LP-Golf Guide_May 17

GolF Guide 2019

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GOLF GUIDE 2019

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FRIDAY MAY 17TH, 2019 REGINA LEADER-POST 1

Golf Guide 2019 STAY & PLAY at ELKHORN RESORT (May to October)

Grab your friends for a relaxing round of golf! Our packages let you enjoy the beautiful Clear Lake Golf Course and have a wonderful stay at the Elkhorn Resort!

Stay and Play Birdie Package • One night in a deluxe room • One round of golf each at Clear Lake Golf Course • Includes Golf Cart

Starting at $139.50 per person

Stay and Play Eagle Package • Two nights in a deluxe room • Two rounds of golf each at Clear Lake Golf Course • Includes Golf Cart

Starting at $279 per person

Call 1.866.355.4676, dial option 1 to book Or online at www.elkhornresort.mb.ca/golf-stay-play

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Golf Guide 2019

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LONG CREEK GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB ONE

OF SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP GOLF COURSES

Long Creek is an 18 hole championship golf course with century old ash and maple trees gracing fairways in a beautiful valley setting. As one of the most beautiful and challenging courses in the province, it is a must to play.

The club’s 11,000 sq ft clubhouse is beautifully situated overlooking the valley and course. The clubhouse seats 150, providing a first class restaurant and a separate lounge with cosy fireplace.

Tournament packages are available that can include golfing fees, meals and golf carts.

GREAT LOCATION TO BOOK YOUR TOURNAMENT OR CONVENTION

THE LONG CREEK CLUBHOUSE FEATURES: • First class restaurant and lounge • Meeting facilities • Fully stocked pro-shop

NEW POWER CARTS WITH GPS

Every great golf course has to have a pro shop and Long Creek is no exception. The pro-shop carries a wide selection of golf equipment and clothing, making it an ideal place to shop for all your golfing needs.

SEASON PASS Adult With Powercart

$1393.60

Spousal With Powercart

$2089.50

Junior Walking

$150

Young Adult (19-25) With Powercart $696.50 Adult Weekday With Powercart Adult Twilight With Powercart TAXES INCLUDED IN PRICES

Only 40 minutes from Regina 4km east of Avonlea on Highway #334 7-Day Advance Bookings

TO BOOK ONLINE OR FOR CURRENT SPECIALS AND EVENTS

Visit our Website @ long-creek.ca

$1163 $773.60

MONDAY SPECIAL Golf 18 holes with power cart, burger and a cold beverage for only $65 WEDNESDAY SPECIAL Golf 18 holes with a power cart, wings or ribs and a cold beverage for only $65 FRIDAY SPECIAL Golf 18 holes with a power cart, pizza and a cold beverage for only $70

for more information call

(306) 868-4432

Golf Guide 2019

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Golf Guide 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS Time to dust off your clubs and tee off......................................... 4

The benefits of custom fit golf clubs ...........................................13

Sherwood Forest Country Club adds new subdivision ............. 6

Six helpful golf tips for beginners............................................... 14

Improve your putting......................................................................... 7 Professional instruction essential for good golf game ...............8

Editor:

Jeannie Armstrong

Writers:

D. Grant Black Ryan Hall

Interesting facts about golf ............................................................. 9 New rules: Golf will never be the same..................................... 10 Nomination season for Saskatchewan Golf Hall of Fame..... 12

Andrew Livingstone Designer:

Marley Sierakowski

THIS SECTION WAS CREATED BY CONTENT WORKS, POSTMEDIA’S COMMERCIAL CONTENT DIVISION.

5 Discount

$

off an 18 Hole round of golf at the White Bear Lake Golf Course per patron

Free Day Park Entry to White Bear Resort $

6 Discount

off a round of golf at Golf Kenosee with Golf Cart

Free Day Park Entry

to Moose Mountain Provincial Park

10% off - Bear Claw Hotel Room

with the Siga Players Club Rate ($115 + 10% off + tax)

Pay $10 Play $20 Coupons

per person (Based on Double Occupancy)

Hotel, Golf & Game Discount Packages

$

5 off Menu - Growlers Restaurant per person (Based on Double Occupancy)

Bear Claw Casino (306) 577-4577 Growlers Restaurant (306) 577-4258 Bear Claw Hotel 1-877-909-2327 Highway 9, White Bear First Nation North of Carlyle, SK www.BearClawCasino.ca

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golf guide 2019

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In recent years, Golf Kenosee has made significant upgrades to its course and facilities. Other Saskatchewan courses which have made recent improvements include Elmwood Golf Club in Swift Current, Cooke Municipal in Prince Albert and Holiday Park in Saskatoon.

Photo: Tourism Saskatchewan/ Kevin Hogarth Photography

Time to dust off your clubs and tee up D. GRANT BLACK

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askatchewanians embrace two seasonal sports like no other province: professional football and amateur golf.

Golf still occupies the number one spot for the Canadian province with the most annual golf course visits per capita (and the

most golf courses per capita).

Twelve per cent of Saskatchewanians play at least one round of golf per year.

According to Brian Lee, executive director of Golf Saskatchewan, golf is so popular in Saskatchewan because of the large British settlement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries,

especially from Scotland where golf originated, but also Germans and other western European settlers who were familiar with the game.

“It was about finding something to do in the summer once seeding was done and until it was time for harvest,” says Lee, who is based in Golf Saskatch-

ewan’s Saskatoon headquarters.

“You had this chunk of time; now what do you do with it.”

Lee says that about 80 per cent of the designed golf courses around our province in the early 20th century were sand greens where a gang reel mower was pulled by a team of draught horses to cut the fairway. He says an

oiled sand surface became something to putt on for these early golfers.

“Golf courses weren’t like today where you can hop in a car, drive at a hundred kilometres per hour and, in a reasonable time, you’re at a golf course,” says Lee. “Back in golf’s early days in Saskatchewan, there was a golf

golf guide 2019 course within a 30-mile distance.

So if the community had a certain population base, a certain number of people, there was a very good chance that there was a golf course.”

Golf Saskatchewan’s mandate is to assist members to love the game by building pride in ‘belonging’ to Saskatchewan and Canada’s largest golf community and to provide a provincial voice for golf in Saskatchewan as the governing body of amateur golf. The association manages all provincial amateur championships for junior, amateur, mid-amateur and senior golfers.

“Our provincial championship schedule kicks off this year in July,” says Lee. “Our association has been around for more than a hundred years so we’re into our 100th-playing-plus of some of our events. This includes the 101st Saskatchewan Amateur Women’s event, which will be held July 3–5 at the Moon Lake course near Saskatoon.”

Lee says other women’s tournaments this season include the 69th Sask. Junior Women’s July 9–11 at Evergreen GC at Nipawin, 56th Sask. Senior Women’s August 6–8 at Royal Regina GC, 49th Sask. Women’s Rosebowl (team competition) August 21–22 at Lynbrook GC in Moose Jaw. Men’s tournaments include the 93rd Sask. Junior Men’s July

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9–11 at Evergreen GC in Nipawin, 108th Sask. Amateur/33rd Sask.

Mid-Amateur Men’s July 16–18 at Saskatoon Golf & Country Club, 100th Sask. Senior Men’s/ Mid-Masters Men (40+) August 6-8 at Royal Regina GC. The 21st Sask. Mixed Team (one man, one woman) will be held August 24–25 at Golf Kenosee in Moose Mountain Provincial Park. This tournament originated in 1999 when Saskatchewan’s two golf associations – men’s and women’s – amalgamated as one, the first province or state in North America to do so.

Lee is impressed with the 103 member clubs this year. “Golf Kenosee underwent some construction on the golf course a few years ago,” says Lee. “The investment that they made on that course makes it, along with every one of the other courses on the tournament schedule – really great locations for our 2019 provincial calendar year.”

Lee says recent improvements have also been made at the Elmwood course in Swift Current, Cooke Municipal in Prince Albert and Holiday Park in Saskatoon, which is an 18-hole championship course with an executive nine (27 holes in total).

Golf Saskatchewan oversees Future Links, a program developed by Golf Canada and the Physical Educators Association

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Saskatchewan has the most annual golf course visits per capita. Twelve per cent of Saskatchewanians play at least one round of golf a year. Photo: Wascana Country Club/ Golf Saskatchewan

of Canada.

“It’s grassroots development for learn-to-play-the-game, how to get acclimatized with the game of golf and a schools program where kids learn fundamental movement skills, which is about physical literacy — learning how to run, jump and throw,” says Lee. Lee adds that the next steps are to move future golf enthusiasts toward a driving range or golf course where they can get a feel for it. “If you walk and play golf, or ride a cart and play golf a couple times per week, it actually

1 Night Stay 1 Round $

131

“Golf isn’t just for old white dudes anymore, which is the stigma it used to have.

It’s now a global game.”

- Brian Lee, executive director of Golf Saskatchewan increases your life expectancy.”

Lee stresses that golf is a very diverse game and if you happen to watch it on television there are a variety of national flags repre-

1 Night Stay 2 Rounds $

199

2 Nights 2 Rounds $

254

sented for the various athletes.

“Golf isn’t just for old white dudes anymore, which is the stigma it used to have. It’s now a global game.”

2 Nights 3 Rounds $

295

*Based on double occupancy, plus taxes. Price will vary if single, triple, or quad occupancy, or if a cabin is preferred.

PACKAGES INCLUDE:

Hotel Room

at Kenosee Inn & Cabins

1-3 Rounds of Golf

at Golf Kenosee *depending on package

Shared power cart for each round 2 for 1 Range Balls

Guests book their own tee times

Valid any day of the week from opening until June 28th, and after August 24th to closing During High SEASON (June 29-Aug 24) these packages are only available Sunday-Thursday

©Dougl ©Do uglas ugl as E. Wal Wa ker 20 2012 12

SF5

306-577-4422 ext 1

306 577-2099

GOLFKENOSEE.COM

KENOSEEINN.COM

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golf guide 2019

regina Leader-Post

Paradise is close to home: Sherwood Forest Country Club adds new subdivision RYAN HALL

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en minutes outside of Regina lies one of the most beloved spots for Saskatchewan golfers. Situated within the picturesque Wascana River Valley, Sherwood Forest Country Club has been the go-to spot for generations of locals looking to hit the links amidst the natural beauty of the prairies. This year, in response to strong community interest, a new subdivision development will open to the public providing families with the chance to call this piece of paradise home.

As mentioned, the valley has been a gathering place for countless generations. Originally known as Hungry Hollow, it served as a hunting ground for several First Nations tribes and peoples. Later, around the start of the 20th Century, River View farm became a popular location for Regina area picnickers and recreationalists who wanted to enjoy the open-air dance hall and baseball diamonds. Finally, after the Second World War, private owners founded the Sherwood Forest Countr y Club, constructed the first golf course and opened to its members.

From the very beginning, the club has been a spot for year-round outdoor activities, whether golfing and swimming in the summer, or snowmobiling and Nordic skiing in the winter. Since it offered such a wide range of activities, the club quickly became known as

a place that people of all ages could enjoy. However, with the exciting new developments planned for 2019, Sherwood Forest is aiming to become the family destination for Saskatchewan.

To begin with, the largest project unveiled is the new 21lot trailer development scheduled to be completed later this spring. Known as Kingsview, the subdivision will accommodate homeowners looking to build park or cottage-style models.

One of the many attractive features is the view, with 13 sites overlooking the Wascana Valley and eight having a panorama of the golf course.

“Visitors always fall in love with the amazing scenery and vistas,” says Barry Wiebe, general manager of Sherwood Forest Country Club. “Now they have an opportunity to experience it every day from the comfort of their own home.”

Part of the reason for this new subdivision is the positive response from the public during the last expansion. With more and more families looking for a destination experience, demand remains high for more permanent lots. To ensure homeowners get the complete experience, the new subdivision will also have other benefits, including its own private entrance. Finally, being located so close to Regina means that travel expenses will remain low, an important consideration due to rising fuel costs.

As for the lots themselves, they measure approximate-

A new addition to the Sherwood Forest Country Club is a 10,000 square foot outdoor aquatic centre. Photo: Sherwood Forest

“Visitors always fall in love with the amazing scenery and vistas” - Barry Wiebe, general manager of Sherwood Forest Country Club.

ly 55 by 80 feet in size, and come with some restrictions.

Once again, only park or cottage-style models are allowed, and no fences can be constructed. Additionally, no structures will be allowed within 16 feet of the west property line for valley lots, or within 10 feet of roadside property. Each lot comes with city water on new lines, an installed 1000-gallon septic tank, 10 yards crushed dust and 30 yards crushed rock,

plus a planted 15-gallon Manchurian Ash tree.

However, the Kingsview subdivision isn’t the only exciting project taking place at Sherwood Forest Country Club.

This year the new aquatic centre will open, with over 10,000 feet of family fun. Once again, the focus is on providing something for everyone, as the heated pool will feature a splash area, waterslide and an island.

Of course, for many people

the main draw will always be the scenic nine-hole executive golf course. Set among the trees in the beautiful Wascana River basin, this challenging 2,213-yard course combines lush greens with rolling fairways. Designed to provide a challenge for enthusiasts, while still being enjoyable for beginners, Sherwood Forest provides an experience unlike any other.

“Everyone loves golfing the valley,” says Wiebe. “We truly

golf guide 2019 believe it is one of the most picturesque, and best, courses in the province.”

For more information on the Kingsview subdivision, or Sherwood Forest Country Club, visit www.sherwoodforestcc. com, call the office at (306) 5450330, or talk to Barry at (306) 541-3391. Tee times can be booked by calling the office or using the link on the website.

Set among the trees in the beautiful Wascana River basin, Sherwood Forest Country Club is a challenging 2,213-yard nine-hole executive course, combining lush greens with rolling fairways. Photo: Sherwood Forest/ Facebook

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Improve your Putting utting can be one of the most stressful parts of a day on the course. Here are a few tips you can use to give yourself an edge when finishing off a hole.

P

and arms to rock back in forth in a smooth motion. You should also bend your knees to evenly distribute weight to your heels and toes.

PROPER POSTURE A perfect putt requires an even more perfect stance, and the first step is to keep your back flat and horizontal to the ground. This may feel uncomfortable or unnatural at the beginning. Holding this pose during a putt keeps your shoulders straight and square with the ball.

The next important part of your stance is your club’s position. The grip of your club should be held in the center of your body so your hands and shoulders create a triangle. Have a partner snap a photo of you during a putt to ensure you’re holding yourself properly.

This triangle is a major factor in proper putting because it allows your shoulders

VISUALIZE BALL PATH The path your ball will take depends on your swing and the condition of the green.

It is a good idea to get an idea of how your ball will travel before committing to a swing. Here’s how: • Your best view is behind the ball. Examine whether you will be shooting uphill or downhill to get a sense of the power you need behind your club.

• Walk sideways from the ball to create an imaginary line to the cup. Here you can adjust to any breaks the greens may make.

• Don’t overthink it. Once you have a good understanding of your ball’s path, remember your stance basics and take the shot. (Green Shoot Media)

“PANORAMIC VIEW OF WASCANA VALLEY”

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Not valid for league play or tournaments 9 HOLES ONLY

Expires October 31, 2019 EXCLUDING HOLIDAYS

Barry Wiebe: General Manager Nick Loiselle: Golf Course Superintendent BOOK TEE TIMES ONLINE OR CALL: 306•545•0330 CAMPGROUND & CLUBHOUSE INFO: 306•545•0330

Email: info@sherwoodforestcc.com Website: www.sherwoodforestcc.com

• SCENIC 9 HOLE EXECUTIVE GRASS GREENS (2213 YARDS) • POWER CART AND CLUB RENTALS • LICENSED RESTAURANT & LOUNGE • CORPORATE PICNICS AND GOLF TOURNAMENTS WELCOME • SEASONAL MEMBERSHIPS AVAILABLE

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DAILY GOLF

9 HOLES

18 HOLES

MON-FRI

$23.00

$37.00

SENIOR/YOUTH

$19.00

$30.00

$27.00

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SAT-SUNDAY (includes stats)

*FEES ARE PLUS GST

11 ROUND PUNCH CARDS PASS MON-FRI $225.00 +GST • MON-SUNDAY $260.00 +GST

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Golf Guide 2019

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Barry Eisenzimmer, founder of Golf Lessons Regina, teaches golf to all levels of golfers in Regina. Classes are available for junior and adult golfers, in group and private sessions. Photo: Golf Lessons Regina

Barry Eisenzimmer began his professional golf career in 1992 as a member of the Canadian PGA. Since retiring from the CPGA in 2013, he remains active in the sport as a professional golf instructor. Photo: Golf Lessons Regina

Professional instruction essential for good golf game ANDREW LIVINGSTONE

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here can come a point in any golf game when the results don’t match a player’s expectations and ambitions.

According to Barry Eisenzimmer – who played in the Professional Golf Association for over 20 years, has taught the sport just as long, and now provides instruction though Golf Lessons Regina – the causes are both obvious and subtle. “Most people are too club-focused – they

spend too much time thinking, ‘Where’s the club? What’s the club doing? How do I hit the ball with the club?’” he says.

“Those are things that you shouldn’t be doing. You need to really focus more on body and how the body moves. The biggest problem, I find, is most people aren’t very patient, so they’re not patient enough to learn how to actually make a golf swing.”

Players can also be very resistant to having a professional

instructor identify the flaws in their game. “Most people who play golf or are thinking about playing golf are afraid to take lessons, and they’re afraid for various reasons,” says Eisenzimmer.

“Some guy who’s played for 10 or 15 years, never taken a lesson, trying to work on his game – he’s always afraid to take a lesson because you’re going to change something and he won’t be able to play the way he’s been playing … The person who’s new is just afraid because they don’t

know anything, and they’re going to feel embarrassed …

There’s this disparity of knowledge, and they all feel embarrassed about that.”

Nevertheless, Eisenzimmer says that not only is a professional instructor necessary, but that anything less can be counterproductive. “Going to your family, going to a friend, going to somebody on the range who looks like they hit the ball better than you – that’s not your answer to getting better,”

he says. “If you’re not learning from someone who has the base knowledge of what it is you need to make you a better player, you’re just learning in reverse.

It’s just taking that learning and digging it deeper, so your valleys get deeper, and the hills become harder to climb.

“If you want to learn the game of golf, if you want to get better at the game of golf, you have to see a professional. There’s no other way around it.”

As for the professionals who

golf guide 2019

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offer their expertise online, Eisenzimmer says that their advice can be useful, but it too can exacerbate existing errors.

“Most of the Youtubes don’t give you all of the details of what you need to do, so a guy’s going to end up watching or reading stuff and taking one problem and compounding it with another problem,” he says. “Not to say that Youtubes are bad, it’s just that you have to understand where you are and what this information really is trying to tell you, because it’s not as clear cut as everybody might think it is.”

For his part, Eisenzimmer shares his professional skills and instruction with a variety of clients in order to make the game accessible for every demographic. His classes accommodate juniors and adults, individuals and groups, single sessions to one-day camps to weekly lessons, men and women, private

and corporate events – summer (at Flowing Springs Golf Greens) and winter (at Divots).

Eisenzimmer advises that players approach lessons with a significant level of commitment.

“I always suggest that, if you’re going to take lessons, you have to be prepared to take about five lessons a year for a minimum of about three years, and you have to play at least once a week, and you’ve got to practice at least twice a week,” he says. “That makes you, in that three-year period, functionally adequate to swing the golf club and play golf, but anything less than that … and you might as well not have taken the lessons, because you won’t have learned anything. Within a month, you’ll have forgotten everything you’ve done.”

The result is a stronger golf game that a player can be proud of. “You always want to shoot

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Interesting facts about golf

olf is one of the world’s oldest sports, boasting a rich history. Golf is a sport of skill, that can involve not only athletic prowess, but also brain power. Here are some interesting facts about the game: • To this date, golf is only one of two games to be played on the moon. The other is a javelin throw.

• Long before the advent of tees, golfers played off of hand-built

better than you did the day before, so you do lessons, you learn more about the golf swing, you reduce your learning curve, you

sand piles.

• In 1889, Ab Smith inadvertently coined the phrase “birdie,” when he hit a shot he defined as a “bird of a shot.”

• Making a hole-in-one during a round of golf is quite a challenge. However, the odds of making two are incredibly low, at one in 64 million.

• Only around 20 per cent of golfers have a handicap below 18. The United States Golf

get a little better,” says Eisenzimmer. “You get to play faster, you’re more excited about playing different courses, you’re

Teachers Federation defines handicap as “a measure of a player’s current ability over an entire round of golf, signified by a number. The lower the number, the better the golfer is.”

• The word “caddy” comes from “cadet,” the French word for “student.”

• A regulation golf ball contains 336 dimples. (Metro)

more excited about playing with different people, you enter challenges and you do little tournaments that are fun.”

CHINOOK GOLF COURSE 6th Avenue SE • Swift Current

Come play around!

Phone: 306.778.2776 www.chinookgolf.ca

chinookgolf @chinookgolf

Chinook Golf Course is a family-friendly, 18-hole public course nestled in the valley along the Swift Current Creek.

Facilities include a fully-licensed clubhouse, pro shop, power carts, equipment rentals, driving range and golf pros for lessons.

Call or visit us online to book your tee time today!

Sask Landing Golf Resort, located on the shores of beautiful Lake Diefenbaker.

This 18-hole course is becoming known across the province for its uniqueness and challenging play. Scenic vistas from every tee box provide golfers with breathtaking views of the lake and surrounding hills. Facilities include a clubhouse, full service pro shop, power carts and equipment rentals.

GREEN FEES www.sasklandinggolfresort.com

Call: 1-866-691-GOLF (4653) or, 306-375-2233 Email: sasklandinggolf@sasktel.net

• MONDAYS - $2/HOLE (Cart Included) • 9 HOLES (TUE-THURS) $27 • 9 HOLES (FRI-SUN) $30 • 18 HOLES (TUE-THURS) $42

• 18 HOLES (FRI-SUN) $46 • SENIORS (60 or Older) $5 Off Green Fees • JUNIORS (13-17) 50% Off Green Fees • JUNIORS (12 and Under) Golf for FREE

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golf guide 2019

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NEW RULES: Golf will never be the same

ANDREW LIVINGSTONE

T

his year, international golf authorities have made bold revisions to the rules of the game.

Adam Helmer, Golf Canada director of rules, competitions and amateur status, said that, although there have been a couple of significant rules innovations within the last 70 years — including the first worldwide joint rule code in 1952 and the introduction of the “decisions book” in 1984 – this year’s innovations may be even more important.

“I would argue that it’s the biggest change in the history of the sport,” he says. “The biggest change in over 60 years, some would say.”

The revision was necessary because of the excessive complexity of the existing rule set. “The language became too hard to understand, and common words weren’t used, so I think a big part of the whole change has been to condense, and clarify, and make

it easier to read and understand for golfers,” he says.

“The language of the book and the structure have been changed as well, going from 34 rules to 24 rules just to make it more easy to understand and apply worldwide.”

Helmer says that the overly complicated language resulted in a sport in which few players actually knew the rules. “It was just very challenging to know all the nuances and how the rules were connected in such a way previously that you had to bounce around the rules book to finally find the correct answer.

“Even what we see with our national referees, and the amount of studying that they have to put in, and the amount that they have to review the rules, they’re still not experts on the topic.”

Brian Lee, executive director and CEO of Golf Saskatchewan, agrees that players often devised their own understandings of the rules in order to facilitate play.

Indeed, those interpretations

actually informed the designers of the new rule set. “Rather than writing everything, they actually had a very large and lengthy consultation period to get some information from players – from recreational, to elite amateur, to professionals – on a number of those items,” he says.

Because Canada advocated for the 1952 joint rule code, it had a strong voice in the development process of the new code. “We have a unique role, and we’re very involved in the process to create the rules and the Rules Modernization initiative with the new rules that have been rolled out. We’re actually the only country that has rules governance status outside of the R&A and USGA’s jurisdiction,” says Helmer. “Our rules chair from Canada sits on the joint rules committee that initiates a lot of the rules changes, and then it goes back to the rules committees at the R&A and USGA and gets vetted through that process.”

While simplifying the rules’

“I would argue that it’s the biggest change in the history of the sport.”

- Adam Helmer, Golf Canada language, the designers also took the opportunity to speed up the game. “A big driver and motivator was to increase the pace of play as one of the barriers to playing golf,” says Helmer. “With Golf Canada and Golf Saskatchewan trying to grow the game, I think that’s kind of one of the barriers to newcomers to the game.” So, for example, the limit on ball searches has been reduced from five to three minutes, and the flag stick can now be left in the hole.

Lee said that there are also improvements that reduce hassle for players. “If your ball is into a penalty area, you can now remove a loose impediment,” he

says. “Moving your golf ball if you happen to be searching for it is another one … Now, it’s one of those things, if it’s done accidentally, they just put it back and continue play.”

All that remains is for golf authorities to communicate the new rules to players of every level. “The governing bodies in Canada have worked really hard to come up with diagrams, and illustrations, and videos to promote the changes,” says Helmer.

“The best tool is GolfCanada.ca/ rules, but also through our social media channels. The R&A Rules of Golf app is really comprehensive, and easy to go on and find answers quickly, and, with the

golf guide 2019

new rules, there’s a players’ addition of the publication.”

Lee encourages players who remain skeptical to try the new rules for themselves. “For the next year, these might seem

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awkward, but, within a year or two years’ time, this will become normal, and we’ll try to figure out how we ever existed without them,” he says.

3 Renovated Greens!!!

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Call 204-848-2382 for more information or book online at www.golfpoplarridge.com

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golf guide 2019

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It’s nomination season for Saskatchewan’s Golf Hall of Fame D. GRANT BLACK

T

here are recreational golfers, such as the 12 per cent of Saskatchewanians who golf for fun and relaxation. Then there are those Saskatchewan golfers who aspire to being the best in the sport or who selflessly build the sport in our province.

The Saskatchewan Golf Hall of Fame is dedicated to the recognition of extraordinary contributions and accomplishments to golf in Saskatchewan. Their aim is to provide role models and icons for future generations of Saskatchewan golfers.

Since 2010, honoured members that include amateur and professional golfers and builders of the sport – presently 50 golfers and three teams – have been inducted into the Saskatchewan Golf Hall of Fame.

Some of the most illustrious Hall of Fame members include individuals both living and deceased. Inducted members are separated into three categories: Player, Distinguished Service (sometimes both) and Team.

Some of the criteria for the Player Inductee category is to be at least 40 years of age (unless already deceased) at the time of consideration; be a resident, or former resident with substantial connections to Saskatchewan; and be a person who has brought recognition to Saskatchewan primarily through excellence in golf championship play at the international, national, regional, and/ or provincial level.

The Distinguished Service category is similar except the nominee must be selfless and have devoted service “above and beyond the call of duty.”

To be considered for Team In-

duction, the nominee must be a Provincial Team that has won a National/International Championship conducted by Golf Canada or a similar organization.

The inductee list is long but there are standouts.

“For the individual side, one of our more notable players would be Pat Fletcher from 2010, the last Canadian to win our Canadian Men’s Open in 1954,” says Brian Lee, executive director of Golf Saskatchewan.

“For those women that are still with us, Barb Danaher (2010), Geri Street (2010) and Pat Lawson (2011) are very notable players. On the men’s side, we have two of the three Homenuik brothers (Stan/2015 and Wilf/2010).”

Lee says there are “a good number of people” from different eras represented in the Hall of Fame.

“We have Jim Scissons (2010) who still resides and plays in Saskatoon. We also have Colin Coben (2012) from Delisle whose group of friends really like to razz him that they’re playing with a living legend. They really love it if they happen to beat him that day because he’s still very competitive and he doesn’t like to try not to win.”

Some inductees are represented in two categories. “In the Regina area, there’s Keith Rever (2010), who is a person that sits in our Hall of Fame. He’s a very decorated player in both Player and Distinguished Service categories,” says Lee. The selection process works like this: a committee comprised of representatives from Golf Saskatchewan, the Canadian Professional Golfers’ Association of Saskatchewan, the Saskatchewan

Inducted in the Saskatchewan Golf Hall of Fame in 2018 were (left to right) Otto Huber, Kirk McGregor and Dean Brown.

The 1985 and 1990 Saskatchewan senior women’s teams were also inducted into the Golf Hall of Fame.

Photo: Golf Saskatchewan

Turfgrass Association and individuals appointed by the presidents of the three organizations or their designates review nominations and select inductees.

The successful nominees are inducted into the Saskatchewan Golf Hall of Fame during a special annual ceremony. The honoured member’s portrait and bio is enshrined at the Golf Saskatchewan office in Saskatoon.

Lee says it’s a “virtual Hall of Fame not a physical bricks-andmortar Hall of Fame” since it’s

only available to view on the Golf Saskatchewan website.

However, the annual awards night is physical, not virtual.

“When a person is inducted, we have a celebration night that usually happens in September,” says Lee. “Since 2010, we’ve had an induction dinner or ceremony to honour these individuals and teams for their accomplishments, every year with the exception of 2014.”

The 2019 dinner will be held on Saturday, September 21 at the

Riverside Country Club in Saskatoon.

“If you have a person or team that meet the criteria that is not in the Saskatchewan Golf Hall of Fame, you don’t have to be a member to nominate them,” says Lee. Deadline for nominations each year is June 15. Nomination criteria and forms along with Player, Distinguished Service and Team bios are available at golfsaskatchewan.org/more/saskgolf-hall-of-fame.

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IN THE SWING OF THINGS: The benefits of custom fit golf clubs RYAN HALL

G

olfers are always looking for ways to improve.

Whether it’s by learning new approaches, refining their swing, or buying additional equipment, they constantly search for an edge. While these can help, one of the most important factors is the clubs themselves, which is where a custom fit comes into play. Using clubs that are tailor-made to your specifications will not only lower your score, but also help you develop a style that plays to your strengths.

To begin with, custom fit clubs provide several direct benefits to a golfer’s game. The most noticeable, according to Bert Reich, owner and operator of Gooder Golf Clubs, are “more consistency, better hits, less thinking, and ultimately lower scores.”

Reich says that many golfers are using clubs that don’t fit their size, swing or approach. Giving them the right equipment can have a profound impact by letting them swing the way their body wants to swing. The result is greater enjoyment, less frustration, and more smiles per round.

However, before any player will make the switch to custom fit clubs they need to realize how important they are. This can be a challenge, as many golfers buy equipment based on advertising or what their favourite pros use.

Unfortunately, off-the rack clubs are often very different in quality and design from those used by the game’s best. Additionally, even if it is similar, that doesn’t mean it will have the same effect in an amateur’s hands. “Understanding that clubs perform dif-

ferently for every golfer is a big hurdle,” says Reich, “as is convincing them they would have more success with something tailored to their height, weight, strength and swing.”

Once a golfer decides they want a set of custom fit clubs, the next step is to determine their specifications. This involves many hours of testing to measure the proper length, weight, flex, distribution, head design, lie angle, grip and set make-up.

In each case the goal is to produce the highest percentage of on-center ball contact with the most consistent and repeatable results, tightest dispersion, and longest average shot length in a package that looks and feels great.

To accomplish this, Reich does a performance-based fitting which involves putting a club

into his client’s hands and measuring the results. For an iron fitting, which on average takes four hours to complete, a golfer will take somewhere between 100-130 swings. The first two hours focus on finding the right combination of properties for the shaft from among hundreds of possibilities. After the shaft has been determined, attention shifts to the head. Once again there is a process of elimination where a large list is whittled down to just a single design.

The same process takes place for fitting drivers, however the two are never done on the same day.

“No golfer will be able to produce 100 good quality driver swings after making 115-plus iron swings,” says Reich. “Those must be done at a second appointment.”

continued on page 14

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Many golfers are using clubs that don’t fit their size, swing or approach. Custom fit clubs will result in better hits, improved consistency and lower scores, says Bert Reich, owner of Gooder Golf Clubs.

Photo: Getty Images

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Six helpful golf tips for beginners

T

here has never been a better time to play golf. However, to the uninitiated, golf can be complicated. There are many different rules and all sorts of equipment to learn and lingo to follow. In fact, the experts at Golf Digest say that some people can be scared off even before they hit the green.

Fortunately, all it takes is a little research to get started on learning about and ultimately embracing the game of golf. Here are six ways to get started.

1. Start off on a practice range and not on the golf course. The range is a great place to acclimate oneself to the game and practice your swings.

2. Hook up with someone who can show you the ropes. Going it alone can tame feelings of embarrassment from being new to the game. However, having someone in your corner guiding you can make it easier to learn and love the game.

Work with a local golf pro or

enlist the help of a friend or family member with some golfing experience.

3. Learn all you can about the clubs, including which kinds are used for various types of shots. While a golfer is allowed to carry as many as 14 clubs in a bag, you will not need that many when first starting out, nor do you have to invest thousands of dollars in a set of clubs. It’s possible to find used clubs online if you want to try

the sport before committing.

4. Lean toward more loft when selecting clubs. Look for drivers that have at least 10 degrees of loft and fairway woods that start at 17 degrees, offers Golf Digest. This will make it easier for beginners to get the ball into the air and can reduce sidespin so shots fly more straight.

5. Pay attention to short shots as well as the long ones. Spend as much time practicing with

6. Learn the proper grip and stance by working with a coach. Invest in a glove to avoid callused hands, as you’ll be spending significant time practicing.

With these tips, novice golfers can get on the road to developing a great golf game relatively quickly. (Metro)

Saskaatchewann’s Favourite

continued from page 13 No matter which fitting is taking place, Reich relies on technology to help him make accurate measurements. The most important piece of equipment is his FlightScope launch monitor, a sensor that is placed 10 feet behind the golfer. Using Doppler radar, it records what the club is doing during a swing, as well as what happens to the ball after contact. Information is fed into his laptop where special software crunches all the club, ball and performance data.

When this info is combined with the golfer’s feedback on feel, a picture emerges of what the perfect set of clubs would look like. From this, Reich creates each to exact specifications on length, shaft weight, shaft profiling and orientation, head weight, total club weight, club moment of inertia, lie angles, loft angles and grip size. The final product is a set of clubs constructed to fit a single individual and his or her unique swing. “Over my 13 years of doing this professionally I have yet to build two identical sets of clubs,” says Reich. “Every set is one-of-a-kind.”

For more information on Gooder Golf Clubs visit www. goodergolf.com.

wedges and the putter as the driver to really tighten up all of your shots.

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Golf Guide 2019

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