Local Golf Report: Welcome to a brand new season

It’s the first golf column of the 2017 season, and already I’m apologizing. That’s because, as I write the inaugural From Tee to Green, the weather forecast says its going to rain, snow and blow for literally the next 15 days.

Sorry guys and gals, but Mother Nature isn’t going to ease us into this golf season.

And yet, here it is. Prairie Farms Golf Course, Beaver Creek Golf Course and Chinook Golf Club are all open and have had a steady stream of players for weeks now. Yes, some days have been nice, but mostly, spring has been spring around these parts, and that means golf isn’t easy right now.

But, like I said, we’re off and running, and there’s a lot going on for sure.

For instance, the Montana State University-Northern men’s and women’s golf teams are headed south, where the weather will be good. The Lights and Skylights of head coach Dave Boles will play in the Frontier Conference Championships Monday-Wednesday in Phoenix, Arizona. It’s Northern’s only meet of the spring season, but, MSU-Norhern, which has five men and five women competing, will certainly give it their best shot in Arizona. And they don’t have to worry about weather issues.

So good luck Lights and Skylights, and we’ll have your results right here in this column in a couple of weeks.

High school golf is also underway. The Chinook Sugarbeeters, Harlem Wildcats and Fort Benton Longhorns have all been on the links for weeks now. The Beeters have several local meets upcoming, including two trips to Fort Benton’s Signal Point to finish April, as well as tournaments in Harlem May 5 and Chinook May 6. Class C State Golf is set for May 15-17 in Seeley Lake.

League golf is also starting up soon. At Prairie Farms Golf Course, men’s league begins next Tuesday and Wednesday. The league is again divided up into two nights and two halves, so the top eight teams from the first half of the season and the top eight from the second half of the season will qualify for the annual playoffs in August. Men’s league at BCGC is on Thursday night’s as well.

Women’s league at Prairie Farms doesn’t begin until May, with the first night being a fun night May 4. There will be open golf for anyone playing on a league team starting at 5:30 p.m., with the annual league meeting to follow.

And, finally, a reminder to all golf courses and league secretaries, any local golf course, or golf team that would like information published in the weekly column, feel free to e-mail sports editor George Ferguson at [email protected]. All information must be received by the Sunday prior to Tuesday's edition of From Tee to Green. Following this first edition, From Tee to Green will run each Tuesday through the end of the summer golf season. Please feel free to contact me with any golf info, hole-in-ones or any other golf tidbits you might want shared. We would love to publish it.

So there it is, the first golf report of 2017. The weather might not agree, but, golf season is here. Have fun, and hit em’ good.