Washington connections: In Norway event, Materne's game goes ice cold

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Growing up in Spokane, Nicole Materne had hit some golf balls in the snow just for kicks. Last month, she played a tournament in the white stuff.

Materne (pronounced "Ma-turn-ee") was one of two women in a field of 36 for the Drambuie World Ice Golf Championship in Svalbard, Norway. She finished tied for 10th with a two-round total of 166, 24 over par, on a full-length course.

Materne is a two-time Washington high-school champion from the Spokane suburb of Mead who played on the LPGA Tour in 2001. She is playing on the Futures Tour this year.

Materne, 30, played in Norway with 1-inch spikes attached to her boots. The greens were ice, the flagsticks were black and the balls were orange.

"You felt like you were watching orange tracers," she said.

Finding balls in the snow took some practice.

The wind-chill factor sent temperatures to near zero at times during the tournament, but she said layers of good clothing kept her comfortable. She said her feet "got kind of hot" because of foot-warmers inserted into her boots.

On the first day of the tournament, the wind was howling and she had to play in a ski mask.

"I felt like I was out skiing," she said.