First Nations Cup golf tournament begins at Grand Centre golf course

Dene drummers perform a the opening ceremonies of the ladies draw at the First Nations Cup golf tournament at Grand Centre Gold and Country Club. Image credit: First Nations Cup Facebook. 

The First Nations Cup has begun in Cold Lake.

The annual golf tournament with Indigenous communities from Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba teed off today.

The ladies and juniors draw with 22 teams at the Grand Centre Golf and Country Club.

Cold Lake First Nations is the host.

Participants include Kehewin, Saddle Lake, Cold Lake First Nation.

The men’s draw begins on Friday with 30 nations and 270 participants kicking off the opening ceremonies after the women’s closing ceremonies.

The draw includes an A championship, a B championship, an A consolation, and B consolation winners.

The Friday begins with a two-man scramble, then stroke play on Saturday. The teams are regrouped after the second round, with Sunday having a modified match play style for the championship sides and Stableford scoring for the consolation side.

This the 20th First Nations Cup.

In year’s past, the tournament was separated for men and women, but the tournament was combined for a six-day tournament this year.