At Pippy Park near St. John’s airport, the nine-hole Captain’s Hill course was built by a group of volunteers in the 1970s.

As the game became more popular, architect Graham Cooke was hired to design the championship 18-hole Admiral’s Green that opened in 1993. Number seven, the par-three signature hole offers panoramic views of St. John’s Harbour, the Marine Institute and Cabot Tower.
Admiral’s Green is a roller coaster, made all the more challenging by the sou’wester blowing 60 kilometres per hour, according to the blackboard in front of the pro shop. On the tenth green my pants were flapping so loudly I could barely concentrate on my putt.

“This is quite a gale,” I yelled to Frank, a local who was playing with us.
“Oh, this is grand,” he said. “No flies.”
“How could a fly last in this wind?” I asked.
“Ours have muscles,” came the wry reply as he galloped across the green to rescue his cap.