Page 69 - Flathead Beacon // 3.25.15

FLATHEADBEACON.COM
SPORTS
MARCH 25, 2015 | 69 2015 TOP TOURNAMENTS
Here’s a list of golf tournaments across Northwest Montana slated for this summer. There are sure to be more over the next seven months and check flatheadevents.net for listings. Sign up early because these events often fill up fast.
APRIL 26 Kalispell Lakers Scramble, Village Greens
MAY 1-3 Lake City Open, Polson Bay
MAY 2-3 Cherry Blossom, Eagle Bend
MAY 4 Spring Pro-Am Tournament, Whitefish Lake
MAY 8 Kalispell Grizzly Scholarship Association Event, Eagle Bend
MAY 9-10 Dick Seddon Memorial Golf Scramble, Buffalo Hill
MAY 11 WMCPGA Pro-Am, Eagle Bend
MAY 16-17 Ben Graham Memorial, Cabinet View
MAY 16-17 Senior Open, Polson Bay
JUNE 6-7 CVGV Memorial, Cabinet View
JUNE 15 Montana State Junior Opener, Whitefish Lake
JUNE 20 Montana Women’s Foundation Scramble, Village Greens
JUNE 21 Bulldog Open, Whitefish Lake JUNE 26 Junior Golf Fundraiser, Eagle Bend
JUNE 27 10th annual Kambel Scrambel, Cabinet View
JUNE 27 Glacier Bank 2-Person Better Ball, Polson Bay
JUNE 28 American Cancer Society Tournament, Village Greens
JULY 1 Trapper’s Canada Day Tournament, Wilderness Club
JULY 2-4 79th annual Earl Hunt Memorial Fourth of July Tournament, Whitefish Lake
JULY 4 Red, White & Blue, Eagle Bend
JULY 6 WMCPGA Pro-Am, Buffalo Hill
JULY 11 ALERT Scramble Village Greens
JULY 13 Ladies Invitational, Whitefish Lake
JUNE 15 WMCPGA Pro-Am, Polson Bay
JULY 19 Alice Ritzman Junior Golf Scramble, Buffalo Hill
JULY 23 Cross Border Tournament, Wilderness Club
JULY 25 Bobcat Scramble, Polson Bay
JULY 27-28 8th annual Flathead Beacon Pro
Scratch Invitational, Eagle Bend/Northern Pines
JULY 30-AUG. 1 27th annual Governors’ Cup, Meadow Lake/Eagle Bend/Whitefish Lake
SEPT. 3 Legends Tournament, Buffalo Hill
SEPT. 5-7 78th annual Labor Day Golf Tournament,
Buffalo Hill
SEPT. 13 World’s Toughest, Cabinet View
SEPT. 19-20 Fall Pro-Am, Whitefish Lake
SEPT. 20 Prostate Cancer Awareness Scramble, Buffalo Hill
AUG. 6 Flathead Valley Junior Golf Championship, Eagle Bend
OCT. 3 World’s Hardest Tournament, Eagle Bend OCT. 4 World’s Toughest GC, Polson Bay
OCT. 10 Scramble in the Jungle, Wilderness Club OCT. 17 World’s Hardest Tournament, Whitefish Lake
ing range just minutes from downtown Bigfork. As usual, it will be one of the host sites for the annual Governor’s Cup, July 30-Aug. 1.
Status: The Osprey and Bear nine are both open along with the practice facilities. The front nine on the 18-hole course is tentatively scheduled to open April 1.
GLACIER VIEW
West Glacier | 888-5471 | glacierviewgolf.com | 18 holes
Right next to neighboring Glacier National Park in West Glacier, this par- 69 course provides the best surrounding views of any venue around and offers an experience the whole family can enjoy. Founded in 1969, Glacier View is thread- ed along the edge of the nearby national park and sits in the heart of the Crown of the Continent. Warm up with the prac- tice range and putting greens and enjoy dinner afterward on site. There are also RV hookups for those looking to make it a camping trip.
Status: TBD
INDIAN SPRINGS RANCH
Eureka | 889-5056 | indianspringsmontana.com | 18 holes
Now in its fifth year, Indian Springs Ranch has earned a reputation as a high-quality championship Scottish links style golf course with a western flair. Weaving through fescue grass that spreads across the historic 69 Ranch, this course is challenging and relaxed, requiring golfers to strategize on every hole. Grip it and rip it won’t work out well here. This course is only an hour from Whitefish and near the Canadian border, drawing golfers from both areas. Nearby RV lots are available for visitors
looking for a multi-day vacation. Status: Clubhouse managers hope to open April 10, depending on weather. Practice facilities could open as early as this week, but that will also be deter-
mined by weather conditions.
MEADOW LAKE
Columbia Falls | 892-2111 | meadowlakegolf.com | 18 holes
This popular resort, on the edge of Columbia Falls and set to the backdrop of Glacier National Park, continues to grow around the idyllic 18-hole course. Named after the original pond in the heart of the venue, Meadow Lake began as a nine-hole course built in 1976. It was popular right away and in 1985 another nine holes were built and added to the scenic course, which features pine and birch trees and plenty of water hazards. Today this is considered one of the top public courses in the state and earned Golf Digest’s 4.5 star rating, a rare hon- or. It features full practice facilities and quality dining opportunities that give the venue its distinct resort appeal. Also, no visit to Meadow Lake is complete without a stop at Truby’s restaurant, a valley staple.
Status: Clubhouse managers are tentatively aiming to open the 18-hole course and practice facilities around April 15, depending on weather.
NORTHERN PINES
Kalispell | 751-1950 | northernpinesgolfclub.com | 18 holes
This 18-hole links-style course north of Kalispell has consistently ranked among the best in the state. Built in 1996 by two-time U.S. Open Champion Andy North and Roger Packard, Northern Pines boasts a unique design of rolling fairways surrounded by abundant — and treacherous — native grasses. The trade- mark Ponderosa pines tower throughout the winding course, which tracks along the Stillwater River. Golf Digest named the course the seventh best venue in Montana in a 2013 “Best in State Rank- ings.” The front nine resembles the Scot- tish style links design while the back nine becomes more engulfed in trees, water hazards and rolling hills.
Status: All 18 holes and practice fa- cilities open March 27.
POLSON BAY
Polson | 883-8230 | polsonbaygolf.com | 27 holes
Open to the public since 1938, this be- loved venue sits on the southern shores of Flathead Lake. The 18-hole Champi- onship course winds throughout stands of mature trees and water hazards with the mountains and lake in the backdrop. The other nine-hole “Olde Course” fea- tures the classic fairways in the heart of town, offering constant views of the sce- nic lake. One of the season’s highlights is the Lake City Open, a popular, competi- tive tournament that has been going on in some form or fashion since the 1950s and attracts upwards of 30 professionals and more than 110 amateurs. This year’s tournament is May 1-3.
Status: Open.
VILLAGE GREENS
Kalispell | 752-4666 | villagegreensmontana.com | 18 holes
This popular 18-hole course is tucked amid a residential setting with quality fairways and greens wrapped around water features and the idyllic mountain vista in the backdrop. It’s a good venue for golfers of all abilities and features a driving range that’s one of the favorite tune-up spots in Kalispell. Its afford- ability also makes it a top destination. The course hosts several tournaments throughout the season.
Status: Clubhouse managers hope to open the course and practice facilities around April 1.
WHITEFISH LAKE
Whitefish | 862-5960 | golfwhitefish.com | 36 holes
One of Montana’s premier golf ven- ues and also one of the oldest, Whitefish Lake Golf Club is the largest in the valley and one of the historic catalysts of the sport. Adjacent to Whitefish and Lost Coon lakes, the two 18-hole courses both offer scenic opportunities that rank the overall experience as one of the finest in the state. Similar to Buffalo Hill’s de- velopment in Kalispell, this course was established through the Works Progress Administration, a product of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal Agen- cy, which appropriated money for pub- lic works projects. The Grand Opening Tournament was held in May 1936, and would later evolve into the club’s Fourth of July Tournament, which is now the longest-running and largest amateur tournament in the state. This year’s 79th annual tournament is July 2-4. The course is working on a new entry to the golf course. Landscape Architect Bruce Boody is working with a committee to design the entry and has developed some initial concepts. Administrators hope the project will significantly improve the aesthetics of the entry and really spruce up the area after the construction. The project could begin as soon as weather permits and in conjunction with the highway landscaping to be completed this spring and early summer, according to course officials.
Status: Clubhouse managers are aiming to open both courses April 15, dependent on weather. They also hope to open the driving range as soon as pos- sible.
THE WILDERNESS CLUB
Eureka | 889-6501 | thewildernessclub.com | 18 holes
Another gem among Montana’s trea- sured golf courses, the Wilderness Club is one of a kind. Nick Faldo, the winner of six PGA major championships, de- signed this 18-hole venue along with re- nowned course architects Lee Schmidt and Brian Curley. It opened in 2009 as a private facility and is now available to the public. Sitting just outside Eureka in a peaceful setting, the Wilderness Club ranks as one of the finest golf experienc- es in the state. It has grown into a resort with lodging facilities and a pool, mak- ing it an ideal vacation destination.
Status: Open.