Centennial Stories

Kate’s Comeback

100 years. Millions of stories. 

As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Golf Club, we are reflecting on the moments, memories, and people who have shaped this iconic course. Over the last century, our greens have seen everything from royalty and legends to wildfires and rebuilding. Centennial Stories is a series honoring the people behind the course: the ones who keep it running, bring it back to life, and make it unforgettable.

Today, meet Kate, our Grounds Irrigation Supervisor. Kate returned to Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge after the 2024 wildfire, when hope was scarce and nothing was certain, and she helped bring the course back to life.

“You’d think after all that destruction, it wouldn’t be green again for 10 years. We did it in three months.”

That’s how Kate describes what it felt like to watch Jasper’s golf course begin to regenerate after last year’s historic wildfire. But her story didn’t begin with recovery — it began with loss, uncertainty, and a surprising realization in New Zealand.

Q: How long have you been working on the course, and what does this year mean to you personally?

Kate:

This is my third season working in golf maintenance at Jasper Park Lodge Golf Course. When I came back in September, it was pretty scary. The course had no water, no electricity, very little equipment, and a lot of unanswered questions. I wasn’t sure the course would open again, or if I could handle it.

I actually left and went to New Zealand to try working at a different course. But when my boyfriend and I got there, we looked at each other and said, “This isn’t Jasper.” A few weeks after we got back, I asked Glenn (Golf Superintendent) for my job again and he said, “You’ve always got a job here.”

I started back on April 1, 2025. Over the last few months, I realized this course means more to me than I ever thought. The fire opened up views we hadn’t seen in decades. I’d go through it all again in a heartbeat.

Q: You cut the holes on July 22, 2024 — the day of the evacuation. And then again on opening day this spring. What was that like?

Kate:

It was definitely surreal. When I cut the holes that day, I had no idea it would be my last time for the season. Hole tending is one of my favourite jobs in golf maintenance, and I missed it while we were bringing the course back.

When I finally got to do it again this spring, I got kind of emotional. I was nervous, not just about whether the course would open, but about how people would react to it. I had grown more connected to the course than ever, and I just really hoped people would still love it.

Q: What part of the course are you most proud of this year?

Kate:

Definitely the greens. Restoring them was tricky — way trickier than most people realize. When we came back after the fire, they were extremely long. We hadn’t had water when we shut down for the winter, so they didn’t winter well either. That was probably the scariest part of all this.

But we took our time. It took a lot of steps to bring them back, and honestly, I think they’ve never looked better. A big part of that is Jacob, our new assistant superintendent. He brought fresh ideas and a new perspective, and it really paid off — for the team and the course.

Q: What does the 100th anniversary mean to you now?

Kate:

At first, I didn’t think much of it. I thought it was cool to be here for the 100th year, but I didn’t realize how much history it held until I started learning about it. I’ve been reading about Stanley Thompson, the World Wars, and how the course had to be abandoned and overgrown, just like it was after the fire.

Now, I think it’s incredible. We kept the course alive, hopefully for another hundred years. People will talk about this for generations, and I’m so grateful I got to be part of that.

(edited for length and clarity) 

Centennial Stories continues…

From brown fairways to bunker rebuilds, from emotional first cuts to unexpected new views, Kate’s story is just one of the hundreds that make up this remarkable season.

Stay tuned for more stories from the people who make this place what it is — and what it’s becoming.