From golf greens to snowy scenes, Kelowna residents getting varied intro to winter

Amid clear skies, on snowless greens, Kelowna, B.C., residents were enjoying unprecedented conditions at Shadow Ridge Golf Club, which is open much later than usual.

“We were able because there is not a lot of snow down here and the course is still playable. It is a little chilly out there but you can still get your golf fix in,” James Presnail, Shadow Ridge Golf Club general manager, said.

According to Presnail, Shadow Ridge is the only golf course fully open in the Kelowna area as most clubs have already shut down for the season.

“We are kind of an anomaly; we push it a little bit further than most here. Most people close down,” he said.

“If the weather co-operates then we like to open up. We like to go quite far, this is the furthest in my 10 years that we’ve gone.”

Golfers were ready to take on the unusual conditions in stride and simply put on an extra layer to stay on the course.

1:37 Construction at Big White reaching pre-pandemic levels

“Yesterday was for sure a record of rounds. We had around 140,” Presnail said, adding that the course intends to stay open as long as it’s playable out.

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This year is considered to be a El Niño weather pattern, which means drier and warmer winter conditions than normal.

“We do expect the above-average drier and warmer-than-normal trend throughout the winter. We will still have some cooler days and shots of snow but they are going to be much less frequent than normal winter patterns,” Global News meteorologist Peter Quinlan said.

The recent weather pattern has been less than ideal for the start of ski season but the slopes at Big White were opened to skiers and snowboarders in the first week of December, after a couple of delays.

In the last 24 hours, six centimetres more fell and plans to open more runs are afoot.

“With over six centimetres of Okanagan champagne powder overnight I have been advised by our VP of outdoor operations that his team of groomers and ski patrol will be able to complete opening safety protocols for the Powder Quad chair and the Alpine T-bar today so they can open to the public Wednesday, Dec. 20,” Michael Ballingall from Big White said in his missive to pass holders.

He reminded skiers and snowboarders they should expect early-season conditions.

“Please stay on open runs only and use extreme caution.”