It’s been nine years between championships, but Abra Thompson is a Ladies Lobstick winner again.

The Saskatoon golfer was the third seed this passed week at Waskesiu and defeated Beth Davis, Kathy Ziglo, and Kim Brown to win her second Ladies’ Lobstick and first since 2016.

The final match against Brown went to a playoff that Thompson won with a birdie on the first hole, 17 at the Waskesiu Golf Course. Brown started the match up two after the first couple holes, but Thompson bounced back even being down by three holes at one point. Brown tied the match on hole 18 to force a playoff Thompson won.

To see the complete results of the Ladies’ Lobstick click here.

Thompson spoke to Golf Saskatchewan after the win.

Ethan Hunter will be bringing home some hardware from the Canada Summer Games (CSG).

In St. John’s, Nfld., the Casa Rio, Sask. product carded rounds of 74, 75, 80, and 74 to finish third in the men’s golf championship hosted at Bally Haly Golf and Country Club, good enough to reach the podium. Hunter’s achievement is the first medal for a Saskatchewan player at the CSG since golf’s inception in 2009.

Ryan Mosher of Saskatoon placed eighth in the championship.

In the women’s event Saskatoon’s Grace Odnokon was eighth at 322 (81,86,77,78) while Tayla Perry of Regina was 15th at 351 (94,89,88,80).

In the overall team championship Saskatchewan was sixth.

To see all the results click here.

A fundraising initiative started in 2015 in the United States is coming to Saskatoon in support of Golf Canada’s Youth on Course program.

Youth on Course is an program that allows members to play participating courses for just $5. On August 28 at Silverwood Golf Course, participants will raise funds and walk 100 holes all in support of Youth on Course. Golf Canada’s National Manager of Youth on Course and Events, Nathalie Mihalek said the program helps provide youth with access to affordable golf.

“The funds raised support Youth on Course, helping to break down financial barriers by subsidizing rounds of golf for youth. All the funds raised will support Youth on Course on the prairies,” she said.

The par-3 course in Saskatoon’s northeast end will open their front nine holes for the day. Participants will play 11 rounds and then all attendees will conclude the event with the 100^th hole.

“Hikers will rally support from their network to help raise funds and donate to their challenge of playing 100 holes. This is all to support the mission of making golf more affordable and accessible.” Mihalek added.

Three golf courses in Saskatchewan currently offer Youth on Course. Valleyview Golf Club in Delisle, Deer Valley Golf Club north of Regina and Harbor Golf and RV Park in Elbow. Mihalek said the long-term benefit for clubs is juniors continuing to play into their adult years.

“For clubs, the benefit is to create positive relationships with juniors so when they age out of Youth on Course, they will continue to play the track with friends and family,” she said.

To register for the 100 Hole Hike click here.

Gold, silver and bronze medals are up for grabs across individual and team competitions

ST. JOHN’S, Nfld. – The 2025 Canada Summer Games gets underway this week at Bally Haly Country Club in St. John’s, Nfld. and will feature a field of 44 players, 10 provinces and a territory battle for gold in the tournament’s golf event August 19-22.  

Both a team and individual competition will run concurrently over 72 holes, the former grouping a pair of male and female players from the same province together to battle for medals in a mixed-gender team competition. The lowest score from a player of each gender will represent the team’s total score following the conclusion of each round.  

“We are thrilled to be involved with Canada Summer Games and gather some of our country’s best young talent for four days of competition at the Bally Haly Country Club,” said Daniel Suppa, Tournament Director, Golf Canada. “The Games is a world-class competition, with hospitality and elite performance across multiple sports and we are excited to be part of their delivery of these experiences through the energy and excitement that golf brings to this country.”  

Competing for Saskatchewan is Grace Odnokon, Tayla Perry, Ethan Hunter, and Ryan Mosher.

Golf debuted at the Canada Summer Games in 2009 and has featured in every summer program since, fostering a growing list of alumni over the years that currently boasts the likes of five-time RBC Canadian Open participant Eugene Wong and current Team Canada members Myles Creighton, Étienne Papineau, Brigitte Thibault and Monet Chun.  

Team British Columbia (B.C.) will look to defend their top spot on the podium for a second-consecutive Games after clinching gold in the team competition at both the Winnipeg 2017 Canada Summer Games and Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games. The province’s latest trip to the tournament reeled in a historic performance that saw Team B.C. win gold in all three competitions for the third time in four attempts.  

The defending champions will be represented by Yanling (Elaine) Liu of Vancouver, B.C., Yeeun (Jenny) Kwon of Vancouver, B.C., Alex Zhang of Richmond, B.C. and Austin Krahn of Christina Lakes, B.C. Krahn is a member of Team Canada’s NextGen program and has pocketed a trio of wins this summer ahead of the Summer Games. Liu and Kwon have also garnered wins in 2025, topping the leaderboard at the NextGen Pacific Championship and NextGen Western Championship respectively.  

The group will be rivaled both in their individual and team endeavors by a strong field that includes past provincial winners and experienced competitors making their second appearance at the tournament.  

Carlee Meilleur of Lansdowne, Ont. and Leonie Tavares of Saint-Jérôme, Que. each teed off in the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games, the former securing bronze in the women’s individual competition and securing one of three podium finishes for her province. Both players will represent Ontario and Quebec respectively at this year’s Summer Games in St. John’s.  

Other notables on the male front include Spence Mott of Brandon, Man. and Cole Stewart of Fall River, N.S. The two enter the Summer Games with momentum having each claimed a junior championship last month in their home province, including a title for Mott at the 2025 Manitoba Junior Boys Championship and a NextGen Atlantic Championship for Stewart. 

Yukon will be the only territorial representation at the Summer Games and will feature Alayna May Mortimer, Sloane Tarapaski and two brothers: Braylen and Sawyer Tessier. Braylen won the territory’s Junior Golf Championship in 2024 and is the younger brother to Sawyer.   

Additionally, the field will feature a sister duo as Mila and Freya Snook of Portugal Cove, Nfld. who are set to represent Newfoundland and Labrador at this week’s Summer Games. The twins have the rare luxury of playing the 2025 Summer Games at their home course and enter the tournament with more familiarity of the course than any other player in the field. Both have won the Ladies Club Championship at Bally Haly Golf Club in the past in addition to claiming notable awards and honors in their community.  

Bally Haly Country Club will kick off 72 holes of competition on Tuesday, August 19. Throughout the week, players will descend on the property’s South Championship Course, a par-72 course that provides a diverse and dynamic layout through its picturesque natural surroundings.  

To view the full list of participating players, tee times and updated leaderboards on each of the three competitions throughout the week, please click here.  

Dade Bernatchez has been attending the Junior Lobstick at Waskesiu for eight years, now the Sucker River is a champion.

Bernatchez, 18, was the 12th seed after the qualifier earlier this week. He went on to Greyson de Padua, Braeden Kozak, Wyatt Nelson, and Bennett Scissons to win the historic championship.

He spoke Friday after the championship.

To see the complete result of the junior men’s Lobstick click here.

This year’s winners of the Saskatchewan Women’s Rosebowl is the Regina area team of Karen Weisbrod and Karen Mario.

The long running women’s 4-ball event was hosted by Lynbrook Golf Club in Moose Jaw on Aug. 13 and 14 with 36 players and 18 teams registered. That’s the largest field in the event since 2021.

Using the Stableford Scoring System, Weisbrod and Mario earned 148 points over 36 holes to win the 53rd Rosebowl.

Diana Kerr of Regina and Lori Bernt of Moose Jaw placed second with 139 points, Karen Lowe and Daph Kenville, both of Regina took third place just behind at 138 points.

To see the complete results click here.

Golf Saskatchewan is once again happy to announce the annual Saskatchewan Academic and Golf Excellence (SAGE) Scholarship recipients.

The SAGE Scholarship program annually presents scholarships to assist deserving member golfers in their pursuit of high school and post-secondary academic excellence. 

The successful Golf Saskatchewan recipients were selected based:

1. academic average | grade point average (GPA), and
2. a small percentage based on the individual’s sports excellence.

The 2025 SAGE & High School Bursary recipients include:

Graham DeLaet Scholarship (valued at $1,000) | Will Blake (Regina) Royal Regina Golf Club

Golf Saskatchewan Scholarship #1 (Valued at $1,000) | Cole Taylor (Nipawin) Evergreen Golf Course

Golf Saskatchewan Scholarship #2 (Valued at $1,000) | Luke Cote (Regina) Royal Regina Golf Club

Fletcher-Reid Scholarship (valued at $1,000) | Carter Bell (Saskatoon) Riverside Country Club

Ron Young Memorial Scholarship (valued at $1,000) | Chase Pochylko (Saskatoon) Riverside Country Club

Cooke-Kinnear Scholarship (values at $1,000) | Aiden Walker (Regina) Royal Regina Golf Club

Kozy Scholarship (valued at $1,000) | Alex Swinnerton (Saskatoon) Riverside Country Club

Leddy-Heywood Scholarship (valued at $1,000) | Mitchell Minier (Prince Albert) Cooke Municipal Golf Course

Dr. Garry Hayes Memorial Scholarship (valued at an amount TBD by SCF) | Chloe Wills (Kyle) Saskatchewan Landing Golf Resort | Hudson Heistad (Avonlea) Long Creek Golf and Country Club  

Meredith MacPherson-Stalwick Memorial Scholarship (valued at an amount TBD by SCF) | Dane Giesbrecht (Warman) Saskatoon Golf & Country Club

Golf Saskatchewan High School Bursary (valued at $400)

• Tayla Perry (Regina) Royal Regina Golf Club
  • Kealy Mitchell (Regina) Royal Regina Golf Club

For more information on our scholarship program or any of our other programs please visit the Golf Saskatchewan website at www.golfsaskatchewan.org or contact our office.

*SCF – Saskatoon Community Foundation

Canadian golfers were busy racking up numbers this summer — and not just on their scorecards.

July 2025 set a new record for scores entered into the Golf Canada Score Centre, with members logging a whopping 2,082,814 rounds for the month.

That’s a 6.6 per cent jump over the previous July high of 1,953,807 set in 2024. Compared with 2019, July score entries are up more than 44 per cent — a sign that more golfers than ever are tracking their play and keeping their Handicap Index® current.

The mid-summer surge came as golfers across the country took advantage of long daylight hours, prime course conditions and a busy stretch of club, provincial and national events. With the Golf Canada app and web platform making score entry quicker than ever, members are keeping their stats up to date from the clubhouse, the parking lot — even right on the 18th green.

July has traditionally been the biggest month for score posting in Canada, but 2025’s total pushes the benchmark to new heights. The upward trend in recent years shows no signs of slowing, with steady growth in score entries across nearly every province.

With August and September still ahead — and plenty of fairways yet to be played — there’s every chance golfers will post another banner stretch before the season wraps.

Download the Golf Canada App

Golf thrives on fairness, integrity, and inclusivity—values that are upheld by the Rules of Handicapping, a key component of the World Handicap System (WHS). These rules ensure handicaps are calculated and maintained accurately, allowing players of all skill levels to compete equitably and enjoy the game.  They rely on everyone (Handicap Committees, golfers, club staff and event organizers) to play their role and ensure the integrity of the World Handicap System.

To ensure proper understanding & knowledge, the certification program is designed to educate individuals on how handicaps work and the role everyone plays in maintaining them. This includes topics such as:

• What a Handicap Index is and how it ensures equitable play
• The role of the Handicap Committee, golf club staff and golfers in upholding the Rules of Handicapping
• Acceptability of scores for handicap purposes
• Properly adjusting hole scores (when needed)
• What to do if you have a question or concern about your Handicap Index or a fellow golfers’

Completing the Rules of Handicapping certification is critical for Handicap Committee members, players and club officials who want to ensure the game remains fair and transparent.  Certified individuals are better equipped to manage their own handicaps and support best practices at their clubs.

Moreover, the certification strengthens the governance and integrity of the game. Handicap Committees rely on certified individuals to enforce correct procedures, review anomalies, and maintain the integrity of handicap records. Without proper understanding of the rules, inconsistencies and misunderstandings can undermine confidence in the system.

Benefits for Club Officials (Handicap Committee, Club Staff, Event/League organizers)

• Accurate Handicap Oversight through properly trained Handicap Committee members.
• Equitable Competition across all club events with accurate and validated Handicap Indexes.
• Greater Credibility and Trust among members through transparent score management.
• Improved Customer Service with informed staff and volunteers ready to support players and resolve issues.
• Support for Inclusive Play by promoting a system that adjusts for skill level, gender, age, and ability.
• Enhanced Club Reputation for upholding the values of the game.
• Compliance with Golf Canada’s handicap system policies and governance requirements.

Benefits for Golfers

• Understanding How Your Handicap Works—know exactly how your Index is calculated and updated.
• Confidence in Competition with assurance that everyone is playing by the same standards.
• Equitable Play regardless of skill level, thanks to adjustments made through the system.
• Improved Score Management through accurate and timely posting of rounds.
• Contribution to a Fair Golfing Community by being informed, responsible, and participating in Peer Review.

To complete the Rules of Handicapping certification, please watch the online seminar and complete the certification quiz –free and available at your convenience!  For more information about the Rules of Handicapping, please visit our website at www.golfcanada.ca/handicapping.

Regina’s Ken Hoffman has another Canadian Deaf Golf Championship win under his belt.

The Royal Regina Golf Club (RRGC) member recently returned from Bromont, Que. after claiming his second straight senior division victory at the the 54 hole event. Hoffman, who lives with a hearing disability opened the tournament on July 28 with an 89, however he bounced back with a 78 in round two and 76 in the final round to win the senior title by seven shots over Jonathan Rose of Ontario.

Hoffman has travelled the world playing golf since he was 31 with a couple trips standing out over the years.

“The golf courses, seeing St. Andrews in Scotland, many, many years there. Japan was amazing as well, that was an amazing experience,” Hoffman told Golf Saskatchewan.

Hoffman played many sports growing up, on full hearing teams, but started golfing and taking part in many events starting in 1999. As mentioned he has travelled to Scotland and Japan. He has also played in South Africa, Australia, Sweden, Denmark, and the United States. Among seeing many golf courses and countries, Hoffman said meeting people also living with a hearing impairment is pretty special.

“There is international sign language and sometimes we can’t clearly understand each other but there is a lot of homemade signs and gesturing that we all understand,” he said.

The Canadian Deaf Golf Championships happen every other year, the off years are occupied by the World Deaf Golf Championships. In 2026 the world event is in Sweden and the Canadian event is in Winnipeg in 2027. Hoffman is already planning on attending both championships.