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LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
Two new tournaments and on-site golf cart storage are among the new developments for the Seven Spruce Golf Course.

Lee Scobie rakes leaves from around trees on the ninth hole during the Seven Spruce Golf Course's annual spring cleanup on May 12. The course's season officially began on May 14. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

The course opened for the season on May 14. To prepare for the opening, the course's annual spring cleanup was held on May 12. Approximately 30 people volunteered their time to help clean the course.

The dedication of the membership as well as the club's executive and directors is what led to a successful season last year. That same success is expected carry over this year, said Shane Thompson, the club's president.

Last year the club held some very successful tournaments and made a small profit. Thompson said he was impressed by how members and directors took the lead throughout the summer to help run the tournaments.

This year the club plans to host 11 tournaments, two of which are new. The Chamber of Commerce will be holding a tournament on June 9 and the club is in discussions to host the NWT Aboriginal Golf Championships in July. The championships, which has been held in Fort Smith, Hay River and Yellowknife, is expected to draw between 60 and 100 golfers.

These new tournaments speak to the quality of the course and the club's staff because they show people want to be here, Thompson said.

"People want to come to Simpson because of the golf course in the summer time," he said.

Thompson said it's exciting the course provides such a draw for the village.

While community golfers will have the chance to participate in these new tournaments, they will also be able to store their golf carts at the course when they aren't out on the fairways.

Last year the club received a $25,000 grant from the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment for two projects. One of the projects was to build a fenced compound for golf cart storage.

The facility is something members had been asking for, Thompson said. People had begun buying golf carts but the club didn't have the facilities to store them, he said.

The club also used a portion of the grant to purchase a storage container. The container will be used to house the club's fridges and deep freezers as well as golf club sets. In the winter, the smaller equipment used to maintain the course will be housed there to increase its life expectancy, Thompson said.

The two projects had a total combined cost of approximately $33,000. The club provided approximately $8,000, most in the form of in-kind donations from members, as required by the grant.

With those projects finished the club is looking at upgrading some of its equipment and adding some bunkers to the course to make it more challenging.

The club's first tournament of the season will be on May 26. Thompson is encouraging residents to visit the course on a day pass to see if they like golfing and then possibly buy a season pass to join.

"We're only as strong as our membership," Thompson said.

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