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INUVIK
Now that there's a layer of snow on the ground, it's time to think ahead to the 2013 golfing season.

Road's End Golf Course held its annual general meeting Monday night and so far, the future looks promising for the growing golf course.

The course has been growing for more than a decade, but it's only in the past few years has there been a concentrated effort to rejuvenate it, said Conrad Baetz, who was re-elected as president of the Inuvik Golf Association at the AGM.

A major project this year was extending the course by three holes. While it was a little disappointing to not complete them fully, said Baetz, there's a lot less work to be done next year in comparison to this recently-ended season.

"I'm a little disappointed we didn't get it completely done but I believe we got a lot done," said Baetz.

"I heard a lot of compliments and we've been working really hard on the first three holes as well."

Some of the work completed this year includes a new green on hole one and the widening of the second hole.

"We don't have nearly the amount of work for next season," said Baetz.

Private rentals for events helped generate revenue for the course, said Deb Karst, who acts as treasurer.

"We brought in $90,000, $70,000 of that was grant money but that means we made almost $20,000 this year," she said.

While the amounts are before expenses, it still points to a promising future for the course.

"For a bunch of volunteers to generate that kind of gross revenue, it's kind of cool," said Baetz.

Starting next year, the course will be licensed, meaning a separate liquor licence won't have to be bought for each event held, saving money in the long run, according to Karst.

"The busier the golf course gets, the more people will want to be involved," said Karst.

That's one of the reasons the first three holes of the course have seen a lot of work, said Baetz.

"Our usage is way up and we're planning on more events next year," he said.

Interest in the course may increase even further after the Longest Drive finishes airing on the Golf Channel.

The show premiered Oct. 16 and features three friends transporting the ashes of a fourth on a journey to play golf north of the Arctic Circle.

"The last two episodes involve the Dempster," said Baetz.

"It should promote some interest in what we're doing."

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