BURSTMother Nature did not provide the customary welcoming summer weather for the annual Smithers couples golf tournament, but the golf club still rolled out warm hospitality for the July 11-12 event.
At the end of the two rounds of the modified alternate shot tournament, it was the duo of Jodie Brennan and Nathan Little who stood atop the leader board.
The couple, who hail from Smithers, but now reside in Summerland, opened with a par 72 round on Saturday to open a comfortable lead. Sunday, the course wasn’t quite as generous to the pair, but a six-over-par 78 was still plenty good enough to give them the 2026 title.
The tournament also annually crowns a net champion. With rounds of 85 (net 63) and 88 (net 66), Smithers couple Lynn Hale and Pierre Butz easily topped the field after handicaps were factored in.
The weekend featured a field of 62 couples divided into four flights, Flight 1 for low handicap, Flight 2 for mid handicap, Flight 3 for high handicap, and a His and Hers flight for pairs who are not couples.
While Smithers was well-represented in the overall champions, out of town golfers swept the flights. Flight 1 saw Jackie and Ervin Himech of Houston take the top prize with two rounds of 80. In Flight 2 it was the Prince George couple Kayla and Chad King who prevailed with rounds of 91 and 87.
The Prince Rupert couple of Melissa Ash and Thom Barker shot rounds of 97 and 96 to win Flight 3 while Tamara Stoney (Hazelton) and Aaron William (Witset) took the His and Hers flight with rounds of 80 and 84.
The net winners in each of the flights were Taylor Chartrand and Jeff Rasmussen (Flight 1, -11), Melissa and Jeff Baker (Flight 2, -4), Anita and John Carpenter (Flight 3, -6), and Jessica Yuen and Dwayne Ross (His and Hers, -4)
As always, Smithers businesses stepped up big time with prizes for the balloon pop social night on Friday, proximity prizes for various in-tournament games (closest to the pin etc.), and prizes for the champions and first, second and third places (both gross and net) in all the flights.
Mulligans Restaurant, the golf course’s food and beverage provider, put on a magnificent spread for the Saturday Night gala which saw the club house decked out with all things green in line the year’s theme of “50 Shades of Green.”
Local rock and roll band Rock Bottom had the place hopping late into the evening.