The first Maple Leaf Junior Tour (MJT) and Golf Saskatchewan Order of Merit (OMT) event took place at Estevan’s TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club May 4 and 5.

Almost 50 junior golfers from Saskatchewan and two from Manitoba took part in the 36-hole event.

The largest field consisted of the juvenile boy’s (15-16 years old) category with 17 athletes entered. Hometown product Jayden Dudas was a six-stroke winner over Kindersley’s Cort Tunall shooting a 149 (76, 73). Regina’s Drayjon Sparvier placed third carding a 160 (76, 84).

There were 14 golfers in the bantam (13-14) boy’s division. Saskatoon’s Alex Swinnerton edged Max Reiger, also of the Bridge City by one stroke to take first place. Swinnerton carded a 156 (81,75) just ahead of Reiger’s 157 (79, 78). Thomas Danielson, another Saskatoon golfer placed third at 158 (86, 72).

In the junior boys age group, that’s golfers aged 17 and 18, 10 boys competed. Reigning provincial junior champion Josh Nagy started his season on the right foot shooting a 144 (75, 69) outlasting Estevan’s Chase Gedack by seven shots. Woodlawn member Jace Carlisle and Winnipeg’s Jacob Armstrong tied for third place at 155.

Half a dozen peewee (under-12) boys took part in the tournament, Warman’s Dane Giesbrecht was the winner posting a 167 (81, 86). Cashton Yaremko of Orkney finished just a shot back at 168 with back-to-back 84’s. La Ronge golfer Dade Bernatchez finished in third place at 173 (88, 85).

Ella Kozak of Yorkton was the lone competitor in the U15 girl’s category, she shot 164 (78, 86).

In the 15-18 girl’s age group, Autumn Neiszner of Regina edged Carey McLean by one stroke for the victory. Neiszner posted a 174 (86, 88), McLean fired rounds of 88 and 87.

Full results can be seen here.

The next MJT and junior OMT event is May 19 and 20 at Swift Current’s Elmwood Golf Club.

A group of Saskatchewan junior golfers are basking in the experience of travelling to New Orleans, Louisiana last week for an Easter golf experience.

Austin Krupski, Darien Herlick, Cashton Yaremko, Keaton Cote, Cort Tunall, Alex Swinnerton, Brett Leonard, Josh Nagy, Ethan Fizell, and Micah Tangjerd all took part in the camp under the tutelage of Jeff Chambers and Jehremy Ryde. During the trip the golfers were involved with training and practice exercises, off course seminars, they played a few rounds in the southern state plus attended the Zurich Classic of New Orleans FedEx Cup event. Swinnerton, 14, said the trip was a fantastic experience.

“It was unbelievable. We saw Brooks Koepka, and a lot of the top guys. The golf, the places Jeff took us were in great shape and great courses. It was a great experience,” the Saskatoon resident beamed.

Swinnerton went on to say the group was able to soak in some New Orleans culture as well during the trip.

“We went to Bourbon Street, it was Easter Sunday there so there was lots of parades and stuff, that was cool. After golf we went and had supper and hung out in the hotel, it was great,” he said.

Swinnerton, like many young golfers in Saskatchewan will get their competitive season underway this weekend at the Maple Leaf Junior Tour (MJT) stop at TS&M Woodlawn in Estevan. He said his summer will be full of tournaments on the Order of Merit Tour (OMT).

“I will be going to pretty much all the Saskatchewan events plus I work at the Waskesiu Golf Course,” Swinnerton said. “I have been playing there forever so I will play in the Junior Lobstick, I came in fourth last year. It’s great, I’m going to play in as many tournaments as I can.”

Weyburn product, Derian Herlick was one of the youngest golfers on the trip at just 13. He also noted attending the camp was a tremendous way to spend the week of the Easter break from school.

“It was really fun, we all got to work together and go watch a golf tournament and play all those private courses,” Herlick said. “My favourite part was the nice weather, the courses, and also the hotel.”

Herlick started playing golf with his dad at the Weyburn Golf Club and will also have a full summer on the MJT and OMT circuits starting in Estevan. With many developmental years ahead of his, he said seeing the PGA Tour players up close made him believe he potentially could be a professional one day like Weyburn’s Graham DeLaet.

“There was an interview and autograph spot set up, so we got to talk to them for a little bit too, they were all pretty nice,” Herlick said.

Overall, Chambers said “It was a pretty awesome trip with some great kids.”

Golfers and residents alike in North Battleford, and across Saskatchewan are mourning the loss of Herb Weinmeyer.

The long-time member of the North Battleford Golf and Country Club (NBGCC) passed away peacefully on Monday, April 29. Weinmeyer was 75. NGGCC Director of Golf Dana Johnson arrived at the course in 1990, at the time Weinmeyer was president of the club. Johnson said the community has lost an inspiring person in Herb.

“A true gentleman in the game of golf,” Johnson told Golf Saskatchewan Friday. “He was always a competitor in Golf Sask. provincial events whether it was the amateur or seniors, he competed as an individual, but he wanted to see his playing partners do well too. He was always so generous; his sportsmanship was above and beyond.”

Weinmeyer last competed in the men’s senior championship in 2017 at his home course. In 2005 he finished in second at the provincial senior men’s championship behind Jim Scissons. He attended national championships as part of Team Saskatchewan on three occasions, 2000, 2006, and 2009.

Johnson said he was fortunate enough to play with Weinmeyer last year at the Calloway ProAm in North Battleford. Despite not winning Herb always saw the good in the game.

“In previous years we’ve won but last year we didn’t. Everybody gets frustrated but he was the first to say the sun is going to rise again and tomorrow is a new day. We lost, not just a man and a member but an all-out true gentleman,” Johnson said.

“We lost, not just a man and a member but an all-out true gentleman.”

An endless volunteer on the NBGCC board plus at events Weinmeyer always gave back to the game. Johnson said he was a constant ambassador of what golf is all about.

“The biggest thing is Herb was a great promoter of the game. Herb was an accomplished player but one of his strengths, Herb played with anybody. If he was playing a hole and someone was by themselves, he’d ask them to join. I don’t know what else to say, it breaks my heart. You just don’t that in everybody, yes it’s a gentlemen’s sport but he was above and beyond,” Johnson concluded.

His celebration of life will take place in North Battleford on Saturday. His obituary can be seen here.

All players are expected to play in the spirit of the game by acting with integrity, showing consideration for others and taking care of the course.

Click here to learn more on the Modernized Rules of golf.

OTTAWA – On the second annual National Golf Day, the Canadian golf industry, represented by We Are Golf, is launching a national campaign to encourage Canadians to get involved in the sport. Industry leaders are meeting with Parliamentarians throughout the day, while golf stakeholders are working to spread the word in municipalities nationwide.

“Golf is a sport that brings so many benefits to Canadians – not just through the health aspect, but as a significant economic driver,” said Kathryn Wood, Chair of We Are Golf and COO of Canadian Golf Superintendents Association “Golf in Canada sees $14.3 billion in annual economic impact, and supports over 300,000 jobs – nearly 40% of which are summer students.”

“Our counterparts in the USA are undertaking a similar initiative in Washington, with the goal to broaden participation in the sport across the continent,” added Laurence Applebaum, CEO of Golf Canada, “On National Golf Day, we’re encouraging all Canadians to get involved by playing a round of golf, enjoying family time at the local course, introducing a new player to the game, adopting a school in their community through Golf in Schools, taking a lesson, or making a purchase at their local pro shop.”

#Golf‘s economic impact in Canada ????#WeAreCanadianGolf pic.twitter.com/tWpfhdTCUz

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) May 1, 2019

We Are Golf launched the inaugural National Golf Day in 2018 with advocacy meetings in Ottawa, a public junior golf activity on the Parliament Hill lawn, and various golf activities at clubs across Canada. The continuation of National Golf Day in Canada in 2019 will again incorporate meetings by We Are Golf stakeholders with MPs, Senators, and government officials.

“We are looking forward to building upon the success of our 2018 National Golf Day and government advocacy efforts in Ottawa, and hope to continue to bring the positive value of the game of golf to the forefront,” said We Are Golf chair, Kathryn Wood.

By all accounts the 2019 Golf Saskatchewan Easter Camp at Crown Isle Resort in Courtenay, British Columbia was a rousing success.

Autumn Neiszner, Ella Kozak, Jackson Wingert, Cole Jenkins, Kaiden McNabb, and Hudson Malinoski along with coaches Steve Ryde and Jason Schneider took part in the trip. Each day the group was introduced to the “top 20” new rules code for 2019 during breakfast, this helped stimulate the conversation about the changes to the rules in golf. During the week, the players also learned how to prep for tournaments, such as pre shot routines, warmups, time management, mental training, multiple skills challenges. Jenkins, 17, received the trip as a Christmas present from his parents. He said the week was a fantastic experience.

“That was probably one of the most fun trips I’ve ever had,” he told Golf Saskatchewan. “It was awesome knowing you are going to have a full week to golf in B.C. at such a nice course.”

One of the reasons Ryde chose Crown Isle for the trip was the course conditions. The resort is hosting a Mackenzie Tour event in the days following the week off school for students allowing them to take part. During the final day of the trip, Jenkins played his last round alongside upcoming professional Mike Perchak. Jenkins (pictured above) said he was very accommodating, and they continue to be in touch.

“We found out the Q-school event was going so that was cool meeting one of the pros. I’ve been messaging him over Instagram a couple times seeing how he’s doing and talking to him about university in the States. He’s a super cool guy,” Jenkins said.

The grade 11 Prince Albert student is also a member of the Golf Saskatchewan High-Performance Team (HPP) this year. He will play his first Order of Merit (OMT) event this weekend in Estevan at the Maple Leaf Junior Tour (MJT) at TS&M Woodlawn. He said reaching nationals in the juniors is a goal over the next couple years and getting a scholarship. Overall, he said golf is a sport he absolutely loves to play.

“I’ve been golfing since I have been walking pretty much,” he said. “It has been one of those sports you are never satisfied with, you always want to get better. I love everything about it, it’s so interesting to me.”

As for the Easter Camp, he highly recommends other junior golfers to take advantage of the experience in future years.

“Golfing everyday was awesome, super fun. Steven and Jason were awesome coaches to have there. We did lots of practicing after rounds too which is helpful. It was just the best thing ever, it was super fun,” Jenkins said.

Wingert, 15, was also very pleased with the weeklong trip. The grade 9 Saskatoon resident got his start playing Wildwood and Silverwood in the Bridge City. He is also a member of the HPP squad. He said the camp was a bonus to what he’s already learned to start the season.

“At first I joined the HPP program and thought the camp would be fun and a good learning experience and my parents let me go. It was really fun, lots of golf, practice, staying at the hotels, it was a really nice place,” he said.

Wingert (pictured below) will also get his OMT season underway in Estevan this upcoming weekend. With a few years left of high school and a chance to improve his game he said post secondary golf is hopefully in his future.

“I would like to go far and get a scholarship, that would be awesome. I hope to also do well at juniors and go to nationals,” he said.

For Wingert, golf is also a release from school and other sports.

“It’s time to think about other things, have fun, practice is fun, you learn more and you get to play with your buddies,” he said.

Ryde and Schneider are already in the planning stages for the 2020 Easter Camp trip.

The Canadian golf industry represented by We Are Golf (formerly the National Allied Golf Association) has officially announced that May 1, 2019 has been tabbed as National Golf Day in Canada.

The date aligns with the We Are Golf initiative spearheaded out of the United States—also set for May 1, 2019—and will bring further attention to the game of golf and its significant community impact within not only Canada, but across North America.

We are Golf is comprised of all the national golf associations within Canada—Golf Canada, the Canadian Society of Club Managers, the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association, the PGA of Canada and the National Golf Course Owners Association Canada.

Planning for National Golf Day is underway with several activities to build upon the success of the inaugural 2018 event which included government advocacy and discussion with MPs in Ottawa, a public junior golf activity on the Parliament Hill lawn and various golf activities at clubs across Canada. The continuation of National Golf Day in Canada in 2019 will again incorporate meetings by We Are Golf stakeholders with MPs and government officials.

“We are looking forward to building upon the success of our 2018 National Golf Day and government advocacy efforts in Ottawa and continue to bring the positive value of the game of golf to the forefront,” said We Are Golf chair, Kathryn Wood. “National Golf Day will be a tremendous catalyst for golf enthusiasts to rally and celebrate what the sport of golf means to them and their community.”

Each member association representing We Are Golf is also encouraging their respective memberships, partners and stakeholders to participate in National Golf Day in their own way to celebrate the significant economic, health, recreational, charitable and tourism benefits that golf drives in communities from coast to coast.

We Are Golf is calling on the entire golf community as well as partner associations and golfers to engage in National Golf Day as a can’t miss event on the Canadian golf calendar.

Golf enthusiasts across Canada are encouraged to get involved in National Golf Day by playing a round of golf, visiting a course or practice facility, enjoying family time at the course, introducing a new player to the game, adopting a school in their community through Golf in Schools, hosting a school golf field trip, taking a lesson, or making a purchase at their local pro shop.

Please visit http://wearegolf.ca/ to learn more, and to access a social media toolkit to promote the day and get involved!

Golf in Canada – A Snapshot:

In Canada, more than five million golfers play close to 60 million rounds annually at nearly 2,300 golf facilities from coast to coast—the most participated sport in this country.

Golf is a significant economic driver generating more than $14.3 billion in economic impact and employing more than 300,000 jobs, nearly 40% of which are summer students. Direct revenues generated by golf courses and their facilities ($5.0 billion) rivals the revenues generated by all other participation sports and recreation facilities combined ($4.8 billion). Golf courses also steward essential greenspace in the community in addition to hosting more than 37,000 charity events that raise more than $533 million annually to support important causes.

The health benefits of moderate-intensity physical activity, burning 850 to 1,500 calories as well as muscle endurance, blood circulation, flexibility and mental health along with respiratory, metabolic and cardiovascular improvements can’t be discounted. Golf as a safe and inclusive family sport is good for our children, instilling etiquette and values such as integrity, honest, fair play and the spirit of camaraderie.

Following a weekend Rules of Golf clinic this past weekend in Winnipeg and Montreal, 150 golf referees are now certified at Level 3 across the nation. The nation’s governing body has been holding seminars across the country leading up to the 2019 season.

Dan Hyant was an instructor at four of the clinics including the Winnipeg event. He said with approximately 150 new Rules of Golf changes coming into play this year there was some resistance among officials and recertifying but overall the sessions went well.

“Knowing the old Rules of Golf for a few years made it an easier transition for 2019,” Hyant told Golf Saskatchewan. “The new book is simpler to read so that made it easier. For those jumping in now they’ve never experienced the version that’s older and maybe a little more complex to read but for the most part everyone was fine with the changes.”

The new certified referees are the most Golf Canada has seen in the last five or six years according to Hyant. 170 people took part in the seminars with 20 attendees not receiving certification, but he said the success rate is good.

With so many changes taking place this year, Hyant said there are some challenges for current and new referees as well as instructors.

“I think referencing new definitions and terminology is certainly going to be challenging. I mean we’ve used the same old words so often. Just getting used to the subsections again, I think the rules are similar to the old code but certainly shortening them from 34 to 24 and knowing the subsections is going to take some time,” Hyant said.

Saskatchewan had four referees become Level 3 certified in Winnipeg. Terry Gaube, Jim and Linda Walker, and Kevin Duchscherer all recertified and are important Golf Saskatchewan volunteers. Among the course attendees in Winnipeg there was referees from Alberta, Manitoba, and Chicago, Illinois. Hyant said having someone involved from America brought a different perspective to the sessions.

“It was good to hear his perspective in terms of how things are operated down there, and how he has gone through his rule exercises,” he said. “Hopefully was can get him up here to officiate when he retires.”

Jack McDonald of Kamloops and Golf Saskatchewan Executive Director Brian Lee assisted in instructing the weekend course.

Any rule referees that have recently completed their Level 1 training can expect emails from Golf Canada regarding upcoming Level 2 sessions that will be taking place either this spring or next year.

The Harbor Golf Club & Resort recently upgraded their kitchen to keep up with a growing demand in the food service the course offers.

According to Operations Manager, Amanda Holland the clubhouse located on the shore of Lake Diefenbaker in Elbow saw the kitchen receive a “total gut job” ahead of the season. The space was expanded, and new equipment was purchased creating a more efficient work space. Holland said the need for expansion and upgrades were there due to increased demand.

“Our catering is growing as well,” she said. “Not only do we deal with the restaurant daily and catering for tournaments but we’re doing more catering for outside groups. Just having the space to do multiple events on one day made sense.”

The 18-hole golf course played host to Golf Saskatchewan’s 100^th Amateur Women’s Championship last summer as well as the Senior Women’s Championship. The Harbor also hosted Golf Saskatchewan for their annual volunteer appreciation day at the end of last year’s season.

Elbow’s population is approximately 350 people, but Holland said the summer is very busy due to their location on the lake. She said the club needs a top-notch clubhouse facility to deal with the increased traffic.

“During the busy season when there is more people here than just those that just live here year-round being able to accommodate and keep up in those times is important,” she said.

Holland said staffing levels have stayed on par in recent years despite being busier. She said the efficiency of the new space should help and for now they will stay status quo. She did say staff had a few things to learn but overall the kitchen is being well received by everyone.

“The first few days of opening there was some growing pains figuring out the new space but once they figure it out it will be so much better to function. The staff will be so much happier in their environment,” she said.

The par-71 course plays between 5,800 and 6,300 yards from the varied tee boxes. Several holes feature picturesque views along the lake making for a memorable round at the course. Holland said the ownership group and staff, including PGA of Canada President Mark Patterson work hard to keep up with the everchanging industry.

“It speaks to our majority shareholders, Rick Letts and Les McTavish and their vision to try to ensure this course stays current and improves. It’s pretty important to not only the community but the business as well,” she said.

The Spiritwood Golf Course already offers a fantastic 18-hole, grass green track for players to enjoy but within the next couple years, seasonal and overnight campsites will be added to the facility.

Ron Schira and four other partners, all with roots deeply planted in the small northwest Saskatchewan community purchased the course in 2013. Schira said keeping the course viable and entrenched in the town’s fabric was important to them.

“We wanted to see the Spiritwood Golf Course continue to offer that great service for the residents and the people that come to the area,” he told Golf Saskatchewan. “It’s such a beautiful course, we wanted to protect the legacy it had developed over the past 20 plus years.”

The group knew when purchasing the property there was plenty of work to do. Now six years into the venture, the partners feel they are at a place to expand and increase service to the region.

“Making money at a small-town golf course isn’t easy, it requires a fine-tuned operation. It took us a while to sort things out and get our hands around it. We think we now have it at a point where it’s operating as it should,” Schira said.

The management team announced in March that they will construct a seasonal RV campsite adjacent to the course. They will have 21 seasonal campsites and four sites used by overnight campers. With upwards of 50 lakes nearby and countless outdoor activities available in the region, Schira said giving visitors another option for accommodations makes sense.

“We think a lot of people would like to live on a golf course but probably see that as something that’s not realistic. Here they can live right on a beautiful golf course in the summer and have access to all those wonderful things and satisfy their golfing needs,” he said.

The course will see minimal effect throughout the construction. Two new greens will be built this season shortening two holes. Players won’t be affected by the work this season. Currently the track plays at just under 5,900 yards and is a par 72. That will drop to a par 70 next year. Schira said the integrity of the course won’t suffer, in fact the intrigue could increase for players.

“We’re going to turn one par four into a par three and one par five into a par four and another par four will change to a dogleg left. They will still have the same beautiful golf course to play. It will probably be even a bit more interesting because of how we lay it out,” Schira explained.

If the weather cooperates this season and the two new greens are ready for play this year, construction on the campsites will begin this fall. Schira said they will begin construction of the new greens in the very near future. If the green development lags for any reason, campsite work will be pushed to next spring, but campers should be settling in by 2021. Schira said news of the upgrades is starting to spread in the town and everyone seems to be excited.

“Everything we’ve heard has been positive,” he said. “I think the community is excited for us, they are excited to see what it will look like as a finished product. It’s going to impact the community; I think that’s important. We’re going to bring in people that don’t normally live there in the summer.”

The trickle-down effect for area businesses is exciting for Schira, who hasn’t lived in Spiritwood for 16 years, but he grew up and got his entrepreneurial beginning in the community before moving to Saskatoon for other business opportunities.

The course recently installed a new roof on their clubhouse ahead of this season. Installation of a water treatment plant for both the clubhouse and campground is also part of the plans.

The 2019 season will be a busy one tournament wise as well, the course will host their annual events such as the Spirit of the North Match Play Classic and the Dale Willick Memorial Golf Tournament. This year the club will also play host to the 2019 SUMA Golf Tournament in early July. Schira said landing that two-day event is more proof the Spiritwood course is among the province’s best.

“We had the provincial Knights of Columbus tournament last year; I think all these things help put the Spiritwood Golf Course on the map and to attract some of these tournaments allows us to say we can accommodate these events,” he said.