWT have alternated hosting the tournament each year. In 1986, Peter Gzowski, a journalist and award-winning broadcaster, started raising money for literacy through an annual golf tournament. Even 10 years after his death, the annual fundraisers are held across the country to raise funds for literacy programs and inspire Canadians to celebrate literacy.

Although the NWT Literacy Council is still counting, as of Tuesday, donations from the event stood at $42,000.

Every dollar raised through the NWT PGI for Literacy stays in the territory to support community literacy programs and half the money raised is awarded to organizations in the community that hosted the PGI.

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