Golf is more important than the Great Recession!

Take a break from the Great Recession. The annual list of Saskatchewan stay and play packages can be found on Hole #10. This year's special deals include packages at Spiritwood, Katepwa, Harbor, Elk Ridge, Evergreen, La Verendrye, the hawood at Waskesiu, Golf Kenosee and White Bear and others - check it out. MORE >>

SaskGolfer.com is for sale!

If you enjoy golf and meeting people, the award-winning SaskGolfer.com is an ideal home-based business for you. The owner-operator is getting a little long in the tooth and plans to retire in the next couple of years, learn how to putt and play more golf. Serious inquiries may reply in confidence to Stan@saskgolfer.com.

Ford is #1

Attending a golf tournament at Bally Haly, Tiger Woods drives his new Ford Fusion into a gas station in St. John's. The pump attendant, obviously knowing little about golf, greets him in a typical Newfoundland manner completely unaware of who the golfing pro is. ''How's she cuttin' bye'' says the attendant.

Tiger nods a quick 'hello' and bends forward to pick up the nozzle. As he does so, two tees fall out of his shirt pocket onto the ground. ''What are dose?'' asks the attendant. ''They're tees'' replies Tiger. ''Well, what on god's earth are dey for?'' inquires the attendant. They're for resting my balls on when I'm driving'', says Tiger. ''Jaysus'', says the Newfoundlander, ''Ford tinks of everyting!''

Losing your hearing

The British Medical Journal reports that you risk losing your hearing if you use titanium clubs. The story titled "Is golf bad for your hearing?", it claims the thin-faced titanium drivers produce a noise loud enough to damage the sensitive hairs of the inner hear. The study focussed on a 55-year-old man who developed tinnitis and hearing loss and who played three days a week for 18 months. The authors say that a safe noise level is 110 decibels, but that titanium drivers cracking out as much as 128 decibels.

Spare a million?

If you are still filthy rich after the economic meltdown the last few months consider a Jack Nicklaus custom backyard course package. The Golden Bear will design a three-hole course and a practice area. On completion Jack will be on hand to play the first official round on the course, leave an autographed club and ball and a set of custom designed clubs after the game. It will cost you a cool $1-million US.

Whos gonna win the 2012 Fed Ex Cup? Tiger Woods Bill Haas Phil Mickelson Lee Westwood Dustin Johnson Rickie Fowler other View results

Meeting Tiger Woods!

John Gaudet and Dale Schienbein have been floating on ‘cloud 9’ since meeting Tiger Woods at the end of June. The duo were attending a Nike Golf Canada Invitational corporate event along with several other dozen people from the Canadian golf industry at Fox Harb’r Golf Resort and Spa in Tatamagouche, N.S.

The 76-year-old Gaudet is the head professional at Swift Current’s Chinook Golf Course and 44-year-old Schienbein, a former Regina resident, now the head pro at the Seymour Golf and Country Club in North Vancouver, B.C.

Gaudet sat down with SaskGolfer.com for a Question and Answer session:

Q: Have you recovered from meeting Tiger Woods?

A: Yes, the original shock of being invited to the Nike Invitational with the chance to meet Tiger and with all the special rewards that went with it, has worn off, but the memory will never.

Q: How was it that you ended up at Fox Harb'r Golf Resort and Spa at Tatamagouche, N.S.?

A: I received a special email from Nike inviting me to the function and thanking me for being a partner with them over the past several years.

Q: You were inside the ropes with Woods during a nine-hole exhibition round. What was the most memorable thing about his swing?

A: I had wanted to see if I could find what made him so special from everyone else, and one of the most interesting observances was as his club is approaching the top of his backswing his lower body is already moving forward which creates a tremendous down-hinging of his hands, more so than anyones I have ever seen.

Q: What about his demeanor and approach to the game?

A: When he and Hank Haney and Charles Barkley were warming up on the driving range, for the exhibition, they were looking at each others swings, laughing together and kind of carrying on, but the minute Tiger approached the tee to start the match you could see his facial features change. His focus was completed changed. This was game time, and during the whole time he was out there,this focus never changed. He laughed a few times at things Charles said but there was no conversation with anyone until he was finished. I do not believe anyone in the game does this to the extent he does.

Q: Have you made any changes to your own game after meeting Tiger?

A: No, at my age (76), my level of play is so far removed from his that I just want to retain the experience as a very special moment in my life.

Q: What most impressed you about the 'best golfer to walk the face of the earth?'

A: As I said earlier, his total focus, even in a fun format and the great mechanics of his swing, were the two most impressive details I took away from having been that close to him. After all, having never played this layout and playing from the very back of the tees on this championship course he was five under par on the nine holes he played and later in the day, he played the whole golf course and shot 63, a new course record.

Q: Where will you be hanging the signed photo taken of Tiger and you?

A: During the golf season the framed photograph will hang in my Pro Shop, in the off season it will be in my home.

A dangerous game

Evidence is mounting that golf is a far more dangerous game than first thought - to your health and your pocket book. Remember, the two ants that were in a sand trap watching a duffer flailing away. "Quick," said the one ant to the other. "Get on the ball before he kills us."

Get the point! - Several years ago when Deb Murdoch of MGM Communications, Tarsch Bakos, Canadian Jr. Fencing champion, Ken Singer of CJVR Radio, and Joe Chad, then of Tourism Saskatchewan signed up for the Tourism Saskatchewan annual tournament in September at Waskesiu Golf Course, they expected to get a birdie, maybe an eagle, but never an elk in rutting season.

Much to their surprise, the trio was chased by a l-a-r-g-e bull elk in rutting season. An alert grounds keeper saw the encounter and decided to go the rescue. But when he drove his vehicle nearby to distract the animal, the elk turned and chased him and his vehicle up the middle of the fairway. Fortunately, there were no injuries. For those who think this is just another golf story, think again. The entire episode was captured on video by a fellow filming a hole-in-one contest at the time of the encounter.

Golf cart fatality - A few years ago a 19-year-old Wilkie golfer died of severe head injuries as a result of a golf car rollover at Jackfish Lodge Golf Course. The Battlefords News Optimist reported that Doug McIntosh lost control while driving the cart down a hill, rolled the cart onto its side and was thrown onto a paved cart path. An 18-year-old male was a passenger was uninjured. Police at the Battlefords Rural detachment described the fatality as a freak accident. The matter is under investigation by the police and coroner.

A stroke of luck - A while ago, when Shaun Erickson stepped up to the 15th tee at Chinook Golf Course in Swift Current on the last day of August, he never dreamed about the nightmare to follow. After duffing his drive, Erickson threw his club which broke in two after hitting the ball washer. The club head and a part of the steel shaft ricocheted and lodged in his neck.

Twenty-seven-year-old Erickson was rushed by golf cart to the clubhouse where an emergency medical technician and his wife - who happened to be at the course - helped him out and phoned an ambulance. That evening during surgery the four inches steel shaft was removed from his neck. It took 16 staples to close the wound located a couple of inches below his earlobe.

"There was a fascinating amount of blood," said Erickson who is expected to fully recovery. "It was an act of frustration and it was my fault. I was lucky there was help at the clubhouse, good doctors and that the shaft landed where it did."

Electrifying experience - A teen survived a lightning strike at the Weyburn Golf Club while packing up to leave the parking lot. Fifteen-year-old Luk Bell had gone golfing with his friend Justin Weyland and after hearing the course’s cannon left the course. The youth had thrown his clubs in a SUV and reached the metal handle to close the door when lightning hit his hand and knocked him out. Fortunately the lightning charge went into the vehicle and grounded by the tires. Bell suffered no hearing loss despite the terrifying sound, only minor temporary damage to the nerves in his hand.

A lightning bolt can carry up to 100 million volts. Does your golf course have a preventative approach to lightning. Environment Canada considers southern Saskatchewan, and Estevan in particular, as one of the three most lightning prone areas in Canada.

Golf in the courts - A few years ago, in a civil action, Rod McDonald of Lakeview Gardens in Regina successfully sued the City of Regina which operates the Lakeview Par-3 golf course across the street. McDonald claims as many as 250 errant golf balls have damaged his property at the garden center and put his customers and staff at risk of injury. McDonald asked for damages of $600 plus legal fees of $8,000. On May 21 the court ordered a permanent injunction against the City of Regina and ordered them to appoint a course monitor to restrain people from hitting balls onto MacDonald's property.

Water coolers disappear - You may want to pack a drink from the clubhouse or fill up your water bottle before you hit the links this summer. The 1,100-member National Golf Course Owners' Association (NGCOA) in Canada has recommended to its members to remove on-course water coolers because of concerns about health, safety and liability concerns. The directive comes after an Arizona youth died and 84 others fell ill from an outbreak of Norwalk virus linked to water coolers. As a result of the incident, the course in question went into bankruptcy. The NGOCA has suggested clubs sell bottled water, replace on-course water with bottled water or make available office or kitchen-style water coolers or fountains in the clubhouse where golfers can fill up their own containers.

Lightning downs golfers - Then there’s the case of a minor summer storm turned ugly at the Goulet Golf Course in Regina when lightning struck sending three golfers to the hospital in fair condition. The horn had just been sounded to alert the golfers when a bolt of lightning struck three unidentified golfers. Two of the men were able to move and were transported to the maintenance shack by golf cart with the help of head pro Cory Betz. Another man sustained burns and was covered with a raincoat and later transported by EMT staff. Lightning is the No. 1 weather killer in North America.

Are you a redneck golfer?

Finding your identity – be it at the work place, in your home (did I really father this child?), or at the golf course – is crucial if you want to understand yourself and become a better person.

Interestingly, millions of people have misconceptions of who they really are. For example, I think I’m pretty good at all facets of what goes on in the bedroom, especially when I wear my Incredible Hulk boxers, except my wife is always very, very tired on those occasions.

Something doesn’t add up there. I have to admit, and this is a very mature attitude on my part, that she could have a false perception of my true talent and identity in this instance. Golfers, too - especially the extremely dangerous redneck golfer – should be completely honest with themselves when it comes to realizing who they really are on the links.

How about you? Are you a redneck golfer? Suffice it to say, some redneck golfers are actually proud of this fact. And, funny enough, this shamelessness is often the first tell-tale sign that you might, in fact, be a redneck golfer. But there are many others...

• If your powercart is equipped with a Hemi and sports the Confederate flag…you might be a redneck golfer.
• If your cousin Ronnie is the Head Pro, your uncle Len is the greenskeeper, and your Aunt Sally is the Food and Beverage Manager…you might be a redneck golfer.
• If you carry a firearm in your golf bag…you might be a redneck golfer.
• If you’ve ever witnessed and/or participated in a wet t-shirt contest on a golf course…you might be a redneck golfer.
• If you’ve ever blasted the head off a rodent with a shotgun during a round of golf…you might be a redneck golfer.
• If the basket behind the seat in your powercart never seems to be quite big enough to hold all your empties…you might be a redneck golfer.
• If you’ve ever been slapped in the face by the gal on the beverage cart…you might be a redneck golfer.
• If you’ve brawled on the 18th green on multiple occasions…you might be a redneck golfer.
• If you’ve ever wrestled an alligator, catfish, or coon on a golf course…you might be a redneck golfer.
• If you’ve never worn a shirt on a golf course before…you might be a redneck golfer.
• If a number of your children were conceived in the woods behind the 4th tee…you might be a redneck golfer.
• If your golf clubs are held together with baling twine…you might be a redneck golfer.
• If there are a couple of salt licks guarding the 9th green on your home course…you might be a redneck golfer.
• If you can quickly check your trapline before teeing off on the 6th…you might be a redneck golfer.
• If you’ve ever bludgeoned a gopher with your 8-iron…you might be a redneck golfer.
• If the greens mower at your home course has a rotary blade…you might be a redneck golfer.
• If you’ve ever been involved in a 14-cart pile-up on the course…you might be a redneck golfer.
• If you’ve ever attempted to jump a span of more than twelve feet with your powercart…you might be a redneck golfer.
• If you regularly eat rabbit stew at the turn…you might be a redneck golfer.
• If your last post-round party was cancelled due to rabid animals running through the clubhouse…you might be a redneck golfer.
• If there’s often a large biker-chick named Tina serving up shots of ‘shine on the 2nd tee at your home course…you might be a redneck golfer.
• If you’ve ever fended off a wild boar with a flagstick…you might be a redneck golfer.
• If you’ve ever driven to the golf course in a combine…you might be a redneck golfer.
• If your birdie celebration involves firing live ammunition into the air…you might be a redneck golfer.
• If you’ve momentarily gone blind on the golf course before…you might be a redneck golfer.

There you have it, just a few ways for you redneck golfers to more fully understand your inner self. Unquestionably, a little dose of reality never does anyone any harm, isn’t that right, hun?

Andrew Penner is a Calgary based CPGA Professional & author who writes for publications across N. America. He has written for various golf publications including SaskGolfer.com for the past five years.

Greenbryre changes underway

The Greenbryre Golf and Country Club, home of the 2009 Saskatoon Senior Men’s Championship, is about to get its first major makeover in its 30-year history. Gary Gaudet, a developer in Saskatoon, purchased the Greenbryre two years ago as a strategic business investment.

“We’ve applied to the Rural Municipality of Corman Park and the Saskatoon Planning Commission so we can redevelop the golf course,” Gaudet said in an interview. Central to his plan is to subdivide the land into 148 parcels one third to three quarters of an acre in size, carve up nine of the holes, but build a new set of nine holes so all of the lots will back onto the golf course.

To achieve his goal, he’s also acquired a quarter section of land immediately south of the Greenbryre on which he plans to develop another 140 parcels. Gaudet purchased the Greenbryre from Peter Semko and his family who had designed and operated the golf course for 25 years.

The Greenbryre is set in a peaceful, well-treed area on the south-east fringe of the City of Saskatoon. It is south of the Lakeview and Briarwood subdivisions and was designed to provide an affordable public golf course in a country club setting.

“We never want to interrupt the play of our members,” Gaudet said, “Construction and development will begin after all regulatory approvals are received and done as much as we can outside the golf season.”

The Par-70, Greenbryre plays 6,334 yards from the men’s tees. It is a scenic 18-hole course with rolling fairways bordered by birch, maple and ash trees. Six holes have water hazards and 40 bunkers make accuracy important. Greenbryre was the host of the Saskatoon senior men’s championship June 21-23 this year.

Scottish sign posted

1. BACK STRAIGHT, KNEES BENT, FEET SHOULDER WIDTH APART.

2. FORM A LOOSE GRIP.

3. KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN!

4. AVOID A QUICK BACK SWING.

5. STAY OUT OF THE WATER.

6. TRY NOT TO HIT ANYONE.

7. IF YOU ARE TAKING TOO LONG, LET OTHERS GO AHEAD OF YOU.

8. DON'T STAND DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF OTHERS.

9. QUIET PLEASE...WHILE OTHERS ARE PREPARING.

10. DON'T TAKE EXTRA STROKES.

WELL DONE... NOW, FLUSH THE URINAL, WASH YOUR HANDS AND GO OUTSIDE, AND TEE OFF.

Win! Win! Win!

First come, first wins. FOUR FREE passes are available for York Lake Golf and Country Club in Yorkton and FOUR FREE passes to Carlyle Golf Club. Send along an email to FREE@SaskGolfer.com. Good luck.

Working on virtual

There are now more than 30 cool golf applications for the popular Apple iPhone. Check out Ernie Els Golf 2008 at $6.99 or the free PGA Tour Tracker with scores, leader boards and more, or Break Meter at $1.99 which measures the break on a putt. There's also Mini Touch where the hazards on the course include UFOs, clown's teeth, and for the Canadians out there, beaver tales.

Breakout for Delaet

Quick - name the third ranked Canadian golfer? Or the 163rd best golfer in the entire world? Few of us would name Graham DeLaet who is building his reputation in recent years both north and south of the border. It’s turned into a breakout year for the Weyburn native.

The 27-year-old lives in Boise, Idaho and studied physical education at Boise State University. After winning the TB Financial Classic in Calgary June 28 with a final round 64 and $24,000 cash. In July, DeLaet further improved his rankings by winning his second CanTour tournament of the year, the Player’s Championship in Winnipeg.

DeLaet had been the hometown favorite at the CanTour stop at Dakota Dunes July 6 to 12. (Andres Gonzales, 26-year-old from Las Vegas, won the Saskatchewan Open July 13 taking home $24,000. Gonzales chipped in for an eagle on the 18th hole to clinch the victory. He inched out Chile’s Hugo Leon and Scott Gibson of Huntington Beach, Calif.) But after placing third at the Telus Edmonton Open DeLaet decided to forgo Saskatoon after earning a spot on the Nationwide Tour event - the Fort Wayne Gretzky Classic - at the Georgian Bay Club in Clarksburg, Ont.

DeLaet went where the money and career opportunities lie. On the Nationwide Tour, DeLaet shot 73-67-70-69 for a -6 at the Wayne Gretzky Classic to take home $5,121. He was 14 shots off the pace. He also participated in the RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey. SaskGolfer.com sat down with Graham and asked the Saskatchewan up-and-comer a few questions in July. MORE >>

New for Green Warriors

The world’s first eco-friendly golf ball is now on the market by Dixon. The ball claims to have a less harmful manufacturing process and to be 10 % recyclable. The balls contain no harmful tungsten, cobolt, lead or rare titanium. The package is recycled and has a mailing pouch for you to return your played out ball. When the ball is returned, discounts on products are given.

The Dixon Earth balls conform to USGA rules and may be bought through www.riversidegolf.ca in Vancouver. Balls are also available directly from www.dixongolf.com at about $35 a dozen.

Wilson also lays claim to having the first Earth-friendly ball, made with recycled rubber and packaging.

If you want to go the full Green route, there are also ecological clothing options by Ash City made from soybean, protein, bamboo fibre, charcoal and recycled polyester.

Hot pro tips

Narrow Fairways - A narrow fairway shot shouldn’t make you shake in your spikes. Do not try to steer the ball. Grip down on your club about an inch and make a free, aggressive swing. Another option is to club down to a 3-wood or 5-wood.

Wedge play - Players often try to hit a wedge a long distance. If yu hit it hard, it will go higher and land shorter. The wedge is designed for accuracy not distance. A better bet is to use a 9-iron and grip down a bit and make a solid, balanced swing.

Hit bad shots - A good practice drill is to deliberately hit some bad shots on the driving range. Hit some off the heel, the toe on top or underneath. This drill will fine tune your ability and confidence in hitting the sweet spot when you want to.

Missing putts left - If you find you are consistently yanking putts to the left, there may be a solution. This problem may be caused from having small or weak hands which causes the putter to twist. Ask your pro about getting a pistol grip sold in most golf stores. Try it and see if it works for you.

18 reasons why golf is better than sex

You don't have to sneak your golf magazines into the house.

If you are having trouble with golf, it is perfectly acceptable to pay a professional to show you how to improve your technique

The Ten Commandments do not say anything about golf.

If your partner takes pictures or videotapes of you golfing, you don't have to worry about them showing up on the Internet, then you become famous

Your golf partner won't keep asking questions about other partners you've golfed with.

It's perfectly respectable to golf with a total stranger.

When you see a really good golfer, you don't have to feel guilty about imagining the two of you golfing together.

If your regular golf partner isn't available, he/she won't object if you golf with someone else.

Nobody will ever tell you that you will go blind if you golf by yourself.

When dealing with a golf pro, you never have to wonder if they are really an undercover cop.

You don't have to go to a sleazy shop in a seedy neighborhood to buy golf stuff.

You can have a golf calendar on your wall at the office, tell golf jokes and invite co-workers to golf with you without getting sued for harassment.

There is no such thing as a golf transmitted disease.

If you want to watch golf on television, you don't have to subscribe to a premium cable channel.

Nobody expects you to promise to golf with just one partner for the rest of your life.

Nobody expects you to give up golfing if your partner loses interest in the game.

You don't have to be a newlywed to plan a vacation primarily for the enjoyment of golf.

Your golf partner will never say, "What? We just golfed last week! Is that all you ever think about?"

Caddyshack chic

Plaid polyester and knickerbockers and a few other shocking have all had their moment of fame in golf. It’s now the turn for Loudmouth Golf to grab the fashion spotlight. Loudmouth (loudmouth.com) is being pitched by PGA Tour notable John Daly. The bad-boy golfer has started wearing Loudmouth - very loud pants that go by such names as houndstouth, paisley plaid, argyle, and “some others that seem more fitting for a court jester.”

Golf Canada Magazine

The April 2009 edition of Golf Canada magazine has been mailed to SGA members’ homes. It is important the SGA receives the most current contact information from your golf club so all our members can be included for home mailing. As SGA members, you are entitled to receive the magazine as part of your member benefits. SGA members can register for home delivery by going to the SGA website.

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.

Follow the Roar

In "Follow the Roar", Bob Smiley recounts following Tiger Woods on a roaring journey from the seaside cliffs of California to the deserts of Dubai and a few adventures along the way. His off-course run-ins include an Arabian sandstorm, ex-con ticket scalpers, and of course, Tiger's every swing during his spectacular 2008 season.

Smiley is a Los Angeles TV writer and golf columnist for ESPN.com who found his career at a standstill. So, starting in January 2008, he started to follow the game's greatest player from the gallery for 604 holes. The results are intriguing.

Smiley, as the book cover boasts, "Met strangers who became friends and found in Tiger the inspiration and quintessence of what it truly means to be an athlete and a man."

This is a great read for the hardcore golfer, especially his first-hand account of THE greatest US Open of all time at Torrey Pines, where Tiger dueled with Rocko Mediate.... on one leg. (Harper Collins, 2008, $27.95 CDN).

Amen Corner

“After I got back, I said to Father Antony at Christ the Redeemer Parish, ‘I think I met God this week. Father Antony said, ‘You sure did. God gave this young man all the gifts to be able to do what he does."

- John Gaudet, head pro of Chinook Golf Course in Swift Current, on meeting Tiger Woods at a Nike Golf Canada event in June

Last chance to win free golf at 150 courses!

Win one of four (4) RCGA Golf Cards valued at $24.95. The RCGA Golf Card is the points reward program of the Royal Canadian Golf Association rewarding golfers with A FREE ROUND WITH EVERY 5 PLAYED at more than 150 participating golf courses across Saskatchewan and Canada. RCGA members also receive a 1/2 price green fee voucher for each of our participating courses. You can win one of four copies of the 2009 edition by e-mailing the number of discounts to RCGA@saskgolfer.com. Try now!