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The Alberta Golfer Magazine

Willow Park hosts the Ladies Amateur

A golf course with over half a century of history will provide a test for the best amateur female golfers in the province in 2018 as host of the Sun Life Financial Alberta Ladies Amateur.

Many of those players were decades away from being born when Willow Park Golf and Country Club saw it’s first tee shot hit back in 1965.

The south-east Calgary club has plenty of mature trees lining fairways which might describe as being tight.

“People looking at the golf course, even for the first time are intimidated by the narrow fairways or what seem like narrow fairways,” said Head Professional at Willow Park, Cathy Burton. “It’s an old, traditional golf course with lots of trees, a few bunkers and water hazards. People that play here all the time say, what trees?”

If you can avoid the trees, Burton says you will face more challenges once you arrive at any of the greens.

“We’ve had tour players that play in the Shaw Charity Classic saying you guys have phenomenal greens. Comments like that go a long way and anybody that plays here comments on how fantastic the greens are, how true they are. It doesn’t mean they aren’t tricky, they’re just so well maintained,” said Burton.

The tip of the hat for the pristine putting surfaces goes to superintendent Brian Denomme who has done plenty to make those greens roll around 12 on the stimpmeter on average and Burton says if need be they can roll faster.

The swales around the greens make an errant shot tougher with some tricky wedge play, so Burton says making sure you have the right yardage will be important.

Some of the par threes are narrow and deep (hole#18 is about 55 paces front to back) which will test the talented field for sure.

“Really the defense would be the greens and the rough around the greens because if you’re missing it at all it’s not necessarily an easy up and down.”

While it’s not a wide-open golf course those large trees will provide some protection against the wind which seems to be a somewhat regular occurrence in Calgary. Players will have to take note of those tree tops to determine direction but can become victims of a swirling wind through those same branches.

Burton says Willow Park can play anywhere from 5,700 to 6,100 yards which offers up some options when setting up the course.

Some of the junior members at Willow Park will be available to caddie during the event and Burton says it’s a great way for these young players to see how the next level plays a golf course.

“I used to caddy myself and I learned a lot of trouble shots,” she said. “Sometimes that doesn’t hurt your game to see what somebody else does.”

One young player who calls Willow Park her home course is 19-year-old Kenna Hughes, currently playing at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. Burton says she’s likely going to play and might have a slight edge on the field due to the course knowledge she’s gained over the years. Having said that, it could also work in reverse, said Burton.

“Home course is an advantage and it’s not an advantage when you’re the home course kid, there’s probably more pressure on you than anybody else. It becomes more of a mental game than a physical, technical game.”

Players are advised to take note of holes 11 through to 17 as they are more challenging than the rest of the course, depending on how the course is set up. Hole #14 is one of note though.

“It’s a dog-leg right par five, with water basically all the way down the right side and if you’re too long you can be through the fairway and if you hit it a bit right you can be blocked by the trees, so you’re punching out and you’ve wasted a shot on a par five.”

Burton says it will be fun for members to come out to watch the young players and even some of the older players that are playing, seeing first hand the level of golf Alberta has to offer.

“We do embrace the outside events we host and we’re doing our part to grow the game, being a part of growing the game I think is lending your course to events like this,” said Burton.

The Sun Life Financial Alberta Ladies Amateur at Willow Park will run in mid-July.

Willow Park hosts the Ladies Amateur

This article was originally published in the 2018 edition of The Alberta Golfer Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.

Amateur

Preview: 2018 Sun Life Financial Alberta Ladies Amateur Championship

CALGARY – The 2018 Sun Life Financial Alberta Ladies Amateur Championship is set to begin Monday with sixty-one players competing for the prestigious title. The 54-hole stroke play tournament field is made up of competitors who range from age 12 to 69.

“Willow Park will be a tremendous setting for this year’s championship,” said Brooke Kollesavich, Alberta Golf’s Competitions Assistant and this week’s Tournament Director. “The course is in fantastic condition and the players will be tested on Willow’s familiar speedy greens.”

Kollesavich goes on to add that “the field of competitors represents many juniors, amateurs, mid ams, mid masters and even a handful of seniors. Not only will this make for great competition, but it will provide an opportunity for mentorship and life-long friendships.”

KEY INFO

Dates: July 9-11

Course: Willow Park Golf & Country Club

Yards/Par: 6,034 yards/72

Field: 61

2017 Champion: Sabrine Garrison (@sabrinegarrison)

2017 Mid Amateur & Mid Master Champion: Andrea Kosa (@yourgolfbody)

Format: 54 holes of stroke play

Social: #abladiesam

LOOKING BACK

The 2017 Sun Life Financial Alberta Ladies Amateur Championship saw Sabrine Garrison of the Country Hills GC fire a final round two-under-par 70 to narrowly edge Andrea Kosa of the Glencoe G&CC by two shots.

Kosa nearly picked up the “triple” but settled for both the Mid Amateur and Mid Master Championships.

Garrison is a former two-time Alberta Juvenile Champion. She recently graduated from the University of Minnesota and will be attending Medical School this Fall.

HISTORY

The Alberta Ladies Amateur Championship was first contested in 1929. The Mid Amateur and Mid Master divisions were added to the event in 2003 and 2010, respectively. Sun Life Financial has been a proud sponsor of the event since 2002.

2010–Ashley Smith

2011–Nicole Zhang

2012–Jocelyn Alford

2013–Jocelyn Alford

2014–Jaclyn Lee

2015–Jennifer Ha

2016–Jaclyn Lee

2017–Sabrine Garrison

NOTABLES

  • Sabrine Garrison– 2017 Alberta Ladies Amateur Champion
  • Andrea Kosa– 2017 Alberta Mid Amateur & Mid Master Champion
  • Kehler Koss– 2017 Junior Girls Champion
  • Kim Carrington– 2017 Senior Ladies Champion
  • Annabelle Ackroyd – 2018 Alberta Junior & Juvenile Girls Champion
  • Taylor Stone – 2018 Future Links, driven by Acura Western Champion
  • Kaitlyn Wingnean – 2017 Alberta Bantam Girls Champion

FAST FACTS

  • There are three contests up for grabs this week. The Amateur Championship which is open to all competitors, the Mid Amateur Championship for those aged 25 and over, and the Mid Master Championship for those aged 40 and over.
  • The top three competitors at weeks end will make up Team Alberta at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Marine Drive GC in Vancouver, BC – July 24-27th.

ABOUT THE COURSE

Gracefully winding through Calgary’s south-east, Willow Park Golf & Country Club is a haven in a hurried world. Established in 1965, Willow Park Golf & Country Club is where people want to be. Willow Park Golf & Country Club is a challenging yet walk-able course. Beautiful tree-lined fairways weave through 135 acres of formidable rough, manicured turf, ponds and bunkers. Established in 1965, the course mission remains true — cultivating a community merging golf with friends. There is something for everyone — men, ladies, seniors, couples and juniors. From fine golf to creative tournament and social events.

More information on the Willow Park Golf & Country Club can be found here.

ABOUT THE SPONSOR

Sun Life Financial has served Canadians for 150 years. With an array of products and services, Sun Life is able to offer trusted solutions for customer’s needs. Beyond business, Sun Life is committed to operating in a socially responsible way and acting as a good corporate citizen. Sun Life Financial has been a dedicated sponsor of the Sun Life Financial Alberta Ladies Amateur Championship for 16 years.

MEDIA

Amateur

Dominant performance by Chandler McDowell at the Alberta Junior

Chandler McDowell of the Innisfail GC put on an impressive display of golf during the final round of the 2018 Alberta Junior & Juvenile Championship at the Sundre Golf Club.

He made eight birdies on the round finishing with a final tally of 66 on the day and won by an incredible eleven shot margin.

McDowell adds to his previous Juvenile victory in 2016. He is set to compete later this summer at both the Canadian and US Junior Amateurs.

Leaderboard

Ryan Hodgins of the Medicine Hat G&CC won the Juvenile Championship for those aged 16 and under. He will be a player to keep an eye on at the Canadian Junior on his home track.

McDowell is joined by Ty Steinbring of Barrhead GC and Korbin Allan of Strathmore GC on the 2018 Alberta Junior Interprovincial Team set to compete at the Medicine Hat G&CC later this July and August.

L to R: Ty Steinbring, Korbin Allan, Chandler McDowell

Special thanks to the Sundre GC, their membership, staff and volunteers for hosting the 2018 edition of the Alberta Junior.

Inside Golf House

PGA Canada Mackenzie tour pros host Indigenous youth golf clinic in Lethbridge

Indigenous youth in the area got an introduction to golf with some of the country’s best golfers as their coaches.

“We’ve been looking at how can we help connect indigenous youth with sport,” Executive Director of Lethbridge Sport Council Susan Eymann said.

“The PGA tour being in Lethbridge was a great opportunity to say ‘let’s have some of our youth benefit from an event like this.’”

READ MORE: Ammolite trophy sets Lethbridge apart on the Mackenzie tour

The Indigenous youth golf clinic ran on Wednesday as one of the additional events associated with the Lethbridge Paradise Canyon Open.

Golf pros are in Lethbridge for the PGA Canada’s Mackenzie tour. They helped coach youth ages 13 to 17 during a free one hour session.

“I enjoy helping out and watching the kids and watching them enjoy it,” winner of PGA Tour Canada’s GolfBC Championship in Kelowna George Cunningham said.

“It helps me kind of get away from my golf a little bit, take the time and relax.”

Thirty-nine teens received tutorials on how to hold and swing a club, as well as received tips and stories from the pros themselves.

“They told me to hold it lower, bend my knees and whatever way you’re going to hit it, like ‘say you’re hitting it that way, your body being that way,’” first time golfer Christa Healy said.

“Have good posture, and always be on the balls of your feet and to have good weight when you shoot,” Malackhi Pagan said.

The clinic was well received by participants and some even made future plans.

“Yeah I’d definitely suggest it [to other youth],” Pagan said. “It’s fun. It’s another hobby in your life you get to do, and maybe even get good at it and go pro.”

The clinic coincided with Indigenous sport and wellness month, with this week specifically for youths.

Organizers said if there is more interest for the program, Paradise Canyon will look into hosting a beginners clinic at the course.

View the article from Global News here.

Amateur

McDowell builds large lead at the Alberta Junior

The 2016 Alberta Juvenile Champion, Chandler McDowell of the Innisfail GC, has his eyes set on the ultimate prize in provincial junior golf.

McDowell opened up a six shot lead through nine holes on moving day at the 2018 Alberta Junior & Juvenile Championship at the Sundre Golf Club.

He ended the day up by eight strokes as he takes the overnight lead into tomorrow’s final round of the 72-hole championship.

Final round tee times

It will be a tight race for the three-man 2018 Alberta Junior Interprovincial Team set to compete at the 2018 Canadian Junior Boys Championship in Medicine Hat later this July.

Leaderboard

16-year-old Ryan Hodgins of the Medicine Hat G&CC has a three shot lead over Pincher Creek’s Ethan Choi in the Juvenile Championship.

Inside Golf House

Kids golf for free this week at some Central Alberta courses

After a long school year, young golfers across Canada have earned some free time on the golf course. Nine Central Alberta golf courses are participating in Take A Kid To The Course initiative.

The National Golf Course Owners Association Canada (NGCOA) has teamed up with close to 700 courses across the country to provide free golf for kids under the age of 16 starting on July 3. Nine courses in Central Alberta will offer the program.

The initiative is called “Take a Kid To The Course” and it’s designed as a way to help promote the game at the grassroots level.

River Bend Golf and Recreation Area GM Brian Miller said they’ve been participating in the program for years and it usually draws a big crowd of kids.

He noted they even try and compete with other clubs to see who can get the most kids on the course. Miller added on top of growing the game, it’s a really good way to get the whole family out on the course.

“It’s a program across Canada to develop junior golf and we’re a big part of that with the mini links and driving range. We do a lot of junior lessons here. That’s why we’re part of it,” he said.

“If they bring dad out, the son can play (for free). Or if they brought out mom and dad, daughter and son can play for free. It’s a one adult, one kid type thing. It’s a good program, drives people to the door…We’ve had good numbers in the past.”

River Bend will run the program for kids from ages 9-16, with rounds available from July 3-10. Monday to Thursday are available any time and Friday, Saturday and Sunday after 3 p.m.

Other Central Alberta courses participating in the program include Balmoral Golf Course, Bashaw Golf and Country Club, Gull Lake Golf Course, Lacombe Golf and Country Club, Meadowlands Golf Club at Sylvan Lake, Olds Central Highlands Golf Club, Ponoka Community Golf Club and Red Deer Golf and Country Club. For the full list of courses and what they offer with the program, check out kidsplaygolf.ca.

This year will be the 16th for the program and since its inception, it has helped more than 350,000 golfers an opportunity to golf for free.

View the article from the Red Deer Advocate here.

Amateur

Golf notes: Jaclyn Lee continues to emerge on international golf scene

Her game travels.

Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee proved that much with her superb run at the 2018 Ladies British Open Amateur Championship, where her quest to become only the second Canadian to win the prestigious crown ended with a loss to eventual champion Leonie Harm of Germany in the semifinal round of matches.

“The Ladies British Open Amateur Championship has so much history, so it really does mean a lot to me to have a strong showing here,” Lee wrote in an email from overseas. “The fact that (Canadian Golf Hall-of-Famer) Marlene Streit last won it in 1953, I was really hoping I could join her name on that trophy.

“I think the key to my success in the match-play portion was having a good game-plan for the course and knowing when to play it safe or aggressive. Hillside Golf Club really tests all facets of a player’s game, so keeping it in play at all times was another key part.”

It’s been clear for the past few summers that Lee is one of Calgary’s rising-stars, but her player-to-watch status now extends beyond just the local or even national scene.

A member at Glencoe and representative of Golf Canada’s amateur program, the 21-year-old took an eraser to the history books during her junior campaign with the Ohio State Buckeyes, setting a school record with a season-long scoring average of 71.14.

Lee was briefly sitting atop the individual leaderboard during the final round of the NCAA Women’s Championship before fading to a tie for fifth, another all-time Buckeyes best. Just before jetting off to England for the Ladies British Open Amateur Championship, she made the most of an exemption at the Meijer LPGA Classic, finishing as the top amateur and also the top Canadian — two strokes better than superstar Brooke Henderson — at T-35.

At the British Ladies Am, Lee advanced through the stroke-play portion with a two-round tab of 7-over 151 and was victorious in four straight showdowns before being ousted by Harm in a 4&3 result in the semifinals.

“For sure, I can really take away the success I’ve had over in Britain and use that confidence heading into future matches,” said Lee, who should continue to climb from her current perch at No. 36 in the women’s world amateur golf rankings. “But also I’ve learned what mental headspace allows me to play better in match play and what doesn’t. We all have something that makes us tick and it’s just about fine-tuning those things now.”

Lee’s upcoming schedule includes the North & South Amateur at Pinehurst No. 2 — she finished second in stroke-play and eventually advanced to the Round of 16 last summer, so she knows she can have success at the famed venue — and the Canadian Women’s Amateur at Marine Drive in Vancouver.

CHIP SHOTS

The stage is set for the Rileys Best Ball main-event final — the Country Hills tandem of Kevin Temple and Jamie Welder will slug it out with Inglewood head pro Jeff MacGregor and partner Brett Ladick in Sunday’s championship match at Canyon Meadows. Temple and Welder won back-to-back titles in 2014-15, while MacGregor and Ladick are shooting to win the annual showdown for the first time. Meanwhile, Rick Heenan and Brad Wagner (Inglewood) will meet Brad Hudspeth and Brett Nichols (Cottonwood) in the senior final. The Canyon Meadows duo of Rhonda Carter and Cheryl Newman have already repeated as champs in the women’s division … Annabelle Ackroyd (Silver Springs/Glencoe) pulled off an impressive double — the 16-year-old qualified on consecutive days for the U.S. Girls Junior Championship and then the U.S. Women’s Amateur … There are a lot of smooth-swinging teens hanging around Sundre this week, with the junior and juvenile provincial champions to be crowned on separate courses in the same small town. The girls are competing at Coyote Creek, while the boys will battle for bragging rights at Sundre Golf Club … The Calgary Ladies Golf Association’s Closed Amateur tees off Tuesday at Inglewood, with 84 hopefuls signed up for the three-day tournament … Wes Heffernan (Silver Springs/Golf Canada Calgary Centre) was the only Albertan to advance to the match-play portion of the PGA of Canada Championship before being defeated on the third playoff hole of his quarterfinal match … Edmonton’s Brandon Markiw surged to a five-shot victory at the Alberta Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship.

View the article from the Edmonton Sun here.

Amateur Team Alberta

Annabelle Ackroyd wins the Alberta Junior

It was a youth movement at the 2018 Alberta Junior & Juvenile Girls Championship hosted by the Coyote Creek Golf & RV Resort. The leaders in the final group were all sixteen years-old or younger.

Annabelle Ackroyd of the Glencoe G&CC in Calgary started the day a shot off the lead. But thanks to three birdies on the closing nine and going bogey-free in the same stretch she finished on top at days end.

The victory marks only the fifth time in the championships history that a juvenile aged player has won both the junior and juvenile titles. It happened in 2007 (Nicole Zhang), 2010 (Christie Lin), and 2013 (Jaclyn Lee), 2015 (Katy Rutherford). Ackroyd also defended the juvenile title that she won last year.

Ackroyd will be joined by her fellow final round group members Tillie Claggett and Kaitlyn Wingnean on the Alberta Junior Girls Interprovincial Team that will compete at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship at Beach Grove GC, July 31 – August 3.

More on Annabelle’s accomplishments this summer by Eric Francis, Calgary SUN

Leaderboard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amateur

K. Wingnean and Claggett tied for the Junior Girls lead

Twenty-six junior and juvenile girls took the field at Coyote Creek Golf & RV Resort for round two of the 2018 Junior Girls Championship.

After facing difficult conditions due to the low temperatures, rain and wind both girls are tied for the lead after today’s second round. Both girls sit at 1 under par not only battling to be crowned the junior girls champion but also for the juvenile title.

The top three girls after tomorrow’s final round will make the Alberta interprovincial team at Beach Grove Golf Club, in Tsawwassen, British Columbia, July 31- Aug 3.

LEADERBOARD

Amateur

Preview: 2018 Alberta Junior & Juvenile Championships

Taylor Stone

Sundre –The provinces top junior and juvenile golfers will descend upon Sundre, Alberta this week for the Alberta Junior Boys and Girls Championships.

Considered the most prestigious prize in provincial junior golf, the Alberta Junior Championships have a long and storied history of talented youngsters who have the dream of one day playing at the highest levels.

“We are extremely excited about the week ahead in Sundre,” said Stephen Wigington, Alberta Golf’s Manager of Competitions. “We have two great golf courses with a track record of hosting high level amateur competitions. The juniors this week are in for a treat as they look to mark their names in the history books.”

KEY INFO

Alberta Junior and Juvenile Girls Championship
Dates: July 2-4th
Course: Coyote Creek Golf &RV Resort
Yards/Par: 5,858 yards/ 71
Field: 26
2017 champions:
Junior: Kehler Koss (@KehlerKoss)
Juvenile: Annabelle Ackroyd (@Anna_Ackroyd)
Format: 54 holes of stroke play
Social: #abjuniors

Alberta Junior and Juvenile Boys Championship
Dates: July 3-6th
Course: Sundre Golf Club
Yards/Par: 6,778 yards/72
Field: 125
2017 champions:
Junior: Max Sekulic (@Maxsekulic)
Juvenile: Kai Iguchi (@KaiIguchi)
Format: 72 holes of stroke play with a 36-hole cut
Social: #abjuniors

LOOKING BACK

Both Max Sekulic and Kehler Koss won by a single shot thanks to strong play on the closing holes of the championships. They both took home the titles in their final year of junior golf and over a number of rising stars in the juvenile ranks who will look to capture the trophies in 2018.

HISTORY

The Alberta Junior Boys Championship was first contested in 1938. The Juvenile division was added in 1983. The Alberta Junior Girls Championship record book dates back to 1932 with the juvenile division added in 1973.

2013 – Nicholas Scrymgeour; Jaclyn Lee

2014 – Tyler Saunders; Jaclyn Lee

2015 – Andrew Harrison; Katy Rutherford

2016 – Jaxon Lynn; Kenna Hughes

2017 – Max Sekulic; Kehler Koss

NOTABLES

  • Annabelle Ackroyd – 2017 Alberta Juvenile Champion; 2018 USGA Junior Girls and Women’s Amateur Qualifier
  • Taylor Stone – 2018 Future Links, driven by Acura Western Champion; 2016 Alberta Juvenile Champion
  • Kaitlyn Wingnean – 2017 Alberta Bantam Girls Champion
  • Kai Iguchi – 2017 Alberta Juvenile Champion; 2018 Future Links, driven by Acura Western Champion
  • Ethan Choi – Alberta High Performance Squad member
  • Hunter Thomson – 2017 Alberta Bantam Boys Champion

FAST FACTS

  • Junior Boys Competitors will be playing for one of 14 quota positions in the 2018 Canadian Junior Boys Championship. The national championship will be contested at the beautiful and historic Medicine Hat G&CC July 30 – August 2nd.
  • The Canadian Junior Girls Championship is being held at Beach Grove Golf Club, in Tsawwassen, British Columbia, July 31- Aug 3.
  • The top three boys and girls at weeks end will earn their spot on the respective Alberta Junior Interprovincial Teams.

ABOUT THE COURSES

Coyote Creek Golf & RV Resort
Coyote Creek was designed for maximum enjoyment, the course is friendly for the beginner and challenging for the low handicapper. It features four different teeing areas to allow golfers to choose the yardage that fits their ability. The fairways are quite generous in size to allow off-centre shots to find the short grass. Sand bunkers were placed in optimum positions to penalize stray shots. The greens at Coyote Creek have been the main topic of conversation amongst golfers after their round. Always fast, the greens have lots of slope and slight undulations making putting the toughest challenge on this championship course.

More information on Coyote Creek Golf & RV Resort can be found here.

Sundre Golf Club
Experience nature’s beauty at one of Alberta’s elite golf courses: the completely rebuilt Sundre Golf Club. The Sundre Golf Club features 18 challenging holes of golf, practice facilities, a renovated clubhouse with pro shop and restaurant, club and cart rentals, and professional golf instruction. The 18-hole course has exquisite water features, rolling greens and plenty of trees, making it stimulating for all skill levels. This club is located halfway between Red Deer and Calgary.

More information on the Sundre Golf Club can be found here.

MEDIA