This weekend marks the beginning of a big, busy stretch of serious Alaskan golf competition. There are essentially five primary courses in the Anchorage area and all of them will be utilized in the next five weeks, giving golf fans a sense of which courses are the toughest and which golfers are the best.

This weekend’s competitive showcases include the Arctic Valley Open and the Palmer Invitational. The Open is a relatively new event in its second year, and the Invitational is a long-running event and one of the last chances for professionals to play for pay.

Competition continues with next week’s State Am, the state’s only four-day tournament, to be held at Moose Run. The grueling run follows up with three consecutive club championships to close out August. There are a few more events that continue into September, but Alaskan champions will already be crowned.

This weekend’s Arctic Valley Open is a two-day, 36-hole event that serves as the Moose Run club championship. The first 18 holes will be played on the Hill Course, with the final round taking place on the Creek Course. Stay tuned for more details to follow throughout the week.