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Factoid

Did you know you can book your tee time online? The City of Edmonton owns and operates 3 18-hole golf courses, Riverside, Rundle Park and Victoria, located on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton’s beautiful river valley. Find out more information in the related link “City of Edmonton: Municipal Golf Courses."
 

By Mike Macklon

Sex is like money, golf and beer – even when it's bad, it's good.- Jimmy Williams

If you aren't already hooked on golf, you likely know someone who is. Personally, I was late to the scene, but now that I have the bug I'm doing my best to make up for lost time. Fortunately, Edmonton and area offers more courses per capita than any other Canadian city, and there's summer sunshine that lasts as long as 17 hours. I can drive 10 minutes to the city centre to reach one of the province's most attractive and affordable courses – the Victoria Golf and Country Club – or I take a country drive out to the prestigious Jack Nicklaus-designed course, Northern Bear.

Amateur golfers understand that our love for the game defies every rule of logic we apply in everyday life. On paper, there's nothing appealing about trying to hit a small ball into a small hole placed over 400 yards away. Oh yeah, we only get 4 shots to get it in – anything more than that in considered below average. Along the way, we lose pricey golf balls, toss pricier clubs in frustration, and repeatedly curse God for His sick sense of humour. However, in practice, golf is perfect. Whatever my worries, they are melted away when I step to the first tee box. And if I happen to drive that first ball 300 yards, there aren't enough spikes on my shoes to keep my head out of the clouds for the rest of the day.

Most days, there'll be many moments when there's a perfect symphony of silence, sunshine and suds, and you can take a moment to balance some of the harsh words you might have had with the Man upstairs. You can take time to actually appreciate life's little beauties, like neon green grass, endless skies, and icy-cold beer. Of course, not every round offers the encouragement and incentive to come back for more. Eventually, a course will get in your kitchen and shake your confidence, and it's at these times that I relish the Edmonton golf scene (not to mention an extra beer to ease the pain!). If one course breaks my spirit, there are 70 more to try and conquer.

This became crystal-clear for me after a round at the challenging Northern Bear course. After losing a dozen golf balls, my patience, and my confidence, I began to wonder if there was any point in carrying on with the sport. That humbling round kept me away from my clubs for nearly a month, until a group of friends coerced me into a round at Riverside. For whatever reason, everything clicked that afternoon – the drives were long, the irons were straight, and the putter had a bead on the cup. That round stands as my best ever, and it made me realize that the successes I enjoy in golf are especially sweet because I know how it feels to fail for 18 holes. Every golfer can find a course that suits their game. Once you find it, you'll understand the fanatic mentality of Edmonton golfers.

The Edmonton golf season removes every excuse to not come out and see if you can give Tiger a run for his money. The long days allow for tee times from 6:00 am to to 6:00 pm and of the 71 courses, one is likely within minutes of your home and in line with your budget. In closing, here's a tip that has saved many golfers from insanity: when a round becomes more bogies than birdies and frustration sets in, keep an eye out for the beer cart.