Yukon Golf Page 3

The next day, arriving in Dawson, about 600 kilometers from Whitehorse, I checked into my hotel and immediately got nervous. For tomorrow I was going to drive up the world famous all gravel Dempster Highway hopefully getting into the Arctic Circle. Not a big deal in a 4x4 or a sturdy pick up but in a well used, and loved, 1991 Miata with only one spare tire I knew I was in for the ride of my life.

Don't kid yourself driving this highway is a major under taking. You will need one, better yet two, full-size spare tires at least. Other than the modern Eagle Plains Lodge about 370 kilometers past Dawson City there is nothing but rough road broken up with the occasional patch of real rough road. No gas stations, no hotels, no little villages nothing. Blow out a spare, or break a transmission here and have no way of replacing it. That means you could be in for many hours of dusty waiting for the next car to crawl by. There are two highway department service yards that sometimes have people in them; one is near the beginning of the highway the other is close to Eagle Plains. Plan this trip thoroughly. It can be done and many thousands of people like me do it with out a problem. But I will guarantee you that if you leave unprepared you will regret it. The highway sees a modest amount of travel and the Yukon Highway Patrol covers it on a regular basis. But the weather can change in a heartbeat and snow can fall any day of the year and blowing one to three tires per trip isn't unusual. I wouldn't try this road any earlier than June 15th and no later than October 1st.

I left Dawson at 7:00 in the morning and was on the Dempster by 7:30. At first I was a basket case. Every bump in the road caused me to slow down and check my gauges and wonder if that was the bump that blew a tire. But eventually the beauty of the world I was seeing took my mind off the road and I started to really enjoy the trip. Soon I was lost to wonderment. Just staring off in to an endless and timeless horizon. Permanently white mountains, frozen lakes, valleys so deep you couldn't see the bottom and peaks so tall that clouds obscured their tops. In what seemed like a ridiculously short period of time I came across a sign reading " Eagle Plains Lodge 2 km." At the lodge I dropped in $20.00 worth of gas and 35 minutes later I was standing at the monument marking the Arctic Circle. I wish now that I had a small speech to read.

Maybe a special song to play or perhaps a photo of my late father and my late father in-law who both were riding with me that whole trip I felt. I hung around for forty minutes taking photos, scooping rocks and tundra as a souvenirs and yelling a lot. Then I grabbed my clubs out of the car. I posed them against the monument and teed up a ball beside the bag. Then I reached for my camera. It was one of the best photographs of my trip. Later I put my glove on, aimed my Top Flite ball straight up the highway, even further into the Arctic, and hit it dead straight. Now I an honestly say I have played golf in the Arctic. I was back in Dawson City by 6:30 pm. Total damage? My turn signal bulb popped out. That cost me $7.00 to replace in Whitehorse. I thought once that was done my 'accident' for the trip had happened. But sadly 6 days later I ploughed into a dump truck in Northern Alberta on my way to the North West Territories. I totaled my Miata and missed the next 8 weeks of the summer but for the most apart I walked away from it and to this day I don't know how.

After conquering the Dempster I parked my explorer's hat and laced up my spikes and prepared for my last round in the Yukon. To get to the Top of the World Golf Course (sometimes called the Top of the World Gold Course) in Dawson City you have to drive to the end of the road in Dawson. In fact you almost have to drive down to the riverbed. That's because you will need to take a 7-minute flat deck ferry ride across the Yukon River so you can start up on the Top of the World Highway. Ferry crossing and driving it takes 15 minutes to get to the first tee from Dawson central. The golf course itself is a beautiful 3216-yard long 9-hole set up. There, Kimberly Jenkins greeted me. Walking me around she told me how this season was delayed by weather. " It got so warm so quickly we had a golf course before the river thawed so the ferry couldn't cross with supplies." "The first two weeks we had to helicopter in food, fuel, water and staff twice a day, more if we needed special equipment." I thought about how expensive this must have been and then I fumed a little about how my club's dues go up if the cost of toilet paper goes up a nickel.

Holes one through five are set on top of the property and all have generous fairways and really nice greens. Top of the World starts with a 308-yard par four. I came very close to the green with a so-so three wood. Taking a little time to warm up on their range I still feel a driver may have gotten me on the dance floor in one. Number 2 is a stiff 201-yard par three. For such a long hole it has a small green and there is a big bunker on the right making it a real rewarding par - or so I hear. Holes 6 through 9 are on the lower half of the property. Number 6 is a down hill medium length par four (382 yards). There is a creek running across the green about 130 yards short of the green so a long drive is just want you don't need here. A fairway wood or hybrid will be perfect from this tee box. Top of the World opens in late April early May. But like the rest of the Yukon I don't recommend anyone traveling up to play golf go much before mid June. I hear the best time of the year is middle September to early October. The fall colours and the moose are out and both add to this course's beauty.

The Yukon is a very doable vacation. And one that will make you smile every time you think back on it. For the most part the highways are paved and well maintained. The speed limit is 90-100 kph but realistically you'll be going 120 kph plus for long stretches. Truthfully, unless you are flying into Whitehorse to play Mountain View, the Yukon is not a golf destination. But if you are like me and have always dreamed about trying this truly Canadian experience it is nice to know you can bring your favorite clubs along and play on top quality golf courses. The Yukon is so pretty and special that many consider a trip here as a once in a lifetime experience. Many travel magazines and men's magazines consider the Yukon, especially the Dempster Highway, as being in the top 10 drives in the world. Having experienced both I can agree. I wouldn't go just for the golf, but if you do take your clubs along you won't be disappointed.

Tom Cattermole is a freelance golf writer, watch for more stories in 2007.