Coming off potentially one of their best years yet, the Evergreen Golf Course has high hopes again for 2019.
Located in Nipawin, the 18-hole course was in pristine shape from opening day last May until the snow came early in September. Head professional Derrick Tallon said the club had a memorable year.
“We hit the ground running, got started about on average and the course was in great shape right off the bat,” Tallon told Golf Saskatchewan. “It was in as good as shape as it’s ever been tee to green. We hear it everyday but coming from our greenskeeper Ken Lintott, the turf conditions have never been as good as last year. Word got out we were in phenomenal condition.”
Recognizing the Evergreen as one of the province’s top facilities, Golf Saskatchewan will return to the northern Saskatchewan community for the first time since 2015 for a provincial championship. The 93rd Junior Men’s and 69th Junior Women’s Championships will be held from July 9 – 11. Tallon said the course and community are suited for the junior and mixed championship that they hosted in 2014.
“They fit the best with our facility,” he said. “The juniors attract families and they can do other activities in the area and with the mixed I think people like to get away and unwind and have a good time in Nipawin, and the golf course is just good.”
The course opened in 1957 and was designed by Les Furber. The Evergreen plays between just under 5,300 yards up to over 6,500 from the tips. Players are faced with a narrow, daunting 600-yard monster to start but the track rarely plays well into a long bombers’ style. Tallon said the yardage tends to throw players off if they aren’t familiar with the tricky layout.
“The greens are challenging, it’s placement off the tee and where to approach the greens from. Some holes you think it’s wide open but it’s definitely not that,” he chuckled. “The course is a good challenge.”
Aside from playing host to the junior provincials the Evergreen will have their annual Bob Dow Memorial Tournament to begin the year. Approximately 160 golfers with play the two-person team event. The Scotia Wealth, a stop on the Golf Saskatchewan Order of Merit Tour is held annually at the facility plus upwards of 200 golfers are expected for the Nipawin Hawks Hall of Fame tournament over the August long weekend. Several other events pepper the summer schedule as well. Tallon said with The Spot Restaurant one-year into their operations and Lintott’s three-decades of experience, the Evergreen is ready to host any event.
“When Mother Nature cooperates and Ken’s (Lintott) expertise the course is tough to beat. Year in, year out we’re in the discussion of the best conditioned golf course in the province. We did struggle without a food operation for too long, but The Spot stepped up and they’ve matched the golf course with the product we put out. When a visitor comes there is no let down,” Tallon said.
Also highlighting a busy season for the Evergreen is the 2019 PGA of Saskatchewan provincial championship.
Registration for the junior events will be open in April.