The TS&M Woodlawn hosted a stop on the Maple Leaf Junior Tour this weekend with hometown product Jayden Dudas stealing the show.

Dudas, 15, just edged out Saskatoon twin brothers; Cole and Josh Nagy to claim the juvenile boy’s division as well as posting the overall lowest score of 144. Dudas was two strokes back of Cole Nagy after round one but the Estevan product shot a spectacular 68 on Sunday to finish a shot up on Nagy. Josh Nagy finished third with a two-round total of 146, just a pair of shots back.

The juvenile boy’s division featured 19 athletes, all but two were from Saskatchewan.

12-year-old Yorkton golfer Ella Kozak was a winner again, she followed her Under-15 girls win in Portage la Prairie with another victory in Estevan. Kozak shot 83 and 91 for a two-round total of 174, 18 shots better than Regina’s Autumn Neiszner.

The peewee boy’s category featured another Saskatchewan athlete taking the top spot, Keaton Cote of Kindersley fired 160 over the two days claiming first by three strokes over Weyburn’s Darien Herlick.

The junior boy’s category also saw a winner from Saskatchewan, Swift Current athlete Griffin Wilson won by six strokes over Deer Valley’s Cole Obrigewitsch. Wilson shot 80 on day one but blazed through the Woodlawn on the second day carding a 69.

La Ronge product Parker Layton, 14, placed second in the bantam boy’s division. Layton shot 79 and 74 for a two-day total of 153, seven strokes back of Winnipeg’s Noah Fiks. The bantam age group featured 20 golfers, 18 from Saskatchewan.

Carey McLean was the top Saskatchewan finisher in the 15-18 girl’s division. The 16-year-old posted rounds of 88 and 84 for a two-day total of 172, she was 11 shots behind Victoria, British Columbia’s Sarah Phipps.

The next Maple Leaf Junior Tour stop in the province is in Lloydminster on June 2 and 3.

Each tournament allows players to earn points in the Order of Merit standings, see the updated rankings here.

The history of the Riverside Country Club in Saskatoon expands a century but this May long weekend, a celebration of two decades of the facility’s clubhouse renovations will take place.

Perfect golfing weather is predicted across Saskatchewan this long weekend, but this year’s Victoria Day holiday coincides with the 20^th anniversary of Riverside’s current clubhouse facility. The original clubhouse saw the installation of a telephone in the 1950’s. The plumbing, paint, and furniture was also upgraded during the decade. The course added onto the clubhouse in 1963 and expanded again in 1977. Finally, in 1997-98 a new clubhouse was constructed. Director Jana-Lyn Fairbairn said the old clubhouse wasn’t acceptable.

“The old clubhouse was a seasonal building and couldn’t be used in the winter,” Fairbairn said. “It leaked when it rained, the spaces didn’t fit our growing memberships and lockers were being shared, club storage space was at a premium and the dining areas weren’t large enough to host club or private member events.”

The Riverside hasn’t rested on their laurels, they have kept up with the industry demand for top notch facilities. Fairbairn said the club has continued with updates.

“We did a rejuvenation this winter installing new carpet and paint making it warmer and more contemporary,” she said.

The Riverside wintered well, and staff is expecting another solid year. The course will officially celebrate the 20^th anniversary of the renovations through out the weekend.

Saskatoon’s Gerry Nelson has made the most of a terrible situation.

Diagnosed with Diabetes at the age of six, the disease took his eyesight when he was 25-years-old. Shortly after becoming blind, Nelson was taken to the driving range by Dick Aiken. After hitting a bucket of balls, Nelson admitted he was hooked on the game. He said the reality of losing his eyesight wasn’t unexpected, but golf did provide some relief.

“It was a huge boost of therapy initially,” Nelson said. “When I realized this was the closest thing I could do to something I did as a sighted person, golf continued to be therapy, but I became very passionate.”

Nelson worked on his game for an entire year before he started participating in competitive tournaments. He started in Western Canada placing second in his first competitive event. He went on to win numerous provincial blind golfing titles along the way. Nelson is currently preparing for his third World Blind Golf Championship in Rome, Italy. Previously he has placed fifth and third at the event. He’s currently ranked fifth in the world.

The game of golf has allowed Nelson to travel to Japan on four occasions, he’s been to the United Kingdom six times, he’s travelled to Scotland for events and various destinations across North America. He said dealing with a health scare or traumatic event doesn’t have to take over your life.

“If someone thinks their life is bad, seniors with macular degeneration or kids, anyone in between, you can still play this game,” he said. “Get a golf club and a pair of eyes to guide you, that’s all it takes.”

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help raise funds for Nelson and his guide, Chris Villeneuve to represent Canada in Rome in September. The pair is on the hook for all the expenses associated with competing at the event. Prior to travelling to Italy, Nelson will take part in the Western Canadian Blind Golf Championships as well as the Canadian Open in Truro, Nova Scotia this summer. Overall, Nelson said having the right mindset allows success at any level of any discipline.

“Hang in there, don’t quit, no matter what life throws at you, anything is possible,” he said.

Off the course, Nelson is the president of Blind Golf Canada and sits on the board of directors for the International Blind Golf Association.

The top junior golfers from across Saskatchewan and surrounding provinces will take over the Woodlawn Golf Club on May 19 and 20. The Maple Leaf Junior Tour (MJT) will begin their Saskatchewan stops in Estevan Saturday. General Manager of the course, Amanda Minchin said despite the club’s late opening the course is in great shape to start the season.

“The course is in solid shape, like everybody we got a late start,” she said. “Even with this dry spell we’re still pretty green too.”

The 18-hole-course will vary from over 6,200 yards to just over 5,000 depending on the age and division of the expected 70 competitors. Among the field will be the Woodlawn team including Jace Carlisle, Reegan Robinson, Chase Gedak and Drew Fenwick. All four competed last weekend in an MJT event in Portage la Prairie. Minchin expects the group to continue their strong start to the season.

“The Woodlawn team performed really well last week. The team will work hard on their home course this weekend, put up good scores and build on their start to the season” she said.

Estevan’s premier course last hosted an MJT event two years ago. The tour is part of the Order of Merit standing system that accumulates through out the season leading to a national event. The deadline to register is today.

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.