As the weather turns and the golf season ends in Saskatchewan players are seeking an indoor option to keep their game on track for the winter and now a new option is available in Nipawin.

Locals Trevor and Becky Demmans are the proud owners of Game Day Simulators. Trevor was a star for the Nipawin Hawks Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League team before leaving for university and a lengthy professional career. He said when he was back in his hometown the family didn’t have a lot of entertainment options for their kids and he wanted to change that in the town.

“Growing up, birthday parties and stuff like that you look for stuff to do, there wasn’t much available in the hometown,” he told Golf Saskatchewan. “I just thought this would add an extra aspect where people don’t have to drive to do a family event like that.”

The two simulators Demmans purchased have over 30 course options for people to play. The number is lower than many golf simulators usually offer, but he found another enticing system.

“I stumbled on to this multi-sport simulator with the golf,” he explained. “You can do anything from hockey, football, baseball, dodgeball, shooting with guns, it’s a blast.”

The Demmans opened the facility in May of this year. The timing seems to not suit a business benefitting from Saskatchewan’s lengthy winters, but Trevor said the spring unveiling was part of their plan.

“The community has supported it awesome. We had a grand opening closest to the pin the other weekend, businesses supported it with prizes. Everyone is behind it, and we really appreciate everything the community has done for us,” Trevor said.

Nipawin is home to one of Saskatchewan’s top golf courses, the Evergreen Golf Course. The club closed for the season on Thanksgiving Monday. Trevor said with colder weather on the way, and the Evergreen shuttered for the season expansion is a possibility.

“We have two simulators for right now, but we have a growth opportunity to go to three if this winter is good. I fully expect it should be busy,” he said.

To learn more about Game Day Simulators visit their Facebook page or call 306.812.6336.

The PGA of Saskatchewan has announced the nominees for their 2022 awards and Golf Saskatchewan’s own Steve Ryde is nominated in two categories.

Ryde just concluded his fourth season with Golf Saskatchewan in the role of Manager of Sport Development and Tournament Director. His efforts, including coaching the Saskatchewan teams at the Canadian Junior Boys Championship in Kamloops and Team Saskatchewan at the Canada Summer Games in Niagara, Ontario earned him a nomination in the Coach of the Year and Junior Leader of the Year categories.

“On behalf of Golf Saskatchewan I would like to recognize and congratulate one of our own, Steve Ryde, a full time employee with us for his nominations by the PGA of Saskatchewan in the categories of Junior Leader of the Year and Coach of the Year. It’s very well deserved,” said Golf Saskatchewan President Larry Wagman.

Six awards will be handed out on Oct. 25 at the PGA of Saskatchewan Buying Show in Saskatoon.

The Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) announced the award winners for the 2022 season on Oct. 13.

The 2022 MJT Junior Tour Order of Merit winners each receive a Certificate of Achievement and a Herschel prize pack, along with an additional $200 towards expenses of participation in the MJT National Championship for those attending.

The Saskatchewan winners are:

Girls U15 | Grace Odnokon (Saskatoon)
Girls 15-19 | Hallie Crozier (Regina)
Boys 12-under | Lucas Sturgeon (Saskatoon)
Boys 13-14 | Jack Maharaj (Saskatoon)
Boys 15-16 | Darien Herlick (Weyburn)
Boys 17-19 | Chase Pochylko (Saskatoon)

The 2022 MJT Mini Tour (12U) Order of Merit winners each receive a Certificate of Achievement and a complimentary MJT Membership in 2023.

The Saskatchewan winners are:

Girls 8-under | Makinlee McCrystal (Regina)
Girls 9-10 | Alyxa Melsted (Wynyard)
Girls 11-12 | Miranda Merriman (La Ronge)
Boys 8-under | Hudson Deibert (Regina)
Boys 9-10 | Keaton Kreklewich (Melville)
Boys 11-12 | Tylan Wallin (Humboldt)

An additional $12,000 in scholarship monies is also to be awarded to twelve other MJT members for the 2022 MJT Herrendorf Family Foundation scholarships. The tour will be announcing the winners shortly.

The MJT National Championship will occur over the Remembrance Day long weekend in Florida.

On Oct. 1 at the Royal Regina Golf Club, four contributors to the sport in the province were honoured and inducted into the Saskatchewan Golf Hall of Fame.

After a couple years of postponements, the 2020 and 2021 classes are now being inducted with a pair of banquets. In Regina Melodie Lawrek, Bruce Klaassen, Ken Rodgers, and Lindsay Bernakevitch were officially inducted.

Klaassen is a long time Royal Regina Superintendent that his since retired from the position. He said being enshrined into the Hall of Fame was unassuming during his induction.

“I am so humbled, and so thankful to Saskatchewan golf, this isn’t something I ever aspired for but I am just humbled,” Klaassen said.

Bernakevitch couldn’t attend the gala, he is currently the head golf professional at the Victoria Golf Club. His father Wayne Bernakevitch accepted the honour on his son’s behalf. The elder Bernakevitch shared some of Lindsay’s words on the importance of staying close to your roots.

“Golf has given me the chance to travel the whole world, but I have never met folks as warm, sincere, and hospitable as they are in Saskatchewan. I very much still consider Saskatchewan home, I say I live in Victoria, but I am from Saskatchewan. I want to thank all the inductees, and this is something I will always cherish,” Bernakevitch said.

Just over 50 people attended the gala at the Royal Regina. On Oct. 22 four more inductees will be honoured including Brad Birnie, Pat Buglass, Brad Phelps, and Blaine Fagnou.

Tickets for the second gala at Riverside Country Club are available here.

For more details on the Saskatchewan Golf Hall of Fame including the nomination process and the inductees click here.

Josh Nagy has a college golf win to add to his impressive resume.

Competing for Robert Morris University (RMU) the Saskatoon product won the Bucknell Fall Invitational in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania on Tuesday. Nagy shot back-to-back rounds of 71 before going low with a 66 in the final round to win the event by two shots.

Nagy led his team to a silver medal as well. The Colonials have one tournament left before the Christmas break, that’s the Nassau Intercollegiate in Glen Cove, New York on Oct. 25 and 26.

He joined Golf Saskatchewan’s Clark Stork to discuss the win.

Connor Scissons came close to his first college victory this week in Prescott, Arizona. The Arizona Cristian University (ACU) senior finished in second place at the ERAU Co-Ed Invitational at Antelope Hills North Course. The Saskatoon native shot rounds of 68, 74, and 72 to come just two strokes shy of the win.

The Firestorm team collected a bronze medal at the event held on Oct. 8 to 10. ACU’s next action is the Firestorm Fall Invite in Buckeye, Arizona on Nov. 7 and 8.

In Watertown, Connecticut the Post University Eagles and Estevan’s Jace Carlisle were competing in the Eagles Invitational this week. Carlisle tied for 17^th at 10-over par 223 (74, 74 75).

The team lost a playoff for the golf medal in the squad competition. The Eagles have one last event scheduled before the winter break, that’s the Sacred Heart Invitational in Milford, Connecticut on Oct. 16 and 17.

There was a small Saskatchewan reunion in El Dorado, Arkansas this week during the 2022 Arkansas Collegiate Invite with four players from the province competing.

Regina’s Will Blake made his college debut playing for the Southern Arkansas University (SAU) Muleriders ‘B’ squad at the event held at Mystic Creek. Blake shot rounds of 88, 79, and 83 to tie for 60^th position. Teammate Luke Cote, also of Regina was in the field playing for SAU’s ‘A’ team in the tournament. Cote finished in 59^th place at 248 (81, 81, 86) while the team was third. Blake’s team was 12^th.

The University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM) was also in the field including Estevan’s Chase Gedak and Prince Albert’s TJ Baker. Gedak tied with Blake for 60^th (80, 86, 84) while Baker was 69^th after rounds of 90, 86, and 84. The Weevils team placed 13^th.

Next up for UAM is the Lyon Fall Invitational on Oct. 31 to Nov. 1. The Muleriders have the Tulsa Cup coming up on Oct. 24 and 25 in Tulsa. Oklahoma.

Saskatoon’s Will Danielson is coming off a collegiate win last week for Milsaps College. This week didn’t go as well as Danielson placed 105^th in the Oglethorpe Fall Invitational at Royal Lakes Golf and Country Club in Flowery Branch, Georgia. He shot 83 in round one and 80 in the second round for a 36-hole total of 163. The Majors were 18^th as a team.

Next up for Danielson is the Carey Gulf Shore Invitational in Gulf Shores, Alabama at The Peninsula Golf Club on Oct. 24 and 25.

Holly Knudsen of Chaplin wrapped up the fall portion of her schedule with the Minot State Beavers this week in Larchwood, Iowa for the Sioux Falls Invitational at Grand Falls Golf Course. Knudsen tied for 12^th at 33-over par (86, 91). The Beavers were fifth as a team.

Alex Swinnerton, Guillermo Salazar, and the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Crimson Hawks were in action this week in a tune up event ahead of their conference championship. In Danville, Pennsylvania on Oct. 10 at Frosty Valley Resort Salazar shot 78, the Calgary product and Waskesiu Golf Course member tied for 13^th, Swinnerton tied for 22^nd with an 81.

The team was fourth overall, the Eagles begin the PSAC Championship on Friday in Lebanon, Pennsylvania.

Earlier this month the Canada West Golf Championships were held at Cordova Bay Golf Course in Victoria, British Columbia.

Several Saskatchewan players were in the field playing for their respective schools including Saskatoon’s Micah Tangjerd who was competing for the University of Regina team that made it’s debut at the event.

Tangjerd finished in 25th place in the men’s competition alongside teammates Adam Husli, Brennan Riddle, Scott Mickowski, and Carter Bell.

The team finished in ninth place overall. The university also has two women competing at the event including Brittany Poitras and Morgan McKay.

Tangjerd joined Golf Saskatchewan to discuss the U of R team, their accomplishment of just attending the Canada West Championship and the goal of the newly formed golf program.

Regina’s Hunter Kutcher was the top local at the event the Royal Regina Golf Club member shot 76 and 79 to finish in 22nd at his Canada West debut for the UBC Okanagan Heat based in Kelowna.

Prince Albert’s Josh Guthrie competes for the University of Alberta, he placed 29th at 16-over par, 158 (76, 82).

The complete results can be seen here.

Saskatoon’s Will Danielson has a college win on his resume.

Competing in a fall tri-match with two other schools and Danielson’s Milsaps college teammates he shot 1-under par, 71 in the one day event to claim the victory by three shots over the field. The sophomore said he’s excited to get a college championship.

“Last year was my first year at Milsaps and I expected a lot as a first year and I didn’t get that,” he told Golf Saskatchewan. “This year is starting to come together nicely, and it feels great to get the first one under the belt.”

Admittedly Danielson has had up and down results since beginning his college career, but he said something clicked recently and his confidence is building.

“We had a tournament in Tennessee the week before and I went 75, 69 in that so I kind of knew something clicked and I started to have a certain feeling that was working,” he said.

Next up for the Majors is the Oglethorpe Fall Invitational on Oct. 10 and 11 at Royal Lakes Country Club in Georgia. Danielson said he is excited to continue his elevation among the team and produce good scores.

“We leave for Atlanta on Saturday and it’s just nice to know I am one of those guys that can produce those types of scores and not be like I’m number five or six and just playing. I am on the team, I am actually contributing, it just feels good,” he added.

Taking advantage of her final year at Lewis-Clarke State, Regina’s Alex Schmidt has another top-five placing in a collegiate tournament. Schmidt posted rounds of 76, 76, and 74 at the Sterling Grove Golf and Country Club in Sunrise, Arizona on Monday and Tuesday.

She was six shots back of the winner, as a team the Warriors were fourth in the OUAZ Fall Invite.

Lewis-Clarke’s next event is the RMC Intercollegiate, but that’s not until March 7 and 8.

In the men’s field at the OUAZ Fall Invite, Saskatoon’s Connor Scissons tied for seventh. The Arizona Christian University senior posted rounds of 75, 73, and the tournament low for the final round, 67. The Riverside Country Club member led the Firestorm to a fourth place finish in the team division.

The next event for Scissons is the Embry-Riddle Fall Invite in Prescott, Arizona on Oct. 9 – 10.

Holly Knudsen is making the most of her fall season at Minot State. Competing in the Yellowjacket Fall Classic in Billings. Montana the Chaplin product tied for 10^th place. She shot a pair of 82’s to finish at 20-over par.

The Beavers were fourth as a team in the tournament. That was the school’s final golf event of the season.

Saskatoon’s Alex Swinnerton is off to a great start to his collegiate career at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP). After sixth place finish in his debut earlier this fall, he tied for fourth at the Hal Hansen Invitational in Grove City, Pennsylvania on Monday at the Grove City Country Club. The Waskesiu Golf Course member shot 75 and 74 in the 36-hole tournament, the winner was just two shots ahead.

Calgary resident and fellow Waskesiu golfer Guillermo Salazar tied for 26^th also competing for IUP. Salazar shot 80 and 75.

Swinnerton’s performance helped the Crimson Hawks tie for second in the team competition. Their next event is the PSAC Championship on Oct. 14 and 15 in Cornwall, Pennsylvania.

The Robert Morris University Colonials and Josh Nagy of Saskatoon were in action at the Tom Tontimonia Invitational in Lakewood, Ohio at the Lakewood Country Club. Nagy got better every round of the 54-hole event shooting 76, 72, 69 for a score of 4-over par, 217.

The team placed sixth in the 14-team field. Next up for RMU is the Bucknell Fall Invitational in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania on Oct. 9 – 11.

Jace Carlisle of Estevan placed 18^th at the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Championship held at the Watertown Golf Club in Watertown, Connecticut on Tuesday. The Post University junior shot 79, 78, and 79.

The Eagles took home the bronze medal at the event held over 54 holes and two days this week. Post will now prepare for their own invitational on Oct. 10 and 11 at the same club.

In Hot Springs, Arkansas a trio of Saskatchewan players were in the field for a couple schools. TJ Baker and Chase Gedak were competing for the University of Arkansas at Monticello and Luke Cote was playing for Southern Arkansas University (SAU) in the Battle for the Belt at the Hot Springs Country Club.

Baker was the top Saskatchewan finisher in the 54 hole event, the Prince Albert product shot 74, 80, and 73 to finish at 11-over par, 227. Estevan’s Gedak wasn’t far behind in 40^th place at 13-over par, 229 (75, 75, 77).

The Weevils team was 10^th.

Cote was 46^th in the event, the Royal Regina Golf Club member posted rounds of 80, 76, and 77. The Muleriders team was eighth.

All three players will likely be in the field at the upcoming 2022 Arkansas Collegiate hosted by SAU on Oct. 10 and 11.

Caden Loeppky of Saskatoon was in Galesburg, Illinois for the Knox Invitational on Oct. 1 and 2. Coming off a tie for fourth in his last event with Waldorf University Loepkky shot 83 and 80 at the Soangetaha Country Club leaving the second year student in 27^th position.

Waldorf finished in sixth as a team. The Warriors are now done until after the Christmas break.

North of the border the Canada West Golf Championships took place in Victoria, B.C. Golf Saskatchewan will have a coplete recap of that event that featured several Saskatchewan players later this week.

Saskatoon’s Don Mills usually plays a couple rounds a week, some at The Willows Club, and others around the area.

Nothing was out of the ordinary for his round with friends at The Willows Club on Monday, Sept. 26. However once hole four came the round that didn’t start well for Mills quickly turned. The 64-year-old hit his second career hole-in-one on Xena hole four. He then turned the trick again on Lakes 8.

The odds of two aces in one round in one in 52,000, Mills is the one.

Hear more from Mills who spoke to Golf Saskatchewan’s Clark Stork about the rare accomplishment.

Regina’s Alex Schmidt helped the Lewis-Clarke State College Warriors to a second-place finish at this weeks Multnomah Invitational in Carson, Washington. The fifth-year student shot 77 and 82 at Elkridge Golf Course tying for 10^th overall.

The University of British Columbia won the event with the Warriors in second, next up for Schmidt and her teammates is the Ottawa Fall Invitational in Sunrise, Arizona on Oct. 3 and 4.

Holly Knudsen continued her impressive fall run with a 12^th place finish this week at the Watkins Invitational in Lake City, Minnesota. The Minot State junior shot 91 in round one at The Jewel but rebounded nicely with an 81 in round two to jump u the leaderboard to 12^th.

The Beavers team was fourth in the tournament. The team travels to Laurel, Montana on Oct. 3 for the Yellowjacket Invitational at the Laurel Golf Club.

In Concord, New Hampshire Jace Carlisle led the way for the Post University Eagles men’s golf team. The Estevan product went 71, 75 at the Penmen Fall Invitational at Beaver Meadow Golf Course this week. Carlisle finished tied for fifth in the tournament at 2-over par, the Eagles also placed fifth as a team.

Post’s next event is the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference at Watertown Golf Club in Connecticut on Oct. 3 and 4.

Saskatoon’s Caden Loeppky has a top-five finish on his resume this fall and a team win for Waldorf University. Competing at the Waldorf Invitational at Rice Lake Golf and Country Club in Lake Mills, Iowa the Willows Club member shot 76 and finished tied for fourth at the event. The Warriors won by two shots.

Next up is the Knox Invitational on Oct. 1 and 2 in Galesburg, Illinois.

Waskesiu Golf Course member Guillermo Salazar has his first career top-five college finish early in his career at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. The Calgary product was competing as an individual at the King Invitational in Bristol, Tennessee this week and shot rounds of 73 and 67 to tie for fifth at even par.

Teammate Alex Swinnerton of Saskatoon was playing with the Crimson Hawk team at the event, the Saskatoon resident also placed well tying for 14^th at 5-over par thanks to rounds of 72 and 73 at the Bristol Country Club.

The team collected a bronze medal at the tournament. Next up for the Crimson Hawks is the Hal Hansen Invitational in Grove City, Pennsylvania on Oct. 2 and 3.

Regina’s Hunter Kutcher was in action this week for the University of British Columbia Okanagan Heat in Bellingham, Washington for the Western Washington Invitational.

The 2021 Saskatchewan Junior Champion shot rounds of 73, 75, and 77 for a 54-hole total of 225, leaving Kutcher in a tie for 49^th.

The Heat were 10^th overall in the 17-school field. The Canada West Conference Championships are next on Oct. 3 in Victoria, British Columbia at Cordova Bay Golf Course.

The team from Regina’s Wascana Country Club (WCC) battled the wind Saturday in Warman and won the first ever Saskatchewan Champions Cup.

The Legends Golf Club hosted the event that included club champions or representatives from golf courses across that hosted an event at the local level.

Teams were comprised of up to eight players, one of each gender in the junior, amateur, senior, and super-senior categories.

The WCC team including (Deb Duncan, Mark Folk, Jason Galon, Harold Klempner, Kim Walker, Tayla Perry, and Jon Kozak accumulated 146 to claim the championship.

The Legends Golf Club was second, followed by the Royal Regina Golf Club.

Over 60 competitors played in the one-day 18 hole tournament from nine different clubs.

To see the complete results, including the individual winners click here.