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Jackfish, a must-stop

If you are planning a golfing holiday in west central Saskatchewan this summer, make sure you add Jackfish Lodge Golf and Conference Centre at Cochin near North Battleford. There's quality golf, a wonderful provincial park with hiking trails, fishing and mountain biking, and a newly upgraded resort set atop the hills overlooking a Northern lake.

"The new and exciting stuff at Jackfish Lodge is to do with the hotel," says Kyle Kellgren, the proshop manager and course superintendent. "There are numerous upgrades to make peoples stay at the lodge even better and more comfortable."

New beds, bedding, and drapes, along with a new phone and point of sale systems, have been installed. As well, there are 60 new Yamaha golf carts to help golfers chase their ball.

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.

There are secrets to scoring, says Kellgren. "Target golf, our greens are smaller on the front nine and you need to watch where you put your next shot. Tee shots are not as important as there is a lot of room out here."

The Jackfish website, one of the best in the province, allows golfers to view all of the holes prior to visiting. The virtual tour is great, and allows people to see the beautiful views and condition of the course without coming here first.

"One of our main attractions is the staff and people here who give great customer service, says Kellgren. "They're friendly and easy to deal with."

The 58-room lodge offers quality accommodation and the meals are high quality and better than good (especially the northern fish dishes). The restaurant is considered the best in the area. A lot of people come for a round of golf and stay for a meal afterwords, Kellgren says. A new chef has been hired who happens to have 42 years experience.

The facility, a half hour north of Battlefords, can handle as many as 300 people which makes it a popular place for conferences, meetings, family reunions and other events. The lodge has 58 spacious rooms offering two styles and views of the lake.

The facility offers several great deals this summer: For starters, there are a number of stay and play discounts starting at $199. Golfers get a free round on their birthday. The course has a "best rate gaurantee" which gives you the best price available for your room or special offer package when you book online at www.jackfishlodge.com. Still can't find a deal? Sign up online for the E-specials.

If you tour the west central, other notable courses include North Battleford Golf and Country Club, Lloydminster Golf and Country Club, Northern Meadows Golf Club at Goodsoil and Meadow Lake Golf Club.

The course has wintered very well with tees and greens looking very good and so is ready to open April 23, says Kellgren. This year green fees are $28 for nine holes, $42 for 18 holes. Summer season is busy so book early at Jackfish Lodge Golf and Conference Centre, Cochin (306) 386-2877, www.jackfishlodge.com

Roughrider Alumni back cancer research tourney

CFL Saskatchewan Roughriders alumni and Grey Cup winners; Don Narcisse and Matt Dominguez are supporting the 4th Annual Pink Warrior Classic Fundraising Golf Tournament for Cancer Research. This fun filled event will be held on Friday Aug. 5 at the beautiful and challenging Spiritwood Golf Course and the Civic Centre in Spiritwood.

Both celebrities will be playing in the golf tournament and will also be the guest speakers at the evening award banquet. A live auction will take place with CFL and NHL collectables plus a silent auction and thousands of dollars in prizes.

This tournament has been setting the standard for charity golf tournaments and it draws players from all over Saskatchewan, Albert and Manitoba and all levels of experience. The $1,000 per 4 person team registration cost includes; green fees, power cart, gift plus registration breakfast, lunch and award banquet with celebrity guest speakers. The proceeds are donated to the Pink Warrior Foundation for Cancer Research and will remain in Saskatchewan for all types of cancer.

Kelly Gatzke, tournament founder and chair, is the husband of a five year cancer survivor who was considered by her family doctor to be too young to have breast cancer. This misconception allowed Fiona's cancer to grow. Through this difficult time a family decision was made that by doing with less they could do more to fight cancer. You can read more about their journey online at www.PinkWarrior.com or in the book Pink Warrior and Friends.

Registration for The Pink Warrior Classic closes June 1, however it sells out earlier each year so we encourage you to register now. They welcome your support as golf players, sponsors and/or personal donors for this great cause. To register for the tournament or for more information you can go online to www.pinkwarriorclassic.com or email kellygatzke@pinkwarriorclassic.com (subject "sponsorship") or phone 306-373-4724.

Pink Warrior is sponsored by Ron's Plumbing and Heating from Meadow Lake, Martodam Motors from Spiritwood, plus Warrior Developments Ltd., Sanofi Aventis and Alliance Energy Ltd., all from Saskatoon.

College golfers thrive

The process of researching, interviewing and deciding on a university or college is a complicated and difficult process. You and your family should fully understand the process and always remember that academics are #1. Be realistic and choose a university that will give you a chance to play but above all to get a quality education. The number of players that go on to a successful competitive professional golf career is very small. The RCGA has developed a Player Development Guide to Post-Secondary Golf Opportunities with information on areas such as scholarships, academics and costs as well as examples of resumes, schedules and covering letters. A copy of the Guide may be downloaded by clicking on the link.

Canadian University Programs - A number of Canadian universities and colleges offer very competitive golf programs combined with top quality education. The RCGA, through the RCGA Foundation, has committed substantial funds to Canadian university golf and believes in the importance of providing credible, reasonably priced, quality education alternatives to the U.S. system. Funds have been awarded to the University of British Columbia, University of Toronto, University of Victoria, University of Manitoba, Laval University and Humber College. These grants will help to further enhance Canadian university programs and build pride in Canadian golf. Please consult the Guide for more information and contacts about Canadian university golf.

Canadian Players at University - Canadian players at Division 1,2,3 and NAIA universities are tracked by a statistical service, GOLFSTAT. Updates are received by the RCGA throughout the university year, starting in September and ending with the NCAA and NAIA championships in early June.

Saskatchewan Players at University - Saskatchewan players at Division 1,2,3 and NAIA universities as well as Junior Colleges are tracked by the SGA and can be found below. If you know of a Saskatchewan golfer not appearing on the list, please let us know and we will add them.

Saskatchewan's Golfers at University or College (2010/11)

More information at www.saskgolf.ca

Golf Bookie launched

With the no-costGolfbookie, any group of golfers can keep track of all of their bets, see where they stand against any other player (Mano-a-Mano stats) and keep an annual money list for their group.

Get Golfbookie news on Twitter by subscribing @golfbookie

There's a demo site that you can peruse to see if it's what you're after. To unsubscribe, just reply with "unsubscribe" in the header.

All-inclusive Valley get-a-way

Set aside the first weekend in June for an all-inclusive golf get-away at Calling Lakes Centre. Two Valley courses await you: the family oriented Echo Ridge course, located only 1 km from Calling Lakes Centre; and the challenging Katepwa golf course, with its dramatic changes in elevation and rolling greens.

You may choose your arrival time. Come out to the Valley in the afternoon of June 3rd and play some golf before joining everyone at the Centre for supper (6 pm). Early evening can include either a chipping, pitching clinic or 9 holes of play (green fees your responsibility). Refreshments and community time complete the evening with "golf talk" and options for a golf movie or a game of cards.

Saturday includes 9 holes of golf at Katepwa (green fees and power carts included) and 9 holes at Echo Ridge (green fees included) with lunch and supper at Calling Lakes . Depending upon players' preferences, there may be a variety of fun challenges to add to the interest.

Extend the get-a-way to Sunday by taking advantage of the bed and breakfast offer and complete your weekend by playing at one of the area courses.

Cost: Friday and Saturday (includes double accommodation, meals, and one round at each of Katepwa and Echo Ridge, plus power carts at Katepwa) costs $185 (Bring a foursome and each player pays only $170), B&B to Sunday, add $20, Saturday only, no accommodation. Golf Katepwa and Echo, lunch and supper costs $115. For more info http://www.callinglakes.ca/programs/prog1106b.htm

Singing the winter blues

By Andrew Penner

If you're a golfer - I mean a REAL golfer, not just one of those weirdos who plays twice a year, wields Kro-Flite irons, and thinks the Hot Dot was the best ball ever made - then the freakishly long winter golf hiatus we must endure in these parts is enough to make you nuts.

Many of you, especially those already in padded rooms, know exactly what I'm talking about. I mean, how on God's green (damn, I miss that colour) earth are we supposed to endure such pain, abomination, and hardship? Going without for so long is, well, really, really unfair, man.

Of course, for those lucky enough to still have a bit of coin in the couch, there are a few options when it comes to a winter golf getaway. But none are very good.

Now, obviously, before you reach the complete meltdown point and they have to haul you away in a white, unmarked van, you NEED to get out of Dodge and find someplace where there are things that are green and alive.

Unquestionably, a mid-winter divot-fest, despite the inherent risks, can go a long way in keeping you sane. However, southern golf junkets can also lead to some major challenges too. Indeed, sometimes golf in the warm land isn't all it's cracked up to be. Especially when it's Mexico.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love that country. The people are incredible. But most of the time that you're down there you're so hammered you can't even see straight.

And sometimes you're completely ploughed AND really, really sunburnt too, which is a particularly deadly combination when it comes to playing golf. To top it off, you generally haven't played in quite a while so you really, really suck.

For example, instead of chipping just twice to get onto the green it takes you four yip-like chunks and two skulls to finally get on the floor.

So, bottom line, instead of shooting 89, or so, which is what you might do at your regular summertime gig, you end up shooting 146 with seventeen lost balls.(Which, combined with the green fee, club rentals, and obligatory bottle of Advil, cranked the total bill to $594, or about five-hundred and eighty-nine million pesos.)

To add insult to injury, when you finally stumble back into your room your eyeballs are so sore and baked from staring at blazing hot sand and ocean reflections all day that you feel like puking.

Then you stuff your face with the re-refried bean and beef chimichangas and you do. For three days straight. So, forget it, you're better off weebling and wobbling and falling overboard on the booze cruise.

Of course, one can always try for a few rounds in the American Southwest, or thereabouts. Places like Palm Springs, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Texas sometimes work okay for a quick getaway. But they have their own problems.

In Palm Springs, for example, the few people who are left there either can't hear or already have settled into a blissful state of rigor mortis. And, unfortunately, most of the best courses are ultra-private and sealed shut.

Trying to keep the smell of death inside, maybe? Perhaps we should be thankful. Good shopping down there, though. If you wouldn't always have to hitchhike home, Las Vegas is doable, I suppose. But really, there are way too many diabolical distractions there.

Phoenix and Scottsdale, I gotta admit, aren't all that bad. Of course, the last time I played golf in Phoenix I got attacked by a jumping cholla cacti. True story. I accidentally backed into the barbaric little SOB and it sucked out half my blood.

It took a good Samaritan, who I frantically flagged down on a neighbouring hole, about half an hour to remove all the barbed needles of death out of my arm and back. After that, due to the searing pain, I wasn't able to take the club back past my knees. I looked like the club champion at the Palm Springs Geriatric Club.

Texas, if you can handle all the rednecks, is a reasonable place to go, I guess. But you've got to watch out for hurricanes, twisters, and tornados. Every now and then you'll be playing and a cow will come flying out of the sky and land on the green when you're trying to putt.

And it's actually quite difficult to concentrate when that is going on. Except for the possibility of being burned alive by molten lava, I haven't found too much fault in playing golf in Hawaii. The trade winds can be kinda tricky, I reckon. But it's nothing like Texas.

Of course, there are many other perfectly pitiful golf destinations out there that one can choose to escape to during the winter doldrums. All it takes is a bit of cash.

And a gluttonous attitude when it comes to furthering your pain and sorrow. What's that? You're on your way to Puerto Vallarta to peg it up? I'm in. Seriously. Sign me up. PLEASE! I beg you. I can't take another second of this brown and frozen wasteland.

Andrew Penner is a longtime member of the Canadian PGA. Author of "One Flew Over the Caddyshack," He also writes for a number of magazines throughout Canada and the U.S. and has contributed to SaskGolfer.com forever.

A new season !

It's a new season around Saskatchewan golf courses and there's no better way to start off the year than with a few hot golf tips.

If you want to improve your game learn how to hit fades and draws. If you can shape your shots left or right you can take advantage of pin placements, getting out of trouble, or hitting just the right shot. Learn the skills - lower your score.

If the greens on your course have a lot of hills, mounds and undulations, you need a chip shot for that situation. Play the ball back in your stance and strike the ball with a firm wrist. Carry the ball to the edge of the green and getting it rolling right away. The ball needs to fly low along the green.

If your drives are going in every direction but the fairway, try this technique. Hit 10 drives on the practice tee hat 100 per cent power. Rest and then try hitting them at 80 per cent of your power while trying to make good ball contact. If you were spraying around the kingdom, you were probably off rhythm and tempo and trying to hit the ball too hard.

Ten years on a deserted island

A man is stranded on a desert island, all alone for ten years. One day, he sees a speck in the horizon. He thinks to himself, "It's not a ship." The speck gets a little closer and he thinks, "It's not a boat." The speck gets even closer and he thinks, "It's not a raft." Then, out of the surf comes this gorgeous blonde woman, wearing a wet suit and scuba gear.

She comes up to the guy and says, "How long has it been since you've had a cigarette?" "Ten years!", he says.She reaches over and unzips a waterproof pocket on her left sleeve and pulls out a pack of fresh cigarettes. sHe takes one, lights it, takes a long drag, and says, "Man, oh man! Is that good!"

Then she asked, "How long has it been since you've had a drink of whiskey?" He replies, "Ten years!" She reaches over, unzips her waterproof pocket on her right sleeve, pulls out a flask and gives it to him. He takes a long swig and says, "Wow, that's fantastic!"

Then she starts unzipping a longer zipper that runs down the front of her wet suit and she says to him, "And how long has it been since you've had some real fun?" And the man replies, "Wow! Don't tell me that you've got golf clubs in there!"

Track your progress

If you're new to SaskGolfer.com - Saskatchewan's premier golf website - you may not know about the Handicap Trakker on Hole #9.

Most golfers do not belong to a club, content with duffing at a their local track or at several courses around the province. As a result they do not have an official handicap to track their progress (or lack of) or help them enter into tournaments.

For golf tournaments not sanctioned by the Saskatchewan Golf Association or a club, it's helpful to have a handicap rating (0 to 36). Entrants are usually asked how they play and an estimate is made. If you use the Handicap Trakker you can provide a more accurate figure (otherwise it's called "sandbagging" or giving people a wrong impression of your skills).

The Trakker is easy to use - double check the course pars and ratings - as we can't keep up with the changes. If there's a difference just change the automatic figures that pop up under the course listing.

Our viewers have used the Trakker for years and find it very useful - it's a trakker dedicated to the Saskatchewan golf scene although you can add out-of-province courses. Computers are computers so it would be wise to print a paper copy once and awhile for your records. If there's a power interruption or you drop your whiskey on the keyboard they may be gone...maybe forever...and can't be recovered.

Around Saskatchewan links

With spring there's a lot of pro changes around the province....Ken Koster is the new head pro at Chinook.... Brett Berkner is the head pro at Weyburn....Dean Brown is the new head pro at Royal Regina joined by assistant pro Rick Fries from Elk Ridge.... Dean Manz has moved from Candle Lake to Elk Ridge Resort....Mitchell Zaba has moved from Deer Valley to Wascana....Jared Boyes transfers from Alberta to the Saskatoon Golf and Country Club....

Amen Corner

"I have three-putted in 40 countries."
- Fred Corcoran