Golfers in Prince Rupert will notice a significant change in the course in the years ahead thanks to a major donation from the Prince Rupert Port Authority.
On Thursday Prince Rupert Port Authority CEO Don Krusel presented the club with a cheque for $20,500 to help cover the estimated $36,500 cost of redoing the green on the 9th hole. The club applied to the port's Community Investment Fund for the money and identified the green as a priority due to the steep slope that has developed in the 30 years since the hole was built.
"I am sure this will be appreciated by a lot of golfers who view this green as a challenge, to say the least. If you start at the top, you could end up the bottom or off the green pretty quickly with the slope," said Prince Rupert Golf Club president Terry Sawka.
"Generations of golfers will appreciate the transformation of this virtually unplayable green, where they will again enjoy the challenge of making par, birdie or better for years to come," added the club's Outside Committee chair Richard Wright.
Work on replacing the hole is scheduled to start near the beginning of October, after the current season comes to an end, and the hope is to have it ready and playable by the time the Ladies Jubilee takes place in early June.
As for the port authority, Krusel said the support recognizes the role that the club plays in Prince Rupert's quality of life.
"This golf course is figuratively the heart of the community, and is literally in the heart of the community. I know the importance of the club to residents and to young people in Prince Rupert," he said, alluding to the after-school program and youth lessons offered by the club.
"We understand how crucial it is to preserve and improve recreational areas like the Prince Rupert Centennial Golf Course."