The Weyburn Golf Course’s (WGC) Ladies Club has teed off on a fundraising campaign for a new irrigation system for the facility.

The club recently contributed $15,000 back to the Weyburn course that is part of a fundraising campaign with a goal of almost $1 million that will revamp their watering system. Ladies Club President Andrea Corrigan said the group has put funds into other large expenditures, but the irrigation system needs help.

“We put new carpet in the clubhouse, we bought new tables and chairs, big ticket items,” she said. “We have nearly $20,000 in our bank account and we are always buying a dishwasher or flowers, but what can we do to help this course out? Well they need a million-dollar irrigation system, let’s start with that.”

The ladies Club has hosted a very popular tournament every year since 2000 that has raised substantial funds. The group also has their weekly league with skins and 50-50 draws to build up their account. Corrigan said the amounts add up.

“Over the years when you are only doing $36 in 50-50’s for a week or something but $4,000 later that helps towards that $15,000. We’re very proud as a ladies club to help out that way,” she beamed.

The Weyburn Golf Club is celebrating their 100^th anniversary this summer. They hosted a par three tournament on May 11 to help kick off the season. The club is holding their Legacy tournament on July 13 with all funds going towards the irrigation system and inducting two lifetime members to the course.

The WGC is also home to PGA Tour professional Graham DeLaet. Fixing the irrigation system and preserving the course is important to Corrigan for the community’s sake and DeLaet’s legacy.

“We’re very proud of Graham, anywhere we go we hear it. My husband and I have been to the President’s Cup when Graham was playing in it,” she said. “We’re very proud to be not only Canadian but that Graham is part of the Weyburn Golf Club, that’s where it started for him. It doesn’t matter where you live, we all need help and it starts with groups like us.”

Corrigan is a long-time board member with the WGC and said years ago they priced an irrigation system, at that time about ten years ago it was $425,000. The cost has since doubled, she said the time to rebuild the infrastructure is now and the city will benefit.

“We’re the skating rink of the summer, they don’t understand that and it’s tough sometimes, but we need to get this done.”

The course now has a fundraising thermometer displayed in the clubhouse tracking their goal.

THE THIRTIES

Golf courses were plagued by drought conditions and grasshoppers during the Thirties and the provincial economy was disastrous.  The Saskatchewan Golf Association continued to operate with income derived from affiliation fees paid by golf clubs in the province, totaling between $160 and $195 a year.

Championship tournaments were held every year for the men’s Amateur, Junior and Open events.  After collecting tournament fees, paying out Open cash prizes of $50 for first place then $25, $15 and $10 for the next placings (or purchased prizes if the winners were not professionals) and paying an honorarium to the secretary, the association showed a small profit most years.

1930 Men: Moose Jaw Golf Club, July 14-18

Home course must have been an advantage since two Moose Jaw players were in the final match of the Saskatchewan men’s amateur, with Tom Russell winning 6 and 4 over E. Alguire.

After sending a team to Jasper last year, the Saskatchewan Golf Association voted to support further inter-provincial team play with a $50 contribution.  A committee was set up to choose a Saskatchewan team resulting in four young amateurs being sent to compete at the Royal York Golf Club in Toronto – Tommy Russell and Dale Belford from Moose Jaw, and Phil Morse and W. Kinnear from Saskatoon.  Over the decade rail travel expenses were paid for teams to attend five other inter-provincial competitions in Vancouver, Winnipeg, Ottawa, London, and Montreal.

1930 Women: Regina Golf Club, August 11-15

Forty-six golfers entered the provincial women’s competition – eight from Moose Jaw, five from Saskatoon and thirty-three from Regina.  Mrs. Gill of Moose Jaw set a new course record with an 86 on Tuesday, but ultimately lost the championship final to Gladys Rideout 7 and 6.  Myrtle Creighton was elected the new president and also took the putting contest. 

1931 Men: Riverside Country Club, August 17-20

Most golf clubs in northern Saskatchewan were represented as 170 competitors registered for play in the amateur and open tournaments.  Twelve professionals from the three prairie provinces competed in the Open followed by a Professionals’ two-day event at the new layout at the Saskatoon Golf Club.  Matches were scheduled four minutes apart.  Twenty-two-year-old Phil Morse of Saskatoon GC won his third Saskatchewan amateur title in four years, defeating A.R. (Buck) Buchan of Regina Golf Club who was playing in his first major tournament since arriving from Scotland three years earlier.  N.C. Byers was thanked for his financial assistance for the Willingdon Cup team.

1931 Women: Saskatoon Golf Club, August 17-21

The women’s tournament was at the Saskatoon Golf Club while the men played Riverside, but that must have presented some difficulties as they voted to schedule a different week in the future.  The association planned to further junior girls’ golf in affiliated clubs.

Gladys Rideout won her third consecutive provincial title and her fourth overall by defeating Hilda Yule of Riverside, four and three.  There was a lot of interest in the mixed two-ball foursome handicap event as forty-two couples took part.

1932 Men: Regina Golf Club, August 8-11

Saskatchewan Golf Association president Russ Smith and his son Ken both made the quarter-finals of the Amateur.  Two 17-year-olds from Saskatoon, Otto Anderson and Jack Millar were the Amateur finalists, playing in heavy wind and a steady drizzle of rain.  A hardy Regina gallery of about 100 followed the play which was won by Millar 4 and 3.  The junior competition kept getting pushed back as the young men competed in the Amateur and a junior champion still had not been declared at the end of all other play.  This led to a discussion about the age bracket for the junior event.  Otto Anderson eventually won the junior competition.  Joe Lund was declared the Open winner and Hugh Fletcher the runner-up.

The 1932 Senior Men’s Championship was held in Moose Jaw with eight players registered.  Brigadier General George Tuxford won on the 13^th green over James Balfour of Regina.

1932 Women: Moose Jaw Golf Club, August 15-19

Scorching sun made the climb through the ravines and gullies of the Moose Jaw course exhausting for the competitors.  The championship consolation flight became known as ‘the waffle iron flight.’  A beautiful green-handled electric waffle iron was the much-admired and discussed prize donated by the National Light and Power Company and it ultimately went to Saskatoon with the flight winner Mrs. G.H. Anderson.  Myrtle Creighton, Saskatoon, won the championship over Mrs. W.L. Taylor of Regina, 5 and 3.

Miss Agnes Rorison of Moose Jaw was mentioned as presiding over the annual meeting, and later as past-president, so she must have taken over from Mrs. J.H.S. Garrett who had been elected president at the 1931 annual meeting.

1933 Men: Saskatoon Golf and Country Club, August 14-17

The provincial amateur tournament attracted 162 entries plus twelve professionals in the Open.   Dr. George Bigelow became the first Saskatchewan player to win both the Amateur and Open at the same tournament.  He had been Saskatchewan Junior champion in 1926 then became a member of the golf team while studying at Edinburgh University.  He entered the British Amateur in 1931 before he returned to Regina with his dental degree.  He defeated William Turnbull of Saskatoon 6 and 5 for the amateur title.  Bigelow and Tom Ross of Regina were tied at 150 after the regulation two rounds of the Open but Bigelow won the nine-hole playoff by one stroke.  Ross received $50 cash for the Open, followed by R.C. MacWilliams of Regina, Hugh Fletcher of Moose Jaw, and Walter Kinnear of Saskatoon.

1933 Women: Regina Golf Club, August 7-11

Gladys Rideout of Regina regained the provincial title, defeating Mabel Palko of Saskatoon 4 and 3.  Over 200 spectators followed the final match and they clapped in appreciation at the quality of golf they saw.

Wilkie women’s golf club became affiliated with the CLGU Sask. branch.

1934 Men: Regina Golf Club, July 30-August 2

Ken Smith of the Regina Golf Club won the amateur championship, resulting in his name being engraved on the Balfour Cup eight years after his father Russ Smith won in 1926.  His hole-in-one on #7 contributed to an excellent round.  Tom Ross won the Open.

The Taylor Cup was an annual award presented to the amateur player from a sand greens course (not Regina, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw or Prince Albert) with the lowest score in the qualifying round.  Roy Sandquist from Estevan won it in 1934 and in 1935.

The SGA decided against sending a team to Montreal for the Willingdon Cup.  A committee was tasked with investigating handicapping systems in other parts of the country with the objective of having a similar system in Saskatchewan.

1934 Women: Riverside Country Club, August 6-10

Virginia Brown of Regina defeated Nan Winton of Saskatoon one up for the provincial championship.  Sir Frederick Haultain presented the prizes to winners of the four flights, the handicap events, and the mixed foursomes.

The women’s association wanted to send a competitor to the Canadian championship and voted $100 toward the expenses of the provincial champion or runner-up.  “In the event of the champion or runner-up being unable to make the trip to the east, it was decided that any member of the Saskatchewan Section in the East at the time of the tournament with a handicap of 16 or under be asked to represent the province in the tourney.” (SP Aug. 8, p.11)  However, no Saskatchewan representative attended the national event.

North Battleford G&CC became affiliated this year.  Inter-club matches were encouraged between smaller clubs.  A junior competition was desired for the next year.

1935 Men: Moose Jaw Golf Club, July 15-18

Dr. George Bigelow, now a dentist in Tisdale, won his second Amateur after being runner-up the previous year and winning in 1933.   “He is the cleverest long iron shot player in the Province and his temperament is ideally suited to tournament golf” was the opinion of Star Phoenix reporter Riddell. (July 19, p.15)  He won 5 and 4 over Gordon Beattie of Regina.  Hugh Fletcher took the $50 top prize money in the Open.

1935 Women: Moose Jaw Golf Club, August 12-16

Virginia Brown of Regina easily defended her provincial title by defeating Mabel Palko 6 and 5.  Host club Moose Jaw won the team competition and a local couple won the mixed foursomes.

In 1935 inter-provincial matches became part of the national championships being held in Vancouver.  Mabel Palko (SGCC) and Jean Menard (MJGC) were the first Saskatchewan women golfers sent to a national competition.

Fifteen clubs now belonged to the Saskatchewan Section of the CLGU.  As usual, pars managers and handicap managers were elected for both the North and South of the province.

1936 Men: Prince Albert Golf Club, July 13-16

This was Prince Albert’s first occasion to host the provincial tournament.  Two young brothers from Regina Golf Club, 19-year-old Bob Reid and 20-year-old Ben, both won their semi-final matches on the eighteenth hole to reach the championship final.  Bob dominated the final match 11 and 10 and also won the longest drive contest during the week with a 272-yard drive.  The inter-provincial team of Bob Reid, George Bigelow, Cam Willis and Ken Smith traveled to Winnipeg for the nationals, with their meals and rail tickets of $192.90 covered by the SGA.

It was decided that next year there would be a second day of play for pros to compete for a money prize instead of their participation only in the one-day Open.

As had been the case for many years, the prize presentation ceremony was presided over by Sir Frederick Haultain, the Chief Justice of Saskatchewan, and an enthusiastic golfer himself.

1936 Women: Wascana Country Club, August 10-14

Fifty-six golfers registered for the tournament, with sixteen from outside Regina.  Two of the younger players pitched a tent near the course as their home for the week.  The tournament committee’s innovation of serving sandwiches and cold drinks to players as they went to the tenth tee was much appreciated.  A busy social calendar was scheduled including a banquet with entertainment at the Regina Golf Club attended by 100 guests.

As the tournament progressed it was noted that some golfers “developed a serious case of ‘creekitus,’ a disease commonly found near the Wascana course.  They found that high balls from most of the tees often hit hard slopes and popped, without hope of recovery, into that winding waterway that crossed or bordered seven or eight fairways.”  (StarPhoenix, Aug 12, p.10)

The headline in the Leader-Post stated “Golfing history written as 15-year-old rules the roost.”  Margaret Esson of Rosetown had been impressing all week and a large gallery admired her easy-going swing and hard, straight shots when she prevailed 4 and 3 over Margaret (Marnie) Macmillan of Riverside Country Club in the final.  Unfortunate mix-ups and the high cost prevented Esson from travelling to nationals in Montreal to represent the province.

After a discussion at the annual meeting, it was unanimously agreed that only registered caddies could be used in the future, not relatives.

1937 Men: Riverside Country Club, July 12-15

103 players competed in the 1937 men’s amateur with Arnie Lozo of the Saskatoon G&CC finishing one up over Eddie Wiseman of Regina for the title.  Wilf Greenwood of Regina defended his Open Championship title.  Regina pro, Tom Ross, won the professional event with 293, topping fifteen other competitors.  Mickey Pyke of Humboldt won his first junior title.  The inter-provincial team of Bob Reid, Cam Willis, George Bigelow and Arnie Lozo travelled to Ottawa for the national event.

1937 Women: Saskatoon Golf & Country Club, August 9-13

A field of 82 played the SG&CC course with the women’s par at 78.  Club pro William Kinnear’s daughter Mae was the qualifying round leader after shooting 88.  The championship match saw Gladys Rideout, who was outdistanced off the tee by young Margaret Esson of Rosetown, use her deadly short game to her advantage, only winning on the eighteenth hole.  Rideout’s first provincial championship was in 1926 and this was her sixth time claiming the title, as well as   one time when she lost the final on the second extra hole.

The first Saskatchewan team of four was sent to nationals in Winnipeg and consisted of Rideout and Esson along with Virginia Brown of Regina and Mrs. R.W. Thorpe of Saskatoon G&CC.

1938 Men: Waskesiu Golf Club, July 4-7

Waskesiu Golf Club hosted the provincial championships for the first time and there was an excellent turnout of 139 competitors.  “This week’s tournament will offer an excellent test of golf as it will be the first provincial tourney ever played on all watered fairways and greens” stated the StarPhoenix.  The number of trees golfers faced at Waskesiu compared to prairie courses awed the competitors and gave rise to a parody quoted by Walt Riddell (StarPhoenix 1938, Jul.6, p.11):

I think that I shall never see

A hazard rougher than a tree

A tree o’er which my ball must fly

If on the green it is to lie;

A tree which stands that green to guard

And makes the shots extremely hard;

A tree whose leafy arms extend

To kill the mashie shots I send;

A tree that stands in silence there,

While angry golfers rave and swear.

Niblicks were made for fools like me

Who cannot ever miss a tree.

Dr. George Bigelow won his third provincial championship, defeating Doug Lemery of Saskatoon, one up.  Tom Ross won both the Open and Professional events.  The inter-provincial team of George Bigelow, Ken Smith, W. Spriggs and H. Kilburn competed in London, ON. 

1938 Women: Prince Albert Golf Club, August 1-5

Fifty golfers took part in the women’s event but it turned out to be ‘Margaret Essen week’ in Prince Albert.  The 17-year-old had the lowest score in the qualifying round, set a course record with a score of 76, helped the Saskatoon Golf & Country Club win the team event, then won the championship title over clubmate Mable Palko on the seventeenth hole.  It had already been decided that she would represent Saskatchewan at nationals in Ottawa based on scores turned in during the season.  There she turned in a score of 85 in the qualifying round then defeated former Scottish and British champion Nan Baird 6 and 4.  In the second round of match play Margaret took thirteen holes to dispose of Winifred Evans of Vancouver who had just defeated Ada Mackenzie.  A gallery of four hundred turned out to watch her next match, unnerving the teenager, as she lost to Mrs. Walker, a British Curtis Cup player.  Margaret was listed in the national rankings with a handicap of two.  

1939 Men: Regina Golf Club, July 3-6

Two Regina Club members met in the amateur final, with Harry Burns handily defeating Dr. Ben Reid 7 and 6.  Tommy Ross, pro at the Regina Golf Club, set a course record of 65 (seven under par) the day before the tournament started.  He went on to win the Professional title for the fourth consecutive time, scoring 292.  Mickey Pyke won his third junior championship in a row, playing out of North Battleford this year instead of Humboldt.  He also won the award for the best sand-greens player in the qualifying round.  The team of Doug Lemery, Bill Turnbull, Don Ross and Mickey Pyke travelled to Montreal for the inter-provincial championship.

The Saskatchewan Golf Association honoured its long-time secretary, J.P. Runciman of Regina, upon his resignation.

1939 Women: Regina Golf Club, August 7-11

The fourth time that Mabel Palko competed in the championship final was a breakthrough as she finally won the title on the eighteenth hole over Mrs. Balbirnie of Regina.  Close to 300 spectators followed the match.  Other events held during the week were long drive competitions, pitching, putting and mixed foursomes.

The national women’s championship for 1939 was cancelled.

A new driving range in Saskatoon in 1932 gave golfers an opportunity to hone their game.  ”The  Swat ‘Em Golf Course on Avenue A North near the Normal School is one of the few driving ranges in western Canada.  At this course, golfers may practice shots for hours without the trouble of walking after or looking for balls.  In addition, there is a competent golfer in charge to give advice to players having trouble with their drives or iron shots.  A putting green forms part of the layout and is useful for practice.”  (Saskatoon Star Phoenix, May 12, 1932, p.18)

Golfers looked forward to trying out a white rubber golf ball being introduced by Bobby Jones after three years of research.  “It will clean more readily than a painted ball and will carry at least five yards farther.”  (Star Phoenix, May 12, 1932, p. 19)

The 1939 CLGU Yearbook advertised golf clubs designed for women by Walter Hagen, available in three styles at Simpsons priced from $4.00 – $5.75 for irons and $5.00 – $7.00 for woods.  Spalding also featured special women’s clubs.

For those interested in a golfing holiday outside the province in 1935, Canadian Pacific advertised a package trip to Banff for $100.  It included a first-class rail ticket from Regina to Banff with a lower berth, accommodation and meals at the Banff Springs Hotel, and green fees for seven days.  The golf tournament was the sixth annual competition for the Prince of Wales trophy.

This publication is courtesy of local golf historian Lori Harvie. 

Almost every Order of Merit Tour (OMT) has teed off for the 2019 season in Saskatchewan following a busy weekend on the course.

The Regina Dental Group Men’s City Amateur kicked off the Men’s OMT in the Queen City played over two days at Deer Valley Golf Club and the Murray Golf Club. Wascana Country Club member Ryan McNall picked up his third victory at the event. He said it’s nice to win early in the season.

“It’s really good, it gives you confidence right off the bat. Obviously you are playing pretty well if you can win a tournament like that so it’s an exciting way to start the year,” McNall said.

McNall fired a 68 on day one at Deer Valley followed by a two-under, 70 at the Murray on Sunday. He held off Jason Galon by four strokes. McNall said the margin of victory could have been tighter.

“I played really well, probably only hit four bad shots and got pretty lucky on a couple of them, they turned out better than they could have been,” he said. “Jason played really good; it was closer than it looked. The last hole at the Murray is kind of gimmicky and anything can happen on that hole. You can make anything from a three to a six or seven, so I was trying to keep it at three of four ahead on the back nine knowing anything could happen on 18.”

Kipling’s Carson Harcourt, fresh off his season at Minot State University tied Galon at 142 in second place. Shawn McNall rounded out the top three shooting a one-over, 143. Ryan said it was nice to having bragging rights for a week over his brother.

“He’s won his fair share of tournaments recently, it’s usually 50-50 between us,” he laughed. “A good start to the year though.”

You can see the complete results here.

Legends 2 Man Scramble

Also on May 25 and 26, the Legends Golf Club in Warman played host to the Legends 2 Man Scramble. The team of Kendall Nicolas and Dan Oliynyk used their home course to their advantage for a one stroke victory over Ty Campbell and Jehremy Ryde.

Nicolas and Oliynyk shot 63 during round one and a sparkling 59 during round to hold off the Saskatoon pair. Parker Nolan-Ens and Jerry Christiansen rounded out the top three at -20, 124.

The complete results can be seen here.

The next stop on the men’s tour is the Scotia Wealth Open at Nipawin’s Evergreen Golf Course on June 1 and 2.

Moon Lake Ladies Classic

The Women’s OMT schedule kicked off with the Moon Lake Ladies Classic at the Moon Lake Golf and Country Club.

Debbie Davidson and Lori Rittwage won the two-woman best ball 18-hole event shooting a plus-10, 82 on Saturday. Carla Odnokon and Brianne Daviduk were one stroke back in second place at 11 over. Tracey Edmison and Sylvie Francoeur placed third at plus-12, 84.

Complete results can be seen here.

The next stop on the ladies’ tour is the Prince Albert Northern Ladies at the Cooke Municipal Golf Course on June 1 and 2.

The junior OMT resumes this weekend with a Future Links event in Ponoka, Alberta. The senior men’s OMT begins in Waskesiu on June 4 – 6 for the Senior Men’s Lobstick.

PGA of Sask-KR Pro Partner

The PGA of Saskatchewan also began their 2019 season with the KR Pro Partner event at the Royal Regina Golf Club on May 27.

The PGA pro-amateur partner 18-hole tournament was won by Cole Zawislak and Drew Kocur. The duo was tied at minus-four with Ryan Wells and Brad Phelps but were determined the winners by retrogression. Four teams tied for third place at three-under par. Scott Knapp/Ken Rodgers; Wayne Fairbairn/Ryley Blyth; Pat Marcia/Jason Galon; and Garrett McMillan/Chad Lincoln all came in with 68.

To see the complete results click here and sign in as a “guest.”

The Scotia Wealth Open in Nipawin is next for the Saskatchewan professionals.

Toronto, Ontario– Golf Canada and Audi Canada announced today a multi-year integrated partnership that will see the luxury automotive brand become the exclusive Premier Automotive Partner for Canada’s National Open Championships—the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open—as well as the Official Automotive Partner of Golf Canada’s National Team Program.

“We are thrilled to welcome Audi Canada as a fully integrated Premier Partner with Golf Canada’s National Open Championships and Team Canada,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “Audi is an iconic brand, synonymous for driving excellence and premium craftsmanship. Our robust partnership touches virtually every level of Canadian golf and we look forward to integrating their progressive brand across Golf Canada’s signature properties as well as our community of member clubs and golfers.”

Through the multi-year partnership, Audi will work alongside Golf Canada to drive excellence in Canadian golf. As the Premier Automotive Partner for the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open, Audi will deliver a premium vehicle experience at Canada’s National Men’s and Women’s Open Championships. Audi owners will also be treated to an elevated event experience when they visit the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open, while fans onsite can enter to win hospitality upgrades and exclusive Audi Driving Experiences.

“Audi has been successfully involved in golf globally for more than two decades,” said Giorgio Delucchi, President of Audi Canada. “Technology, design and sportiness are values that characterize every Audi and which also contribute to the special fascination found in golf.”

Audi Canada’s multi-platform investment in Canadian golf will also benefit the athletes, coaches and sport science team that comprise Golf Canada’s National Team Program including the Team Canada Junior, Amateur and Young Pro Squads. Audi Canada’s partnership will also deliver an enhanced experience across Golf Canada’s digital network of web, social and golfer engagement platforms. The partnership will create a deepened community connection between Golf Canada Member Clubs and the Audi Canada dealer network across Canada.

As the National Sport Federation, Golf Canada operates the RBC Canadian Open, June 3-9 at Hamilton Golf and Country Club, as well as the CP Women’s Open which takes place August 19-25 at the Magna Golf Club in Aurora, Ont.

Saskatoon’s Carla Odnokon is going into the 2019 season as the reigning Saskatchewan amateur women’s champion but her focus for now is on growing the game.

Admittingly Odnokon said she hasn’t played much golf herself this year yet, but she’s been out to the Saskatoon Golf and Country Club (SGCC) on a weekly basis working with juniors in a newly formed “league” based program. Over the winter Odnokon discussed the idea of the junior lessons and expanding beyond simply that with SGCC general manager McLaren Taylor.

“We wanted to somehow mirror what other youth sports were doing. In golf what you see a lot of is you do five or six lessons in the spring and then that’s it,” she explained to Golf Saskatchewan. “We’re trying to get more into the idea of here’s how to play the game and here’s you playing the game and getting back to the golf course regularly.”

The program has started with their lessons but once June and July roll around the kids will be broken up into teams and a few times per month they will play rounds of golf with different formats. Another feature of the SGCC’s junior program is the course is bringing in several different professionals to teach the students and keep the lessons fresh and fun.

“Back when I was playing juniors we got to see a lot of different pros,” Odnokon said. ‘Often times they’d have a weekend event with about ten pros there and so you’d get to learn about them and say, hey I work really well with this person. We’re trying to do a little of that and have different pros work with the kids, there’s nothing but excitement.”

At last count the program had upwards of 80 kids registered. Of that total, 15 of them are junior girl golfers. Odnokon said that has her beyond optimistic for today, and the future.

“I’m so excited, my goal was eight,” she beamed. “With the girls they have the option to just take the lessons and I think some are doing that but the ones that will compete, I hate using that term, but as part of the team portion we have 10 to 12 girls. The fun thing is, they come bouncing out, they all know each other, they are killing themselves laughing and having a hoot. If they grow themselves to maybe 20 next year, so on and so forth that’s all that matters.”

Odnokon’s personal season is now underway, she participated in the Moon Lake Golf and Country Club’s Ladies Classic this past weekend. [We will have results posted later Tuesday] She will also take part in the Scotia Wealth Open at the Evergreen Golf Course in Nipawin this upcoming weekend. The Scotia Wealth is the third stop on the men’s Order of Merit Tour. Odnokon said organizer Dean Prosky invited her to play after her amateur win last year at Harbor Golf Club and Resort. Odnokon said she has no expectations going into the event but hopes it can leave a mark in years to come.

“Why not? I said to Dean, yeah I will come play. I don’t want to say I will represent by any stretch because that won’t be what it is but when you look at these girls off playing college golf there is a gap in regard to the amount of competition so maybe this is something they open up a bit more regularly. That would be awesome,” she said.

A ten-time Cooke Municipal ladies club champion and multi-time world curling champion are coming together to raise funds and support a friend.

Pauline McDougall and Sherry Anderson are shaving their heads this Friday to raise money for the Victoria Hospital Chemotherapy Unit as well as supporting breast cancer “warrior” Carole Rucks. Anderson said the initiative was launched shortly after visiting Rucks.

“We went to visit Carole about three weeks ago and she had already started her chemotherapy, so her hair was starting to fall out, so she buzzed it all off,” she said. “I don’t know how it started really but within 20 minutes we were shaving our heads.”

McDougall said the idea came from Rucks herself, but the long-time friends didn’t show much hesitation.

“Actually it was Carole that threw it out there a little bit that we should do a Cut for Carole or something like that she said. Sherry said right away, yeah I could do something like that. I then looked at Sherry and said, really? Now I have to too,” McDougall explained.

Not a day goes by in today’s world where someone isn’t touched by the disease, that’s why Anderson said the initiative was easy to stand behind.

“It’s a pretty simple thing for us to do to show support for our friends and loved ones going through cancer or have been through it. It just seemed like a good fit,” she said.

All the funds that are raised leading up to the event on Friday at the Rock and Iron Sports Bar will stay right in Prince Albert. McDougall said they want to focus on making future experiences more pleasant in the chemotherapy unit of the Vic.

“The funds are being sent either to the Victoria Hospital Foundation or to Carole Rucks directly,” she explained. “The money is going directly to the chemotherapy unit. We’re hoping to do something with that room whether it’s painting or buying a new chemo chair making people more comfortable. It depends on how much money we raise.”

The event begins at 7 p.m. with retired stylist Donna Dyck and Michelle Sawchuk from Sincerity Salon having the honours of shaving the ladies’ locks. The lounge will have supper and drink specials, there will be chances to donate on the night of as well. If you do wish to contribute on Carole’s behalf you can go to www.helpthevic.ca

Anderson hopes for a good turn out but at the end of the day future cancer patients will hopefully feel better during their trips to the centre.

“Hopefully it makes that room a little more pleasant while they do chemo. It would be nice knowing we’ve all done a little bit to help them,” Anderson said.

Golf courses across Canada are also involved in the fight against cancer through their Golf Fore the Cure events including the tournament at Elk Ridge every year. If you choose to help battle the disease in that way, click here to find a tournament in your region.

Veteran and newcomers to the art of golf course rating took part in a training session earlier this month in Saskatoon under the tutelage of long-time rater and Golf Saskatchewan volunteer Richard Smith.

Over 20 people took part in the seminar, Smith said that is a little bit higher than the average year, he said with the new Rules of Golf changes that came out this year, the way courses are rated was altered as well. Ken and Rosie Ottenbreit were two new volunteers to the course rating team this year. Ken said him and his wife are avid golfers and have had an interest in how courses are examined.

“Personally I’ve always wanted to do something with Golf Saskatchewan and so the whole idea of doing course rating has intrigued us,” he said. “We checked into it, I’ve always wanted to know how the heck they do this, so we signed up and went to the workshop. We got some hands-on experience doing some holes at The Willows, I’m looking forward to getting out there and doing some course rating around Saskatchewan.”

The Ottenbreits are long-time volunteers in their home community of Melfort but now that both are retired they are excited to give back to the sport together.

“We’ve been trying to do things together,” Ken explained. “There are some things we do individually in our volunteer pursuits, but this is one because we both golf and we both want to give back and it’s something we can both do.”

Ken expected to learn how to rate bunkers, greens, penalty areas, and a course’s rough but he said he was surprised by how in depth the procedure was. He said the experienced members of the team took it upon themselves to go through the learning process in the proper manner.

“What I really appreciated is they assigned one of the veteran course raters to us,” Ken continued. “Wayne Bucknell sort of led us through the process, he was wonderful. He didn’t tell us what to rate them, he put the ball in our court and had us think about what difficulty level we should give certain aspects of the holes. It was nice.”

Smith has been conducting course rating seminars for Golf Saskatchewan for over a decade, he has also worked for Golf Canada providing leadership at seminars in Alberta, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia. He said having excited newcomers such as the Ottenbreits come on board is special for him.

“We’re always welcoming new people, we’d be nowhere and in a lot of trouble without our volunteers,” he said. “One of the things about course rating is because we do it on weekdays in May and June primarily that eliminates a lot of people that might otherwise be interested because they are working when we are on the course. We can’t really course rate on the weekends, and we don’t like to dodge golfers during the weekdays in the summer either.”

Smith said the Saskatchewan rating team will conduct about 10 to 15 rates this year at member clubs. Courses must be rated every ten years or within five years of opening or conducting significant renovations. If a course is not rated, golfers can not post their scores for handicapping purposes.

Hamilton’s Bryan Crawford is new to the golf world, but the long-time Canadian Football League player is no stranger to the world of sports. Most recently he was part of the business and operations crew with Basketball Canada, prior to that Crawford spent eight years running championships for Canadian universities across all sports. He’s now the Golf Canada tournament director for the RBC Canadian Open.

Crawford said a new vision from outside the golf world is something he wants to bring to the event that will take place at the Hamilton Golf and Country Club next month.

“The business of sport is the same regardless of the shape of the ball or the size of the playing surface,” he told Golf Saskatchewan. “It’s really more about aligning people, getting all the stakeholders pulling in the same direction and getting people to rally around a vision and kind of being creative in being able to look at things through a wide lens with other sports in mind. We want to apply those things in our environment.”

The tournament is coming off a fantastic 2018 event that saw RBC team member Dustin Johnson win his 19^th PGA Tour championship. The Tour has moved the Open date to early June (3 – 9) which aligns with the US Open. Crawford said those aspects have helped pave the way to this year’s event that is well ahead of schedule regarding preparation.

“The momentum has accelerated and that was really the task coming on board is how to take all this positive energy and excitement and momentum and funnel it and direct it and grow it. We have a lot of stakeholders and partners that were fully on board to see that happen. We shared a common vision for what the event could be, we kind of needed to tie those people together and make sure everyone understood we had the same vision,” Crawford continued.

The date change has had a positive impact on the field of golfers. In previous years the British Open conflicted with the lone Canada stop on the Tour but now golf fans will see the best of the best. Back-to-back PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka, Rory McIlroy, Bubba Watson, Matt Kuchar, and Jim Furyk are all confirmed as well as Johnson. Crawford said the field is going to be the best in recent memory.

“Our field is shaping up to be one of the strongest we’ve ever had,” he said. “Having three of the top four players in the world and we will have more commitments in the next two weeks. Our RBC team athletes are having tremendous seasons, the Canadians are playing outstanding, having another winner like Corey Conners is a great addition. We couldn’t ask for a better line up out on the course.”

The date change has also revamped the overall image for the tournament. The marketing team has come up with the theme of Summer’s Open. Crawford said the over 100,000 expected spectators can use the festival like event as a kickoff to summer with the new ‘Fare Way” of cuisine and concert series headlined by country music stars Florida Georgia Line.

“We wanted to make it a sports and entertainment event and something that was a can’t miss on the calendar that appeals to more than the hardcore golf fan. To get people out to experience the event and saw wow! That was a really cool event and I’m not even necessarily a golf fan. That’s the key, converting people and giving them a reason to be here and realize the RBC Canadian Open is fun to be a part of,” he said.

Many Saskatchewan residents received the opportunity last August to witness a professional golf event when Brooke Henderson won the CP Women’s Open at Regina’s Wascana Country Club. For thousands, that was the first time attending a professional championship. Crawford said if you are making your way to Hamilton for the 2019 Open experiencing the “rink” is a must. The concept was awarded the Best Element of Tour last year by the PGA.

“Absolutely, unequivocally, you have to check out the rink,” he beamed. “For those that don’t know about it, it’s the hole that we theme around hockey. We build boards around the par 3, 13^th hole here in Hamilton. The marshals are in referee jerseys, we have goalie masks as tee boxes, an ice cleaning machine, we have hospitality structures built with our partners, people love to hang over the boards and bang on them to celebrate great shots onto the green. It is one of the most exciting parts of the event.”

On the Monday and Wednesday of the week there is going to be junior golf experiences for 1,000 kids to be a part of some of the practice rounds. The opening day of June 6 is also the 75^th anniversary of D-Day. Veterans are going to awarded free admission for the day, there will be a special ceremony ahead of the championship and a flyover conduction by aircraft through the war plane museum. Crawford said there is an aspect of the event for everyone and his vision for his first tournament in the role is clear.

“Our objective is to come in, for our whole team is nothing short of being the best one we’ve ever hosted. I think that has been the goal and belief and we’ve already done a great job to set a high bar for the event. We feel pretty good that come the 10^th of June we will have achieved a really good result that we can build on for 2020,” Crawford concluded.

For the first Rule of the Week we will focus on something which might feel different for 2019. I can attest to this action as the first time I took relief in 2019, I reverted to the old habit of shoulder height.

Before I made the stroke, the error was corrected.

The process is simple.

Drop (definition)

To hold the ball and let go of it so that it falls through the air, with the intent for the ball to be in play. Each relief Rule identifies a specific relief area where your ball must be dropped and come to rest.

In taking relief, you must let go of the ball from a location at knee height so that the ball:

• Falls straight down, without you throwing, spinning or rolling it or using any other motion that might affect where the ball will come to rest, and
• Does not touch any part of your body or equipment before it hits the ground (see Rule 14.3b).

Remember to get the ball back into play, in this scenario, it is OK to Drop the Ball!

After the war people had more time for recreation and golf grew in popularity.  The Saskatoon Phoenix reported in 1921 that the popularity of the royal and ancient game was increasing every year.  There were now 188 golf courses in Canada, with 25 in Saskatchewan.  The Swift Current area exemplified the extraordinary formation of new clubs – last year there were only clubs in Swift Current and Maple Creek but this year nine-hole courses were available in eleven other towns in the area.  (Saskatoon Phoenix, 1921, Aug. 17, p. 9)

In 1926 Saskatchewan Golf Association President Bob Charlton surveyed the province, reporting that there were 100 golf clubs in Saskatchewan.  Twenty-two of these were affiliated with the SGA and 78 were not.  Calculating that there were an estimated 3,000 golfers in the three major cities of Regina, Saskatoon and Moose Jaw, and that smaller clubs had from 20 to 100 at each, he declared that there were about “8000 wielders of driver and mashie in Saskatchewan.” (Morning Leader, 1926, Apr 27, list of all 100 clubs). 

1920:  Regina Golf Club, August 3-6

Alex Weir of Weyburn was a popular winner of the Saskatchewan Men’s Amateur as he had been the runner-up or a semi-finalist for five previous years.  More women than ever before were entered in the ladies’ championship.  Mrs. Parry of Regina won the title over Effie MacDonald.  The mixed foursomes’ event was popular with 23 couples entering and it needed a tie-breaker the next day to determine the winner.  A new competition was added for veterans which attracted 19 entries.  This eventually evolved into the Senior Men’s Championship.

George Ayton, Regina Golf Club professional, won the Open Championship then left immediately to take part in the American golf championship starting on August 7 in Toledo.  Later in August he competed at the Canadian Open in Ottawa.

1921:  Saskatoon Golf Club, August 16-19

During the qualifying round for the Saskatchewan championship Alex Weir set a new amateur record for the Saskatoon Golf Club when he scored 73.  However, he didn’t hold that title long as he was surpassed two days later by Harry Bruce parring the course at 72.  Immediately following his Saskatchewan Amateur win, Bruce headed to Winnipeg for the Canadian Amateur competition.

In the women’s event, four golfers played off to fill the final spot in the sixteens of the championship event.  Mrs. Boyd of Saskatoon won the title.  Thirty-two teams entered the mixed foursomes’ competition.

1922: Moose Jaw Golf Club, August 21-25

Moose Jaw Golf Club members and their professional Sandy Middleton worked hard over several years to have an eighteen-hole course in good shape to host a provincial tournament.  All but two greens were grass, fairways were in good condition, and the course was well bunkered.  A few days before the tournament a work bee of over 100 filled hollows and gopher holes on the course.  They were rewarded with favourable comments from the 148 entrants.  The course played at par 70 over 6,020 yards.

During the competition, Effie MacDonald of Saskatoon set a women’s course record of 93. Moose Jaw members were thrilled when their clubmate, Marion Hunt, won the women’s championship after a runner-up finish a few years earlier.

The first Saskatchewan Junior Men’s championship was held for boys 16 and under. Ten entered the competition, with the final match played between Reg Young and W. Kinnear Jr, both of Saskatoon.  Unfortunately, on the nineteenth hole, Kinnear picked up his ball, assuming that a short putt had been conceded.  It had not been and the match went to Young whose name went on the trophy donated by E.G. Cook of Moose Jaw.

1923: Wascana Country Club, August 6-11

The Wascana course played at par 70 over 6,001 yards.  On the first day of competition 146 men teed off in pairs at five-minute intervals from 8:30 a.m. to 2:35 p.m.

The Professionals’ event attracted twenty competitors: eight came from Winnipeg, two from Edmonton, one from Brandon, and nine from Saskatchewan.  Large galleries followed the players as they vied for over $500 in prizes.  Joe Land, the green-keeper at St. Charles C.C. in Winnipeg, scored 148 to win the two-round event, beating George Daniel from Winnipeg by one stroke.

It’s never fun to golf in bad conditions, and the newspaper reported: “Under appalling weather conditions the ladies set out in the morning for the second round of their championship, facing a downpour of rain driven along by a tempestuous wind.”  (Morning Leader, Aug 11, p.16)  Mrs. Hunt of Moose Jaw defended her title.

The SGA announced that Eilers’ Ltd. had presented a cup for competition among the veteran players.  S. Crookson, Regina GC, won the 1923 event over J.K. Hunter of Wascana.

Delegates from Manitoba, Alberta and Saskatchewan formed the Western Canada Golf Association (WCGA), adopted a constitution, and agreed to hold its first tournament in Saskatchewan next year. 

1924: Western Canada Golf Association – 1^st tournament, Saskatoon, August 9-16                    

The Western Canada Golf Association held its first tournament in Saskatoon.  The President of the organization was R.C.S. Bruce of Winnipeg and directors represented the three prairie provinces.   A 15-member tournament committee oversaw eight separate championships plus a driving competition held on the final day.  Players paid a five-dollar entry fee to compete in all events for which they were eligible.  Competitions were held at Riverside Country Club, playing at 5920 yards and Saskatoon Golf Club, playing at 6034 yards, both at par 70.  The committee set the caddy fee at 75 cents a round and needed 200 caddies for the start of the competition.

A Morning Leader reporter was sent to Saskatoon to cover the tournament and wrote that Regina players were unaccustomed to the pot-holes and traps or the sloping and rolling greens.  It was so different from what players in the Capitol City were used to and presented a more severe test than to those who were used to them.  Riverside “makes up in devilment what it may lack in length.” (Morning Leader, Aug. 12)

President Miley and the executive of the Saskatchewan Golf Association were re-elected for the following year.  There were no separate Saskatchewan championships held this year and no women’s events at all.  A Saskatchewan junior champion was declared after the first round of play, resulting in Reg Young of Saskatoon claiming first place with 85 and Tommy Russell of Moose Jaw in second place with 87.   The Saskatchewan Closed Amateur gold and silver medals were awarded after two rounds to A.A. Weir, Saskatoon, at 156 and J.P. Runciman, Regina, at 160.

The Western Canada Amateur Golf Championship was open to all amateurs, and the winner received the Wood’s Trophy and a gold medal.  Two qualifying rounds resulted in a field of 64, then match play determined the finalists.  Jack Cuthbert of Winnipeg won over Sam Thorburn, SGCC, on the 35^th hole at Riverside Country Club.

The Open Championship, available to both professionals and amateurs, was won by George Daniel, Winnipeg, over J.D. Millar.  Seventeen pros competed for the four-round Professional Championship and $500 prize money.  During the first day of play, professional Ernest Penfold from Winnipeg set a course record at the Saskatoon Club with a score of 68.  He ended up in a second-place tie with Joe Land, as George Daniel took this title.

The Junior Championship for boys under age 17 started with an eighteen-hole qualifier to determine the sixteen to play the championship matches.  Reg Young of Saskatoon won the cup and gold medal, defeating Ronald Bannister of Winnipeg 5 and 4.

Provincial associations chose an eight-man team to vie for a 36-hole team title which was won by Saskatchewan.  Clubs entered four-man teams in the Club Team competition won by St. Andrews, Calgary, over Riverside Country Club.

A handicap competition was divided into two sections:  C.A. Fleming of Alsask won the gold medal for the 16 and over handicap category, and T.D. Forbes won for those with handicaps of 15 and under.  (ref: Western Canada Golf Association Programme, 1924).

The first annual WCGA meeting chose Lorne Johnson of Wascana to be the next President.  Calgary was selected for the 1925 tournament, then it moved around the prairies until it was held for the final time in 1932.

1925: Moose Jaw Golf Club, August 10-16

Moose Jaw hosted the 1925 Championships on links that were in splendid condition, with three new greens added since holding the event three years earlier.

Seventeen-year-old Tommy Russell of Moose Jaw won the Junior competition then prevailed in his amateur matches to reach the final against C.P. Church of Regina.  Tommy, described by the newspaper as “almost slim enough to fit through the barrel of a rifle”, came in after the morning eighteen holes four down to his much more experienced opponent.  However, he surged through the afternoon round winning eight holes outright.  Two to three hundred spectators watched the final holes as Tommy won 2 up on the 17^th to become the new Saskatchewan Amateur Champion.  Although he had not planned on it, local admirers influenced him to go to Calgary for the second Western Canadian Championship.  So, a few hours after his success, he was rushed to the station and packed onto the Trans-Canada train in order to arrive early Monday in time to compete.  The first Western Canadian Golf Championship had created a lot of interest and the Moose Jaw pro, Sandy Middleton, junior players Ronnie McIntyre of Moose Jaw and Phil Morse of Saskatoon, Phil’s father, and five Regina golfers were among those who made the trip to the Calgary Golf and Country Club.

William Kidd took holidays from his banking job in Shaunavon to play in the provincial championships.  Although he gave up golf for several years after leaving the Old Country, he now practiced on the nine-hole links at Shaunavon.  “Along with other south country players, he located in a tent near the links here and has been on the course from daylight to dark every day.”  It was remarkable that he eclipsed all other amateurs and professionals to win the Open Championship with a 156.  He was elected vice-president of the Saskatchewan Golf Association that week as well and planned to go on to the Westerns in Calgary.  (Morning Leader, Aug 12, p.22 of Aug. 11)

As always, prizes were presented by Sir Frederick Haultain following the finals.  The amateur winner received a gold watch, and the runner-up a diamond and pearl pin; the ladies’ champion received a gold bracelet watch and the runner-up silver candlesticks; the junior winner got a silver wrist watch and the runner-up a golf bag.  The professional championship prize of $20 was won by W. Goodwin, the new pro at the Citizen’s Club in Moose Jaw who had been too busy improving the course to practice much.

AMERICAN GOLFERS VISIT SASKATCHEWAN:

The original schedule of the provincial championship was tweaked so golfers would have time to take in a special event.  Two hundred American golfers in two trains were on a 17-day tour of the Pacific Northwest and on their way back to Chicago they stopped in Moose Jaw to play.  After an evening of “Bacchanalian revels” the group arrived in Regina early in the morning, insisting on motoring right out to the local golf clubs.  The Americans had a royal time in the capital as a carnival spirit prevailed.

An exhibition game featuring four celebrity golfers was played in each city on their tour.  450 Regina spectators paid one-dollar admission to the Barracks course to see two well-known pros oppose two outstanding amateurs.  “Long Jim” Barnes was fresh from his win at the British Open.  He emigrated to America in his teens and became one of the most popular professionals in the game and author of a voluminous textbook for professionals.

Jock Hutchison, born at St. Andrews, won the British Open in 1921 and came to America to be the pro at the Pittsburg golf course.  He was known as “probably the best wit among professional golfers, attracting bevies of followers wherever he plays to listen to his Scotch burr and his amusing comments on the game and especially his own play.”

Chick Evans was the U.S. Amateur winner in 1916 and 1920 and runner-up twice, holder of 88 records, a stylist to perfection and familiar with every shot in the game.  He had written a book of his experiences and thousands of articles for newspapers and periodicals on the technique and glories of the game of golf.

Capt. Ernest C. Carter, born at Blackrock, County Dublin, had won the Irish Amateur Closed Tournament in 1919 and 1921, other Irish championships and the Welsh amateur.  He had made numerous holes in one.

In the Regina contest Jock Hutchison negotiated the course in 3 under par 67.  His partner, “Long Jim” Barnes played the round in 69.  “The gallery was entertained to a beautiful display of golf, and they showed their appreciation in a vigorous manner.  The driving was followed with keen interest, and the approaches with bated breath …  Barnes is not built to wear knickers and prefers to sport Prince of Wales trousers on the golf course, but this detail in no way interferes with his game.”  The lanky Englishman took 36 strokes on each side for 72.  Evans missed four putts in a row by the fraction of an inch, but he is a cheerful loser, and he took his hard luck with a smile, finishing with 69.  Carter, holder of the Irish championship, astonished those who had been inclined to underestimate him.  His driving was particularly fine.  Hutchison gave as pretty and finished a display of good golf as has ever been seen in Regina.  Most of the players remained on the links until train time, when the party was given a warm send-off to Winnipeg.   (Morning Leader, Aug. 12-14, 1925) 

1926:  Regina Golf Club and Wascana Country Club, August 2-7

Both courses were dry from the prolonged drought and high winds prevailed on the first two days of the tournament.  A storm on Wednesday night flattened the office tent, mutilating all records and greatly inconveniencing the tournament committee.  Things were quickly put back to normal and the tournament finished with fine weather.

The SGA cash book lists each competitor and the entry fee: men paid $4 or $2, women paid $2, pros $2 and juniors $1.  (SGA Cash Book, pp 76-82.)

Russ Smith had to win a nine-hole playoff to get into the championship flight, then went on to win the tournament 3 and 2 over Tommy Russell of Moose Jaw.

Twenty-five of the thirty-two competitors in the women’s event were from Regina.  Gladys Rideout of Wascana won 2 up over Mattie Boyles of the Regina Golf Club.  The women had always held their championship in conjunction with the men’s tournament but this was the last year that happened.  A Saskatchewan Section of the Canadian Ladies Golf Union was formed and plans were made to hold separate events in the future.

Eleven juniors competed, with George Bigelow of Wascana winning 4 and 3 over M.L. Tasker of Regina Golf Club.

The newly-formed Western Canada Professional Golfers’ Association attracted sixteen entries for the inaugural event: eight professionals from Winnipeg, one from Edmonton and seven from Saskatchewan.  Joe Land of Winnipeg won the title and $100 in prize money with his four-round score of 299, while Hugh Fletcher, also of Winnipeg, took the $75 second prize.  Land also won the Saskatchewan Open while another Winnipeg pro, George Daniel, took second.

The SGA took in $367 in affiliation fees from clubs around the province.  Each year an honorarium was paid to the Tournament Secretary and the Honorary Secretary.  

1927 Men: Moose Jaw Golf Club, July 25-29

Moose Jaw held the Saskatchewan tournaments concurrently with the Western Canada Golf Championship.  The Saskatchewan Amateur was played as 36 holes of medal play over the first two days.  Young Tommy Russell scored 153 on his home course to edge out an old St. Andrews player, T.D. Forbes of Riverhurst.

“Little Freddie” Fletcher, the 25-year-old pro at Moose Jaw, amazed the field by winning the Open with a lame leg that didn’t affect his game in the least.  (Apparently his left leg was badly wounded overseas and sometimes he used a bicycle to travel the fairways between holes.) (Bradley, p. 63)  A few days later he received the Kinnear Cup, a gold medal and $200 for winning the four-round Western Canada Professional Championship with a score of 293.

A small number of juniors competed.  William Hudson of Calgary won the WCGA title over John Bigelow of Regina, but no Saskatchewan Junior titlist was declared.

Tommy Ross of Regina drove a tee shot right smack behind a telegraph pole, which prompted him to apply to the CNR to have the pole removed from the course.  He was quoted as saying ‘another stroke gontoell.’  Another player complained strongly after his pitch shot to the green hit an oil can that had been left there.

A Veterans’ event had been part of SGA tournaments since 1920, but this year a Saskatchewan Senior Men’s event for those over 55 was held for the first time.  A Senior Golf Association was formed, electing James Balfour of Regina the president, and General Tuxford of Moose Jaw the vice-president.  Interestingly, these were the two finalists in the competition, with Tuxford coming out on top. 

1927 Women: Wascana Country Club, August 8-12

The Saskatchewan Branch of the Canadian Ladies’ Golf Union was organized on Sept 16, 1926 with the national president, Mrs. L. Murray, in Regina for the occasion.  Nine clubs affiliated with the Branch that first year.   Mrs. Gladys Rideout of Wascana was elected the first president and the first women’s tournament was held there in 1927.  Forty-eight women played in the qualifying round then were placed in three flights.  A close final match ended on the twentieth hole when Mrs. J. Blair’s thirty-yard chip found the hole to win the championship over Mrs. Rideout.   A team from Regina Golf Club was the first winner of the handsome new silver trophy presented by the Regina Trading Company.  Thirty-four pairs entered the mixed foursomes event, won by Mr. & Mrs. W. Knight Wilson.  The busy social schedule included a banquet and meeting, two dances, a luncheon and the prize presentation on Friday afternoon. 

1928 Men: Saskatoon Golf Club, August 6-11

110 amateur competitors entered the provincial championship.  O.S. Wakeford of Saskatoon was thrilled when his mashie shot on the seventh hole took two hops and lodged in the cup for a hole-in-one.  The newspaper described this shot as a “dodo”.  (Star-Phoenix, Aug. 10, p.9)

Eighteen professionals competed in the Open Championship, won by Tom Ross of Regina, and the Professional Championship, won by Jimmie Rimmer of Jasper Park with 288.

Prizes were presented by golf enthusiast Sir Frederick Haultain for the fifteenth successive year.

Following the final match in the Saskatchewan Amateur, won by Phil Morse 8 and 7 over J.D. Millar, both Saskatoon players were invited to play an exhibition match against two of Britain’s best-known professional golfers.  Archie Compston and Aubrey Boomer were touring Canada and the United States.  Close to 200 spectators took in this contest, won by the Brits 3 and 2.

The Western Canada Golf Association held its tournaments in Edmonton – at Mayfair Golf Club for the men and Edmonton Golf and Country Club for the women.

1928 Women: Riverside Country Club, August 6-10

The provincial women’s championships were held concurrently at Riverside Country Club.  After 64 women registered, a fourth event was quickly added to the competition.  Tee times were scheduled every five minutes.  Ideal weather and an excellent course made for a pleasant week, topped by Hilda Yule winning over her clubmate Lillian Myers by a score of 5 and 4 to take the Dunlop Tire and Rubber Company trophy.

At the annual meeting a position of Honorary President with voting power was created.  This was filled by Gladys Rideout who had guided the organization through its first two years.  Mrs. R.R. Morgan of Saskatoon was voted incoming president.  Appreciation was voiced for the spring visits of national CLGU president Mrs. Murray and Ada Mackenzie who stopped in Regina and Moose Jaw on their national tour.

The team trophy, won this year by host club Riverside, was to be determined in future by the four lowest scores for each club in the opening day qualifying round instead of choosing four competitors ahead of time. 

1929 Men: Wascana Country Club, August 5-9

The Wascana course played 6,009 yards, 34-36 for a par 70.  One hundred golfers teed off at four-minute intervals in the Amateur competition.  Regina fans following the final match were discouraged after the morning game as Phil Morse of Saskatoon had a four-stroke lead over Fred Dorr.  However, the Morning Leader reporter stated that the four-stroke lead was none too many against the well-known Regina percussionist.

“the Capitolian maestro of the drums and tinkling cymbals staking a wonderful comeback on the 12^th hole which raised great hopes in the breasts of the Regina contingent of the gallery.  The spectators thoroughly enjoyed the pyrotechnic display of fireworks for four consecutive holes, only to see him sputter out like a damp squib on the 16^th green.  It was another striking example of the failure of an able-bodied golfer with an expensive eight-dollar putter to sink a condemned golf ball into an infernal hole, only 18 gosh-darned inches from start to finish of the putt.  It is one of the unsolvable mysteries in the game of golf why so many putts of less than two feet from the hole refuse to drop into that catastrophic cavity!”  (Morning Leader, Aug. 10, 1929, p. 13 by John W. Harrison)

Twenty-year-old Phil Morse successfully defended his Saskatchewan title 2 and 1.  The Junior Championship went to Otto Anderson who won over another Saskatoon player, Arnold Lozo.

Saskatchewan sent its first interprovincial team to Jasper, AB for the third Willingdon Cup championship, but came in last of the six provincial teams.  Phil Morse, William Kidd, A.R. McIntyre and N.C. Byers made up the team.

The Western Canada Golf Association held its tournament in Jasper concurrently with the Canadian events.  The Saskatchewan Golf Association voted at its annual meeting to sever relations with the WCGA.

1929 Women: Moose Jaw Golf Club, August 12-15

Mrs. R.R. Morgan of Saskatoon was elected president of the CLGU Saskatchewan Branch for this year, but by the time the tournament opened in August, Mrs. F.R. Nason of Moose Jaw was listed as ‘acting president.’  There were now twelve affiliated clubs, and Swift Current and Humboldt had been parred by the women.

Mrs. Rideout took the provincial championship, winning 6 and 5 over Mrs. Gill of Moose Jaw.  A driving competition and a putting contest were held along with the championship.

This publication was produced by provincial golf historian Lori Harvie.