Royal Regina Golf Club (RRGC) members Don and Joan Nevill have shared a lifetime of memories and happiness for over a century in the Queen City.

This season marks the 60^th consecutive year Don has been a RRGC member, for Joan she is on year 50. The couple says they still play three rounds a week. They got married in 1959, the first year Don purchased a membership. Joan spent the first ten years raising their three children. She then joined in 1969. Don said the RRGC has always been accommodating.

“It has a great atmosphere and it was good for families. It allowed us to play together,” he told RRGC marketing manager Sarah Cooke in a recent interview.

The Nevill’s had both a daughter and son become junior champions at the course. Joan said when the kids were young she’d drop them off at the course and they’d play 54 holes per day in the summer. She said enjoying their time at the RRGC as a family is special.

“We used to go in the family events they held, oh my gosh we had a wonderful time playing in those,” she beamed.

Don, 82, amazingly still walks the course carrying his bag when he plays. He said staying active is an important part of playing the game.

“I have to something more out of it, it’s worked well,” he said.

Joan said they like to bring guests to the club. Special events such as the Mother’s and Father’s Day brunches are annual get-togethers for them and their family. She said she appreciates the time her and Don can still share on the historic course.

“It’s something we can still do together,” she said.

Rule of the Week May 13 – 19

Rule 6-5 – Lines or arrows used to mark your ball?

QUESTION: It is recommended placing an identification mark on my golf ball. May I use a line or an arrow that will also help me align the club face?

ANSWER: Rules 6-5 (the player; ball) and 12-2 (searching for and lifting the ball) state that each player should put an identification mark on his ball. Thus, the rules do not limit the type of markings a player may put on the ball (i.e. arrows, lines, words, etc.). Additionally, there is no penalty for using such lines to “line up” prior to a stroke on the putting green or any place else on the course; à except the items below.

Decision 12-2/2 – Touching and Rotating Half-Buried Ball in Rough for Identification Purposes

QUESTION: A ball is buried in the rough. Dave announced his intention in advance to his opponent, marker, or fellow competitor. The player, for the reason to identify the ball, touches and rotates it. In doing so Dave identifies the ball as his ball. Is there a penalty?
ANSWER: Yes, for touching the ball other than as provided for in the Rules (Rule 18-2). Under Rules 12-2 and 20-1, a ball may be lifted (or touched and rotated) for identification purposes after its position has been marked. If the Dave had marked the position of the ball before rotating it, there would have been no penalty, assuming the rotating did not result in the ball being cleaned beyond the extent necessary to identify it.

20-3a/2 – Using Line on Ball for Alignment

QUESTION: May a player draw a line on his ball and, when replacing his ball, position the ball so that the line or the trademark on the ball is aimed to indicate the line of play?

ANSWER: Yes.

18-2/33 – Rotating Ball on Putting Green Without Marking Position

QUESTION: A player rotates his ball on the putting green to line up the trademark with the hole. He did not lift the ball, mark its position or change its position. Is there a penalty?

ANSWER: Yes, one stroke for touching the ball other than as provided for in the Rules (Rule 18-2). Under Rules 16-1b and 20-1, a ball on the putting green may be lifted (or touched and rotated) after its position has been marked. If the player had marked the position of the ball before rotating it, there would have been no penalty.

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Happy golfing and remember the Rules of Golf Matter

In just over three months the world’s best players on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tour will converge on Regina for a marquee tournament.

The CP Women’s Open is slated for the Wascana Golf and Country Club from Aug. 20 to 26. Golf Canada Tournament Director Ryan Paul said the Wascana was visited a few years ago by representatives seeking a location for the 2018 event. He said the course differs from most clubs on their tour, but the scores will be difficult to go real low.

“Compared to other courses across the country it’s really flat and there isn’t much contour to it,” Paul said. “The wind and rough will make it a challenging event and show scores that we like to see in a national open.”

92 of the top 100 players on the LPGA money list are expected to be in the field of 156. The $2.25 million purse is the largest of any tournament outside the Tour Championship and four majors. Paul said the golf itself is spectacular to watch but the whole weeklong event is worth experiencing.

“We have a lot of interactive activities through our partners, a good food experience with trucks. The one thing I like to stress with the LPGA is that the players are very approachable, they really are thankful for the spectators and the sponsors,” Paul said.

Ticket prices start at $15 for practice rounds at the start of the week. Tournament single day passes are $45, a four-day pass starts at $90.

CP has decided the charity of choice from proceeds of the event will be the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon. For the tournament to be a success, a lengthy list of volunteers will be needed. Paul said registration has gone well but they are still searching.

“We do require 1,200 volunteers to run the event, they are truly the backbone of everything that happens. Without the help of people, we wouldn’t be able to make this work, with that many you can understand why,” Paul said.

There is a small fee to volunteer, however several perks are included. Volunteers are mostly asked for a 24-hour period. They will receive some CP Women’s Open swag, have grounds access for the event plus a guest pass. More information can be found here.

The event will be televised in over 200 countries worldwide.

Students at Cabri School recently had a chance for an exciting afternoon of golf without leaving their gymnasium.

Four years ago, Elmwood Golf and Country Club professional Jeff Chambers launched his own version of Golf in Schools. Last week he visited Cabri for his first stop of the spring season. Chambers said the goal of the program is providing exposure to the game.

“I want to make sure kids have an opportunity to put a golf club in their hand even though it looks like a plastic toy because I do it in a gym,” he said. “Just to know golf is fun and to try a swing.”

Golf Canada has a nationwide platform and tools incorporated into the initiative. Chambers has altered his approach somewhat and provides his own equipment. In the four years of the “pilot” project’s existence Chambers has visited over 30 schools and an estimated 1,000 kids. He is based in Swift Current, as the province becomes more diversified he said his work becomes even more special.

“I think it’s really cool I get to introduce a new form of game they’ve never seen before,” he said.

Chambers has visited Cabri in the past. Some athletes from the school travel 45 minutes to Swift Current and take lessons from Chambers at the Elmwood. He said seeing the other students and hearing about them taking up the game make the hours worth it.

“If I can get them to want to go golfing with their grandma and grandpa or mom and dad next time they go, that’s what I’m all about. I learned to golf with my family, it was totally family for me and I’m trying to recreate that,” Chambers said.

If your school is interested in a visit from Chambers, he can be contacted at the Elmwood G & CC.

A message to @TheGolfCanada from some kids from Cabri, SK that were introduced to the game of golf during one of my Golf in Schools visits recently @PGASask @elmwoodgolf @pgaofcanada @GolfSK @ChinookSD #GrowGolf #KidsGolf #GolfInSchools #BigSmiles pic.twitter.com/kflopbOncC

— Jeff Chambers Golf (@chambersgolf) May 11, 2018

The 2018 Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour made a stop in Portage la Prairie, Man. on the weekend for the IMG Junior Worlds/USKG Qualifier. A trio of Saskatchewan golfers were winners in their age categories, there was seven divisions overall in the two-round tournament.

Yorkton’s Ella Kozak was the Under-15 winner, the 12-year-old shot 86 and 88 for a total of 174, 24 strokes up on the second-place finisher. She earns 300 points in the Order of Merit (OOM) standings.

In the Juvenile boy’s category, Saskatoon twin brothers Josh and Cole Nagy finished 1-2, posting two-day scores of 145 and 149 respectively. Josh earns 300 points in the OOM standings, Cole received 225 points. Estevan golfer Jace Carlisle scored back-to-back 77’s, nine back of the leader to finish in third place. Chase Gedak finished tied for 5^th carding 159, Drew Fenwick placed 14^th overall shooting a solid 85 and 86, both are from Estevan.

Deer Valley’s Cole Obrigewitsch was the Junior Boys champion. Obrigewitsch, 18, shot 74 in the first-round and 77 on day-two. Obrigewitsch picked up the maximum 300 points in the OOM race as well. He finished six strokes up on the second-place golfer who shot 157. Reegan Robinson, another Estevan athlete finished the tournament in third posting a 160 score.

In the other division featuring Saskatchewan golfers, Wawota’s Theoren West was the top local finisher placing 9^th in the boys Bantam. The 14-year-old fired 167 on the weekend, that was four strokes less than Yorkton’s Jackson Long who claimed 10^th place. Radville product Davin Bourassa was 13^th with 187.

Estevan’s Woodlawn Golf Club will host the first Saskatchewan based OOM series tournament May 19 and 20.

The province’s High Performance Golf Team met for a two-day skills and training camp last weekend in Regina focusing on a number of areas ahead of the 2018 season.

The team was put in place a year ago to help Golf Saskatchewan send the best possible representatives to the Canada Games. Instructor Jason Schneider said the overall goal is to orchestrate better golfers between the ages of 15 to 18.

“In the long run it’s about developing elite athletes, so we can perform at the national level,” Schneider said.

Day one on May 5 was spent at the Royal Regina Golf Club where the team worked on putting, their short game, wedge shots, ball speed, and their long game. Saturday featured an 18-hole round before Sunday focused on fitness and a green reading computer program called AIMPOINT. Schneider said the team was focused after being assembled on a qualifying based system.

“It was based on certain events and how they finished. They received points and then at the end of the year we invited those who were at the top,” he explained.

Jacob Kydd, Carey McLean, TJ Baker, Cole Obrigewitsch, and Reegan Robinson make up the HTP roster. The weekend’s instructors were Schneider, Garret McMillan, Lisa Hoffart, Tanner White, and Kevin Dietz. Overall Schneider said the camp was beneficial ahead of the Maple Leaf Junior Tour starts in Estevan on May 19 and 20.

“I thought the camp went really well, we put in two pretty long days,” he said. “We had a lot of stations and 18 holes of golf. Sunday was awesome, we did our second fitness testing so we able to compare them to January when the athletes first got tested.”

There are six scheduled Maple Leaf Tour events this season plus the national championship in Phoenix, Arizona from Nov. 8 to 11.

The provincial government is reminding residents to “be emergency ready.”

Saskatchewan is joining other provinces proclaiming May 6 to 12 as Emergency Preparedness Week. In recent years the province has experienced severe events such as wildfires, floods, and severe weather events. Golfers could easily be affected by several emergency situations themselves. Adam Helmer, Director of Rules, Competitions and Amateur Status, sits on the Health and Safety Committee for Golf Canada. He said for sanctioned tournaments protocols are in place for emergency situations. He said private and community owned courses have their own responsibilities to keep golfers safe.

“For day-to-day play it’s the responsibilityof the golf course to put up signs and make players aware of anything potentially going on in the area whether it’s severe weather or wildlife that could put people at risk,” he said.

Dangerous wildlife isn’t a key concern for Saskatchewan golf courses, in many cases damage from deer and other animals is more of an issue than safety. Severe weather can move into a region without much warning in the province. Helmer said again, the course itself needs to have plans in place to warn golfers and a plan to get them off the course as quickly as possible.

“At Golf Canada events we’re very cautious, depending on how far the storm is away we’ll blow the horn and get everyone off the course well in advance of any threat,” Helmer said. “It varies with clubs in terms of what they use in terms of sophistication for tracking storm systems and if they have a siren or alarm on the course. We subscribe to an online system that is used by meteorologists on the PGA and LPGA Tours to ensure we are protecting players, volunteers, spectators and staff”

Avoiding high ground or isolated trees, staying away from water, doors, windows, and metal objects. Seek shelter inside a building or within a vehicle if possible, do not use a golf cart for protection. If you are in an open area during a storm, lie in a low-lying area, if you are surrounded by trees seek safety in a low area under a group of smaller trees.

Health is also a concern on a golf course. Sometimes medical treatment may be a significant distance from a golf course. Helmer said Golf Canada is working with courses to be equipped with Automated External Defibrillators (AED’s).

“Hockey Canada has done a good job in this area educating the industry to encourage people to have defibrillators in rinks and we’ve all heard the stories of adult hockey leagues or someone going into cardiac arrest on the ice. It can happen in golf too, even if you are just a few holes away, an AED or knowing CPR could save someone’s life,” he said.

So why haven’t you?

Adopted a school, that is.

As a prospective adopter of a school, you may think you need to be a corporate giant like Golf Town, which has adopted almost 100 schools, or the formidable twosome of Golf Lab founder Liam Mucklow, a well-known champion of junior golf, who along with auto sales magnate Edward Wong has done the same for almost 20.

Or maybe, as a facility or a PGA of Canada professional, you are overawed by Manitoba’s Golf Mentor Academy, the 2017 Future Links, driven by Acura, Facility of the Year.  Thanks to the dedication of PGA of Canada professionals Glen Sirkis and Adam Boge, they welcomed more than 2,000 juniors to their facility last year.

Well-deserved kudos to all of them and the other companies and facilities who have supported the Adopt a School program, part of Golf Canada’s comprehensive Golf in Schools initiative over the past decade.

But you, as an individual golfer, a pro, a golf course or a range, can play just as a vital role in reaching out to youngsters in your area to share the joy and lifelong benefits of golf. Your reasons without a doubt will be as individual as your golf swing.

Maybe you’re like Jim Clark who grew up in the small town of Midland, Ont., with a bunch of sports-mad kids, including Bill Hack Jr. They played every sport available to them, but golf was special for many reasons, not the least of which was that Bill’s dad ran the Midland Golf and Country Club.

Bill Jr. passed away from cancer earlier this year. It tore the fabric of the longtime group of friends. Clark wanted to do something to commemorate their pal. Adopt a School was the answer.

“We were together all the time, from kindergarten through high school, and we stayed close after. So when Bill passed, I thought, ‘What would he want? How can we commemorate him? I reached out to the old gang and asked them to contribute a few bucks each. So we all chipped in.”

“Chipping in” provided the funds to adopt the elementary school they all attended. With the support of a local course, there are a bunch of kids who will be introduced to the game this year. Mr. Hack would be proud.

Wong, Senior Managing Partner of Alta Nissan in York Region north of Toronto, took up golf as an adult when he realized how essential it was to his business interests. Taking lessons from Mucklow, he became entranced not only with the game, but with the opportunity offered by Golf Canada to share the game with kids, an opportunity he didn’t have as a youngster.

His passion is evident. “Do you like children? Do you like to see them experience new things? Do you like to see them to excel? Then you must get involved.”

Wong is sincere when he says his company wants nothing back from their investment, which includes the recent opening of a junior development facility at King Valley Golf Club in King City, Ont. “We’re not looking for a financial return on all this. We really want to give something back to the community and to golf. That’s a bit revolutionary from a marketing perspective.”

And a fine example for others.

To put a spin on a famous saying: Don’t ask what the game can do for you. Ask what you can do for the game.

Adopt a School is a component of the national Future Links Golf in Schools, driven by Acura program, an umbrella junior development initiative created by Golf Canada in conjunction with the PGA of Canada and PHE Canada with support from the National Golf Course Owners Association of Canada as a program partner. It provides golf facilities, companies and individuals with the opportunity to “adopt” one or more schools of their choosing to introduce the Golf in Schools program at that school. (Schools can also enroll in the program on their own.)

Since the program’s inception in 2009, adoptions have accounted for almost half of the more than 3,500 registered schools delivering the Golf in Schools curriculum to almost 420,000 students. Last year, 266 new schools were adopted, introducing golf to an average of 120 students per school.

Much responsibility rests with the country’s golf facilities and golfers to make this program succeed.

Why? Because, ideally, each school is linked with a green-grass facility like a course or a range and none of this is feasible without financial support from golfers like you. (Financial assistance is available from Golf Canada to facilities which want to support this through the Get Linked program.

Facilities that have linked to schools have reported significant increases from the business side, such as memberships, lessons and food and beverage, as well as the long-term gratification of enhancing the ongoing vitality of the game. Participating teachers at “adopted” schools laud the program for its emphasis not just on golf but on developing affiliated values such as perseverance, etiquette, character and honesty.

As an added bonus, the Canadian Seniors Golf Association (CSGA) has generously continued their matching program during Adopt a School Week. For the first 30 adoptions, any golf facility, PGA of Canada professional or individual who “adopts” a school into the Golf in Schools program from May 28 to June 1 will see their adoption matched with a school of their choice. This matching grant is possible due to Golf Canada’s partnership with the CSGA.

Donations can also be made in-store at local Golf Town locations across Canada during Adopt a School Week.

So whether your support helps develop the next PGA TOUR or LPGA Tour star or just gets kids in your community interested in the game you love or commemorates a friend, you can take justifiable pride in the fact that you’ve given back to the game.

As Clark says, “It’s not expensive and it’s so easy to do. You don’t have to do it on your own. Get the people you golf with all the time to chip in. You need people who care about the future of the game to fund it, and it’s not expensive in the least, an engaged teacher at the school who doesn’t have to be a golfer necessarily, and a facility to support it.”

The result “will give you goose bumps,” says Wong.

Learn more about Adopt a School Week by clicking here.

Canadian culture extends its arms to welcome people of all race, ethnicity and background. A nation rooted in diversity, accessibility and inclusiveness has molded Canada into the one of the most accepting nations in the world. Now golf—with a new pilot program aligning junior golf life skills with student learning outcomes—is taking steps to make the sport more accessible in First Nations communities.

Golf Canada, working in conjunction with the PGA of Canada and The University of Ottawa, has partnered with Indigenous Northern Affairs of Canada (INAC) to pilot the Future Links Driven by Acura Golf in Schools program at Alexander First Nations, a community northwest of Edmonton, Alta.

A first of its kind pilot program integrating golf’s Life Skills with student learning outcomes, the Golf in Schools pilot ran from January through April at the Kipohtakaw Education Centre, supporting school curriculum and community engagement of students through golf.

For Golf Canada Chief Sport Officer Jeff Thompson, the Alexander First Nations pilot is an important step and learning opportunity in the continued growth of golf among underrepresented communities across Canada.

“First Nations engagement with golf represents an important growth opportunity for our sport in communities across Canada and we are extremely proud to be conducting this initiative in partnership with Indigenous Northern Affairs of Canada,” said Thompson. “Earlier this year Golf Canada proudly embraced a new policy around Inclusiveness, Accessibility and Diversity. This pilot program supported by INAC is a meaningful application of that policy which we believe has great potential to connect Golf Canada and our partners with more First Nations golfers and make the sport more inclusive.”

Vice Principal Suzzy Park shares her thoughts on the new #FutureLinks First Nations Pilot program ⛳️ pic.twitter.com/Rxklt3qEO3

— Golf Canada (@TheGolfCanada) May 9, 2018

In February, the PGA of Canada partnered with Golf Canada to host a Community Golf Coach workshop with eight participants at the education centre in Alexander. Over two days, teachers and community members were trained in golf fundamentals and tactics to help establish a safe, welcoming environment for junior golfers.

“With many people in Alexander golfing regularly and loving the sport, it made sense to partner with the PGA of Canada and Golf Canada to allow for growth of the sport in the community,” said Jody Kootenay, Director of Education with Alexander First Nations. “We have some amazing youth who could very well take their love of golf and make it more competitive. We wanted to allow for the sport to have not only coaches available to the youth, but to start showcasing pathways for the golfer who is just starting out—we wanted to ensure our children had that chance.”

An important feature of the Golf in Schools program is the Life Skills component which focuses on transferrable lessons—both interpersonal and intrapersonal—that can be applied outside the golf space in peer groups, at home, and within the community.

The Intrapersonal Life Skills—perseverance, goal-setting and emotional regulation—are meant to instill focus while the Interpersonal Life Skills—honesty, teamwork and respect—embody a sense of sportspersonship.

The University of Ottawa led the introduction of Life Skills integration with Golf in Schools and have since identified areas where the transfer of Life Skills are made in everyday activity. A student survey was conducted prior to the Alexander First Nations pilot to further the understanding of Life Skills applications in Canadian communities.

“Working with the Alexander First Nations was a meaningful step forward as we look to further expand the reach of golf in Canada,” said Glenn Cundari, Technical Director with the PGA of Canada. “We both learned a lot from each other and had some good laughs along the way.”

More than 50 students at the Kipohtakaw Education Centre are participating in the daily Golf in Schools unit during their Physical Education classes. Golf Canada and the PGA of Canada are working to organize a teaching professional to deliver an in-school lesson as part of the Get Linked initiative, ultimately strengthening the golf community in Alexander.

The Golf in Schools program is equipped with a teacher-friendly learning resource to assist in the delivery of lesson plans for six components: Learning Outcomes, Equipment, Warm-Up, Task Development, Closure and Method of Assessment. The kit includes safe, age-appropriate golf equipment for all three tiers of the program: elementary, intermediate and high school.

Along with partners @pgaofcanada & @ottawa.university, we’re proud to launch the #FutureLinks First Nations pilot with Alexander First Nations ⛳️⛳️

A post shared by Golf Canada (@thegolfcanada) on May 9, 2018 at 11:39am PDT

As the Alexander First Nations pilot nears completion, Golf Canada is investigating opportunities to partner with additional First Nations communities to help grow the game. Since the launch of the pilot, nearly a dozen First Nations communities have expressed interest in integrating golf into their community programming.

To learn more about the First Nations golf initiatives or submit an application for consideration, please contact Adam Hunter, Golf Canada’s Manager, Grow the Game at ahunter@golfcanada.ca

Travelling the world for work isn’t for everybody, but for Yorkton’s David Kirstuik the opportunity has allowed him to experience golf at its finest across the globe.

The Deer Park Golf Course member became a fan of golf in the late 1990’s while he worked in Toronto. His career took him overseas to the South of France where his love for the sport flourished. Kirstuik’s job called for him to work on weekends but he took “full advantage” of the La Grande Motte Golf Club during days off. Admittedly Kirstuik became a better fan than player. He said attending an event in Beijing in 2005 was the start of something special.

“The first professional golf tournament I attended was the Volkswagen Masters China on the Asian Tour,” he said. “I was living in Beijing at the time and a golfing friend gave me a free ticket, Retief Goosen won.”

Since then the now retired Kirstuik has attended the HSBC WGC Shanghai, RBC Canadian Opens at Shaugnessy, Royal Montreal, Hamilton Golf and Country Club, and Glen Abby on three occasions. He’s seen The Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, The Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, The Open at St Andrews, The Shaw Charity Classic in Calgary, The Ryder Cup at Medinah, The Honda LPGA in Thailand, and The Masters five different times. He said the trips allow him to stay in touch with people across the world.

“My work took me all over the world, so I made friends in many countries.  I try to combine attending golf tournaments with visiting friends and other tourism,” Kirstuik said.

During a recent trip to The Masters, Kirstuik wore a Saskatchewan Roughriders hat and was serenaded with “green is the colour, football is the game” from a trio of lady golf fans. Kirstuik said wearing Rider green is a fast way to make friends.

“You meet a lot of Canadians all over the world when you wear your Rider green,” he said.

Kirstuik doesn’t have a favourite event to attend but The Masters at Augusta, Georgia and The Open at St. Andrews do stand out. Kirstuik has had the chance to play some remarkable championship courses as well including Torrey Pines, Bay Hill, and Siam Country Club Old Course. He said he’s a “high handicapper” so playing these courses makes you appreciate how good the professionals are.

“These courses are very difficult even from the front tees where I play from and make you appreciate how good the pros are playing from the tips. Occasionally, you see them shank or four putt and realize that they are human too,” Kirstuik said.

Golfing at the Old Course, which will host the 150^th Open in 2021 is on Kirstuik’s bucket list. He’s scheduled to play St. Andrews in August of next year. The next professional event he’s attending is the CP Women’s Open at Wascana Golf and Country Club in Regina. He will be a volunteer scorer during the tournament. He said the LPGA tour stop in Regina is a fantastic chance for people to take in a top-notch tournament.

“This is a great opportunity for Saskatchewan golfers to see some great golf. Anyone who has not attended an event should take advantage of this event,” he said.