Alberta Golf (Calgary) – The 2024 Championship season in Alberta brings a number of new events to the province including the inaugural stand-alone Alberta Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship to be held at River Spirit Golf Club in the foothills just west of Calgary. The event is scheduled for August 6-7 and is open to players who are aged 25+ as of July 10, 2024. The event also includes the Alberta Mid-Master Championship for players aged 40+ as of July 10, 2024. In 2023 those 2 events were part of the Alberta Women’s Amateur Championship at Water Valley with Meaghan LeBlanc winning the Mid-Amateur title and Andrea Kosa taking the Mid-Master title.

Meaghan LeBlanc shot rounds of 72-77-77 to take the 2023 Alberta Women’s Mid-Amateur title. 

Andrea Kosa shot rounds of 76-79-80 to take the 2023 Alberta Women’s Mid-Master title

Additionally, the 2025 Women’s Mid-Amateur Interprovincial team will be created from this event, with the top 3 Albertan residents winning this honour.

The Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship was first contested in 2003 and was won by Kim Carrington. Since it’s inception the championship has seen many top players win the event including Andrea Kosa, Jessica Luciuk, Meaghan LeBlanc, Heather Lee, and Skyesong Alexis. The Women’s Mid-Master Championship has had a similar story starting in 2007 with a Kim Carrington win, and being won by great champions like Heather Lee, Andrea Kosa, Cheryl Newman, and Barb Flaman.

River Spirit Golf Club is in a beautiful setting half way between the west edge of Calgary and Bragg Creek and has a stunning backdrop courtesy of the Millburn Creek and the Elbow River with the mountains in the distance. The course has 27 holes, with three distinct 9-hole layouts. The course was designed by Russ Olson, who most notable worked on the Whistler Golf Club, Dakota Dunes Golf Linkes, and the Hazelmere Golf & Tennis Club.

River Spirit Golf Club

River Spirit Golf Club has recent history hosting championships with Max Sekulic winning the 2019 Alberta Match Play Championship and Wes Heffernan taking the 2018 Alberta Open title.

Max Sekulic: 2019 Alberta Match Play champion at River Spirit Golf Club

Wes Heffernan: 2018 Alberta Open champion at River Spirit Golf Club

Molly Bygrove is the Golf Operations Manager at River Spirit Golf Club and says the club in thrilled to be a part of a championship celebrating women’s golf and their excellence.

“River Spirit Golf Club is thrilled to announce that we will be hosting the upcoming Alberta Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship. We appreciate the significant contributions these women make to the golfing community, and we are proud to stand behind them in their endeavours at our facility,” Said Bygrove. “This tournament not only showcases the talent and dedication of female golfers but also highlights our commitment to fostering inclusivity and excellence in the sport. We eagerly anticipate welcoming participants and spectators alike to our course for what promises to be an exciting and memorable event.”

For both participants and spectators it will be even easier to get to the golf course with the recent completion of the Calgary ring road.

“The completion of the ring road is truly a game-changer for accessibility to our course,” Admitted Bygrove. “The increased convenience and opportunities that the completion of the ring road brings significant improvement in accessibility enhances the overall experience for our members, guests, and tournament competitors. We look forward to seeing how this positive change fosters growth and strengthens our community at the club.”

Registration for the 2024 Alberta Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship will open April 1^st at 9:00am.

FULL 2024 ALBERTA GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE HERE

Alberta Golf (Red Deer) – Red Deer Golf & Country Club will host the 110th playing of the Alberta Women’s Amateur Championship this summer July 2-4. This is the 4th time Red Deer has hosted the Women’s Amateur, the last time was in 2017, won by Sabrine Garrison. The defending champion is Jieming Yang who won at Water Valley last year, a 4 stroke victory over 2023 Canadian Junior Girls and Alberta U19 Champion Eileen Park who plays out of the Red Deer Golf and CC.

Jieming Yang: 2023 Alberta Women’s Amateur Champion 

Eileen Park: 2023 Canadian Junior Girls Champion (Red Deer Golf and CC member)

The Women’s Amateur Trophy has been held by many of the great female golfers in the province including Patricia Arnold, Rae Milligan, Marilyn Daku, Marilyn O’Connor, Jessica Luciuk, Heather Lee, Jackie Twamley, and of course the 17-time champion Betty Stanhope Cole.

The origins of Red Deer Golf & Country Club dates back to 1919, with the first course being only 6 holes along the main highway, Calgary-Edmonton trail. The club had its centennial celebration in 2022.

Red Deer Golf and Country Club

Red Deer has played host to a variety of championships for Alberta Golf including the Alberta Open, Men’s Amateur, Men’s Senior, and the Women’s Senior. Red Deer has also hosted national championships and was the famous host of the Eaton Rose Bowl Final.

Alberta Women’s Amateur Changes: In an effort to strengthen the field, the maximum field size for the Women’s Amateur will be 30 players. Players will either be exempt or must qualify for a spot in the Championship. There will be two one-day events for players to qualify into the championship.

A stand-alone event has been created for the Women’s Mid-Amateur and Mid-Master Championships, players will not have to qualify for these events. Registration for the qualifiers & the Women’s Mid-Amateur and Mid-Master Championship will open on April 1st at 9am.

These changes will help heighten the prestige around the Women’s Amateur and will allow players to feel a sense of accomplishment playing in the championship, this will help the event to become a celebration of Women’s High-Performance Golf and will help strengthen the field.

Creating a stand-alone event for the Mid-Amateur and Mid-Master players, together with the Women’s Amateur qualifiers add more playing opportunities for female golfers in the province. Creating the qualifiers supports the high-performance strategy for our younger players, as the pathway mirrors other high-level competitions and teaches players how to play with pressure. The qualifiers are less time-intensive compared to a championship, and a great entry for women to get into competitive golf. This is intended to help grow women’s competitive golf.

Women’s Amateur Eligibility & Exemptions

Exemption Criteria:

The players that meet any of the following criteria are exempt and will be invited to immediately register for the championship.

• Past Champions of the event from the last 5 years (2019-2023).
• The 2023 Interprovincial Team.
• The 2023 Women’s Mid-Amateur Champion
• The 2023 Women’s Mid-Master Champion
• The 2023 Women’s Senior Champion
• Players who made the top 10 + ties from the 2023 Championship.
• Any players who made the cut at the 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship.

Eligibility Criteria:

The players that meet all of the following criteria are eligible to register for one of the qualifiers and try to qualify for the Championship.

• Players can be of any age.
• Players must be a handicap index of 20 or lower.
• Players must be amateurs at the time of registration and competition.
• Players must be members of Golf Canada.

READ THE ALBERTA GOLF WOMEN’S ELIGIBILITY CHART HERE

New Tournament Opportunities

Qualifiers (June 6th at Edmonton Garrison, June 11th at Canyon Meadows)

• One day events.
• Allows players to learn more about competitive golf.
• Helps align the championship with our high-performance program.
• Top players qualify for Women’s Amateur.
• Registration opens on April 1st.

Women’s Amateur Championship (July 2-4 at Red Deer G&CC)

• 3-day event.
• Top 30 female players in the province.
• Exemptions will be sent out allowing exempt players to register.
• Players qualify through one-day qualifier events.
• Celebrates high-performance women’s golf.

Women’s Senior Championship (July 23-25 at Pine Hills Golf Club)

• 3-day event. 
• Open to players aged 50+, competing for the Senior (50+), Super Senior (60+), Diamond Division (70+) Champions, and 2024 Women’s Senior Interprovincial Team.
• Registration opens April 1.

Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship (August 6-7 at River Spirit Golf Club)

• 2-day event.
• Open to players aged 25+, competing for the Mid-Amateur (25+), Mid-Master Championships (40+), and 2025 Women’s Mid-Amateur Interprovincial Team.
• Registration opens April 1.

Our 2024 competitive schedule including our host clubs has been finished and can be found using the link below.

ALBERTA GOLF 2024 SCHEDULE HERE

Registration for all qualifiers and any events without qualifiers will open on April 1^st at 9:00am. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to john@albertagolf.org or taylor@albertagolf.org

Alberta Golf (Rocky Mountain House) – The top senior female golfers in Alberta will spend the last week of July at Pine Hills Golf Club in Rocky Mountain House competing in the 2024 Alberta Women’s Senior Championship, July 25-27. The defending champion will be Celina Lam who won a thrilling title last year at Coyote Creek Golf and RV Resort in Sundre, Lam defeating Lynn Kuehn and Jackie Little by 1 stroke.

WATCH VIDEO: CELINA LAM WINS 2023 ALBERTA WOMEN’S SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

READ STORY HERE ON CELINA LAM’S VICTORY

Celina Lam: 2023 Alberta Women’s Senior Champion

Pine Hills Golf Club last hosted a provincial championship in 2019 when Kim Carrington won her third women’s senior championship in 5 years with a 6 stroke victory over Jackie Little.

Kim Carrington at Pine Hills Golf Club in 2019

Kim Carrington: 2019 Alberta Women’s Senior Champion at Pine Hills Golf Club

Pine Hills Golf Club has countless scenic views and balances challenge with beauty. The course started as a 9-hole layout until it was redone by Alberta Golf Distinguished Service Award winner Sid Puddicombe in 1989. The course has been a big supporter of women’s golf playing host to both Women’s and Women’s Senior events multiple times in the last 30 years. In 1997, Pine Hills hosted the Woman’s Amateur which was won by Jessica Luciuk. 

The Woman’s Senior has seen many great champions over the years including Hall of Fame players like Diane Williams, Marilyn O’Connor, Betty Stanhope-Cole, and Pat Heisler. It’s also seen a variety of other great champions including Shirley Bacon, Cathy McMillan, Cheryl Van Dornick, Jackie Little, Kim Carrington, and Lynn Kuehn.

Pine Hill’s Head Professional Richard Vernon says having this event back in Rocky Mountain House 5 years later is a thrill for everyone involved.

“We’re very excited and we’re very proud to host the 2024 Alberta Women’s Senior Championship this summer with the alignment of Alberta Golf to bring this great golf tournament back to Pine Hills from 2019,” Vernon said. “Hosting this historic tournament gives us the opportunity to share our championship golf course and challenge the top players in Alberta. The local golf community at Pine Hills will come together for this tournament and will be supported by the volunteer spirit for which Rocky Mountain House is known for.”

Written by Gord Montgomery

Not only is golf the game of a lifetime, it’s a game for all abilities. Driven forward by people like Todd Kierstead, the world of adaptive golf has taken huge steps forward in the past but it perhaps still has a way to go.

Kierstead, the CEO and founder of ParaGolf Canada, is all about focusing on the abilities of a group of athletes rather than their disabilities. As a trick shot artist, Kierstead began his sojourn after holding a clinic for Wounded Warriors in Florida. His audience that day included single and double limb amputees as well as those blinded during warfare. From that single outing his role in bringing adaptive golf forward has grown exponentially.

2023 All Abilities Championship / McCall Lake Golf Course in Calgary

“The word is getting out there,” he noted, particularly because of the media coverage of the 2022 U.S. Adaptive Open at Pinehurst No. 6 where two Albertans had strong finishes. Playing off that and in their continuing effort to grow the game in Alberta, Alberta Golf ran its first-ever All Abilities provincial championship in 2023. The event included golfers with physical, sensory, and intellectual disabilities.

WATCH VIDEO: ALBERTA GOLF HOSTS 2023 ALL ABILITIES CHAMPIONSHIP

Alberta Golf will be hosting its second All Abilities Championship in the summer of 2024, at the Broadmoor Golf Course in Sherwood Park, from August 6-8.

Said John Deneer, from Alberta Golf in an e-mail, on bringing an event like this into the public eye: “We are very excited to offer this opportunity to the All-Abilities golfing community.  We know there are many players who want to compete and giving them an Alberta Golf provincial championship is a high priority and we are excited to do so. We are working closely with the Alberta Amputee Sports & Recreation Association to ensure our championship is run to the standard expected and that all players who are eligible to play, have the opportunity.”

The 2023 Alberta All Abilities Champion was Calgary’s Kiefer Jones, whose vision was damaged after a virus attacked his optic nerve. That affected his central vision rendering him legally blind. That though hasn’t affected his golf game. Said Kierstead of the 33-year-old Calgarian: “Kiefer, based on his classification (B3) in the blind golfing world, is ranked No. 1 in the world!”

In a phone interview Jones said he began golfing when he was about 18-months old and has always had a love for the game. For several years he lived, and played in Mexico, where he honed his skills. He had hopes of heading to the University of Arizona on a scholarship like his idol, Phil Mickelson. “As a junior that was a goal for me. Then, losing my eyesight kind of changed things.”

The fun, he noted, was gone from the game but a friend talked him into helping him improve his game and from there he started playing again. “It’s not like baseball where the ball is coming at you. I realized that as long as I could be consistent in my ball striking and set-up, having someone point me in the right direction, I could still play this game,” he explained of his decision to take up golf again.

Kiefer Jones – 2023 Alberta All Abilities champion 

And as they say, the rest is history. Back in the game, Jones earned his PGA of Canada professional status despite his vision loss looking to become a teaching pro. He later reclaimed his amateur status and in 2016 he discovered the world of blind golf where he has excelled. The transition from the sighted game to visually impaired golf wasn’t that difficult, Jones noted, given the purity of his oft-repeated swing.

“My swing didn’t change,” he pointed out. “I’m not fully blind. With my vision specifically, I have no central vision so I just don’t look at the ball. I look away from the ball and then I can see the ball. But, I only see it with my peripherals. The depth perception and everything is gone.”

That issue hasn’t slowed him down however. At Pinehurst he finished T-19 overall, and first in the Vision Impaired grouping. The next closest in his category finished T-59, 38 shots behind the Albertan.

About the Pinehurst tournament which was played out over 54 holes, Jones had this to say: “My goal was to go there and finish first overall. And it was looking pretty good for about six holes …. I gave myself a birdie putt on the first hole and walked off feeling pretty good. On the next hole, from 150-yards, I left it hanging on the lip for eagle. I turned around and I had Golf Channel and about 100 people following me! This is unbelievable! For about four or five holes I had a big gallery. I was one-under par after six and leading the tournament,” before he had two tee shots go OB on seven. “I turned around and everyone was gone!” he laughingly related. As it turned out, he carded an 80, with a ’10’ and a ‘9’ that day “Two bad holes kind of cost me the tournament, in my eyes.”

At Adaptive Golf events there is really no difference between where players tee it up and where you and I start from. The courses measure the same distance and the same rules apply except for blind golfers who are granted two exceptions. They’re allowed to ground their club in a bunker and their guide can stand behind them during a swing to aid in shot direction. Other than that, it’s the game of golf, pure and simple.

As to having the public become more aware of adaptive golfers and becoming more comfortable playing alongside them, Jones noted, “Every time I play with someone they’re amazed. To me, it’s just another round of golf. To them, it’s (maybe) the first time they’re seeing someone who’s visually impaired.”

Kiefer Jones

And yes, they likely do have a hard time believing what they are seeing from the No. 1 ranked blind golfer in the world who doesn’t let his disability affect his ability.

Written by Kevin Smith & Taylor Tracey

When Tiger Woods won The Masters in 1997 as a 21-year-old his breakthrough victory as the first black major champion was seen as a monumental win that would surely change the face of golf. The face of golf and diversity in the game on both the men’s and women’s side are certainly changing, it’s just taken a lot longer than most people thought.

Sela Ogada is a 13-year-old golfer born in Calgary whose father is from Kenya and mother is from Hong Kong. Jalen Apedoe is a 15-year-old golfer born in Calgary whose father’s heritage is from Ghana in West Africa and a mother with European roots.

Sela Ogada

Jalen Apedoe

Both were asked who their heroes were in sports or the world in general and Tiger Woods was at the top or near the top for both.

“I say definitely Tiger Woods because he’s the best golfer of all time and was so dominant in his prime,” Ogada said. “I also like Brooke Henderson too because she’s Canadian and she’s a woman golfer and I got to meet her twice which is cool and she’s really nice. Both really inspire me to be successful.”

Odaga, who also has a 9-year-old brother Samuel who’s just as focused on golf, plays out of Sirocco Golf Club south of Calgary. Shannon Raina a former golf professional at Sirocco and Craig Gibson the current Sirocco Head Pro both watched Sela and her brother discover the love of the game and are proud of her hard work and dedication.

9-year-old Samuel Ogada

Sela Ogada’s coach is Paul Horton who’s produced many great golfers in the province over the past 30 years, and Ogada likes that Paul is always asking her what she wants to work on, and she says the video analysis is cool too. She first discovered the game a decade ago when she was 3 and says she loves that it’s an independent sport.

“The first time I ever picked up a golf ball I was 3, we we’re going to get groceries but then my parents passed by a driving range, and they wanted me to try it out.” Ogada said. “When we got there one of the coaches gave me a club and I got introduced into the game. Now that I’m playing and competing, I like how it’s just you and if you play good or bad it’s all on you and it’s not anyone else.”

Sela’s father Kefa works in finance and moved to Calgary 20 years ago, he noticed that all his business colleagues played golf, but he knew nothing about the game and that was a barrier.

“I found out that most of my colleagues played golf and it seemed like a great place for them to connect with one another and I couldn’t join them,” Kefa admitted. “I think learning golf is important, you don’t have to be good at it, but you should know how to play so you can network.”

Jalen Apedoe picked up a golf club at the age of 5, playing out of Priddis Greens and Serenity Golf Club. His swing coach is Dan Cameron while Scott Stiles works with him on putting and short game. Jalen loves the social aspect of golf, as well as the competitiveness and the challenge of the game. His parents always played the game and wanted the family to get into it as well and he says it means a lot to him to be a black golfer.

“To me being a black golfer is important and I acknowledge it because it’s a way I can bring awareness to both black people and their accomplishments, achievements, and successes and bring more awareness and diversity to the game of golf,” Apedoe said. “It’s a way I can diversify golf and bring a different audience’s attention to the game. It’s important that we recognize Black History Month obviously to celebrate black people, the culture, and their accomplishments and then also just bring awareness to past difficulties and challenges that black people have faced and the efforts that have been taken to get to the point in society where black people have equal rights and equal freedoms and opportunity in society.”

Jalen Apedoe

Sela Ogada feels the same way about recognizing Black History Month.

“I think it’s important to recognize all the people in the past who have helped pave the way for us in the world in general but also for golf so we can play on golf courses and play on tour,” Ogada said. “Back then black people weren’t allowed to play golf on certain courses, they would be discriminated against, so I feel it’s important to recognize those people.”

Sela Ogada

Both Sela and Jalen say they’ve had great experiences playing golf in Alberta.

“When I was younger and even now, I never really felt any discrimination or anything here so I can’t say being a black golfer feels any different,” Ogada admitted. “I just think golf in general it doesn’t matter where you’re from, and it teaches you so many life lessons, like how to control your emotions if you hit a bad shot or problem solving if you’re in a tough spot.”

And Apedoe says he’s felt welcome in Alberta and even when playing out of province or country as well.

“I feel like overall I’ve just had great experiences with golf all over. Everywhere I’ve traveled to for golf tournaments I feel very welcome and included and I feel like the tournament directors and staff have done a great job at the events and for all competitors,” Apedoe admitted. “Everybody has been very welcoming, social and friendly at all events I have traveled to which has really made my experience in golf a lot better.”

When asked about accessibility getting better for everyone in golf both Sela and Jalen mentioned the Youth on Course program that is run across North America and provides golf for $5 or less at 25 golf courses in Alberta if you’re under 19 years of age.

“I played in a tournament in Louisiana and met a girl who is black and she said a lot of people of colour don’t usually play golf because they think it’s too expensive,” Ogada said. “I really like what Youth on Course is doing, like $5 to play 18 holes is really nice and making it a lot more affordable.”

“I think golf is a difficult sport to diversify because it’s a very expensive sport and it’s difficult to get into, so I think that it’s important that institutions and people make the game more accessible in any way possible. I think people are doing a very good job at this, initiatives like First Tee and Youth on Course being able to get out onto courses for cheap rates and just have fun and start getting into the game in those ways,” Apedoe said.” We need to get people opportunities like those to get involved and fall in love with the game.”

Golf Without Borders is another Alberta program doing great work, chaired by Jeffrey Sundquist of Edmonton, and looking to help kids from marginalized and indigenous communities. Eric Bouchard is a Calgary-Lougheed MLA and on the board of GWB and says he’s seen first-hand the hard work Sela and her brother Samuel put in at Sirocco Golf Club.

“I am honoured to join Golf Without Borders. As a new MLA, I am excited to bring attention to this amazing cause and, hopefully, impact the lives of many youths through it,” Bouchard said. “I am excited to lend Sela and Kefa as much support as I can in my role as the MLA for Calgary Lougheed. I look forward to watching Sela’s career grow, both on and off the course, and support more young golfers within our community.”

Tiger Woods’ former roommate at Stanford and lifelong friend Notah Begay now runs the Notah Begay 111 Junior Golf National Championships and is expanding into Canada, Sela is a junior ambassador for the sponsor Dickson Golf.

Both Sela Ogada and Jalen Apedoe have had their golfing breakthroughs. Apedoe winning the 2021 Alberta U13 Championship while Ogada won the 2023 McLennan Ross Alberta Junior Tour Championship in a playoff.

WATCH VIDEO: SELA OGADA WINS 2023 MCLENNAN ROSS ALBERTA TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

WATCH VIDEO: JALEN APEDOE WINS 2021 ALBERTA U13 BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP

Jalen Apedoe’s other role models include Jordan Spieth, Tony Finau, and basketball legend Steph Curry, watching Curry perform his sport at the highest level is inspiring for him.

“Black culture to me is a large part of who I am and to me it’s something to be proud of. It’s about being proud of your heritage and celebrating black people in all different ways,” Apedoe beamed. “It’s just a way to unify and to celebrate the joy and resilience of black people.”

As for Sela, she feels fortunate to be growing up in a time where diversity and Black History Month is celebrated.  

“I think it’s definitely been getting better compared to when my parents were kids and stuff,” Ogada said. “People are more accepting I feel and putting their differences aside and just accepting everyone which is nice.”

Kefa and Elaine Ogada with baby Sela

Speaking of Sela’s parents, much like Tiger Woods, her dad is black and her mom is Asian and along with enjoying black heritage and traditions they also enjoy celebrating the Chinese New Year as well.

Sela says her favourite colour is red because it’s considered lucky in her mom’s culture, I think a certain 15-time major winner likes red as well, and to come full circle on her looking up to Woods as a golfer, Sela was born in 2010 which is the year of the “Tiger”.

Alberta Golf (Barrhead) – The 2024 Alberta Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship heads north west of Edmonton to the Barrhead Golf Club July 16-18. The 18-hole championship golf course was designed by renowned architect Les Furber and has been included as part of Golf Digest’s “Best Places to Play” list for three years.

It’s the first time since 2001 that Barrhead has hosted a provincial championship when Barrett Jarosch won the U19 Boys Championship. Ironically the defending champion of the Alberta Men’s Mid-Am is Jarosch who outlasted Ryan Werre in a thrilling playoff last summer on his home course of Winderemere Golf and Country Club in Edmonton to take the title.

WATCH VIDEO: Barrett Jarosch wins 2023 Alberta Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship

2023 Alberta Men’s Mid-Amateur champion Barrett Jarosch

Barrhead Head Professional Kevin Lynes is excited to host some of the best competitors in the province.

“We are looking forward to working with Alberta Golf in Hosting some of the best players 25 and older in the province,” Lynes said. “It has been over 20 years since we’ve hosted a Championship and everyone here is excited to put on a memorable event.”

The Alberta Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship has been played since 1986, first being won by Alberta Golf Hall of Famer Ken Tamke.

Written by Andrew Penner:

On the par-5 14th hole at the Falcon Ridge GC in Mesquite, Nevada – it’s an epic boomerang par-5 with a hero tee shot option over the pond – my playing partner, long-haired Logan from Salt Lake City, decided to go for broke. “I can do this,” he muttered, before reeling back like a man possessed by Dr. Evil power. Unfortunately, he cold topped it. Nearly whiffed. But what ensued was one of the best “duffed” shots I’ve ever witnessed. “What happens in Mesquite, stays in Mesquite,” he embarrassingly offered after the ordeal was all said and done. (More on Logan’s laughable moment later.)

18th hole at Falcon Ridge GC

Of course, the real story of Mesquite – a casino-lined desert town located an hour north of Las Vegas – is the quantity and quality of its golf courses. With nine courses in town, all in close proximity, this is a fantastic destination for a swing-filled desert fling.

Another key characteristic of Mesquite is the fact that, although this is definitely a gambling outpost, the atmosphere is decidedly different than Las Vegas. It’s much smaller, much less expensive, and geared more to people who don’t need the high-end glitz and glamour of its “big brother” just down the road. Think “old school” Las Vegas. In fact, the tagline at the hotel I stayed in, the CasaBlanca Resort & Casino, is “Vegas Like It Used To Be.” I thought it was a spot-on descriptor.

However, in terms of the golf, you could also say this: Las Vegas never had this many good golf courses all situated so close to one another.

Without a doubt, the flagship course in Mesquite is Wolf Creek, a spectacular and highly memorable golf adventure. It’s bold and beautiful, routed through deep canyons and ragged desert landforms.

One of the leading architects in golfdom today, Tom Doak, had this to say about it. “It’s the sort of golf that makes a traditionalist want to run away screaming. Personally, I’d say that’s a little harsh. But, regardless of which side of the fence you’re on, you should definitely play this course…at least once.

9th hole at Wolf Creek

If you’re into desert golf but don’t need the fear factor quite as high the Conestoga Golf Course might tickle your fancy in a more pleasing way.

Designed by a seasoned architect, Gary Panks, Conestoga features dramatic desert landforms (especially on the front) and a more traditional back nine that runs along the base of a towering mesa. Meandering through the fast-growing Sun City community, the only downside here is the ongoing residential construction.

3rd hole at Conestoga

You also won’t find much of a downside if you tee it up at The Oasis Golf Club, which is home to two solid Arnold Palmer-desiged courses. Both layouts – The Palmer Course and The Canyons Course – feature dramatic desert terrain, awesome panoramic views, and plenty of variety. As Mesquite’s only 36-hole semi-private facility, expect quality service and excellent turf conditions at The Oasis.

And, speaking of turf, there are a couple of things to know if you are new to winter golf in the desert. Like virtually every quality golf course in the American Southwest, overseeding on fairways, greens, and tee boxes typically takes place in September when the turf begins to go dormant. And the courses will usually close for a few weeks to allow the seed (usually a rye blend) to root and establish. However, to save on costs and water usage, most courses will typically leave the rough dormant or brown during the winter, which actually makes the golf courses play a little easier.

“Easier” is also a decent way to describe the effort required in terms of getting around Mesquite. Unless you’re playing, say, Coyote Springs or Sand Hollow (both are well worth playing, however, they are 45-minutes from Mesquite), you can expect no more than a 10-minute drive to get to any of the courses.

Unlike Las Vegas, heavy traffic is not in play. So you can go from making blackjacks to making birdies in less time than it takes a dealer to get through a shoe.

My grand finale in Mesquite was a fun-filled round at Falcon Ridge, which is just a stone’s throw from the CasaBlanca. There are at least a dozen excellent and, in some cases, wildly unique holes on the course. The back nine, especially, which features plenty of dips and dives and a beautiful run of holes along a sun-blasted mesa, is outstanding.

And it definitely produced one of the most dazzling “duffs” one could imagine. The moment occurred when Logan scudded one into a mess of mesquite and sage just ten yards from the tee box. As he began the “walk of shame” back to his cart for another ball, I shouted out, “Hey, Logan, it’s still moving!”

And, sure enough, his ball dribbled out of the desert and rolled onto the cartpath where it began its long and winding journey down the many switchbacks to the valley floor. For what must have been over a minute we watched it bounce, ricochet, disappear, magically reappear, and, finally, when it reached the bottom of the 150-foot descent, it ran down another length of path, popped over the curb, and rolled out to the ideal position in the middle of the fairway, some 225 yards from the tee box.

“Dude,” I said, when the laughter subsided, “I believe there are some casinos around here. You may want to head to a roulette table after the round.”

If you’re looking for another inexpensive “mini” Las Vegas, the border town of Laughlin, Nevada, located approximately two hours south of Las Vegas, is yet another option. It’s similar in size to Mesquite, has eight large casino hotels along the downtown riverside “strip,” and also boasts a few solid golf courses.

12th hole Laughlin Ranch

In my opinion, the top two courses in this area would be the Avi Mohave Resort Golf Club (a solid Brian Curley design that’s beautifully bunkered and shaped) and Laughlin Ranch Golf Club (a hillside stunner located in nearby Bullhead City.) The entire area is truly Vegas like it used to be.

7th green at Avi Mohave Resort Golf Club

Written by Mike Masaro:

18 professional athletes join the previously announced 16 amateur golfers to complete Team Canada roster for upcoming season

Emerging Professional Players of the Year Award, presented by Andrew Cook announced

Golf Canada is pleased to announce the names of 18 professional athletes that will be part of the 2024 men’s and women’s Team Canada squads.

The Team Canada program supports a group of experienced amateur golfers who are on the path towards professional golf along with a group of young professional golfers who are building their careers as touring pros. Teams are selected based on results from the previous calendar year. The professional players will join the 12 women and four men previously selected to Team Canada as amateurs in the fall.

With players choosing to turn professional at different points in the season, an athlete’s involvement in the Team Canada program including financial support continues during their transition from amateur to professional golf.

“We are proud to announce the professional athletes that will be part of Team Canada for 2024. We have now completed our full roster of professional and amateur players for the upcoming season and look forward to supporting their development and journeys to the LPGA and PGA TOUR,” said Emily Phoenix, high performance director, Golf Canada. “I would like to extend our sincere thanks to our generous donors through the Golf Canada Foundation along with our corporate partners for their support of our athletes’ development within the Team Canada program. Their continued contributions are crucial in helping more Canadians excel at the highest levels of our sport.”

The men’s professional team features 2 Albertans, Brendan MacDougall and Max Sekulic, Sekulic the 2023 Alberta Open Champion.

Max Sekulic, 2023 Alberta Open Champion

The list of male professionals includes 14 returning players for the upcoming season which will supplement the four amateur players selected earlier in the fall. Three-time winner in 2023, Étienne Papineau enters his seventh season on the team. Papineau earned his Korn Ferry Tour card for 2024 by finishing as the top Canadian and fourth overall in the Fortinet Cup standings on the PGA TOUR Canada (now PGA TOUR Americas). In addition, Papineau earned a T4 finish at the 2023 Pan American (Pan Am) Games in Santiago, Chile. Myles Creighton returns for a third year, having won on the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica (now PGA TOUR Americas) last June and earned his Korn Ferry Tour card for 2024 by finishing second in the season point standings. Joining them on the Korn Ferry Tour is Sudarshan Yellamaraju who earned his card after finishing T14 during the final stage of PGA TOUR Q-School last December. Stuart Macdonald and Jared du Toit will also compete on the Korn Ferry Tour this season. Macdonald was also victorious last season, winning the Commissionaires Ottawa Open in July.

The women’s professional team features returning players: Brigitte Thibault, Maddie Szeryk, Selena Costabile and Maude-Aimee Leblanc who was previously on the team in 2022. These professionals will join the 12 previously selected Team Canada members from the amateur selection process in the fall. Szeryk returns for her 10th season as a member of Team Canada. She made 22 starts on the LPGA Tour last season and re-earned her LPGA Tour membership for 2024 through the LPGA Q-Series in December. Leblanc returns for her seventh season with Team Canada. Last season, she competed on the LPGA Tour making seven starts but missed the second half of the year due to injury. Joining Szeryk and Leblanc on the LPGA is Savannah Grewal who was previously selected to Team Canada as an amateur and has turned pro following an excellent Q-school showing. Costabile enters her third season as a Team Canada member having competed on the Epson Tour last season. Thibault earned her first professional win at the Kathy Whitworth Championship last October.

Team Canada – Women

(In addition to the 12 players selected during the amateur selection process in the fall)

Team Canada – Men

(In addition to the four players selected during the amateur selection process in the fall)

As previously announced, the coaching staff for the men’s and women’s Team Canada squads will return in full for the 2024 season. Team Canada – Women will again be coached by Stollery Family Women’s Head Coach Salimah Mussani (Vancouver, B.C.) and Associate Coach Jennifer Greggain (Vancouver, B.C.). Team Canada – Men will be coached by Head Coach Derek Ingram (Winnipeg, Man.) and Assistant Coaches Louis Melanson (Moncton, N.B.) and Benoit Lemieux (Montréal, Que.).

For full Team Canada bios and additional information, please click here.

For the Team Canada – NextGen and Team Canada amateur squad announcement, please click here.

Golf Canada’s player development program provides individualized training and competition support to athletes on their journey to the LPGA and PGA TOUR. National team coaches work with athletes and their personal support teams to develop annual training plans and identify areas where impact can be made to help athletes improve in all areas of their game. Athletes are also supported by a comprehensive sport science team that includes mental performance, physical conditioning, and mental health supports. The players are brought together regularly for training camps where they receive support from national team coaches and sport science staff, and train with their peers. Team Canada members also receive access to a training hub in Phoenix, Ariz. where they can train and live during the winter months.

Team Canada is proudly supported by RBC, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), Titleist, FootJoy, Hilton, Puma, Foresight, Golf Canada Foundation and Sport Canada.

EMERGING PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS OF THE YEAR AWARD

The Golf Canada Foundation is also proud to announce Savannah Grewal, Myles Creighton, and Étienne Papineau as the recipients of the Emerging Professional Players of the Year Award, presented by Andrew Cook. In 2020, Andrew Cook, a proud trustee of the Golf Canada Foundation, and past president of Golf Canada, established a $20,000 annual fund to recognize a top male and top female emerging Canadian professional golfer. Past recipients include current PGA TOUR member Taylor Pendrith, Korn Ferry Tour members Wil Bateman and Stuart Macdonald, and LPGA Tour members Maude-Aimee Leblanc and Maddie Szeryk.

“We are pleased to name Savannah, Myles and Étienne as the Emerging Professional Players of the Year,” said Martin Barnard, CEO of the Golf Canada Foundation. “The journey to the highest levels of professional golf requires significant resources, and we are incredibly grateful to Andrew Cook for his continued support.”

Grewal made her professional debut at LPGA Q-Series in December 2023 where she went on to secure full LPGA status for the 2024 season. A recent graduate of Clemson University, Grewal was first-team All-ACC for her accomplishments on the golf course and in the classroom. Grewal had a strong finish to her 2023 season, earning co-medalist honors at the Cougar Classic and tying for first at LPGA Q-school Stage I.

Papineau and Creighton share the award following successful seasons that led both to secure Korn Ferry Tour status for the 2024 season. Creighton notched one victory on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica and finished second in the season-long points standings. Papineau secured a win on PGA TOUR Canada and finished fourth overall in the points standings.

Alberta Golf (Edmonton) – The 112th playing of the Alberta Men’s Amateur Championship heads to Edmonton the last week of June at The Derrick Golf and Winter Club.

Over the years The Derrick has hosted numerous events including The Alberta Open, The Alberta Women’s Amateur, the Boys and Girls U19 Championships and most recently the 2019 Alberta Men’s Senior Championship won by Ken Griffith in a thrilling duel with Brian Laubman, Griffith draining a birdie putt on the 18th hole for the title.

READ STORY: KEN GRIFFITH WINS 2019 ALBERTA SENIOR MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE DERRICK

WATCH VIDEO: KEN GRIFFITH WINS 2019 ALBERTA SENIOR MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE DERRICK

The 2023 Alberta Men’s Amateur Championship was played at Innisfail Golf Club in Central Alberta, Edmonton’s Ethan Wilson dominated the field shooting a bogey free 67 in the final round to win by 8 strokes.

READ STORY: ETHAN WILSON WINS 2023 ALBERTA MEN’S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

WATCH VIDEO: ETHAN WILSON WINS 2023 ALBERTA MEN’S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

The Derrick’s Head Golf Professional Trevor Goplin is looking forward to seeing who comes out on top on his course this year.

“The Derrick Club is proud to be hosting the 2024 Alberta Men’s Amateur Championship.” Goplin said. “It certainly will be fascinating to see how the top amateurs strategize off the tee and navigate on and around our greens.”

Henry Martell holds the record for most Alberta Men’s Amateur titles with 9 including an astounding 7 wins in a row.

The 2024 Alberta Men’s Amateur Championship goes June 25-27 at The Derrick Golf and Winter Club.