Set to welcome the province
Very few people are aware of the beautiful nine-hole Pitcher’s Pond Golf Course, located on the Trinity Bay shore, in the picturesque community of Whiteway, but the message is spreading fast.
Pitcher’s Pond will no doubt be the course selected for many company tournaments and is a course the Newfoundland Labrador Golf Association (NLGA) will recommend as site for many of its tournaments.
For the 2012 Newfoundland and Labrador Summer Games, co-hosted by Harbour Grace and Carbonear, Pitcher’s Pond will be the site of the golf event. With assistance from the host committee and the NLGA, plans are in place to host the province in a professional and memorable way.
The many volunteers needed to host the activity are in place.
Officials from NLGA have viewed the course and are more than pleased with its quality.
According to Leeland Anderson, convener for the golf event, “The people of Conception Bay and along the Trinity Bay shore, are eagerly waiting for the athletes to arrive so they can showcase the wonderful course and highlight the tremendous hospitality of the local people. Pitcher’s Pond wishes the best of luck to all competitors in the 2012 Newfoundland and Labrador Summer Games.”
The non-profit course is run by a board of 11 directors and has a membership of 100.
It has all the amenities of a larger golf course, including a driving range, power carts, a practice putting green (under construction), a clubhouse, a professional player for lessons, a selection of golf apparel and gift cards and a kitchen area that has been set up for snacks and hot items if requested.
The clubhouse is a two-storey building situated next to the new practice putting green and offers a great view of nearly all the holes from the clubhouse patio.
The warm and inviting staff, under the management of Ray Tuck, will greet you at the clubhouse and take your booking.
Leaving the clubhouse, you will be greeted by Hole No. 1 which should be easy. However, many players shake their heads as they count their score for a bogey or double bogey on the hole
The second hole is a par five and the challenge is to decide whether to go for the green on your second shot or lay up. If your drive has the distance, go for it.
The third hole is a par three and the challenge is the pin placement. Maybe you will get lucky with that on your round.
The fourth hole is a challenging par four as you drive onto a fairway with a blind landing. Even if your drive is accurate, your work is not finished as your second shot is into a small green surrounded by bunkers, trees and wonderful Newfoundland fauna.
As you leave No. 4 and walk to Hole No. 5, take a look at what faces the golfers who would like to try the gold tees. From those tees to the fairway, you are looking at covering a distance of approximately 200 metres before you reach short grass; a daunting task for the average golfer.
From the whites, there is the challenge of nearly 100 metres before you can hit your second shot, which is uphill and makes this hole a definite three-shot hole to reach the green.
The sixth hole, a par four, gives you an excellent view of Pitcher’s Pond which locals say offers great trouting.
This hole should be an easy hole. However, like the first hole, there;s a good chance you will scratch your head as you move to the seventh tee wondering how you achieved that score.
The seventh, a par three, will have you hitting over some great Newfoundland wetland. There is a drop area if you are unsuccessful.
The eighth hole is a challenge, demandings a draw for a right-handed player or a cut or slice for a lefty. Most average players will either use a driver over the trees to a wide-open fairway or use a fairway wood to the 200 marker.
Either way, the second shot will be long on most days because you will be hitting into the wind.
The closing hole, No. 9, is par four will allow you to drive your ball onto a wide open fairway, but then comes your second shot which is on a steep uphill grade.
To complicate matters, you have to pitch your ball over a bunker and try and keep your ball from falling off the back of the green. Good luck with that.
To view pictures of the course and learn about upcoming events, visit Pitcher’s Pond Facebook Page and its official website www.pitcherspondgolf.com or call 709-588-4653.