Avid golfer moving to Juneau, please help!

I'd never thought I'd pull the trigger, but I got a great job in Juneau, Alaska I couldn't refuse. I've been golfing for 25 years quite avidly. There are ZERO courses in Juneau. What does a guy do? How does one live without golf?

Has anybody had a similar situation? Better yet, has any golfer on here lived in Juneau, or anywhere in Alaska (perhaps British Columbia), and found places to golf? Suggestions would be wonderful. Thanks.

Turn down the job? Curious to see the answers. Can't help you because I'm in TX and have never been to Alaska, but I often wonder what golfers do up there.

Is this place OOB https://www.golfnow.com/courses/1044027-mendenhall-golf-course-details

And they say open 4/1 to 10/1. 6 months, and I bet the first and last are still pretty cold.

Sounds to me like you *used* to be an avid golfer.

And this place, looks like you need a float plane to get there? http://www.gustavus.com/activities/golf.html

I guess the cost of living in Alaska

I would have to find a heated space I could rent where I could have at least a mat and nets. Depending on financials, maybe even a Skytrak or something similar.

Best guess you'll be doing what many on Golfwrx do, live and talk vicariously. Good luck with the move, as it's going to be a dramatic cultural change. :beach:

ahhhhh yeah i dont change job unless it is close to a range and courses.

Cruise ships down to Vancouver. Make for a unique entry in the "how far are you from your club" thread.

Barring that, it's a smooth 31hr drive to Jasper.

Good luck in your new adventure!

I'll give you $100 for your bag.

If this job doesn't pay enough for you to set up a simulator in your house, it ain't that good!! You're gonna need a sim big time!

BT

Save your money and come back in a year to civilization. Not only will you not play golf, you won’t be dating either. So saving should be easy. Just consider it serving time for some crime. One day you will laugh about the experience.

All right fellas I’m receiving zero positive comments. Somebody, say something good. I’d be going with my girl and at least have a spare room to putt and swing. 2.5 year commitment. I kind of view it as a major back injury.

Umm well you shoupd become the worlds greats putter..... So you have that going for ya. If you know the size of the room get a putting green made that size so you can install it when you get there. Build it on a raised floor then add sand for break. You can set a office table and chairs in the corner. Enjoy

You will become one with water and your fishing game will improve

Simulator! If it's a can't-turn-down job, take a chunk of the salary and build a GOOD sim.

A couple of months ago me and my wife spent a whole week in Juneau on a nice vacation. What a beautiful place! I don’t know about golf, but as a self proclaimed Mountain Man, I felt in love with the place.

Good luck and enjoy!

I will assume the pay is good, taxes are low, and there is great hunting and fishing. The climate around Juneau is moderate, the winters are likely to be less harsh than Michigan, fine climate to raise a garden in the summer. You could build and rent time on a good simulator setup. Friends of mine who have lived in Alaska tell me you're likely to have a moose in your backyard. It's a paradise!

Play the Mendenhall course. We almost had time when we were on a cruise a few years ago, but just couldn't make it work or I'd have a report.

It looks better than nothing, should sharpen up the wedge game.

You are going to need a sim for sure. Then take some weekend trips and your vacations will include golf. Also check out the overseas highway ferry system for stops that include golf courses, it goes as far south as WA. This is obviously pretty involved for a round of golf but if ya gotta play, ya gotta play.

2.5 years maybe you get 10-15 rounds in. Look at it like having a kid. Which will probably also happen if you are taking your girlfriend to Alaska for 2 years.

Are you sure it's not Juneau, Wisconsin? Then you're only 80 minutes to Whistling Straits.

Are you sure it's not Juneau, Wisconsin? Then you're only 80 minutes to Whistling Straits.

Oh me that was funny.

So it is a 2 hour 20 minute flight to Seattle. Many Juno-ites take the trip for long weekends, and Seattle is year around golf if you don’t mind a little cold rain blowing sideways in the winter. Juneau does have a ski area, some busy gyms, and a lot of triathletes ( no- golf isn’t one of the tri). If you are working for a mine you’ll be busy with long works days and off time for trips. Lots of hunting and fishing. Summers can have some spectacular days.

You may not golf, but with any luck you'll see Russia from your house.

What happens if you resign after a year? I can see being young and adventurous, maybe a year. But 2 1/2 years sounds too much like the military. Are you penalized financially if you leave after a year? I’m not suggesting you do this, but I would consider all possibilities. Alaska is quite a change. As far as golf, not playing for 2 1/2 years will probably be a good thing in the long run. If you love the outdoors you won’t miss it, you will be so busy. Invest in kayaks, fishing gear, hunting gear. Never been but Juneau is not Homer, it’s not as secluded as one might think.

So it is a 2 hour 20 minute flight to Seattle. Many Juno-ites take the trip for long weekends, and Seattle is year around golf if you don't mind a little cold rain blowing sideways in the winter. Juneau does have a ski area, some busy gyms, and a lot of triathletes ( no- golf isn't one of the tri).

I like it!

OP you could easily take 1 day off for a 3 day weekend and get in 5 rounds at Bandon. Do that a couple times during the winter when the rates are cheaper and that's an awesome golf fix :)

Bandon might be the only place where being in Juneau makes it easier to get to than where you currently are.

Oh nice, I forgot about Bandon.

^Ya when I was flying out of Eugene to Seatac last Thanksgiving, I sat next to someone who was connecting back up to Juneau.

She definitely got home before I did, lol.

And as pointed out above, loads of folks do the Juneau - Seattle thing via a handful of directs each day.

There's no reason you couldn't pop down every couple months for a weekend, I'm sure the missus would be happy to putter around Seattle during the day while you played.

Sorry this is a little late...

I dunno what your annual golf budget is, but if you take 2.5 yrs of what you would have otherwise spent on greens fees, I like the combination of both a simulator and a few weekend golf jaunts to CAN or the Pacific Northwest. You can spend about the same over time, and you get to take the sim with you after you serve your time.