New tournament scores a hole in one
First annual Northwind event a good start
to season, say organizers
Sarah Ladik
Northern News Services
Thursday, July 21, 2016
INUVIK
The numbers have been tallied and the results are in - the Road's End Golf Club is the clear winner of the first annual Northwind Golf Tournament.
Chantelle McCarthy swings from the fairway at the first annual Northwind Golf Tournament July 17 at The End of the Road Golf Club. - Sarah Ladik/NNSL photo
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"It's great," said club president Conrad Baetz. "It brings more people out earlier, and when people know there's a tournament, they come out more."
A total of 16 teams of two players each took part in the tournament last weekend. While organizer Brent Connell said he would have liked to see even more players, he was satisfied with the turnout for the event's first year.
"I was really pleased with the level of competition," he told the Drum July 17. "Right from the first tee-off on Friday, until the playoffs going on right now, it's been really great."
Chantelle McCarthy and Tony Stefure were the clear winners of the A division, but playoffs had to be held for second place, as well as for first place in the B division.
Taylor Giffin and Alex Desroches won the competition for second place in the A division, with Mervin Jacobson and "Toug" Jacobson coming in third.
In the B division, Gordie Kasook and Donnie Hendrick took the top spot, with Mickey Ipana and Leah Ipana coming in second, and Conrad Baetz and Mike Ocko placing third.
"For the first one, it was pretty good," said McCarthy, who was asked to play at the last minute. "I don't even know what the prizes were, to be honest. I just wanted to come out and have fun."
Her teammate Stefure said golf is his favourite sport and that he was grateful for the organizers for creating the tournament, as well as to Northwind for sponsoring it.
Beyond bringing more people out, the club ended the weekend almost $1,000 richer. The winners of the closest-to-the-pin contest July 16 donated $940 back to the club, something Connell said would go a long way.
"Probably with each year too, there'll be some tweaks, but nothing major," he said. "The best part about it for me was seeing the guys having fun, and just the level of competition, seeing how close some of the games have been."
