July 9-16, 2013 – as published in the winter print edition.
An exciting golf excursion of Southeastern Alaska delighted subscribers, travelers and several members of the Black Jewels Ladies Golf Association-Brooklyn, NY Chapter (BJLGA), as they joined AAGD Publisher, Debert Cook for eight days of culture and discovery in the land of the midnight sun.
Once out of their Seattle, WA port, the group was impressed with Mother Nature brilliant welcome, as global warming trends topped off daily Alaskan temperatures in the mid-70’s throughout their ports of call: Skagway, Ketchikan, Juneau, and Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
“We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves onboard the ship and our golf excursions were fabulously coordinated,” said Coran James, President, BJLGA-Brooklyn Chapter. “We also ate way too much delicious food, shopped the days away and danced into the nights,” said Cook, while a pool table competition in the billiards room was the height of excitement between Cynthia Hall and Tonja Delaine.
GOLFING ALASKA
Valley of the Eagles in Haines (Skagway), AK is one of the most unique 9 hole courses in the world. Located on tidelands and occasionally covered by high tides (except during the summer), it plays 2,900 yards from the longest tees for a par of 36 par. The tees and greens on the links-style course utilize artificial turf in order to avoid toxic materials. Salmon and trout inhabit the course streams and the golfing was splendid. The area, undergoing isotactic glacial rebound, rises about 0.9 inches per year in relation to sea level. Moose and bears frequent the area—even though it is uncommon to actually see them— and golfers kept a sharp eye out, seeing their tracks throughout the course.
Mendenhall Golf Course is a public 9-hole and the only course in Juneau, AK. Surrounded by the magnificent Mendenhall Glacier and majestic mountains, it’s where flowers bloom, eagles soar and salmon spawn. There are 1,400 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 27. Designed by Tom File, the Mendenhall golf course opened in 1986. Tom manages the course as Owner and presented all players with an official Award Certificate of Play upon completing their round.
Debert Cook is a travel writer, avid golfer and publisher of the African Amerian Golfer’s Digest based in New York City.