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Golf a round and “Challenge the Bear”

White Bear Lake Golf Course is one of Saskatchewan’s finest 18-hole championship layouts, renowned for its scenic beauty and quality conditions. There is much to enjoy over the course’s more than 6,700 yards of natural, tree lined fairways.

White Bear Lake Golf Course is one of Saskatchewan’s finest 18-hole championship layouts, renowned for its scenic beauty and quality conditions.

There is much to enjoy over the course’s 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’s 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.

“We were steady all day,” states Gordon Petker, manager of White Bear Lake Golf Club for nine years.

“The course is in excellent condition, it really wintered well and the greens look very nice,” says Petker. “We had a lot of positive comments on opening day.”

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.

“Since the pandemic, memberships are up and green fee play has been up,” explains Petker.

White Bear Lake Golf Club holds their men’s night every Wednesday, although a start date hasn’t been set yet.

The club normally does a number of tournaments throughout the season, First Nations events as well as corporate events.

They’re following the same protocol as last year for COVID restrictions.

“The best thing to do is to be as diligent as we can and maintain the safety of the public,” explains Petker.

White Bear’s Club has many features that attract golfers to their course.

“It’s a great layout, the conditioning is excellent and it’s very unique in the sense that every hole feels secluded…you can’t see another hole from it,” explains Petker.

“The white sand bunkers are pretty unique as there are very few courses in Saskatchewan that have the same feature.”

Some of the best reasons a golfer should play a round or two at White Bear:

“White Bear Lake Golf Course provides not only a great test of golf but it also provides the solitude and the ‘back to nature’ feel with all the birds and wildlife here. You’re getting the best of both worlds even if you’re not an avid golfer you just enjoy the experience of the natural habitat.”

“We have a championship golf course, although we do have four sets of tees which allows people to enjoy the game from all calibres,” explains Petker.

Petker explains that last year the club instituted what’s 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 “they wish that this course was closer to them” 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’d certainly sacrifice the tee sheet for an inch of rain.

White Bear Lake Golf Club’s No. 1 rule for you is simply to “relax and have fun,”

so come on out and “Challenge The Bear.”