Rivershore enjoys another early opening

Feb 12, 2016 | 4:32 PM

KAMLOOPS  — It’s a sure sign that spring is on its way: first golf game of the year, at least at an 18-hole course.

Many golfers in Kamloops dusted off the clubs and hit the greens for the first time on Friday, as Rivershore officially opened. Mother Nature didn’t present the warmest conditions, but it didn’t deter avid golfers that have been waiting for all winter. 

“It feels great after a long winter of working and a little bit of skiing,” says Cody Jackson, a former golf pro at Sun Rivers. “It’s nice to get back on the green grass.”

Jackson and and his friend Nick Warner are continuing a long-standing golf tradition they have been practicing for many years. 

“Been playing opening day in Kamloops the last five years, so got to keep the record going and have some fun with it, and take a break from ice fishing,” says Warner.

The opening at Rivershore is one day earlier than last year’s start date of February 13. But unlike the 2015 opening that saw temperatures in the teens, Friday was a little chillier. 

The wind was gusting, as it does throughout the year at Rivershore, making for a cold round. But many of the golfers braved the elements, including Rivershore member and former Golf Canada President Jack McDonald, who hopes to play another 100 rounds this year. 

“I hope it’s a long season,” says McDonald, who’s also officiated at the Masters and British Open. “Last year, we opened the same weekend and played until early November.

Come the weekend, weather permitting, there will be more golfers out enjoying the links, with some flocking in from around the region to get their first taste on the greens.