For one weekend only, Jasperites will be able to ski and golf in the same day.
The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Golf Course opens for business Saturday, May 3, just as Marmot Basin ends its 50th season, May 4, providing spring athletes two days to shred and putt.
And according to Fairmont鈥檚 new director of golf, Gregg Lown, the course is in prime condition.
鈥淭he [grounds crew is] doing the most minute things to baby the grass that you would ever conceive of. Things you would never do for your lawn, they are doing for 120 acres, or however many acres there are,鈥� he said.
During a tour of the course, Lown鈥攚ho鈥檚 replacing long-time director, Alan Carter鈥攎arvelled at the greenness of the freshly cut greens and the many gorgeous vistas that can be seen from each tee.
Lown, a Windsor, Ont. native, is the former director of golf at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler.
After nine years there, first as the head professional and then as director, he went to Mexico to help oversee the ownership transition of the course at the Fairmont Mayakoba. Following 11 months, learning 鈥渁bout SPF 100 and sweating and changing clothes three times a day鈥�, Lown returned to Canada to work at the golf and retail warehouse in Canmore, until another suitable position opened up.
鈥淎nd now I鈥檓 at the No. 1 golf resort in Canada. No one ever thought this was going to come available. This position wasn鈥檛 even on my radar until [Carter] gave his notice.鈥�
That announcement was made late last year, and in January Lown made the move to town.
And since then he鈥檚 been counting down the days until he can play the course. He鈥檚 driven it and walked it numerous times, but he hasn鈥檛 played in Jasper since 2007.
With his new position, Lown said he would like to make the golf course into one of Jasper鈥檚 biggest summer attractions.
鈥淭his is the best golf resort in Canada, but it鈥檚 still a hidden secret in a lot of ways. The people who know golf鈥攖he people who rate golf courses across Canada鈥攁ll agree on it, but we need to spread the word, not just throughout Canada, but to the U.S. as well.
鈥淭he golf course should be one of the biggest draws and one of the biggest things that we talk about all summer long. It鈥檚 a crown jewel.鈥�
Nicole Veerman
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