The Smithers Golf and Country Club (SGCC) is a community treasure in a lot of ways.
Originally built in the 1930s and expanded to 18 holes in the 1980s, the course is a picturesque gem nestled in forest under the majestic view of Hudson Bay Mountain.
Katlhyn Creek features prominently on seven of the eighteen holes and the course teems with wildlife from waterfowl to deer.
In the spring, summer and fall, in addition to golfers, community members walk the myriad paths and kids wile away lazy afternoons fishing in the numerous ponds.
This summer, following a wildly popular and successful winter path clearing program that saw many people and their dogs use the course for recreation, the executive has opened up a pilot program allowing people to walk their furry friends Monday and Wednesday mornings.
If successful, the program could be expanded.
The SGCC is also home to a junior program that is the envy of the Northwest due to the efforts of tireless volunteers and affordable memberships.
And, of course, there is the biannual Celebrity Golf Tournament that has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for local charities over the years.
One of the lesser-known features of the course, perhaps, is the memorial bench program. For roughly $2,200, the cost of the bench and a plaque, the club will install a bench memorializing lost loved ones.
Currently, 17 benches grace the links. The latest, installed this spring by the clubhouse, honours Ken “Zippy” Zimmer.
Spots for the benches are available on a first-come, first-served basis and although there are only a couple of remaining tee boxes (#12 and #14) groundskeeper Murray Grasdal says there are a few other places on the course where benches may yet be installed.
With space running out for benches, though, the club is now looking at alternatives such as a memorial tree program.
They are also going to rebuild the gazebo that used to stand behind the 14th tee box between the 13th and 15th greens and offer the community the opportunity to memorialize loved ones with a plaque inside.
HOLE #1, TEE BOX
Men’s Par 4, 317 yards, 11th handicap
Ladies’ Par 4, 297 yards, 13th handicap
IN MEMORY OF VICTOR ZAVADUK
1931 - 2016
HOLE #2 FORWARD TEE BOX
Men’s Par 5, 514 yards, 3rd handicap
Ladies’ Par 4, 386 yards, 1st handicap
IN LOVING MEMORY OF
DOREEN ELSIE WILSON (1935-2003)
YOU WILL ALWAYS BE WITH US
HOLE #3 TEE BOX
Men’s Par 4, 296 yards
Ladies’ Par 4, 286 yards
In honor of Chris George
He loved, laughed & golfed
Oct. 25th, 1967 to Feb 2018
HOLE #4 TEE BOX
Men’s Par 3, 156 yards, 15th handicap
Ladies’ Par 3, 134 yards, 9th handicap
IN MEMORY OF ISLA ANDERSON
FEBRUARY 1947 TO SEPTEMBER 2012
HOLE #5 TEE BOX
Men’s Par 4, 406 yards, 7th handicap
Ladies’ Par 5, 396 yards, 17th handicap
IN MEMORY OF
WILLIAM STEWART PALMER 1922 - 2009
EVER REMEMBERED EVER LOVED
HOLE #6 TEE BOX
Men’s Par 4, 430 yards, 1st handicap
Ladies’ Par 5, 402 yards, 15th handicap
IN MEMORY OF MARGARET DAVIDSON JULY 26/1935 TO NOV. 9/12
AFTER GOD MADE MARGARET HE THREW AWAY THE MOLD
DONATED FOR HER LONG SERVICE TO THE LADIES GOLF CLUB
SHE WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN
HOLE #7 FORWARD TEE BOX
Men’s Par 5, 520 yards, 5th handicap
Ladies’ Par 4, 310 yards, 3rd handicap
IN MEMORY OF
HAROLD McGIBBON
1936 - 2013
“LIVE LOVE LAUGH”
HOLE #8 TEE BOX
Men’s Par 3, 352 yards, 17th handicap
Ladies’ Par 3, 291 yards, 7th handicap
ELZO (AL) BRUINTJES 1935 - 2019
A GREAT HUSBAND, DAD, OPA AND FRIEND.
AL APPRECIATED ALL THE GOOD THINGS IN LIFE,
GOLF WAS ONE OF THEM, SG&CC MEMEBER 47 YEARS
HOLE #9 TEE BOX
Men’s Par 4, 156 yards, 9th handicap
Ladies’ Par 3, 139 yards, 11th handicap
IN LOVING MEMORY OF MIKE PARRISH
JAN. 21, 1936 - SEPT. 24, 2012
DEVOTED HUSBAND, FATHER AND GRANDFATHER.
SERVED ON THE GOLF CLUB EXECUTIVE FROM 1988 TO 1995
HOLE #9 GREEN
GORDON STUART HETHERINGTON
1923-2017
LIFETIME SMITHERS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB MEMBER
‘COME, SIT AND REST AWHILE WITH ME’
HOLE #10 TEE BOX
Men’s Par 4, 285 yards, 16th handicap
Ladies’ Par 4, 267 yards, 10th handicap
AGNES ADOMEIT (MATHEWS) 1924-2016
ALTHOUGH A PAST WINNER OF NUMEROUS GOLF TOURNAMENTS
INCLUDING THE NORTHERN OPEN AND CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP
SHE REFERRED TO THE GAME SHE LOVED AS “OH SHIT”!
HOLE #11 TEE BOX
Men’s Par 3, 181 yards, 8th handicap
Ladies’ Par 3, 129 yards, 18th handicap
In Loving Memory of Harold Edward Palmer
April 28, 1934 - March 18, 2020
“Whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the
universe is unfolding as it should” -Desiderata
HOLE #13 TEE BOX
Men’s Par 4, 375 yards, 10th handicap
Ladies’ Par 4, 365 yards, 8th handicap
IN LOVING MEMORY OF
CARL AND SALLY SANDBERG
ALWAYS IN OUR HEARTS FOREVER IN OUR THOUGHTS
HOLE #15 TEE BOX
Men’s Par 5, 527 yards, 6th handicap
Ladie’s Par 5 403 yards, 14th handicap
IN MEMORY OF JIM GOODACRE
1925 - 2010
HOLE #16 TEE BOX
Men’s Par 3, 196 yards, 12th handicap
Ladies’ Par 3, 175 yards, 12th handicap
In Memory of George Anderson
October 24th, 1930
August 21st, 2011
“Fairway George”
HOLE #17 TEE BOX
Men’s Par 5, 540 yards, 4th handicap
Ladies’ Par 5, 511 yards, 4th handicap
In loving memory of Andy Malbeuf
1967 - 2017
Always Loved Never Forgotten Forever Missed
Go Habs Go
HOLE #18 TEE BOX
Men’s Par 4, 335 yards, 18th handicap
Ladies’ Par 4, 308 yards, 16th handicap
IN LOVING MEMORY OF MANSON KENNEDY 1953-2014
BELOVED HUSBAND AND FATHER, DEAR FRIEND
AND GOLF COMPANION. ALL HE WANTED WAS A BENCH,
HAVE A SEAT AND ENJOY THE MOMENT
HOLE #19 (CLUBHOUSE)
In memory of our friend
Ken “Zippy” Zimmer
Member of the Chicken Creek Gang
and long time member of the SGCC