Links of North Dakota, Thy Name is Nick Poss!

Last Saturday I played–for the first time–the Links of North Dakota, a relatively new golf course near Williston, on the northern shore of the Missouri River.

My friend Jeff, teeing off toward the Missouri River

Later that evening, in Wibaux, Montana’s Gem Theatre, I watched and heard–for the first time–Nick Poss, a young singer/songwriter from Oklahoma.

Nick Poss in concert

There were parallels.

1. Both were unpredictable and challenging. LOND featured at least four holes with greens you couldn’t see–and this is on a links-style course, with almost no trees! Hills, not trees, obscured the views.

Nick Poss does not go in for standard I-IV-V chord progressions. As he sings and plays his acoustic guitar alone on the stage, he takes his songs in unexpected directions, both lyrically and with his chords. If you are hearing him for the first time, you will likely not be humming along.

2. Both were rewarding.

There wasn’t much wind while we golfed, but the course was still difficult for me. I really enjoyed the challenges presented by the uneven terrain, the always-waiting rough and the many bunkers, some of them of the infamous “pot” variety.

Nick Poss has a nice guitar picking style, a nice voice, and a nice way of singing his thoughtful, clever “bummer” songs, as he calls them. His songs do have structure–it just takes a bit longer to suss them out than it does with most pop songs.

3. I highly recommend both.

If you golf, and if you crave the links action made famous by the British Isles, put LOND on your bucket list. WARNING: good luck if you get a windy day.

I chatted with Nick for a while after his show, and he was extremely nice and down-to-earth. This is a singer-songwriter who cares a great deal for his craft, and who makes music that’s worth a listen.

***

I may never again have a day where I play a golf course and hear a musical artist, both for the first time. I’m glad it happened at least this once–it was a day I won’t soon forget.