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Storm trashes Sherwood
A summer storm made a major mess at the Sherwood Forest Golf and Country Club northwest of Regina Aug. 14. Winds estimated at 80 km knocked over a dozen trees, wrecked several trailers and totaled one trailer completely. It was expected the cleanup would be completed right away and golfers back on the fairway.
Golf, China style
The demand for golf is growing with as many as 50 courses being built in Hainan, China alone. One course, the Mission Hill track, boasts six courses. They plan to build a total of 10 on the billion-dollar property.
Rules of Golf Tidbits
Clubs in a Bunker
You've hit a wayward tee shot and you end up in a bunker. You're not exactly sure what club you are going to want to use. You know that you can place a rake in the bunker but are unsure what you can do with any extra clubs you may bring with you. Would this be considered testing the condition of the bunker and subject you to penalty?
Decision 13-4/0.5 explains the actions a player can take and not be penalized. One of these is placing objects such as clubs and rakes in the bunker. You can even change your club choice with one of the extra clubs before you make the stroke. No penalty. But remember that doesn't change the fact that if you touch sand with the club you chose while making a stroke or even a practice stroke, it will still cost you a penalty stroke under the same rule.
Stroke and Distance
You strike your ball from the tee and it slices badly into an area of heavy trees. You search for your first ball but do not find it. You tell your playing partner that your ball is lost and you drop a ball in the area where the original ball was lost and play that ball, saying you will take a stroke penalty. What is the ruling?
When the first ball was lost, you should have returned to the tee and put a second ball into play from the tee. By proceeding as you have done you incur the stroke-and-distance penalty prescribed by Rule 27-1 (one stroke) and an additional penalty of two strokes for a breach of that Rule. In a tournament, you must rectify the error before teeing off from the next hole, and play out the hole with a second ball played in accordance with the Rules. Failure to do so will result in disqualification.
Provisional Ball
How often have you seen a player hit a ball with a wicked slice towards a bunch of trees, where the ball may or may not be able to be located? To save time, the rules allow a player to hit a provisional ball in case the first ball can't be found. BUT they have to use the actual word "provisional" in order to be able to use the first ball if found. Often the player will comment that they're going to "reload" or "I'd better hit another one". In this case they haven't used the word "provisional" and so the second ball hit is in play under penalty of one stroke and distance. The same as if they had lost the first ball. Even if they find the first ball, the player must continue play with the second one. If they used the word "provisional" and find the first ball, they just pick up the provisional ball and ignore the strokes taken with it.
Finding Your Nearest Point of Relief - You are entitled to free relief from immovable obstructions such as cart paths or buildings as well as abnormal ground conditions. Using the club you would make the stroke with, find the closest point that does not interfere with your swing or stance. This spot will vary depending on whether you are left or right handed. Use a tee to mark where the ball would sit and use any club to measure one club length from there, no penalty. You can clean your ball and remove any loose impediments prior to making your drop.
Take complete relief or you are subject to penalty. Re- drop if your ball ends up in a hazard or closer to the hole. It is important to remember that the nearest point of relief is not necessarily the nicest point of relief. Relief may put you into a bush. After consideration you may just choose to play it as it lies.
Identifying Ball In a Hazard
One of the principal changes of note in the 2008 Rules of Golf is under Rule 12-2. This has been amended to allow a player to lift a ball for identification in a hazard and removes the exemption from penalty. Previously it was not possible to hit a wrong ball from a hazard but with this change, a player must announce his intentions, mark the ball and lift or move to identify that the ball in question is theirs.
They may clean the ball if necessary only enough to confirm identification. The ball is then replaced. Failure to do so will result in a penalty for hitting a wrong ball under Rule 15. Remember it is a good idea for a player to put some sort of identifying mark on their ball to distinguish it from other balls in play of the same brand and number.
If you have a question on the rules of golf please contact Brian Lee at the Saskatchewan Golf Association Saskatchewan Golf Association at (306) 975-0841 or blee@saskgolf.ca.
Deep thoughts on golf
Golf is harder than baseball.
In golf, you have to play your foul balls.
Off the seventh tee, Joe sliced his shot deep into a wooded ravine. He took his eight iron and clambered down the embankment in search of his lost ball. After many long minutes of hacking at the underbrush, he spotted something glistening in the leaves. As he drew nearer, he discovered that it was an eight iron in the hands of a skeleton!
Joe immediately called out to his friend, "Jack, I've got trouble down here!" "What's the matter?" Jack asked from the edge of the ravine. "Bring me my wedge," Joe shouted. "You can't get out of here with an eight iron.
The schoolteacher was taking her first golfing lesson. "Is the word spelled p-u-t or p-u-t-t?'' she asked the instructor. "P-u-t-t is correct,'' he replied. "Put means to place a thing where you want it. Putt means merely a vain attempt to do the same thing."
My five-year-old nephew wanted to caddy for my brother's golf game. "You have to count my strokes," my brother told him."How much is six plus nine plus eight?" "Five," answered the nephew. "Okay," my brother said, "let's go."
Golf can best be defined as an endless series of tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle, followed by a good bottle of beer.
Golf! You hit down to make the ball go up. You swing left and the ball goes right. The lowest score wins. And on top of that, the winner buys the drinks.
If you find you do not mind playing golf in the rain, the snow, even during a hurricane, here's a valuable tip: your life is in trouble.
Golfers who try to make everything perfect before taking the shot rarely make a perfect shot.
The term 'mulligan' is really a contraction of the phrase 'maul it again.'
A 'gimme' can best be defined as an agreement between two golfers ...neither of whom can putt very well.
An interesting thing about golf is that no matter how badly you play; it is always possible to get worse.
Golf's a hard game to figure. One day you'll go out and slice it and shank it, hit into all the traps and miss every green. The next day you go out and for no reason at all you really stink.
If your best shots are the practice swing and the 'gimme putt', you might wish to reconsider this game.
Golf is the only sport where the most feared opponent is you.
Golf is like marriage: If you take yourself too seriously it won't work, and both are expensive.
The best wood in most amateurs' bags is the pencil.
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"Cheetah" divorces
We are sad that our marriage is over and we wish each other the very best in the future. With that joint statement Tiger Woods - know as Cheetah by some pundits - and his wife Elin announced to the world this month that they have completed their divorce. The agreement gives joint custody to their two children, a three year old daughter Sam and a 19 month old son Charlie. Since returning to golf at the Master's Tiger's PGA performance has been poor.
Improve your game
If you lift your back foot too soon as you swing into impact it's going to cause a lot of problems. Stay planted. So, try to feel a shift from the inside of your right foot to the inside of your left foot as you begin your downswing.
Still can't putt? Try a grip change to improve things. Try a left-hand low grip, try a grip that places just the fingers on the handle (claw grip). Give the different grips a fair trial in practice.
You should be thinking about only one thing when you have a downhill lie. Hit the ball first before hitting any turf. Play the ball back in your stance and pick up the club on your backswing so you hit the ball cleanly.
Golf course for sale
The price will be in the range of $300,000. The land and buildings belong to Palliser Regional Park, which we have a long term lease on. The Park would sign a lease with the new owners – details would be given in a person to person conversation. We are simply selling the equipment and assets associated with running a golf course. A list of the assets would be available. If anyone is interested, they should call for details: Gerry Rein – 306-353-2065,sageviewgolf@xplornet.com
This beautiful 9-hole, links-style track is located at Palliser regional Park near Riverhurst on Lake Diefenbaker. Sage View is within a two-hour drive of Saskatoon, Regina, Moose Jaw and Swift Current. Developed on the natural sagebrush-covered terrain of the hills and ravines, this course offers dramatic elevation changes, fantastic views, undulating greens, and intriguing fairways.
The course features a pro shop, licensed restuarant/lounge, and a large banquet room. From a large deck, there is a great view of Lake Diefenbaker. www.sageviewgolf.com
Old golfers
An 80-year-old Irishman goes to the doctor for a check-up. The doctor is amazed at what good shape the guy is in and asks,' how do you stay in such great physical condition?' I'm Irish and I am a golfer,' says the old guy, 'and that's why I'm in such good shape. I'm up well before daylight and out golfing up and down the fairways. I have a shot of Irish whiskey, and all is well.'
'Well' says the doctor, 'I'm sure that helps, but there's got to be more to it. How old was your Father when he died?' 'Who said my Father's dead?' The doctor is amazed. 'You mean you're 80 years old and your Father's still alive. How old is he?'
'He's 100 years old,' says the Old Irish golfer. 'In fact he golfed with me this morning, and then we went to the topless beach for a walk and had a little shot and that's why he's still alive. He's Irish and he's a golfer, too.'
'Well,' the doctor says, 'that's great, but I'm sure there's more to it than that. How about your Father's Father? How old was he when he died?' 'Who said my GrandPa's dead?'
Stunned, the doctor asks, 'you mean you're 80 years old and your grandfather' s still living! Incredible, how old is he?' 'He's 118 years old,' says the Old Irish golfer.
The doctor is getting frustrated at this point, 'So, I guess he went golfing with you this morning too?' 'No, Grandpa couldn't go this morning because he's getting married today.' At this point the doctor is close to losing it. 'Getting married!! Why would a 118 year- old guy want to get married?' 'Who said he wanted to?'
Linked at a course
by Glynis Fediuk, Special to SaskGolfer.com
Many people have good memories from the golf course. Maybe it's the time you scored a birdie on a tough hole, or had a fun business outing with clients. However, Alexis Poulin and her husband Mike, of Prince Albert, decided to spend August 22nd on Candle Lake Golf Course for a different reason: their wedding.
But why would two people who don't golf opt to marry at a golf resort? Alexis shared her memories of the big day. "It was one of the nicer places around the Prince Albert area," said Poulin. "We wanted to do an outdoor wedding and I spent most of my life in and around the Candle Lake area. I had heard good things about the Candle Lake Resort."
A prime location: Alexis and Mike drove 45 minutes to Candle Lake to celebrate the day with eight members of their wedding party and about 200 guests. Family and friends came from Calgary, Alberta as well as Saskatchewan locations such as Saskatoon, Prince Albert and Redvers. "I know a lot of people who came to the wedding stayed at Candle Lake and they golfed the morning of the wedding or the next morning," said Poulin. "It was really handy because we had access to all the golf carts, (which) the photographer had set up."
"Just off the lake they have a gazebo. It was right off the side of one of the golf holes there, with the lake was behind us and the resort on the other side," said Poulin, describing the wedding ceremony. "After the ceremony we walked down a path and there was a boat there. We hopped in the boat and we went for a cruise and came back and had our pictures from there." Obstacles and triumphs
Getting married outdoors was not without challenges, however. "It rained all morning," said Poulin, "and it had stopped raining an hour before the ceremony. Then the sun started shining when we walked down the aisle."
Being outside also influenced the choice of bridesmaid's dresses, with the party opting for shorter skirt lengths that wouldn't drag in the grass and sandals. For the bride though, it was all about a traditional look: "In the end I wanted the big dress," she said. The couple also held a reception at Candle Lake, including a dance, drinks and dinner. Catered by Jeannette Kindzerski, food and beverage manager at Candle Lake, the wedding party and guests dined on brie and cranberry-stuffed chicken, perogies, cabbage rolls, cooked vegetables, potatoes and salads.
The meal was finished by an impressive dessert. "We had a dessert assortment," said Poulin. "It was a castle-type thing, (with) hundreds of different types of desserts all in a tier." Ultimately the beautiful surroundings made for an excellent marriage venue, even for non-golfers. Candle Lake describes itself as the "Saskatchewan's best northern wedding destination," and with accolades like those from the Poulins, it's easy to see why it has earned that distinction. "The grass was so green and with the trees and flowers it was very natural," said Poulin. "Especially at Candle Lake because it was all on the lake—you got the best of both worlds, especially for the big golfers."
Candle Lake awesome in fall
If you're an avid golfer, you probably already heard about Candle Lake Golf Resort and its 18 holes of championship golf nestled in the northern boreal forest and bordering one of the largest lakes in Saskatchewan. You may not know that the resort is complete and it is even better since it was established in 2006.
The four-season resort is located 77 km northeast of Prince Albert next to a large fishing lake - five miles by 11 miles wide - and a gently rolling forest of jack pine, white spruce and aspen. MORE >>
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Stand proud
Stand proud you noble swingers of clubs and losers of balls...
A recent study found the average golfer walks about 900 miles a year.
Another study found golfers drink, on average, 22 gallons of alcohol a Year.
That means, on average, golfers get about 41 miles to the gallon.
Kind of makes you proud. Almost feel like a hybrid. A lean mean golfing machine - so to speak!
DeLaet inside the ropes
Graham DeLaet of Weyburn will write a weekly blog on the association’s website, www.cpga.com. The 27-year-old has started off well with four top-15 finishes in South Africa, two of those as runner-up. His performance in South Africa comes on the heels on a tie for 13th at the World Cup and a win at the Canadian Tour’s Montreal Open. He also finished second at the Jane Rogers Championship and Canadian Tour Championship late in 2008.
Amen Corner
"I never learned anything from a match I won."
- the immortal Bobby Jones
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