Golfers out in full force at driving range this warm Friday

Canada Golf Card driving range on Friday, March 5, 2021. (CTV News Edmonton)

EDMONTON — Sunny skies, warm temperatures, and buckets upon buckets of balls.

Even with snow covering half of the driving range, dozens of local golfers descended on one of the first locations to open this spring.

“We got an incredible, incredible response," said Jeff Ivanochko, co-owner of the Canada Golf Card driving range.

Ivanochko knew that once the former Bogey-busters location opened its doors after a long winter, the stalls would be filled with swing-starved players.

“A lot of people are itching to get out, with the cold weather and minus 50 and the current restrictions.”

Plans are in the works to open an outdoor mini putt course along with covered and heated stalls so golfers can practice 10 months a year.

But Friday, the focus for those enjoying the sun was avoiding the puddles and launching drives towards the 450-yard marker.

“This was a lot of work to get to this point. We wanted the title, we wanted to be the first one to really open golf in Edmonton," added Ivanochko.

Snow blowers and bobcats working the past few days made lanes to give golfers a fairway of sorts. With no nets on the huge field, golfers could swing away and see how far or wide their tee shots landed.

“The moment we took this place over, we asked ourselves how are we gonna be different and we want to bring a lot of new things to Edmonton.”

That includes a giant nine-foot gnome for the mini-putt course once the snow fully melts, and a kids' camp when summer arrives.

The Canada Golf Card driving range is located south of the Anthony Henday, west of Heritage Valley drive.