ALDEN — One more week of winter didn’t stop area golfers from hitting the fairways on Friday when Oak View Golf Club opened its doors for the season.

“It came on fast, but the course is in pretty good shape,” said Oak View general manager Matt Hallman. “The wind determined what we could do. From Monday to (Friday) it really dried out.”

Last year, the course opened on April 6. Both years were in stark contrast to 2013, when a storm on May 2 pounded Albert Lea with more than a foot of snow.

“Our goal is to open the last weekend of March, and if we can get open by then, we’ll usually get a jump on the area,” Hallman said.

Kent Klocek, a golfer who lives in Alden and works at Freeborn Lumber in Albert Lea, said he planned a vacation to play golf in Missouri, and the early opening allowed him to shake some rust off before the trip.

“The greens looked good, and it was nice to make some contact,” he said.

Although Friday was the official opening and the first day carts were allowed on the course, Hallman said some members walked the course on Thursday.

Oak View superintendent Dave Sime gave the go-ahead for the opening.

“We trust Dave and what he does,” Hallman said. “If he says we’re ready to go, we’re ready to go. I know he’s been doing this for over 20 years. We don’t have to call the board of directors (for approval). They do a good job of letting us do our jobs.”

Opening early in the season can have dangers like carts leaving ruts that need to be rolled out or filled in, but Hallman said chances are low for those problems this year.

Oak View opened one day before Albert Lea’s courses.

“It’s great to get early business like this,” Hallman said. “We were busy with Albert Lea traffic.”

Albert Lea’s Green Lea Golf Course and Wedgewood Cove Golf Club opened on Saturday. Donnie Teeter, director of golf at Wedgewood Cove said the 2015 opening was the same date as his course’s 2012 opening.

Phone calls to the Clarks Grove Golf Course, Northwood Country Club, Rice Lake Golf & Country Club and Wells Golf Club were not returned before the press deadline.