It was an exciting two days in late September in both Saskatoon and Regina at the province’s two Golf Town stores.

Lisa ‘Longball’ Vlooswyk, an eight-time Canadian Long Drive champion from Calgary was in the province through her partnership with the golf retail giant.

The evening clinics were free of charge, Saskatoon had about 50 ladies attend, the Regina store welcomed over 100 women in attendance.

Golf Saskatchewan chatted with Vlooswyk after the Saskatoon clinic about her start in golf, developing into one of the best hitters in golf, and her dreams and aspirations in growing the game, especially with females.

*Editors note, Vlooswyk speaks of attending the Golf Town store in Edmonton, Alta. That event was postoned.

The team from Wascana Country Club (WCC) was the winners of the second Champions Cup held Sept. 30 at Valley Regional Park Golf Course just outside Rosthern.

Over 70 players from clubs across Saskatchewan took part in the one day 18-hole event. Players were invited if their home course hosted a club championship, and for the second straight year it was the WCC taking the overall prize.

Teams can send up to eight players, competitors compete in female and male divisions from junior (under-19) up to super senior ages, which is 60 and over for women, and 65 and older for the men.

The junior women’s winner was Chloe Wills of Kyle Saskatchewan playing out of the Sask. Landing Golf Course. Tarina Ly of the Royal Regina Golf Club won the women’s division in a playoff, Kim Walker from Wascana was the senior women’s winner and Karen Mario of Deer Valley Golf Club edged Golf Kenosee’s Loreen Wakefield in a playoff.

On the men’s side, Austin Nesbitt was the junior men’s winner, Chris Schneider of Saskatoon Golf and Country Club (SGCC) won the men’s category in a playoff over Prince Albert player Cory Selander. Rick Haller from Golf Kenosee took the senior men’s division and Chuck Hainsworth, also from the SGCC took the super senior division.

Valley Regional Park General Manager Conner McGill stepped up and hosted the event on short notice for Golf Saskatchewan. He said hosting players from across the province, some playing for the first time, was great for the course to get some exposure.

“A good dozen players, I know some were from Regina, not sure where the others were from, but when they were playing Saturday they were like, I have never played this golf course and it is amazing, we will definitely be back. That’s exciting to hear,” McGill said.

The event was Golf Saskatchewan’s final tournament of the season. The complete results can be seen here.

To see all the photos from the 2023 Champions Cup and other events, click here.

For the third straight year Yorkton’s Ella Kozak in the Saskatchewan High School Athletic Association female golf champion.

The Sacred Heart student fired rounds of 71 and 73 to win the 36-hole championship at Harbor Golf Club and Resort on Sept. 22 and 23.

Saskatoon’s Sarah Henderson was third (82, 86), and Chloe Wills of Kyle was third shooting rounds of 83 and 85.

On the male side it was Warman’s Dane Giesbrecht capping his season with the win in his first trip to Elbow. The Legends Golf Club player shot 69 on day one and 73 during the second round to win by four shots over Sucker River player Dade Bernatchez. The Eagle Point Golf Course member carded a 74 and 72 at Harbor. Saskatoon’s Ryan Mosher was third at 147 (74, 73).

The complete results can be found here.

Giesbrecht spoke with Golf Saskatchewan about the win and his summer that included a trip to the Canadian Junior Boys Championship in North Bay, Ont.

For the last half decade Regina’s Shannon Scott has organized a ladies “mystery golf day” and this year almost 50 women from the Queen City traveled to Humboldt for the event.

Last year the group hopped on the bus at the Royal Regina Golf Club, where about 65 percent of the attendees play golf regularly, and went to Willow Bunch. Scott said playing a nine hole course last year opened more possibilities for the destination this year with several guessing Wynyard Golf Club would be the stop. Scott said no one guessed they were on their way to the Humboldt Golf Club (HGC).

“I had heard good things about Humboldt, and like I thought, no one would pick that,” she said. “It’s a course that they wouldn’t go with their group of ladies or their husbands because it’s not near a resort.”

The day started with a breakfast sandwich courtesy the Royal Regina, then some rain on route to Humboldt, but the weather cooperated perfectly. Scott said the Humboldt Co-op provided sandwiches that HGC General Manager Corey Schweitzer picked up, the ladies had hot dogs at the turn, were then treated with a catered meal from the Bella Vista Inn. Scott said having the day at smaller courses allows for extras such as that and a shotgun start for the players.

“That’s what I like about the smaller courses, they can. They can add the little extras that I like to do. The first question I ask is about a shotgun start, everyone was very accommodating,” she said.

The group has a fun gift exchange during the trip for anyone that wants to take part, plus they played a trivial pursuit style game on the bus to pass the time.

Scott has the course booked for next year already. She said the popularity of the day has exceeded her expectations.

“I didn’t know it would become this popular,” she said. “I had four people on the waitlist this year and two people last year.”

The group has had good luck in recent years with the weather and the travel plans. Scott added that she does get praise from the attendees for her efforts, but Scott is quick to pass the credit.

“This was my fifth year, everyone talks so highly, I said it’s not all about me doing it. When the weather is good, and the food is good, ditto,” she concluded.

Alex Swinnerton of Saskatoon has done it again, winning for the second time this fall college season.

The Indianna University of Pennsylvania (IUP) sophomore shot rounds of 70, an incredible 64 during round two, and 69 during the final round at the Dr. Wally Edgell Invitational in Davis, W. Va. On Sept. 18 and 19. The Riverside Country Club member won by a shot (-13 overall) at the Canaan Valley Golf Club and led the Crimson Hawk team to a second-place finish.

Waskesiu Golf Course junior grad Guillermo Salazar had a great event as well assisting IUP with a fourth-overall performance. The Calgary resident carded an opening round 66, followed with a 69, and finished shooting 70 in round three for a 54-hole total of 11-under par, 205.

Next up for the team is the King Invitational on Sept. 25 in Bristol, Tenn at the Golf Club of Bristol.

A week after the Post Eagles won their team event, Jace Carlisle and the team travelled to Concord, N.H. for the SNHU Granite State Opener at Beaver Meadow Golf Club.

The Eagles won their second straight event, a first for the program since 2010. Carlisle was competing as an individual and placed 32^nd overall at 8-over par, 152 in the two-day, 36-hole event.

Post edged Assumption at the top of the team leaderboard by one.

Next up for Post is the SNHU Penman Fall Invitational at the Concord Country Club in Concord, N.H. beginning Sept. 25 and 26.

Holly Knudsen of Chaplin and Estevan player Chase Gedak alongside their Minot State University (MSU) Beaver teammates were in Hudson, Wis. on Sept. 18 and 19 for the CSP-MSU Brawl at the Troy Burne Golf Club.

Knudsen led the team with a tie for 23^rd finish shooting rounds of 77 and 87. The team was eighth.

On the men’s side, Gedak and the Beavers placed seventh overall in the team standings. Gedak shot 73 on day one and a 78 during the second round, he tied for 20^th. Teammate Zach Hendrickson tied for third.

MSU’s next scheduled event is the Watkins Fall Invitational in Bismarck, N.D. beginning Sept. 25 at The Jewel Golf Club.

Will Blake of Regina made his first fall start this year with Southern Arkansas University (SAU) at the NSU Golf Classic in Muskogee, Okla.

The Royal Regina Golf Club member carded rounds of 71, 76, and 71, good enough for a tie for 22^nd. The Muleriders team placed third in the standings in the event on Sept. 19 and 20.

On Sept. 25 and 26 SAU will be in Monkey Island, Okla. for the Shang Ri la Invitational at Shangri La Resort for their next event.

Caden Loeppky of Saskatoon continued his season with the Waldorf Warriors golf squad in Storm Lake, Iowa on Sept. 16 and 17. Competing in the BVU Fall Invite at the Lake Creek Golf Course, Loeppky opened with an 83 in round one, he chopped five shots off on day two carding a 78 for a 36-hole total of 161.

The overall scoreboard is not available. The NAIA Midwest Invitational is next for the Warriors on Sept. 25.

In Great Falls, Mont. On Sept. 18 and 19 Battleford golfer Colby Friedrich was in action. He was competing for the University of Providence at the Argo Invitational at the Meadowlark Country Club.

Friedrich tied for 13^th overall with teammate Jake Henderson at 236 (round scores not available). The team was fourth.

The Beartooth Invitational in Laurel, Mont. is next on Sept. 25 and 26.

In Bodega, Cal. on Sept. 18 and 19 Carter Bell of Saskatoon made his collegiate debut for Dominican University of California (DUC).

The Riverside Country Club member shot 77, 82, and 76 in his first event to place in a respectable tie for 27^th overall at 25-over par at The Links at Bodega Harbour.

The team was fifth overall. DUC is currently in DuPont, Wash. competing in the SMU Bishop Invitational that concludes Saturday. Bell is in the field, as is Saskatoon’s Max Regier competing for the University of British Columbia Okanagan Heat.

Chase Pochylko had a better result this week for Nicholls State University after his college debut last week.

The Saskatoon product improved from an 81^st place finish last week to a tie for 19^th at the Grover Page Classic in Jackson, Tenn on Sept. 18 and 19. He fired rounds of 71, 72, and 72, five shots behind the winner.

Nicholls as a team also got better this week placing 14^th, up from 16^th as their first event of the fall last week.

On Oct. 2 and 3 the team will be in Jonesboro, Ari. the Bubba Barnett Invitational at Ridge Point Country Club.

More players will be in action starting Sept. 25.

In the Ile-a-la Crosse area of Saskatchewan, hundreds of people enjoy the sport of golf, unfortunately the nearest course is approximately 90 minutes away in Meadow Lake.

A group of northwest Saskatchewan area First Nations has signed a memorandum of understanding to further investigate the construction of an 18-hole golf course just south of Ile-a-la Crosse on Highway 155

In August, the Sakitawak Development Corporation, alongside four First Nations including Kineepik Metis Local #9, Canoe Lake Cree First Nation, Buffalo River Dene Nation, and English River First Nation.

Graham Cooke has been hired to develop and design the 18-hole course. Cooke is behind the design of Dakota Dunes Golf Links.

Tyler Morin, the Chief Executive Officer of the Sakitawak Development Corporation hopes that shovels are in the ground in May of 2024, and the ultimate goal of the three phase development is a casino, much like Dakota Dunes.

Morin spoke with Golf Saskatchewan following the announcement in Ile La Crosse.

The fall season of college golf is in full swing both in the United States and Canada.

Jace Carlisle of Estevan didn’t shoot his best scores this week at the Franklin Pierce Fall Invitational at the Northern Spy Golf Course in Townsend, Mass. on Sept. 10 and 11, but the senior did help the Post University Eagles win their first team win of the fall season. The TS&M Woodlawn member shot 78 in round one and improved to 72 during the second round. The Eagles were 4-under par for the event.

Next up for Carlisle and the Eagles is the SNHU Granite State Opener in Concord, N.H. on Sept. 18 and 19.

Coming off a third place finish a week ago to start his final fall season, Saskatoon’s Josh Nagy tied for 31^st at the Joe Feaganes MU Invitational at the Guyan Golf and Country Club on Sept. 10 to 12. Competing with Robert Morris University, Nagy fired rounds of 71, 72, and 72 for a 54-hole total of 215, two over par.

The Colonials placed 11^th as a team. Next up for Nagy and Robert Morris is the Virtues Intercollegiate in Nashport, Oh. on Sept. 25 and 26.

Caden Loeppky of Saskatoon was in action alongside his Waldorf Warriors teammates in Marion, Iowa for the Mount Mercy University Fall Invitational. Loeppky carded rounds of 83 and 85.

The team results were not published. Loeppky is scheduled to be in the field for Waldorf’s next event on Sept. 16 and 17 for the Buena Vista Invitational.

After winning his second collegiate tournament last week, Saskatoon’s Alex Swinnerton and the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Crimson Hawks battled a tough course in Canton, Oh. for the Malone-Glenmoor Fall invitational.

Swinnerton placed tied for 19^th at 7-over par 223 (75, 73, 75) on Sept. 10 and 11. He was the team’s lowest shooter at the event hosted by the Glenmoor Country Club. Teammate and fellow Waskesiu Golf Course player Guillermo Salazar of Calgary tied for 25^th place at 10-over par 226. Salazar carded rounds of 78 and back-to-back 74’s.

The team was ninth in the championship, the team travels to West Virginia on Sept. 18 for the 54-hole Dr. Wally Edgell Invitational.

In Bemidji, Minn. On Sept. 11 and 12 the Minot State University (MSU) Beavers were competing in the Tracy Lane Memorial. Chaplin’s Holly Knudsen helped the women’s team place fourth thanks to a 13^th place finish at the Bemidji Town and Country Club. She posted rounds of 83 and 81 to finish at 20-over par.

The men’s team didn’t fair as well placing 11^th at the event. Estevan’s Chase Gedak led the way for the Beavers going 78-75 and tying for 32^nd place.

MSU is in Hudson, Wis. on Sept. 18 and 19 for the CSP-MSU Fall Brawl at the Troy Burne Golf Club.

In Butte, Mont. Battleford product Colby Friedrich competed in his first event with the University of Providence Argos. He led the team placing 10^th at 224. The team was sixth.

Next up is the Argo Invitational in Great Falls, Mont. on Sept. 18 at the Meadowlark Country Club.

Nipawin product Cole Taylor made his collegiate debut competing as an individual alongside the Park University Gilbert Buccaneers. The Evergreen Golf Course staff member shot back-to-back rounds of 79 at the South Mountain Community College Invitational at the Aguila Golf Club in Laveen, Ariz.

The Bucs will be in Sunrise, Ariz. on Sept. 25 for the OUAZ Invitational for their next event. Nipawin’s Nick Kitchen is also attending Park.

Also making their collegiate debuts were Saskatoon’s Chase Pochylko and Tommy Danielson for the Nicholls State University. Competing at the Argent Financial Classic in Choudrant, La. from Sept. 10 to 12 Pochylko shot 77, 74, and 78, at 13-over par 229 he was tied for 81^st, Danielson shot 80, 86, and 78, he was 93^rd.

The Nicholls team was 16^th. They are Jackson, Tenn. for the Grover Page Classic on Sept. 18 for their next event.

North of the border, Symone Ripley, Hunter Kutcher, and Max Regier were in Kelowna for the Battle at the Bear competing for the University of British Columbia Okanagan Heat (UBCO).

Ripley shot 87 in round one and 85 on day two to finish at 26-over par, the Saskatoon product was 18^th. The women’s Heat team ran away with the team competition winning by 23 strokes over the University of Victoria.

On the men’s side both Kutcher and Regier tied for 19^th at 9-over par. Regina’s Kutcher shot 77 and 76 at the Kelowna Golf Club on Sept. 11 and 12. Regier, making his college debut fired a 76 on day one and 77 during the second round.

Josh Guthrie of Prince Albert was also in the field competing for the University of Alberta, he shot 76 and 74 at the event, he was tied for 11^th.

The men’s UCBO #1 team consisting of the Saskatoon duo was third, Guthrie and his teammates from Edmonton were sixth.

The Saint Martin’s Invitational in Lacey, Wash. Is next for the Heat on Sept. 22.

A large number of events featuring other Saskatchewan student-athletes will start on Sept. 18.

Golf Saskatchewan is returning to Nipawin’s Evergreen Golf Course next July for a provincial championship event.

The 2024 Senior and Men’s Mid-Masters (40+) will be hosted by the club from July 23 to 25 next year. Golf Saskatchewan last hosted an event in Nipawin in 2019 when the Saskatchewan Junior Championships were hosted by Evergreen. General Manager Derek Tallon said hosting a championship is always exciting for the club.

“Having the opportunity to host a Golf Saskatchewan provincial championship is an honour that not many facilities get,” Tallon stated. “It is a chance for us to showcase the high quality golf course we have. Our course management team, staff, and members put a lot of effort into providing a first class golf experience and this is a way to share with guests from across Saskatchewan.”

The Senior Women’s Championships were held at the Evergreen in 1995, the events were separate then. The Senior Men’s Championships have never been hosted in Nipawin. The course was the venue for the 2023 Golf Canada NextGen Prairie Championship which produced rave reviews from all players and attendees. Kevin Duchscherer is the president of both the Evergreen and Golf Saskatchewan. He is also a senior competitor that plays in the event every year. He said hosting the championships next July is invigorating.

“The members of the Nipawin Evergreen Golf Course are very excited to host these Championships in 2024. We are confident our course will be a challenging test for Saskatchewan’s golfers playing in both the senior championships and the men’s over 40 category,” Duchscherer said.

Golf Saskatchewan is finalizing the schedule for 2024 now and will have more announcements in the following weeks.

Registration for all the championships in 2024 will open on the first official day of the golf season, April 15.

The Canadian Senior Men’s Championship concluded in Pemberton, B.C. Friday with Swift Current’s Brent Wotypka being the top local finishing in 40th position.

The Elmwood Golf Club member started the event hosted by the Big Sky Golf and Country Club from Sept. 1 to 4 with a 77 on day one, Wotypka carded a solid 73 on day two to make the cut. He went on to post a 75 during the third round and an 81 to cap the event on Friday. Wotypka finished at 18-over par, 306 for the championship to lead the local contingent. His stellar performance left him in seventh in the super-senior (65+) division as well.

Saskatchewan senior champion Rick Hallberg tied for 59th at 25-over par, 313. The Golf Kenosee player posted rounds of 75, 79, 79, and 80.

Delisle’s Colin Coben and Marty Ring of Prince Albert both made the cut and played all 72 holes as well. Coben was 64th at 27-over par, 315 (74, 76, 79, 86) while Ring bookended his four rounds with 80’s, the Cooke Municipal Golf Course member shot par (72) during round two, he carded an 87 during round three, he placed tied for 67th.

Four other Saskatchewan players made the trip to Pemberton for the championships.

Cliff Selander of Prince Albert shot rounds of 80 and 81, Trent Kachur of Christopher Lake and another Cooke member shot 80 and 84, Brad Phelps of Saskatoon shot 82 and 88, Nipawin golfer Dave Christiansen carded an 84 and 88.

Team Saskatchewan (Hallberg, Phelps, Selander) was eighth in the 36-hole inter-provincial competition that concluded last Tuesday.

That concluded the national championship schedule for amateur events in 2023.

The 2023 Autumn college season has started in the United States and Saskatoon’s Alex Swinnerton has found the top of the podium to start his sophomore season.

Swinnerton won an event in April for his first collegiate win with Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), now the Riverside Country Club member has another victory on his resume. Opening the season at the Glade Springs Kickoff in Charleston, West Virginia on Sept. 5 – 6. Swinnerton found himself on top the leaderboard after 36 holes on day one with back-to-back rounds of 68 before cruising to the win with a 75 in round three to claim the win.

The victory earned Swinnerton his fourth PSAC men’s golfer of the week award.

Guillermo Salazar, a Calgary product who played junior golf at Waskesiu with Swinnerton also competes for IUP, he posted rounds of 75, 80, and 84.

The Crimson Hawks were second overall as a team. Next up for Swinnerton and Salazar is the Malone-Glenmoor Invitational this weekend in Canton, Ohio.

Josh Nagy of Saskatoon has began his final fall season with Robert Morris University. The reigning Saskatchewan Amateur champion tied for third at the Colonial Shootout in Richmond, Kentucky on Aug. 30 – Sept. 1. Nagy carded rounds of 71, 68, and 68 to finish at 207.

The Colonials were eighth as a team. RMU travels to Barboursville, West Virginia this weekend for the Joe Feaganes Marshall Invitational.

Chase Gedak of Estevan made a solid first impression on his new teammates south of the border. After transferring from University of Arkansas at Monticello to Minot State University this summer, the Beavers were in Minnesota State, Mankato for the Maverick Invitational on Aug. 28 – 29. The Golf Kenosee member carded rounds of 78 and 67, good enough to finish eighth overall in the tournament and help the Beavers claim third in the team battle. Gedak’s 67 is the second lowest round in MSU Div. II golf history.

Chaplin’s Holly Knudsen placed 12th overall for the women Beavers’ squad thanks to back-to-back rounds of 83 at the Maverick Invitational.

The lady Beavers team was also third. Next up for Gedak and Knudsen is the Bemidji State Men’s Fall Invitational starting Monday.

Results from the events are not available due to a web issue with Spikemark.

Many other players will begin the season this weekend including Saskatoon’s Tommy Danielson and Chase Pochylko. The duo will compete for Div. 1 Nicholls State University for the first time after committing in the summer.

Golf Saskatchewan spoke with the two freshman this week ahead of their debuts that Danielson had to wait for the news on.

To follow along with all the Saskatchewan student athletes click here.