Alberta Golf (Lethbridge) – The 113th Alberta Men’s Amateur Championship is being held this week at Paradise Canyon Golf Resort in Lethbridge. It’s the first time since 1993 that Paradise Canyon has been the host and the only player in the field to play in both events is 67-year-old David Schultz of Calgary. Schultz is the recent winner of the 2023 and 2024 Alberta Men’s Super Senior Championship and he also won the 2024 Alberta Men’s Senior Championship to qualify for this event. What did Schultz think when Paradise Canyon was announced as the host for this event in 2025?
“I wasn’t thinking too much until I won the Alberta Men’s Senior Championship and I got an exemption,” Schultz explained. “I thought why not, I’ll give it one last farewell tour and play with the kids and see what happens.”
Stepping on the property this week, and shooting a tidy 3-under par 68 in a practice round, Schultz didn’t think much had changed with the dramatic layout in the canyons.
“It was a beautiful place, we came down here in 1993 knowing it was a couple years old and it was great, a beautiful golf course. We had a lot of fun, a lot of good play that week,” Schultz explained. “I shot 70 on the final day to sneak into 2nd place but no one was catching Darryl James who blew the field away that week and won by 7 strokes. To be the only player in the field coming back here after 32 years, I’m really enjoying it.”
In 1993 no one was catching Darryl James for the title, but there were 3 more spots on the Willingdon Cup for Team Alberta up for grabs. Schultz came 2nd and made the team along with Keith Whitecotton. Home course player Jamie Freel outdueled the likes of Harold Pasechnik and 64-year-old legend Bob Wylie to make the team.
“Coming in 2nd to make the Willingdon Cup team was a thrill,” Schultz said. “Myself, Darryl James, Keith Whitecotton and Jamie Freel went to Victoria and won the Willingdon Cup so it was a great year.”
David and his wife Karen will be celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary this November. Karen is David’s caddie this week and almost every week the past 40 years except at Paradise Canyon in 1993 when their kids were very young.
“Oh it’s great to have that support, it’s good she still puts up with me, I’m not always the best on a golf course like any golfer,” Schultz admitted. “We’ve had a lot of good trips together, we’ve travelled the world, I’ve played so many tournaments and she’s always caddied so it’s been a lot of fun.”
Karen had a front row seat to David shooting an even par 71 in round 1 and says she always loves being the caddie and watching great golf.
“David’s 71 today was solid and outplaying some of the young kids? I think that’s fun and to be honest fairly normal,” Karen chuckled. “I like the ups and downs of it all, I think it’s just fun to watch, it’s exciting, I like watching all the good players play,”
Jesse Galvon, Ryan Werre and David Schultz
Turns out Schultz is indeed hanging in with the kids just fine, shooting an opening round even par 71. An amazing story that can only be topped if he somehow shoots his age of 67 in round 2.
“It was solid, I made a couple good up and downs, had one lucky break on 18,” Schultz said. “Could have made a couple more putts, but overall pretty solid. The ball and the course don’t know how old I am.”
As for how Schultz’s game has changed over the past 32 years?
“I don’t hit it like the kids but I know where it’s going,” Schultz said. “I’m probably straighter now than I’ve ever been in my career which certainly helps, and I still have the competitive urge, it’s a lot of fun.”
WATCH VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH DAVID AND KAREN SCHULTZ