9th-12th-Lancers - Year 2002 - Page 0070
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| Regiment | 9th/12th Lancers |
|---|---|
| Year | 2002 |
| Transcription |
68 REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE 9TH/12TH ROYAL LANCERS (PRINCE OF WALES’S) Golf in Canada - OPFOR 2002 with over 2000 golf courses, the golf clubs were always going to be the first things put into the freight for Canada. Alberta alone boasts 295 courses, with some of the best in the country being only a short drive away from BATUS. With all this information to hand it was decided by many of LAD’s golfers to visit as many ofthe courses as possible and on the way enjoy as much of the local hospitality as we could drink. Due to the splendid Canadian weather it took until the April 19th (note to ED, scribes birthday) to get the first round of the tour in. The Riverway course in Redcliff got the honours main- ly because it was the first course to clear all the snow away and have the greens ready for playing. Even with a freezing wind blowing, nothing would stop the first scream of “ FORE” down the fairway as the balls inevitably headed for fellow golfers on the other fairways. Much more of the same was to follow as we all steadily removed the winter cobwebs from the old golf swing, and the remaining courses in Medicine Hat were all to receive the same treatment until the sun finally arrived and the real golf came out on show. And inevitably once the golf got better everyone decided new clubs were the order of the day and thanks to some generous dis- counts from Sportchek in Medicine Hat we were all kitted out with new gear ready for the first of two trips to the Rockies. Staying at the Lodge in Canmore gave us easy access to God’s country and some spectacular golf courses, to play golf in the Rockies has to be on every golfers wish list. Looking down the first fairway of the Canmore Golf Club was almost humbling, blue sky, snow-capped mountains and immaculately tended fair- way, what more could you ask for? Everyone’s golf seemed to benefit from the scenery and surroundings with good score cards being put in by all. Surely this couldn’t get any better, all we needed was valet parking, but not at a golf course! Well if you go to the Kananaskis Golf and Country Club they even throw that in and as a bonus the Mount Kidd and Mount Lprette courses. Winding through the valley floor with the Ig nanaskis River running through every hole, both courses d a_,sup_reme golfing challenge and a host of spectacular . _ fl ,Aa‘, ~ sag}- "- SWer T/p Go/f Course, Canmore, A/berta L to Fl LCp/ Aveyard, Sgt Hams, Sgt McLenahan, Cp/ Johnson, Sgt Ho/t, Sgt Keeb/e memories, top of the list being a pair ofbirdie two’s from Sgt.’s Si Obern and Neil Holt, we certainly drank to those two shots that night. It wouldbe three months before we would return to the Rockies but in the meantime the courses in Lethbridge, Coaldale, Picture Butte and Magrath all received visits from now golf fanatics Sgt.’s Cass Cassidy and Ironman Steve Keeble. With the aptly named Land ‘O’ Lakes course in Coaldale providing everyone with the need to buy some new balls! How much water? When we returned to the Rockies we managed to drag Cpl. Cow-arse Johnson and L/Cpl. Gravy Aveyard off the Tank Park and into something other than a Leeds shirt. This time the tour started off at the World famous Banff Springs Stanley Thompson course and a new set of memories including the never to be forgotten Devil’s Cauldron, probably the most spec- tacular par 3 any of us had ever seen or played. Next on the agenda was the Silver Tip course in Canmore, my personal favourite out of all the courses we played and it proba- bly has the longest golf-buggy paths in the world, over l4kms. Luckily the buggies came free with the green fees so no one minded. The course is set on the side of a mountain and pro- vides you with a golfing challenge that is unparalleled in Canada and with every hole providing a photo opportunity it is certain- ly the highlight of my golfing memories. With one more trip to Kananaskis just for Sgt. Stu Harris, because he would not get another chance to play courses like this especially with living next door to The Belfry, we said a fond farewell to the Rockies and returned to BATUS for Medman 4/5 and maybe one more round at Medicine Hat before the snow set in again. In all we managed to play over sixty rounds at around twenty different courses and came away with some fantastic memories and a definite improvement in everyone’s game. Who says OPFOR is all hard work with no time to play! S gr. Mack M cLenahan ~. |
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