The governing body of amateur golf in Saskatchewan hosted their annual general meeting Saturday via web conference. Originally the meeting was going to be held at the Saskatoon Golf and Country Club, but due to COVID-19 Golf Saskatchewan resorted to a very successful online version with over 80 participants.

Outgoing treasurer, and nearly decade-long board member Todd Bergstresser presented the financial picture of the organization that was passed unanimously by the board of directors and voting delegates.

Following the audited report attendees heard from six candidates running for three available positions on the executive. At the time Vice-President Don Kunkel and Danny Klughart were seeking re-election, Dru Bolen, Elanne Krainyk, Clinton Schmaltz and Teddy Wiens were hoping to receive a position on the board. Both Kunkel and Klughart were voted back in, Krainyk is the elected newcomer. The board sits at nine members including outgoing President, Delbert Betnar. The Regina resident spoke about his two-year tenure leading the organization.

“It’s been a very enjoyable two years,” the Joanne Goulet Golf Course member said after the meeting. “We’ve had some ups and downs; we’ve had some great highs with the CP Women’s Open and some of our tournament events have gone off very well. The only bad part has been the last two months, this COVID-19 thing is going to be a lot of work. I think it’s going to be a tough year if not two, but I think we have the right mix with board members and team members at Golf Saskatchewan that we can ride this wave through and help our members out.”

Betnar stays on as past president. He will be joined by newly elected vice president, Larry Wagman (Regina), Jasmine Cameron (Moose Jaw), Kevin Duchscherer (Nipawin), Ben Findlay (Regina), and Diana Kerr (Regina) on the board. Klughart (Prince Albert) steps in for Bergstresser as the organization’s treasurer. Betnar’s tenure was calm and steady at the helm of the organization. He said he’s confident that will continue despite the current uncertainty of the season.

“With getting the team together that we have now has made everyone’s job easier. I have seen the group work very well over the past two years to make Golf Saskatchewan a positive organization,” Betner said.

Kunkel takes over president’s role

Yorkton’s Don Kunkel was voted in as the new president of the organization that includes over 200 member clubs. Kunkel joined the Golf Saskatchewan board seven years ago following a long tenure giving back to hockey in Saskatoon. He said golf has always had a special place in his life and the appointment is meaningful.

“It’s pretty humbling,” he said. “It’s good to give back, I am as passionate about golf, maybe more so than hockey. They got to me first in hockey, they got the first 25 years of my life after I quit playing,” he said.

Kunkel added that the start of his tenure is off to a demanding start.

“The next couple of years are going to be really challenging. This COVID-19 is going to be challenging for not only when do we get to golf, but golf courses themselves will be challenged with members, how to operate and what levels we operate at and things like that,” he said.

When Kunkel says “we operate at” he is referring to himself and his colleagues in the industry. Kunkel owns The Owl’s Nest at Deer Park Municipal Golf Course in Yorkton. Kunkel provided reassurance going forward that golf will continue to be strong in Saskatchewan.

“We have some quality people and we’ve had quality people my entire tenure. Todd did an outstanding job and I know Danny is up to the task. It’s always good to have people with a financial background. There is a lot of depth, not only on the board but also from the past president. I think we’re in a good spot,” Kunkel said.

During the meeting Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum, Golf Canada President Charlie Beaulieu, and Golf Canada Regional Director of Membership for Western Canada Blair Armitage all spoke and took part providing greetings from across the nation.

Future of the season

Leading up to the meeting, the burning question for clubs, operators, and players is can courses open when the weather permits?

Kirk Westgard is the assistant deputy minister for economic development within the ministry of trade and export development. He’s now the head of the Government of Saskatchewan’s Business Response Team put in place on March 23. Westgard has been working with Golf Saskatchewan and the allied golf associations over the past couple weeks collaborating on a potential decision on golf after the sport was deemed non-essential in late March. Westgard also spoke at the meeting and took questions from attendees. He did provide an optimistic outlook as Saskatchewan has had success fighting COVID-19 over the past two weeks.

“As we continue to move forward and start looking at get back and how do we rebound out of this pandemic and this survival phase that we’re in into a recovery phase and start opening up business. For the time being landscaping and maintenance is allowed. We’re waiting on government to hopefully announce soon that golf will be allowed to be played in Saskatchewan. I have no doubt in the near future that golf will be back in operation in this province,” Westgard said before opening the meeting to questions.

Golf Saskatchewan will be posting the recorded version of the meeting on their YouTube page for anyone interested.

Dear Members,

On behalf of the Saskatchewan Allied Association (Canadian Society of Club Managers, Golf Saskatchewan, National Golf Course Owners Association Canada, PGA of Canada, Saskatchewan Zone and Saskatchewan Turfgrass Association), we wanted to send you a note to update you on the work we are doing together on behalf of the golf industry in Saskatchewan.

As you are well aware, golf in Saskatchewan has been deemed a non-essential business service within the current Public Health Order which means that all courses must remain closed at this time. Golf courses can however continue to employ staff to maintain the course ensuring that the staff follow social distancing practices and all other safety protocols as directed by the Chief Provincial Public Health Officer.

As the Province of Saskatchewan develops their action plan for economic recovery, the Saskatchewan Allied Golf Association has extended their support towards this task. In addition to the health and safety of our communities, we understand the importance of restarting the economy as well as ensuring the mental health of people moving forward through the recovery phase and we believe that golf is uniquely positioned to help support that mission.

Fortunately, golf courses are very well positioned to adhere to all physical distancing, sanitation and safety protocols established by the Chief Provincial Public Health Officer so it is for these reasons that we have submitted our request to government that golf courses be among the first industries for approval to open once the COVID-19 health management allows for Provincial economic recovery strategies to proceed.

We have also developed golf course Safety Best Practices that further support the safety commitment of the golf industry. These have also been provided to government. To access the Safety Best Practices click here and for Golf Saskatchewan’s COVID-19 resources page click here.

Overall, golf in Saskatchewan generates $446 million in gross domestic product, more than all other participation sports. That includes millions of dollars in charitable funds raised each year, once again more than all other sports and our 204 golf courses and driving ranges employ over 17,000 Saskatchewan residents. As you can see, we are an important part of the government’s economic recovery plan once government feels they can safely begin to expand the list of businesses allowed to be open.

We will continue to work on your behalf and keep you updated as this issue develops.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions.

Stay well and yours in golf,
Brian Lee
Executive Director
Golf Saskatchewan

TORONTO – The 2020 RBC Canadian Open, one of the jewels of the country’s sports calendar, has been cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The PGA Tour announced the cancellation of the tournament on Thursday as part of its revamped 2020 schedule. The four-day competition was scheduled to begin June 11 at St. George’s Golf and Country Club in Toronto.

Golf Canada and its partners are now in negotiations to use the same venue for the 2021 edition of Canada’s men’s golf championship.

“Overwhelming disappointment for our fans and disappointment for golf in Canada because the RBC Canadian Open has been such a celebration and such a high point for so many of us,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “We’ve been dealing with the scenarios and the prospect of this for some time but the obstacles were just so numerous and from so many directions.”

The Canadian Open, first contested in 1904, is the third-oldest continuously running tournament on the PGA Tour behind the British Open and the U.S. Open.

It’s the first time the tournament has been cancelled since 1944, when it missed a second straight year due to the Second World War. It was also scrapped from 1915-18 because of the First World War.

“We were set to celebrate our 125th anniversary for Golf Canada,” said Applebaum. “When you think about other reasons why it was cancelled, for the World Wars, it’s similar.

“Right now we’re under a federal quarantine act, and both a provincial and city state of emergency. It’s a global pandemic.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

The @PGAtour has confirmed the @rbccanadianopen isn’t part of the schedule for 2020 and is officially cancelled. Hopefully things return to normal soon! ? 7th tee, 2nd round of RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club in 2017. #stayinside #staysafe #canadianopen

A post shared by Mike Weir (@mweirsy) on Apr 16, 2020 at 9:05am PDT

The Canadian Open is the latest major annual late spring or summer sporting event in Canada to be wiped out or postponed because of COVID-19. The Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal and the Queen’s Plate in Toronto will not run on their scheduled June dates, while the Rogers Cup women’s tennis tournament in Montreal, scheduled for August, will not be held in 2020.

The CP Women’s Open is still on the LPGA Tour schedule. It’s slated for Sept. 3-6 at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver.

Although the Canadian Open has been cancelled, the PGA Tour hopes to resume play this summer.

It laid out an ambitious plan to resume its season Thursday, starting at Colonial on June 11-14 in a televised event with no fans in attendance.

Under the PGA Tour’s new plan RBC, the Canadian Open’s title sponsor, would have its other event the RBC Heritage played without fans in late June.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Our letter to Golf Canada, PGA Tour and RBC about the cancellation of the 2020 RBC Canadian Open. We are sad but we understand and hope that you can all come up with some ideas so that Canadian juniors dont miss out for a whole year. Please listen to our whole letter. ??⛳⛳?????? @pgatour @thegolfcanada @rbc @stgeorgesgcc @rbccanadianopen @djohnsonpga @mattkuchargolf @graeme_mcdowell @palmerpga @webbsimpson @paultesori @brandtsnedeker @ahadwingolf @coreyconners @grahamdelaet @mgligicgolf @machughesgolf @nicktaylorgolf @rogersloan87 @adam_stanley1 @robgavarkovs

A post shared by Elliana and Emilia Buhagiar (@416golfgirls) on Apr 16, 2020 at 9:16am PDT

“It is a bittersweet day for us as the sponsor of two tournaments. In a perfect world, both tournaments would be proceeding, ”said Mary DePaoli, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of RBC.

“We held out hope all the way, to the end, but the international travel restrictions, the quarantine measures that we’re all familiar with, and government mandates at so many levels were critical factors because we have to ensure the safety and the health of anyone participating in our tournaments.”

A cancellation seemed increasingly likely in recent weeks as the pandemic worsened. Three regional qualification tournaments set for mid-May were cancelled last month.

Also, the City of Toronto had cancelled its permits for all public gatherings up until June 30.

The edict didn’t apply to sporting events held on private property – like MLB’s Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre, the NBA’s Raptors and NHL’s Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena, or the Canadian Open itself at St. George’s in the city’s west end.

However, city co-operation would have been necessary for parking and transit. The city’s edict also cancelled a two-night concert series planned for tournament week as The Chainsmokers and Keith Urban were going to perform at nearby Richview Collegiate Institute.

Although Golf Canada and RBC are already planning the 2021 Canadian Open, DePaoli says the fate of the concert series is still to be determined.

“We will make a decision on the inclusion of a concert series once we understand government mandates around physical distancing,” she said. “Our decision will start with what is permitted and what will society accept by way of gatherings.”

How this cancellation will affect the tournament’s long-term schedule is not yet known, although St. George’s was tentatively scheduled to host the Canadian Open again in 2024.

Applebaum says he’s especially disappointed for the PGA Tour’s Canadian golfers who enjoy the added support of playing on home soil.

“Obviously it’s not an easy decision and there’s very valid reasons for things getting cancelled or postponed,” said golfer Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., before the Canadian Open was officially cancelled. “It’s an event that I’ve been looking forward to all year, really.

“It’s so much fun to play in front of the Canadian fans, the support’s incredible at the RBC Canadian Open.”

 – Golf Canada and RBC will now pivot all efforts towards planning for a celebrated return of the RBC Canadian Open in 2021 – 

TORONTO – With continued public health concerns as well as international travel and government restrictions due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the PGA TOUR, in consultation with Golf Canada and RBC, has made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 RBC Canadian Open.

The event was scheduled for June 8-14 at St. George’s Golf and Country Club with Islington Golf Club as the official practice facility. The cancellation of the 2020 RBC Canadian Open also includes the RBCxMusic Concert Series which was scheduled to take place June 12-13 at Richview Collegiate Institute, featuring headline performances by The Chainsmokers and Keith Urban.

“The RBC Canadian Open has always been a rallying point for Canadian golf and while we share in the crushing disappointment with our fans, players, volunteers and many event partners, our primary responsibility is the safety of our people and our communities,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “It is now our full intention to push forward together with RBC, the PGA TOUR, the City of Toronto and our host clubs with the goal to bring the 2021 RBC Canadian Open to St. George’s Golf and Country Club with Islington Golf Club as the official practice facility.”

“Our foremost consideration is the health and safety of everyone in our community, including the players, spectators, our staff and volunteers, the media and the thousands of supporters who contribute to the success of our event,” said Mary DePaoli, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, RBC. “The international travel restrictions, required quarantine measures and government mandates were critical factors that contributed to the decision to cancel our event this year. We have no doubt that the incredible momentum we’ve built together with our partners will make the 2021 RBC Canadian Open a world-class experience.”

Golf Canada and RBC would like to thank golf fans across the nation for their understanding and in particular, our  many corporate partners, ticket and hospitality purchasers, as well as the countless volunteers for their continued support through this unprecedented time.

Golf Canada, the PGA TOUR and RBC have continued to monitor the guidelines provided by federal, provincial and municipal government health authorities in order to prevent the spread of the virus within our communities. With this decision, Golf Canada and RBC will now turn their focus towards the 2021 RBC Canadian Open.

Dating back to its inception in 1904, the cancellation of the 2020 RBC Canadian Open marks only the seventh time that Canada’s National Open Championship has not been conducted, including wartime cancellations from 1915-18 as well as 1943-44.

All corporate hospitality buyers will be contacted by their Golf Canada sales representative over the coming days to plan forward for 2021 and individual ticket purchases made via Ticketmaster will be automatically refunded within the next 30 days. The same refund policy applies for RBC clients who purchased RBCxMusic Tickets.

For more information, visit www.rbccanadianopen.com.

Residence:
Moose Jaw

Home club:
Hillcrest

Handicap Factor/Index:
3

Right/Left:
Right

Rounds per year:
“About 125 a year.”

Favourites player:
“My favorite golfer is Fred Couples for his great smooth swing and calm attitude on the course. I followed the careers of Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods for their huge achievements in the game.”

Favourite golf quotes:
“The best quotes (30 plus) come from a book by Dr. Bob Rotella called “Golf is not a Game of Perfect“. He has counseled many professional players. This book has been my golf bible.”

• “A person with great dreams can achieve great things”
• “Attitude makes a good putter”
• “The quality of a golfer’s practice is more important than the quantity” 

Years with Golf Saskatchewan:
18

Area(s) of Service:
Course rating

How did you get involved with Golf Saskatchewan?
“I began in 1998 attending the annual general meeting as Hillcrest Club Captain and met several people who were involved as volunteers. I was invited to join the course rating group the following year.”

What do you like about volunteering?
“I found the job of course rating to be fun and challenging. It also expanded my circle of friends in golf. Volunteering has been my way of giving back to the game that has been a large part of my sporting life.”

Accomplishments:

• Saskatchewan Senior Men’s Championships for the past 18 years
• Three-time provincial senior men’s champion (2009,2010,2015)
• 2019 Super Senior (closed) and the Legends champion

As of Saturday April 11, Golf Saskatchewan, on behalf of the golf facilities in Saskatchewan, has been in touch with the Government of Saskatchewan officials, the Saskatchewan Health Authority and the Business Response Team regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of the Easter weekend, there is no new update regarding the status of golf in Saskatchewan to what had previously been communicated.

For now, as we all make our way through a time of unprecedented uncertainty, let’s commit to what is in our control, to take every precaution ensuring our physical and mental health; to protecting our families, staff, volunteers and golfers; and to rally as a community to keep each other safe.

Wising you all a safe Easter weekend. For more COVID-19 please click here.

Delbert Betnar, President
Brian Lee, Executive Director/CEO

To All Golf Canada Members and Member Clubs,

Along with the rest of the globe, Canada is dealing with a debilitating health crisis with COVID-19.

Golf Canada is committed to fostering a safe sport environment. Together with our partners at the Provincial Golf Associations, that commitment includes the health and well-being of golfers as well as every Canadian in the communities where we live and play.

I think constantly about those personally affected by the virus including their families, our most vulnerable citizens and the incredible health care workers confronting the pandemic on the front lines. I worry about the impact to the golf community—owners, operators, PGA of Canada professionals, club managers, superintendents, industry stakeholders, fans and supporters of our championships and every Canadian golf enthusiast that just wants to get out and play. I also applaud the superintendents and their teams, who are taking the strictest precautions to maintain our essential golf properties during this crisis.  

Golf Canada fully supports the recommendations and guidelines of Health Canada, the World Health Organization and regional public health experts to prevent the community spread of COVID-19. Currently, most provinces have enacted complete suspensions on all recreational activities and gatherings, including golf facilities. Many clubs throughout Canada have, on their own initiative, instituted temporary suspensions of operations for the wellness of their staff, their golfers and their community at large. I know that those not yet mandated to close are taking every precaution and I respect the pressure felt by those with that immense responsibility.  

Golf Canada continues to evaluate all aspects of our business and take measures to protect  our athletes, staff, coaches, partners and volunteers. Severe cost controls and risk mitigation protocols have been enacted and we are in constant consultation with provincial, national and international experts along with our member clubs to gather the information we need to make informed and responsible decisions through the crisis.  

You will find a toolkit of information here in our COVID-19 Resource Page, which we hope will serve as a  reference for everything that can be done today and, in the future, when it is safe to return to golf. I am incredibly proud of the work done by our team, our partners and global stakeholders to put this compendium of information together for all golfers.

This is a turbulent moment and Golf Canada is committed to supporting the golf community through these challenges to the best of our ability. I am encouraged to see the resiliency of our industry—people and facilities engaging to share ideas and best practices, further professional development and provide levity and support for each other through this difficult period.

When the time is right for Canadians to return to recreational normalcy, golf will be well positioned to emerge and thrive, with possible attributes recommended by the appropriate authorities including physical distancing, exaggerated tee-times, personal protective equipment, and the many precautionary health measures that club operators will have in place. I also know that when that recovery comes, courses will be ready to safely welcome golfers back to the tee. Golf will bring us closer together.

For now, as we all make our way through a time of unprecedented uncertainty, let’s commit to what is in our control—to take every precaution to ensure our physical and mental health; to protect our families, staff, volunteers and golfers; and to rally as a community to keep each other safe.
—
Laurence Applebaum
Chief Executive Officer
Golf Canada

CLICK HERE FOR COVID-19 RULES OF GOLF AND RULES OF HANDICAPPING FAQs

The COVID-19 global pandemic is an unprecedented and difficult time for Canadians and Golf Canada stands with our entire golf community during this unprecedented time.

We all love the game for the escape it provides and its positive impact on our physical, social and mental well-being. We look forward to better and healthier days and when the time is right for Canadians to return to recreational normalcy, clubs and courses will be ready to welcome golfers back to the tee.

We continue to urge golfers to follow the guidelines from health and governmental officials to keep you and those around you safe, and to minimize any possible exposure to coronavirus. This is especially true on a golf course, where golfers, workers and operators should heighten their level of awareness on exposure to surfaces like flagsticks, golf balls, bunker rakes, tees, carts and scorecards. We all need to do our part to respect expert advice and make the right decisions to protect each other.

It is not the intended purpose of the below guidance to either encourage or discourage anyone from playing the game, but rather, in our governance role, to help golf course operators, committees and golfers better understand how the Rules of Golf and Rules of Handicapping apply to the various questions received by the governing bodies.

The Modernized Rules of Golf were drafted to offer each Committee the flexibility to make decisions as to how golf is played at their course or in competition and the Committee Procedures section of the Official Guide to the Rules of Golf (available online here) offers a significant amount of guidance and recommendations on how to address circumstances unique to each course or competition.

This flexibility will prove to be very helpful as Committees look to address many of the challenges they are facing within the current environment. While the Committee Procedures section is a tremendous resource and has much to offer, many of the current questions were not originally contemplated under the Rules of Golf and therefore there is no history or guidance provided. To better address the questions that have come about because of these unique circumstances and the related challenges, additional guidance can be accessed by clicking here. This will continue to be updated as additional questions are received.

As active seasons start to open across the country, we would like to discuss impacts on Handicapping.  From the perspective of the Rules of Handicapping, the most frequent questions received are primarily related to the acceptability of scores for posting to a player’s scoring record. In particular, to modifying the hole and not requiring the player to “hole out” as required under the Rules of Golf. These are founded in a desire to minimize the possibility of exposing golfers to coronavirus and have included leaving the hole liner raised above the putting surface or placing various objects into the hole so the ball can be more easily removed. In these specific cases, ensuring guidance from health and governmental officials is being followed, a temporary measure is in place in Canada to accept scores played under these conditions for handicap purposes using the most likely score guidelines (Rule 3.3, Rules of Handicapping), even though the player has not holed out.

Please remember that this temporary measure is now in effect within Canada until advised otherwise by Golf Canada.

For more information and detailed guidance, please contact your Provincial Golf Association or Golf Canada.

Residence:
Yorkton

Home Club:
Deer Park Golf Course

Handicap Factor/Index:
13.7 

Right/Left:
Right

Rounds per year:
“I play about 40 to 50 rounds per year now that I’m slowing down a bit – started playing when I six years old and joined Riverside Country Club in Saskatoon at the age of seven. The most rounds played in a single season is 150 when I was 16 years old.”

Favourite player:
“Arnold Palmer, hands down.”

Years with Golf Saskatchewan:
“Seven years of volunteering with Golf Saskatchewan after 25 years of volunteering in minor hockey as a coach, co-ordinator, president of Saskatoon Minor Hockey and a director of the Saskatchewan Hockey Association.”

Areas of Service:
“I am involved with course rating, director (currently the vice-president) and former chair of a Canadian Junior Women’s Championship and two provincial championships held at Deer Park.”

How did you get involved with Golf Saskatchewan?
“I got involved with Golf Saskatchewan because of people like my mentor, the late Bill Turnbull (Riverside Country Club professional) who devoted a lot of his personal time to developing junior golf before it was even popular. After I finished giving back to hockey I decided it was time for me to give back to golf, the game I love the most.”

What do you like about volunteering?
“I like volunteering with Golf Saskatchewan because of the people I’ve met along the way.  Everyone volunteering is equally passionate about the game and we all have a common bond.  I also get to see more and more of Saskatchewan and some great golf courses that I otherwise likely wouldn’t have gone to. Volunteering gives me a nice feeling that I’m doing something good for the game and having an opportunity to give back and meet some great people along the way.”

Residence:
Saskatoon

Home Club:
“I play with the Tuesday women’s league at Moon Lake. I played at Holiday Park almost from the time it opened. I still enjoy playing that course.”

Handicap Factor/Index:
“Three times what it was a few years ago.”

Rounds per year:
“20 – 25, when your golf game is as awful as mine you don’t get too excited about playing.”

Years with Golf Saskatchewan:
“30 total between the Saskatchewan Golf Association and Golf Saskatchewan.”

Areas of Service:
Course rating, Rules Official, board member, Saskatchewan Golf Hall of Fame committee

How did you get involved with Golf Saskatchewan?
Course rating – “I thought it would be interesting and a challenge. I was involved almost from the beginning of the slope rating system. We started out measuring by pacing the distances to now using lasers and GPS.  Thirty years later it still seems to take us just as long to do a course.”

Rules – “When I was playing competitive golf I was always getting into some sort of predicament, so I decided I needed to know the rules to avoid penalties. I have been doing rules for 20 years. For a short period of time I had a level four designation. Most of the time I have done provincial tournaments. When the new rule book came out I had decided that I would quit. I then thought, can this old brain learn something new and pass a three-hour exam. I passed so I am still doing rules.”

Board member – “I had been president of the Saskatchewan Ladies Curling Association. I think the powers at be thought that experience would be valuable in their dealings with Sask Sport. Little did they know that I would be the last president of their beloved CLCA Saskatchewan Branch.”

What do you like about volunteering?
“The people you get to work with. I have met people from all over Saskatchewan and across the country. I have played golf courses I would never have seen and met the people who are so proud of their facilities.  I grew up with parents that insisted that if you are involved with a sport or an activity it is your duty to give back to that organization. I have never regretted becoming a volunteer it is most always a rewarding experience.”

Note – Pat was inducted into the Saskatchewan Curling Hall of Fame in 2017.