White Bear Lake Golf Course is one of Saskatchewan鈥檚 finest 18-hole championship layouts, renowned for its scenic beauty and quality conditions.
There is much to enjoy over the course鈥檚 more than 6,700 yards of natural, tree lined fairways.
The course, which was started in 1986, is part of the White Bear Lake Resort and is set amidst a pristine old growth forest near the shores of its namesake. Playing to a par of 72, off three sets of tees, it features expertly groomed fairways on an elevated plateau of hills, lakes and ponds amid a lush aspen, ash and white birch forest.
The shot-maker鈥檚 course has expansive, rolling greens and the only white silica sand bunkers in southern Saskatchewan.
The course opened for the season May 1 wonderful golfing weather.
鈥淲e were steady all day,鈥� states Gordon Petker, manager of White Bear Lake Golf Club for nine years.
鈥淭he course is in excellent condition, it really wintered well and the greens look very nice,鈥� says Petker. 鈥淲e had a lot of positive comments on opening day.鈥�
With the pandemic and everyone being in lockdown for several months, golfers appreciated the experience of their first round out that much more.
The club has somewhere around 150 members signed up.
鈥淪ince the pandemic, memberships are up and green fee play has been up,鈥� explains Petker.
White Bear Lake Golf Club holds their men鈥檚 night every Wednesday, although a start date hasn鈥檛 been set yet.
The club normally does a number of tournaments throughout the season, First Nations events as well as corporate events.
They鈥檙e following the same protocol as last year for COVID restrictions.
鈥淭he best thing to do is to be as diligent as we can and maintain the safety of the public,鈥� explains Petker.
White Bear鈥檚 Club has many features that attract golfers to their course.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great layout, the conditioning is excellent and it鈥檚 very unique in the sense that every hole feels secluded鈥ou can鈥檛 see another hole from it,鈥� explains Petker.
鈥淭he white sand bunkers are pretty unique as there are very few courses in Saskatchewan that have the same feature.鈥�
Some of the best reasons a golfer should play a round or two at White Bear:
鈥淲hite Bear Lake Golf Course provides not only a great test of golf but it also provides the solitude and the 鈥榖ack to nature鈥� feel with all the birds and wildlife here. You鈥檙e getting the best of both worlds even if you鈥檙e not an avid golfer you just enjoy the experience of the natural habitat.鈥�
鈥淲e have a championship golf course, although we do have four sets of tees which allows people to enjoy the game from all calibres,鈥� explains Petker.
Petker explains that last year the club instituted what鈥檚 called a family tee so they can play from a much more forward tee and enjoy the game more. This should make them feel less intimated for the less skilled golfer.
One of the biggest comments made by a customer was 鈥渢hey wish that this course was closer to them鈥� for the golfers who may have travelled a great distance to play a round.
A lot of people plan their summer golf trips around White Bear and some play both courses at the Lakes over a weekend.
Saturday may have been the perfect day for golfing but Petker states they鈥檇 certainly sacrifice the tee sheet for an inch of rain.
White Bear Lake Golf Club鈥檚 No. 1 rule for you is simply to 鈥渞elax and have fun,鈥�
so come on out and 鈥淐hallenge The Bear.鈥�
