For one weekend only, Jasperites will be able to ski and golf in the same day.
The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Golf Course opens for business Saturday, May 3, just as Marmot Basin ends its 50th season, May 4, providing spring athletes two days to shred and putt.
And according to Fairmont’s new director of golf, Gregg Lown, the course is in prime condition.
“The [grounds crew is] doing the most minute things to baby the grass that you would ever conceive of. Things you would never do for your lawn, they are doing for 120 acres, or however many acres there are,” he said.
During a tour of the course, Lown—who’s replacing long-time director, Alan Carter—marvelled at the greenness of the freshly cut greens and the many gorgeous vistas that can be seen from each tee.
Lown, a Windsor, Ont. native, is the former director of golf at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler.
After nine years there, first as the head professional and then as director, he went to Mexico to help oversee the ownership transition of the course at the Fairmont Mayakoba. Following 11 months, learning “about SPF 100 and sweating and changing clothes three times a day”, Lown returned to Canada to work at the golf and retail warehouse in Canmore, until another suitable position opened up.
“And now I’m at the No. 1 golf resort in Canada. No one ever thought this was going to come available. This position wasn’t even on my radar until [Carter] gave his notice.”
That announcement was made late last year, and in January Lown made the move to town.
And since then he’s been counting down the days until he can play the course. He’s driven it and walked it numerous times, but he hasn’t played in Jasper since 2007.
With his new position, Lown said he would like to make the golf course into one of Jasper’s biggest summer attractions.
“This is the best golf resort in Canada, but it’s still a hidden secret in a lot of ways. The people who know golf—the people who rate golf courses across Canada—all agree on it, but we need to spread the word, not just throughout Canada, but to the U.S. as well.
“The golf course should be one of the biggest draws and one of the biggest things that we talk about all summer long. It’s a crown jewel.”
Nicole Veerman
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