Spring starts with a swing

By Lethbridge Herald on March 21, 2026.

Herald photo by JOE MANIO Ken Svoboda warms up on the driving range as playing partner Stuart Deverney looks on, joining a wave of golfers eager to get back into the swing on the first day of spring on Fridaty at Paradise Canyon Golf Resort.

By Joe Manio

Lethbridge Herald 

At Paradise Canyon Golf Resort, the grass is still winter-yellow, the snow chased off by warmer days and the ever-present wind. But under a bright first-day-of-spring sun on Friday, that’s more than enough for golfers eager to get back on the course—including some who’ve made the trip south from Calgary, where courses remain snowed in. According to pro shop staff, between 20 and 30 golfers had already gathered for 10 a.m. tee times, with at least one early bird arriving as early as 8:30—chomping at the bit to get out on the course. “Opening day so far has been very successful,” said head golf professional Jae Maegaard. “Once we flip that switch and open, there’s a sense of relief. Everyone’s been cooped up for four or five months, and it just brings a lot of joy. You can feel spring coming—and people are eager to dust off the clubs.” Count Ken Svoboda among them. “I’ve been chomping at the bit to start golfing,” said the 76-year-old, who estimates he’s been playing for more than five decades. “I played a little indoor golf over the winter, and that just whet my appetite to get out here.” The vernal equinox may mark the official arrival of spring, but in southern Alberta, the season tends to arrive in waves—sometimes warm and welcoming, sometimes sideways and snowing. Still, for a certain breed of golfer, “open” is all the invitation they need. That means layers instead of polos, toques instead of visors—and, in some cases, a golf bag packed for all four seasons. “You need a big golf bag this time of year,” Svoboda said with a laugh. “So you can carry all four seasons with you.” Conditions, as Maegaard puts it, are “pretty typical for this time of year.” “You’ll see a yellow golf course,” he said. “The grass is still dormant coming out of winter. But we make sure our tees, fairways and greens are as manicured as possible—we want to show what the course has to offer right from the start.” That early start is part of the southern Alberta advantage, even if it comes with a few weather curveballs. “The nice thing about opening early is that it takes away that ‘closed’ stigma,” Maegaard said. “If the weather’s playable, people will be here. If it’s not, we wait it out. We’re prepared for both.” Other courses are also joining the early-season lineup. Henderson Lake Golf Club opened its fairways yesterday, offering city golfers another early option, while Evergreen Golf Centre is expected to come online soon if it hasn’t already. For now, conditions remain… let’s call them “character-building.” Early spring golf in Alberta isn’t about pristine lies or perfectly rolling greens—it’s about persistence. It’s also about rediscovery. Early rounds can feel a little unpredictable, as golfers work out winter stiffness and try to reconnect with swings that may have gone dormant along with the grass. “You’re using muscles you haven’t used in a while,” Svoboda said. “And you’re trying to remember how you were hitting the ball at the end of last season.” There’s also a certain camaraderie unique to this time of year. Early-season golfers tend to be the die-hards—the ones who swap stories about winter simulators, near-misses with frost delays, and rounds played through just about everything short of a full shutdown. For Svoboda, there are limits—but not many. “If there’s no wind, I can play in pretty well anything,” he said. “But once that cold wind picks up, that’s usually when I’ll pack it in.” Of course, no one here is under any illusions. Spring, as southern Albertans know, is less a season and more a negotiation. Sunny mornings can give way to flurries by lunch. A promising forecast can pivot overnight. And somewhere between now and the May long weekend, winter will almost certainly attempt a comeback tour. Still, Maegaard’s message to golfers is simple: “Our course wintered very well. The shape is fantastic—and we’re open to everyone.” Because in Lethbridge, the start of golf season isn’t defined by perfect weather. It’s defined by the simple, stubborn act of teeing it up anyway.