Wild's Matt Boldy will play in Canadian pro golf tour event near Brainerd

Wild forward Matt Boldy has been golfing since he was 7 years old, his dad Todd introducing Boldy and older brother Mike to the sport.

Boldy played in a few tournaments and golfed in high school his freshman and sophomore years. Even now in the summer when he's on hiatus from the hockey season, he's typically on the course four or five times a week.

But competing in PGA Tour Canada's CRMC Championship later this summer?

That'll be a first for Boldy.

"It'll be a good time," he said. "I'm excited."

A 30-goal scorer last season, his second with the Wild, Boldy accepted a sponsor's exemption to participate in the tournament, which is at Cragun's Legacy Courses on Gull Lake near Brainerd Aug. 28-Sept. 3.

His Wild teammate Ryan Hartman was initially asked if he could play but since he was unavailable, Hartman mentioned it to Boldy, who thought it could be fun. Boldy has a plus-1.5 handicap and mostly golfs at Olympic Hills Golf Club in Eden Prairie, where he's a member.

At the CRMC Championship, Boldy will be vying in a 156-player field. But the 22-year-old isn't putting any pressure on himself.

"If I go out there and shoot 100, it's not going to hurt my feelings," said Boldy, who will have Mike join him at the event.

As different as golf and hockey are, Boldy said the mental aspect of each is similar: "Get out of downs quick and keep the highs rolling," the winger explained.

And although he's competitive when he's on the course with his friends, golf is still a way for him to unwind from hockey.

"You want to win no matter what you do, but it's definitely an unplug for me," said Boldy, who signed a seven-year, $49 million contract extension with the Wild at the beginning of the year. "It's less stakes. It's out there to have fun and have a good time.

"But at the same time, when you kind of add that competitiveness element into it, it's kind of nice to keep that switch on throughout the summer even if it's not as intense."