During a visit to Cowessess First Nation in southeast Saskatchewan, we found some time to visit Last Oak Golf and Country Club. This golf season is almost over and the closed course, which is nestled in a valley and used to be one of Saskatchewan’s prettiest 18-hole layouts, has been cut in half since extreme flooding in 2011.
A similar disaster struck Kananaskis in Alberta, where two, 18-hole golf courses were wiped out five years ago by floods. The Alberta government spent $18 million and all 36 holes have been rebuilt.
Saskatchewan’s government isn’t likely to fund Last Oak’s much smaller, cheaper rebuild. So Cowessess is planning to restore the course, perhaps in a joint project with three other First Nations. When you spend a day at Cowessess, witness the elected chief and council in action, meet the residents, marvel at the students in their beautiful school and hear everyone’s can-do attitude, maybe we should book a tee time for next season.