The mild winter southeast Idaho has been experiencing has been stirring the imagination of golfers across the region all winter long, and they got the chance to finally tee off at the American Falls Golf Course Friday.
“This year has been really crazy,” says general manager Cody Moldenhauer. “We ended way later than we ever have and now we’re starting earlier than we usually do. So, it’s been a short winter”
The same lack of snow that’s been frustrating skiers this winter has given golfers reason to celebrate.
Riverside Golf Course in Pocatello opened earlier in February, and Highland Golf Course is set to open this weekend.
The American Falls Golf Course opened on Friday, far earlier than they usually do.
“Everybody thought I was really crazy sitting on a mower yesterday trying to mow things and clean stuff up and make it look as best as it could,” Moldenhauer laughs.
Typically, the course opens around the middle of March, when it’s clear of snow. But as the winter months dragged on this year without snow, the demand for the course to open started to build.
“We’re here all the time, so the phone’s been ringing off the hook for about a month now,” says Jo Cornforth, assistant manager at the American Falls Golf Course. “Even in December, we were getting calls.”
News of the American Falls Golf Course opening spread. At the start of the day, there were zero reservations made. By 6 o’clock Friday evening, over 40 tee times had been scheduled through the first day of the season.
“It’s been steady,” Cornforth says. “I wouldn’t say it was hectic. It just was steady all day long. Today was a little windy but tomorrow is supposed to be less windy. I got a pretty full sheet tomorrow. I think everybody’s watching the weather even closer.”
While being able to kick off the season early is a benefit, the dry winter could become a problem later this summer.
“The worry is if we’re going to have enough water to keep irrigating,” says Moldenhauer. “Hopefully we have a really wet spring because of the snowpacks not there to get it. So hopefully we do get some water.”
There is some moisture in the upcoming forecast for the area, but it remains to be seen if there will be enough precipitation this spring to make up for the mild winter.
In the meantime, if you’re planning on hitting the links this early, you still might want to bring a jacket.
“It’s a little chilly,” Cornforth says. “But also, its golf in February so can’t complain too much.”