A Long Winter Spoiled, By Mark Winans, Food & Beverage Manager
Back To Blog
On this Christmas morning the mercury dipped to 25 degrees below zero. I realized it would be a long time before my new clubs and I would see the green fairways of the local three golf courses.
For that matter it would be five more months before Fairbanks would feel the warmth of the sun. My spirit was strengthened with the thought of a tradition I have come to call “Marathon golf under the midnight sun.”
It happens every June 21st or so. Whatever day happens to collide with the Summer Solstice and the never ending daylight that lights up all the Northern Hemisphere. You see up here in Fairbanks, Alaska the sun never sets during the Summer Solstice and I golf for as long as my body can swing the club. This past June I teed off right around 8pm and walked off the first round of 18 holes at midnight. Myself and a few others loaded up the clubs and headed for the next track. I started my second round just after 1am and drained my last putt at 5:30am. After a hearty breakfast and a lot of coffee I headed back to the links for yet another round. All in all I played 72 holes of golf that day and yes some say “golf is a good walk spoiled.” I like to think golf is all about the walk. While strolling down the last Fairway on my 72nd hole I thought back to the shiny wrapped gift under the Christmas tree and realized I couldn’t wait for next year’s golf under the midnight sun and yes, all the seasons in between. See you on the course.