I’m the anti J.B. Holmes.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not “anti” J.B. Holmes.

When he won the Genesis Open for his fifth PGA Tour victory, I applauded the resurgence of someone who, by most accounts, is a good guy, a great husband and father who has survived brain surgery. Former Ryder Cupper, long hitter, great ball striker.

Also, alas, human rain delay.

On the other hand, I am the definition of the “dew sweeper.” At my club, Midland Golf and Country Club in Ontario, my group is given the first tee time on Sundays by default, by a unanimous vote by the rest of the members. We play in three hours or less.

“Ready golf” is our mantra but we may take the pace of play concept to extremes, admittedly. Last season, someone in our group couldn’t make it and we had a friend fill in. After completing the first hole, he said he made a par 4.

“Nope,” I said. “In this group, we count practice swings as strokes. You took three, so that’s a seven.”

So, as I said, a touch extreme.

You want to talk about extreme?

In the final round at the Genesis, Holmes’s threesome needed—no, that’s wrong—endured five hours and 28 minutes to complete their 18 holes. Thirteen minutes on the 13^th green alone. Twenty minutes behind the group in front. Professional golfers. Plumb-bobbing putts of less than a foot. (At least Holmes knew how to plumb bob. In my experience, most amateurs might as well close both eyes when they try that.)

At a time when it is widely acknowledged that one of the major challenges facing the game is pace of play, Holmes’s glacial approach deservedly lit up social media. Even his peers criticized him.

Taking my usual contrarian approach, perhaps Holmes should be applauded for elevating this debate.

None of us, except me, is exempt from this finger pointing.

At every level, from recreational golfer to the pro tours, slow play is a pernicious disease afflicting golf.

In 2018, the European Tour’s Shot Clock Masters addressed this by implementing a 40- or 50-second limit depending on the type of shot being played. Just four players received one-shot penalties for exceeding that limit. The reaction from the players was overwhelmingly positive.

“Rule 5.6b (3) lets a Committee set a specific pace of play policy,” says Adam Helmer, Golf Canada’s Director of Rules, Competitions and Amateur Status. “This policy may set a maximum time to complete a round, a hole or series of holes and a stroke, and it may set penalties for not following the Policy. The PGA Tour uses a hybrid of fines and penalties in their policy.

“Golf Canada adopts a group pace of play policy which outlines the allotted time for groups to play specific holes (1-5, 6-9, 10-14, 15-18). Groups are given warnings if they are over the allotted time and 14 minutes behind the group in front. If they miss a second checkpoint, they are liable to a one stroke penalty (and the penalty increases as they miss a third and potential fourth checkpoint). We only use individual pace of play at our qualifiers (Open and amateur events).”

I’m not advocating the kind of speed golf my group plays but if we—well, you all—paid more attention to pace of play, the game would be more enjoyable for everyone.

The new Rules recognize this through efforts like reducing the time allowed looking for a ball from five minutes to three and encouraging ready golf. What is ready golf?

Dispense with the “who’s away” concept. Hit when ready and when it is safe to do so. Prepare for your shot as you approach the ball. Have the appropriate club in hand. Putt out continuously. Mark your score at the next tee. Keep up with the group in front. Do your socializing after the round.

My well-learned lesson came years ago at Scotland’s North Berwick when our threesome, all male golfers of decent ability, let a foursome of lady members, with their bags on pull carts, play through. By the time we finished, they were enjoying a sandwich and a pint, accompanied by well-deserved withering glances in our direction.

I now enjoy directing those same glances at the pokey golfers at my club. Thanks, ladies.

Rule 5.6b advises that “A round of golf is meant to be played at a prompt pace. Each player should recognize that his or her pace of play is likely to affect how long it will take other players to play their rounds, including both those in the player’s own group and those in following groups.” The Rule also outlines pace of play recommendations.

Pace of play. It’s not about playing fast. It’s about playing efficiently and with consideration for others.

Golf has its own Saskatchewan Hall of Fame that features over 50 inductees and a few teams, but the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame (SSHOF) has honoured several prominent golfers as well.

Established in 1996, the SSHOF was developed to honour outstanding athletes, championship teams, builders of sport in the province and to archive the history of Saskatchewan sports. The inaugural class consisted of six individuals; Cal Bricker; Ethel Catherwood; Dr. George Genereux; Al Ritchie; James Trifunov; and Dorothy Walton. Although none of the distinguished members of the first class were honoured for golf prowess, as of today there are 10 individual golf standouts enshrined as well as two teams. SSHOF Communications Coordinator, Autumn McDowell said the inductees are recognizable to provincial golf fans and historians.

“Not only are these inductees’ incredible athletes but they have also done so much to grow the game of golf in the province. Golf Saskatchewan members will certainly recognize Joanne Goulet, the namesake for the Goulet Golf Course in Regina. The golf category also contains our only visually impaired inductee, Phil Lederhouse,” McDowell explained to Golf Saskatchewan.

Other golf inductees include Barbara (Stone) Turnbull; Geraldine (Evans) Street; James “Jim” Scissons; Tom Ross; Keith Rever; Dr. Robert Reid; Dr. John “Jack” Leddy; and Pat Fletcher. The two teams inducted are the 1992 Saskatchewan Senior Men’s Team (Fred Clark, Ray Marsh, Ron Corrins, Ron Whiteside) and the 1964 Saskatchewan Willingdon Cup Team (Alec Bland (the non-playing captain), Ernie Greenley, Ed Ross, Keith Rever, and Jim Scissons). More details can be found on all the inductees on the SSHOF website.

Former Lobstick winner Gordie Howe is also a member of the Hall. “Mr. Hockey” is clearly enshrined for his illustrious hockey career, but McDowell says the Floral, Sask. product, although the most well-known inductee is among over 500 well deserving recipients.

“Gordie Howe is probably our most famous inductee to the general public. However, there are very popular inductees in each sport, even superstars in each sport, but they just might not be as well known to the general public,” she said.

Members of the public are encouraged to nominate anyone they feel is worthy of induction. Nominations close annually on Oct. 31.

McDowell said golf enthusiasts will find a pair of displays interesting aside from the inductees themselves and their stories. The Hall has a 1910 golf bag (pictured below) used by R.H. Williams at the Wascana Country Club and the organization possesses a set of clubs (pictured above) that once belonged to Saskatchewan’s first Premier, Thomas Walter Scott.

Another popular exhibit currently displayed (pictured below) according to McDowell is, “Diamond Girls’ Diamond Anniversary: 75 Years of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. “In 2018 the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) celebrated their 75^th anniversary. Over its eleven years of operation more than 600 women played professionally for the first time. Of those 600, 10 per cent were from Canada and 40 per cent were from Saskatchewan.

Golf Saskatchewan members receive free entry into the Hall at 2205 Victoria Ave. in Regina. The facility also includes a multi-sport simulator with an extensive golf feature. The Hall has clubs to use or attendees can bring their own.

The SSHOF is open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. Hours are extended during the third Thursday of every month.

Tours are also available by calling 306.780.9232.

Golf Saskatchewan’s High-Performance Program (HPP) is busy preparing a handful of young golfers to succeed with their goals.

Carey McLean (Deer Valley), Cole Jenkins (Prince Albert), Jackson Wingert (Saskatoon), Autumn Neiszner (Regina), and Max Regier (Saskatoon) are the junior golfers involved in the program this year. During the first two Sundays of February, the players met with coaches Jason Schneider and Steve Ryde at facilities in both Warman and Regina. McLean, 17, is back in the HPP for the second straight year. She said golf has provided several opportunities to travel and meet new people. McLean hopes taking part in the HPP elevates her game to pursue more highlights.

“I never thought I would be able to go to national championships with golf, I thought I’d just play the sport for fun. I never thought I’d be able to get a scholarship or go to Phoenix and play for Saskatchewan,” she said.

Through the first two sessions the players worked on goal setting, shot visualization, putting and full swing, plus their nutrition and physical training. Tanner White, the general manager at Regina’s 1621 worked with the group, sports mental trainer Lisa Hoffart was also involved. McLean said having a sports psychologist work with her is important for her game.

“My mental part of the game isn’t that good, getting one on one with Lisa helped me last year to get out of my head and focus on my game and not the outcome,” she said.

McLean starting golfing under her dad’s guidance at Deer Valley and over time developed a passion for the sport. She attended the Canadian Junior Women’s Championship last year as part of Team Saskatchewan and hopes to return to the national tournament as she enters her last year of juniors. Her goal is to reach the next level and play college golf following graduation. She said the HPP is a key cog in her future plans.

Jason Schneider has been involved in coaching the HPP for three years. He said without partners such as 1621, First Tee, and the Legends (Darryl Czuy), providing top notch programming would be harder to come by and he’s thankful for the assistance.

“Tanner and I work well together with what we want to focus on, and we have fun with the athletes,” he said. “Lisa definitely improves their mental game too as we go forward.”

The athletes will take part in two more training sessions before the golf season begins an April. There is also a two-day camp scheduled in Regina mid-May where more, on-course learning will take place. The coaches will also work with the students throughout the summer as well, preparing them for events and tournaments leading up to the provincial championships. Schneider said they approach each student differently preparing them for unique goals.

“There is a good mixture this year, we have a few younger ones, and we have a couple that are older. We’re hoping Carey and Cole can continue to develop their skills. For the younger ones we want to help them develop, have fun on the golf course, learn what competitive golf is like and have them ready for when it counts,” he said.

Steve Ryde coached the junior women’s team this past summer at the national event in Vancouver. He is also the Golf Saskatchewan Manager of Sport Development. He said providing the HPP through the provincial governing body has several benefits to up and coming golfers in the province.

“We want to promote an idea of hard work and dedication towards golf and improving golfer’s abilities in Saskatchewan,” Ryde said. “It’s an opportunity for younger athletes who may not have a coach yet and want to improve. We want to have kids compete and do well and ultimately get to the national stage where they will be recognized for scholarships and other opportunities down the road.”

The R&A’s drive to increase the number of women and girls participating in golf and to encourage more opportunities for women to work within the sport has been reflected in early success for the new Women in Golf Charter.

Launched last May in London, the Charter set out to inspire an industry-wide commitment to developing a more inclusive culture within golf globally. It is designed to encourage actions that enable more women and girls to flourish and maximise their potential within the golf industry at all levels.

To date, 107 organisations have given their commitment to the Charter, pledging to build on current initiatives and develop new projects to increase the number of women, girls and families playing golf and becoming members of clubs, as well as giving women wider opportunities to enjoy careers and volunteering in the sport.

These include national federations such as Golf Canada – which held its inaugural Women’s Leadership Summit last year linked to the staging of the CP Women’s Open and enters its sixth year of hosting the World Junior Girls Championship, which welcomes athletes from 19 countries around the world.

Other organisations who have adopted the Charter include the PGA TOUR; the European Tour; the Ladies’ European Tour; the Professional Golfers’ Association; the Golf Foundation; the PGAs of Europe; the European Disabled Golf Association; the ANNIKA Foundation; IMG; VisitScotland and the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Golf.

Mastercard, the official card of The Open, is also the first R&A Patron to sign up. Various other organisations offering their support include the Association of Golf Writers and GOLFNOW.

Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “We are encouraged by the number of organisations who have recognised the importance of the Charter for the sport and pledged their support.

“It is a positive start but we need an industry-wide commitment to the Charter and support for measures that will foster a more inclusive culture within the sport and enable women and girls to reach their full potential.”

While achieving the commitment of national federations and organisations was one of the first aims of the Charter, the process for clubs and regional bodies to sign up is also now gathering pace.

Conwy, which will stage the 2020 Curtis Cup in Wales, is the first golf club to sign up to the Charter.

Boldon, based in Tyne & Wear, is the first English club to sign, followed by commitments from Open venues Royal Portrush, St Andrews Links Trust and Carnoustie Golf Links.

Fulford, venue for the Girls Under 16 Amateur Championship, has also committed, along with The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, Blairgowrie, North Berwick and Royal Dornoch.

“Gaining the support of national associations and organisations was the first phase of our plan,” added Slumbers. “We have also worked closely with them to collectively agree a process to support individual clubs in adopting the Charter and gain real momentum.

“The national body is the point of contact and will directly liaise with clubs in determining commitments to the Charter should a club wish to become a signatory.

“We would like national associations, with the involvement of clubs, to set targets for participation and membership as we look to increase the number of women, girls and families playing the sport.”

2018 World Junior Girls Championship (Camelot Golf and Country Club, Cumberland ON)

Anna Young is celebrating a top-5 finish in a tournament this week in Zellwood, Florida.

The Saskatoon product recently competed in an LPGA of Taiwan event but is happy to be back on North American soil. Young, 25, finished in a tie for fifth in the Zellwood Station tournament, a stop on the National Women’s Golf Association tour.

The five-time Saskatchewan amateur women’s champion fired rounds of 68, 71, and 70 to finish at seven under par, five strokes back of winner Greta Voelker. Young said she’s happy to be settled back into a routine to start the season.

“It has been nice being back in my routine here in Orlando, getting back on one time zone, going to my gym, and sleeping in my own bed. I felt like I did everything pretty well this week, nothing amazing and nothing terrible.  My main focus was staying in the present and I did that well,” she said after the event concluded Wednesday.

Fellow Canadian Valerie Tanguay also finished in a tie for fifth at the event.

You can see Young’s scorecard here.

Most golf clubs in Saskatchewan have websites and use the internet to their advantage when it comes to advertising and marketing their facilities, but most won’t realize they are missing out on potentially 1.5 million more customers.

Tourism Saskatchewan offers free business listing opportunities on their website to promote the province’s tourist attractions, including golf clubs. The TourismSaskatchewan.com website receives over 1.5 million unique visits annually.

Economically speaking, in 2017, Saskatchewan saw 4.8 million overnight visits generating $984 million in spending. Of those totals, 283,000 visits involved golf as an activity. Tourism Saskatchewan Manager of Marketing, Amy McInnis said the province’s abundance of lakes draws people to Saskatchewan, and golf is a factor for visitors.

“A large draw, especially for Albertans, is camping, summer products, those types of experiences. They are drawn to the lakes; they don’t have the abundance of lakes that we do, and they are likely to include golfing into as part of the overall experience. If they are coming to camp for a week in Prince Albert National Park, they are likely to pursue golf opportunities if they are interested,” McInnis explained.

Of the overall economic impact of $984 million, $71.7 million involved the game of golf. Golf Saskatchewan and Tourism Saskatchewan believes those numbers can grow with potential collaboration between member clubs and the use of Tourism Saskatchewan’s website. McInnis said tourist attractions have seen benefits over the years by utilizing their site.

“A lot of our advertising pushes to the website, as our website is central to everything we do,” she said. “It gets a lot of eyeballs, so it benefits members to participate. Everything is free, the listings are free, the travel offers are free.”

There is also an industry website (Industry.TourismSaskatchewan.com) that offers tips on how to brand your tourist attraction to align with the tourism brand for the province. The three brand categories are Land and Sky; Time and Space; and Community. The website also provides “Top 5 Tips” for improving their business or facility through marketing, photography tips, and digital marketing.

The consumer website, TourismSaskatchewan.com, features free business listings for operators that allow up to eight photographs. Tourism Saskatchewan Manager of Communications, Elizabeth Braitenbach, said they encourage golf clubs to reach out to them and use the site to enhance visitors.

“We are actively wanting and searching for more travel offers,” she said. “We call them travel offers because it can be a variety of things, they aren’t necessarily a vacation package per say. For golf it works really well with stay and plays, but a variety of offers could be put together that involve golf.”

Another feature Tourism Saskatchewan offers is a Co-operative Advertising Program (CAP). According to Tourism Saskatchewan Events Manager, Tyler Lloyd, all public golf courses in Saskatchewan would be eligible to apply for the program. Successful CAP applicants may receive up to 50 per cent cost sharing of advertising. Individual golf courses can utilize the program, however, Lloyd suggests teaming up as a region could be a more impactful route to promote courses.

“Partnering up like that is probably more strategic and would likely rank higher with adjudication,” he said. “There is limited funding there, but it is an application based adjudicated process. All public courses are absolutely eligible to apply, and if there are some that want to cluster together, that would be very effective.”

There is some urgency involved to benefit from CAP as the deadline to apply is February 28. Contact Tyler at 306-787-5525 or by email at tyler.lloyd@tourismsask.com.

To place your free business listing on the TourismSaskatchewan.com website, phone toll-free 1-877-237-2273 or email information.updates@tourismsask.com.

To place a Travel Offer on the TourismSaskatchewan.com website, contact Belva Schlosser at 306-787-5488 or email belva.schlosser@tourismsask.com.

Tourism Saskatchewan also provides funding for tourism operators to attend tradeshows or conferences that align with the Saskatchewan tourism organizations strategy. For more information on that initiative, contact Amy McInnis at 306-787-2199 or amy.mcinnis@tourismsask.com.

Golf Canada is pleased to announce its 2019 championship schedule, which includes a record setting 31 amateur and professional competitions in addition to various qualifiers hosted at golf facilities across Canada.

The 2019 schedule is headlined by Golf Canada’s premier professional championships — the RBC Canadian Open, June 3-9 at Hamilton Golf & Country Club in Hamilton, Ont., and the CP Women’s Open, to be conducted August 19-25 at Magna Golf Club in Aurora, Ont.

The 2019 competition calendar includes eight national amateur championships, eight Future Links, driven by Acura regional junior competitions and two international women’s championships.

As the National Sport Federation and governing body of golf in Canada, Golf Canada conducts the country’s premier amateur and professional golf championships as part of its mandate to support the development of the nation’s top talent through world-class competition.

“Golf Canada is incredibly proud to conduct our national championships for the more than 3,000 talented Canadian and international golfers who take part in our competitions,” said Golf Canada’s CEO, Laurence Applebaum. “Together with our host clubs, communities, volunteers and corporate partners, we are excited to be welcoming the next chapter of Canadian golf champions.”

Golf Canada’s championship season kicks off May 6 with the RBC Canadian Open British Columbia Qualifier and concludes in September with the Future Links, driven by Acura Fall Series Championship at Crown Isle Resort & Golf Community in Courtenay, B.C.

 

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Championship registration is now OPEN! ? Link in bio ? – 31 #GolfCanada competitions will be held coast-to-coast across the country in 2019? – We can’t wait to see what this year has in store for the next wave of Canadian #golf championships ??⛳️ – – – – #golfstagram #golfchampionship #golflife #golftournament

A post shared by Golf Canada (@thegolfcanada) on Feb 6, 2019 at 9:12am PST

To view Golf Canada’s 2019 championship schedule including all host venues, registration requirements and volunteer opportunities please click here.

Championship Season at a Glance…

The 115th playing of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship will be contested at Glen Arbour Golf Course in Hammonds Plains, N.S. and The Links at Brunello in Timberlea, N.S., August 3-8. A field of 240 players will be cut to the low 70 players and ties after 36 holes, with the final two rounds contested at Glen Arbour. The champion will receive an exemption into the 2020 RBC Canadian Open, as well as an invitation to the 2019 U.S. Amateur Championship. Additionally, the winner will receive an exemption into local qualifying for the 2020 U.S. Open, and if applicable, the U.S. Junior, U.S. Mid-Amateur or USGA Senior Amateur Championships.

The 106th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship takes place July 22-26 at Red Deer Golf & Country Club in Red Deer, Alta. with the champion earning an exemption into the 2019 CP Women’s Open, as well as an exemption into the 2019 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship. Additionally, the winner will receive exemptions into the U.S. Girls’ Junior, U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur and USGA Senior Women’s Amateur Championships, if applicable.

Red Deer Golf & Country Club

At the junior level, the 81st playing of the Canadian Junior Boys Championship will be contested August 11-15 at Covered Bridge Golf & Country Club in Hartland, N.B., with the winner earning an exemption into the 2020 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship. The 65th Canadian Junior Girls Championship will be contested at Lethbridge Country Club in Lethbridge, Alta.

The 17th Canadian University/College Championship will be held May 27-31 at FireRock Golf Club in Komoka, Ont. The national championship includes both a team and individual component featuring Canada’s top university and college talent.

The Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur will be held Aug. 19-23 at Summit Golf Club in Thornhill, Ont.

The Future Links, driven by Acura regional junior series will round out the schedule with two Fall Series Championships in 2019, totalling eight competitions conducted in conjunction with the Provincial Golf Associations. The Fall Series will take place in September in British Columbia and Quebec, where the region’s best junior golfers will compete to earn exemptions into their respective 2020 national championships. The Future Links, driven by Acura Championships provide juniors an opportunity to develop and showcase their skills at the highest level of tournament golf.

The 2019 RBC Canadian Open on the PGA TOUR will be contested June 3-9 at Hamilton Golf & Country Club in Hamilton, Ont., and will mark the 110th playing of Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship.

The CP Women’s Open will return to the Greater Toronto Area as Magna Golf Club in Aurora, Ont., will host the stars of the LPGA Tour from August 19-25.

The Astor Trophy makes its return to Canadian soil after 20 years abroad. The 16th playing of the international women’s amateur event will run Aug. 28 to Sept. 1 at Royal Colwood Golf Club in Victoria, B.C. The five-team competition features both foursomes and stroke play and is contested once every four years between Australia, Canada, Great Britain and Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa.

Cedar Brae Golf Club in Scarborough, Ont., will host the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship from September 9-13, with the winner earning an exemption into the 2020 U.S. Senior Amateur. The Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship will be held Aug. 17-20 at Osoyoos Golf Club in Osoyoos, B.C., with the champion earning an exemption into the 2019 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship and 2020 U.S. Senior Women’s Open.

An accomplished field of international competitors will take to Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont., from Sept. 22–27, for the sixth annual World Junior Girls Championship. The event will welcome 20 countries playing as 3-member squads competing for both a team and individual title.

The Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru National Event will be held at Credit Valley Golf & Country Club on Sept. 23. The one-day event is a celebration of the success of all Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru events held nationwide during the 2019 season. To date, the fundraising efforts of thousands of golfers have totaled more than $6.7 million for breast cancer research since the program’s inception in 2003.

The program’s goal is to drive women’s participation in the game of golf through the use of fun, non-intimidating activities. Click here to learn more about Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru.

For the next half decade funding is locked in for eligible sport, culture, and recreation organizations in Saskatchewan after an agreement was signed with stakeholders and Saskatchewan Lotteries.

Last week, the provincial government signed an agreement along with Sask Sport, SaskCulture, and the Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association that will see 3.75 per cent of annual lottery sales be generated back into organizations that maintain programs and services that benefit Saskatchewan.

Golf Saskatchewan is one of over 1,200 groups that benefit from lottery proceeds annually. One of the largest financial contributions provided to member clubs is the Member Assistance Program (MAP) grant program. Funding is available to courses to grow the game and without Saskatchewan Lotteries’ funding the help wouldn’t be possible. Golf Saskatchewan President Delbert Betnar said he’s personally witnessed the benefits of the program.

“Golf Saskatchewan has been able to provide over $1.1 million back to our member clubs to help them provide services for our members.  I have seen first hand appreciation of this at my own club with the ongoing offering of group lessons to our members for a very reasonable amount from them.  These lessons usually fill up very quickly and allow a person to take a lesson in a group environment with their friends,” Betnar said.

Over 1,000 Saskatchewan communities are beneficiaries of funding through the agreement. 12,000 groups are involved creating active and healthy lifestyles. The funding also spills into volunteerism, another trait Saskatchewan excels in, over 330,000 residents assist in events and organizations funded by the partnership. Organizations such as Golf Saskatchewan need staff to fulfill tasks and apply funding to the correct area. Betnar said growth within Golf Saskatchewan and the organizations’ reach is helped by the funding.

“With the funding we get we are able to attract personal that truly have a passion for the game. With the investment in staff this past year we can showcase what our member clubs are up to be it from the communications point of view.  This allows us to go out to our member clubs to convey the message of why you want to be a member of Golf Saskatchewan,” he said.

The announcement of the partnership was made on Jan. 30. Parks, Culture, and Sport Minister Gene Makowsky was on hand for the presentation. He said all the stakeholders deserve credit for the agreement.

“The Saskatchewan Lotteries provides opportunities to more than 600,000 participants in many communities across our province.  These far-reaching benefits would not be possible without our partners, Sask Sport, SaskCulture and the Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association, and of course thousands of volunteers.”

Golf Saskatchewan is presumably one of the larger governed amateur sport organizations in Saskatchewan therefore long-term planning is crucial to success of the organization and the sport it governs. Sask Sport Chair Leslie Blyth said a five-year deal is critical for planning among organizations.

“Long-term planning is essential to non-profit organizations and their ability to deliver quality, sustainable programs, services and events.  This agreement will continue to positively impact our communities and provide more opportunities for all.  Together, we all win,” she said.

In the last fiscal year of the Saskatchewan Lotteries Trust Fund, over $54.2 million was handed back to sport, culture, and recreational organizations in Saskatchewan.

Above photo: (l;r): Leslie Blyth, Sask Sport Chair; James Rose, SaskCulture President; Coralie Bueckert, Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association President; and, Gene Makowsky, Parks, Culture and Sport Minister.

Coming off potentially one of their best years yet, the Evergreen Golf Course has high hopes again for 2019.

Located in Nipawin, the 18-hole course was in pristine shape from opening day last May until the snow came early in September. Head professional Derrick Tallon said the club had a memorable year.

“We hit the ground running, got started about on average and the course was in great shape right off the bat,” Tallon told Golf Saskatchewan. “It was in as good as shape as it’s ever been tee to green. We hear it everyday but coming from our greenskeeper Ken Lintott, the turf conditions have never been as good as last year. Word got out we were in phenomenal condition.”

Recognizing the Evergreen as one of the province’s top facilities, Golf Saskatchewan will return to the northern Saskatchewan community for the first time since 2015 for a provincial championship. The 93^rd Junior Men’s and 69^th Junior Women’s Championships will be held from July 9 – 11. Tallon said the course and community are suited for the junior and mixed championship that they hosted in 2014.

“They fit the best with our facility,” he said. “The juniors attract families and they can do other activities in the area and with the mixed I think people like to get away and unwind and have a good time in Nipawin, and the golf course is just good.”

The course opened in 1957 and was designed by Les Furber. The Evergreen plays between just under 5,300 yards up to over 6,500 from the tips. Players are faced with a narrow, daunting 600-yard monster to start but the track rarely plays well into a long bombers’ style. Tallon said the yardage tends to throw players off if they aren’t familiar with the tricky layout.

“The greens are challenging, it’s placement off the tee and where to approach the greens from. Some holes you think it’s wide open but it’s definitely not that,” he chuckled. “The course is a good challenge.”

Aside from playing host to the junior provincials the Evergreen will have their annual Bob Dow Memorial Tournament to begin the year. Approximately 160 golfers with play the two-person team event. The Scotia Wealth, a stop on the Golf Saskatchewan Order of Merit Tour is held annually at the facility plus upwards of 200 golfers are expected for the Nipawin Hawks Hall of Fame tournament over the August long weekend. Several other events pepper the summer schedule as well. Tallon said with The Spot Restaurant one-year into their operations and Lintott’s three-decades of experience, the Evergreen is ready to host any event.

“When Mother Nature cooperates and Ken’s (Lintott) expertise the course is tough to beat. Year in, year out we’re in the discussion of the best conditioned golf course in the province. We did struggle without a food operation for too long, but The Spot stepped up and they’ve matched the golf course with the product we put out. When a visitor comes there is no let down,” Tallon said.

Also highlighting a busy season for the Evergreen is the 2019 PGA of Saskatchewan provincial championship.

Registration for the junior events will be open in April.

Jack Eisner left his mark on numerous organizations over his nearly nine decades on earth including the golf industry in Saskatchewan.

Eisner passed away on Jan. 9 at the age of 89.

Eisner was born in Togo, Sask. in 1929, leaving the small community for Luther College in Regina where he received his high school diploma. Eisner went on to obtain a law degree from the University of Saskatchewan.

Eisner eventually settled in eastern Saskatchewan and developed into a highly recruited athlete across many sports including baseball and golf. According to Eisner’s obituary his baseball career climaxed after outduelling Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Satchel Paige in a game in the 1940’s. He was a member of the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame.

Once settled in Melfort, Eisner developed a love for the game of golf. Aside from performing maintenance tasks at the Melfort Golf Course and assisting in the course’s development Eisner played at a high level. He was a member of the 1984 Saskatchewan Senior Men’s team that represented the province at the national championship in Prince Edward Island. At one point in Eisner’s playing career he held the course record at the Melfort Golf Club. He also served a term as the president of the Saskatchewan Golf Association.

Eisner’s accomplishments expanded beyond sports, he served his community in various aspects including being the mayor of Melfort from 1967-1970. Current Melfort Mayor, Rick Lang told local news outlet, northeastnow.com that Eisner drove positive initiatives for Melfort.

“Jack did identify some things he wanted to see with respect to progress in Melfort and he stepped forward and took the reins, and by that I mean he put his name forward to run for mayor in the community, he won, and that enabled him to do things that a normal person doesn’t get to do. So certainly [Eisner] put a good portion of his thoughts and his life into making the city of Melfort a great place to live,” Lang said.

Eisner was laid to rest on Jan. 13.