For one Manitoba golfing couple, it’s not “fore,” but 142.
That’s how many courses the couple have logged in Manitoba — teeing off at every single one.
Doris and Frank Talbot started keeping score of the golf courses they visited in 2003 and decided they would play a round at every one in the province, finishing this fall, 17 years later.
“We went throughout the whole province — corner to corner, pretty well — and golfed 142, and seven of those are private ones,” Doris said.
“We found lists through the telephone book. We just looked around and sometimes we would add one when we are driving. And we put the brakes on and stopped in Ste. Rose in our northern tour. We didn’t have much of an idea and it kept growing.”
The couple found the most time-consuming part was getting into the private courses.
“Quite a few would let us on a time where it wasn’t too busy. A couple of times we had contacts from people who golfed there. It took a little more planning until we were both retired it was hard for us to do so. That’s why it took us 10 years to do the private ones,” Doris said.
“Really it was a matter of getting the right contacts. We are happy we were able to do the private ones.”
For Frank, sometimes it was the adventure rather than just the nice course that made a course memorable.
“We had to drive from Thompson the three-and-a-half hours to get to Leaf Rapids and the golf course was sort of open but because they knew we were coming, they decided they would mow the grass on a few holes that weren’t open and they did that for us and that was pretty amazing,” he said.
“It was a summer that rained a bunch and there was one hole we remember well. There was water running across the fairway and the only way to get across was to build a bridge. I went into the bush and grabbed some logs and built a bridge to get across the stream.”
The couple say it was a great way to visit the province — something they would encourage people to do now that COVID-19 may have changed people’s travel plans.
“It was fun visiting Manitoba this way,” Doris said. “We’d stop at some bed and breakfast and do a weekend of golf around there, just discovering little towns we didn’t know existed that had nice golf courses, nine-hole courses, but totally surprised sometimes.
“Some weren’t so great but we enjoyed them because they were an experience.”
Frank echoed her sentiment.
“The golfing part was fun but the other part that was fun was to be able to visit Manitoba. Every town has a golf course we’ve been to and it’s a great way for us to visit Manitoba,” he said.
Since finishing up their tour, the couple are golfing at courses around Winnipeg, like River Oaks Golf Course. Next on their list: a Canadian tour.
“There’s still a few provinces we haven’t golfed in so maybe start with golfing in every province and then after that maybe every state — we will see,” Frank said.
Manitoba golf courses the couple played:
- Oakview Golf & Country Club
- Northernaire Golf and Country Club
- Ashern Golf & Country Club
- Whispering Sands Golf & Country Club
- Beausejour Golf Course
- Pleasant Valley Golf Club
- Binscarth Golf Course
- Birtle Riverside Golf Club
- Boissevain Golf Club
- Deer Ridge Golf Club
- Glen Lea Golf Course
- Northern Pines Golf Course
- Sunnyside Golf Club
- Wheat City Golf Course
- Lake of the Sandhills Golf Course
- Sandhills Golf & Country Club
- Carman Golf and Curling Club
- Cartwright Town & Country Golf Club
- Cromer Golf Course
- Dauphin Lake Golf Club
- Deloraine Golf & Country Club
- The Meadows (closed)
- Whitewater Centennial Park Golf Club
- Scotswood Links
- Emerson Golf Course
- Bob’s Bunker Par 3 Golf
- Falcon Lake Golf Course
- Fisher Branch Golf & Country Club
- Phantom Lake Golf Course
- Gilbert Plains Country Club
- Gimli Golf & Country Club
- Links at the Lake
- Girouxsalem Golf & Country Club
- Ridgewood South Golf Course
- Gladstone Golf & Country Club
- Glenboro Golf & Country Club
- Beaches Golf Course
- Southside Golf Course
- Hamiota Golf Club
- Hartney Golf Club
- John Blumberg Golf Course
- Lakeview Hecla Golf course
- Prairie Oaks Golf Course
- Inwood Golf & Country Club
- Killarney Lakeside Golf Club
- La Verendrye Golf Course
- Black Bear Golf Club
- Granite Hills Golf Club
- Holiday Mountain Golf Course
- Kingswood Golf & Country Club
- Leaf Rapids Golf Course
- Mars Sandhills Resort & Golf Course
- Heritage Golf Course
- Lorette Golf Course
- Lundar Co-op Golf & Country Club
- MacGregor Town & Country Golf Course
- Manitou Town Golf & Country Club
- McCreary Golf & Country Club
- Melita Golf Club
- Miami Golf & Country Club
- Miniota Golf Club
- Minnedosa Golf & Country Club
- Minnewasta Golf & Country Club
- Riverview Golf & Country Club
- Neepawa Golf & Country Club
- Old Drovers Run
- Oak Lake Golf Club
- Oak Island Golf Resort
- Lakewood Hills Golf Course
- Poplar Ridge Golf Course
- Netley Creek Golf & Country Club
- Pilot Mound Town & Country Golf Club
- Pinawa Golf & Country Club
- Pine Falls Golf Club
- Portage Golf Club
- Valleyview Golf Club
- Reston Golf Club
- Riverdale Golf & Country Club
- Roblin Golf & Country Club
- Roland Golf Club
- Rossman Lake Golf & Country Club
- Russell Golf Club
- Sandy Hook Golf Club
- Sandy Lake Golf Course
- Selkirk Golf Course & Country Club
- Shilo Country Club
- Lakeside Golf Club
- Snow Lake Golf & Country Club
- Souris-Glenwood Community Golf Course
- Southport Golf Club
- Larters at St. Andrews Golf & Country Club
- Manipogo Golf & Country Club
- St. Malo Golf & Cabins
- Maplewood Golf Club
- Ste. Rose Golf Club
- Bridges Golf Course
- Cottonwood Golf Course (closed)
- Oakwood Golf Course
- Steinbach Fly-in Golf Club
- Quarry Oaks Golf & Country Club
- Swan River Golf & Country Club
- Teulon Golf & Country Club
- Halcrow Lake Golf & Country Club
- Thompson Golf Club
- Grand Pines Golf Course
- Delahunt Golf & Country Club
- Victoria Beach Golf Club
- Virden Wellview Golf Course
- South Interlake Golf & Country Club
- Clear Lake Golf Course
- Elkhorn Golf & Country Club
- Waskada Golf Club
- Winkler Centennial Golf Course
- Assiniboine Golf Club
- Bel Acres Golf & Country Club
- Breezy Bend Country Club
- Charleswood Golf Club
- Crescent Drive Golf Course
- Elmhurst Golf & Country Club
- Fantasy Lake Golf Course (closed)
- Fast Golf / Champion’s Nest (closed)
- Glendale Golf & Country Club
- Golf Land
- Harbour View Golf & Country Club
- Kildonan Park Golf Course
- Niakwa Country Club
- Pine Ridge Golf Club
- The Players Course
- River Oaks Golf Course
- Rossmere Golf & Country Club
- Shooters Family Golf Centre
- Southwood Golf & Country Club
- St. Boniface Golf Club
- St. Charles Country Club
- The Towers Golf Course
- Transcona Golf Club
- Tuxedo Golf Club
- Wildewood Golf Club
- Windsor Park Golf Course
- Winnipeg Beach Golf Course
- Winnipeg Canoe Club Golf Course
- Sagemace Country Club