05 GOLF GUIDE 2024 M A N I T O B A
Here are the rest of their picks below: Goodbrandson’s Top 10 1. Clear Lake G. C. 2. Minnewasta G.C. 3. Falcon Lake G.C. 4. Steinbach Fly-In G.C. 5. Shilo
Garth Goodbrandson
6. Hecla G.C. 7. Selkirk G.C. 8. Carman G.C. 9. Pinawa G.C.
Best Places to Play in Manitoba
10. Grand Pines G.C. Ingram’s Top 10 1. Falcon Lake G.C. 2. Hecla G.C. 3. Quarry Oaks G.C. 4. Sandy Hook G.C. 5. Steinbach Fly-In G.C.
Derek Ingram
6. Carman G.C. 7. Pinawa G.C.
8. Buffalo Point G.C. 9. Kildonan Park G.C. 10. Bridges G.C. Wood’s Top 10 1. St. Boniface G.C.
2. Falcon G.C. 3. Hecla G.C. 4. Clear Lake G.C. 5. Steinbach Fly-In G.C. 6. Rossmere G.C. 7. Quarry Oaks G.C. 8. Larters at St. Andrews G.C.
Hecla Golf Course’s par-4 17th is as challenging as it is beautiful. (Photo by Todd Lewys/The Free Press)
need to hit it straight to score well. I have great memories every time I go there.” The same sentiment applies with Goodbrandson when he talks about Minnewasta G.C.
especially on the back nine, which is tight and has some demanding holes.” Not surprisingly, Goodbrandson and Wood have three further-flung courses in their top-10: Clear Lake, Falcon Lake Golf Course and Hecla Golf Course. For some reason, Ingram didn’t place beguiling Clear Lake in his top-10. “Falcon is in a picturesque park setting, has big greens, and can be a good test when the greens are quick,” says Wood. “Hecla has some great lakeside holes, and the large greens force you to hit good shots to the right section of the green to score. And Clear Lake has two really cool holes, the par-four ninth and 17, a gorgeous par- three with a long drop down to the green.” Goodbrandson concurs. “Moe Norman (Canadian golf great) used to say it was one of his favourite courses in Manitoba, and I agree. It’s a scenic course that’s always in great condition. As for Clear Lake, I played my first tournament there, and I have so many great memories of the course. Hecla is just a fun course to play with a lot of great holes.” As for Ingram?“Falcon is such a great course to play – the layout if great and it’s fair. The views at Hecla are unreal and its layout is cool and very playable.”
By Todd Lewys O ne of the great things about Manitoba is that it has some of the best and most affordable public access golf courses in the country. No matter whether you want to get in a round in the city, or within an hour of the city, you can get in a great day of golf any day of the week. Or, if you have the time to travel and stay a while, there’s literally a golf course in every corner of the province to enjoy. We surveyed three top names in Manitoba golf to get their take on what the best places to play in Manitoba are: Garth Goodbrandson, former Director of Player Development with Golf Manitoba, Derek Ingram, now Team Canada’s Head Coach for Golf Canada and Steve Wood, Head Professional at St. Boniface Golf Club. Turns out, some of the picks are sentimental as is the case with both Goodbrandson and Ingram, who both served as junior coaches for Golf Manitoba at one time. “One of my favourites is Sandy Hook,” says Ingram of the tidy little course, which is out in the Interlake. “I grew up out there over many summers and fell in love with the game, and the people there. Even though it’s not a long golf course, you
9. Granite Hills G.C. 10 Grand Pines G.C.
“Falcon is such a great course to play – the layout is great and it’s fair.” — Derek Ingram Team Canada Head Coach for Golf Canada
Falcon Lake’s par-5 18th hole
“I was the head pro there for six years and loved Morden. It’s a fantastic golf course that’s always in great shape. It’s such a scenic course to play.” Wood says that as head pro at St. Boniface, he has a bias toward the course – but one that is based on the course’s merits. “When you play there, you must use every club in the bag; it requires all different kinds of shots. You need to hit some really good shots to play well there,
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