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North Okanagan golf courses open for season

Hillview, Spallumcheen, Birchdale and Cherryville open; more to come this week
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Vernon’s Don Crabbe chips to within a couple of feet of the hole on No. 18 at Hillview Golf Course Sunday. Hillview is one of a handful North Okanagan courses open for the new season. Others will open this week. (Roger Knox - Morning Star)

The sky is blue and so are the words.

Yes, golf season is upon us once again in the North Okanagan.

The sport that has given us such great quotes as “Golf is a good walk spoiled;” “There are two things you can do with your head down: play golf and pray;” and “Golf is a game in which you yell ‘fore,’ shoot six and write down five,” has risen from its winter slumber as a number of courses have opened for another season.

At Hillview Golf Course Sunday, 19-year-old Cody Webb of Vernon was asked if it was OK to take a picture of him chipping onto the 18th green from the back rough, or would it spoil his round?

“It’s already been spoiled,” said Webb, decked out in a Boston Red Sox hat (hey, if you can’t golf well, look good doing it!) , as he proceeded to skull (mis-hit) his ball over the green, leading to a slumping of the shoulders as he walked toward his Titleist.

“I’ve already lost three balls today,” said Lorill Crabbe, playing her second round of the year with husband, Don, as she chipped to within a few feet on No. 18.

Geoff Johnson was out playing the back nine with his boys Jack, 13, and Levi, nine. Only Jack did not inherit the left-handed-golfer gene in this threesome.

“We are so fortunate to live in a place like here and get out to play this game,” said Johnson, before ripping a drive down the middle of the 10th fairway.

Hillview’s 18-holes, driving range and pro shop are open. Spallumcheen’s 27-holes and full amenities are open.

The Vernon Golf and Country Club’s driving range is open and the course, according to its website, will open April 3.

The Rise Golf Course will open for the season April 5, weather depending, and Predator Ridge Resort is also dependant on Mother Nature to open its 36-hole tracks on April 13.

Also open for the season, Monday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Sunday 8 to 3 p.m. for the time being, is Cherryville Golf, Road Cafe and RV Park (the course formerly known as River Ridge).

In Coldstream, both the Highlands Golf Course and Coldstream Golf Course are open.

The Birchdale Golf Course in Grindrod has also opened its nine-hole course for the year.

Armstrong’s Royal York Golf Course will open Thursday.



roger@vernonmorningstar.com

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Vernon’s Austin Caldwell, 19, watches his birdie putt slide by the hole on No. 18 at Hillview Golf Course Sunday. Hillview is one of a handful North Okanagan courses open for the new season. Others will open this week. (Roger Knox - Morning Star)
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Jack Johnson, 13, rips a drive up the middle on No. 10 at Hillview Golf Course Sunday. Hillview is one of a handful North Okanagan courses open for the new season. Others will open this week. (Roger Knox - Morning Star)


Roger Knox

About the Author: Roger Knox

I am a journalist with more than 30 years of experience in the industry. I started my career in radio and have spent the last 21 years working with Black Press Media.
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