CALGARY -- Jim Nevada has done it all in the world of chuckwagon racing. He’s been a driver, an outrider and an announcer.
At this time of year, he’s usually right in the middle of his season, with all eyes on the upcoming Calgary Stampede.
But with chuckwagon racing and the Stampede both cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Nevada now has a lot more time on his hands.
Another passion of his is golf. So with the extra time, Nevada says now is as good a time as any to live out a dream and build a golf hole on his property.
“(It's) just kind of a fun thing to do," he said, in an interview with CTV News. "And I got all summer to do it. It’s on my land and it’s something that adds to it. And besides fishing down here, we also love golf.”
There’s only one green but there will be five tee boxes to shoot from. They’ll range from an easy wedge out from 100 yards to a 220 yard hole that is all carry over water.
Nevada says it will be for friends and family, with each of the tee off boxes having a huge emotional significance to Nevada and his family, who grew up on the property.
That's because before it was designated to become a private golf spot, Nevada's property was -- and remains -- home for his finest horses.
“A lot of the good horses I kept, they actually lived their lives out here,” Nevada said.
Not only that, but they will live on in a way, on Nevada's golf track.
“On the green and every tee box there’s actually a horse that I used to race that is buried," Nevada said. "On the green, we call it Champ after a great horse. Tugboat Man is buried right over there on that tee box. There’s also a Mike and Inside Scoop on the other tee boxes."
Nevada says the other tee box will be named after his grandfather. They’ll call it Bird.
The golf hole will be built around Nevada’s stocked fishing pond. There is an island in the middle of it and Nevada says there was some thought to putting the green there. But then he had second thoughts.
“Due to safety hazards, we’re not putting a green on the island. Not too many cowboys can swim,” he said with a laugh.
Nevada says some people are trying to convince him to use artificial turf on the green. That way the hole would be done in a month.
But he says he kind of likes the idea of growing the grass. If that’s the case, the golf hole would be ready for play next season.
