Although she’s a course owner, Debbie Arnst admits she doesn’t play much golf, but a recent round was a lucrative one.

Debbie and her husband Larry own Rolling Pines Golf and Country Club near Tobin Lake. The nine-hole gem carved through the trees north of Nipawin hosted the Nipawin Chamber of Commerce annual scramble Friday, June 7, that’s where Arnst recorded her first ever ace, and with it a prize of $10,000.

She hit the shot into a stiff breeze from 145 yards out with her driver on hole four. She said the pin placement didn’t allow the group to see the ball drop but the witnesses provided the exciting news.

“It was sailing nice, it was on the left side of the green, the pin was more in the middle but the shot was left,” she explained. “I guess it just hit and rolled just right.”

To Arnst’s knowledge, the hole-in-one prize has never been handed out at the Chamber’s annual event that flip flops between Rolling Pines and Evergreen Golf Course.

Although around golf everyday, Arnst admits she doesn’t play lots. Friday was just her third round of the year. Debbie hopes that she can play more this year with a couple full time staff members at Rolling Pines easing hers and Larry’s workload.

“That was my third round of the year, people that golf there know I am in the clubhouse much more than I am on the golf course, but I am hoping to change that,” she added.

Leading up to the event, Thursday prior to the tournament board members and volunteers were setting up sponsor signs and other amenities when Arnst joked about what she would do if hitting the memorable shot.

“Last year I bought a small camper, and my daughter and grandkids went camping, I said oh, if I was lucky enough to win $10,000 I will buy a bigger trailer,” she said.

Sarah Henderson is the champion of the 2024 Saskatoon Women’s Amateur.

Henderson, 16, posted consecutive career low rounds in competition play shooting 77 and 76 on Saturday and Sunday at the Saskatoon Golf and Country Club (SGCC). She edged fellow SGCC member Beth Davis by three shots, claiming her first amateur win in her debut.

Kim Brown, already with the Ladies Northern title on her resume this season placed third, six shots back of Henderson.

The trio made up the final group Sunday afternoon, the field was 44 players.

The complete results can be seen here.

Henderson spoke with Golf Saskatchewan after the championship.

Ryan Mosher is the 2024 NextGen Prairie Championship winner going wire-to-wire this past weekend at the Whitewater Golf Club in Thunder Bay, Ont.

The Riverside Country Club member opened the 54-hole event with a 70 to take the lead, and he never looked back shooting two more rounds of 74 to win the championship by three shots over Josiah Tong of Heritage Pointe, Alta.

Mosher becomes the first Saskatchewan junior to win a NextGen event since Alex Swinnerton in 2022.

Mosher spoke with the media after the win.

Chloe Wills continued her solid play to start the season punching her ticket to the Canadian Junior Girls Championship (July 22-25 at Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver B.C.) with a top-five performance.

The Kyle, Sask. junior opened the event with an 81, chopped a stroke off during round two, and posted a 76 on the final day to climb one spot on the leaderboard into the top five.

Arwen Mosher was the other Saskatchewan player on the women’s side, she shot 103 and 98.

Six other junior men made the trip to Thunder Bay for the championship.

The complete results can be seen here. Golf Canada has more on the championship.

Mosher also picks up 750 points on the Men’s Under-19 Order of Merit Tour (OMT) with the win, Wills adds 375 points to her total in the Women’s Under-19 race. The standings can be found here.

For the third straight year, an Alberta golfer has taken the Senior Men’s Lobstick Championship as Calgary’s Paul Briske cooled the competition on route to the win Thursday at Waskesiu Golf Course.

The Priddis Greens Golf & Country Club member had some of Saskatchewan’s top 55-plus players chasing him down for 54 holes, but Brisk hung on to win by four shots with a three round score of 221 (71,73,77).

Rick Hallberg of Weyburn was second overall at 225 (78,70,77), and Mark Albert of Moose Jaw rounded out the top three at 228 after rounds of 76. 77, and 75.

Brad Phelps was fourth overall, Martin Ring of Prince Albert, and co-winner of the weather shortened event in 2021 was fifth.

Other flight winners:

Keith Silvernagle of Biggar is this year’s super senior (70+) champion.

He carded rounds of 74, 81, and 71 for a solid 54-hole score of 226.

Daryl Davies and Dale Marshal tied for second, eight shots back of Silvernagle.

The complete Senior Men’s Lobstick results can be seen here.

The next event on the Senior Men’s Order of Merit Tour (OMT) is the Auto Clearing Senior Men’s Championship at Moon Lake Golf and Country Club from June 18 to 20.

The standings after one event can be seen here.

Nine Saskatchewan juniors in the field

Thunder Bay, Ont.  The NextGen Prairie Championship, begins this week with a field of 84 Junior golfers set to compete at the Whitewater Golf Club in Thunder Bay, Ont.  

The starting field will feature – 64 Junior Boys and 20 Junior Girls competing for spots each into their respective Canadian Junior Championships this summer. After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the top 53 Junior Boys and top 17 Junior Girls, including ties. 

“Hosting the Golf Canada NextGen Prairie Championship is a tremendous honour for Whitewater Golf Club and for the Thunder Bay community. This event not only showcases the talent and dedication of junior golfers from across the country but also highlights the exceptional quality of our course and the natural beauty of Northwestern Ontario,” states Director of Whitewater Golf Club, Matt Simmons. “We are excited to welcome these young athletes and provide them with a challenging and memorable experience & it’s an opportunity for our club to contribute to the growth of the game, support the next generation of golfing stars, and proudly represent our region on a national stage.” 

Practice rounds are scheduled for Thursday, June 6 before the official 54-hole tournament kicks off on Friday, June 7. The tournament will conclude on Sunday, June 9 and will determine who has qualified to compete in their respective Canadian Junior Championship later this summer.  

The Whitewater Golf Club stretches north from the banks of the Kaministiquia River and is known for its two McBroom designed courses – the Forest and River – which is one of the finest 18- hole golf courses in the province.  The golf course features a chipping, putting green and a 400-yard driving range, allowing all golfers to enjoy various aspects of the game. Off course additions are continuing to be developed with a planned community of 500 homes, a resort hotel, community amenities and new recreational activities.  

“We really look forward to hosting the 2024 NextGen Prairie Championship this week. Our team of Volunteers in place strive to run an efficient and quality NextGen Championship and we certainly can’t thank you enough for travelling to Thunder Bay,” said NextGen Prairie Tournament Host Chairman, Chris Gardner. “On a deeper level, this has been a long time coming for our community and we celebrate it with respect and gratitude. We really want to show you our Northern Touch with great hospitality and genuineness at its finest. To all the competitors, I wish you so much luck but most of all I wish you great memories to take away from this Championship. Play hard and go get it.” 

This week’s tournament marks the fourth stop on the NextGen Series schedule for the 2024 golf season. The NextGen Prairie Championship is one of Golf Canada’s six regional junior championships. Kye Fisher of Leduc, Alta. and Cala Korman of Killarney, Man. claimed their respective divisions in the 2023 NextGen Prairie Championship last season. 

To follow the live leaderboard of the NextGen Prairie Championship, click here. 

About the NextGen Championships 

The NextGen Championships are a high-performance junior golf series which totals six competitions. From May to July, six championships will take place across Canada where the region’s best junior golfers will compete to earn exemptions into their respective 2024 national championships. NextGen Championships provide junior players an opportunity to develop and showcase their skills at the highest level of tournament golf 

Wildwood Golf Course in Saskatoon was this past weekend’s stop for the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour.

Over 110 players including several from Alberta and Manitoba competed in the 36-hole two-day tournament on June 1 and 2.

Grace Odnokon of Saskatoon was the winner of the girls under-15 division. The Saskatoon Golf and Country Club (SGCC) junior fired rounds of 80 and 78 to claim the win. Sienna Taylor, also from the SGCC was second at 177 (90,87).

Chloe Wills’ strong season continues, but the Kyle product was pushed in the 15 to 19 year-old girls category. Wills shot 85 and 84 on the weekend, just good enough to hold off Tayla Perry of Regina and Lethbridge, Alta golfer Grace Murphy who both finished two shots back at 171.

The peewee boys category was decided in a playoff with Casa Rio junior Kellen Hunter getting the victory edging Cooper Roberge of Lloydminster. Each posted rounds of 89 and 87, flip flopping on days however Hunter won in a playoff.

Emmett McDougall of Prince Albert placed third in the age group.

The bantam boys’ division winner was Lucas Sturgeon of Saskatoon. The 14-year-old has two championships on the MJT this season now after taking the title in Estevan back in May. Sturgeon shot 73 and 74 at Wildwood to take the division by four shots over Bennett Love of Red Deer, Alta.

Hunter Oakden of Brandon, Man. rounded out the top three.

The juvenile boys’ winner and overall champion was Jack Maharaj of Saskatoon. The 15-year-old outscored all competitors playing the course at just over 5,700 yards shooting 73 and 71 for a two-day score of 144.

Fellow Saskatonians Brady Guenther and Griffin Blanch also made the podium with scores of 148 and 153, respectively.

Casey Sliva (Red Deer, Alta) and Aricin Franklin (Saskatoon) tied at 154 to round out the top five.

The champion of the junior boys division was Ryan Chernoff from Estevan. The long time TS&M Woodlawn junior posted a score of 147 with rounds of 74 and 73, beating Solomon Ness by four strokes. Ness shot 76 on day one and 75 during the second round Sunday.

Blake Derksen and Brody Sawchyn tied for third place at 157.

Three others tied for fifth at 158.

The complete results can be seen here. The Junior Order of Merit Tour (OMT) standings are also up to date, click here to view all age groups.

The next junior event on the OMT is the NextGen Prairie Championship in Thunder Bay, Ont. beginning on June 8.

All photos courtesy Jeff Chambers.

The 2024 Saskatchewan Women’s Order of Merit Tour (OMT) is underway with some familiar names starting the season off strong in Prince Albert at the Ladies Northern.

Kim Brown of Saskatoon won the championship for the sixth time, and the Saskatoon Golf and Country Club members first since winning four in a row from 2019 to 2019, with a 36-hole score of 151 after rounds of 76 and 75 at Cooke Municipal Golf Course. Brown won the event by 10 shots over the reigning OMT champion, Kim Walker of Regina. Walker did take the senior (50+) title (pictured below) with her two round score of 161 (82,79).

Kathy Ziglo of Saskatoon and Cooke member Pauline McDougall tied for third overall after each player shot 163 over the weekend.

Rounding out the top five was Rosetown’s Sue Skinner, who was four back of the third place players at 176.

The complete results of the Ladies Northern can be seen here.

Brown earns 500 points in the OMT standings to take the early lead. Next on the schedule is the Saskatoon Women’s Open on June 8 and 9. Registration is now open.

20th Scotia Wealth Open

In Nipawin at the Evergreen Golf Course, the Scotia Wealth Open took place for the 20th time.

Saskatoon’s Chase Pochylko has his first win as an amateur after posting a second round of 67 Sunday to hold off Alex Swinnerton and Kyle Wiebe.

The 2022 Saskatchewan Junior champion finished at 5-under par. Swinnerton was 3-under (72,69), Wiebe shot 71 on day one and 72 during the second round.

A three-way tie for fourth at 144 consisted of Jerry Christiansen, Tommy Danielson, and Shawn McNall.

The complete results can be seen here.

Golf Saskatchewan spoke with Pochylko following the win, and Chair Dean Prosky following the 20th annual event.

As the world’s best golfers currently try to tackle Hamilton Golf and Country Club for the RBC Canadian Open Championship, four Royal Regina Golf Club (RRGC) members are looking back on a recent trip to the course.

Aiden Shanks, along with teammate Chad McCormick and fellow RRGC members Chris Frohlick and Dan Morin recently took part in the inaugural National Golf League National Championship in Hamilton.

Weather forced Golf Canada and the organizers to trim the event to just nine holes, but Shanks said the experience was still a fantastic one.

Shanks and McCormick tied for 18th on their nine holes (front nine) with 17 Stapleford Points. Morin and Frohlick played the back nine holes and tied for fourth with 20 points.

For details on how to get your league involved, click HERE as registration is now open across Canada.

Shanks spoke with Golf Saskatchewan about the experience, and encourages league’s across the province to get involved.

Volunteer Call: Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship in August

Riverside Country Club and the Saskatoon Golf & Country Club are honoured to host 119^th Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship presented by BDO. The Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship is one of the most esteemed events in the Golf Canada calendar, showcasing top-tier talent.

As residents of Saskatoon & area, we have the unique opportunity to not only witness exceptional golf but also to actively contribute to the success of the tournament.

Hosting a championship of this magnitude requires a dedicated team of volunteers. If you’re interested in contributing your time and expertise to ensure the smooth execution of the event, we’d love to have you on board.

Volunteers will be:

• Expected to work at least two (2) shifts (approx. 5 hours in length).
• Receiving a golf shirt and hat, as well as be provided with water and bagged lunch.

Schedule of events:

• Friday, August 2 – Qualifier (Riverside only)
• Saturday, August 3 – Official Practice Round 1 (both courses)
• Sunday, August 4 – Official Practice Round 2 (both courses)
• Monday, August 5 – Round 1 (both courses)
• Tuesday, August 6 – Round 2 (both courses)
• Wednesday, August 7 – Round 3 (Riverside only)
• Thursday, August 8 – Round 4 (Riverside only)

How to sign up:

1. Click here to go to the VOME Volunteer Registration System.
2. Set up a VOME account. Your information is private and will only be used by the Organizing Host Committee & Golf Canada.
3. Validate your VOME account by following their registration email instructions.
4. Proceed to fill out the registration form, and indicate which jobs you are interested in.

Register as a volunteer by June 12 to receive official volunteer clothing. 

Your involvement will not only enhance the championship experience but also demonstrate our city’s commitment to fostering the growth and development of the game we all love.

We believe that the 119^th Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship will be a landmark event for our city, and your support will play a crucial role in its success. Let’s come together as a community to showcase the hospitality and camaraderie of Saskatoon.

Craig Sled, Host Committee Chair
Jonny Bast, Volunteer Committee Chair

Jace Carlisle joins the list of Saskatchewan student-athletes to graduate from their school, and respective golf teams this spring, however the Estevan resident is going back.

Carlisle graduated from Post University earlier this month and is now back home in Estevan set for another summer on TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club. Degree in hand, he will return to college in the fall and conclude his career on the course with the Minot State Beavers, joining longtime Estevan friend Chase Gedak.

Beginning his collegiate journey at Lake Superior State University, then heading to Post, Carlisle has nothing but positive remarks when looking back on five years south of the border ad his excitement to join the Saskatchewan loaded Beavers golf squad in September.