Prince Albert’s Martin Ring is among the 2020 inductees into the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame.

A self-proclaimed late bloomer, the retired mail carrier didn’t play his first competitive golf tournament until he was 20 years old. Ring said he dabbled in the game in his younger years in P.A. with his father, but it was his father-in-law that eventually turned him into a more active player. As time passed Ring began to spend more time at the Cooke Municipal Golf Club and a competitive amateur career blossomed with the help of another Hall of Fame inductee.

“I started playing lots in the evening and one of the people I got hooked up with playing was Ron Stewart,” Ring said. “Ron and I really hit it off. Ron’s son David came along and it just became a really good friendship and some really good friendly competition between us. Ron pushed me along to the point of all of a sudden playing in some Saskatchewan amateur events.”

Ring saw instant success at the provincial amateur level, he made the Willingdon Cup team in his first attempt in 1995. He also represented Saskatchewan at national events in 1997, 2004, 2008, and in 2014 after he won the Saskatchewan Amateur Championship at Cooke. He is also a four-time winner of the Lobstick at Waskesiu and has his name on the Men’s and Senior Men’s Northern Championship, P.A. City Open, May Day Masters, and the Cooke Men’s Championship eight times. Of all the wins over the years Ring said the provincial victory means the most for a couple reasons.

“The Lobstick is special, probably more special for us in the northern part of the province, but the Sask. amateur is the provincial championship,” he said. “That one really sticks out especially given my age (51 years old when he won), I think it was one I thought might have been out of my reach at that point. I was playing with Justin Wood and David in the final group, I remember it like it was yesterday.”

Ring’s Hall of Fame induction comes in two categories, athlete and builder. He gave back to the game of golf in Saskatchewan as much as he played. Ring was involved with the 1999 Canadian Club Champions’ Championship, the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship in 2004 and although he wasn’t on the host committee for the 2009 Canadian Mid-Amateur Men’s Championship he provided his expertise behind the scenes. Ring played in the event which was special as that was the 100^th year anniversary of the Cooke. He said giving back to the game and his community was instilled at a young age.

“My parents and my upbringing was always giving back to the community and get involved. Whether it’s through a service club, mom and dad were very involved with the Raiders Hockey Club, my mom still billets hockey players. Community involvement has very much always been our family’s connection to the community and giving back so from the golf side it was pretty easy to step up when we were hosting tournaments,” Ring explained.

He also ran the junior golf program for a few years taking over from Stewart.

Later this year Golf Saskatchewan is bringing the Saskatchewan Senior Men’s and Women’s Championships to Cooke. Ring and Stewart are co-chairs of the event and will also compete for another provincial trophy. With recent renovations to both the course and the Rock & Iron Restaurant he said the club and city is looking forward to the event.

“We had it on our radar for quite a bit,” Ring explained. “Once we got the timeline in place for the renovations we felt we could reach out to Golf Sask. about hosting an event. The seniors is a perfect fit for our golf course. We are really excited about it.”

The senior championships will occur from July 28 – 30. The Hall of Fame induction will take place May 2 at the Art Hauser Centre. When Ring got word of his induction he had plenty of thoughts and thanks go through his mind.

“It’s an honour, it’s very humbling as well, especially looking at the list of inductees this year. Some really special athletes and from such a diverse group this year.”

“It’s a big commitment to play any sport at a high level, golf in particular, it’s a big commitment from family to give up some time with me because it can be selfish. I must thank my family for allowing me to get out and remain a competitive player. It’s both playing, practicing, time away from home,” Ring concluded.

Divots Indoor Golf in Regina has signed on to be a major sponsor of the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour events in Saskatchewan.

The partnership will see Divots become the official scoring sponsor of the six events in Saskatchewan during the 2020 Maple Leaf Junior Tour (MJT) season. Divots co-owner Alyx  Larocque said the partnership began when a young golfer was preparing for the MJT National Championship  this season at their facility. The ownership team saw how determined the young player was to get better and how excited he was to participate in his first MJT event.  The ownership team knew they had to get involved.

“It’s awesome that the kids can participate in this kind of stuff, especially over the summer months,” she said. “To build the sport with a younger generation, we thought it was a great idea. At the end of the day we could sponsor 100 hockey teams with little stuff, or we could go back to the roots. We are a golf business, let’s put some money towards golf programs in the province.”

Divots is a state-of-art premium indoor golf facility in Regina with seven PGA approved aboutGolf® simulators and 80 courses to choose from. The 5,800 square foot business is open from October to late April each year. Larocque said the ownership group is happy to give back to youth in the Queen City no matter what activity they choose.

“At the end of the day any kind of positive activity for kids is a good activity, if kids are staying busy they are staying out of trouble. They build life skills going forward, and if it’s something they really enjoy you can play into your 40’s, 50’s, even your 60’s if you want. With golf you can play the game your whole life. As a business you have to give back as well, it’s a win-win for everybody,”  Larocque said.

Friday is the last day to register for MJT events with their early bird pricing. To register click here.

The publication, Golf Advisor, has released a list of the top-25 value course list across Canada with clubs in the province finding their facilities in fourth and first place.

Deer Park Municipal Golf Course in Yorkton is number four on the list that was developed by scanning reviews from golfers across the nation. Courses needed at least 10 reviews to be considered. On the list, the green fees for Deer Park are listed between $39 – $44.

The review mentioned says “as good of a countryside course as you’ll play. Country Club conditions with a municipal price tag.”

The city of Yorkton owns Deer Park. Director of Community Development, Parks, and Recreation Darcy McLeod said being mentioned on the list is a great accomplishment.

“Being on the list, but also being placed higher on the list, makes us proud as it indicates to us that we are achieving our mandate of providing a quality, accessible golf product for the public. As a municipal course, our focus is to provide golf as a recreation activity for residents to participate during their leisure time, but also realize that we need to attract golfers from outside Yorkton,” McLeod said.

Of the six options to rate a course through Golf Advisor, most reviews range from “good” to “excellent.” Among the options are conditions, value, layout, friendliness, pace, and amenities. McLeod contributes their success to their staff and long-term management.

“Leo Skaluba, the superintendent has worked at Deer Park for approximately 35 years. This history and experience provide us with extensive knowledge of our turf and weather patterns to implement a maintenance plan that ensures the course conditions are at a high level as soon as possible in the spring and continue as late as possible in the Fall. Director of Golf Allan Sauser is also our golf professional and has worked at Deer Park for more than 20 years. He provides a full-service proshop to support the golfing public and works closely with our food and beverage contractor to ensure those needs are met as well,” he said.

Deer Park has done extensive work on two holes on their course that will be in play for the 2020 season.

Coming in at number one on the list was the host site of the 100^th Saskatchewan Women’s Amateur Championship, Harbor Golf Club & Resort based in Elbow. Flanked on the shores of Lake Defienbaker, some holes on the course make a golfer feel as though you aren’t in Saskatchewan according to the posted review on Golf Advisor.

“Definitely not a stuffy old-style experience,” the reviewer stated. “Come as you are and have a great day. Food is amazing and the views are not anything you would expect from southern Saskatchewan.”

Mark Patterson is the golf professional at Harbor. He was also pleased to see the course not only on the list, but in the top spot.

“Although the award is for “best value” which some people might feel it indicates what people pay for playing the golf course and the condition it is in, it is more than that. It is an entire team effort that makes each customer’s experience just that much better. Our goal here at Harbor Golf Club and Resort is to ensure each customer is treated like they would want to be treated,” he said.

The publication states Harbor’s green fees range from $40 – $47 a round. The reviews showed many excellent ratings from visitors taking the time to report to Golf Advisor. Patterson credited the staff for the honour.

“This award is an entire team effort, from golf shop staff to maintenance staff and from kitchen staff to the cleaning staff. Our staff truly has a deep commitment to our members and green fee players,” he concluded.

According to Golf Advisor, 700 Canadian courses were reviewed in 2019. Overall there was just under 9,000 reviews.

When it comes to cardiac arrest situations, time is a crucial factor in rates of survival. A long-time Saskatchewan paramedic is passing along that message to golf course administrators hoping to spread the word of importance regarding Automated External Defibrillators (AED) and the machine’s accessibility.

AED’s were introduced approximately 30 years ago, but like most technology the machines have become more affordable, mobile, and available. Around a decade ago the Heart and Stroke Foundation provided a grant for any community with an arena to purchase an AED. In today’s world the defibrillators are available at airports, shopping malls, stores, schools, and other facilities. Mark Ollinger distributes AED’s and provides training to people on how to use the lifesaving tool. He said when it comes to cardiac cases, time is crucial.

“The first 10 minutes, in order to give the person the best chance of survival, if their heart is in a rhythm that will respond to a shock they need early chest compressions or CPR, or early use of an AED for a chance to be resuscitated,” he explained.

Ollinger said when cardiac arrest situations reach the 10-minute point without assistance the chance of survival is minimal. For every minute that passes, the chances of survival drop 10 percent. Those stats are why Ollinger is encouraging golf courses to have an AED available whether it’s on the beverage cart, the marshal cart, or at the clubhouse. Ollinger also wanted to dispel any myths about who can suffer a heart attack or stroke.

“Cardiac arrest is not age specific,” he said. “It could happen to anybody, without the device and someone trained in CPR that person’s chance is really diminished significantly.”

Golf Saskatchewan put a poll on their Twitter account (@GOLFSK) asking if members courses had an AED on site. As of 12 p.m. on Wednesday, 63 people responded with 59 percent saying yes. 11 percent of respondents said no. A quarter of the voters said they weren’t aware if their club had one while another five percent admitted their club should. Ollinger agreed.

“I’ve seen the improvements that have been made over the last three decades and how much these devices can impact a community and a family,” Ollinger said.

Under the Golf Saskatchewan MAP grant formula, AED’s are an item that would fall under funding. If any course administrator would like more information they can contact Candace Dunham at 306.975.0850 or email at cdunham@golfsk.org Golf Saskatchewan has also purchased an AED that will be on hand at all championships and other events. Executive Director Brian Lee said having a defibrillator on site is a must.

“Safety is the number one importance for our members, competitors, volunteers, and staff,” Lee said. “We have upwards of 100 people on the course at any given time and the purchase of the AED and trained staff ensures we are ready if or when an incident occurs. The time saved before lifesaving experts arrive could be the difference in saving a life.”

If your club is looking to purchase an AED or wants more information, Ollinger can be reached at 306.862.1308 or you can visit his website.

The PGA of Canada has ranked Elk Ridge Resort as the 50^th best public, semi-private resort golf course in the nation.

The list is the first ever compiled by the PGA Professionals of Canada. Elk Ridge Grounds Superintendent Blaine Fagnou said being named on the inaugural PGA of Canada list made the recognition more rewarding.

“We were shocked actually,” Fagnou told Golf Saskatchewan after hearing about the honour from his mother who saw a feature on TSN. “It is an honour and we’re very proud of it. It’s definitely a team effort for sure, everybody has been working hard over the years. I wasn’t even aware the PGA had a list; this is their first one and to mentioned by them is special.”

The Elk Ridge course features 27 holes of championship golf carved out of the northern Saskatchewan boreal forest. The year-round resort has lodges, cabins, cottage, or townhouse accommodations. There is four restaurants, 7,000 square feet of conference space, an adventure park, toboggan hill, skating facilities, hiking trails, and horseback riding. Fagnou said all the amenities compliment the championship course.

“It’s a fairly nice place, our buildings and the grounds. We brought Chad Keens (proshop manager) on this past year and he brought a new vision to the proshop. We renovated and he gave it a new fresh look. It hadn’t been updated since we opened 27 years ago so it was nice to have a fresh start,” he said.

Built in 1993 under the guidance of Arne Petersen, Elk Ridge has grown from a “mom and pop” nine-hole course into one of Saskatchewan’s, and Canada’s top tracks. Petersen will be 83 years old this week. Fagnou said Petersen is still active in the operations and is proud of what the resort has grown into.

“Arne wanted to inject money into it and do the hotel and accommodations and everything, I think he’s very proud of it. He thinks big, he’s a big thinker,” Fagnou said.

The PGA of Canada list can be seen here.

ABOUT THE WORLD HANDICAP SYSTEM

The vision to unify the six different handicap systems in use around the world into a single World Handicap System required the commitment of, and collaboration between, many organizations. All of the following organizations have provided their support to this important initiative and played their part in establishing the key principles, which shaped the proposals and drove forward the initiative to the point where a new World Handicap System can be introduced to the golfing world in 2020.

In January 2020, the new Rules of Handicapping has been introduced in Canada and will be ready for play, in Saskatchewan on April 15.

 #1. If you are a new player, it is easier to establish an Index
Only three 18-hole scores (or the equivalent combination of nine-hole scores) are needed to establish a Handicap Index. Previously, the minimum was five. What golfer doesn’t play more than 54 holes in a season? Also, your Handicap Index is updated automatically once the score is submitted (although not new for Canada, it is for the rest of the world). Learn more 1a. >>  | Learn More 1b. >>

 #2. Handicap Index calculation is changing
Your number will be based off your eight best scores out of the past 20. For most golfers, the change will be minor, but you may see your Handicap Index is different in January, despite not having played! Learn more 2. >>   

#3. You have a Playing Handicap
Slope Rating and now Course Rating and Par will be used to determine your Course Handicap, allowing you to play from different sets of tees without any adjustment. Learn more 3. >>

#4. Net Double Bogey replaces Equitable Stroke Control (ESC)
The maximum hole score for handicap purposes will be limited to Net Double Bogey (Par + 2 + any handicap strokes you receive). Learn more 4.>>

#5. Safeguards have been added to protect your Handicap Index.
The system accounts for abnormal playing conditions, limiting the extreme upward movement of a Handicap Index, and reduce a Handicap Index when an exceptional score is posted.

#6. Maximum Handicap Index
The maximum Handicap Index that can be issued to a player is 54.0 (currently it is 36.4 for men and 40.4 for women). But the Committee in charge of a competition may set a maximum limit for entry into a competition. Learn more 6.>>

#7. You need to know your Course Handicap
Course Handicap will be the number of strokes needed to play to par. This will result in greater variance in that number and presents a change, as historically it has represented the number of strokes needed to play to the Course Rating. It is important that an accurate par be established for each hole on a golf course for both men and women. Golf Saskatchewan, in consultation with Golf Canada, will be the final adjudicator of par.

To ensure your golf club’s handicap committee and members are ready to enter your scores under the new World Handicap System, Golf Canada/Saskatchewan will be providing several educational tools and resources including an opportunity to attend both online and in-person seminars. Please stay tuned for upcoming seminar dates, times and locations which will be posted on our website and social media platforms.

For more information on the World Handicap System, please visit http://golfsaskatchewan.org/volunteers/#handicapping-system 

The Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) has finalized their 2020 schedule that includes six stops in Saskatchewan.

The first MJT event in the province will occur on May 2 and 3 in Estevan at the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club. Deer Valley Golf & Estates, just north of Regina will play host to the second tournament on May 17 and 18.

The MJT schedule takes the tour to Swift Current’s Elmwood Golf Club on June 27 and 28. The event will be a god primer for the junior provincial championships, also slated for the Elmwood in July.

Tor Hill Golf Course in Regina is excited to welcome back the MJT, they will host a 36-hole event on July 6 and 7.

The PGA of Canada Saskatchewan Zone Junior Championship is slated for July 20 and 21 at the Dakota Dunes Golf Links outside Saskatoon. The last Saskatchewan MJT event is at the Legends Golf Club in Warman on Aug. 22 and 23.

The MJT schedule wraps up with their National Championship from Nov. 12 – 15 in Phoenix, Arizona.

All the MJT events in Saskatchewan will be part of the Saskatchewan Order of Merit Tour (OMT), Golf Saskatchewan is finalizing the OMT schedule and will release at a later date.

Most facilities linked to a golf course in Saskatchewan are quiet this time of year, however the Prince Albert Golf and Curling Centre is one of the anomalies.

The 52-year-old building is the food and beverage centre for the Cooke Municipal Golf Course, but the facility houses a busy 10 sheet curling rink keeping the Rock & Iron Sports Bar rolling and swinging all year. The restaurant has recently been upgraded from top to bottom. Manager Matt Sawatzky said it was time to put funding back into the food and beverage department.

“We were definitely in need of some upgrades,” he said. “We had wobbling tables and worn out chairs and all that sort of stuff. We had a really great year, so we decided to make sure we invested the money back into the facility to make our membership and patrons experience a little better.”

Sawatzky said they renovated from the floor to the ceiling. They gutted the bar and redid that, updated the lighting, the ceiling is upgraded, and repainted the restaurant. The Rock and Iron also has a new sound system and televisions spread around the bar. Sawatzky said the members and visitors that have seen the upgrades are very pleased with what has been done.

“With the history of our club, all of our members are really happy to see the business doing well enough that we can afford to do these upgrades. The history of the club hasn’t always been as sustainable as it is now. The membership, especially the long-time membership is super happy to see we are standing on our own two feet and we can make these upgrades to make our members experience a little better,” he explained.

The Cooke Municipal Golf Course recently underwent a $2.4 million on-course upgrade putting the club near the top of the province. Coupled with the most recent upgrades the future is bright. Golf Saskatchewan will be holding their 101^st Senior Men’s Championship and 57^th Senior Women’s Championship at the Cooke in late July. Sawatzky said the club is looking forward to bringing a provincial championship back to the city of Prince Albert.

“We’re looking forward to hosting golfers from all over the province so they can come see what P.A. is all about,” he beamed. “We think it’s the place to be now, we have a great course and now a great facility to welcome people before and after.”

The World Handicap System will ensure handicaps are calculated consistently around the world.

Click here for more information.

Welcome to Golf Handicaps for Dummies: Why having a handicap is not a handicap.

No, I’m not calling you a dummy, but if you’re a golfer of any ability who doesn’t maintain an accurate and consistent handicap, you’re not taking advantage of one of the fundamentals that makes golf the most democratic of sports. And that’s just dumb.

With all due respect, you can’t go one-on-one with a pro basketball player or hope to score on an NHL goalie. They’re not going to let you shoot at a basket that’s lower than regulation or a net that’s 10 feet wide and six feet high.

But golf’s handicap system allows you to compete on an equitable basis with players who are more or less accomplished than you are. Maintaining a handicap also allows you to monitor your progress every time you play. It’s an integral part of your golf experience.

And, starting Jan. 8, the new World Handicap System makes that scenario even more attractive. More user-friendly, in other words.

“The new system gives golfers an increased opportunity to have fun and compete equitably across all skill levels and ages,” says Shaun Hall, Golf Canada’s senior manager of handicap & course rating.

“You don’t have to be a competitive golfer. If you simply enjoy playing, having a handicap makes the game more enjoyable and allows you to track whether you’re improving.”

I reached out on Twitter with the question, “Do you maintain a handicap and why?”  and received some testimonials.

Ontario golfer Donal Byrne says, “I’m a huge fan of keeping a handicap. I was thrilled to have closed the season inside of 20 [Handicap Index] for the first time. We should celebrate everyone who plays, no matter how they play. I just won’t play anyone who doesn’t have a handicap for money!”

And from Charlottetown, Jeff Craig, whose Twitter profile says he’s “dedicated in my quest to break par,” says, “It bugs the Hell out of me when someone [without a handicap] says, ‘Well, I usually shoot in the mid-80s and wants to play for something.’”

On a personal note, my wife loves the game and posts every score. Her pride in seeing her handicap decrease is evident. Because she is diligent about maintaining her handicap and improving her skills, she was able to win the ladies’ net championship at her club. As a side note, she plays annually in a member-guest at another club where you must have an official Golf Canada Handicap Index to participate.

When she first took up golf, she had waffled about establishing a handicap because, in her words, “I don’t think I’m good enough to have a handicap.”

And that’s the most common excuse recreational golfers give for not caring about a handicap. “I’m not good enough.” Hall disputes that, especially given the fact that under the new system the maximum Handicap Index (which replaces the previous “Handicap Factor” in Canada) has been raised to 54.0 for both men and women. Previously, it was 36.4 for men and 40.4 for women.

Another significant change is to Equitable Stroke Control (ESC). Starting in 2020, net double bogey on any hole is the maximum allowed, whether it’s a par 3, par 4 or par 5. So, for handicap purposes, you can count a maximum of two strokes over par plus any strokes you are entitled to, based on the stroke allowance for that hole.

Obviously, from its name, the World Handicap System is now accepted globally, meaning the same parameters are in place no matter where you play, a boon for Canadians who travel and golf outside the country. As before, all scores can be conveniently posted on the Golf Canada Score Centre, club kiosk or Golf Canada app from your phone or tablet.

3 more significant innovations

1. Only three 18-hole scores (or the equivalent combination of nine-hole scores) are needed to establish a Handicap Index. Previously, the minimum was five. What golfer doesn’t play more than 54 holes in a season?
2. Only eight of your lowest 20 most recent scores will be used to calculate your Handicap Index, rather than the previous 10.
3. And a Playing Conditions Calculation will analyze how you played that day compared to your expected performance on that particular course, taking into account weather and course setup.

Don’t ask me how that last one works, because I’m a tech dummy.

If you want to delve deeper into the mechanics and details of the new World Handicap System, click here.

But even if you don’t, don’t be a dummy. Take advantage of the new World Handicap System in 2020.