The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Winter continues to linger at the Phantom Lake Golf Course. Though the sunshine has been warm and strong the past few days, the ground is still frozen. Chris Doyle, the new golf pro at Phantom Lake, hopes to see the weather cooperate so the greens can open in two weeks. 'We're at the mercy of the weather still,' Doyle said. Flin Flon represents a change for Doyle, who is originally from the Vancouver area, but he's ready for the challenge. Doyle arrived in Flin Flon at the start of April and has already seen the weather range from minus-18 and snowing to plus-23 and sunny. 'It's not a real difference from northern B.C. and I've been there before,' he said. Doyle began golfing roughly 33 years ago and has been a pro for the last 27 years. The West Coast native hopes to build the junior golf program at Phantom Lake and increase its popularity. 'It's one of the things I love most about the profession I've chosen,' he said. 'And the board of directors are keen on the junior program running. I just enjoy that aspect of it.' Doyle also hopes to make some changes to the mixed two-ball tournaments, which will be familiar to past players. The mixed tournament will go back to tee-times this year, and music will also be playing. 'It used to be a normal occurrence and was enjoyed by many,' Doyle said. 'So we'll get the tee-times and music and see what happens.' Making His Rounds Doyle has made his rounds in the golf world as he spent seven years in Denmark as a golf pro. Nice weather had Doyle working hard around-the-clock whereas Manitoba will be a nice break for the pro. 'In the northern areas you really have a set season and you work your tail off for that season. It's short and a lot of hours, but then you have the rest of the year off,' he said, noting that it's the perfect time to travel. 'In Denmark we were able to see Europe and run golf tours, but I enjoy being able to have that time off to spend with my family.' Married with two stepchildren, Doyle will spend the golf season in Flin Flon and the off-season in Vancouver. Calling Flin Flon home for the summer, Doyle has been impressed with what he has seen so far _ minus the snow. 'It's a nice atmosphere...and people in the North are friendlier, too,' he said. Doyle expects to see a successful golf season as memberships have been selling daily. 'I'm looking forward to having everyone come out,' he said. The Pro Shop at Phantom Lake, open full days for the season, is where memberships can be purchased. 'Stop by, say hi, and I look forward to seeing (everyone) out on the course,' said Doyle.
