Phase 3 of the Re-Open Saskatchewan plan kicked in Monday including bars and restaurants being allowed to open for dining in, golf clubhouses are included in the allotment.

Courses across the province posted updates on their social media channels that their facility was opening at 50 per cent capacity with physical distancing still being maintained. The restrictions are lifted for outside patios as well, again at 50 per cent capacity.

Along with the opening of certain businesses indoor gatherings are increased to 15 people from 10, outdoor gatherings can be help with 30 people in attendance.

Other golf course alterations announced on Friday afternoon include:

• Golf cart restrictions have been removed. Individuals are encouraged to only share a golf cart with members of their extended household.
• Washroom facilities in the clubhouse and on the course can be opened with increased cleaning and disinfection, with only one individual allowed at a time.
• On-course food and beverage service (beer cart/snack shack, for example) can resume service subject to the Restaurant and Licensed Establishments Guidelines in the Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan.

Several courses have inquired with Golf Saskatchewan regarding the status of shotgun starts. Mass starts are still prohibited. Tee times are still set at 12 minutes apart from the first hole the course chooses.

Championships

Golf Saskatchewan is continuing to work with the province of Saskatchewan and the Business Response Team regarding the potential hosting of provincial championships.

Our organization will make an announcement on the status of the Saskatchewan amateur events in June.

We continue to focus on our volunteers and thank them for their countless hours giving back to golf. We caught up with Regina resident and current vice-president Larry Wagman this week.

Tucked away just east of Tisdale along the banks of the Doghide River sits one of Saskatchewan’s top nine-hole golf courses.

Nearing its 100^th anniversary, the Tisdale Riverside Golf Club (TRGC) winds over the water seven times with picturesque tee boxes over well-maintained fairways and greens. Playing from 2,500 to 2,900 yards and have slope rating of 110 to 133 the TRGC offers rounds suitable for all level of players.

Superintendent Marc Anderson, a born-and-raised Tisdale product said there are several holes that could be considered the club’s signature.

“There aren’t too many nine-hole courses close to us and we can probably say we’re the best because every hole is unique,” Anderson explained to Golf Saskatchewan. “Number one has a tree that’s over 100 years old in the middle of it and number four is with it. The two par-threes, one is hitting over a fountain onto a green, the next is across the river, a long par three. You get into back half where you are secluded by yourself, which is nice. Eight is another one along water. It’s a short par-four but it’s hard to play, it’s unique. Our greens now are probably better for this area than the 18’s around the area. People know we have some of the best greens around this region.”

Like most small-town clubs’ maintenance is kept at a steady pace. The club has recently planted trees, upgraded the cart path, build a new on course, fully serviceable washroom, and purchased new equipment. Five years ago the TRGC underwent a $250,000 flood mitigation project. President Shirley DeMarsh said the project was a huge development.

“Our course floods each year; a lot of the course is underwater, and it took a long time to dry and even after a major rain storm it took a long time to dry so we had a major project and we did a lot of fundraising. We had a professional (Golf Shape Construction) come in and do some landscaping to make it drain better. That’s helped us a lot, we have a lot more playing time now,” DeMarsh said.

Built in 1923, the club transitioned from sand to grass greens in the early 1970’s.

Also dating back in time is the beginning of the annual Falkner Men’s Tournament. This year is slated to be the 86^th annual event named after Don Falkner. The event features a match-play championship round and a live bagpiper at the first tee. The Lions host their annual tournament at the course as does the local RCMP detachment. The club conducts a club championship, a couples’ tournament and an annual women’s tournament. The Riverside launched a two-day member/non-member two-man event last year as well with solid success. The club hosts several leagues too with ladies playing Tuesday’s and Wednesday afternoons, men’s night is Wednesday, the seniors have their league on Thursday. The club has a few mixed nights sprinkled into the season as well.

The course is adjacent to a campground, baseball diamonds and has a driving range. Clubhouse and Campground Manager Bev Hamm said there is more than golf offered at the facility and in the town.

“We host anniversaries, class reunions, weddings, the swimming pool is here, mom and dad can drop the kids off at the pool and come for a round of golf,” Hamm said. “We really feed of the backs of each other in this community. Our RECplex is second to none.”

Hamm beamed that they had three weddings scheduled at the club this season, two unfortunately have been postponed due to COVID-19. She said last year a couple had their wedding at the course with the bride being from “beautiful B.C.” but when she saw Facebook photos of the TRGC she wanted her wedding at the course. The dance occurred under a tent on the driving range.

To learn more about the TRGC visit their website or call 306.873.42222.

The PGA of Canada will hold their annual general meeting virtually on Thurday, June 4.

The meeting was originally planned for May 21 in Elbow at Harbor Golf and Resort. The purpose of hosting the event on the shores of Lake Diefenbaker was to celebrate the two-year presidency tenure of Mark Patterson, the head pro at the club.

Golf Saskatchewan was able to sit down with Patterson, and PGA of Canada CEO Kevin Thistle to discuss the last couple years for both of them in their relatively new roles.

TORONTO – Due to border restrictions, mandatory quarantines for those entering Canada and gathering restrictions in all provinces because of COVID-19, the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada announced that it is canceling its 2020 season.

“With growing uncertainty surrounding the border and the 14-day quarantine regulations, among other factors, we’ve weighed all of our options and concluded that it is not feasible to play this summer,” said Mackenzie Tour Executive Director Scott Pritchard. “With the safety of the communities we play in mind, as well as the well-being of our players, sponsors, tournament-organizing committees, volunteers and golf course staff, we came to the realization that this is the best decision for everyone involved.

“We also wanted to be considerate of our players and their desires to play golf,” Pritchard added. “Understanding the complexities that this pandemic has caused, we knew it wasn’t fair to leave our members in positions that might prevent them from pursuing other playing opportunities elsewhere while waiting to see what transpired in Canada.”

The 2020 season was set to be the Mackenzie Tour’s eighth, with 13 scheduled tournaments— the most in the Tour’s history.

“We had built a lot of momentum coming into this season, and we were excited to continue making a positive impact in the communities where we play, while also providing opportunities for our players to progress to the PGA TOUR,” continued Pritchard. “Our commitment to our tournaments and their local communities, as well as our players, is unwavering, and we’re going to use this time to come back stronger in 2021.”

The Tour has already sent Mackenzie Tour members information regarding eligibility for the 2021 season. Status for prior members will be based on Order of Merit results from the 2019 season, with the top-60 players exempt.

Meanwhile, players who earned status at the three-completed 2020 Qualifying Tournaments will retain status for the 2021 season, and those Qualifying Tournament entrants yet to compete will be guaranteed spots at a 2021 qualifying site.

Golf Canada is pleased to announce the formation of the Golf Industry Advisory Council, a volunteer group comprised of experienced professionals who will bring a golf industry voice to support Golf Canada’s Board of Directors and management team.

Reporting to Golf Canada’s Board of Directors, the Golf Industry Advisory Council will be composed of eight to 13 members with backgrounds, skill sets and experiences from across the golf landscape. The Council will include course owners and operators; club general managers; golf course superintendents; PGA of Canada professionals; and executives from the golf equipment, apparel and footwear industry.

“Deepening our engagement, dialogue and collaboration with course operators and the Canadian golf industry at large is core to Golf Canada’s strategic plan and the catalyst to forming the Golf Industry Advisory Council,” said Golf Canada President Charlie Beaulieu. “The expertise of the Council will be extremely impactful in providing the Board and our management team greater understanding of the priorities and critical activities of our golf industry partners with whom we share a commitment to the overall health of the sport. ”

The Council Chair will be designated by Golf Canada’s Board of Directors and may serve a maximum of two one-year terms. Members of the Council will be nominated by the Officers of Golf Canada (President, 1^st Vice President, 2^nd Vice-President and Immediate Past President) along with CEO Laurence Applebaum in consult with the Chair and staff representative of the Council.

Golf Canada Adjusts Composition of its Board; Welcomes Two New Directors

In addition to the formation of the Golf Industry Advisory Council, Golf Canada’s Board of Directors has also adjusted the composition of the Board from a fixed number of 11 members to a more flexible model of eight to 13 members which will include the new Industry Advisory Council Chair as well as an additional Director at Large.

With this adjustment, Golf Canada is pleased to welcome two experienced golf industry leaders as new Directors on the Board—Clublink Chairman and CEO Rai Sahi as well as Shawn Evans, President and CEO of Golf North Properties. Between Clublink and Golf North, Sahi and Evans collectively represent 85 of Golf Canada’s member clubs.

Sahi and Evans join the Board of Golf Canada which includes Charlie Beaulieu of Lorraine, Que. (President); Liz Hoffman of Thornhill, Ont. (1^st Vice-President); Dale Jackson of Victoria (2nd Vice-President; Rob MacDonald of Winnipeg; Susan MacKinnon of Calgary; David McCarthy of Toronto; Adam Daifallah of Montreal; Jean Stone-Seguin of Ottawa; Patrick Kelly of Vancouver; Paul Beaudry of Calgary; and Alison Chisholm of Miramichi, N.B.

adidas Golf Canada has had to alternate their approach to selling products during COVID-19 but Territory Manager Paige Lawrence is looking forward to another season.

Based in Moose Jaw, Lawrence also covers Manitoba making her season a little tougher to navigate during the pandemic. She admits there was some questions heading into year and getting courses prepared ahead of proshops and stores opening, but the brand is working through the pandemic.

“This year obviously looks quite a bit different,” Lawrence told Golf Saskatchewan. “Stuff is slowly coming together. I think every course is a little different to depending on where they’re located. Like I said, we’re working together to come up with a plan and hope we can make a successful year with something that might have been a step back to begin with.”

Proshops were able to open with restrictions in Phase 2 of the “Re-Open Saskatchewan plan on May 19. That includes golf shops such as Golf Town.

“It was crazy, it all happened pretty quick,” Lawrence added. “We could kind of see the writing on the wall, but middle of March the world looks a lot different. At the beginning we were finding everything is changing so quick so we’re trying to come up with our best model of business to help our proshops out. Now we’re hitting our stride and we’re understanding what the proshops our needing, what our customers are needing, we want them to have the most successful year they can.”

New for 2020

A new spikeless shoe termed Code Chaos by the global brand headlines their 2020 golf footwear line.

Lawrence said the company expanded from their comfort zone with the design but produced a fantastic product.

“It’s a great performance piece,” she said. “We have a mid-cut boa that is a little bit younger trending. That doesn’t mean you have to be young to wear it, but it’s different looking shoe so I think it took some people by surprise. Being a footwear company we’re looking to push the envelope a little bit and see how comfortable the golf industry is with trying some new stuff out.”

“If you’ve ever had an adidas runner ever in your life you know what you are getting into. We keep growing and we keep new trying stuff, but they’re pretty tried and true,” Lawrence added.

Lawrence said the adidas staff is continuing to work from home. She mentioned they could expand travel and in-person visits but for now home is still their bases and safety of their clients, customers, and themselves is top priority.

Lawrence joined Golf Saskatchewan via Zoom earlier this week.

Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame is excited to announce the Class of 2020/21 that will be inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame and will receive the Order of Sport award, Canada’s highest sporting honour. With no certainty regarding crowd size restrictions, travel bans and general safety measures,  the Induction celebration is postponed to 2021.

Lorie Kane was among the six athletes and five builders chosen this year to signify and celebrate Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame’s 65 anniversary year. Selected from over 260 public nominations and by a committee comprised of sports broadcasters, writers, academics and athletes, all for their ability to lead and inspire both on and off the field of play, for their sports accomplishments and in recognition of their continuing role in building Canada through sport and the value they return to their communities.

 

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Give it up for Lorie Kane! Today she was named as an inductee into the @cansportshall class of 2020/2021 – thanks for continuing to inspire us ❤️❤️

A post shared by CP Women’s Open (@cpwomensopen) on May 27, 2020 at 1:36pm PDT

Born and raised in Charlottetown, Lorie Kane started playing golf when she was five years old, kicking off an expansive career that has made her one of the sport’s most recognizable Canadian athletes.  While honing her skills, Lorie won the Prince Edward Island (PEI) Junior Girls Championship twice and was named Women’s Amateur Champion an extraordinary nine times between 1983 and 1992 in her home province.

Internationally, she was the Mexican Amateur champion in 1991, a member of the Canadian World Amateur team in 1991, and represented Canada at the Commonwealth Games in 1991, the World Cup in 1992, 2005, 2006 and 2008, and the Pan American Games in 2015.

In 1993 Lorie turned professional, earning exempt status three years later on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tour. In 2000 she captured her first professional win at the Michelob Light Classic in St. Louis – one of four victories she would add to her resume that year. After joining the Legends Tour, between 2011 and 2018 Lorie claimed five more wins with the LPGA.  She has also competed in the CP Women’s Open a record 30 times, and captured the Canadian PGA Women’s Championship four times, consecutively between 1996 and 1999, and again in 2001.

Lorie Kane’s trademark combination of composure, patience, and tenacity, as well as her willingness to remain humble and learn from adversity have led her to success at every level of competition.  Her enthusiasm and approachability have also made her an exemplary role model for younger athletes, and a perennial fan favourite.

In 1997 and 2000 Lorie was named Canadian Female Athlete of the Year, and in 2006 she received the Order of Canada, recognizing her achievements at the forefront of women’s golf.  In 1998 she was awarded the LPGA’s Heather Farr Player Award, recognizing her dedication and love for the game, and in 2000 players awarded her the William and Mousie Powell Award as the athlete who best embodied the spirit and values of the LPGA.

Lorie Kane’s success and big-hearted style of play are on par with her exceptional commitment to many worthy causes. While serving as a Canadian Pacific Railway Ambassador Lorie was instrumental in developing the CP Has Heart program, where she has helped raise over 20 million dollars to improve heart health across Canada in addition to personally visiting patients and recruiting other LPGA players to support the initiative. She has also been a dedicated volunteer for many community organizations in PEI, including Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada and Ronald McDonald Children’s Charities.

Since 1997 she has worked with KidSport to help underprivileged children participate in sport, serving as PEI’s first ambassador for the program. Her own fundraising venture, the annual Lorie Kane Charity Golf Classic has also raised over $850,000 for charitable causes in her home province. Fulfilling the promise of the official motto of the LPGA to “Act Like a Founder,” Lorie Kane has brilliantly enriched her sport and her community for the next generation.

Kane joins fellow Canadian golfer Mike Weir, who was named as an inductee in 2017.

Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2020/21 Inductees

• John “Jackie” Barrett – Athlete, Powerlifting and Special Olympian
• Sonja Gaudet – Athlete, Wheelchair Curling
• Diane Jones Konihowski – Athlete, Athletics
• Lorie Kane – Athlete, Golf
• Eric Lamaze and Hickstead – Team, Equestrian – Show Jumping
• Steve Nash – Athlete, Basketball
• Duncan Campbell – Builder, Wheelchair Rugby
• Sheldon Kennedy – Builder, Ice Hockey
• Judy Kent – Builder, Sport Administration
• Willie O’Ree – Builder, Ice Hockey
• Ross Powless – Builder, Lacrosse

For full biographies of the Class of 2020/21, please visit www.sportshall.ca.

“In these uncertain times, we are thrilled to be able to share a good news story and to have this remarkable group of people to induct into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame next year. We’ve never been more proud of our sports history, our sports champions, and their community spirit, and we are formally recognizing these athletes and builders for living and sharing sports values – Canada’s shared values; respect, equality, fairness and openness. We look forward to bringing Canada together in 2021 to celebrate this exceptional Class when we induct and award them with the Order of Sport for their beyond sport contributions to our country.” said Cheryl Bernard, President and CEO, Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.

Chemical Engineering major and Canadian LPGA Tour golfer Brittany Marchand offers up a home schooling lesson where we investigate how the size and weight of a golf ball will affect the distance and speed that the ball travels.

View more from this series here.

Built in the mid-1950’s in the rolling hills of southern Saskatchewan lies the Coronach Golf Club. The course started with three holes and sand greens before expanding to the course’s current nine surrounding the town’s water tower.

In the 1980’s the club upgraded their watering system on the fairways and in 2001 their biggest achievement was brought to fruition with the conversion of the greens to grass. Club president and long-time volunteer and community member Dennis Hicks said their golf club is woven into the fabric of the community.

“Originally we’re the ‘best town by a dam site,’ there is the Westmoreland Coal Poplar River Mine here so there’s a dam outside town, that’s our little lingo,” Hicks explained. “Coronach is a little town, a great place for families. The course is really friendly to all types of golfers, it’s not overly tough, but if you look for trouble you will find it easy enough too.”

According to the club’s profile on Tourism Saskatchewan’s website, the course is links style, features magnificent fairways, native grass roughs, and elevation changes from hole to hole. The greens conform to USGA standards. The course plays from between almost 2,500 and 3,000 yards between the blocks with the course rating varying between 32 and 37. The slope is a minimum of 102 to the maximum of 125.

Hicks said their par-three, hole four is the most picturesque on the course as it looks downhill about 150 yards.

“Number four is on top of a hill looking down, that’s kind of our signature hole,” he said.

The course will play their men’s league this year under the current COVID-19 guidelines. Hicks said they average about 30 players a week. The club had 22 players on Wednesday for their first league day of the year. The course has had couples’ nights in the past. Despite a downturn now with junior players the community has had some solid success in the past.

“We’ve had a strong junior program throughout the years. Our junior ladies won the provincial high school team championship about four or five years in a row (2010 – 13). We’ve had a lot of strong junior golfers, but we’re kind of in a lull and we’re hoping to gain a few more because there isn’t much else to do. It goes in cycles and it seems like if the parents golf the kids do too,” Hicks added.

The big draw to the course over the years has been the “Big Hole” event. The event doesn’t occur anymore, but the club launched the Alice Grace Fundraising Tournament with great success last year. The proceeds of the event went to the club and organizations that support people living with Down Syndrome. Alice is the daughter of one of the Coronach course members.

“It’s was in late August and a big success,” Hicks said. “Hopefully we can hit that again but who knows wit the current restrictions.”

Overall Hicks said the town and area is proud of the local volunteerism and pride in the course and welcomes anyone to come play and experience the facility.

“It’s well maintained, family-friendly, it’s not a pro course but it’s fun and enjoyable. Greens are in good shape, nice watered fairways, it’s an enjoyable round,” he concluded.