On Oct. 29 at Prairieland Park in Saskatoon, the PGA of Saskatchewan handed out their annual awards.

14 different honours were handed out at an evening gala that accompanied the organization’s annual merchandise show and general meeting.

Below is a list of the winners in no particular order:

Graham Coulter Trophy – Professional of the Year
Gus Vogelsang – Murray Golf Course

Executive Professional of the Year
McLaren Taylor – Saskatoon Golf & Country Club

Assistant of the Year – Class A;  Peter Cushner Trophy – Order of Merit
Ryan Wells – Cooke Municipal Golf Course

Assistant of the Year – Apprentice
Mark Sheardown – Willows Golf & Country Club

Junior Leader of the Year
Paul Schatz – Tor Hill Golf Course

Coach of the Year
Jeff Chambers – Elmwood Golf Club

Merchandiser of the Year
Craig Prentice – Willows Golf and Country Club

Professional Development Award
Jeff Chambers – Elmwood Golf Club

Bill Taylor Trophy- Sportsmanship
Paul Schatz – Tor Hill Golf Course

Scott Knapp Trophy-Player of the Year
Brennan Rumancik – Elmwood Golf Club

Sales Rep of the Year
Ken Rodgers – Acushnet

Not available for photos –

Frank Fowler Trophy – Stroke Average
Pat Marcia – Royal Regina Golf Club

John Gaudet Trophy -Teacher of the Year
Clinton Schmaltz – Willows Golf & Country Club

Photos courtesy Scott Allan/www.saskgolfer.com

This past season, the Elmwood Golf and Country Club in Swift Current celebrated a monumental milestone. The club turned 100 years old.

Reaching the century mark is reason enough to celebrate but the club was able to soak up some marvelous course renovations in time for the occasion. The Elmwood has 18 new greens and five new holes in its arsenal. Long-time Swift Current resident Bob Pollock was the Elmwood professional for 27 years, starting in 1976. He admitted there was a connection to the course as he knew it but eventually he came around.

“I missed the old golf course, it had been there forever,” Pollock said. “As they started the renovations and as they went through them I could see the new golf course was a going to be a little more challenging but much better for the Elmwood Golf Club. It’s going to set a standard, put us ahead of a few people, and give us an opportunity to host some big tournaments.”

During the upgrades the course didn’t close any holes, they continued with some shorter par threes through the process, but the membership felt small pain for long-term gains. Pollock said the wait was worth it.

“We had a very short golf course,” he said. “The equalizer was always our par-threes, they were very challenging. Now we’ve added length to each hole, we’ve added a bigger challenge to each and every hole. It’s really been a big improvement.”

The course increased to over 6,600 yards and went to a par 72 from 70.

Pollock considers himself one of the “oldtimers” at the club at the age of 75. He wasn’t alone when it comes to gripping the changes at the club but, the feedback has been great overall.

“It’s kind of a golf course you can play a thousand times and never get bored of it. When Les Furber came in and made the changes that is still there today. You can still play it 1,000 times and never get bored. For some of our older members they just don’t want to accept the new golf course. They still want to live in the past and play the old course. For the majority of our members the change is positive, and I think it’s helped our whole operation,” Pollock explained.

The work of general manager Sheldon Reinhart and professional Jeff Chambers hasn’t gone unnoticed by Pollock and the community. He credited their efforts for the revitalization of the club and the special weekend the city celebrated on July 6 and 7.

“We had a local guy with his popular band here and he played out on the tee box at the driving range and they were dancing in the dirt. We had a tournament and many things going on, it was quite a weekend,” he beamed.

An 82-lot housing subdivision was also approved by the city of Swift Current. According to Reinhart in an earlier interview with Golf Saskatchewan, sales were going well.

Pollock also credited the club’s success back to 1991 when they purchased a building from the provincial government and moved it to the course for their new clubhouse.

Golf Saskatchewan is bringing the provincial junior boys and girls championships to the Elmwood in 2020.

Rod Sawatzky was one of the first people lucky enough to golf at The Legends when the Warman course opened in 2011. Now the Haque resident will be able to play the course for free as long as he chooses.

His name was drawn last week in the course’s lifetime membership fundraising lottery.

Sawatzsky works at the Warman Home Centre, he was active in the building of the club from day one and was given the opportunity to play on opening day. He is a member at the Valley Regional Park Golf Course near Rosthern but supports other clubs in the region.

“It’s part of giving back to the community,” Sawatzky said. “I’ve been on the golf course board at Valley Regional Park and know golf courses don’t make a tonne of money. When there is fundraisers I usually support.”

The 57-year-old said winning the lottery was a pleasant surprise.

“I was shocked first of all, I had just bought the ticket in the afternoon when Roy Bedient approached me. I was going to buy one and had forgotten about it. Roy came and asked me, so I bought it, I said make sure you pull the right name. He said, okay we will pull Roy Bedient. I laughed and said, okay,” he chuckled.

Sawatzky gets in about 50 rounds a year between Valley Regional, Emma Lake, and The Legends. He said he played Waskesiu and Elk Ridge a handful of times this past summer too. Now that he has a free lifetime membership he will frequent The Legends more in the upcoming years.

“I will definitely play it more,” he said. “This year I only played it four times; I have played it more in the past. I was busy this summer and life got in the way, but I will definitely play it more.”

This is the third year The Legends has held the fundraiser worth an approximate $50,000. This is the second time Sawatzky has purchased a ticket ands said despite winning this year he will likely purchase again to continue to give back.

The PGA of Saskatchewan is once again getting set to host their annual buying show and awards gala this week.

The two-day event will take place at Prairieland Park in Saskatoon. Golf professionals, proshop managers, and equipment representatives and retailers will all convene on Oct. 29 and 30 under one roof. The event has been a fixture on the Saskatchewan golf calendar for over three decades according to PGA of Saskatchewan Executive Director Ken Morrow. Last year prior to the event he said the merchandise show was developed as a way to get everyone together in one place rather than have different companies travelling across the province.

TaylorMade Golf rep for Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the Lakehead region, Mike Langin will be attending his third event in Saskatchewan. He said having a booth at the show is important to his company and golf in the province as a whole.

“The show is important to attend to show support for the zone that supports us as well. It’s a key relationship to provide our professionals and accounts with many vendors to prepare both parties for the following season,” Langin said.

Paige Lawrence, the adidas Golf Territory Marketing Manager for Saskatchewan and Manitoba will also be among the 25 exhibitors at the show. She said attending is a must for her brand.

“The show is vital in bringing our zone together. It’s great to be able to connect with customers and have industry leaders all in one place celebrating the accomplishments of our peers” Lawrence added.

The PGA of Saskatchewan will have their annual general meeting at the event as well. Tuesday night they will hand out their awards for the 2019 season. To see the award nominees click here.

Over 120 people have registered for the event from 50 different facilities across Saskatchewan.

Regina’s Jacob Kydd has had an eye on his future career for quite some time and he’s using golf to pursue his goal.

Growing up in Regina, Kydd got an early start with the game, but at first he didn’t know if the sport was for him. Spending time at Ketepwa where his family has a cabin, he was given his first clubs for his birthday from his grandparents. As they say, the rest is history. Kydd is now a member of the Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) Wildcats, but prior to moving south the Royal Regina Golf Club (RRGC) was where his game really developed.

“I got my first junior membership at the Royal when I was 13,” Kydd told Golf Saskatchewan this week after his second fall season concluded. “That really fuelled my love for the game. Watching guys like Drew Kocur, Noah Kozak, and Cole Zawislak, just watching them play. That’s what I wanted to do.”

Kydd was active on the junior Saskatchewan circuit growing up and attended Campbell Collegiate in the Queen City. It was grade 10 when he started to narrow in on a college that would allow him to work on his future off the course.

“I knew I wanted to be an optometrist,” he explained. “I love golf and wanted to do that, so I was like I can get a scholarship in the States and study pro-optometry while I’m there. I started looking at schools that had my major, I got in contact with the IWU coach. We started talking, going through the recruiting process, I went for a couple visits and fell in love with the school.”

The Wildcats recently wrapped up their fall season, Kydd’s second year. He admitted there is a heavy adjustment period playing golf in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from Regina. The Royal plays between 5,600 and 6,400 yards. Kydd said their events average 6,900 to 7,000 yards. He admitted there has been some ups and downs, but he’s pleased with how the first couple years went and has high expectations.

“I had two top five finishes and a top 10 outside that, I’ve yet to win one, I’m going to try to do that in the spring. It’s been an adjustment just to see what it takes to play at this level. I love it, I love the challenge, I love seeing what I must do to improve my game and win one of these tournaments. That’s my goal,” Kydd said.

The Wildcats are now in their offseason until after Christmas. The team still gets together and plays and hits balls. Kydd said the courses in Indiana will be open until about mid-November. They schedule workouts and do yoga twice a week and have an indoor facility at their home base in Marion. The school is currently constructing a new facility that Kydd says will be “state of the art.” Overall he said he couldn’t be happier with his school choice and using golf to chase down his goals.

“It is good to find a balance between golf, life, and school. I like it, it teaches good time management, that’s for sure,” he concluded.

Abnormal Course Conditions (Including Immovable Obstructions)

Special thanks to Dave Saganski who sent his inquiry in to us.

QUESTION: My ball lies on a cart path (abnormal course condition) and I am entitled to relief. I have to take a stance on either side of the path to determine which side is my nearest point of relief but one side of the path is an area of the course that is impossible to take a stance in. (eg: thick shrubs, steep slope, large irregular rocks, etc.)

Does this mean I automatically drop on the side of the path where a stance is possible? Or do I deal with the consequences if the nearest point of relief from the cart path is in the bush even though I can’t take a stance there?

ANSWER: Unfortunately, Dave would have to play the ball as it lies or proceed under a different rule such as Rule 19 – Unplayable Ball. While the player is entitled to free relief, the Nearest Point of Complete Relief may not be the nicest point of relief.

In the diagram below, if the player’s ball lies at B1 (left handed player) the Nearest Point of Complete Relief is at P1. As it is not possible or very difficult to play, the option is to play the ball as it lies at B1 or proceed under another rule.

See the interpretation below for additional explanations.

Nearest Point of Complete Relief/4 – Player Determines Nearest Point of Complete Relief but Is Physically Unable to Make Intended Stroke

The purpose of determining the nearest point of complete relief is to find a reference point in a location that is as near as possible to where the interfering condition no longer interferes. In determining the nearest point of complete relief, the player is not guaranteed a good or playable lie.

For example, if a player is unable to make a stroke from what appears to be the required relief area as measured from the nearest point of complete relief because either the direction of play is blocked by a tree, or the player is unable to take the backswing for the intended stroke due to a bush, this does not change the fact that the identified point is the nearest point of complete relief.

After the ball is in play, the player must then decide what type of stroke he or she will make. This stroke, which includes the choice of club, may be different than the one that would have been made from the ball’s original spot had the condition not been there.

If it is not physically possible to drop the ball in any part of the identified relief area, the player is not allowed relief from the condition.

Nearest Point of Complete Relief/5 – Player Physically Unable to Determine Nearest Point of Complete Relief

If a player is physically unable to determine his or her nearest point of complete relief, it must be estimated, and the relief area is then based on the estimated point.

For example, in taking relief under Rule 16.1, a player is physically unable to determine the nearest point of complete relief because that point is within the trunk of a tree or a boundary fence prevents the player from adopting the required stance.

The player must estimate the nearest point of complete relief and drop a ball in the identified relief area.

If it is not physically possible to drop the ball in the identified relief area, the player is not allowed relief under Rule 16

Brody Istace headlined the action this week as the fall college season slowly wraps up in the United States.

Istace was on the big stage this week at the NCCAA National Championship on Oct. 21 to 23.

Competing for the Columbia International University Rams he finished the 54-hole event in a tie for 32^nd. The Kindersley product opened the event with a 79 and followed up with rounds of 85 and 79 to card a 27-over, 243.

This is the second straight year the Rams have competed in the national championship. The team has finished sixth overall in back-to-back years.

The team is now off until the spring season.

Kade Johnson/Roman Timmerman

The Southern Arkansas Muleriders were back in action on Oct. 21 and 22 at the Jerry Hrncair Invitational.

Yorkton’s Kade Johnson finished the 36-hole event with a four-over, 148 (76, 72) that left him in a tie for 18^th.

Roman Timmerman of Saskatoon placed tied for 25^th with a score of plus-seven, 151 (76, 75).

The Muleriders team placed sixth in the event at the Territory Golf Club in Duncan, Oklahoma.

The school’s golf program will now prepare for the 2020 championship season that begins in early February.

Marc Sweeney

Saskatoon’s Marc Sweeney assisted his team in a seventh place finish out of 19 schools at the Appalachian Athletic Conference Fall Preview.

The University of South Carolina Beaufort golfer finished in a tie for 40^th at the event in Adairsville, Georgia on Oct. 21 and 22. Sweeney opened the tournament with an 82. He followed that up with rounds of 78 and 75 to finish at plus-21, 237.

The Sand Sharks will close their fall season on Oct. 28 at the Dave Adamonis Sr. Invitational.

Josh Nagy

First year Robert Morris University player Josh Nagy made his second start of the year on Oct 19 in Grasonville, Maryland.

The Saskatoon product stroked an 11-over, 83 in the first, and only round of the Towson Invitational.

The second round was rained out. Nagy finished tied for 45^th but the Colonials won the team event with a score of plus-one.

The NCAA Div. 1 program has won at least one event for 11 straight years.

The program’s fall season has concluded.

Overall the first year of Carey McLean’s college golf career was satisfactory for the Deer Valley product.

McLean is attending SAIT in Calgary where her and the Trojans recently competed in the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association National Championships near Montreal. She said the national experience was a great way to end her first year which was successful.

“It was pretty good,” she said of her rookie season on the Alberta Collegiate Athletic Conference (ACAC) circuit. “I was kind of surprised how well it went. Going into it I didn’t know what to expect in the tournaments, but after playing our first one I got used to it. We play with the same girls, they are really nice, I’ve made so many friends, and the girls on my team, I love them.”

The highlight of McLean’s first year would be the ACAC Championship. She was leading the event after 36 holes, but she ended up claiming a very respectable bronze medal for a third-place finish. The Trojans as a team also claimed bronze earning them a trip to Ste-Victoire De Sorel, Quebec. Leading up to the two championship events McLean said she had plenty of support throughout the season.

“My coach was really happy, my parents are proud,” she said. “I wish I would have done a little better in some events, but I can’t change the past now. I can always improve for next year.”

McLean finished in 19^th place at plus-53, 269. She felt the nerves in round one shooting 94 but her game got better in the weather-shortened event. The 72-hole championship was cut to 54 holes. She shot 87 during round two and 88 in her final round. She said earning a trip to the championship and the experience was positive.

“It was a little nerve-wracking that’s for sure,” she admitted. “Going into it we wanted to have fun, we knew we wouldn’t win, but just to go there and play and see the course and how beautiful Montreal is.”

Now that the season is over and Calgary courses are shutting down McLean said she is using the time to catch up on her school work. The team continues to practice once a week in a dome and the Trojans also hit balls on their own to stay sharp for the next season. McLean is a regular on Saskatchewan Order of Merit tour and expects to compete in the Saskatchewan Women’s Amateur and hopes to be back on the national stage in the future. She said the experience she is getting at college is making her a better player overall.

“I think so, I know I am always going to have nerves when I play, I guess that’s normal hopefully,” she laughed. “If we go again next year I will be okay, I’ve done this before, I can do it again and hopefully have better results.”

Charge, and charge again are the words of advice from Ace of Carts owner Darren Schoonbeart when it comes to winterizing your golf car.

Golf courses across Saskatchewan continue to close daily across the province leading to a long winter of parked carts. The owner of Saskatoon based Ace of Carts said preparing your cart’s battery for six months of winter is the most important task of winterizing your car.

“What we recommend on any of the car models is to do what is called a double-charge,” Schoonbaert explained to Golf Saskatchewan. “That would be charging the vehicle fully, so letting it run it’s full charge cycle and then you are going to unplug it and plug it back in again.”

That process will top up all the batteries in the electric car’s system. Carts utilize four or six different batteries in their system. Schoonbaert said disconnecting the battery from all power sources is the next step.

“For Club Cars, we get people to lift their seats, fleet car or individual and flip the tow run switch to tow. After it’s in tow then we have you disconnect the mains on your battery. That would be your main positive that runs on one side of the battery and then your main negative,” he explained.

Keeping your cars inside is ideal but storing the vehicles outside isn’t detrimental. Most courses cover their carts with tarps over the winter months in outdoor storage sites. Individual carts left at courses are somewhat protected from the Saskatchewan elements but aren’t in heated storage units. Outside of battery protection Schoonbaert said winterizing the unit is simple. You can spend some time cleaning your cart after a few months of wear and tear.

“You do want to make sure the batteries are clean,” he said. “We kind of have four rules, you want it to be charged, cleaned, tight, and watered. Those would be the four main points.”

“Watering” your cart is making sure you add distilled water to the batteries allowing a chemical reaction with the acid to create the charge.

If you have a gas-powered car or a fleet of them at a course, battery maintenance still pertains. Schoonbaert said preparing the leftover fuel is another key component of maintenance. Adding Sea Foam to the fuel will do the trick.

When it comes to cleaning your cart during the year or prior to storage, lemon Pledge is the best tool for all plastic and seats. He joked don’t use the Pledge in the spring to spiffy up your cart, the product will leave the seats and steering wheal very sticky.

To see more information on winterizing your golf cart, click on the Ace of Carts video.

An old adage states, when one door closes another opens. Melville’s Chloe Sies knows this and has used it to her advantage on the golf course and in the classroom.

After spending a semester at Red Deer College and winning a collegiate event, the school cut the golf program. The team learned about the slicing of the golf squad two weeks after winning the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) team championship. On the advice of UBC Okanagan Heat golfer Samantha Copeland, Sies applied for the Kelowna based school.

“Red Deer wasn’t a good fit, the program wasn’t exactly what I wanted to do with classes,” she explained. “The program (Human Kinetics) I’m taking now is absolutely perfect for me so, it just seemed like a great fit to come out here.”

The move west was better for the 2016 and 2017 Saskatchewan junior girl’s champion in the classroom and on the course. The Heat is a USports program, a step up from the Alberta Collegiate Athletic Conference. Sies said her game is elevating with the move to the next level.

“I hate to say it’s just CCAA but, it was just colleges and smaller schools, less competitive players. Now I’m playing USports. Our first tournament this year was an NCAA tournament, we had schools from everywhere down south and really great players. It was awesome to play against them and get to know them,” she said.

UBC Okanagan hosted the Can-West Championship which was also their national qualifier. Sies admits the team felt the pressure on their home course and they didn’t play their best golf.

“We felt a lot of pressure, everyone as a whole, we imploded,” she admitted. “I didn’t play well, I’m not proud of the scores I put up, but it was a good experience. We’re probably going to host again next year so hopefully we’ll get a chance to go to nationals next season.”

The Heat did rebound this past week finishing their season in Victoria at the Vikes Shootout. Sies placed eighth overall and the team placed second. She said the club felt great after the result building towards next season.

Her semester at Red Deer counted towards her university golf eligibility, she will have two years left. As for her education, Sies hopes to get into Med-School once her bachelor’s degree is obtained.