I went out on a nice afternoon with my cousins Noah and Joel.  They are frequent golfers so I figured they would be able to give me a few tips and tricks.  When we first got there the boys took the time to warm up on the practice green with some putting and chipping.  Once we started the round and the boys went from hole to hole I learned a lot.  I only played a few holes myself, but really enjoyed watching them.

When it came time for me to practice teeing off, my golfing partners couldn’t help but laugh.  I am very used to holding a hockey stick, so comfortably enough, I was going “Happy Gilmore” driving the ball as if I was taking a slap shot.  I quickly learned from the laughing behind me, that you are not supposed to lift your leg while driving a ball.  No worries though, my coaches helped me out and showed me how to properly drive a golf ball.

The next lesson was putting.  “Tap the ball into the hole” seems easy enough…. That was not the case.  I had a hard time figuring out what type of power to putt with. 

It was either way to hard, or not hard enough.  After a few tries I got the ball to fall into the hole. YES!

I learned from this experience to have a greater appreciation for the sport of golf.  It is not easy at all, and takes a lot of patience.  Golfing is a very popular summer sport here in Nipigon.  The North Shore Golf Course is located just off the Trans Canada Highway #11-17 Between Red Rock and Nipigon on Golf Course Road.  Situated between beautiful mountains, this nine-hole golf course is the ideal place to get away and enjoy the spectacular view and a great game of golf. Incorporated in 1961, The North Shore Golf Club has nine holes with multiple tees, measuring 6500 yards from the black championship tees. The layout consists of three par 3’s, three par 4’s, and three par 5’s adding up to a par 36. The club hosts 2 major open tournaments for players with official handicaps. The North Shore Open is held in July and the North Shore 4-man best ball is being held this weekend, September 16th-17th.   The club also welcomes youth golfers, so if your child has never golfed, get him/her out there next summer to give it a try. 

I’d like to thank my “golf pros” Noah, Kyle, and Joel for the great day out at the golf course, I had a blast!

Until next time, exploring the edge.