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Wait a minute!
A CanWest news story is reporting that a leading academic has proof that the Chinese invented golf 500 years before it was first reported to be played in Scotland. Professor Ling Hongling says he found references and sketches proving it was played during the Song Dynasty (AD 960-1279). Hongling says golf was played with 10 clubs including a cuanbang, pubang and a shaobang, close to the modern day woods.
This claim by the Chinese is the most recent to challenge the origins of the game. A few years ago the Dutch laid claim to the game, a position accepted by the scholars of the esteemed Encyclopedia Britannica.
When news of the Chinese claim reached the editor of the Scotland-based Golf Monthly, he told the Scotsman newspaper, "I don't think the Royal and Ancient Golf Club will be moving to Peking."
Buying a new putter?
All of us have grabbed a putter and instantly knew it felt good after a few practice swings. First impressions are important here. You can instantly determine what type of look and feel appeals to you. You want a putter that gives you confidence in making the putt, before you even hit the ball.
Decide on a putter head shape design. Determine what alignment system is going to help you visualize the line you are seeking. Insert or No Insert? What type of feel at impact feels good to you? The right putter can make a huge difference, whether you are trying to break 100 or 80. Now you know what to ask for from Santa Claus.
A new spin on golf
U.S.-based NanoDynamics will soon be introducing a new ball that promises to reduce your slice or hook and make your putts go straighter. The company says it’s the most revolutionary thing to happen to golf balls in 50 years – it employs nanotechnology to change the physics of how the balls spins. Materials in a golf ball are changed at the molecular level so the weight inside shifts less as the ball spins. The less it shifts, the straighter even a badly hit ball will go. www.ndmxgolf.com
The next protégé
Is 16-year-old Michelle Wie the next big thing in golf, a Tigress on the prowl for greatness? You would have to agree, if you consider her competitive track record, and the hype from the news media and advertisers. The Honolulu schoolgirl is believed to have signed endorsement deals worth $10-million U.S. annually making her golf’s richest females and one of the highest paid athletes in women’s sport. She is the most trumpeted teenager since Tiger Woods made his debut. For her autobiography, click here.
He's a liar
A group of golfers was searching for one of their golf balls out in the deep rough. After several minutes of laboring, the golfer who sliced his ball out into the trash declares he has found his ball, inciting another in his group to scream out, "He is a darn liar! I have his ball in my pocket!"
In case you missed it
Did you miss the 3rd Annual Golf Victoria and Vancouver Island Special Issue called "From Sea to green"? The entire issue is devoted to golfing during the off-season. There are reviews of the Island courses, tips about saving money on green fees, contests and how to dress for the weather.
With border hassles, the value of the CDN dollar, the American political situation and especially the costs of health care for traveling abroad, BC is becoming a great alternative for Saskatchewan golfers during the off-season. www.saskgolfer.com/newsletters/novindex05.php
Travel Sites Galore
If you plan to head out to hot spots this spring for a bit of golf, check out these travel websites first. After all, they've been there before you.
High MOI putters. Nano technology balls. Drivers with adjustable perimeter weighting? Trying to keep up with the latest golf technology and sorting through what's great and what's not is a full-time job for most duffers.
Golf Digest Magazine and a team of 17 experts has done the work for you for several years now. Drivers, clubs, putters, hyrbrids, balls, training aids and so on that are highly recommended are reviewed at www.golfdigest.com/hotlist
Was that a hockey stick?
We all are familiar with the terms eagle, birdie and bogey. But, did you know an albatross is a rare three-under par. A buzzard also refers to a double-bogey? A snow-man is slang for an eight on any hole. A vulture is a triple bogey. A hockey stick is Canadian slang for a seven on any hole. Finally, a gobble is an extra long putt that surprises the golfer and his partners.
Hall of Fame popular
If the winter has you bogged down, consider a visit to The World Golf Hall of Fame near Jacksonville. It’s appropriate that it’s located in golf-obsessed Florida where golf in a $5-billion industry. The Hall is supported by the USGA, the PGA of America, the R and A, and every other major golf organization in the world. Since opening in 1998 – last year it was revamped to include some Canadian exhibits – more than 1.5 visitors have been attracted. There are fancy hotels and golf courses nearby to cater to your every winter whim. www.wgv.com
A new putting twist
A 63-year-old Torontonian has devised a golf club grip that takes the wrist out of play, shifting the focus to the shoulders for more balanced putting. The Pure Pendulum System, devised by Janis Zichmanis, took several years to get to market. But it’s now available widely by retailers and over the web. The company also sells a putter, which was patented in 2005.The grip allows golfers to place their thumbs side by side on the grip, which lies between the palms and fingers. www.purependulum.com
Next month
Stay tuned for the April "Golf Course Roundup." SaskGolfer.com will be running a feature on the new courses, new upgrades and new expansions in the province.
The perfect shot
A golfer is sizing up a shot. She tosses grass into the air to check the wind, examines her alignment and does a series of waggles. Her playing partner, losing patience, finally says, "Just hit it, why don't you!"
I'm sorry," she says, "But my husband is watching from the clubhouse balcony and I want to hit a perfect shot." "Fair enough," says her friend. "But there's no way you'll be able to hit him from here."
Amen Corner
Asked why he favors golf over tennis, actor Bradford Dillman replied, "All tennis courts look the same.""
Tiger has a head cover of a Tiger, do you? Or is a koala bear, elephant or alligator more to your liking. Why not add a little sizzle to your club bag this season with your favorite member of the zoo?
Gimme Resort Golf in Saskatchewan
When golfers think of playing at a resort in Canada, they invariably picture courses on Vancouver Island, the Rockies and the Maritimes. What they rarely envision is a trip to Saskatchewan and its resort courses, which are less crowded and at about $35 a round, much less costly than celebrated tracks in the rest of the country.
Golf is a pretty big deal in Saskatchewan, even more so than in Scotland, the home of golf. Curlers and hockey players combined outnumber golfers. There are about 225 courses for a million people including about 50 sand green courses that date back to the Dirty Thirties when water and cash were in short supply. Even non-golfers will ooh and ah at the first-rate venues.
Elk Ridge Resort and Waskesiu Golf Course
Elk Ridge Resort near Waskesiu bills itself as the premiere four-season resort destinations in northern Saskatchewan, and they're probably right. If you'd like to eat, sleep and play golf, you can start with the 27-hole championship Elk Ridge which is located in the lush boreal forest. Stretching from 5,200 to 6,800-yards, the course features a mature forest, natural water hazards and silica sand bunkers - a challenge that rewards shot-makers. The highlight for many is the sensitive layout - it's one of the few courses in the province recognized by the Audubon Society for its environmental friendliness. Elk Ridge Resort, Waskesiu, 1-800-510-1824, www.elkridgeresort.com
Ten minutes away is the million-acre Prince Albert National Park and the best known Saskatchewan course nationwide, Waskesiu Golf Course. It's difficult not to sound like a tourist brochure when it comes to Waskesiu and this Stanley Thompson layout. This spectacular course showcases undulating fairways and thick boreal forest populated by abundant elk, fox and eagles. The last time I played Waskesiu, there was a bull elk and his harem feeding in the parking lot. Off-course activities include everything from tennis to paddle wheel boat tours of the lake, or my favorite, a guided wolf midnight howl (You howl at the wolves and they howl back) or a hike and canoe into Grey Owl's cabin. Waskesiu Golf Course, Prince Albert National Park, (306) 663-5300, www.waskesiugolf.com
At Elk Ridge there are cabins and townhouses overlooking the fairways. In Waskesiu, there's everything from budget motels to the hawood, a hotel-restaurant complex overlooking the lake where you'll find the best meals and service in town. Another local favorite for golfers is the restaurant - located in an old, log cabin building - and its imaginative menu at the Waskesiu Golf Course.
Green Hills Golf Resort
If you're after a golf resort holiday with solitude, Green Hills Golf Resort at Greenwater Provincial Park in the northeast is a great choice. A few years ago, the owners dropped $2- million expanding the course to a par-72, 18-hole championship length. In many ways, the landscape resembles Moose Mountain with its prime boreal forest, silica sand traps, and a serious slope of 127. But, off-course, attractions focus on outdoor activities like hiking, camping, boating and wildlife viewing - there's not a neon sign in sight.
Green Hills is semi-isolated - about three hours from Regina or Saskatoon - so fill up your gas tank and book your tee times in advance. And book a lakeside cabin because the nearest community of any size is Kelvington, 30 minutes north. Green Hills Golf Resort, Greenwater Provincial Park, (306) 278-2489, www.greenhillsgolfresort.com
Evergreen Golf Course
Evergreen Golf Club at Nipawin is one of the more beautiful courses in Northern Saskatchewan. Rated 71.9 off the tips and slope of 129, this 18-hole championship 6,539-yard course is a frequent host to provincial championships. Fairways are bordered by Northern spruce and pine, greens are large and undulating, and sandtraps are few.
The community of Nipawin realizes the golf course is an important asset. Virtually every motel and hotel in town offers stay and play packages, or if you prefer, try a houseboat-and-golf package. Beside the course, you'll find upscale Northern Greens Resort, a cozy and comfortable facility. Make sure you take your rod and reels as Nipawin is well-known for its northern pike fishing. Evergreen Golf Club, Nipawin (306) 862-4811, www.evergreengolf.ca
Madge Lake Golf Resort
In the southeast at Madge Lake Golf Resort, you will find evergreens as big in girth as trees in the Rockies. In fact, you will find so many trees in the hills of Duck Mountain Provincial Park, they'll stop errant shots. This friendly, family-orientated resort course isn't long, but the trees, narrow fairways and small, tricky greens offer plenty of challenge.
Duck Mountain Lodge across the road from the course is the best bet for accomodation. It has a hotel portion, as well as, comfortable self-contained townhouses. Preferred activities include hiking, biking, boating, and sunbathing on their dandy beach. Madge Lake Golf Resort, Duck Mountain Provincial Park, (306) 542-3485
Jackfish Lodge Golf and Conference Centre
Jackfish Lodge Golf and Resort Centre at Cochin near North Battleford combine the attractions of a beautiful resort set atop the hills overlooking a Northern lake, a wonderful provincial park with hiking trails, fishing and mountain biking, and quality golf.
This par-71, 6,601-yard championship course along scenic Jackfish Lake features a peaceful, quiet setting. It's set against a backdrop of a natural lake, rolling hills (slope 114), around the trees and shrubs of the Prairie Parkland area in Battlefords Provincial Park. The 58-room lodge offers quality accomodation and the meals are good (especially the northern fish dishes). Jackfish Lodge Golf and Conference Centre, Cochin (306) 386-2877, www.jackfishlodge.com
Golf Kenosee and White Bear Golf Course
You will be more than pleasantly surprised with Golf Kenosee, located on a plateau about two hours southeast of Regina, tucked away in Moose Mountain Provincial Park. At 5,152 yards with fairways lined with poplar, ash, fir and white birch, player-friendly Golf Kenosee puts a premium on straight accurate shots. The course is in its fifth and final year of upgrading greens and lengthening some holes. Golf Kenosee, Kenosee, (306) 577-4422 www.saskgolfer.com/kenosee
Nearby White Bear Golf Course, for my money, is the best conditionned track in the southeast. The 6,700-yard championship layout is part of White Bear Lake Resort and is set in a quiet white birch forest on an elevated plateau of hills, lakes, ponds and lakes. This shot-makers course has bent grass greens and the only white silica sand bunkers in southern Saskatchewan- it's like hitting a ball out of powdery salt. White Bear Lake Golf Resort, White Bear, 1-800-577-4902, www.saskgolfer.com/whitebear
For both courses, there's no end to off-course attractions in Saskatchewan's most popular provincial park - beaches, horseback riding, camping, boating, hiking. Visit Cannington Manor Historical Park, 15 minutes away, and try your hand at cricket lessons Or, if its thrills you're after, try the eight-story freefall at Kenosee Super Slides or the poker table at the Bear Claw Casino. Do not be alarmed - there are two enormous stuffed white polar bears on the casino premises.
The best bet for accomodation is either the Kenosee Inn Resort Hotel across the road from Golf Kenosee or the hotel at the Bear Claw Casino. Both of these places will also rustle up a good meal for the visitor, although The Moosehead and the Moose Mountain Brewing Co. are local hotspots.
Mainprize Regional Park Golf Course
Mainprize Regional Park Golf Course in the extreme southeast near Midale has been a favorite for golfers looking for an authentic links-style golf experience. The last time I played it, there wasn't one tree to be found. It's usually windswept - located beside the controversial Rafferty Dam - and has gently, rolling well-conditioned fairways.
Off-course there's boating and fishing, camping and RV services. Nearby is the Harbor View Bed and Breakfast and Kn'N Kabins, both quality facilities.
Hardcore golfers tend to snub a nine-hole track like Eagle Point Resort in La Ronge, but there's enough here to keep a golfer entertained. Cliff tee boxes, bubbling creeks, and a ball-stealing raven, all add up to a challenging and unique course that will delight you. Don't even think about retrieving your ball in the bog-lined fairways. The course, part of a full-service resort complex, is carved out of the forest and features rock outcrops of the Canadian Shield.
La Ronge itself is a bit of a frontier town, worth a visit as it's the gateway to the north and the top two-thirds of Saskatchewan. It's a mining exploration town, a service town that's home to a large aboriginal population, and a fishing and canoeing town. It's worth visiting an old Hudson Bay general store on the main drag. The resort itself has quality facilities lakeside, including boat rentals and guided fishing services to help you snag a big northern pike or explore one of the 1,300 islands on Lac La Ronge. Eagle Point Resort, La Ronge (306) 425-3433 www.eaglepoint.ca
Harbor Golf Club and Resort
On the bluffs overlooking enormous Lake Diefenbaker in the southwest sits Harbor Golf Club and Resort at Elbow. This is one of my favorite courses because it offers good quality golf at a good price in a peaceful, resort setting. The course challenges golfers with several thickly treed coulees and ravines. Because of a prevailing wind, the course can play as long as the 800-kilometre lake shoreline.
Take note of the historical plaque on the front nine, marking one of the most overlooked events in Saskatchewan's history. In 1866, a large Blackfoot party killed two Cree women and prepared to attack a small camp nearby. Their shots alerted a well-armed party of Cree warriors who trapped them in the valley and killed 400 Blackfoot in the battle.
There are cabins on site that are modern, basic and affordable. Elbow itself is a sleepy resort town catering to golfers and boaters. That has a Chinese restaurant on the main street that will feed you a decent meal. Harbor Golf Club and Resort, Elbow, (306) 854-2300 www.harborgolfclub.com
More golf resort options
If this isn't enough to send you on the road, swing by one of these four resort golf courses.
In the northeastern boreal forest, Candle Lake Golf Resort opens its newly expanded 18-hole championship resort including cabins and RV facilities. In northwest Saskatchewan, Northern Meadows Golf Club near the largest park in the province, Meadow Lake Provincial Park, has completed its expansion to an 18-hole, 6,920-yard championship track. In the Saskatoon region, the Spiritwood Golf Course and its hospitable bed and breakfast The Inn on the 10th has proven a winner for golfers looking for something cozy and a little different. Finally, Dakota Dunes Golf Links, 25 minutes south of Saskatoon, is scheduled to open hotel facilities and a casino to go along with its 7,300-yard course at its $55-million destination complex in 2007. Many die-hard golfers are calling this rugged, windswept track overlooking the Saskatchewan River Valley Basin, the finest golf course in the province. Golf Digest Magazine agrees, and has chosen it as a candidate for the best new course in Canada.
Around Saskatchewan Links
Graham Coulther is the new head pro at Deer Valley Golf Estates and director of golf at Regina-based Prairie Links Golf replacing Todd Zado...General manager Cec Ferguson at the Wascana Country Club has moved to the Vernon Golf and Country Club in B.C....McLaren Taylor, the head pro at Dakota Dunes, has been appointed the general manager replacing Ron Erikson...Janet Jones is the new regional director for the NGCOA Saskatchewan replacing Glen Bosecke...Saskatoon Golf and Country Club (West) will be paving all their cart paths this summer. Sweet. Dundee Developments Ltd. has purchased a half interest in the Willows Golf Course from the GrowthWorks investment fund. Dundee, which is developing a residential community, sees the golf course as the recreational hub of a community of 1,500 when all 600 housing units are complete...
Sask Sport nominates DeLaet
Graham DeLaet of Weyburn will have to wait until March 23 to see if he's been chosen the Male Athlete the Year by Sask Sport. The award will be presented at the Saskatchewan Sport Awards Dinner on Thursday, Mar. 23 at the Conexus Arts Centre in Regina.
A member of the Boise State University Golf Team in Idaho, DeLaet earned first place finishes at the Falcon Invitational, Bronco Invitational, Glencoe Invitational, Caldwell Amateur and the Saskatchewan Amateur Championship.
He placed second at the Santa Clara University Invitational, the National Invitational, and the Telus Open in Alberta.
DeLaet was also a member of the Canadian National Team that finished fourth at the 4 Nations Cup in Japan. DeLaet is ranked second among Canadian amateur golfers (RCGA Order of Merit). He was also named to Golf Digest's NCAA Division 1 mid-season All American Team.
DeLaet is the only golfer in all the Sask Sport categories to receive a nomination. The other nominees were Simon Bairu of Regina (Saskatchewan Athletics) and David Stevens of Saskatoon (Football Saskatchewan).
Golflore hits on trivia
Former Vancouver Sun sports writer Arv Olson, retired for 10 years and now living on Vancouver Island, focuses on trivia in his new book Golflore: Notes, Quotes and Antecdotes. It's his third book, the last a history of the BC Golf Association, and while no Pulitzer winner, it does offer some interesting tidbits about the terrific game of golf.
Olson describes the book as a collection of generalities - loosely put together in 18 chapters - with tradition, history and humour as the principal threads. "Throw in loose ends, oddities and zany characters and intertwine strands of rules, word origins, quotes, jokes and anecdotal treasures and you have the patchwork of a golf quilt," says Olson.
This trivia-type self-published book answers questions such as, "What's a mulligan? A niblick? And who said 'golf and sex are the only things you can enjoy without being good at'? Who missed a one-inch putt to lose a tournament? Golflore: Notes, Quotes and Anecdotes, Par 4 Publications and Victory Bindery, Victoria, B.C.
Golf flexibility key
One aspect of the game of golf most people don't realize is that golf is a sport. As in any other sport in the world, the better physical condition that the athlete is in the better the chance is that they can succeed. Now in today's world, many golfers have some type of exercise program that they follow whether it is at a gym or at home. These programs are great and the golfers should continue them just based on the fact that this will benefit their whole life not just golf.
With golf though it is now becoming common knowledge that improving flexibility will enhance your golf performance. Most individuals will work on basic flexibility at home or in the gym but they may not be working on golf specific flexibility and there is a huge difference in the two. Throughout my teaching career, I have had the privilege to instruct many well-conditioned athletes from many other sports and have found that when introduced to various parts of the golf swing they found it "tough to get there". This is because they are well-conditioned for their sport and not for golf. Golf requires a high level of functional flexibility in order to swing a golf club. The hips, trunk and shoulders must move through some large ranges of motion to do the job properly.
Kids have always seemed to be able to learn the golf swing the fastest. Why? The human body is ultimately more flexible as a child then when we move on in age. That is why the kids seem to be able to do things that adults have trouble learning as they get older.
Since we cannot become a child again and start learning the golf swing all over, the best we can do is get our bodies to become more "golf flexible". Golf instructors are now moving in a direction of having a team of individuals outside the golf business working to improve their clients golf swing. Other certified professionals such as personal fitness trainers (with sport specific programs), physiotherapists, chiropractors, message therapists and many others are now being used to help with the golfers physical ability to swing a golf club.
There are many golfers who have or have had an injury to some part of the body that limits their ability to swing a golf club. Golfers in this category may spend a lot of time trying to get better at golf on the range or golf course and not have any success due to the fact that they are limited by their golf flexibility or lack there of. Golf lessons alone will not fix these fundamental swing problems. In these situations, if your golf professional has a "team" of other professionals they can suggest, other programs can be set up so that you can help yourself move in the right direction physically and then you should see your golf swing improve.
If your Golf Professional does not have a "team", then you may have to seek out these other professionals on your own or look for a Golf Professional that does have this type of network.
Keep in mind that the best players in the world work with these "teams" on a regular basis. I can't hurt to try some of the things that have gotten them better at what you and they enjoy.
For more information on these topics, find a golf professional that you believe will help in all facets of your ability to play the game.
By Kerry Schofield, Wascana Country Club, One of Canada's "Top 50" Golf Instructors, 2004 CPGA of Saskatchewan - Teacher of the Year
Tiger Woods rules at the game of golf
If you don't why, you may be interested in winning the glossy table top book "Tiger Woods: How I play Golf" published by Golf Digest. It's a great book valued at $49.95. For your chance to win, click here now. MORE >>
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