Win one of eight Tee-Off, play and save books!

How sweet is that ! Tee Off is Canada's favourite play and save book, saving golfers hundreds of dollars. For your chance to win one of 8 Tee Off books, send along an e-mail marked teeoff@saskgolfer.com before the end of July. Don't delay, enter today !

Tee-Off reinvented for greater savings

Depending on how many balls you put in the bush, the number of golfers in your family, and how long you spend on the 19th hole, golf can be a pricey past-time. For about 15 years, thousands of golfers have trimmed their golf budgets and have been encouraged to try new courses with Tee-Off Golf Course Guide, the dominant play-and-save program in Canada .

After falling on hard times - competition from discount books, programs and the Internet took a slice of business - the glossy Tee-Off began to struggle like so many other discount programs. Then, new owners Jim Davidson and Rod Macintosh bought the company and moved it from Manitoba to the sleepy Vancouver Island town of Shawnigan Lake . MORE>>

Do you think Graham Deleat will make enough money to keep his PGA Tour card? Yes No Go Riders! View results

Golf music while you surf !

If you haven't heard some of the golf song classics out there – Golf Rehab by Brandon Ayre, Itsy Bitsy Golf Ball by Rex Fowler, Jesper Parnivik by The Divots, O Stupid Tree by Danny and The Divots come to mind – you haven't really lived.

This month SaskGolfer.com has introduced a golf music player to the website to allow its thousands of viewers a chance to listen while they surf. Information is provided for those who much buy a copy to add to their CD collection and check out more samples.

There probably isn't a sport in the world that has such a fanatical following that reveals itself in culture – go to a bookstore and there are shelves of books about golf, look long enough and you'll find golf art and paintings, and then there's golf music. It ranges from country to goofy to down-right clever. MORE>>

Best golf deals in 2007

Depending on how many balls you put in the bush, how long you spend on the 19th hole and if your family golf, golf can be an expensive game. Golf courses around Saskatchewan offer you a number of incentives to save a few dollars and to try a new course. Here are dozen great ways to stretch your golfing dollar a little further . MORE>>

Sweet Stay-n-Play packages

The annual list of Saskatchewan stay and play packages has started on SaskGolfer.com on Hole #10. More deals will be posted during the coming weeks, so check back again. This year's special deals include packages at Spiritwood, Harbor, Elk Ridge, Evergreen, La Verendrye, Weyburn, the hawood at Waskesiu, Deer Valley, Golf Kenosee and White Bear - check it out at www.saskgolfer.com/travel.php

Are you getting better?

It's always helpful to know if you're actually getting better at the grand old game of golf. That's where the Saskatchewan Handicap Trakker comes in. The Trakker will give you an individualized record of your progress and automatically calculate your handicap on an ongoing basis. While the handicap is not RCGA approved for competitive tournaments, it's a lot better than sandbagging (cheating) with your handicap in unofficial tournaments. Courses periodically change their slope and rating numbers, plus new courses are added - so double check the numbers on the Trakker and change them if you need to. Have a great season!
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Win The Perfect Drive !

Head to www.theperfectdrive.ca for your chance to win a complete set of Tour Edge Clubs and bag. Your prize package includes Tour Edge graphite J-Max QL Driver, #3 and #5 graphite woods, a Tour Edge Bazooka J-Max QL hybrid iron set - all hybrids with graphite shafts - a Tour Edge Putter and a stand bag. Contest is sponsored by Tourism Regina and Tourism Saskatchewan.

Amen Corner

“If a man can take five or six bogeys in a row, or a succession of flubbed shots without blowing his stack, he is capable of handling any situation.” – Comedian Jimmy Demaret

Sherwood Forest opens year-round

Sherwood Forest Golf and Country Club, located just 15 minutes west of Regina , is blessed with a challenging nine-hole course in the treed setting of the beautiful Qu'Appelle Valley. As a result, it has become one of Regina 's favorite locations for a round of golf, a tournament or a special occasion in the new year-round clubhouse.

“It's a laid back, casual and fun atmosphere,” says general manager Ken Kovacs. “A lot of people prefer to play nine holes and then retreat to the restaurant, one of our picnic areas or the Red Barn facility to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere.”

In 2000, Sherwood Forest built a lovely, full-service Georgian-style clubhouse complete with three upscale meeting rooms on its second level. The facility can accommodate groups of up to 120. It is open 12 months a year to accommodate your meetings, conferences, banquets, weddings and Christmas parties and offers a full catering service.

There's also the historical Red Barn overlooking the valley – an unmistakable fixture in the area - that can hold a gathering of up to 180 people. Over the years the Red Barn has catered to many weddings, family reunions and company dances in a relaxed setting.

“The rates for the facilities are very competitive,” says Kovacs. “People enjoy the nice country atmosphere, the privacy, and either a casual or elegant setting in the clubhouse.”

Whether you are a seasoned or recreational golfer, the 2,213 yard, par 32 golf course will keep you entertained. The course winds along a river valley floor giving you challenging lush grass greens and rolling fairways.

.The par 3, 138-yard ninth hole is considered the signature hole. The ninth tee off boasts a view of Regina, Grande Coulee, Pense, Wascana Creek, the entire Sherwood Forest site, and as much prairie as you can take in. The green is nestled in the tree-line over the creek, challenging your accuracy. Hole 5 has an uphill hidden green, and hole 8, with a difficult dogleg right along the valley edge, will both challenge you to sharpen your shotmaking skills.

The facility also has an extensive camping area (190 sites) with day, weekly, monthly, and seasonal rates. It's located among century old elms with water, barbecue and washrooms. For your children's enjoyment there's a large swimming pool and playground with lots of trees and grassed area for them to explore and have oodles of fun.

Green fees are $17 for nine holes and $22 for 18 (Mon.-Thurs.), with special rates for juniors, seniors and twilight. Punch cards are available for even greater savings. It's located 8 km west from the RCMP Depot on Dewdney Avenue extension , then turn north at the Grand Coulee turnoff and go five kilometers. Tee times can be booked by phoning 543-8842 . www.sherwoodforestcc.com

The Skinny on Evergreen
By Bob Hughes

Nipawin – I had promised myself for years that I had to find a way to get to Nipawin , Saskatchewan and play the Evergreen Golf Course. Every year I would make that promise to myself and every fall I would realize that I had not done it. Procrastination is not the mother of efficiency.

So, one Sunday night, my wife and I were sitting outside having supper when I said, “You need some time off. Let's go away.” My wife is realtor in Regina , and she has been busy, but there was this lull in her storm. “Yes,” she said, “let's rent a cabin somewhere. Let's go to Kenosee. We haven't been there for a while.” I thought about that. “No,” I said to The Realtor, “we're going to go some place we haven't been to.” “Where?” she said.

As soon as she said that, a light bulb went on in my brain. I went to the computer. I Googled “Nipawin golf and cabins.” A whole list of sites came up. Within 20 minutes, I had booked three nights in a cabin at Scott's Landing, which nestles on the shores of the Saskatchewan River , and I had booked two morning rounds at Evergreen.

If you have never been to Nipawin and taken in all that it offers, you are missing the boat. If you have been there, then you'll have no trouble convincing yourself to go back again. And, again and again and again.

Sherry Michalyca is the economic development and promotions officer for the town of Nipawin . She says it best when it comes to describing Nipawin and the surrounding area. “We have it all, we have so much, we are so lucky,” she says. Indeed.

There is superb fishing at nearby Tobin Lake . There is scenery. There are forests to explore and the mighty Saskatchewan River to go upon. And, there is the Evergreen Golf Course.

Eighteen holes of golfing majesty set in pines and spruce, rolling endlessly across emerald green tee boxes, fairways and greens. I am not sure precisely how to describe it. Other than to say, it has everything you would want in a resort golf course. It starts you off with a 600-yard first hole and brings you home on a rolling 450-yard par four 18 th hole. In between, there are par threes, fours and fives that offer something distinct each time you tee it up. It is perhaps among the most beautiful golf courses I have seen in Saskatchewan , or anywhere for that matter.

The course began as a nine-holer in the 1930s and then was expanded to the full 18 holes 60 years later. It has only gotten better and better. The greens staff obviously hovers over it with a loving eye, nurturing every yard of it with tender care. It is one of those golf courses where you almost feel guilty taking a divot, it is in such good shape. The pro shop is run by people who are so friendly you can't help but feel relaxed. And the luncheon menu is diverse and tasty, one of the best I have seen anywhere.

Nipawin is about three and a half to fours out of Regina , a wee bit of a hike for some. But, it is a destination well worth the time it takes to get there. And the scenery on the way up and back is truly one that provides a flavour of Saskatchewan about it.

The only thing is, I am now kicking myself that it took me all those years to keep the promise of getting to Nipawin and playing the Evergreen. It was, I can tell you, far more than I bargained for. In fact, on the morning we left, I got up at sunset and played a third and final round before we hit the highway. It was well worth it. MORE HUGHES >>

Golf Town in Saskatoon

Golf Town is one-step closer to being the pre-eminent golf store on the planet with its addition of a new megastore in Saskatoon .

Golf Town stores are “sanctuaries where devotees of golf come to try, buy, learn about and improve their game. “Each store is 14,000 to 25,000 square feet of brand name golf clubs, bags, apparel, shoes, accessories, gifts and pro services. The size of the store now under construction on the south-side of Saskatoon is unknown.

With 33 locations nationwide, Golf Town is Canada 's number one golf store destination, offering the widest variety of equipment and accessories available across Canada including an in-store putting green, and virtual golf simulators.

A one-stop-shopping experience for golfers, Golf Town houses everything golfers need from the widest selection of golf accessories, apparel and equipment in Canada including 40 different brands of golf balls, to 20 varieties of gloves, 250 styles of shoes, and 200 different golf bags.

The opening of the store and its provincial reach will add even more competition to the retail market in Saskatchewan that's currently dominated by Nevada Bob's with two outlets, Loney's Golf Shop with three outlets, and Golf USA with three outlets.

Founded in 1999, Golf Town is traded on the TSX as an Income Trust Fund under the symbol GLF.UN. Golf Town has grown to become Canada 's largest golf retailer with 33 locations throughout Quebec , Ontario , Manitoba , Alberta , and British Columbia . Each location consists of approximately 20,000 square feet of brand name golf clubs, bags, apparel, shoes, accessories, pro services and indoor putting greens. The company also maintains a popular online presence.

X-treme golf seeks addicts

Competitors from the first season declared the experience to be life altering. It was demanding golf played under entertaining circumstances that also challenged their physical endurance, mental agility and emotional fortitude. As Danielle Tucker of Golf Club Radio in Hawaii commented, “X-tremegolf makes the Golf Channels ‘Big Break' look like a cakewalk!”

TV viewers who caught the six week series on CH TV stations across Canada this spring were hooked by the twists and turns and shocked when some of the best golfers became the first eliminated.

X-tremegolf seeks to find the mystical powers this ancient game wields over its all-too-willing victims and why more than 30% of Canadians return to the links each year to humiliate themselves so often?

Candidates must be 21 yrs. and older (no upper age limit) and will be required for 7 – 8 consecutive days. All expenses will be paid and even eliminated players will have six days of golf. Each player will receive $100 work-loss stipend for each day they survive the tournament. Competitors will be documented by TV crews 24/7. Production is slated to commence this October.

FAQ's and Applications can be downloaded at www.xgolftv.com The submission deadline is this September.

Around Saskatchewan links – A strong gust of wind leads to a fatality at Kamsack golf course June 30. Nick Shilloff, 83, was killed when a large banquet tent was blown from its foundation striking the man….Check out the new and improved Saskatchewan Golf Association website at www.saskgolf.ca…. Joanne Goulet has won her eight straight senior women's championship at the 87 th annual Regina women's amateur, senior and team championships. She won 27 titles before graduating to the senior division…The National Post reports that former Prime Minister Paul Martin has commissioned a 6-hole golf course on a 43-hecatre estate he owns on the Quebec 's eastern townships. No word if Saskatchewan taxpayers can drop in for a round at what is to be called the Martin estates….

Laser rangefinders legal

The Golf Association of Ontario has given approval to the use of laser rangefinders for provincial championship play. Accurate to within one yard, the rangefinders may be an advantage to some golfers. The USGA and the R & A ruled that committees will decide if distance-measuring devices should be permitted by local rule. www.bushnellgolf.com

In 1923, Who Was ?

1. President of the largest steel company? 2. President of the largest gas company? 3. President of the New York Stock Exchange? 4. Greatest wheat speculator? 5. President of the Bank of International Settlement? 6. Great Bear of Wall Street?

These men were considered some of the world's most successful of their days. Now, 80 years later, the history book asks us if we know what ultimately became of them.

The Answers: 1. The president of the largest steel company, Charles Schwab, died a pauper. 2. The president of the largest gas company, Edward Hopson, went insane. 3. The president of the NYSE, Richard Whitney, was released from prison to die at home. 4. The greatest wheat speculator, Arthur Cooger, died abroad, penniless. 5. The president of the Bank of International Settlement; shot himself. 6. The Great Bear of Wall Street, Cosabee Livermore, also committed suicide.

However, in that same year,1923, the PGA Champion and the winner of the most important golf tournament, the US Open, was Gene Sarazen. What became of him? He played golf until he was 92, died in 1999 at the age of 95. He was financially secure at the time of his death. The Moral: Screw work. Play golf.

Golf real estate booming

The cottage-buying frenzy caused by retiring baby boomers and prosperous Albertans has spilled over to the golf courses in Northern Saskatchewan . Lot and real estate sales have been brisk at Northern Meadows Golf Club, Elk Ridge Resort and Candle Lake Golf Resort. MORE>>

Willows is more than just golf

The Willows Golf and Country Club, built in the southwestern tradition and operated year-round, has emerged as one of Saskatchewan 's premiere golf facilities.

A large clubhouse, one of the finest in the province, sits in the middle of the property located in the south part of Saskatoon . This course offers a challenge to both the novice and accomplished golfer with 36 holes of rolling dunes-style golf. With four sets of tees, the course is built around a theme of dunes, sand and water.

“We have 36 championship designed holes, the only one of its kind in the province,” says CPGA head professional Brennen Gee. “With 36 holes, there aren't too many times when we can't accommodate your requests. The facility is ideally suited to guests and travelers.” MORE>>

The pride of Lloydminster

Players who like to stack their game against the very best courses in Saskatchewan will inevitably find themselves on the first tee at the Lloydminster Golf and Country Club. A stones throw from the Alberta border, the course is considered one of the most relaxing and pleasurable courses in the province.

For starters, at 7,000 yards from the tips – the second longest course in the province – it's a challenging golf course. But, with four sets of tee boxes, golfers can pick their level of difficulty.

Canadian Amateur Aug. 10-17

The national men's golf championship rolls around Aug. 10-17 at Riverside Country Club in Saskatoon . It's a great opportunity for golfers in Saskatchewan to view some of the finest amateur golf in the country.

Some 162 golfers qualify for the tournament, 126 of those spots going to provincial-regional amateurs. It's expected there will be top amateurs from New Zealand , Mexico , Colombia , Australia and the United States attending.

The tournament plays to rounds of stroke play at which point the field is cut to 64 and ties. Then match play starts. The Wellington Cup will also be presented to the winner of the interprovincial competition.

This is the ninth time the Canadian national championship will be held at Riverside and the third Canadian Men's Amateur Championship. To learn more about the tournament and view the results, go HERE>>

FreeLabels affiliates

Who hasn't said, “ @!#%$&^* ,” after forgetting a club at the last hole? 

Saskgolfer.com has joined FreeLabels.com to make high-quality, adhesive address labels available for free - well, you have to pay $1.86 (Cdn.) in postage. A small price to pay for helping to get your club returned.

To order, find the FreeLabels column ad on www.saskgolfer.com or through the link on Hole 17 click and fill in the form. By the way, it's wise to add your phone number on the address label. The secure transaction is done through a credit card and they arrive in the mail within a few weeks.

FreeLabels will ask if you want to receive more information on their company products by e-mail. If you don't want to, that's ok, just indicate on the form.

Birdies. Beds. Bargains.

Want to get away for a few days of great golf in Saskatchewan . Consider holidaying at Harbor, Candle Lake , Elk Ridge, Katepwa, Golf Kenosee or White Bear. Check out the best bets for stay and play packages this summer on Hole #10 Travel deals. New listings are added monthly, so keep checking back. MORE >>