Snow golfing: New Brunswickers tee off for a good cause | 24CA News

On Saturday afternoon, dozens turned out for the twenty second annual Canadian Snow Golf Championships in Midland, N.B.

The occasion, created to boost funds for Make-A-Wish Canada, is hosted on the Midland Meadows Golf Club. Teams of 4 descend on the 9-hole course with golf golf equipment and a tennis ball, striving to realize one of the best rating.

“I watched Doug Gilmour, a little kid, skate with Doug Gilmour, and that was his wish, and I watched that a couple of times,” occasion organizer Stephen Vail mentioned concerning the inspiration for snow golf. “It was my Church of Latter-day Saints moment.”

Vail added the concept got here as Glen Gray began the golf course, which made for a “perfect storm.”

Over the years, the annual occasion has change into extra outstanding because it’s helped native youngsters have their needs granted.

“First year we raised $500 thought we were saving the world, and 22 years later and over $300,000 here we are with this great event,” mentioned Gray, who owns the course alongside together with his spouse Sherry.

In the primary yr of the pandemic, they nervous COVID-19 would thwart efforts to boost funds. Instead, they needed to open extra tee occasions and, ultimately, raised sufficient to fund three needs.

While Sherry doesn’t anticipate they’ll increase that a lot this yr, their glad funds are nonetheless raised for trigger, and enjoyable has been had within the course of.

“So what we’ve always said is if you play it one year, you’re hooked, you’re going to come back the next year. And as I said to somebody today, you don’t have to know how to play golf, you just have to know how to have fun,” she mentioned.

Recently, an area want was granted for a 9-year-old named Mya, who has cystic fibrosis. In December Mya, alongside along with her household, travelled to Florida to go to a theme park.

“It’s communities and events like this that allow us the opportunity to grant wishes like Mya, who is a local kid,” mentioned Sue Dempster, the Atlantic Wish Coordinator for Make-A-Wish Canada.

“We have 60 local children in New Brunswick right now with critical illnesses that are waiting on wishes.”

While the organizers for the Canadian Snow Golf Championships thought 25 years could be the lifespan of the occasion, as annually passes, they mentioned they’ll’t think about giving it up.

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