The week of May 28 to June 1 is being celebrated by Golf Canada as the national organization partners with industry groups to drive interest and fundraising efforts in support of the Future Links Golf in Schools program.

The Adopt a School program teed off in 2009, adoptions are being attributed to close to 50 percent of the schools delivering the initiative. In 2017, 266 schools were adopted introducing the sport to an average of 120 students in each school. Overall more than 420,000 students coast-to-coast are being reached and introduced to the sport.

Golf in Schools provides programming for students from grades 1 to 12. More details on the program can be found here. Golf Saskatchewan is purchasing an elementary school kit as well as an intermediate kit.

A few years ago, the staff and volunteers involved with the Lampman Golf Course knew something had to be done to save their facility.

Two seasons ago the club removed their sand and oil greens and replaced them with professionally designed and installed artificial turf putting surfaces. The club installed one artificial green on a pilot project basis which was a hit among the local members. President Blaise Fornwald said the surfaces won’t be mistaken for grass but are a solid, feasible replacement for small clubs.

“Everyone we talked to said they were alright, the greens aren’t like grass. They are harder to land on and stick. Members and the people that use the artificial greens like them though, they putt nice,” Fornwald said.

The course in Lampman was financially able to install grass greens but Fornwald said the long-term maintenance is tough for a small group of volunteers. The artificial turf needs to be brushed regularly, the club has a machine to keep up with the cleaning. He said the installation of the greens has made their club viable again.

“For sure, on the weekends now we have lots of people coming out, and lots of different people,” he said. “The greens have definitely turned the club around.”

Alberta based Mirage Putting Greens is the company that installed the surfaces for the Lampman course. President Randy Steinley said the Lampman project was the largest concept they’ve undertaken in the province. He said with over 60 sand and oil greens in Saskatchewan the market is ideal for the upgrades.

“It’s a good concept, there are a lot of sand greens still around,” Steinley said. “The feasibility, maintenance, and water supplies make it tough to keep grass greens with the budget they have.”

Mirage’s product comes with a 10-year guarantee and require only a cover when it comes to protecting the surface through Saskatchewan’s treacherous winter season.

Steinley said his company works with many private course and home owners in Alberta installing backyard putting surfaces or par-3 courses. He said the success and feedback provided by the Lampman users is opening doors to other courses in Saskatchewan.

“We’ve had interest from Grenfell, Beaver Flats, some other courses have also expressed interest,” Steinley said.

The company first started developing the surfaces in 1998.

Canadian PGA golfer David Hearn along with Kia Canada Inc. are teaming up to battle Alzheimer’s disease once again this year.

In 2015, Hearn, 38, launched his Foundation focusing on supporting the Alzheimer Society of Canada. The Foundation aims to increase awareness, improve care for those in need, and reducing the impact of the disease by raising funds and providing services to individuals and families.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2018 grant program with assistance from Kia Canada. The program is open to all junior golfers in Canada. The two winners will receive $4,500 each to contribute to an Alzheimer Society of their choice. The two recipients will also be invited to play in the 2018 David Hearn Foundation Charity Classic in Brantford, Ont. and $500 to spend at Golftown. Besides being a Canadian resident, applicants must be under 18-years-old on July 30, enrolled in school, and involved in the sport of golf including a junior program, member of a course, taking lessons or attending a camp. There is an essay portion of the application as well asking entrants to explain why they should be chosen to support a certain Alzheimer’s Society chapter.

The deadline to apply is June 19, the winners will be chosen on July 4 and announced on July 6. Applications can be downloaded here.

Tucked into the trees north of Nipawin is the Rolling Pines Golf Course, a nine-hole grass green facility privately owned by the Arnst family.

Larry and Debbie Arnst are into their 11^th season owning the course carved into a pine ridge in Saskatchewan’s forest. The couple has had a successful decade long tenure owning the course but this year they wanted to add a feature not seen around many clubs. Years prior to the Arnst’s opening the course, they saw a tower built onto a clubhouse at a course in Mexico. Larry shelved the idea until this year, with some help from an employee at the course and other volunteers they constructed a 50’ high lookout tower. He said they wanted something that would stand out.

“It’s something unique that will hopefully pull the people in. Where we are we are kind of at the end of the line for most traffic in Saskatchewan, so we thought if we want to make this a success we need to be unique,” Arnst said.

The tower consists of three floors, the top one is approximately 35’ above the ground. The tower is constructed from local spruce trees, some 20” to 30” in diameter. The structure isn’t quite complete, the stairs are built but need to be attached, the railings are yet to be finished and the floors will be liquid-proofed. Arnst said the idea is for people to enjoy the view of the course and surrounding scenery while enjoying a drink or meal. A meeting space is also something they are contemplating. Arnst said the tower is a great compliment to their rustic layout.

“A lot of land movement, there’s a lot of up-and-down, it’s deceiving because all the farm land around it is flat. For every up there is a down, some of our downs really go down. It’s not your basic flatter style course, there’s also lots of trees that some people curse and others like,” he said.

The Arnst family runs a smaller operation but Larry does have dreams of expanding to 18 holes. He has done some preliminary work on more fairways but for the time being he said it’s not financially feasible.

“We have one of the prettiest nine-hole courses in the province and if we went to 18 it would be the same just because of the lay of the land,” he said.

Rolling Pines was recently named the bronze winner in Golf West Magazine Reader’s Choice award for favourite Saskatchewan golf course.

Rule 23-1 – Why Sand and Loose Soil are Not Loose Impediments off the Putting Green

QUESTION:
What is the reason why sand and loose soil are not loose impediments off the putting green? Why can’t I remove them from the area of my intended swing?

ANSWER:
Sand and loose soil are part of the earth. Permitting the player to remove sand and soil other than on the putting green would inevitably lead to situations in which the player would be at liberty to remove a great deal of earth from the area of his intended swing and stance, improving the lie beyond the extent that should be permitted. Additionally, the putting green is an area specifically designed for putting and sand and loose soil are not commonplace on such a surface.

Reminder 1, in Saskatchewan, a putting surface may consist of oiled prepared sand. The Rule above does not make the sand movable as it is the putting surface. The sand may be smoothed prior to putting and then roughened in preparation for the next group at the completion of the hole.

Reminder 2, in the situation above, if another player plays prior to you and splashes sand over your intended area of swing, stance or direction of play, under the rules, the player is entitled to the lie she/he had prior to the play of the other person. In this instance, a player could remove the sand from the rough and fringe (off the green).

With over $3.6 million raised in the last decade, Saskatoon based Synergy 8 is looking to build on that total this August.

The not-for-profit group formed 10 years ago after several Saskatoon residents with a passion for golf joined forces with the common goal of giving back to the community. Synergy began with an event featuring Hockey Hall of Fame member Ray Bourgue. Heading into the second year of the association’s major fundraising initiative the group turned the focus to golf. John Daly was the first guest speaker they brought in from the sport. The colourful Daly was a huge success, over the years Nick Price, Tom Watson, Fred Couples, and Colin Montgomerie have made guest appearances. Synergy 8 member Rob Lozinski said the veteran golfers the group has brought to Saskatoon have been outstanding.

“Some of the young guys haven’t been around long enough to tell any really good tales,” he said. “I can say every guy we’ve brought in has been fantastic, they’ve all had great stories to tell.”

This year’s special guests include two-time US Open champion Retief Goosen, CBS analyst Gary McCord, and Fox Sports reporter Holly Saunders. The golf tournament is sold out again this year, 60 teams will take part using all 27 holes at the Willows. Dinner tickets are still available. Lozinski says they are expecting approximately 850 people at the gala at Prairieland Park. He said the community support has been spectacular through out their 10 years.

“I don’t think there is a year we haven’t sold out the golf, that says a lot about the community and golf in general. We have had lots of groups come on and do matching sponsorships and anonymous donations,” Lozinski said.

In the past the funds generated have gone to Ronald McDonald House, the Cancer Society, the YMCA, Saskatoon Health Region, and more. This year the recipient will be the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital. The money will be used to purchase pediatric cardiac care equipment.

You can purchase tickets for the Aug. 8 event here.

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – Brooke Henderson made a late run at the Kingsmill Championship on Sunday, missing out on a three-person playoff by one stroke . The Smiths Falls, Ont., native finished the rain-shortened event at 13 under par to collect a fourth place finish.

“I just had a lot of great energy today. I started off with three birdies right off the start. Felt like I could really go low today, which is a great feeling,” said Henderson. “I came up a little bit short this week, but just to be in the hunt again and to feel that kind of adrenaline and to see my name at the top of leaderboard, it’s always a lot of fun.”

Henderson made it interesting down the stretch with three consecutive birdies in her last four holes, making a charge at the leaders.

“Yeah, it was pretty awesome. I just felt like — I was in the groove, and I felt like I could make birdies and I could make a charge, so I’m really happy I was able to do that,” added Henderson.

Highlights from @BrookeHenderson’s final-round 65 at the @KingsmillLPGA ??? pic.twitter.com/4kSBOW7M1n

— Golf Canada (@TheGolfCanada) May 21, 2018

Ariya Jutanugarn arrived at Kingsmill Championship with no expectations, and it was a strategy that paid off handsomely.

The 22-year-old Thai star birdied the second hole of a playoff Sunday to win the LPGA Tour event for the second time in three years.

“I’m going to say I didn’t expect anything this week because I think I have been playing … very good like the last few tournaments and I’m still not winning the tournaments,” she said. “So show up this week, I just tell myself I’m not going to expect anything. I’m going to really focus on the things under my control and make sure I’m going to have good commitment every shot.”

“When I’m thinking about winning, I never win,” Jutanugarn said. She became the 12th winner in as many events on the tour this season.

Jutanugarn closed with a 5-under 66 to match Nasa Hataoka (67) and In Gee Chun (68) at 14-under 199.

Jutanugarn and Hataoka both birdied the first extra hole, with Chun dropping out. The 19-year-old Hataoka putted first on the second extra hole and missed badly from just off the back of the 18th green before Jutanugarn rolled in a 15-footer for her eighth career victory.

“I couldn’t believe I played in a playoff in such an early stage in my career,” Hataoka said. “I’m just going to try to keep going for the rest of the year.”

Jutanugarn’s older sister, Moriya, won the HUGEL-JTBC Championship in Los Angeles in April for her first LPGA Tour victory

Jutanugarn started the day two shots behind Chun and used a stretch of five birdies in six holes to build a two-shot lead before making bogey at the par-5 15th,, one of the easiest holes on the course.

“After that I got a little bit mad, but my caddie just told me … we can’t go back and change anything,” she said. “All we can do is just what we have now. Try to hit a good shot.”

Hataoka, playing with Chun in the final threesome, birdied No. 15 to join Jutanugarn at 14 under, and Chun made a long birdie putt on the par-3 17th to also get to 14 under.

It was the eighth top 10 finish of the season for Jutanugarn, the only player on the women’s tour to have made the cut in every event she’s played.

It was the fourth playoff in the history of the tournament.

The tournament was cut from 72 holes to 54 when rain washed out play Saturday.

Megan Khang was fifth after her third straight 67.

Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., finished at 3 under, while Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., was at 1 over.

.@BrookeHenderson on her 4th place finish at the @KingsmillLPGA ???? pic.twitter.com/M0oUeV0w3p

— CP Women’s Open (@cpwomensopen) May 21, 2018

The Great Canadian East-West Contest is back for 2018, giving one lucky draw winner the golf trip of a lifetime to one of Canada’s most renowned golf courses. This year will include an all-expenses-paid trip for two to either Bear Mountain Golf & Country Club in B.C., or Kingswood Golf & Country Club in N.B.

The winner is drawn from all score entries posted by Golf Canada members from April 1 – Oct. 31, 2018. Each additional score posted counts for an additional entry. In addition to the golf, the winner will receive:

• Four nights accommodation at hotel near chosen golf course
• Round trip airfare (with either Delta or WestJet)
• Five-day car rental (with National/Enterprise)
• One hour lesson and one round of golf with the PGA of Canada professional
• $500 spending money

In 2017, the Great Canadian East-West Contest came to an end Oct. 31, with North Vancouver’s Patrick Lloyd winning the draw amongst over 7 million scores posted by Golf Canada members.

As the winner, Lloyd was given the choice of a golf vacation for two in 2018 to the Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club (also in B.C.) or The Links at Crowbush Cove in Morell, P.E.I.

Lloyd, a member of Seymour Golf & Country Club in North Vancouver, B.C., will head east to Crowbush Cove alongside wife Linda this summer.

Click here for contest details.

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.