Spring college season opens for some Sask. players down south
TJ Baker and Will Blake opened their respective spring seasons at the Houston Classic in Humble, Tex. a week ago.
For Baker, this will be the final season of his collegiate career at Arkansas – Monticello. The Prince Albert product tied for 57th with rounds of 80, 80, and 78 at the Golf Club of Houston on Feb. 12 and 13. Baker was his teams’ low shooter, the Weevils were 15th in the team competition.
Next up for the school is the Hardscrabble Invite in Fort Smith, Ark. on March 4 and 5.
Blake and the Southern Arkansas University (SAU) Muleriders placed 10th in the 54-hole event. The Regina resident was 81st in the field with rounds of 88, 83, and 81.
SAU is back on the course March 18 in Edmond, Okla. for the Oak Tree Invitational.
2023 Team Saskatchewan Men’s Amateur member Cole Obrigewitsch was in action alongside Carter Bell of Saskatoon on Feb. 12 and 13 in Omaha, Neb. at the Shadow Ridge Country Club for the CSU San Marcos Fujikura Invite.
Deer Valley’s Obrigewitsch was competing as an individual, the California State University San Bernadino Coyote posted rounds of 75, 79, and 75 to place tied for 49th, his teammates were ninth overall.
Bell competes for Dominican University of California, he fired back-to-back 79’s and 80 to place tied for 62nd. The Penquins team was 12th overall.
Obrigewitsch and the Coyotes will host a tournament from Feb. 26 to 28 at Rams Hill Golf Club in Borego Springs, Cal., Bell’s next event is the Nighthawk Invitational in Pleasanton, Cal. on March 4 and 5 at Callippe Preserve Golf Course.
The Park University Buccaneers and Cole Taylor of Nipawin started their fall season with a smaller two-school shootout in Arizona over the Family Day Weekend.
Battling two teams from Ottawa University Arizona (OUAZ), the Buccaneers placed in the middle of the pack at the Los Colinas Golf Course in Queen Creek, Ariz. The Evergreen Golf Course member carded a 72 in round one and 75 in the second round, good enough to tie for 13th place.
Next up a trip to Las Vegas for the RMC Intercollegiate at Reflection Bay Golf Club from March 5 and 6.
The first fall season for Saskatoon’s Chase Pochylko and Tommy Danielson is now underway as well at Nicholls University. The duo was Montgomery, Tex. on Feb. 12 and 13 for the Bentwater Intercollegiate at the Bentwater Country Club.
Danielson led the team with a 54-hole score of 236 (78,75,73) and a tie for 46th place in the field. Pochylko carded back-to-back rounds of 77, and then carded an 81 in the third round to finish at 235, tied for 68th.
The Colonels were 13th as a team, they are heading to the Big Easy, New Orleans for the Gul Coast Collegiate on Feb. 26 and 27.
Several more Saskatchewan student athletes will begin their seasons on Feb. 26 across the United States.
Coast to coast, an inside look at WHS Indexes nationwide
A nationwide look at WHS ranks; an inside look at 10 million posted rounds
Golf Canada reported their second straight record year when it comes to recording scores on the course last season in 2023.
In 2022, Golf Canada members posted 9.2 million rounds, this past season, that number climbed over 10 million.
These numbers provided by the nation’s amateur golf overseer to Golf Saskatchewan for average Handicap Indexes broken down into both women and men along with the national average provides several benefits.
Golfers that post scores through the Golf Canada Score Centre are more prone to monitor their Index than recreational players, however as the averages show across Canada, you may be a much better player than the average.
Where do you rank? What are your 2024 goals when it comes to your World Handicap Index?
Golf Saskatchewan supports your goals!
For players heading into the summer, there has been WHS changes. For everything you need to know heading into the season and managing your Index, click here.
Nelson named to 2024 North American Vision Cup Team
Another incredible achievement for Gerry Nelson.
The blind golfer from Meadow Lake was named to Team North America for the upcoming 2024 Vision Cup. The teams are comprised of 12 men and two women.
The sixth edition of the event that pits golfers with visually disabilities from North America against the rest of the world. This tournament is held bi-annually and rotates hosting location from North America and the Rest of the World locations.
The Vision Cup will be held in Vienna, Austria from July 22 to 27.
Yorkton golfers join community podcast
The city of Yorkton has been a hotbed for Saskatchewan golfers for decades and with Kade Johnson chasing the PGA Tour dream, Ella Kozak getting set for college, Arden Knoll looking back, and Kathy Ziglo still chasing wins, a local golf fan wanted to hear more.
Dick DeRryk is a life-long Yorkton resident and staple member of Deer Park Municipal Golf Course, where the aforementioned players all got their start.
DeRyk, a former Yorkton city councilor among other positions in Yorkton, hosts a podcast termed ‘Yorkton Stories.’
The east-central Saskatchewan hub has many stories, but earlier this year DeRyk focused on golf with those four stars of the sport in the province.
To listen, click below.
Bach reacts to collecting Moe Norman Award in Orlando
The PGA of Canada Awards were officially announced on Dec. 22 of last year, but the award winners including Saskatoon’s Mitch Bach were able to collect their prize on Jan. 24 at the PGA Show in Orlando, Flo.
The Willows Club based professional and leader behind Clubhouse Golf Academy took home the Moe Norman Apprentice Professional of the Year Award alongside his Apprentice of the Year honour at the PGA of Saskatchewan Awards in October.
Bach spoke with Golf Saskatchewan after returning from the show and what winning the award means, plus how he plans to make 2024 an even more exciting year in the Bridge City, and beyond.
Grayson going golfing with US college
Winston Grayson has announced he will play collegiate golf for the Minot State University (MSU) Beavers in the fall.
The Kipling, Sask. product has taken a couple years since high school to decide on his educational future, but he told Golf Saskatchewan the sport is something he wanted to continue to play.
With the commitment to MSU, Grayson will study Business as the North Dakota based college that is currently home to Holly Knudsen of Chaplin, Sask. and Chase Gedak of Estevan.
Grayson spoke with Golf Saskatchewan about his start in golf and his road to the Beavers golf team.
2024 Order of Merit schedule taking shape; Championship schedule also complete
Locked in a cold spell to start 2024, Saskatchewan golfers can now start planning their competitive schedule for the summer when the season opens April 15.
The Order of Merit (OMT) schedule is still missing a few dates with events across Saskatchewan, but most of the schedule is complete and can be found here.
The winner of each OMT category will receive an exemption into a provincial championship of their choice the following year. Golf Saskatchewan implemented the incentive following this past season.
To win an OMT championship you must play in a provincial event, the OMT point structure states players can use their top four events, plus the Saskatchewan championships in the OMT race.
Registration will open for provincials on April 15, the schedule can be found below.
You must be a member of Golf Canada/Saskatchewan to compete for an OMT title or compete in a provincial championship.
Carter named finalist for Saskatchewan Sport Excellence Male Athlete of the Year
Regina’s Taylor Carter has been named a finalist for the Saskatchewan Sport Excellence Male Athlete of the Year.
Carter won the Special O World Games golf competition in Germany in June of 2023.
He is the lone golfer on the list of 30 finalists for the amateur sport organizations awards that will be handed out on Feb. 1 in Regina.
For full details of the awards, and tickets click here.
MJT announces eight stops in Saskatchewan this year
The Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) has set their 2024 schedule and will make eight stops in Saskatchewan this year.
The events, that will be played alongside one-day Mini-Tour tournaments, will begin in May and run throughout the summer leading up to the National Championships taking place in Arizona over Remembrance Day weekend of 2024.
The first competition will be hosted by TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club in Estevan on May 11 and 12.
The next tournament is the MJT Spring Classic at Elmwood Golf lub in Swift Current from May 18 to 20.
Wildwood Golf Course in Saskatoon welcomes junior golfers to thir Saskatoon course on June 1 and 2. On June 15 and 16 Yorkton’s Deer Park Municipal Golf Course will host an event from June 15 and 16.
The Yorkton MJT tournament will provide a solid teaser for the Saskatchewan Junior Championships being held at Deer Park from July 3 to 5.
On July 15 and 16 Deer Valley Golf Club will host a 36-hole event, Moon Lake Golf and Country Club does the same on July 29 and 30.
The MJT _ PLYR Series at Elk Ridge Golf Resort is scheduled for Aug. 10 and 11, and the Legends Golf Club in Warman will host the final event of the year on Aug. 24 and 25.
All the MJT events will be part of the 2024 Saskatchewan Junior Order of Merit Tours (OMT). The 2024 OMT schedules will be updated later this month.
Registration is now open for all MJT events, for more details click here.
Golf community pays respect to Hall of Famer, Doug Mader
It’s with sadness the Saskatchewan golf community has lost another Hall of Fame person, and player.
Doug Mader passed away on Dec. 30, 2023.
Since his passing, at the age of 83 due to complications from a fall playing pickleball, words from around the golf community have been expressed to honour the 2011 Saskatchewan Golf Hall of Fame inductee.
Former Golf Saskatchewan President, and fellow Royal Regina Golf Club (RRGC) member with Mader, Larry Wagman said Doug will be dearly missed at the “Home of Golf.”
“Golf in Saskatchewan and members at the Royal Regina Golf Club lost an icon with the recent passing of Doug Mader,” Wagman stated. “He will be remembered and missed as a competitor and friendly face throughout his host of friends and acquaintances.”
The RRGC sent a message to their members early in 2024, that read;
It is with great sadness that we announce the recent passing of Royal Regina Life Member, Doug Mader.
“Doug was a RRGC member for 60 years having originally joined the Club in 1964. We send our deepest condolences to his wife Barb, and all their family and friends.”
In June, of 2020 Golf Saskatchewan was able to sit down with Mader at his and Barb’s beautiful Lumsden home to learn more about his career and life. To view the interview click here.
Long-time Regina Leader-Post Reporter Darrel Davis also wrote about Mader’s passing.
Golf Saskatchewan also sends condolences to Barbara and all of Doug’s family and loved ones.