“Take a look in your garage, closet or call Uncle Vic for the old style, pre metallic golf club drivers,” asks a local university instructor who is organizing a snowshoe golf tournament.
Bill Steer is a Nipissing University, part-time faculty member who teaches in the Bachelor of Physical and Health Education (BPHE) program. One of the aspects of the program includes practical physical education courses — students are required to take applied physical activity courses every semester, including a snowshoe offering.
"Golf can be a four-season activity especially during the winter and especially if you are in North Bay with active physical education university students," says Steer.
“This year is different, activity practicals will be limited and I have combined aspects of golf with snowshoeing, “said Steer. “We are asking golfers to look into their closets and sheds and to ask around for the older, driver clubs, 1, 2 and 3, before the advent of the larger metallic driver heads. We will include a snowshoe golf tournament to the activity.”
Newer graphic shafts will shatter in the cold.
Jeff Rogerson is the long time General Manager of the Osprey Links Golf Course and a former graduate of Nipissing.
He remembers when there was a snowshoe golf tournament in North Bay many years ago. He was contacted and is gathering some clubs for Bill and thinks “it is a great extension of the usual three-season activity I hope the golfing community will help find some of the older clubs needed for this unique winter pastime.”
Snow golf is a sport based on golf but played over snow (or ice) instead of grass. The "greens" are called "whites" and have a maintained snow or ice surface. Tennis balls often replace the traditional golf ball. The annual World Ice Golf Championship has been held on the world's northernmost golf course on the shelf ice near Uummannaq, Greenland since 1997.
The safe drop off is at Beatty Printing on Cassells St. There is a deposit barrel for the clubs just inside the front door between First and Second Avenue.
For more information contact Bill Steer, 705-840-0848 or [email protected] .
