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The 2024 Alberta Golf Yearbook is a print and digital publication published annually in partnership with ev+ Agency. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without written permission from Alberta Golf. Thank you to all the golf clubs that allowed Alberta Golf to conduct provincial championships on their courses during 2023. Please enjoy the first annual 2024 edition of the Alberta Golf Yearbook. www.albertagolf.org
2024 Men's Mid-Master
June 18-20
Trestle Creek Golf Resort
Jamie Welder
2023 Alberta Men’s Mid-Master Champion
Q: When you reflect on your victory at the Alberta Men’s Mid-Master Championship at Olds, what memories are most vivid?
Welder: “That still sits in my brain, for sure. I’d never won an Alberta Golf event, so to win that one was pretty special and I was pretty emotional after, so it obviously meant a lot to me. I mean, I’ve played a lot of provincial events. I’ve been runner-up, been third, been fourth, so it truly meant a lot to get this one done. That one got me choked up.”
Q: You sealed the victory with a 5-under 67 in the final round, with no bogeys on your card that day. What was the key to that fantastic finish?
Welder: “That second day, I played wonderful. It was flawless I just felt really calm, I was hitting it well and just everything was going my way. I think I only had to get up and down a couple of times and other than that, I had birdie putts on 15 or 16 holes. So I was hitting fairways, hitting greens and telling myself, ‘Just keep going.’ ”
Q: It sounds like everything was pretty tidy, but is there one aspect of your game that was especially strong at Olds?
Welder: “Everything was pretty good. My short game was good. My putting was good. My driving was really good. Everything just clicked, and it happened to work out in my favour. And there’s a lot of good players in that tournament, so you have to play your ball to win. And I’m looking forward to this year, to trying to win it again.”
Winning recipe: Welder, a member at Country Hills, completed two laps in 5-under 139, good for a two-stroke victory at this weathershortened shootout.
Alberta Men’s Mid-Master Past Champions
2023 – Jamie Welder
2022 – Shiro Mani
2021 – Shiro Mani
2020 – Grant Oh
2019 – Jim Russell
The
vibrant community of
Trestle Creek
By Kevin Smith
4-wheeling in the forest, cable wakeboarding, driving a golf cart through a train caboose, there’s certainly a lot more than just golfing at the Trestle Creek Golf Resort in fact it’s one of the most unique and vibrant resorts in the province and it just happens to be hosting a provincial golf championship in 2024.
The Alberta Men’s Mid-Master Championship will be held at Trestle Creek June 18-20 and many of the competitors will be seeing the golf course for the very first time. The golf and RV resort is located in Entwistle, 45 minutes west of Edmonton, and hasn’t been open for long and word is getting out about how fun the golf course and area are. The front 9 opened in 2012 with the full 18 completed in 2016. Mike Lewis is the Director of Sales and Marketing, he not only lives on the course, he named the course!
“In 2010 when we first started the project owner Alvin Clark took some of us out for dinner and handed out pieces of paper and said tonight we name it,” Lewis said. “I knew that my grandpa homesteaded a mile or two away and he grew up to be a train engineer. I knew that every time I drove from Edmonton right before I got to Entwistle I had to drive underneath a train trestle and every time I went west at Entwistle there was another huge trestle crossing the Pembina River. Based on that, my choices for naming the course had the word trestle in it. I was so honoured when they picked Trestle Creek as the name and hosting tournaments of this calibre now brings me even more joy to hear them associated with the name.”
In 2019 Trestle Creek hosted the Alberta Open Championship with Andrew Harrison of Camrose winning the title with a 3 round score of 14 under par and this year will have the same layout to test the top male amateurs in the province aged 40 and over.
Art New has spent decades as a professional in the Edmonton golf scene at high end courses such as Windermere, Highlands and The Derrick and last year agreed to join Trestle Creek as their Head Professional.
“I had a blast once I got there, I'd only played the course once when it first opened and I'd forgotten how good it is,” New admitted. “I had a lot of fun so I'm looking forward to this year and all that we have on the go including the hosting of the Alberta Mid-Master Championship.”
And the people who call the golf course home give full support to everything they host.
The golf course itself will be a fair but good test for the Mid-Master Championship. Finding fairways isn’t the hardest part, there’s room off the tee, it’s a second shot golf course.
“The course is a great challenge, the best descriptions of the greens are that they are like a potato chip and to golf this course you have to know where to miss on your approach shot into the green,” New admitted. “Off the tee it’s fairly accessible and lots of room but your approaches into the greens, which are quite large, are crucial and you have to think about where to miss.”
Many of the people who live on the property will no doubt be gathered around the final 4 holes during the final round to watch the drama unfold and what a great 4 hole stretch it is with the par-3 16th hole featuring an island green being the course’s signature hole.
“I have seen a culture here at Trestle Creek that I have never witnessed at any golf club that I've been at over the years,” New said. “The support for events both that they participate in and that they want to watch is fantastic and I think we will have no trouble getting great volunteer participation to help host the provincial championship.”
750 people on more than 300 RV lots live on the golf course and do so much more than just golf.
“I didn't realize the extent of the property and the dynamic of it and it’s fantastic,” New said. “You have everything from young families to retired folks and there’s a water park, water slide, zip line for water skiing and wakeboarding, fishing for trout, there's tennis courts, pickleball, bocci, baseball diamonds and of course the golf course. There's all sorts of fun activities and it’s a busy vibrant place.”
“The 15th hole is a long par 4, a great hole, you're hitting probably a mid to longer iron in to a big green so that's a good one,” New explained. “When you get to 16, the par three island green, from the back tees it's about 170 yards but you're dropping down a couple hundred feet to the green over water and the wind whirls around there like crazy so it’s an intimidating shot, we could potentially see a few strokes change there for sure. The par 5 17th has a green that is quite tricky but it's reachable in 2 and could produce an eagle opportunity. The finishing hole is a nice par 4 and again depending on the pin position there’s a chance at a birdie but you do have to pay a little bit of attention off the tee, if you miss in the wrong spot you could end up with water issues. We could have some excitement coming down the stretch for sure but I think 16 will be the pivotal hole.”
As for the coolest hole on the course, as you’re going through the train caboose to get to the 6th tee, think of all the train engineers that have passed through this area over the decades including Mike Lewis’s grandpa, it will be evident that Trestle Creek was the perfect name for this unique and vibrant golf and RV property
2024 Men’s Amateur
June 25-27
The Derrick Golf & Winter Club
Ethan Wilson
2023 Alberta Men’s Amateur Champion
Q: When you reflect on your victory at the Alberta Men’s Amateur Championship at Innisfail, what memories are most vivid?
Wilson: "It was a great week playing the Alberta Amateur close to home. Friends and my brother caddied, giving me good vibes. I played really solid golf, a week I'll always remember."
Q: ‘Really solid’ might be an understatement. You played the final 29 holes in 10-under-par, without a single bogey over that stretch. How did you manage to pull away from the pack?
Wilson: "In the first round, I made a double bogey on No. 18, but that was the only big mistake of the week. I played unreal throughout the tournament, staying on the offense with solid hitting and green reading. I focused on playing my game and had one of my best final rounds, which felt good."
Q: The Alberta Men’s Amateur Championship is one of the marquee events on the summer schedule. What did it mean to finish atop that leaderboard?
Wilson: "Winning my home-province event is always a goal. It's cool to see my name with legendary Alberta golfers on that trophy."
Q: Shortly after your big win at Innisfail, you started your freshman season with the University of Illinois Fighting Illini. Did that provide a confidence-booster as you started your college golf career?
Wilson: "It definitely boosted my confidence. Beating other NCAA players showed me I can compete at that level. Running away with the event proved to me I can play well and compete. It was a valuable week where I learned and gained confidence."
Winning recipe: Wilson won his first provincial crown in convincing fashion. A member at Glendale, he cruised to a threeround score of 11-under 205, finishing eight strokes ahead of a stacked field.
Alberta Men’s Amateur Past Champions
2023 – Ethan Wilson
2022 – Brady McKinlay
2021 – Braden O’Grady
2020 – Michael Valk
2019 – Andrew Harrison
Alberta Men’s Amateur Interprovincial Team
2023 – Finished (3rd)
Ethan Wilson
Brady McKinlay
Kye Fisher
The Derrick Edmonton's 'oldest' new golf course
By Taylor Tracey
Nestled in the southwest of Edmonton, only 10 minutes from Calgary Trail, lies The Derrick Golf & Winter Club. Celebrating its 65th anniversary, and its 9th season since its renovations, The Derrick is getting prepared for the best male golfers in our province as it’s set to host the 2024 Alberta Men’s Amateur Championship on June 25-27.
Despite being around for 65 years, many people might not be familiar with The Derrick since the renovations in 2015 and might not know the full extent of the facilities and its offering. The facility, with over 5600 members in total, only has 860 golfing members. Head Professional, Trevor Goplin, who’s been the head pro for 22 seasons now, admits that the club has more to offer than just golf.
“Golf is just one of the many reasons for being a member here and most golf members that join are already members at the club, they just now add golf to their membership experience. So, you know we might have a young family join the club and now maybe it's time for the family to add golf. Overall, it’s just a great club where people come to hang out and it's a very social club.”
Browsing the website, it’s easy to see that the club is special and has lots to offer any family including childcare, fitness memberships, and a variety of athletic programs for kids. It’s no wonder the facility boasts such a strong junior development program, which Goplin echoes is due to the welcoming and social nature of their members.
As the course gets set to host the top male players in the province, the course is no stranger to high-level golf. Previously having hosted the 2019 Alberta Men’s Senior Championship and the 2022 PGA of Alberta Assistants Championship. In 2019 at the Men’s Senior, Ken Griffith narrowly beat Brian Laubman with a three day score of +2, while the latter saw three players set the competitive course record of 65.
As it might be the first time for some of these players seeing The Derrick since the renovation in 2015, Goplin and his team are excited for everyone to see the changes. The renovation was completed by Jeff Mingay and started as a drainage project in 2013. Over the next two years, it became a complete renovation of the course and now sports one of the most unique designs in Alberta. As it’s said on the website, “reminiscent of the classic golf architecture of the 1930’s”.
followed by a shorter 410-yard par 4, and rounded up with two more par 4’s both over 450 yards. Goplin chuckled that this is where “the meat is on the bone at The Derrick”.
“It is two different nines at The Derrick. We have three par 3’s, two reachable par 4’s on the front and the course really lets you get into the round. What will be interesting is how players change their strategies based on which 9 they are on. Some people during the first two rounds will be working hard to hold on during the back 9, so they can make birdies on the front.”
The course has challenges throughout its 18 holes and plays only as a par 70 with just two par 5's on the course. Goplin knows the yardage is often talked about at The Derrick but confidently knows it’s not about the length here.
“Jeff was trying to create something unique about The Derrick and that’s really brought out by the simplicity, the throwback nature of the golf club. The square tee boxes, the low profile, simplistic look was provided because of the renovation. There’s a flow to the golf course, from tee to green to the next hole," said Goplin.
“The Derrick is really about the fun little short game shots around the green. Since the renovation it’s a classy throwback design with collection areas that are mowed down and mowed into the next tee box. Those little shots will present challenges for the players.”
In addition, Goplin sees the winner of the 2024 Men’s Amateur having a complete short game, feel on the greens, and an emphasis on the shot into the green. Players will have to focus on where they miss these greens with The Derrick’s subtle breaks and its bunker placements throughout the course.
In addition to its free-flowing style, The Derrick offers golfers some “shared theatre” as Goplin puts it. The players can never hide from their competitors, as the holes have sightlines everywhere and through the closing stretch of 14-18 players can see every hole from almost anywhere on those holes. Come the back 9 during the final round, Goplin sees this playing a massive part in the tournament.
In addition to the drama yielded by the closing 5 holes, The Derrick’s opening stretch on the back 9 is no cake walk either. Starting with a 427-yard par 4 on 10, followed by a 520-yard par 5, a 457-yard par 4, quickly
While the players are in for a true treat and test with this classic golf course, it’s the community that’s just as excited. Goplin knows there will be lots of members out watching the golf on the course and is looking forward to hopefully seeing their members compete. He mentions their club champion is Tate Bruggeman who is a member of the Alberta Golf High-Performance Program, who will surely be a part of the group of players from The Derrick.
The club is a big supporter of hosting association events, and the 2024 Men’s Amateur offers the chance to show off everything that The Derrick Golf & Winter Club has to offer.
2024 Women's Amateur
July 2-4 River Spirit Golf Club
Jieming Yang
2023 Alberta Women’s Amateur Champion
Q: When you reflect on your victory at the Alberta Women’s Amateur Championship at Water Valley, what memories are most vivid?
Yang: “It must be the trip with my sister (Carrie) and how she caddied for me all three days. It was not the first time she caddied for me but every time she’s with me, I just feel confident and comfortable on the course.”
Q: It must have been special to celebrate and share a victory with your sister. What was that moment like?
Yang: “It felt deeply heartwarming. Growing up, she’s my closest friend and mentor. She always gives me good energy and encouragement. I’m lucky to have her on my side. Hopefully, getting more wins with her in the future.”
Q: What was your key to success that week?
Yang: “My putting and irons were solid. I had a lot of good approaches.”
Q: You mentioned in an interview at Water Valley that it had been nearly two years since your last victory. What did it mean to claim the tournament title?
Yang: “It definitely helped me, boosting my confidence. I got to know my game better during that event.”
Q: Will you be back to try for a repeat?
Yang: “Yes, for sure, I would come back for this event if I ever get a chance.”
Winning recipe: Yang, who was born in China and competes collegiately for the University of California Golden Bears, went wire-to-wire in the Wild Rose Province. With a three-round score of 2-over 218, she finished four shots clear of the pack. Yang’s tournament scorecard included three eagles — one each day.
Alberta Women’s Amateur Past Champions
2021 – Hailey Katona
2020 – Yeji Kwon
2019 – Becky Martin
Alberta Women’s Amateur Interprovincial Team
2023 – Finished (4th)
Carys Code
Aastha Savadatti
Eileen Park
2023 – Jieming Yang
2022 – Katherine Hao
Meaghan LeBlanc
2023 Alberta Women’s Mid-Amateur Champion
Q: When you reflect on your victory at the Alberta Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship at Water Valley, what memories are most vivid?
LeBlanc: “I’m just happy to get out and play in some of these tournaments. Water Valley is a great little course. I think it’s kind of a hidden gem. So it was a lot of fun.”
Q: What was your key to success that week?
LeBlanc: “The greens were tough — they were quick and a lot of undulations — but I putted pretty well. You just have to place yourself on the right side of those pins, otherwise you can have some crazy putts, and I was mostly able to do that. So I hit the ball pretty well. I had a couple of threeputts, for sure, but I limited that problem, so that was one of the good things.”
Q: You plan your limited tournament schedule around your work commitments, so you’re not competing as regularly as some of the up-and-comers or collegiate golfers in the field. What’s your mindset when you are able to sneak away from the office for an event?
LeBlanc: “I just really try to enjoy it and play some good golf. Because it is my holidays, so it’s definitely beneficial to be out there and having fun, as opposed to not enjoying myself. It’s a little easier when it’s not raining. I’ve discovered I’m a bit of a fair-weather golfer now.”
Q: It must make your vacation that much more enjoyable when you hoist a trophy. What does it mean to now be a back-to-back winner in the mid-amateur category?
LeBlanc: “It’s great. I didn’t play the Alberta Am for quite a few years, but the last few years, I’ve tried to make it a priority. I really enjoy it.”
Winning recipe: LeBlanc, a member at Country Hills, posted a three-day score of 10-over 226 to repeat as Alberta’s mid-amateur champion. She also finished third on the overall leaderboard at the Alberta Women’s Amateur Championship.
Alberta Women’s Mid-Amateur Past Champions
2023 – Meaghan LeBlanc
2022 – Meaghan LeBlanc
2021 – Heather Lee
2020 – Kylie Barros
2019 – Becky Martin
Alberta Women’s Mid-Amateur Interprovincial Team
2023 – Finished (5th)
Andrea Kosa
Kassie Bourassa
Dianne Fisher
Andrea Kosa
2023 Alberta Women’s Mid-Master Champion
Q: When you reflect on your victory in the mid-master division at the Alberta Women’s Amateur Championship at Water Valley, what memories are most vivid?
Kosa: “That golf course is an amazing find. I’d never played there before, and it was tons of fun. You have to be creative and think lots, and I always enjoy courses where you need to plot your way around.”
Q: During the tournament, are you keeping tabs on the midmaster leaderboard?
Kosa: “To be honest with you, no. It may sound crazy, but I’m trying to win that Alberta Amateur. That is my goal and wherever the chips fall down the line, that’s what the next part is. I just focus on how well I can do against the field, and then I’m also looking for one of those qualifying/quota spots for the Canadian Amateur. If I focus away from competing against the entire field, I’m not in it, so I try to stay there.”
Q: Although it’s not your primary goal, you’ve now won four provincial mid-master crowns, including three in the past four years. Is that meaningful to you?
Kosa: “It’s still cool. Alberta Golf, the fact they have those categories, I think it is important and I noticed at Water Valley that there were a whole bunch more of the mid-amateurs and mid-masters who were coming out to play. I think there’s sometimes a fear that, if you just call it an Alberta Amateur, it’s all the young kids and a lot of the older golfers, 25 and up, will say, ‘What’s the point?’ So the fact that there are those different categories, it helps the tournament and it also keeps you working for some goal. Everyone can have a different goal.”
Q: Do your daughters get excited when mom brings home a trophy?
Kosa: “Oh yeah, the straws come out and we all drink ginger ale or something out of it. We always try to have some fun with it. And then if it doesn’t work out, it’s a good learning experience. I’ll tell them, ‘I tried my best and that’s all I can do, and now I have to learn what I can work on for the next time.’ ”
Winning recipe: Kosa, a member at Glencoe, continued her reign in the mid-master category with a three-round tab of 19-over 235. She’s now a four-time winner in the 40-and-over division.
Alberta Women’s Mid-Master Past Champions
2023 – Andrea Kosa
2022 – Andrea Kosa
2021 – Heather Lee
2020 – Andrea Kosa
2019 – Barbara Flaman
River Spirit rolls out the red carpet
By Jim Claggett
In 2023 River Spirit Golf Course went through a brand change, deciding to switch the club’s approach to their golf business. The family-run operation west of Calgary between the Elbow River and Highway 8 made a conscious shift to become more engaged with their customers. One of the steps being taken in 2024 is hosting some of the best female golfers during three days in July for the Alberta Women’s Amateur Championship.
“By hosting this kind of tournament, it brings our community together,” said Molly Bygrove, the clubs General Manager.
That community she refers to includes, staff, members, greenfee players, tournament volunteers and the contingent of golfers coming to test their skill at their course July 2-4.
Bygrove views this with another lens-it’s an opportunity to show women from other courses what River Spirit offers them during their golf experience.
“It starts with your environment and your staff. Management hires who they like and see the values of your company within your staff.”
Bygrove says the gist of the rebrand is to treat everyone the same, from newcomers to veterans of the game. Male or female. Young or old. By hosting this event Bygrove is thinking there might be some spinoff as players relate to other golfers how they were treated at River Spirit.
One thing is certain. The golf course itself will treat all these women who enter the tournament in the same manner.
“It’s challenging. Every time you play you get a different experience because we have 27 holes,” said Bygrove.
The players who tee it up will play the Spirit nine which was the first group of holes pieced together by architect Russ Olsen, opening in 2004. The Millburn nine will be the other half of the round and has been deemed the tougher of the three nines (Cattails is the third layout).
Bygrove says players who’ve not had the pleasure of playing there may wonder what’s in store as they get closer to the course. She says they might be fooled by the farmland stretching out before them but then, tada, you have this 27-hole golf course before your eyes.
The two tracks to be played measure out at just over 34 hundred yards from the tips down to about 26 hundred yards from the front tees. Each nine has two par three’s and two par fives.
Superintendent Justin Eastcott and crew are tasked with getting the course into shape for the three-day test and Alberta Golf will handle the technical details.
Bygrove and her sister Samantha hold the reins when it comes to running the course and they are backed up by several women in management positions. So, for them to host a provincial women’s event fits like a glove. Bygrove says they feel comfortable about hosting something of this magnitude. It also provides staff with a learning experience about prepping for a province-wide tournament.
“They are positive about hosting these events because it’s just a great way to showcase our facility and how grateful we are to give back to our golfing community,” said Bygrove.
“As soon as it came across my desk, I thought, this is so us and so on brand, I would love to take this opportunity,” she said. “How would we want this event run for us is what I want to give back to them. This speaks to us.”
The start of the Millburn nine is certainly an attentiongrabber with a trio of holes which can alter your score, up or down. Bygrove says the par-five third will earn your respect and if you can navigate this section at par or better you can pat yourself on the back.
“It’s quite scenic. You’re down in the valley and it’s kind of like the Kananaskis area without being too far away,” she said.
To pull off a provincial tournament courses lean heavily on their members to make it all work. Bygrove says River Spirit is no different as some members have played in Alberta Golf events in the past at other courses. They are very aware of the help needed.
The motto at River Spirit is ‘Come For The Golf. Stay For The Scenery. Come Back For The Feeling’. It sounds like they have checked off all those boxes and the women teeing it up in early July will get to experience it all firsthand.
2024 U19
July 9-11
Eileen Park
2023 Alberta U19 Girls Champion
Q: When you reflect on your victory at the Alberta U19 Championship at Turner Valley, what memories are most vivid?
Park: “The last day was the most memorable. I wasn’t in the final group, so I was a bit more pressured because I didn't know what the girls were shooting behind me. I wanted to keep up to them. I managed the pressure well and just went low.”
Q: You certainly did, shooting a 4-under 68 in the final round. Was there a moment when you started to feel like you were in control of the tournament?
Park: “After nine holes, I knew what the score was, so I stayed calm and told myself I could do it. Then I made three birdies in a row, so I was thinking, ‘Ok, there’s a good chance.’ I just tried to make no mistakes on the last few holes. After I birdied No. 18, I thought 'OK, I've got this.'.
Q: You also erased the female course record at Turner Valley. How did it feel to hear that news?
Park: “Turner Valley is a tough course, and I was surprised that 68 is the new record. It feels amazing. Hopefully, when I play at Turner Valley next time, I can beat my own record.”
Q: You have already won back-to-back provincial junior crowns — at ages 13 and 14. What did it mean to repeat as Alberta’s U19 champion?
Park: “It’s really nice. I had never defended a title, so that was my first one. Hopefully, I can do that again for the Canadian Junior Girls this year.”
Q: As you mentioned, you continued a superb summer with a victory at the 2023 Canadian Junior Girls Championship in New Brunswick. Were you still feeling the confidence and momentum from your win a couple weeks earlier?
Park: “I think so. It was the same mindset. I was tied after the third round at the nationals, so I just did the same thing as provincials. I played aggressive. I guess playing aggressive is my thing on the last day.”
Winning recipe: This was a repeat feat for Park, a member at Red Deer G&CC and a rising star on the national golf scene. She finished the three-day event at even-par 216, good for a six-shot victory. With a 4-under 68 in the final round, she set a new course record.
Alberta U19 Girls Past Champions
2023 – Eileen Park
2022 – Eileen Park
2021 – Grace Bell
2020 – Annabelle Ackroyd
2019 – Annabelle Ackroyd
Alberta U19 Girls Interprovincial Team
2023 – Finished (4th)
Eileen Park
Tessa Ion
Carys Code
Jaiden Koonar
2023 Alberta U19 Boys Champion
Q: When you reflect on your Alberta U19 Championship victory at Turner Valley, what memories are most vivid?
Koonar: “The biggest memories are with my family and friends. All three rounds, I played with some of my closest friends. That was the last big junior tournament that my parents would watch, so being able to win that one in front of them and leave junior golf on a good note, felt really good.”
Q: What was your key to success that week?
Koonar: “I started the tournament not great. I was even through the first two days and pretty far back going into the last round. I wanted to win, but honestly, I went into that third day with low expectations, and I was able to not let the nerves or knowing how big the tournament was get to me. Then I started making a lot of putts, and it just kept flowing.”
Q: So after rocketing to the top of the leaderboard, you’ve just pulled your tee-shot on No. 17 — left of the target on that Par-3 — and the horn blows because of lightning ... How did you handle the weather delay?
Koonar: “It was nerve-wracking. I didn’t talk to anyone, I was thinking about the chip and what I’d need to do when we went back out. I was short-sided and the grass was wet. I didn’t have a great lie. I was telling myself, ‘Get this on the green. You don’t want to flub a chip when you’ve had a 30-minute break.’ Thankfully, I got that ball on the green. It wasn’t a great chip, I had a 15-footer and when I made that putt for par, I gave a fist-pump. That was the biggest moment of the tournament.”
Q: What did it mean to cap your junior career as Alberta’s U19 champion?
Koonar: “It means absolutely everything. I’ve made so many of my best friends playing junior golf in Alberta. A lot of them came back out after their rounds, in the rain or after the delay, to watch me finish out those holes. After I finished No. 18, I was standing at the side of the green and my dad had his arm around me, and my friends were there. Knowing that I have these people around me to support me, it just makes it special to end that way.”
Winning recipe: Koonar, a member at Glencoe, erased a five-stroke deficit during the final round, storming to the top of the leaderboard in challenging conditions. He carded an eagle and four birdies on that last lap and posted a tournament total of 4-under 212.
Alberta U19 Boys Past Champions
2023 – Jaiden Koonar
2022 – Logan Graf
2021 – Paxton Maxwell
2020 – Hunter Thompson
2019 – Carter Graf
Alberta U19 Boys Interprovincial Team
2023 – Finished (3rd)
Brett Jones
Tobias Buffam
Zachary Haydamack
Olds welcomes Alberta's top
juniors
By Todd Saelhof
Hosting events in Olds never seems to get … old.
At least not for Alberta Golf, which has marked Olds Golf Club as a significant spot on its tournament map.
For 2024, that means hosting the 2024 Alberta U19 Championship in July.
“We seem to be popular, especially as of late anyways,” said Olds GC head professional Mathew MacDonald, referring to the course hosting both the 2023 Alberta Men’s Mid-Master Championship and the 2020 Alberta Men's Senior Championship.
“I know that in years previous, we held a lot of qualifiers for the Alberta Amateur and the Alberta Open,” continued MacDonald. “Gosh, it had to have been close to six or eight years in a row that we held at least one of those qualifiers — if not both of them — throughout the season.
“Due to the hard work of our superintendent, Jason Clouston, and his staff on the grounds crew, who've done a tremendous job shaping the golf course up, it seems as though Alberta Golf is interested in hosting championships here.”
From July 9-11, it’s the province’s phenoms on the prowl for a championship at the Central Alberta hot-spot.
The event brings together the best under-19 male and female golfers in the province, all shooting for chances to qualify for respective Canadian junior nationals.
“Obviously, we’re quite excited for it,” MacDonald said. “Anytime that you have the province’s top talent coming to play your golf course, you're always excited for the chance for them to test their skills on your course.
For the 43-year-old course itself, it’s another opportunity to showcase what it brings to the Alberta golf scene.
“The beauty of our golf course is it’s not like other courses in the area where the premium is completely on accuracy,” MacDonald said. “There is the ability to sort of try to overpower the golf course, but if you don't do it at the right time and you get a little bit carefree with it, you can end up in a lot of trouble. So it's a really good test of golf for all golfers of basically all stripes and skill levels.”
Good thing, because these socalled ‘kids’ nowadays really know how to play the game.
“Yeah … the number of NCAA commits from Alberta seems to be increasing every year,” agreed MacDonald. “We've got a ton of top talent ourselves at the golf course, especially at the junior level.
Renovations to Holes 12, 13 and 14 in 2022 — including a new green, revamped contouring, bunker adjustments and size increases of water hazards as part of a 20year, $1-million master plan — have helped to increase the challenge of Olds Golf Club.
“We've done a number of enhancements to the golf course in the past 12 years that have made it a lot more playable for the average player but also a little bit more difficult for the seasoned veteran,” added MacDonald. "So we're really looking forward to see how the golf course challenges these young, talented golfers.
"And one of our goals is to eventually the Alberta Amateur or Open at some point in time, because we truly do feel that our golf courses in such condition and is playable in such a way that it's going to determine the best golfer that week regardless.
“There are going to be some names familiar to the Alberta golf circuit and to the collegiate circuit, for sure,” continued MacDonald. “But there also is the opportunity for a lot of youngsters who are just kind of trying to make their mark and trying to get noticed by these NCAA colleges. This is one of their big opportunities to really put their best foot forward.”
“And what really makes it good for them is the course is deceivingly difficult. There's a lot of players that are gonna look at the yardage on the scorecard and see that we're at 6,900 yards basically from the tips, and they're gonna say, ‘Wow, that should be no problem.’
“And it is relatively wide open,” continued MacDonald. “But the reality of it is the greens are its best defence. They get very, very quick. There's lots of subtle undulations in them. And then outside of that, we have the ability to grow the rough up very very quickly if you need it to. And all of a sudden, it just takes a couple of your drives. And instead of having a very basic approach to the hole, you now are potentially having to shoot for the middle of the green or well away from the flag in order to ensure that you don't potentially hit it in the water or in a wayward bunker.”
“It’s not going to be necessarily the longest hitter, and it's not necessarily going to be the guy who chips the best. It's going to be the most well-rounded player at the end of the day. And we're very excited to put our best foot forward and give up the course for a week. I know the members are already starting to say that they're willing to volunteer for the event.”
2024 Men's Mid-Amateur
July 16-18
Barrett Jarosch
2023 Alberta Men’s Mid-Amateur Champion
Q: When you reflect on your victory at the Alberta Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship at Windermere, what memories are most vivid?
Jarosch: “It was very special competing on what is, for me, not just a home course but also where I picked up the love of the game as a kid. And, of course, very fun to win at home. Even though I led after the first round, led after the second and then puked away the lead in the final round, I was able to bring it back at the end and get it done on the first playoff hole. So that was wonderful. I had lots of friends and family out following along. I had my dad caddie for me the first round, my mom in the second and my wife in the final round, so it was just a blast to cruise around and share that with them. It’s a lot different feeling from when I used to play competitively. I enjoy it a lot more. Because it’s not your job. It’s something you do because you love it and there’s a passion there.”
Q: After frittering away your lead on the final day, how did you manage to reset and storm back?
Jarosch: “Ryan was playing really well. He was making everything and it seemed like every time he had a wedge in his hands, he would hit it close. And I just couldn’t get anything going. I think I was three down with three to play, but I just kind of hung in there and he made a couple mistakes on Nos. 16 and 17 — he made a couple of bogeys — and I went par-birdie, so we were back to even. I think we both played No. 18 pretty cautiously with our approaches, neither of us really had a good look at birdie, but we went back for the playoff and I felt really confident after playing it five minutes prior about where to hit it and what the green was doing. I ended up making about an 18-footer that was sliding. At first, I thought I missed it low but it hung on and lipped in, so that was nice.”
Winning recipe: Jarosch, who is once again competing as an amateur after a pro golf career that included an appearance on the PGA Tour, capitalized on home-course advantage by firing three straight sub-par rounds on familiar turf at Windermere. He was tied with Medicine Hat’s Ryan Werre (Desert Blume) at 5-under 208 before prevailing with a birdie on the first overtime hole.
2023 – Barrett Jarosch
Barrhead to host first ever Alberta Golf championship
By Todd Saelhof
Golfing and camping … Is there any better way to enjoy the outdoors?
How about winning the 2024 Alberta Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship while you’re at it?
“Sounds like a plan,” said Kevin Lynes, Barrhead Golf & Recreation Area Society’s CPGA head golf professional.
“We’re going to see the best male golfers in the province age 25 and over,” continued Lynes. “They’re definitely good players. We’ve got a lot of good players in the province, and we will get to see them here, which will be awesome.”
Indeed, Barrhead Golf Club — for the first time — is playing host to one of Alberta Golf’s elite tournaments this summer.
The Alberta Mid-Am goes July 16-18 at the 6,667-yard course — a Les Furber design that has been included among Golf Digest’s Best Places to Play list for many years.
“We're pretty pumped about it,” Lynes said. “We've hosted numerous qualifiers for all different levels for junior and senior events, but we haven't hosted a championship event before.
“We’re excited to showcase our course here to the best players in the province. And from what I've heard around here, everybody's really happy that it's coming.” Including what is a well-connected membership group at Barrhead.
“Our membership here is phenomenal,” said Lynes, now in his fourth year as head pro at Barrhead. “Say we had a windstorm in the spring, we'll have 20, 30, 40 people with rakes and everything just to clean up and get the course back going again, and it's like that with maintenance of the golf course.
“Say our campground is in need of firewood, we’ll have a firewood stacking party, and the members are out here with all their tools and givin’ er.
they haven't heard good things about the course, but because just how good a course it is.”
Lynes praises Barrhead’s long-time superintendent Alex Luciuk in making — and keeping — the track in tip-top shape, adding that it draws rave reviews for its top-shelf conditions. Of course, the layout is very likeable, as well.
“With the Alberta Golf events we’ve hosted, lots of times we're seeing those guys come back after they’ve played in the qualifiers, because they enjoyed the course so much,” Lynes said. “And a lot of guys will come and play practice rounds prior to the event here once they find out if they've qualified, and that helps spread the word and show everybody the golf course.
“Half of them are full service with sewer access, and all of them are water and power sites, and there’s a brand new washroom shower facility there. So it's a pretty nice little spot. For a three-day event, for sure, they might book a site and stay there,” said Lynes.
“It's really special to see how the members of the community support the club in all areas of the golf course.”
Of course, the big ask this summer is to support the Alberta Men’s Mid-Am in whatever way they can.
“We've already got a good response from the membership here,” Lynes said. “There's a lot of volunteer work that goes into it. And if the members aren't golfing, they are more than happy to help out with the scoring, the spotting, the starting and all the extra volunteer hours that go into it.”
Whatever works to make those three days of the midam work.
But, of course, the course itself is the main attraction — a big reason why the championship is heading to Barrhead.
“Well … we're a hidden gem here, because it's off the beaten trail a little bit,” Lynes said. “When people come and they play here, they're quite surprised. Not that
“So that’s a little bit of extra traffic for the golf course with those guys coming and playing and maybe bringing someone else with them for a practice round,” continued Lynes. “And then once people play here, they quite often are back again, because it's very enjoyable.”
But it’s not easy.
Accuracy is important, says Lynes, especially when getting off the tees and into position for the second shot.
“We’re not a particularly long golf course,” said Lynes, who pegs the 384-yard No. 6 hole — with a lengthy drive needed to clear the Paddle River — as Barrhead’s signature challenge. “But you have to be pretty accurate off the tee here, because there's a lot of bush and water that will find the errant balls.
“So that's where having the spotters and helping the guys out is important.”
The best part of golfing Barrhead? You’re able to stay just steps away from the course, making it especially attractive for those staying for tournament action.
The uniqueness of it is the 40-site campground, sitting proudly just off the 16th and 17th greens.
“It’s a popular place for golfers in the summer, and there's some seasonals in there, too,” added Lynes. “So we get a lot of people out from Edmonton and Spruce Grove and Stony Plain that come up for the weekend and are seasonal campers.
2024 Women’s Senior
July 23-25
Pine Hills Golf Club
Celina Lam
2023 Alberta Women’s Senior Champion
Q: When you reflect on your victory at the Alberta Women’s Senior Championship at Coyote Creek, what memories are most vivid?
Lam: “It’s just very amazing. It’s something that I had never experienced before. It was a lot of fun. I think the people watching were more nervous than us. Because coming down the stretch, it was flip-flopping all the time. Lynn was leading, then I was leading. We’d keep exchanging strokes. For me, it’s a tough course and I just have to focus on every shot. When I was done, I didn’t even know that I won. My husband said, ‘Oh, you lost. You lost by one stroke.’ But other people were saying, ‘You won! You won!’ I said to them, ‘Are you sure?’ So it was a really surprising thing that I won, especially because I had a double bogey on the last hole. But I think the highlight was No. 17. I birdied that hole, and that was the highlight.”
Q: Indeed, your birdie on the second-to-last hole proved to be a tournament turning point. Can you describe that approach shot?
Lam: “I was about 150 yards out. There’s a bunker on the front left, and the pin was behind that bunker. So you need to hit it high. And there’s another bunker to the right, so you need to aim at that bunker and draw it in. I just hit the best 150-yard shot that I ever hit onto the green.”
Q: This is your first Alberta Golf title. What does it mean to be a provincial champion?
Lam: “It’s unbelievable.”
Winning recipe: Lam, a member at Canal at Delacour, signed for a three-round score of 12-over 225, edging Lynn Kuehn (Lacombe G&CC) and Jackie Little (Balfour) by a single stroke.
Alberta Women’s Senior Past Champions
2023 – Celina Lam
2022 – Brenda Heyink
2021 – Kim Carrington
2020 – Kim Carrington
2019 – Kim Carrington
Alberta Women’s Senior Interprovincial Team
2023 – Finished (5th)
Celina Lam
Lynn Kuehn
Jean Nitchke
Lynn Kuehn
2023 Alberta Women’s Super Senior Champion
Q: When you reflect on your victory in the super senior division at Coyote Creek, what memories are most vivid?
Kuehn: “I played really well the first two days. And then, the last day, a few putts didn’t go in and the weather turned a little. It was a bit wet, but it could have been way worse. But I just love the course, so it was a fun week.”
Q: When you’re contending for the overall tournament title, how do you treat the super senior competition? Was it on your mind at all?
Kuehn: “To be honest, I hadn’t even thought about it, because I was wanting to win the other. But then it’s like, ‘Oh yeah, I am a super senior. Oh, and I’m tied with Jackie. Oh good, let’s go one more hole.’ So focus up again. It’s funny, because I made a bazillion-foot putt to win the playoff. And I was in that same spot in regulation and I just missed. I’m thinking, ‘If I would have done that 15 minutes ago, it would have been a whole lot different.’ I had missed a bunch of makeable-ish ones earlier in the day, so of course I’d make a 50-footer. That’s golf, right?
Q: Although it wasn’t your primary focus, what does it mean to have your name engraved on the super senior trophy?
Kuehn: “It’s exciting. Because I see some of the other names, like Diane Williams and Marilyn O’Connor, and it’s like, ‘Wow, I’m up with them.’ Well, not nearly close to them (in total victories), but it’s exciting to get your name on there with them. Great company, and great ladies too.”
Winning recipe: Kuehn, a member at Lacombe, finished three rounds at 13-over 226, one stroke off the lead in the Alberta Women’s Senior Championship. She won the super senior title in a playoff, draining a lengthy putt to defeat B.C.’s Jackie Little.
Alberta Women’s Super Senior Past Champions
2023 – Lynn Kuehn
2022 – Brenda Heyink
2021 – Ava Broderick
2020 – Jean Nitchke
2019 – Alison Murdoch
Ena Spalding
2023 Alberta Women’s Diamond Champion
Q: When you reflect on your victory in the diamond division at the Alberta Women's Senior Championship at Coyote Creek, what memories are most vivid?
Spalding: “Probably surprise is the biggest one. I didn’t even know there was such a thing as the diamond division. If I had, I’m not sure it would have made much difference. It’s not like you sign up to win a championship. At least, I don’t. I just sign up to support Alberta Golf, to make sure that by doing my little bit I can help fill the field and make the tournament run.”
Q: In that case, what was your reaction when you found out that you’d earned a trophy?
Spalding: “It was a feel-good thing, of course. It was all very positive. Thinking back, when I was in this same event at Priddis Greens a few years ago, I remember saying, ‘OK, so now you have a super senior category. What about the super-duper seniors?’ And one of the Alberta Golf staff said, ‘Oh yeah, we’re working on that.’ It was just a joke on my part. I did not expect that, but I think it’s a very nice thing to have and what I hope that it does is encourages older ladies, when they’re thinking of signing up for a tournament, to be able to say, ‘Oh look, there’s a category for me!’ We know we’re not competing with the 50-year-olds and 60-yearolds, so it’s nice to have our own category. It’s just another encouragement to keep participating.”
Q: That’s a really great point. What would be your message to other potential participants about the benefits of continuing to play tournament golf?
Spalding: “For ladies who have been attending these tournaments for lots of years, we’ve been friends for a long time and it might be the only time we see each other. And even as over-70s, some of us do have that streak running in us which makes a golf tournament different from just going out to play golf. I like to say that tournament golf is unlike any other golf. Anything can and usually does happen. Things that don’t happen on a Tuesday morning happen at golf tournaments. So it’s always a challenge, but it’s also so enjoyable because of all these other people that I’ve met over the years, to be able to see them once a year.”
Winning recipe: Spalding, who plays at Maple Ridge in Calgary, fired scores of 94-89-89 to lead the pack in the 70-plus age category.
2023 – Ena Spalding
Alberta Women’s Diamond Past Champions
The Women's Senior returns to
Pine Hills
By Kevin Smith
Pine Hills Golf Club is one hour due west of Red Deer and a couple hours from both Calgary and Edmonton in the picturesque town of Rocky Mountain House, but to say the town and the course are a bit out of the way is an understatement. Dave Drake grew up in Brooks and is the Executive Professional at Pine Hills, he’s been at the club for 25 years, so what’s kept Drake in the area for so long?
“You know we always think about moving to the big city,” Drake admitted. ”At the end of the day your family kind of keeps you grounded and keeps you in a certain area and we’re really fortunate that this club has allowed me to stay here as long as I have.”
Raising a family in Rocky Mountain House consists of a lot of golf in the summer and lots of hockey in the winter.
“I have one of each, my daughter she's 19 so she’s graduated and everything and just trying to figure things out,” Drake said. “Our son is 14 so he is either playing hockey or he's playing golf here at the course. It’s been a great place for them to grow up.”
The most famous hockey player to grow up in Rocky Mountain House is former Calgary Hitmen star Brad Stuart. Stuart helped the Hitmen win the 1999 WHL championship and ended up playing over 1000 NHL games, he even won the Stanley Cup with Detroit in 2008 and brought the cup to Rocky Mountain House that summer.
More and more families are gravitating towards hockey and golf in the area much like Dave Drake’s kids have.
“We're definitely seeing some more juniors getting involved out here and we have a pretty good junior program,” Drake said. “We’re really trying to help grow from the grassroots and we’re seeing a lot more juniors including some playing at a high level across the province like Saylar May and Ryker Flikinger who are helping to put Pine Hills on the map.”
“The course is very undulating and challenging, I think even if you're in the fairway you can have a sidehill, uphill or downhill lie which definitely will challenge them,” Drake said. “The biggest thing over here is our greens can be extremely challenging depending on where we decide to put some of the pins and it's a tree lined golf course so they're going to have to hit it straight off the tee as well. Overall they wont notice too much of a difference from 2019.”
The Alberta Women’s Senior Championship was last held at Pine Hills in 2019 with Kim Carrington emerging victorious. Carrington, the 5-time champion of this event is coming off surgery and won't be ready to compete at this year’s championship.
The volunteers at the course are looking forward to showcasing their area in July to all the players.
“Yeah I think it was pretty exciting for her to win here in 2019 because her dad Bill used to be the pro here before I got here so she's got a little connection to the club,” Drake said. “I think it was kind of one of her first events that she got to play out here so it was an exciting thing for her to win and her dad came out to watch, so it was a special week for Kim in 2019.”
If you look at Pine Hills on a map you really have to have a reason to pass through Rocky Mountain House, which a lot more people are doing in the post covid golf landscape.
“I think people are starting to make the trek out here and we're getting a little better known,” Drake admitted. “We get a lot of traffic from Calgary and Edmonton since we have a provincial park just 5 minutes away from the golf course and at Crimson Lake we get a lot of people that are here to camp or have cabins and come here to get away, decompress and get some golf in.”
And this July the top senior women will come to Pine Hills to compete in the 2024 Alberta Women’s Senior Championship July 23-25. The competitors will have a number of challenges to navigate to try and take the title.
“I know we have a lot of support from our members and in the community when we do events like the championship here in July,” Drake beamed. “I don't see us having an issue getting volunteers in place and it'll definitely help draw a lot of people to this area so I think it's something the town and the county are pretty proud of.”
There’s a cool background to the origin of the course. In 1964 the original nine holes were designed and built by some members who worked in the Oil Patch and used their own equipment to move all the earth and designed it themselves. It wasn’t until the late 1980s that renowned course designer Sid Puddicombe built the second nine holes and the course is now intertwined between the two.
“It's kind of cool you know that some members just built this thing with their own equipment,” Drake explained. “Now we have a championship style golf course and we’re pretty proud of what it’s become but you wouldn't really be able to tell what holes were part of the original 9 or not, they all kind of just blend together.”
And the best senior women in Alberta will come together in Rocky Mountain House to test their skills at Pine Hills Golf Club this July.
2024 Men’s Senior
July 30-August 1
James Varnam
2023 Alberta Men’s Senior Champion
Q: When you reflect on your victory at the Alberta Men’s Senior Championship at Glendale, what memories are most vivid?
Varnam: “The putting, the greens ... That was a part of that golf course that a lot of people struggled with, but I had a feel that was obviously better than anybody else, and it worked well. I don’t think I struck the ball any differently, although I drove it pretty well. Those were the two best clubs in the bag — driver and putter.”
Q: You’ve played tournaments all around the world, including plenty of Alberta Golf events. What does it mean to be a provincial champion?
Varnam: “For me, because our children and grandchildren live in Alberta, it’s wonderful. My wife is from there. I’ve only become a resident in the last couple of years, even though we’ve been up there for 20 years. It makes me feel more at home, I guess. That’s really our second home. And that’s probably the most competitive group of guys that I play with. Everything else I play in, I don’t really know the guys that well and it’s constantly changing, but when I get to Alberta, I know all the guys that are going to be there and I know who you have to beat, and it’s not easy. So to win one of these things, it gives you lots of good feelings.”
Q: Does that mean that you’ll be back to defend your crown?
Varnam: “Oh yeah, I’ll be there. It’s always a fun time.”
Winning recipe: Varnam, who is a member at Royal Wellington in New Zealand and hangs out at Royal Mayfair in Edmonton during the summer months, was the only gent to finish in red numbers at this three-round showdown. With a total tally of 1-under 215, he bested his closest competition by three shots.
Varnam
Back on the championship schedule
Highwood Golf
By Kevin Smith
Highwood Golf in High River is certainly no stranger to hosting provincial championships. This summer when the top male senior golfers in the province test their skills on the scenic track south of Calgary it will be the 4th event to hand out a provincial title all within the last decade. In 2016 Jaclyn Lee won the Alberta Women’s Amateur Championship by 9 strokes, 3 years later Annabelle Ackroyd & Carter Graf were crowned U19 champions and in 2022 who can forget Jesse Galvon snagging the Alberta Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship after leader Ryan Werre found himself high up in a tree on the 18th fairway unable to locate his second shot which led to a shake-up of the leaderboard. Highwood Golf Head Professional Dan Warwaruk has been right there for all of it.
“I'm sure the competitors would appreciate less drama but that was quite an exciting and extraordinary finish back in 2022,” Warwaruk admitted. “We love hosting these events that bring some good reputation to our facility and our members really enjoy helping out. I think our volunteer presence when we have these events really speaks to how much our members love hosting. It gets our name out there and it makes our members proud of their golf course when the best players in the province are playing well or sometimes struggling on our layout, we’re really looking forward to it.”
Warwaruk’s time at Highwood goes all the way back to the fall of 2009, starting at the club just after the last time they hosted the Alberta Men’s Senior Championship when Frank Van Dornick was the champion and the course certainly stood up to the test.
“We had the senior men back here in 2009 and only one gentleman broke par for the event so our little course can really hold up to the best players in the province and it will be interesting to see 15 years later with the advances in technology and fitness what kind of numbers these guys are going to shoot.”
Calgary, I've heard good things but I'll just stick closer to home’. People are now checking us out and like what we have to offer.”
Highwood Golf currently has an 18 hole championship course which the senior men will be playing this summer but they also have a shorter 9 hole course that is the kind of golf offering that’s in vogue right now being less expensive and taking less time to play and a little bit easier. The Spitzee 9 hole course is also part of the Alberta Golf Youth on Course program, allowing juniors to play for five dollars or less and onboard new youth to the game while breaking down cost barriers at the same time.
There could be some serious drama on the final 4 holes in late July for the senior men as the finishing stretch has a great mix of tough holes mixed with risk/reward.
“The ability for Highwood Golf to have two different golf offerings is a huge advantage in our market,” Warwaruk beamed. “We have something for the serious golfer and then we also have something for the casual golfer as well.”
When Warwaruk first started at Highwood Golf in 2009 they had 27 championship holes but the flood of 2013 changed the future of the layout.
“At the time, the flood of 2013 really changed the physical and emotional nature of our club and we were closed for the second half of 2013 and reopened in 2014 as an 18 hole facility because we were quite devastated,” Warwaruk said. “We've slowly crawled back since then, not exactly how we were when we last hosted the senior men in 2009 but the course is still a very good test and as far as our membership it’s almost recovered to where we were.”
Highwood Golf has been in High River since 1958 and has approximately 600 members that includes all levels of ability. High River is a retirement community so the demographic does skew towards being a little bit older but that seems to be changing.
“With the pandemic the last few years and new people being introduced to the game as well as the finished Calgary ring road High River is not as far now and people are taking advantage and coming down here to play,” Warwaruk said. “The perception back in the day, people thought ‘Wow Highwood is so far away from
“15, 16, 17 and 18 are a very good stretch of holes here with a lot of variety and sometimes what you see isn't exactly what you get,” Warwaruk said. “15 is a very demanding part 4 and then 16 and 17 are drivable par fours which sometimes makes you play conservatively and maybe try to make a birdie with your wedge but depending on how the scenario plays out coming down to the final few holes someone might need to take a risk and play aggressive, but of course disaster can strike so there’s a very big potential for a swing there on 16 and 17. Then we get to the 18th hole which as people will remember anything can happen as we saw back in 2022 in the mid am having the leader up in a tree, that was a devastating finish for someone who was thinking they had the event wrapped up and suddenly they weren't the winner.”
The members at the club are certainly proud of their course and the finishing stretch and some will even try competing this summer during the Alberta Men’s Senior Championship.
“I know of about six or seven members that are going to attempt to qualify,” Warwaruk explained. “That's so great and their mindset is even if they don't qualify they’re still going to help during the event because they want to be involved, when they look at the leaderboard they're going to recognize 6 to 10 names of members flying the flag trying to bring it home for our club so it's going to be very interesting to see. One way or the other our members can't wait to be involved and we’re proud of hosting these events as often as possible.”
2024 All Abilities
Kiefer Jones
2023
Alberta All Abilities Champion
Q: When you reflect on your victory at the Alberta All Abilities Championship at McCall Lake, what memories are most vivid?
Jones: “Right from the first day, it just seemed like the course fit the way I played. They didn’t have it set up too long, but I was still playing conservative. There were guys who were going for short greens. It’s a 290-yard Par-4 surrounded by water and guys are going for it, but I was feeling so good with my wedges so I was thinking, ‘I’ll take my 100-yard approach all day long.’ So that’s what we did. Everything we laid up was intentionally 100-125 yards. I honestly didn’t feel like I putted that well but because my wedges were so good, even a bad putt was still a two-putt because it seemed like I was always inside 20 feet.”
Q: That strategy obviously worked wonders. What was the significance of two straight rounds in the 60s?
Jones: “Back-to-back 69s, that’s the best that I’ve ever done in a tournament. I’d had a 68 before, but I followed it up with a 75. For combined tournament scores, 69-69 is definitely the best I’ve done, so that was really quite fun.”
Q: You’ve played blind golf tournaments all around the world, but this was one of your first all-abilities competitions, other than your two trips to the U.S. Adaptive Open. How would you describe the atmosphere around an event like this?
Jones: “It’s really interesting for me because with blind golf, I feel like I go to a tournament now and I know everyone and I know their story. I guess the fun thing about going to these all-abilities events is how many people I haven’t met yet. I played with a couple of guys on the final day that were really good golfers, they’re also scratch golfers, and one had a prosthetic leg and the other had a leg issue, as well. It was just fun to play good golf with two guys with different disabilities from me. I got to hear their stories, and same for them — they got to hear mine as we went along, because it’s not so competitive that you’re not talking to each other. You’re there to play golf, but you’re there to have fun, too.”
Winning recipe: Jones, whose incredible playing resume includes victories at the Canadian Blind Golf Open and World Blind Golf Championships, added another trophy to his collection with backto-back rounds of 2-under 69. A regular at Heritage Pointe, he won the overall competition by seven strokes.
2023 – Kiefer Jones
Alberta All Abilities Past Champions
The Broadmoor
ready to be inspired
By Todd Saelhof
‘Uplifting’ and ‘inspirational.’ Those are the words that spring to mind when taking in the Alberta Golf All Abilities Championship.
And the people of Sherwood Park can feel that — and more — in August, when the tournament for Albertans with disabilities are tested by the public course of The Broadmoor.
“Being able to host this event is pretty amazing,” said Corey Strong, The Broadmoor’s head golf professional. “Uplifting and inspirational are certainly the two words that sum it up, for sure.
“It’s good for golf, in general.” Alberta Golf’s second edition of the three-day event is slated for Aug. 6-8 on the 6,345-yard track — a gem in the heart of Sherwood Park.
The inaugural tournament went last year at Calgary’s McCall Lake Golf Course, receiving rave reviews and having been won by Kiefer Jones, the No. 1-ranked blind golfer in the world.
“We’re really looking forward to it,” said Strong, whose course hosted the 2023 Alberta Amputee Sports and Recreation Association golf tournament.
“I know just from hosting the Alberta Amputee event, we had quite a few low scores — like in the low-to-mid 70s — which is impressive,” continued Strong. “Golf is hard enough with a sound mind and a working body, so when you watch people with disabilities record scores like that, it’s very eye-opening.
“It just makes your jaw drop. I can’t believe somebody can go out there and play that well with no eye-sight or limited eye-sight or whatever the disability is.
“It’s heart-warming to say the least. But very impressive.”
And that’s on an impressive collection of challenges for which The Broadmoor is known.
It’s a layout — kept pristine by longtime superintendent Rod Mortimer and his staff — that features water on five of the first nine holes for some risk-reward dynamics. Included is the long par-3 No. 6 that’s 220 yards from the tips and the par-5 ninth that winds uphill with “flair and dramatics,” Strong said.
“A couple of the par 5s are challenging, just due to their length — 520 to 540 yards.”
Alberta Golf knows just how challenging — and accepting — The Broadmoor is as a championship host.
The provincial body has thrown its support behind the club before, by asking it to host both the 2021 Alberta Women’s Amateur and the 1995 U19 Championship (formerly known as the Alberta Junior Championship).
“We’ve been lucky,” Strong said. “Word of mouth has been good to us. We’ve had a lot of the organizations, whether it’s Alberta Golf or whatnot reach out to have us host events. It does make the membership base pretty proud that it’s a popular spot.
“We know there are many players who want to compete and giving them an Alberta Golf provincial championship is a high priority, and we are excited to do so. We are working closely with the Alberta Amputee Sports & Recreation Association to ensure our championship is run to the standard expected and that all players who are eligible to play have the opportunity,” said Deneer.
Sandwiched between those two co-signature holes is tricky No. 7 — a par-4 probe — with water along the left side, and testy No. 8 — a little par-3 obstacle.
“Probably the par 3s — there’s five of them, and they are challenging,” said Strong, when asked about the strengths of his course. “Three of them can play 200plus yards, and usually they are playing into swirling winds. The other two are a little shorter, but on both, you have to be pretty precise with a wedge, a 9-iron or an 8-iron coming into the green.
“And we’ve always had really good reception when it comes to the membership,” continued Strong. “Even for that small event last year, quite a few people took the time to come out and watch and chat with some of the players — on the range and on the course.
“Our members love the opportunity to come out and walk the path and watch the competition when they can.”
Then they’ll love the 2024 Alberta Golf All Abilities Championship.
“It’s good for golf and Alberta Golf,” Strong said. “The thought is still around that golf is an elitist sport. But events like this help make it so that anyone and everyone can play and enjoy the game of golf.”
“We are very excited to offer this opportunity to the all-abilities golfing community,” added Alberta Golf Director of Competition John Deneer, of the tourney that’s an official World Amateur Golf Rankings event and is partnered with the European Disabled Golf Association.
2024 Alberta Open
August 13-15
Max Sekulic
2023 Alberta Open Champion
Q: When you reflect on your victory at the Alberta Open at Coal Creek, what memories are most vivid?
Sekulic: “I’d won the Alberta Junior there in 2017. It had been five or six years in between events, but I had good memories of the course going into it. It was in great shape, as I remembered it, and the greens were nice and I like the course layout. A lot of the tougher holes out there fit my shot shape, so I was comfortable on every tee-box. I did everything the same as I did at the Junior — I stayed at the same hotel and everything, to keep that winning feeling going. I played a good first round in the wind. I was 5-under, and it was howling on the back nine, so that was a solid, air-tight round of golf. The second day was a little slower, but I made a few good birdies and pars coming in to finish and had a one-shot lead going into the final round. I kept it rolling with a bogey-free 7 under. I just played well. Some weeks, it feels like you’re not working that hard. I didn’t have a ton of tough up-and-downs for par. I never was out of position a lot. So you feel like you’re in the driver’s seat the whole week. I had a really fun time winning.
Q: What was the strongest part of your game during tournament week?
Sekulic: “I drove it really well. Through a 54-hole tournament, I think I only hit one or two tee-shots that I didn’t like. It’s easy when you get off the tee-box and you’re in a spot you want to be in and you feel like you can attack the pins. Coal Creek has fast greens and if you’re grinding from the short side of the green to make pars, the days can feel pretty long. And then on the last day, I putted better than the first two days.”
Q: One of the biggest challenges with competitive golf is that you’re not in a position to win very often. As you embark on your professional career, what do these experiences — a victory at the Canadian Amateur Championship in 2021, a victory at the Alberta Open in 2023, etc. — mean to you?
Sekulic: “They mean a lot. You have to get used to being in that spot. I played on PGA Tour LatinoAmerica. On the back nine on Sunday, I had a chance to win the tournament. It didn’t happen, I feel like at this next level, I have what it takes to win. Winning is about emotional composure. That’s maybe the hardest part.”
Winning recipe: Sekulic, who hails from Rycroft, finished four shots clear of the pack with a threeround tab of 15-under 201. His scorecard included an eagle, 16 birdies and just three bogeys.
Alberta Open Past Champions
2023 – Max Sekulic
2022 – Ethan Choi
2021 – Riley Fleming
2020 – AJ Armstrong
2019 – Andrew Harrison
Desert Blume hosts The Alberta Open
By Kevin Smith
Alberta Golf always looks to move its championships around the province especially the flagship event The Alberta Open which is the only event that includes professionals and amateurs. Last year’s Alberta Open was held east of Edmonton at Coal Creek Golf Resort while in 2024 it heads to the Southeast corner of the province in Medicine Hat and Desert Blume Golf Course.
Trevor Ellerman is General Manager and part Owner at the course and can’t wait to showcase his course to the best male golfers in Alberta in mid-August.
“Well I think it's unique for the area for sure, it's set down in a coulee with a creek that runs through it with basically one tree on the course,” Ellerman decribed. “The defense of the course would be a little bit of the wind and then the greens can be quite fast and undulating and the wind can be a factor for sure.”
Ellerman said for players in the Calgary area Desert Blume will remind them of Mickelson National Golf Club which is the newest course in the Alberta Golf landscape opening in 2020 while Desert Blume opened in 2007 and enjoys one of the longest and hottest seasons in the province each year.
“It’ll be great to showcase the golf course and the facilities and the city of Medicine Hat as well,” Ellerman said. “People don't always get down this way in Alberta, so for people to come and see the course and see what we have to offer is obviously a privilege.”
The course has five Par 5’s and a couple drivable par 4’s, someone that can hit the ball far definitely has an advantage and there will be some good scores during the event.
In 2022 Desert Blume held the Alberta Senior Men’s Championship with home course competitor Kelly Risling taking the title during a windy, hot, firm and fast week. That emotional win for Risling was received very well by the volunteers at the event and Ellerman is looking at a few home course players to be a factor this year as well.
Trevor Ellerman grew up in Medicine Hat and before getting into golf played hockey at a high level winning a national title playing for head coach Mike Babcock at The University of Lethbridge before playing pro hockey in Europe and the CHL in the U.S. As most Canadians know Golf and Hockey always go hand in hand.
“I was always in the golf business going to school and then when I was playing hockey as well so it worked out quite well because we played hockey all winter and golf all summer,” Ellerman said. “Being able to work in the golf business in the city I grew up in has been special and I’m looking forward for all the competitors to test their skills at Desert Blume and try and win a provincial championship, I’ll even try to qualify myself.”
“As of right now I would think we’re in good shape for the season,” Ellerman said. “We did some work over the winter to make our sprinkler system much more efficient and use less water. The course is called Desert Blume so drier desert conditions are probably not out of the ordinary and actually make the course play faster and firmer which is what it was designed for.”
“Dillon Batsel is one of the top Alberta PGA pros so he'll be in the mix I would have to think and have home course advantage,” Ellerman admitted. “On the amateur side we’ll have quite a few players from the course looking to compete including 2020 Alberta Men’s Amateur Champion Mike Valk and 2022 Alberta MidAm runner up Ryan Werre.”
With Medicine Hat being one of the hotter and drier areas of Alberta drought conditions are always a consideration but Ellerman says this season at Desert Blume is shaping up well.
“As of right now I would think we’re in good shape for the season,” Ellerman said. “We did some work over the winter to make our sprinkler system much more efficient and use less water. The course is called Desert Blume so drier desert conditions are probably not out of the ordinary and actually make the course play faster and firmer which is what it was designed for.”
Compared to other courses in the area like the parkland tree lined layouts of The Medicine Hat Golf and Country Club and Connaught Golf Club, Desert Blume will provide a unique test with quite a few fairway bunkers and deeper greenside bunkers, just make sure you avoid that one tree!
2024 U17, U15 & U13
August 19-20
Alberta Springs Golf Resort
Tessa Ion
2023 Alberta U17 Girls Champion
Q: When you reflect on your victory at the Alberta U17 Championship at Alberta Springs, what memories are most vivid?
Ion: “There’s lots of memories. It was just a week or two after I committed to a university, so I went into that tournament with no stress. I just wanted to have fun and play my best and just take it one shot at a time. I remember after the first day, I was one back from the lead and I knew I had to do something the next day to get it back. It was also the last year that I could play in that event, so it was all or nothing. My game felt good that last day. I was even on the front and then on the back, I wasn’t focused on winning but just everything came together and I shot 3-under on the back and ended up with a 69, which was my best round ever at that course. I’d never really had a good history at that course, but this year something was different. I think my course management was better.”
Q: What was the strongest part of your game during tournament week?
Ion: “My tee-shots, I’d say, were really good. There are some tight holes on that course that gave me trouble in previous years, but I just put lots of shots in the fairway and then my irons and wedges also felt good, so I set myself up for lots of birdie opportunities. Some of the putts went in, some didn’t, but I had a lot of opportunities.”
Q: You mentioned that you’ve committed to the University of Louisiana Monroe. As you prepare for NCAA golf, what does it mean to add a provincial victory to your resume?
Ion: “It just feels great. It’s good experience and a good confidence-booster. Soon, I’m going to be playing bigger tournaments and it feels good to have ‘provincial champion’ under the belt. That feels pretty good to say.”
Winning recipe: Ion, a junior member at Pinebrook sizzled to a 3-under 69 in the final round en route to an 11-shot victory and her first provincial title
U17 Girls Past Champions
2022
2021
2020 – Georgia Barr
2019
2023 – Tessa Ion
– Clara Ding
– Kalee Seto
– Kaitlyn Wingnean
Charlie Gillespie
2023 Alberta U17 Boys Champion
Q: When you reflect on your victory at the Alberta U17 Championship at Alberta Springs, what memories are most vivid?
Gillespie: “Going back to the season before, that was my first time playing in the event, and I just really, really loved the course itself. And having that extra experience, that was really helpful. I was able to take some more aggressive lines off the tee. I think what sticks out the most is just giving myself a lot of really good opportunities. It’s funny, I actually didn’t putt my best that week, but I gave myself so many opportunities and was almost always in the right positions, so I was able to convert that to some pretty good scores.”
Q: You rocketed to the top of the leaderboard with a 67 in the final round. What was working on that second day?
Gillespie: “Well, I started off really hot. The first hole is basically a drivable Par-4 and I was able to hit it about five or 10 yards short of the green and then I chipped in for eagle. So that really jumpstarted the round and I was able to build on that momentum. I stayed pretty steady throughout the day and just stayed in the moment, just thinking one shot at a time. I know it’s super cliché, but it was true. I felt I was able to do that well while also building on the momentum of that eagle on the first hole ... And then the last four holes of my final round, they’re pretty gettable and I knew I wanted to make a charge. I was able to play those holes really well. I think I was 2-under and I made a really good par save, so I knew that was big. When I finished, it was pretty suspenseful not knowing if I’d done enough. I was watching the last groups come in and eventually I realized I’d done it, so that was fun.”
Q: You must be proud of that, to deliver that sort of finish in a pressure-packed tournament setting?
Gillespie: “Most definitely. It’s probably the biggest title I’ve ever won and it was my last time playing in that event, because I age out. So there was a lot on the line. I am certainly proud of the way I was able to finish strong, knowing I needed to.”
Winning recipe: Gillespie, a junior member at Canyon Meadows, earned bragging rights over his buddies with a two-round tally of 5-under 137. His final-round rip of 67 equalled the best score of the week by any of the boys.
U17 Boys Past Champions
2023 – Charlie Gillespie
2022 – Connor Czirjak
2021 – Brett Jones
2020 – Ethan Howes
2019 – Tommy McKenzie
Saylar May
2023 Alberta U15 Girls Champion
Q: When you reflect on your victory at the Alberta U15 Championship at Alberta Springs, what memories are most vivid?
May: “Probably my finish on the first day. I was playing solid all day, but I made a couple bad bogeys on the back nine. And then on the last four holes, I finished eagle-birdie-birdie-birdie, so that was a good turnaround and good momentum for me going into the last round.”
Q: A lot of us will never experience the feeling of an eaglebirdie-birdie-birdie run. How would you explain that superb stretch?
May: “Honestly, I kind of blacked out and just hit the shots, I guess. It was a reachable Par-5 that I made the eagle on, and I made about a 25-footer. And then my putter got hot. I was just playing, not thinking about anything else, and it all just came together, I guess.”
Q: After firing a 68, what was it like knowing that everybody else was trying to chase you down on the second day?
May: “That was definitely more pressure than I’ve ever felt going into a round, especially with it being provincials. I’d never been in that position before, so my mindset going in was just to play my game and not worry about what anybody else was doing on the course. I held my ground pretty well until my 16th hole, which would have been No. 7 because we started on the back nine. I lost a ball on that tee-shot, so I ended up making a double bogey. After that, that last two-hole stretch was hard. But I was able to make a 10-footer on the last hole to win. I actually thought that putt was to force a playoff. My calculations were off. I made a pretty big fist-pump when I made it, but I didn’t even realize it was for the win.”
Q: What does it mean to be a provincial winner?
May: “It means a lot. Going back and looking at past champions and seeing the success they’ve had, and then just to have my name in history, it’s great. I hope I can follow in everyone else’s footsteps that have won championships like that.”
Winning recipe: May, a junior member at Pine Hills, notched a one-stroke victory at even-par 144. She set a torrid pace on the opening day with a 4-under 68, the best round of the week by any of the girls at the annual age-division showdown.
U15 Girls Past Champions
2023 – Saylar May
2022 – Eileen Park
2021 – Aastha Savadatti
2020 – Jayla Kucy
2019 – Brooke Frerichs
Harrison Kiziak
2023 Alberta U15 Boys Champion
Q: When you reflect on your victory at the Alberta U15 Championship at Alberta Springs, what memories are most vivid?
Kiziak: “When I made the turn (in the final round), there was somebody who said the leader was only one ahead of where I was at the time. So that definitely helped me just to really start focusing in for those last holes.”
Q: You certainly responded in a positive way, with three birdies on the back nine. What was the key to that surge?
Kiziak: “Something that I’ve started to learn is that when you’re behind, you can always move forward and start to advance. You really look to make a move and start going for the hard pins, trying to hit the harder shots and just stay aggressive.”
Q: What was the strongest part of your game on that final day?
Kiziak: “I’d have to give it up to my ball-striking and my putting. I only missed, I think, one or two greens the whole day. And it will help when your putter is good, too. I was very focused when I was on the green. I knew what to do and what had to be done.”
Q: How did you find out that you’d won the tournament?
Kiziak: “Once I turned in the scorecard, I went to the putting green, just to stay warm in case there was a playoff. And about 10 minutes later, my father, he comes up and he gives me a hug and says, ‘Well done.’ That’s how I found out. That’s really a big memory and that’s something that I hold.”
Q: What does it mean to be a provincial champion?
Kiziak: “It feels amazing, but I also know that I worked super hard for it. That paid off, for sure.”
Winning recipe: Kiziak, who is a junior member at Belvedere, topped the leaderboard with a two-day total of 4-under 140. He climbed several spots in the final round, mixing five birdies, a dozen pars and only one bogey.
U15 Boys Past Champions
2023 – Harrison Kiziak
2022 – Peter Hlushak
2021 – Tyler Kidd
2020 – Jon Vinge
2019 – Jayden Brar
Hannah Thomas
2023 Alberta U13 Girls Champion
Q: When you reflect on your victory at the Alberta U13 Championship at Alberta Springs, what memories are most vivid?
Thomas: "I really cherish the support I got from the older girls watching at the 18th tee-box and finishing green. It was so special to feel like part of the Alberta girls golf sisterhood."
Q: What was the strongest part of your game that week?
Thomas: "My driving and putting were really good in the tournament. I think the key to success is sticking to the basics. I enjoy playing and competing, and getting guidance from my coaches and family helps me stay on the right track."
Q: During the tournament, were you aware that you were leading in your division?
Thomas: "On the first day, I did my best and when I checked the scoreboard at home, it showed me in first place. That really motivated me. The second day, my game was strong and I was hoping to stay at the top."
Q: What does it mean to be a provincial champion?
Thomas: "It's really special to win a big tournament. There are lots of talented junior golfers who are passionate about the game, and it's great to be among them. Winning was exciting, but I know I have to keep working hard to keep getting better."
Q: When you lift an Alberta Golf trophy for the first time, what is that moment like?
Thomas: "Pure joy. What really stood out to me was the support I got at the trophy presentation. Sharing that moment with everyone else was incredibly special to me."
Q: What are your future goals in golf?
Thomas: "I'm still early in my golf journey. I don't want to limit where I could go or what I could achieve. Right now, I just want to keep enjoying the game, improving my consistency, and lowering my handicap."
Winning recipe: Thomas, a junior member at Glencoe, fired consecutive rounds in the 70s and celebrated an eight-shot victory at 8-over 152.
U13 Girls Past Champions
2022 – Aleah Shields
2021 – Eileen Park
2020 – Eileen Park
2019 – Edie Nicholson
2023 – Hannah Thomas
Jayden Arnold
2023 Alberta U13 Boys Champion
Q: When you reflect on your Alberta U13 Championship at Alberta Springs victory what memories are most vivid?
Arnold: “I remember how much of a grind it was to win. I didn’t have a great round on Day 1 and at the start of Day 2, I was trailing by four. Then I was trailing by five after four holes. But I didn’t get rattled, and that was very important for me. Over five holes in the middle of my round, I made three birdies and an eagle and I ended up winning by three. I remember a specific shot on Hole 2, which was my 11th hole ... I cut the corner, and that’s where I made my eagle. Then on the next hole, I made birdie to take the solo lead for the first time in the event.”
Q: You closed with a 67, tied for the lowest round of the week in all age categories. What was the key to that terrific score?
Arnold: “My main key was just having a good plan for playing the course and getting around in the least amount of shots possible. I was also very patient when trailing for most of the tournament. I only hit one memorable shot. I don’t remember playing unusually well. I think that’s just how it is when you have a great round — it’s just steady golf without many mistakes, in the end, you’ve shot a good score. For me, it was one of those days when all the stars aligned.”
Q: What was the strongest part of your game at Alberta Springs?
Arnold: “I really bombed the driver both days and put myself in good positions for my approach shots. My short game was also very good, and I made lots of putts.”
Q: What does it mean to win your first provincial championship?
Arnold: “I remember two feelings. Number one was I just really wanted to win that event and I put in a lot of hard work to prepare for it, so there was a feeling of satisfaction and relief that it was all over and I’d won it. Number two, there was a feeling of redemption because I made two silly mistakes down the stretch at the 2022 event and lost by one stroke. In my career, I want to win lots of provincial and national championships, so it was great to get the first one.”
Winning recipe: Aiming to improve on his runner-up finish the previous summer, Arnold achieved his goal with a twoday tally of 5-under 137. A junior member at Earl Grey, he sizzled to a 67 in the final round.
U13 Boys Past Champions
2023 – Jayden Arnold
2022 – Chase Strang
2021 – Jalen Apedoe
2020 – Peter Hlushak
2019 – Tate Bruggeman
Alberta Springs
offers a glimpse of the future
By Jim Claggett
The site will be the same. Some of the names may have changed but it will be difficult to repeat some of the drama from past years at Alberta Springs Golf Resort.
The course just west of Red Deer on Highway 11 will be welcoming the U17, U15 & U13 Championship for the third time August 19-20.
The drama? In 2022 there was a seven-hole playoff for the U15 boy’s title. Try to top that!
“It was awesome. It was fun to watch,” said assistant pro Jaxon Lynn. “I was the scorer. I got to walk with them.”
The chances of a repeat performance will be slim but seeing these up-and-coming young players shoot low scores is a given.
“There’s a lot of good golfers that go on to have NCAA Division One scholarships after this,” said Lynn. “A few of these kids go on the play in the states and play in Canadian national events.”
Lynn says the golfers have access to enough practice rounds to get a feel for the Alberta Springs track. Some are getting to play in this event for a second or even third time.
“They know how to go low around here. I don’t remember what the winning score was last year, but I know it was under par.”
Practice rounds aside, players will need to be armed with their best game on those two days during a stretch of five holes which can define your round.
“You can make lots of birdies on those holes, but you can make lots of other scores too,” said Lynn.
A par three and two very different par fours are sandwiched in-between. The stretch ends with a par three which has water and a bunker guarding the left side of the multi-tiered green which appears to be hiding two, maybe three elephants underneath. So, no bargain to start and certainly not when you finish but Lynn says if you come through even par or less, you’re on your way to a good score.
This is the third year for Superintendent Nick Robichaud and he has a good handle on how to prep Alberta Springs so these players will get the best conditions he can muster up.
“There’s not too much he has to do because Alberta Springs plays in tournament condition pretty much all year.”
“We just like having the kids out here,” said Lynn.” They treat the golf course well. They never cause any problems. It’s good to see the next generation of kids come play a golf course in good shape.”
The Gauntlet starts when they reach hole #4, a lengthy par five with an almost 180-degree dogleg right. Oh yeah, and you have trees on the right as well as water. Not to mention the aquatic driving range that catches your eye from the tee box. So how do you play that hole?
“I’ve seen a lot of kids hit iron which is what I do on that hole and then you still have a chance to go at the green if you hit a good one. I’ve seen kids rip driver over the trees and make sure they don’t go right. So, if they hit it in the water, they take a one-shot penalty instead of having to re-tee,” said Lynn.
He has also observed the more conservative approach of seven iron, seven iron, seven iron. Whatever your appetite is for that day you still need focus to make birdie. If not, the dreaded ‘other’.
The greens on any course can be the great equalizer during any tournament. If you can roll the rock as they say, you increase your chances of winning.
Lynn says normally for public play the greens run about 10 or 11 on the stimpmeter. For this event, they will likely be running closer to 11 which is quick enough to get your attention.
As always, volunteers from the club will step up where needed and the members at Alberta Springs are wellversed in tournament assistance.
“They give back to golf and as much as they are volunteers, they’re here to spectate as well because these are good players to watch.”
In this world there is always talk about the ROI, return on investment and for Alberta Springs to host this event that return is invaluable. Giving back is always a good reward.
You can get a look into the future of golf in this province at Alberta Springs this summer. Don’t pass it up.
2024 Men's Super Senior
August 28-29
The Ranch Golf & Country Club
David Schultz
2023 Alberta Men’s Super Senior Champion
Q: When you reflect on your victory at the Alberta Men’s Super Senior Championship at Canal at Delacour, what memories are most vivid?
Schultz: “One of the biggest memories is just the fact that we had a standalone Super Senior. I think that was a really good move by Alberta Golf, and I think all the guys were appreciative of that. It's one thing to have an event within the Alberta Senior Championship, but to have your own with all the guys we’ve been playing against for 40 years, that made it a lot more special.”
Q: You sealed your victory with a par on the third playoff hole — the uphill 18th at Canal at Delacour. How did it end?
Schultz: “Both of us left our approach shots just a little bit short of the green, maybe a yard or two. Norm chipped it a little bit further by, probably about eight feet. I was trying to make my chip, but I hit it pretty close. He hit a really good putt — he thought he made it, I thought he made it — and somehow it stayed out. So I got lucky or we could still be out there.”
Q: It was a fairytale finish, but it wasn’t exactly a dream start. What happened in the opening round?
Schultz: “I could have been out of the tournament after four holes, really. I was 3-over after four holes on the first day, and still 3-over after nine, but I came back in 31 to keep myself in it.”
Q: You’ve been a powerhouse at the provincial level for a long time. What does your collection of Alberta Golf titles mean to you as you continue to add to it?
Schultz: “It means a lot. It’s a lot of fun just competing. Yeah, we’re getting old, but you never lose that competitive gene and you’re playing against all the guys that you have for so long, and they still feel the same way. And to be able to say you are the best in a province or the best in a country, for a given week, it’s special whenever you can do that.”
Winning recipe: Schultz, a member at Country Hills, fired a two-round score of 5-under 139 and defeated Norman Bradley (Kelowna G&CC) in a playoff.
Alberta Men’s Super Senior Past Champions
2023 – David Schultz
2022 – Kelly Risling
2021 – Floyd Kilgore
2020 – Frank Van Dornick
2019 – Frank Van Dornick
Howard Broun
2023 Alberta Men’s Diamond Champion
Q: When you reflect on your victory in the diamond division at the inaugural Alberta Men’s Super Senior Championship at Canal at Delacour, what memories are most vivid?
Broun: “First of all, I think it’s good to start that tournament. I think that’s really good. For people our age, it gives them a place to play, which is excellent.”
Q: How was your game that week?
Broun: I played pretty well the first day. The second day, I didn’t play quite so well. I found the putting to be tough, not because of the greens but because of the wind. It was fairly windy that day, and I had a few three-putts early on in the second round. But not too bad. I’m getting up there now, so my game is not as good as it was.”
Q: At 75 years old, you fired rounds of 71-75 during the tournament. A lot of golfers consider ‘shooting your age’ to be a major accomplishment. Does it hold any special significance for you?
Broun: “Yes and no. I’ve done it a lot. I think I first did it when I was 66. I used to think more about it. A lot of people think it’s a big deal and it’s good to do, but I do it quite regularly. But it’s always nice, I guess, to shoot your age or better in a tournament.”
Q: You have been a fixture at Alberta Golf events for years and years. What keeps the competitive juices flowing for you?
Broun: “I just really enjoy it. I try to play in the Mid-Am and the Mid-Master and the Senior, and I really enjoy the competition. You know, it gets harder because your nerves aren’t quite as good and you three-putt a bit more often, but I just enjoy it. It keeps you young, I think. I like golf, and I like to support Alberta Golf. I think they’re doing some good things and I think it’s good they’ve introduced the MidMaster and the Super Senior. When you get older, some people lose interest a bit, but when you can play within your own division, it’s fun. You’re playing with the guys that you’ve been playing with for years, so it’s great.”
Winning recipe: Broun’s latest provincial crown came in the diamond division — open to ages 75 and up — at the Alberta Men’s Super Senior Championship. The Earl Grey member completed a pair of rounds at 2-over 146. He tied for seventh on the overall leaderboard.
2023 – Howard Broun
Alberta Men’s Diamond Past Champions
Super Seniors swing into action at
The Ranch
By Gord Montgomery
From the Young Guns of Canada to the Golden Oldies from Alberta, The Ranch Golf & Country Club, a public layout just west of Edmonton, has proven time and time again that it’s a fantastic spot to tee up a championship tournament.
After hosting the PGA of Canada’s Assistant Professional Championship in 2023 the course is now rolling out the welcome mat for Alberta’s smoothswinging men in the Alberta Golf Super Senior Championship this summer.
Asked what makes his course the ideal spot for major tournament play, Murray McCourt, the GM/Executive Professional at The Ranch, said his track is able to host anyone, and everyone, regardless of age. And when those players tee it up here they’ll find a unique and interesting layout in front of them. The reason for that is this is a course that features a selection of holes requiring some forethought prior to each and every swing on their appointed rounds.
As to what the toughest part of his course is that the Super Seniors (65 years of age and over) will face once they swing into action in August, McCourt noted that the older set this year will encounter exactly the same stretch of holes that broke some title dreams for the young guys last year.
“For sure, it would be 15 through 18. It doesn’t really matter what level of golf you play at, or what tee you play from, 15 through 18 at The Ranch are going to test everybody. There’s some water in play. Some tough tee shots. You have to be on your game coming into those last four finishing holes at The Ranch if you want to win a tournament. You can be having such a great round, 1-under, 2-under, 3-under after 13 or 14 holes and then you limp in saying, ‘I could have been so good and then I finished double-triple-double-double and shot a 78!’ Those holes are certainly going to be the ones that decide the tournament, no question.”
“Two, three, four,” he immediately pointed out as to where players can make hay. “Two’s a shorter par-5 and a lot of the longer hitters can get it close to the green in two and birdie is very realistic there. Three is a short par-3 where you’ll probably not get into too much trouble,” and leave oneself with the possibility of a second red number in a row. “And then four is a shorter par-4 where the longer hitters are going to have a wedge in their hands, and again have a good look at birdie. So that’s three holes in a row, bang-bang-bang, on the front nine where you can get yourself going.”
“One of the big things at The Ranch is it’s got such a vast variety of holes,” McCourt began in describing this property. “You’ve got holes where you can pull out the big stick and whack away and not get yourself in any trouble. There’s other holes with narrow tee shots, water and trees coming into play. There’s linksstyle holes that make you think you’re in Scotland. It’s just the overall variety where you see a lot of different holes,” on this par-72 gem.
And that pair of three-hole stretches, plus the other 12 holes on this public course are what makes this venue such a great spot for championship golf. McCourt agreed with that noting, “For us to be able to work with Alberta Golf and the PGA of Alberta as hosts of some of the best competitive events in the country is a real honour and lets us showcase the course we have and showcase the experience the players that come to The Ranch have,” who then spread the word on how this layout is a true test of skill, patience, and perseverance.
In other words, The Ranch Golf & Country Club is indeed a place where championships, whether national or provincial, are decided in a setting that features outstanding conditions and a great array of tests from tee to green.
While that finishing stretch is enough to wear your molars down from frustration and stress, there are some holes where scoring opportunities lie in wait. McCourt explained that after the opening hole, the next three could well be the key to success at the end of this 36-hole event.
The Alberta Golf Men’s Super Senior Championship is a 36-hole event that is slated to take place August 28 and 29, 2024.
The Year in
1. Teams verifying their scorecards at the Best Ball Championship at the Sundre GC.
2. Jenna Bruggeman tees off at the Water Valley GC with fellow competitor Georgia Barr and caddie Bradley McKeating looking on.
3. Every season Host Club Volunteers help Alberta Golf run best-in-class events. Thank you!
4. A playoff was required during the Interclub Championship at the beautiful Kananaskis Country GC. Willow Park G&CC came out victorious on both the Men’s and Women’s sides.
5. Players were treated to pristine conditions at the Men’s Amateur Championship held at Innisfail GC.
6. Coal Creek GR’s black bunkers create a unique contrast at the Alberta Open Championship.
7. Jackie Little, Celina Lam, and Lynn Kuehn (L-R) make up the final group at the Women’s Senior Championship at Coyote Creek G&RV Resort. Lam would go on to win by 1 stroke.
8. Brett Jones keeps his focus during the U19 Championship at Turner Valley GC.
