Warm weather inches Hat closer to golf season
It finally felt like spring on Friday and for golfers it was paradise.
Paradise Valley Golf Course opened its driving range last Wednesday and the golf course will open 11 a.m. Saturday, said the general manager.
At Medicine Hat Golf and Country Club, on Friday morning alone, five people had called asking if the course was open, said Cam Jacques general manager.
“It’s good for business ... It gets people excited about golf again,” said Jacques.
There are still patches of snow and ice in shady areas on the golf course, he explained. The driving range will open Wednesday, March 27, and the plan is to open the golf course April 4.
“Other courses have less trees than us. They probably get rid of the frost, snow and ice a little quicker than us,” said Jacques.
The forecasted high by Environment Canada was 20 C on Friday and it had reached 18 C by mid afternoon.
The previous record temperature high for March 22 was 17.5 C in 2017. The record low was -25.6 C in 2002. The most snow measured on the ground, on March 22, was 7 cm in 2011.
After a warming trend that has lasted almost a week, temperatures are expected to decline in the coming week and for the remainder of the month.
Cottonwood Coulee Golf Course is tentatively planning to open April 5 but says its indoor simulator is available for those itching to get going.