Hidden Hills of Shellbrook, a nine-hole gen in north-central Saskatchewan has caught the eye of Golf Canada for the amazing year the club had in 2023.

According to data collected from the Golf Canada Score Centre, Hidden Hills had the most rounds recorded last year for nine-hole courses in Saskatchewan. Board President Brad Helm said the news that CEO Laurence Applebaum and the staff at the national organization were impressed with the numbers pushed through was a pleasant surprise.

“I guess the biggest thing, it makes me have some pride for our community and our club,” Helm told Golf Saskatchewan. “To see everybody enjoys coming out and playing and taking pride that we have a really nice course and enjoy coming out.”

Four nine-hole clubs in Saskatchewan posted over 20,000 rounds last season, Hidden Hills led the way with a whopping 26,845 posted. In 2022 that number was just over 20,000. Helm credited the entire Shellbrook and Prince Albert area for the course’s growth and traffic through out the season.

“We have pretty good local base of communities that come out and play this course. The locals like coming to hang out and use the course. I consider it in good shape, it’s a fun nine-hole course to come play,” he added.

Applebaum was impressed with the small town’s commitment to the game, and once hearing about the large number of rounds the national organization sent a Golf Canada gift package to the club. Golf Saskatchewan delivered the package on May 12.

Helm was appreciative of the notion that will likely be used as prizes for their numerous leagues or club events.

Not only was Shellbrook one of the busiest courses in the province the last couple years, but the increase in rounds has also been steady since the club recorded under 10,000 in 2017. Helm said work travels fast and the community is proud of what they have and the people that play the course.

“Other people hear, you know, come out and play Shellbrook,” Helm said. “I think that’s a wildfire, it just takes off and more people want to come out and try it. Then they decide to become members even. They will commute from Prince Albert or from different areas to be a member of this course. It’s kind of nice to see.”

The 2024 Saskatchewan Junior Order of Merit Tour (OMT) is underway following this past weekend’s Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) event in Estevan.

TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club hosted over 70 players on May 11 and 12 for the 36-hole event.

In the 15 to 19 year-old girl’s category Ella Kozak of Yorkton was champion shooting rounds of 72 and 81 for a two-day total of 153.

Tayla Perry of Regina was second at 160 after the Wascana Country Club member carded back-to-back rounds of 80. Chloe Wills from Kyle was third, three shots back of Perry at 163 (82,81).

Yuna Lee was the lone competitor in the under-15 girl’s division. The Royal Regina Golf Club junior shot 93 and 89.

In the peewee boy’s division, Jun Lee was the champion with a score of 143. The 11-year-old posted rounds of 72 and 71 to take the age group by 13 shots.

Keaton Kreklewich of Melville was second at 156 (79,77), Lloydminster golfer Cooper Roberge was third at 181 (91,90).

Lucas Sturgeon of Saskatoon took home the bantam championship edging Shae Maunula of North Battleford in the under-15 age group.

Sturgeon shot 75 and 70, Maunula carded rounds of 73 and 74, giving Sturgeon the opening win of the year. Pilot Butte’s Austin Nesbitt posted scores of 78 and 76 to place third. Tylan Wallin of Humboldt was fourth at 155 (79,76).

Ethan Hunter of Casa Rio started his season with a win in the juvenile boy’s division. The Saskatoon Golf and Country Club member posted 73 on day one and a 77 in round two to win by three shots over fellow Saskatonian Aricin Franklin (79,74).

Another Bridge City player, Brady Guenther was third at 156 thanks to back-to-back rounds of 78, Gray’s Wyatt Frei was fourth at 157 (75,82), Ayden Ross of Swift Current rounded out the top-five at 158 with identical 79’s on the card.

Brandon, Man. Product Zostrianos Giordani-Gross took the overall boy’s title and the junior division with a 36-hole score of 149 (76,73).

Swift Current and Rocky Mountain College commit Makstyr McIntyre and Brayden Skene of Martensville tied for second place at 151.

Weyburn’s Darien herlick started his summer with a 153 (74,79) taking fourth place, Brody Sawchyn of Saskatoon picked up a top five finish with a score of 154 (79,75).

The complete results can be seen here. To see the updated 2024 OMT standings click here.

The next event on the schedule is the MJT Spring Classic in Swift Current at Elmwood Golf Club on May 18 to 20.

(All images courtesy Jeff Chambers)

For the second time in their collegiate careers, Jace Carlisle, Alex Swinnerton, and Guillermo Salazar will compete at the NCAA DII National Golf Championships later this month.

For Carlisle, the Estevan product will conclude his college career at Post University with another shot at a national title thanks to a fifth place team finish at the Atlantic/East Regionals in Wheeling, W.V. on May 9 to 11 at Speidel Jones Course.

Carlisle opened the 54-hole event with an 83 in round one, but the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club staffer answered with a 72 on day two, followed by 75 on the final round. Carlisle tied for 41^st overall, the team was fifth, that secured a trip to Winter Garden, Flo. for the national tournament from May 21 to 25.

Also heading to Orange County National in Florida for the championship is Saskatoon’s Alex Swinnerton and fellow Waskesiu junior Guillermo Salazar and Indianna University of Pennsylvania (IUP). The Crimson Hawks punched their ticket to Florida with a fourth place team finish in Wheeling at the same regional Post was at.

Salazar led the way for IUP with a sixth place performance on the weekend. The Calgary resident shot 7, 69, and 71 to finish at 218, seven strokes behind the winner. Swinnerton was tied for 19^th at 223 (76, 75, 72).

This is the second consecutive year going to nationals for the Crimson Hawks.

Deer Valley’s Cole Obrigewitsch was also chasing a national DII spot with California State University San Bernardino this past weekend, but unfortunately the Coyotes fell short and Obrigewitsch’s college career is over.

Competing at the NCAA Central/West Regional in Las Cruces, N.M. at the University Golf Course, Obrigewitsch and the Coyotes team placed 14^th. He started sluggish with an 82 in round one, but the Deer Valley Golf and Estates member improved to 74 on day two and fired a 70 in his last college round. Overall Obrigewitsch was tied for 78^th.

Golf Saskatchewan will hear from Obrigewitsch later this week to cap his collegiate career.

The rookie season for Regina’s Hallie Crozier is over as well at Ferris State. The Bulldogs wrapped up their spring season on May 8 at the Prairie View Golf Club in Carmel, Ind. for the NCAA DII East Regional.  

Crozier tied for 53^rd in the event with the team placing in a tie for seventh missing out on a national bid. Crozier carded rounds of 80, 88, and 79 for a three round total of 247.

Austin Nesbitt has another podium finish on the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) as the first Saskatchewan event nears.

On May 4 and 5 at the Kildonan Park Golf Course in the Manitoba capital, the Pilot Butte Junior was second in the bantam (under-15) age group with a 36-hole score of 149 after rounds of 78 and 71. The Wascana Country Club member was just three shots off the leader.

Nesbitt placed third at an MJT event in Lethbridge in late April.

Also in the field in Winnipeg was Warman’s Tina and Kevin Liu.

Tina was fourth in the 15-19 girls category with a score of 202 (100, 102) while Kevin was 11th in the bantam boys group after rounds of 96 and 95.

The first Saskatchewan MJT event will also open the Junior Order of Merit Tour season on May 11 and 12 in Estevan at TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club.

To register, click here.

The 2024 Saskatchewan Summer Games will be held in Lloydminster this summer with the Lloydminster Golf and Curling Centre being the host of the golf championships.

Nine district qualifiers will be held around the province before the Games begin on July 21. Teams will consist of three females and three males, a manager, and a coach. Players must be under 17 years of age as of the final day of the 2024 Canadian Junior Girls and Junior Boys Championships. The date for females is July 25, for the males it’s Aug. 16.

The Saskatchewan Summer Games golf championships will be a 72-hole, four day competition running from July 21 to 24.

Each qualifier will be an 18-hole, one day event. Players do not need to be Golf Saskatchewan members, but if a player does qualify for their district that player will need to become a member and have a valid Handicap Index. The Saskatoon qualifier will be hosted by The Willows Club and will be combined with the course’s Saskatoon Junior Open. Scores from Saturday’s round will be used to choose the Saskatoon qualifiers.

The dates and locations are as follows:

• Regina (Joanne Goulet Golf Course) | June 1
• Southwest (Chinook Golf Course, Swift Current) | June 9
• Southeast (TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club, Estevan) | June 8
• Rivers West (Lloydminster Golf and Curling Centre, Lloydminster) | June 8
• Parkland Valley (Deer Park Municipal Golf Course, Yorkton) | June 9
• Northern (Eagle Point Resort, La Ronge) | June 9
• Saskatoon (The Willows Club) | June 22
• Prairie Central (Humboldt Golf Club, Humboldt) | June 23
• Lakeland (Cooke Municipal Golf Course, Prince Albert) | July 7

Participants will pay their fees at the golf course on the day of their respective tryout, the deadline to register for each event is 10 days prior to the date.

To register click here.

If anyone is interested in becoming a team manager or coach contact Golf Saskatchewan Executive Director Brian Lee at Blee@golfsaskatchewan.org.

The Minot State University (MSU) Beavers spring golf season is over, so are the years for Holly Knudsen and Chase Gedak.

Knudsen and the women’s team was in Smithville, Mo. for the NSIC Championship at Paradise Pointe – Outlaw from April 26 to 28. The Chaplin product carried the number one bag for the team and was the lowest Beaver tying for 21^st. Knudsen shot 85 in round one, bounced back nicely with a 77 on day two, and finished with an 83 for a 54-hole total of 245.

The team was ninth overall.

Gedak has had a strong finish to his season with the Beavers men’s team after transferring from the University of Arkansas at Monticello. Coming off a tie for fifth (78,73) at the Augustana Spring Invitational on April 8 and 9 in Sioux Falls, S.D. at Elmwood Golf Course, the Estevan product’s top-notch play continued at the NSIC Championship from April 19 to 21 at Adams Pointe Golf Club in Blue Springs, Mo.

Also leading the team into the event, Gedak went 75, 73, and 72 for a three-round score of 220, that left him in eighth place overall. MSU was ninth as a team in the season concluding championship.

Both Knudsen and Gedak are expected to return to the Beavers in the fall.

Will Danielson’s junior season along with Davin Karst’s freshman campaign at Milsaps College are over.

The Majors were in Dickson, Tex. for the SAA Conference Championship from April 26 to 28 at Greystone Golf Club.

Saskatoon’s Danielson carded rounds of 77, 76, and 81, at 234 he was 39^th. Karst opened with an 80, responded with a 74 in the middle round, and an 84 on the final day. The Assiniboia product was 42^nd.

The team was sixth. Teammate Preston Severs tied for third and now awaits a chance at the national event.

Colby Friedrich of Battleford was in action this week in Victoria, Tex. at the Victoria Country Club for the University of Providence Argos at the Red River and Frontier Conference Championship. Friedrich led the team and had his best result with the school. After opening with an 81, the North Battleford Golf & Country Club member shot back-to-back 77’s for a 54-hole total of 235. Tying for 22^nd.

The team ended their season with a ninth-place finish.

More regionals will be played next week with several student-athletes still chasing national spots.

The Canadian University/College Championships will take place June 3.

The collegiate golf career for TJ Baker has come to an end.

The Prince Albert product and summer staffer at Waskesiu Golf Course wrapped up his career at the University of Arkansas at Monticello last week at the Great America Conference Tournament with a solid tie for 22nd place.

Although Baker wasn’t able to collect a collegiate win with the Weevils, the Carlton Comprehensive High School graduate was a steady force in the UAM men’s golf lineup weekly, many times leading the team at events across the southern United States.

Baker received his degree in Finance and Marketing and will graduate after a couple finals this week.

He spoke with Golf Saskatchewan about his career, what he’d do differently, and what is next personally, and in golf.

With several school records and a collegiate win under his belt, Saskatoon’s Josh Nagy is proud of his college career at Robert Morris University.

After five years at the Pennsylvania based NCAA Div. 1 school, the reigning Saskatchewan Amateur Men’s Champion will graduate in the next few days and begin his post-education golf journey.

Golf Saskatchewan chatted with the Riverside Country Club member following his last college event last week.

The competitive season is open for a trio of Saskatchewan juniors after the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) kicked off their Alberta schedule in Lethbridge this past weekend.

The Global Sport Academy Spring Classic at Paradise Canyon Golf Resort had three bantam (U15) players from Saskatchewan in the field. Leading the way was Pilot Butte’s Austin Nesbitt. The youngest player in the field in his age group, last year’s under-13 Order of Merit (OMT) winner placed third in the 36-hole event. The Wascana Country Club member opened with an 80 but bounced back with a 76 to place third overall, seven shots back of the winner.

Saskatoon’s Hudson Diederichs went 82 and 83, he tied for seventh, and Ian Davis, also of Saskatoon was 10^th at 169 (85,84).

The first Saskatchewan MJT event will also open the OMT season on May 11 and 12 in Estevan at TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club. To register, click here.

The winners of the OMT’s from this season will receive exemptions into a provincial championship of their choosing next season.

For more information on the OMT schedules, click here.

The spring college golf season south of the border continued this week with a plethora of action across the United States.

In Bedford, Pa. at the Old Course at Bedford Springs, Saskatoon’s Alex Swinnerton placed in the top-5 for the second straight week with the Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) Crimson Hawks. On April 22 and 23 the Riverside Country Club member shot rounds of 75 and 78 to finish in a tie for fifth at 9-over par.

Fellow Crimson Hawk and former Waskesiu junior golfer Guillermo Salazar also tied for fifth at 153 by shooting 79 and 74. The team was second thanks to the strong performances of the two players.

Next for IUP is the NCAA Atlantic/East Super Regional from May 9 to 11 in Wheeling, W.V. at Oglebay Resort – Jones Course.

On April 22 and 23 at Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, W.V. where Swinnerton and Salazar will play next week, Estevan’s Jace Carlisle was in action for Post University at a regional preview. On day one the TS&M Woodlawn staff member stroked an 80, but rebounded nicely on day two shooting 76, vaulting 36 spots up the leaderboard placing in 37^th.

The Eagles placed ninth as a team out of a 26 school field, like Carlisle, the club jumped up the leaderboard on day two by five spots. Post is now scheduled to attend the NCAA Regionals joining the Crimson Hawks in the field in May.

Hallie Crozier helped the Ferris State Bulldogs to a fourth place finish in their latest event. The Regina golfer was at the GLIAC Championships in Augusta, Mich. from April 18 to 19 at Stonehedge Golf Club. Crozier shot 79 and 81 in the 36-hole tournament, good enough for a tie for 20^th.

The NCAA East Regional from May 6 to 8 in Indianapolis, Ind. is next for Ferris State.

Cole Obrigewitsch is having a solid season for California State University – San Bernardino and that continued this week in Santa Rosa, Cal. at the Santa Rosa Golf and Country Club. The Coyotes placed seventh as a team at the CCAA Championships, Obrigewitsch tied for 30^th with a 54-hole score of 222. The Deer Valley resident opened with a 79 but fired back a 71 and 72 over the final couple rounds on April 22 to 24.

 The Coyotes are off to Las Cruces, N.M. on May 8 for the NCAA Regionals.

Caden Loeppky of Saskatoon has had a busy month of April for the Waldorf University Warriors. On April 20 and 21 the team was in Decorah, Ia. for the Luther Spring Classic at the Oneota Golf and Country Club. Competing for the Warriors ‘B’ team Loeppky shot 82 and 84, he tied for 49^th place at 22-over par. The team was 11^th.

The NSAA Championship is listed as Waldorf’s next event on April 29 and 30.

Josh Nagy’s impressive collegiate career has come to an end at Robert Morris University (RMU).

The reigning Saskatchewan Amateur Men’s Champion wrapped up his five-year stint with the Colonials in Howey-in-the-Hills, Flo. this week at the El Campeon Golf Course. Nagy led RMU again with a tie for 25^th place. He carded rounds of 75, 75, and 76 to finish at 226.

The team was 10^th overall in their final event of the season.

TJ Baker’s collegiate career ended for the University of Arkansas – Monticello this week. The Prince Albert product and his Weevil teammates were in Broken Arrow, Okla. on April 22 and 23 for the Great American Conference Tournament at the Club at Forest Ridge. Baker played well at the event, he bookended the three-round event with 76’s, the Waskesiu Golf Course player shot 81 in round two, overall, he finished a solid tie for 22^nd place.

The Weevils were ninth overall.

In Kerrville, Tex., Chase Pochylko and Tommy Danielson’s rookie seasons for Nicholls University concluded at the Southland Conference Championship at Comanche Trace on April 22 – 24. Danielson was the teams’ low player going 74, 73, and 75 to place tied for 15^th overall. Pochylko started with a tough 87, the 2022 Saskatchewan Junior Champion was much better in the second round shooting 74, he closed with an 82, tying for 44^th at 243.

The Colonels were ninth in the team standings in the final event of their season.

More events will begin on April 26 for a handful of players before the busy weekend of May 9 to 12.