There was no silver medal for Creighton’s Lauren Fox at this year’s provincial high school girls golf championship, the grade 11 student is good as gold.

Fox, 16, followed her second-place finish at last year’s provincial championship with a seven-stroke win over Carey McLean at the North Battleford Golf and Country Club on Sept. 21 and 22. Not only did the players battle each other over 36 holes, they were forced to fend off Mother Nature and a snow storm that blew through the Western side of Saskatchewan leading up to the event. Fox said her, and the competitors adjusted during round one.

“All the girls in my group had to switch to coloured balls,” she explained to Golf Saskatchewan. “I played yellow, someone played pink and another used purple. When the ball was lying on the ground you had be right next to it to see it, you couldn’t see it from afar because the snow had wrapped around the ball.”

The golfers played lift, clean, and place rules during the event. Fox shot an 85 on day one and 86 during the second round. She said her focus wasn’t on the rest of the field going into the championship round.

“I went in knowing I had a chance to do well. I didn’t pay any attention to being in first, I knew if I did I’d lose it and I’d lose my spot. I went out on the second day and I just tried to play the best golf I could. I didn’t think about the standings or my score, I just got into a zone and played my golf. I excited when I got first,” Fox said.

She also competed in the Saskatchewan Junior Girl’s Golf Championship at Moon Lake Golf and Country Club in July placing seventh overall. Fox played in the Nipawin Evergreen’s Ladies’ Championship, a two-person scramble event earlier this month. Her and partner Veronika Duchsherer tied for first and lost in a chip-off. Overall Fox said her summer on the course was positive.

“I was happy with my performance this summer. I noticed lots of improvements from the previous summer in my score, in my decision making and as a player in general. It was a good summer,” she said.

The high school provincials will be held at the TS&M Woodlawn next year where Fox finished second in 2017. She hopes to defend her title there as a grade 12 athlete.

During the winter Fox is a hockey official, she sings in her school choir, plays the piano and practices golf at a simulator at the Creighton rink.

Will Blake has capped his under-15 boys’ provincial championship with an Order of Merit (OMT) title.

The Royal Regina Golf Club member edged Kindersley’s Cort Tunall by two strokes to win the age group at the Golf Saskatchewan junior championship at Moon Lake Golf and Country Club in July. Blake said he’s ecstatic with his season.

“Oh definitely, I was really happy with how it went. It was my goal to play a lot of events and do well and I’m happy with how it ended,” he said.

Blake earned 600 OMT points for the win at the junior championship. Overall the 14-year-old played eight OMT sanctioned events between Golf Saskatchewan and the Maple Leaf Junior Tour (MJT). Taking the allowed top five performances Blake accumulated 1,360 OMT points. He said his performance at Moon Lake was a highlight of the summer.

“I’d say winning provincials was a huge highlight. It’s a big tournament and I was happy with that,” Blake said.

Blake, who has competed in tournaments since he was 12 years old won the Regina City Junior and two MJT events in his age group. He will advance into the under-19 age group next year. Blake said he’s looking forward to the challenge of competing against the likes of OMT under-19 champion Josh Nagy and runner-up Brad Moser.

“I need to play more consistently, I had a lot of good first rounds this year and not a lot of my best efforts in the second round. I think if I can gather or two rounds I can compete with them,” he said.

Blake will turn his focus to the volleyball court as part of the Martin Collegiate team, he also plays for the AA midget Regina Rangers. While keeping busy with other sports Blake expects to reach golf simulators a couple times a month over the winter. He said with three years of junior eligibility left he’s focused on a national appearance.

“That’s my ultimate goal, that’s the one tournament I want to play in as a junior,” he said.

You can see more details regarding the u-15 OMT standings here.

Estevan’s Jace Carlisle is the back-to-back provincial high school boys golf champion.

The Estevan Comprehensive School (ECS) grade 12 student shot rounds of 79 and 75 on Sept. 21 and 22 to claim his second straight title by just one stroke over ECS classmate Chase Gedak. Carlisle, 17, said winning the high school championship again was an important goal of his.

“Obviously I wanted win again, I would have liked to get the two gold medals out of it with the team division, but we had a little bit of a different squad this year. I’m just glad I defended my title. I’m pretty sure I’m the only ECS kid to win back-to-back provincial titles so it feels great,” Carlisle told Golf Saskatchewan.

In the team competition at the event hosted by the North Battleford Golf Club Prince Albert Carlton won the tournament with a total of 463, just two strokes ahead of ECS.

The 36-hole championship was challenged by a September snow storm in the region during round one. Carlisle said he used the snowy conditions to his advantage.

“I had lots of fun playing in that weather, it was the first time I have ever played conditions like that. I was soaking it all in and enjoying every minute of it. Obviously, it helped me play well and get to the top by the end of it,” he said.

Carlisle said the snow fell ahead of day one of the event. While on the 16^th tee during the opening round he explained the sky was clear for their tee shots but by the time his group reached the green their balls were almost unfindable. On hole 17 he searched for his ball for several minutes before finding it near the green, where he thought he shot it. He said by the 18^th tee box something had to be done.

“I know lots of kids had to go back to the 17^th tee box because they had no idea where their ball was off the tee. I finally realized I should get some colour on my ball so on the 18^th tee box I took out my blue Sharpie and put some colour on my ball, so I could find it in the snow,” Carlisle laughed.

Carlisle, who recalls taking up the game at the age of three has worked at the TS&M Woodlawn in Estevan for six years was busy on the Order of Merit (OMT) Tour as well as the Maple Leaf Junior Tour (MJT) this summer. He played four OMT sanctioned events earning 500 points. Carlisle said he was satisfied with his summer but wanted to place higher than 23^rd in the OMT rankings.

“It wasn’t what I wanted out of the year, I struggled with some confidence early in the year,” he said. “I played alright at the provincials until the last round. I couldn’t put three rounds together this year to put me in a good spot. I played okay this year but not up to my expectations.”

Carlisle will graduate in June from ECS and hopes to pursue a golf scholarship in the United States.

You can see the complete results from the high school results here.

Golf’s new Rules have been published by the The R&A and USGA in partnership with Golf Canada ahead of their effective date on Jan. 1, 2019.

For the first time, a new Player’s Edition of the Rules of Golf is being introduced to provide a shorter, more user-friendly version of the Rules for golfers at all levels of the game. This version, which will serve as the primary publication for all golfers, features:

• A more intuitive organization with 10 simplified topical groupings
• A “Purpose of the Rule” description at the top of each Rule, to better define why the Rule exists
• Easy-to-follow, full-colour diagrams and charts to aid in understanding
• A simpler, more direct writing style

The Player’s Edition is being launched alongside the modernized full Rules of Golf book, which includes some of the most significant changes made to the Rules in more than 60 years.

Adam Helmer, director of Rules, competitions and amateur status at Golf Canada said, “We are embarking on one of the most significant changes to the Rules of golf in the history of our sport. Today marks the start of the education process to communicate the modernized Rules with additional resources and publications available to all golfers, member facilities and referees in Canada and worldwide.”

Thomas Pagel, senior managing director, Governance for the USGA, said, “From the project’s inception, our one goal was to make the Rules easier to understand and apply for all golfers. It sets a new standard in the way we write and interpret the Rules and is central to our efforts to ensure a healthy future for golf. We look forward to continuing that process in the years to come.”

David Rickman, executive director – Governance at The R&A, said, “We are delighted to be rolling out the modernized Rules of Golf today. This is the biggest set of changes to the Rules in a generation and a major step forward in our efforts to make the Rules, and the sport itself, more accessible and more in tune with the way the modern sport is played.”

A new Official Guide to the Rules of Golf is also available in digital format and official apps today, with a printed version to be released in November. Designed for golf administrators and club officials, the Guide features Interpretations on specific Rules (which replace the current Decisions) and includes the first jointly-produced Committee Procedures document, providing practical guidance to Committees for running competitions and overseeing general play.

Another key feature is the Modified Rules of Golf for Players with Disabilities. This document is released alongside the Rules of Golf and enables players with disabilities to play fairly with other players with the same or different types of disability and, importantly, with those without disabilities. The Modified Rules were developed in close consultation with the community of players with disabilities and disability organizations.

All of the new books are available in digital formats online and a range of explanatory videos and resources is available on and websites to enable all golfers to learn about the 2019 Rules.

Extensive educational programs are being conducted around the world, with the assistance of national and regional associations, to ensure that golfers and administrators throughout amateur and professional golf are ready for the new Rules when they take effect on Jan. 1.

The process to modernize the Rules began in 2012 with the aim of making the Rules easier to understand and apply for all golfers and to help make golf more appealing and accessible for newcomers.

Some of the key changes in the new Rules include new procedures for dropping the ball when taking relief, the elimination or reduction of several penalties, relaxed putting green and bunker rules, and rules that encourage improved pace of play.

Golfers are reminded that the current Rules of Golf remain in effect for the remainder of 2018. The Rules of Amateur Status and the Rules of Equipment Standards were not part of the review process.

As an extension of its support of the Rules of Golf worldwide, Rolex has made a commitment to support The R&A and the USGA’s efforts to modernize golf’s Rules. The Swiss watchmaker’s contribution to excellence in golf is based on a rich heritage stretching back more than 50 years, forged through pivotal partnerships at every level of the sport, from the leading professional and amateur competitions and organizations to players at the pinnacle of their sport worldwide.

Click here to learn more about the Rules of golf.

Adam Helmer – Golf Canada’s director of Rules, competitions and amateur status – has been at the heart of Canadian golf championships for over 10 years.

The Ottawa native oversees the administration of over 30 championships conducted annually by Golf Canada. Among his responsibilities are refereeing the premier Canadian professional events: the RBC Canadian Open (PGA TOUR) and CP Women’s Open (LPGA Tour). In addition to the competitions, Helmer plays an integral role in the Rules of golf modernization project that goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2019.

As the lead on Rules and competitions, high on Helmer’s list of challenges is addressing pace of play.

The International Association of Golf Administrators (IAGA) has more on Helmer here.

It took a few years, but Moose Jaw’s Leighton Bearchell has his first collegiate golf tournament victory.

The 23-year-old Minot State University (MSU) student captured the JR Watkins Invitational on Sept. 25 at the Jewel Golf Club in Lake City, Minnesota by three strokes. Bearchell grew up in Moose Jaw where his dad was the assistant professional at the Hillcrest Golf Club. Bearchell said golf has always been a part of his life leading to the victory.

“I started competing when I was 13 or 14 years old through the Maple Leaf Junior Tour (MJT) and Golf Saskatchewan events,” he said. “I did pretty well in those and I ended up getting coaches interested in me to pursue college golf. It was a long road, but it’s been fun so far.”

Competing in the two-round event for the third time, Bearchell said the familiarity with the course helped him shoot 69 during round one and 73 during the second round on route to the victory. He said chasing an elusive win was well worth the result.

“It is something I’ve wanted to do since I started playing collegiate golf, it’s awesome to get this one. It was my week I guess. I was hitting the ball well, I was staying aggressive to my targets, the putts fell, it all worked out,” Bearchell said.

His college career began in 2013-14 at Wayland Baptist University in Texas. Bearchell then transferred to MSU and will graduate later this year. Despite making a move during his collegiate playing days, he said the experience has been incredible.

“It was an adjustment going from high school and living at home to living on your own in a different place. I’m pretty comfy here and I’m enjoying myself,” Bearchell said.

Next up for Bearchell and his Beaver teammates is the Cog Hill Invitational at the Cog Hill Golf Course in Lemont, Illinois. Bearchell was recognized for his performance this week by the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, he was named Athlete of the Week on Wednesday. With a few tournaments left he said he hopes to finish his career on the right track.

As for his future in golf he hopes to compete in amateur events and find a career once his schooling is complete.

“if everything goes planned I will have a degree in marketing and management and get into the real world.”

Saskatoon’s Josh Nagy has set a precedent for teenage men golfers in Saskatchewan.

Nagy, 17, won the 92^nd Junior Men’s Championship, three Maple Leaf Junior Tour (MJT) events and the Junior Lobstick this past season. Combining the Riverside Country Club member’s Order of Merit (OMT) points he won that too with 3,200 points. Nagy said winning the under-19 OMT race was important.

“It was definitely was a goal, I started the year coming in second which was a kick in the butt but after all the tournaments it was a goal and nice to reach,” Nagy said.

Nagy played in seven tournaments that are OMT regulated, by rule players take their top four tournaments plus provincials for their annual title. Nagy admitted he looked towards a title but winning a couple marquee events was overwhelming.

“I wanted to play the big ones, I wish I had played a little better at the Future Links (12^th) but definitely the provincials and the Lobstick were nice to win,” he said.

Nagy’s 3,200 points were over 1,100 more than second place Bradley Moser. Riverside’s Steven Duchscher placed third. The men’s under-19 was the widest spread race of all the championships this season. Despite the facts Nagy disputed the term of being “Saskatchewan’s best golfer under 16.”

“It’s humbling but I can’t think about that. I just go out every day and try to get better,” Nagy said.

You can see the under-19 men’s standings here.

Almost 100 high school golfers will converge on the North Battleford Golf and Country Club Friday and Saturday for the Saskatchewan High School Athletic Association provincial championship.

Over 30 schools will be represented in the field of both girls and boys’ divisions. The players contending for the championship qualified through district playdowns hosted across Saskatchewan by regional athletic conferences. Schools can have teams entered or individuals can also compete. A maximum of three boys or three girls can compete as a team.

The tournament gets underway on Friday morning, the champions will be crowned on Saturday.

You can see the complete field here.

A new age group and stiffer competition wasn’t going to deter Saskatoon’s Sarah Grieve a second straight junior girls Order of Merit (OMT) title.

Grieve, 15, was the OMT champion last year in the under-15 category, this season she won the under-19 age group. She said a second straight championship was on her mind from the start of the season.

“It definitely was my goal going into the season because I knew I would be playing all the Maple Leaf Junior Tour (MJT) events to get as much experience as possible,” Grieve told Golf Saskatchewan. “It was awesome winning the OMT, I worked really hard.”

Grieve played in seven OMT sanctioned tournaments this season, the maximum number of events that can be counted towards the standings is four plus the provincial championship where Grieve tied for third. Despite growing up at Moon Lake Golf and Country Club where her dad is a part-owner Grieve said the tournament was a struggle, but she was happy to earn a position on the national team.

“I worked really hard, I practiced every day for a couple hours going into provincials. It was a grind, but it was worth it,” she said.

Overall, Grieve accumulated 3,025 points led by 1,050 gained at the 68^th Junior Women’s Championship at Moon Lake. She won her age group in the last two MJT events of the season including the Tour Championship in Swift Current.

Grieve was one of four Saskatchewan junior women to play at the Beach Grove Golf Club in Tsawwassen, British Columbia for the Canadian Junior Girl’s Championship. She said being a part of Team Saskatchewan was a memorable moment in her young career both on and off the course.

“It was so much fun, I love the three girls (Carey McLean, Ella Kozak, Brooklin Fry) I went with, we all had a lot of fun. It was a really great experience because you get to meet so many new people there and play on courses you’ve never played before. The two girls I played with there were so nice and encouraging, it’s nice to see people from other places that are so nice, it was a great experience,” she said.

Grieve is a multi-sport athlete, she is a figure skater year-round while playing golf. She admitted it’s a toss up between the sports most days, but she said a post-secondary golf opportunity is on her radar once the grade 11 student graduates from high school.

You can see the complete under-19 girls OMT standings here.

This weekend, the Prince Albert Golf and Curling Club (PAGCC) will celebrate their 50^th anniversary.

Originally opened on Oct. 11, 1968, on Friday and Saturday the half decade history of the facility will be celebrated. Spearheaded by four Prince Albert residents in the 1960’s, the building now houses a 10-sheet curling rink, the proshop for the Cooke Municipal Golf Course, a year-round restaurant, and a lounge. Board secretary Perry Hulowski said the venue and its history are worth honouring.

“We’re probably one of the unique organizations in the province as far as golf and curling as we are under one roof operating with one name. This is a pretty special moment for us,” Hulowski said.

The facility used to operate on a member only basis, but the amenities are now open to the public. The building has rooms that can be rented for meetings and gatherings. Hulowski has been on the board of directors for four years, he said he’s played golf and curled at the venue for approximately 20 years. He said the city is looking forward to the celebration as well.

“A lot of people use the facility and it’s a big part of their life,” he said. “A lot of people retire and want to golf or curl. It’s a great place to meet people, socialize, get some exercise, the PAGCC is a special facility for us.”

On Sept. 21, a less formal event will be held featuring a meet-and-greet and reminiscing social. TSN’s ‘voice of curling’ Vic Rauter will be on hand for the event acting as the emcee. On Saturday the club will host a full-scale banquet. The four originating members of the club will be honoured during the event. Hulowski said they will recognize one of the key contributors with a dedication.

“We’re going to rename our big banquet room in the basement, the Cosmo Room. We’re going to rename it in honour of T. Gordon Thompson. We’re going to honour him, his family, and his grandson will be in attendance,” he said.

Long-time golfer Ron Stewart and curling champion Sherry Anderson will be recognized as part of the festivities. The club will also honour past presidents and provincial champions. Hulowski said the event will be a special weekend in the city.

“We only have one 50^th anniversary so we want to do it right,” he said.

Tickets are available for both nights in advance or you will be able to purchase them at the door. The cost is $20 for Friday’s social, the gala tickets are $100 which includes a catered buffet dinner and silence auction. For tickets or more information call Hulowski at 306.961.9050 or the PAGCC office at 306.765.5201.