Trevor Bloom has been playing Waskesiu Golf Course for 40 years and now all the experience has paid off in a Lobstick championship.

The former Canwood resident, who now calls Kelowna home sank a birdie putt on hole 18 Saturday to claim the 2021 tournament win over Prince Albert’s Ashley Ziegeman. Bloom admitted he hasn’t had great success at the event but was able to finally break through.

“It feels really sweet,” he said after receiving the championship trophy. “I have been playing here since I was kid and coming up here and everything. It’s very sweet to win this for sure.”

The final match with Bloom Ziegeman went down to the wire with several lead changes throughout the day before Bloom was able to secure his first Lobstick in dramatic fashion.

“I was on 14 and made the long putt and then on 18, I was just trying to lag it close because I knew Ashley was kind of in trouble and it just happened to go in,” he said.

As for Ziegeman, the championship was withing grasp for the first time in 16 years. With a few short, missed putts he said this match will sit with him for some time.

“Yeah, for sure,” he said. “I haven’t been putting good all week, my ball striking is what got me here. I missed a couple early and come the end there I couldn’t get it in the hole. If I make a couple two-footers in the last hour this a totally different story.”

More from both Bloom and Ziegeman below.

There is no secret golf is booming in Saskatchewan, Canada, and across the globe. Evan Lang, the assistant professional at the Murray Golf Course just outside Regina can attest.

Lang has spent a good portion of the summers over his 27 years at the Murray officially joining the staff as a teenager. He was playing golf long before that near his home northeast of the Queen City at Westfalia Golf Course with his grandmother three to four times a week at five years old. With an instant love for the game, and other sports his high school job choice was easy.

“When I was 14, I needed a job, I will apply at the golf course, it will be something fun,” he chuckled. “I went and dropped my resume off with Gus (Vogalsang) at the golf course. I was like you know I would like a gig here, maybe get some golf in, something like that and I haven’t looked back since.”

Prior to getting his PGA certification about six years ago Lang was an understudy to Paul Schatz who ran the junior golf program at the club with great success. Now heading the program Lang said he’s tried to make the golfers more rounded in athletics.

“The program hasn’t changed a whole bunch, I have introduced some new things and we’ve got this SNAG golf equipment that Paul and I have with Regina Junior Golf. That thing has been great, it’s all sticky stuff, it’s a whole bunch of fun. I’ve introduced lots of new drills, visuals, really just a focus on making the kids more athletic, being an athlete rather than super golf focused,” he explained.

The program runs for the month of May and the first week of June. Kids are at the course for three or four nights per week with a focus on driving, putting, iron play, and chipping. This year the clinics were jam packed with 80 kids broken up into groups while following COVID-19 guidelines. Lang said the phone hasn’t stopped ringing for more private group lessons for juniors. Lang said the key to having upwards of 200 junior golfers learning the game is enjoyment.

“My biggest thing is the kids want to be able to have fun and want to go golf with their parents, that’s my job. They will learn some stuff, become better athletes, they want to enjoy the game. If they don’t enjoy the game, they will be bored and they will not want to go out with their parents and play,” he said.

Lang, who doubles as a Callaway fitting rep in his extremely limited free time said growing up in sports and spending so much time at the Murray himself coaching the next generation takes him back and he sees himself in the kids of today.

“Golf is a great sport to get into, I grew up playing all the sports and I think it’s important. It helps with your hand-eye coordination, it just helps you develop as an athlete and person. It definitely brings me back for sure,” he concluded.

Golf Saskatchewan has announced the Saskatchewan Academic and Golf Excellence (SAGE) Scholarship recipients for 2021.

The SAGE program annually presents scholarships to assist deserving member golfers in their pursuit of high school and post-secondary academic excellence. The successful recipients were selected on the basis of being a Golf Saskatchewan member, academics and some weighting on sporting
excellence.

Below is the list of beneficiaries this year:

• Graham DeLaet Scholarship (valued at $1,500)
TJ Baker, Waskesiu Golf Club, Prince Albert
• Fletcher-Reid Scholarship (valued at $1,000)
Lauren Fox, Golf Saskatchewan Public Player, Creighton
• Ron Young Memorial Scholarship (valued at $1,000)
Josh Nagy, Riverside Country Club, Saskatoon
• Cooke-Kinnear (valued at $1,000)
Autumn Neiszner, Wascana Country Club, Regina
• Kozy Scholarship (valued at $1,000)
Symone Ripley, Saskatoon Golf & Country Club, Saskatoon
• Meredith MacPherson-Stalwick Memorial Scholarship (valued at $1,095.56) Alexandra Schmidt, Royal Regina Golf Club, Regina
• Leddy-Heywood Scholarship (valued at $1,000)
Chloe Sies, Melville Golf & Country Club, Melville
• Dr. Garry Hayes Memorial Scholarship $1519.92/2 (valued at $759.96 each) Steven Duchscher, Riverside Country Club, Saskatoon
Sarah Grieve, The Willows/Saskatoon Golf & Country Club, Saskatoon
• Golf Saskatchewan High School Bursary (valued at $400)
Nick Kitchen, Evergreen Golf Course, Nipawin
Max Regier, The Willows, Saskatoon
Alex Swinnerton, Waskesiu Golf Course, Saskatoon

This year over $10,300 was awarded to 12 student-athletes in six different communities representing eight golf clubs across Saskatchewan.

The deadline to apply for SAGE scholarships in May 31 of each calendar year. More details can be found here. (The recipients will be updated on the SAGE homepage soon.)

Kent Adams was no different than many kids growing up in Prince Albert, sports were a big part of his life and so was the Cooke Municipal Golf Course.

Adams started playing at “five or six” in the northern Saskatchewan city leading into a lifetime of being involved in the game. Adams now calls the Edmonton area home, but the 56-year-old still fondly remembers his start here in the province.

“It was something we instantly fell in love with,” Adams said to Golf Saskatchewan in a recent interview. “Prince Albert is such a unique place in that it was so easy to get access to the golf course. It was just a great place to grow up and play golf, let’s put it that way.”

A junior champion in the early 1980’s, Adams credits the other players in Prince Albert for his success in the early years.

“When we grew up in P.A. there was 20 guys that could have won a provincial championship realistically. There was competition every day, I think that’s what made us all better. I won the Saskatchewan junior in 1982 but there was great competition every day in Prince Albert. The city championship was like the Masters,” Adams quipped.

Adams had success on the national level finishing in the top-20 at the Canadian Junior Men’s Championship once plus he played on two Willingdon Cup teams for the province. He went on to secure his PGA “A” class certification and worked under the legendary Danny Jutras for three years at Cooke before moving to Alberta for a head pro job. He spent three years in Sherwood Park and then another 13 years at Colonial in Beaumont. He has since left the industry but plays more than he ever has for “fun.”

Earlier this summer Adams put together a round for the ages at Blackhawk Golf Club. Adams finished with a 67 which is a good score, but he accomplished something that the oddsmakers label at 67 million to one, two holes in one in the same round.

“I play with a wide variety of people,” Adams explained. “I played with my good buddy and his wife that particular day and another friend of mine and they’re mid to high handicappers so to just see a hole in one to start with is unique enough. In fact, the one mentioned to me after the first one went in, we had a couple of high fives, it’s no big deal, it’s cool but it’s not outrageous. The high fives were there, and he said you know I’ve never seen a hole in one before, I said you have to be kidding me, if I’d known that I would have been more excited. Sure enough five holes later I made another one and they heard us all over the golf course.”

The aces were the eighth and ninth of Adams career. Many might assume that the rarity would have cost Adams once he got back to the Blackhawk clubhouse, but a unique program allowed the foursome, and others to celebrate on behalf of the club.

“It’s unique at our club because when a hole in one is made every member at the club gets charged a dollar on their account so it’s a credit for the lounge. It doesn’t cost you anything, but you can go ahead and buy drinks for everybody on the club essentially. With two of them you get about a thousand bucks so we had quite an evening of dinner and cocktails, it was a great night,” he said.

“The Willingdon Cup teams, playing in the national championships, stuff like that is more important than this but this is just cool. Especially at this age when you don’t hit it as good as you used to, you’re pluggig away. I’m playing more than I ever did and having more fun doing it but something like that it’s so rare and unique it’s a real treat no doubt, something I will never forget,” Adams concluded.

You can hear much more from Adams who spoke about the magical moments with Golf Saskatchewan’s Clark Stork.

Will anyone stop 16-year-old Brooklin Fry on the Saskatchewan Women’s Order of Merit Tour (OMT) this year?

The Shell Lake product picked up her second win of the season this past weekend taking the Sangster’s Saskatoon Women’s Open by 10 strokes at Moon Lake Golf and Country Club. The victory followed up her win at the Ladies Northern in Prince Albert earlier this month.

Fry, the reigning amateur and junior women’s champion shot rounds of 73 and 71 in the event finishing at even-par. Yorkton’s Ella Kozak was second at plus-10. Sarah Grieve of Saskatoon rounded out the top three at 13-over par.

Regina’s Kim Walker was the senior women’s champion holding off Lorie Boyle by five shots, Walker finished at plus-15.

All the results can be found here.

The next stop on the OMT for the women’s division is the Saskatchewan Amateur Championship on July 6 to 8 at Elmwood Golf Club in Swift Current.

Procyshen; Hallberg claim Crocus titles

On the men’s side of the Order of Merit Tour it was Matt Procyshen taking the Crocus Men’s Open at the Weyburn Golf Club on June 13.

The former Yorkton resident who now plays out of the Saskatoon Golf and Country Club posted an opening round score of 75 before carding a stellar 67 on day two to win the 36-hole tournament by five shots.

Tyler Mryglod was second at 147 (73, 74). Joel Miller and Peter Wild tied for third place at 6-over, 148.

The final results can be viewed here.

The Men’s Lobstick at Waskesiu is the next event on the OMT Tour, that’s currently underway. For live scoring click here.

In the senior age group at the Crocus it was hometown product Rick Hallberg winning the championship.

Hallberg fired rounds of 74 and 69 for a 1-over, 143 over the weekend to secure an eight shot win over Regina’s Stu Innes.

Kelly Mutter was third at 153.

The senior results are here.

The Auto Clearing Senior Men’s Championship is next for the senior men, that takes place June 22 – 24 at Moon Lake Golf and Country Club.

La Ronge’s Jerry Christiansen wanted to be Tiger Woods, today he is hoping to have the same impact in a different way.

The self-taught PGA of Saskatchewan member saw Woods on television when he was a kid and instantly became enamored with the 82-time PGA Tour champion. From there Christiansen became a fixture at Eagle Point Resort playing upwards of 72 holes a day. He had a solid junior career before attending the University of British Columbia as a member of their golf team. Christiansen went on to play mini tours in America and had his golf game take him to Thailand, South Africa, and Australia. He now offers weekly camps in La Ronge for juniors in hopes of providing experiences like the ones he has gotten through the sport.

“Coming from La Ronge it really opened my eyes to the world and everything else and I wouldn’t have gotten those opportunities without playing golf. I’m grateful for everything that golf gave to me. That is a big part of the reason I am doing this program,” he said.

For most junior golfers they get their start in the sport through their parents or grandparents. Christiansen’s parents did not play the game, not many did in the north when he was young. Christiansen said without a mentor or someone to look up on the course he submersed himself in reading to get better at the game.

“I read a lot of books,” he said. “That’s how I got most of my information. I didn’t get lessons or anything like that, I just read a lot of golf books when I was coming up. That’s where I learned to play the game.”

After professional stints in Elk Ridge and The Legends Golf Course in Warman this past January Christiansen decided to return home and give back to the game that has given him so much. He started a weekly junior camp on Mondays, free of charge. His goal was 25 kids, he is averaging about 60 a week. One key component for Christiansen was making sure any kid that wanted to be part of the camp could by offering the opportunity free of charge.

“I really wanted to make a point of it being accessible to absolutely anyone. In the near future I’d like to move to a point where we provide transportation as well. It really is most the most accessible program to everyone,” Christiansen explained.

He added that the camps could become more structured if kids wish to continue to develop. Christiansen said a tiered (bronze, silver, gold) structure might be possible in the future.

Each week he works with a group at a certain time providing instruction in a safe manner and then a volunteer will take the kids onto the course for nine holes while he works with another group. This continues all Monday afternoon. Now a few weeks in despite the long day and work load he admits seeing the kids faces makes it all worthwhile.

“Oh, my goodness, that’s all I really wanted to do is expose these kids to hitting that golf shot you know, the one that people hit and they are hooked. I’m just trying to get that moment for each of the kids,” he said.

ON THE COURSE

Christiansen has had a strong start on the course this year to go along with giving back to the game.

He tied for third at the Scotia Wealth Open in Nipawin on June 5. Tuesday at Waskesiu Christiansen picked up his second Lobstick Open win in a row. He outlasted Phil Jonas and Shaun Dunphy winning by a pair of shots at Waskesiu.

You can hear much more from Christiansen below who spoke with Golf Saskatchewan’s Clark Stork last week. *This interview was recorded prior to the Lobstick this week.

The town of Wynyard has a marquee multi-purpose sports facility which is the envy of the region between Yorkton and Humboldt, fortunately for the community along Highway 16, their nine hole golf course is a huge benefactor.

Costing over $8 million the town raised the money themselves without government funding and residents have reaped the rewards since.

Golf Saskatchewan sat down with Co-operative Place Clubhouse Manager Angie Madigan and Superintendent Dale Johnston to discuss the facility and course they call their own.

Lucas Punkari/Prince Albert Daily Herald
Republished with permission

There was little separating Martin Ring, Cliff Selander and Roger Gilhespy at the Waskesiu Golf Course on Thursday evening.

However, it was Mother Nature that had the final say as to who would win the Championship Flight at the 2021 Fountain Tire Senior Men’s Lobstick

A thunderstorm resulted in a playoff being called off after the third extra hole and this year’s title to be shared among the three competitors, who each got their name on the trophy for the first time.

“It got a little scary there at the end,” Selander said. “I’ve played in a bit of lightning before, but up here it’s a different kind of lightning. Your down there by the lake on the third hole and it’s pretty amazing to see the storm there as it started to come through.”

“It would have been nice to have continued on, but the weather just didn’t want to cooperate with us today,” Ring added.

While Selander and Ring have made the drive up from Prince Albert to take part in the tournaments at Waskesiu for years, this week marked the first time Gilhespy had been to the course.

“I was just finishing a round in Chilliwack (where Gilhespy lives) on Sunday afternoon when I got a call from the folks here saying there was a spot open,” he said. “I was pretty happy to jump in my truck and head up here.”

Gilhespy raced up the leaderboard on Wednesday with a three-under par round of 67, which proved to be the best of the week.

“That was just one of those rounds you think about and wish for often,” Gilhespy said. “Everything was working well and my putts were rolling in. It was a lovely day.”

Gilhespy followed up that performance with a round of 73 to finish the week at nine-over par.

Selander, who was tied with Gilhespy for second place in the championship flight going into the final round, saved his best shot of the week for the 18th hole on Thursday as he drained a 40-foot birdie putt to match Gilhespy’s score.

“I knew that I was one shot behind Roger going into that hole and I knew that I had to give the ball a pretty good run if I wanted to have a chance,” Selander said. “I made sure that I hit hard enough and I was able to get it on the right line and it just managed to get in at the front of the hole.”

Ring, who shot a 72 on Thursday, had already finished his round as the final group made their way to the 18th hole.

“Even though I was just ahead of them on the course, I didn’t know where I stood in the standings,” Ring said.

“I was only two shots back going into today, so I knew I had a chance if I could post a good number. I ended up going three-over on the front nine, but I had a strong back nine (which included a birdie on the par-four 15th) and went one-under there.”

Ring and Selander hope to continue their strong play next week as they take part in the Fountain Tire Men’s Lobstick, while Gilhespy plans to return for the 2022 Senior Men’s event.

“The course is lovely and everyone here has been fantastic,” Gilhespy said. “It was definitely an odd finish to the week, but I’m just happy to be in the company of the two fine gentlemen that I tied with.”

Doug Kozak, who led the tournament after the first two rounds, ended up in a tie for fourth with Brad Phelps, who was the runner-up in the 2020 Senior Men’s Lobstick and Men’s Lobstick tournaments.

Rick Hallberg, Rob Karlson and Tony Turay rounded out the Championship Flight.

Defending champion Warren Gnam of Medicine Hat finished second in the First Flight, which was won by Delisle’s Colin Coben.

The other winners from the senior event were as follows:

• Second Flight: Dave Jorgenson and Frank Enns
• Third Flight: Kevin Vollet
• Fourth Flight: Ray Kreinke
• Fifth Flight: Bill Bergeron
• Sixth Flight: Grant McGrath and Larry Wagman
• Seventh Flight: Jamie Harris
• Eighth Flight: Phillip Smith
• Ninth Flight: Rob Friesen
• Tenth Flight: Grant Gudmanson
• Eleventh Flight: Yves Ollivier and Lorne Staples
• Twelfth Flight: Ken Archer
• Thirteen Flight: Bill Boyer
• Fourteenth Flight: Dwayne Schmautz
• Fifteenth Flight: Lee Braaten and Troy Palidwor
• Sixteenth Flight: Ed Collins
• Seventeenth Flight: Kent Gould
• Eighteenth Flight: Patrick Edmunds
• Nineteenth Flight: Carey Krentz
• Twentieth Flight: David Rosom and Chris Schultz
• Twenty-First Flight: Dan Ormsby

Tuffs wins Super Senior event in a playoff

Gary Tuffs road to the Super Senior Championship Flight was a lot different than his previous triumph.

After defeating Blair Sterling by six shots in 2019, the Coleville product went to a playoff with Doug Anderson before capturing his second title in the last three years.

“I was a little fortunate today,” Tuffs said. “When you look at this field, there are so many good golfers that could have won it.”

Unlike the senior championship flight, the super senior playoff didn’t last long as Tuffs tapped in for par on the par-four first hole and watched on as Anderson’s long par putt attempt slid past the hole.

“My iron shot sailed a little more than I thought it would and it ended up on the back of the green,” Tuffs said. “I choked up on my chip and I just had a couple of inches left for that par putt.”

Ray Field, who was tied for the lead with Tuffs going into the final round, ended up three shots back in third place.

Jim Scissons and Doug Piper rounded out the top five, with Bob Klotz, Blair Sterling and Bill Lewis making up the rest of the championship flight.

The other winners from the Super Senior category are as follows:

• First Flight: Fred Smith and Bob Beebe
• Second Flight: Eugene Hritzuk
• Third Flight: Doug Mader
• Fourth Flight: Randy Barkway
• Fifth Flight: Bob Martin and Ken Shaw
• Sixth Flight: Merv Aubichon
• Seventh Flight: Gary Fitz

Friday is the last day to have nomination forms for the 2021 Saskatchewan Golf Hall of Fame (SGHF) submitted.

Last year with the induction of five individuals the enshrinement list grew to 59 people.

Once elected to the Hall of Fame, nominees are officially inducted at a special ceremony by the Saskatchewan Golf Hall of Fame. The honoured member’s portrait is then enshrined at the Golf Saskatchewan office and available for viewing on the Golf Saskatchewan website.

Each category has certain criteria to be filled before induction will be approved by the committee. For the player division nominees must:

1. Be an adult, female/male/individual, of any race, colour or creed, not necessarily living at the time of consideration.
2. Be at least, 40 years of age (unless already deceased) at the time of consideration.
3. Be a resident, or former resident with substantial connections to Saskatchewan.
4. Be an amateur or professional golfer during the period of accomplishments; and
5. Be a person who has brought recognition to Saskatchewan primarily through excellence in golf championship play at the international, national, regional, and/or provincial level.

For distinguished service individuals they must meet the following terms:

1. Be an adult, male/female/individual, of any race, colour or creed, not necessarily living at the time of consideration.
2. Have resided and provided a minimum of 10 years of distinguished service in Saskatchewan when most extraordinary contributions to golf were made.
3. Have made a significant contribution to golf in Saskatchewan. However, service to other national, regional, provincial, state or local golf associations may be considered.
4. Be selfless and have devoted service “Above and beyond the call of duty.”

If you wish to nominate someone for induction visit the SGHF website and download the entry form.

In 2020 the induction banquet was cancelled due to COVID-19. The 2021 ceremony is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 18 at Riverside Country Club in Saskatoon.

Details to follow after updates are communicated from the Government of Saskatchewan and the Re-Open Phases.

Shell Lake’s Brooklin Fry has her first tournament win of the season as she claimed the Ladies Northern at Prince Albert’s Cooke Municipal Golf Course on Sunday.

The reigning junior and amateur women’s champion was able to hold off four-time Northern winner Kim Brown and Ella Kozak by just two strokes to claim the title. Fry posted rounds of 75 and 77 for a 36-hole total of 152. The 16-year-old said there was some early season jitters, but she was happy with the win.

“It felt pretty awesome,” she told Golf Saskatchewan. “It definitely put some confidence back under my belt again to start off the year. I was nervous just because it was the first tournament of the year and it’s been a while since I’ve competed, so I got a bit to excited.”

Fry’s 75 on Saturday gave her a one-shot lead over Kozak, Brown, Autumn Neiszner and Kathy Ziglo. She was able to hold off the field on the final day to secure her first victory at the historic tournament that had 63 players in the field. She said picking up the victory early in the season allows her to believe she can win every event she plays.

“Winning this tournament definitely boosted my confidence and I think if I stick to my game and focus one shot at a time I have a chance,” she said.

Fry has full slate of events scheduled for this summer including defending her junior and amateur wins in July. One event she is really looking forward to is the Ladies Lobstick near the end of August. She finished second last year and hopes to improve on that finish later this year.

“I have a couple tournaments lined up for the summer before the Lobstick and I think that will give me lots of practice to improve from last year. I am already looking forward to the Lobstick and competing there, it’s one of my favourite tournaments and I always have a blast.”

The full results of the Ladies Northern can be found here.