Gord’s Alberta Golf Notes
- Details
- Category: Inside Golf
- Published: 2022-04-13
By GORD MONTGOMERY, Inside Golf
In today’s world, changing vocations is a common trait. In fact, people change jobs, it seems, almost as often as they change their minds. In the golf world, where change is seen often as professionals move from one club to another for a variety of reasons, many stay with their chosen field through good times and bad. As such, the PGA of Alberta is paying tribute to a number of pros who are either celebrating their 50th year in the industry or their 25th. Of those serving the public for five decades, two members reached that mark, including Ed Engelhardt from the River’s Edge GC and Russell Farrell who has achieved status as a Life Member.
Included in the 25-year bracket are several Alberta pros, including (in no particular order) Brent MacDuff (Coal Creek GR); Garett Jenkinson (Golf Performance Canada at Total Golf); Gord Courage (The Hamptons GC); Gregg Schubert (The Track); James King (Belvedere G&CC); Jeff Cuthbertson (Stony Plain GC); Michael Hogan (Glencoe G&CC Teaching Centre); Phil McCluskey (River Bend G&RA); Scott Allred (Elbow Springs GC); Scott Westman (The Ranch G&CC); Todd Jurak (Sylvan Lake G&CC); and Trevor Ellerman (Desert Blume GC).
With a new golf season on the horizon in north-central Alberta — once the weather warms up and it quits snowing that is — some changes are coming to a course on the outskirts of Edmonton. The Edmonton Springs Golf Course has undergone a number of changes over the past few months, including bringing on board a new leaseholder (Wayne Barry), a new teaching pro, Sam Fix (what better name for an instructor?!), and a new superintendent Keith Melnyk, while manager Bill Bauer returns to his role. One interesting side note here is that the course is offering reduced green fees in order to boost rounds played and improve their income flow, rather than raising rates in order to boost revenues.
Down in the south part of the province, the Calgary Ladies Golf Association is geared up for a busy season with a number of tournaments on tap for amateur players, in all age categories. Their events get underway on May 9 with the 38th edition of the RILEYS Best Ball Classic at the pristine Canyon Meadows G&CC, followed by the Calgary Ladies Amateur; the Senior Amateur; the Junior Girls Amateur; and wrapping up with the Tournament of Champions. For more information on how to join this organization, go to calgaryladiesgolf.ca.
The Edmonton Golf Association has also released their plans for the 2022 season, with a number of big tournaments on tap at some of the top courses in the capital region. Things tee off with the ladies playing hosting their Junior Tournament on July 17 and18 at the Glendale Golf and Country Club. That’s followed by BMW Open Tournament on June 24 and 25, and then things wrap up with the final event of the year for ladies on August 7 and 8 at the Stony Plain GC. So far, there’s only one tournament listed for men, which takes place on July 24 and 25 at The Ranch Golf & Country Club. For more info, go to egagolf.ca.
While golf courses in the southern part of the province have been open for a while now, that’s not the case further north. Cold temperatures and snow in places, including Fort McMurray which got walloped with a heavy snowfall recently, have kept the vast majority of tracks shuttered, save for their driving ranges, around the Edmonton area and further north. It’s hoped that once the cold weather blows through — if it ever does — golfers can hit their chosen course no matter where it may be.