For those who spend the winter months desperately missing their golf clubs and the chance to sink that ever elusive hole in one, the early thaw and spring-like weather was a welcome dose of good news. For the people responsible for getting Woodlawn Golf Club up and running, it meant the time was near to start cleaning up the course. 

After a 2018 golf season was cut short at both ends by inclement weather, the prospect of spring coming early is a welcome one for golfers in Estevan. According to head pro Amanda Minchin, the course is now just one more stretch of warm weather and sunshine away from being open. 

"We've got a little ways to go," Minchin said. "The snow has gone down significantly since last week. Our first step will be to get the driving range open as soon as we can. Right now we don't have a date set but it is approaching quickly. We just need probably another week or so of double digits to kind of get the place dried up so we can get the driving range going."

Once the driving range opens, cleanup work on the course begins, including the removal of tarps and any debris left behind for the winter. The course may also need to pump water out. The course hopes to open in April according to Minchin. 

"It's exciting," she said, "especially since we all know what February was like. Even up until last Wednesday we were still gettting snow but now you see a lot of grass. But I've been in this game a long time so I know mother nature doesn't really level off this time of year. But it is exciting to be in the third week of March and seeing some sunshine and warmth."   

Though the previous season of golf was bookended by bad weather, the course still saw some memorable moments, from tournaments and memorial golf days to multiple hole-in-ones. Most of the golfers to hole out from the tee box did so on the 14th hole.

"We had a great year with hole-in-ones," Minchin said. "Since we re-did the back nine, hole 14 has become the new favourite. We had five there last year, one in April, two in May, and two in July. It was pretty exciting and it'll be interesting to see if we can top that this year."

As they have in years past, the golf course will also play host to numerous tournaments. "We had a great Frametech August Classic at the beginning of August," said Minchin, "with a full field there, a great three days of golf. And of course the Dave Price Memorial. And a lot of great events and member interactions. We're looking forward to the same kind of stuff this year."