Send a "Naked Golfer" to your best friend !

Brag about breaking 100, scoring an eagle, or winning a Nassau. Even send a "Naked Golfer" Virtual Greeting Card from SaskGolfer.com to your mom. The cartoons by Alden Seib of Hodgeville, Saskatchewan are sure to tickle everyone's fancy. MORE >>

Candle Lake opens second nine

In August, Candle Lake Resort opened its second nine to the public, according to Rick and Linda Rumberger who purchased the course in 2003.

Candle Lake Provincial Park provides campgrounds, miles of clean sand beaches and dune formations, and excellent fishing (including a stocked trout pond). Vacationers appreciate the local accommodations, great food, petting farm, pony rides, 18 hole mini-golf and water sports available in and around Candle Lake.

Once complete, the project will include a driving range, an RV park, cabins, a residential subdivision and a marina. For more information, see www.candlelakegolfresort.com and for real estate options, www.saskgolfer.com/realestate.php

Play Golf America a bust

PlayGolfAmerica.com was launched recently by the PGA, the USGA, NGCOA, PGA Tour, among others, to encourage more people to take up golf and not to give it up because of the difficulty of the game, the cost of the game or the five-hour rounds. Their new website will do little to turn that around and pump up a golf market that seems to have too many courses in the United States and for that matter, Canada.

The website playgolfamerica.com does little to capture and share the magic of the game, or give any depth of information to attract, let alone keep golfers playing. The only thing that prevents the website from being a total bust is a link to the USGA’s website and its nifty animated rules of golf section - 26 rules in low or high bandwidth that illustrate everything from putting etiquette to movable obstructions. See, here

In case you missed it

Prince Albert, the gateway to Saskatchewan’s north, is home to the friendly Cooke Municipal Golf Course, one of the province’s best-loved and finest courses. Cooke is recognized throughout Canada for its challenge and aesthetic beauty.

When you play at Saskatchewan municipal golf courses, it’s straight-up. There are no chatty course starters with a weather report, or sauna and a massage to soothe the soul at the end of your round. But, there’s quality golf for everyone, from first-timers to scratch handicappers, at a reasonable price. MORE >>

Accuracy in Chipping

When you are playing a chip shot from off the edge of the green, I think it is a sensible practice to visualize this kind of stroke as a close cousin to the putting stroke. In chipping from the apron, just as in putting, the club head should follow a straight line from the top of the backswing through impact with the ball and on top of the follow-through.

Imagine that your ball is lying atop a yardstick that is pointing toward the hole. Your club head should stay directly above the yardstick during all phases of the chip shot. Your stance will be open with your left foot at approximately a 45-degree angle to the pin, in order to facilitate the proper movement of the club head. This open stance and the over-the-yard-stick stroke—these are the fundamentals that will make it easy for you to keep your chip right on the line to the pin.

Many golfers make the mistake on their short chips of assuming a square stance, keeping both feet perpendicular to the line to the target. The result is that the clubhead deviates from the straight line during the swing, and an inaccurate shot is the consequence.

Keep the eye over the ball

When you putt two things are vital: Your eye must be directly over the ball, and you must stroke the ball to make it rotate end-over-end. The ball can only “see” the line when your eyes are directly over it. If they are not, your eyes will see one line while the ball “sees” another.

When your eyes are over the ball, you have a much better chance of stroking it accurately and imparting end-over-end rotation.

Amen Corner

“I call my sand wedge my “Half Nelson” because I can always strangle the opposition with it.”

- PGA great Byron Nelson

Discover Weyburn’s friendly track

The Weyburn Golf Club enjoys the reputation as one of the friendliest and most playable courses in Saskatchewan. It offers two distinct nine-hole experiences at the fork of the Rinfret Creek and the Souris River, located a few minutes southeast of the city off Highway 39 near the Weyburn Inland Grain Terminal.

“If you look at bang for the dollar, we’re as good as anywhere in Saskatchewan,” says head professional Rod Carroll.

“The putting surfaces are smooth and well-conditioned. There are a lot of interesting holes especially on the back nine with frequent wildlife and waterfowl sightings. Green fees are a reasonable $26 and tee times at the course are easily accessible to the public.”

The front nine opened in 1992 – the two nines were reversed a few years ago – and features small to mid-sized greens that are well-guarded by sand traps. It also offers some great vistas of the surrounding countryside and the city of Weyburn.

Hole 6 through 9 meander within sight of the Souris River, giving pretty views until you get to the 9th hole. On this sharp 375-yard dogleg right golfers are preoccupied with placing tee shots far enough – about 210 yards to the turn. If you fail to do so, it’s a challenge to cross the Rinfret Creek to a sloped green surrounded by water, traps and trees.

On the back nine, fairways are hillier and more confined by wooded areas. The small greens will reward target golfers, especially on the signature 15th hole. This delightful 479-yard, par 5 tumbles down a sloped fairway doglegging sharply left until it reaches a tiny, fast green. Along the way, you will need to avoid water and trees along the left side and marshland behind the green. There’s also trouble on the right so aim for the clubhouse off the tee.

The course measures 6,515 yards off the back tees with a slope of 124. At only 5,261 yards off the front tees, the ladies get some significant advantages. Greens are fairly undulating and are generally quite fast, so keep approach shots below the hole, to avoid short-siding your approach shots.

The Weyburn Golf Club has one of the most modern, full service clubhouse facility in Saskatchewan. There’s a comfortable lounge, pro shop, BBQ facilities, outdoor patio and large banquet facilities in a separate area to cater to tournaments.

Green fees are $26 for adults with special rates for university students and juniors. The course also offers some special stay and play packages with Perfect Inns and Suites starting at $100 a night that includes a round of golf and a deluxe breakfast. For more information, visit www.weyburngolfclub.ca Tee times may be booked three days in advance at 306- 842-6881

Submit your answer to Weyburn@SaskGolfer.com by Sept. 30. Good Luck!

Win a free pass to Weyburn!

Win one of two green fees to the friendly and playable Weyburn Golf Club.

QUESTION: Can you describe the logo for the Weyburn Golf Club? HINT: Visit the homepage of their website at www.weyburngolfclub.ca to find the answer.)

Around Saskatchewan Links

Construction of the Dakota Dunes Casino has been delayed a few months while its backers wait for government approval on an upsized design and larger $66-million budget. The opening is now planned for between September and November 2006. In the meantime, the Dakota Dunes Golf Links south of Saskatoon continues to attract golfers from around the province and beyond... The new general manager at Madge Lake Golf Resort is Stephen Rosowsky replacing long-time manager Rich Patterson... Members at the posh and private Wascana Golf and Country Club in Regina had more than birdies and eagles on their mind during the morning of Aug. 13. Three horses were found in the parking lot after escaping from the 2005 Canada Summer Games Tip and Culture Village at the University of Regina. The local police helped round them up ...

Adventure Golf, a must see

Originally broadcast on American public television in 2004, Adventure Golf is a sports and travel program that takes the viewer to golf courses around the world. Amateur golfer and Australian Ian Cross visits six courses on four continents in the six episodes collected here in this double DVD. A lot of mileage is covered here, so understandably just enough highlights are presented to tempt the traveling golfer.

These courses, located in Dubai, Scotland, California, Japan, South Africa, and Florida, are among the finest and unique on the planet. In addition to touring and playing on the beautiful courses, host Cross looks at the surrounding countryside and culture, including the most desirable tourist locales. When the round is over, he explores the best sights and activities in the locality like gliding, water skiing and, of course, plenty of wine tasting.

The production team behind the award-winning travel series Globe Trekker bring you Adventure Golf. It’s a casual and fun trip, and a perfect gift for the golfer. Available from bestprices.com for less than $20 CDN the last time we checked, the 156-minute video is a deal.

Putt to the Pro Side of the Cup

When lining up breaking putts, pros will always favour the "high" side of the hole rather than the " low" side. The law of averages tells you that as a putt is breaking near the hole, gravity works in your favour if the ball is above the hole. If the ball is breaking away on the low side, gravity works against you. It's pretty simple--remember the pro side, not the low side, and you'll make more putts!

20 Golfing Laws

LAW 1: No matter how bad your last shot was, the worst is yet to come. This law does not expire on the 18th hole, since it has the supernatural tendency to extend over the course of a tournament, a summer and, eventually, a lifetime.

LAW 2: Your best round of golf will be followed almost immediately by your worst round ever. The probability of the latter increases with the number of people you tell about the former.

LAW 3: Brand new golf balls are water-magnetic. Though this cannot be proven in the lab, it is a known fact that the more expensive the golf ball, the greater its attraction to water.

LAW 4: Golf balls never bounce off trees back into play. If one does, the tree is breaking a law of the universe and should be cut down.

LAW 5: No matter what causes a golfer to muff a shot, all his playing partners must solemnly chant "You looked up," or invoke the wrath of the universe.

LAW 6: The higher a golfer's handicap, the more qualified he deems himself as an instructor.

LAW 7: Every par-three hole in the world has a secret desire to humiliate golfers. The shorter the hole, the greater its desire.

LAW 8: Topping a 3-iron is the most painful torture known to man.

LAW 9: Palm and evergreen trees eat golf balls.

LAW 10: Sand is alive. If it isn't, how do you explain the way it works against you?

LAW 11: Golf carts always run out of juice at the farthest point from the clubhouse.

LAW 12: A golfer hitting into your group will always be bigger than anyone in your group. Likewise, a group you accidentally hit into will consist of a football player, a professional wrestler, a convicted murderer and a tax agent -- or some similar combination.

LAW 13: All 3-woods are demon-possessed.

LAW 14: Golf balls from the same "sleeve" tend to follow one another, particularly out of bounds or into the water (see Law three)

LAW 15: A severe slice is a thing of awesome power and beauty.

LAW 16: "Nice lag" can usually be translated to "lousy putt." Similarly, "tough break" can usually be translated to "way to miss an easy one, sucker."

LAW 17: The person you would most hate to lose to will always be the one who beats you.

LAW 18: The last three holes of a round will automatically adjust your score to what it really should be.

LAW 19: Golf should be given up at least twice per month.

LAW 20: All vows taken on a golf course shall be valid only until the sunset of the same day.

Modified cart enables the disabled golfer

Darwin Bender of Regina experiences the joy of whacking a golf ball down the fairway by maneuvering a modified golf cart with hand controls, a pivoting seat and an hydraulic system with harnesses. It’s something Bender thought he’d never get a chance to do, after shattering his spine and losing the use of his legs in a 1983 traffic accident.

“It gets you out in the fresh air in the summer and let’s you participate like everyone else,” said the 40-year-old Bender. “It’s much better than playing golf on a computer or watching it on television.”

The mobility assistive device, the first in Saskatchewan, was purchased by the City of Regina. It allows the disabled to become fully independent in a sport previously unavailable to them. Last year it was available at the Lakeview Par-3 Golf Course for no charge to those who normally use a seated, mobility assistive device.

The Saskatchewan branch of the Canadian Paraplegic Association (CPA), which partnered with the City of Regina in promoting and marketing the device, praise the city for taking a leadership role in improving access for the disabled.

“It opens a door for the disabled,” said Clayton Gerein, a special services liaison with the CPA and a runner who has won multiple gold medals at the Canadian Paralympics. “I used to go along with my buddies just to watch golf, but now I can play with my friends and family.”

The so-called “Solo Rider” is similar to an individual golf cart, but with the added features it allows the disabled to raise their chair to a semi-standing position. The clubs are strapped on the front of the cart.

”Golf is interesting and challenging,” said Bender, who has tried a few games with mixed success. “Some people say it’s relaxing, but that will take time to get to that point.”

One of the most difficult skills is judging how far to stop the cart from the ball and at what angle to line up the shot, said Bender. He’s also trying to find a retailer who sells clubs with an angled shaft to make it a little easier to hit the ball.

Bender concedes golf is a difficult game to learn, so he tries to play at the course during quiet times and to wave any faster golfer through rather than hold-up traffic. It usually raises a few eyebrows though when he drives the golf cart onto the green. But the cart is built with extra wide, treadless tires so the green isn’t damaged.

The golf cart, which retails for about $10,000, is sold by Club Car in Calgary. The Lakeview Par-3 clubhouse was also renovated to make it accessible to persons with disabilities.

More information:

USGA Resource Centre at http://www.resourcecenter.usga.org/
National Centre on Accessibility at http://www.ncaonline.org/golf/index.shtml
National Alliance for Accessible Golf at http://www.accessgolf.org

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Check out the golf getaways offered this summer: Jackfish Lodge Golf and Conference Centre near Battleford, Harbor Golf Course and Resort at Elbow, Riverbreaks at Riverhurst, Long Creek at Avonlea and Deer Valley golf courses, La Verendrye, Golf Kenosee and White Bear, Waskesiu. MORE >>