Almost two decades ago I picked up a golf club for the first time on the first tee at Glenboro Golf & Country Club. I have zero recollection of that shot but I can only assume it was as successful as a Toronto Maple Leaf playoff run. What I do remember is despite my horrific skill level and being a detriment to the pace of play on the golf course, members and friends encouraged me to keep playing and keep trying. The older members of the club recognized the significance of having young kids around the golf course, it was a sign of health for the future of the golf course. So, they made the course as inviting and accommodating as they could for young juniors like myself. This was my first taste of the beneficial culture of Glenboro Golf Course. The course became a second home to kids like myself. Parents felt comfortable leaving their child at the course with little more than their clubs and enough money for one of Gaby Sholdice's chicken bacon wraps. I cannot thank the staff and members enough for this hospitality and understanding.
Members of the club did not just tolerate myself and other juniors lugging our bags around holding them up, they helped teach etiquette and how to play the game properly. Our junior program lead by volunteers offered tips to help us all improve as well as fuel a little competition between us. This is the same junior program I mentioned began over 60 years ago and still runs to this day. It was not rare to be invited to join some members in their rounds during which they would offer advice, whether it be good or bad. To this day I personally still use a very similar grip to what Ed Vertz told me to use when I was 14 years old, I like to think it has worked well for me and I have since taught it to countless other beginners. The golf course was not only a second home but gave myself a second family as well.
For one notable past member of Glenboro Golf & Country Club, the golf course provided a venue to bond and grow close with his own family and friends. Some of Josh Wytinck's fondest memories at GlenboroG&CC are not of beating me (quite handily) like I thought they might be, but rather of the rounds with family and the friendships created on the golf course. "Golf helped create some of my fondest memories, early morning rounds with my brother, dad and grandpa, my mom driving me to endless tournaments and the lasting relationships between friends. None of this would have been possible if the course wasn't here or as accessible as it was for us. The staff and members never treated us poorly and that only strengthened our love for the game and being on the course". This is truly indicative of how unique and beneficial the game of golf is. A multi generational sport that provides common ground for individuals to bond and be active together even if they are separated by 60 years on their drivers license. This is never more present than at Glenboro Golf & Country Club.
The golf course was not only a welcoming environment, but the course itself is so uniquely beneficial to shaping a young golfer's game. Dylan Thornborough grew up much the same as myself, Josh and others. Getting dropped off in the morning, picked up in the evening and doing that on repeat for the summer. Dylan molded himself into a great golfer on the Glenboro course, eventually playing successfully at the College & University level in Lethbridge and much of this success he accredits to the design of Glenboro. "Forgiving fairways but small greens make it easy to learn the game but a challenge to score well." Dylan says when describing the course. These aspects truly make a golfer improve their short game and if you can hit greens in Glenboro you can hit greens most anywhere as they are some of the smallest to will find out there. "I have been fortunate enough to travel and see some of the best courses in the world, but there is something special about the quaint little 9 hole course that many drive right past." says Thornborough. "From the opening par 3 to the drivable 9th and all the unique shots in-between, there is something for everyone in Glenboro". I could not agree with these sentiments more. Glenboro is such a forgiving golf course yet despite the high quality of players who have walked the barely over 3,000 yards of fairway, the course record is still just 3 under par over 18 holes speaking to the difficulty and natural defenses of the course.
My passion for golf grew so large growing up in Glenboro that when it came time to do something for a career, I began looking into how I could incorporate my love for golf into that career path. Eventually I landed on the Golf Management Program in Lethbridge and became a golf professional. Today, I am the Head Professional and General Manager of an 18 hole facility in Minnedosa, Manitoba. I would not be where I am today in my career without Glenboro Golf & Country Club, its staff, its members and its founders. I am far from alone in feeling that Glenboro shaped my life and career.
Josh Wytinck went on to play golf in University, win a National Championship with University of Manitoba and play golf at the highest level in our country on the Mackenzie Tour. "End of the day, I wouldn't be where I am today without golf and I know golf for me would not have been the same if I did not grow up in Glenboro." - Josh Wytinck
Dylan Thornborough also parlayed his golf skill into a University career in Lethbridge and actually played against Josh in one of the Canadian University Championships. Gaining an education through golf and forming more relationships and contacts playing the game, golf lead Dylan into his career path today. "It really was the foundation that shaped my life." Dylan explains when trying to put into words the effect golf has had on his life and career, "Now with a family of my own, I am trying to instill to my children the values and lessons that playing this course taught me as a child. If only Glenboro was a little closer to Lethbridge."
These statements about the profound effect golf can have on an individual's life are echoed by so many that I have spoken to in my generation and others. If the Glenboro Golf & Country Club has had an effect on this many people that I have come to know in the past 20 years, how many have been positively effected throughout its 100 year history?
Glenboro has now put me in a position to be on the right side of history in the game of golf and repeat what so many before me have done to make small clubs like Glenboro and the game of golf as a whole successful. I am very excited to take part in a celebration of Glenboro's 100th season this July and to remember & thank those who molded the club and it's culture into what it is today. I am very proud to call Glenboro home and to be but a small part of this club's rich history.
Cheers to 100 years and many, many more at Royal Glenboro.
]]>Over the coming months leading into the 100th season at Glenboro Golf & Country Club, I will be taking you through the decades that have moulded the rural Manitoba golf club into one of the top 9 hole golf courses in North America. This information comes from numerous articles and first hand accounts from long time Glenboro Golf Club members. The fourth part, "Building for the Future" chronicles the 1980s and 1990s where the executive of the golf course made major decisions to set up the golf course for a bright future for generations to come.
Part 4 – Building for the Future
Moving into the 1980s Glenboro Golf & Country Club found themselves in fantastic financial shape as the course improved vastly in condition due to the installation of grass greens and full course irrigation through the past decade. This popularity was accurately represented in tournament participation with tournaments frequently seeing 150+ participants even in less than favorable weather conditions.
With improved infrastructure on the golf course featuring this full irrigation system, Glenboro found themselves in search for someone to take care of the grounds as they did many times over the years. The golf course had been through many different, quality individuals over the years but that turnover was about to end in 1982 when Bruce Anderson applied for the position. Bruce took over as Head Groundskeeper at Glenboro Golf & Country Club that year and so began the longest tenure the golf course would experience in that position. Bruce was a staple at the club for 35 years giving the course a consistent, quality product every year and should be complimented for his tireless work over those many season and the challenges faced in the harsh Manitoba conditions.
With their man on the grounds in place and business booming, the board members once again set their eyes on a way to once and for all improve an area of the club that they felt was lacking and constantly attempting to improve, the clubhouse. Even though there had been many improvements made to the existing clubhouse that had stood since 1960, it was evident to the executive of the day that if the course were to prosper well into the future an investment into a new clubhouse was necessary. There were reportedly long debates on the size, layout and location of the new clubhouse but eventually the current location was decided upon when someone put up a picnic table on the hill overlooking the now 9th green & fairway. The view sold it and today you can see why.
In spring of 1987 construction began on a 2,280 square foot, 2 level clubhouse for the golf club with many local businesses chipping in to see the project come to fruition. A grand opening was held on August 23rd, 1987 with many provincial & local political members in attendance. To officially open the clubhouse one of the founding members G.M. “Bay” Smith cut the ribbon held by Allen “Friday” Frederickson and Elvina Jamieson, both siblings of another club founder, Fred Frederickson.
The decision by the executive proved to once again be a brilliant one. The clubhouse became popular not only with golfers but community members as well. The clubhouse was utilized for bigger and better golf events, anniversaries, corporate events, social evenings and retirement parties. The spacious patio overlooking the golf course provided a spectacular view where a number of fairways & greens could been seen and provided and intimate view of the green on the home hole where golfers could be applauded for their heroic shots and heckled for their misfortunes.
The end of an era for the old clubhouse was marked by a large fire training exercise conducted by the Glenboro Fire Department. The structure that comprised of the old Patricia School and a number of additions stood from 1960 to 1987 next to the present day 2nd tee box.
In the first executive meeting following the successful opening of their clubhouse, the Board of Directors comprised a long term plan for improvements to their golf course. The first portion of this plan was a tree planting program in 1989 which saw 50 trees be transplanted from Spruce Woods Park to the golf course. These trees all still stand to this day, including the spruce trees between 2 & 3 fairway, behind 6 green and of course, the large grouping in front of the clubhouse that jut into the 9th fairway. The next improvement was to the greens themselves. Although there is no documentation of exactly what was done, Allen Greer explains that the greens were expanded from their original size in a number of areas. Additions included a large expansion of the 7th green and the upper tier of the 9th green along with many others in 1991.
These green expansions must have been well received by golfers as come early 1990s there were a number of under par rounds shot for the first time and course records broken with relative frequency. In 1991 the first under par round since the installation of the new grass greens was shot by Ed Leonard who shot a 2 under 68 on September 15th, 1991. This was matched by Murdock Makenzie of Shilo on June 16th, 1993 and would not be topped until another milestone event hit Glenboro Golf & Country Club 4 years later.
In 1997 Glenboro celebrated their 75th season. On a weekend where 284 golfers enjoyed the beautiful rolling hills of Glenboro Golf & Country Club, Roy Wallis spoke of the history of the course, its reliance on volunteer efforts and the bright future it had ahead of it. Sitting in the crowd listening was 98-year-old G.M. “Bay” Smith, the only living founding member, nodding in quiet, matter of fact agreement whenever the mention of volunteer efforts was expressed. When asked about the changes to the course over the years Mr. Smith responded by saying “I can remember when it looked like nothing more than a home for jackrabbits”. To top off a weekend of beautiful weather and golf, Jamie Stone of Minnedosa shot a 3 under par round of 67 to set a new course record that has stood for 25 years and counting.
Approaching the turn of the century Glenboro Golf & Country Club had themselves a new clubhouse, 9 beautiful holes, and a continually growing and supportive membership base from not only Glenboro but the surrounding communities of Baldur, Belmont, Cypress River, Holland and Wawanesa. A long, long way from the field that only looked suitable for jackrabbits 75 years earlier.
]]>Over the coming months leading into the 100th season at Glenboro Golf & Country Club, I will be taking you through the decades that have moulded the rural Manitoba golf club into one of the top 9 hole golf courses in North America. This information comes from numerous articles and first hand accounts from long time Glenboro Golf Club members. The third part, "Water & Grass" takes us through the major transformations to the golf course through the 1960s & 1970s including grass greens and full course irrigation.
As the sixties begin at Glenboro Golf & Country Club, golfers are flocking to the course in record numbers. The newly expanded clubhouse is filled with patrons overlooking the present day 1st green and 2nd fairway. The Sugar Bowl that is given to the rural Interclub Champions of Manitoba each year sits proudly in the trophy case of the 1962 Champions, Glenboro Golf Club.
Yes, not only were the golfers of Glenboro plentiful, they had some serious game as well. The Manitoba Golf Association held annual clinics in Glenboro with the likes of Bob Goodwin, Marion Lawrence, Ted Heldrick, Ron Galloway, and Jim Aboott traveling to the village of Glenboro to aid the development of junior golfers and “seasoned” veterans of the game as well.
In the summer of 1963, the junior golfers of Glenboro became formally organized and the Junior Golf Club was formed by a group of members. Instructional slides were purchases and films were shown weekly with practices taking place afterwards. This was the first record of a formal Junior Golf Program in Glenboro and just shy of 60 years later the program still continues and has produced Manitoba Junior & Amateur Champions, decorated University Athletes, Golf Professionals and countless lifelong advocates of the game. Cheers to the members who built this program 60 years ago and to the many, many others who have kept it alive to this day.
The year of 1969 should forever be remembered as a pivotal turning point in Glenboro Golf & Country Club’s operation. In July of 1969 it was announced by Allan Greer, the then Secretary/Manager on the board of directors, that work had started on the installation of grass greens at the golf course. For 47 years, the greens at Glenboro Golf Club were a sand and oil mixture and Glenboro finally made a push to move to grass greens. At this time in history, many courses were making this move to grass greens but many small, rural clubs did not want to bear the expense. For the price of $6,800 the now Glenboro Golf & Country Club constructed 9 new grass greens, 7 of which were in new locations from the current sand greens. These new locations added 274 yards in yardage to the course. Equipment was loaned by locals to complete the work and install the necessary watering systems to ensure the greens were properly cared for.
While the effort of this undertaking was once again an exhibit of the power of the volunteers of Glenboro, it would be remiss not to mention the efforts of Allen Greer. Mr. Greer was the man who actually placed and shaped the greens that we all play today, with some modifications made in 1991. Mr. Greer appeared uncomfortable sharing this information perhaps due to his humble nature or that he did not want it to be public knowledge that he was the one responsible for some of the challenging contours golfers now had to navigate. Nevertheless, credit should be given where it is due.
Entering the spring of 1970, Manitoba was celebrating its Centennial and Spruce Woods Park was cutting the ribbon to officially open the Provincial Park. Down the road from Manitoba’s newest park, on June 27th 1970, a formal ceremony was held to open the grass greens at Glenboro Golf & Country Club. Members from the Manitoba Golf Association were in attendance along with many integral members such as Armand Godard, Allan Frederickson, S. A. Oleson, Ernie Owens, Laurie Johnson, George Wallis, Roy Wallis, Bill Jamieson, Martin Vertz and Allen Greer. A tournament of 123 golfers from around the province were the first to enjoy them and the shaper of the new greens, Allen Greer placed second in the event with a score of 78, one shot shy of the title.
Within two years of the grass greens opening, Glenboro celebrated their 50th anniversary and saw their membership increase 200% since the renovation. A very satisfying result for those that pushed to incur the expense of this renovation to the course. This increase in participation translated into increases in tournaments and green fee play and pushed the golf course to expand once again. In 1975 a 20’ x 24’ addition was completed on the north side of the clubhouse complete with a basement section to act as a locker room and club storage area.
The major projects of the 70s at Glenboro Golf & Country Club were not done yet. In 1979, after decades of discussing and dreaming of an irrigation for the entire course, the executive passed a vote to have irrigation installed for the 9 fairways of Glenboro. Work began to install an underground irrigation system for the fairways linked into the existing greens irrigation system later that year on the support of a $10,000 Provincial grant and interest free loans from members of the golf course as well as some non-member supporters. The total cost of this project came to $70,000 which meant the vast majority of the project was funded by these generous interest free loans. Not only did they fund the project, but members provided the majority of the labour for the project as well. Throughout the summer of 1979 and into the fall the system was installed and the many kinks and nuances were worked out. With the help of their army of volunteers, WestCan of Winnipeg installed the piping, Ransom Drilling of Boissevain dug the wells and installed the motors while Pennycook Electric of Glenboro did the wiring.
On July 3rd, 1980 President Ross Dowd welcomed 130 golfers to the official opening of the fairway watering system. Ernie Owens of Cypress River, member since 1928, had the honor of striking a tee shot down the first fairway to declare the system “open”. Though the system pales in comparison to the automated systems of today, it is difficult to express in words the huge benefit this system had on the Glenboro course. The system watered not just the fairways but the tees and greens as well and with the light sandy soil lining the entirety of the course this unlimited water source was the missing piece Glenboro had been waiting years to add.
The timing of all of these improvements could not have been better. With the opening of the sprinkler system in 1980 also came the Village of Glenboro’s Centennial and Spruce Woods Park was now a very popular tourist destination to the north. Those employed and on the Board of Directors through the 1960s and 1970s had the foresight and ambition to push Glenboro Golf & Country Club to new heights at exactly the time they needed it the most to thrive.
]]>Over the coming months leading into the 100th season at Glenboro Golf & Country Club, I will be taking you through the decades that have moulded the rural Manitoba golf club into one of the top 9 hole golf courses in North America. This information comes from numerous articles and first hand accounts from long time Glenboro Golf Club members. The second part, "Post WWII" chronicles the struggles the war placed on the course and how GGCC came out the other side stronger than before.
On September 10th, 1939, Canada entered the second World War. Cabinet dispatched one army division to Europe and by late 1942 there were five divisions overseas. Over 1 million Canadians served in the armed forces during WWII and hundreds of thousands more contributed domestically to supporting our overseas allies.
As one can imagine, the war had a significant effect on the game of golf and golf courses in the heart of Canada. Many courses ceased all operation, some reduced the number of holes they maintained. Resources like gasoline and rubber were rationed so this limited what courses could or should be using.
Although there is no record of the direct effects on Glenboro Golf Course, tournaments continued to operate in the first few years of the war despite many civilians becoming into wartime duties domestically and abroad. These tournaments drew attention from golfers in Winnipeg who began traveling rurally as many city golf courses struggled to operate at full capacity. Glenboro eventually had to cut back operations in the later years of the war as Canada became extremely involved in overseas war efforts. The course began growing more weeds than manicured turf and the sand greens went untouched for years, but by the end of the 1940s participation increased in a way never seen before.
As civilians returned from the war and got back to their lives in Canada, many took to recreational activities such as golf. Glenboro Golf Course appears to have gotten back on its feet by 1949 when names such as Roy Wallis and Allen Frederickson began to frequent tournament summaries in the now Glenboro Gazette. Combing through achieves it becomes clear that the course was being maintained for over a decade by volunteer work. Updates were abundant from the Golf Course Committee on work being done by their group to get the course in proper playing condition. If there is one thing that has remained constant in Glenboro Golf Club’s history, it is the passion and dedication of its members and volunteers in the community.
In 1951, Glenboro finally found their man to take over as a full-time caretaker on the golf course. Harry Thornborough began work in the spring of 1951 and the course conditions began receiving praise and trend back in a direction members could be proud of and begin to enjoy themselves. Operating on an annual budget of roughly $840, the golf course, thrived in the 1950s. Members began pairing up for annual match play events which still happens today although it is now simply referred to as Men’s Night. 27 Hole tournaments were not only well attended locally but saw golfers from as far away as Los Angeles, California participate. The committee held events tailored to those who have never played before to increase participation. One can’t help but compare these events to the modern day Steak Nights held at GGCC as the advertisements encouraged spouses or friends who have never played before to attend with members.
After joining the Manitoba Golf Association in 1957, Glenboro hosted an exhibition match between Don Gardner, Harry Critchley, & Allen Boes who were regarded as the top three competitors the province had to offer at the time. Boes now resides in the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame and all three men played on the Manitoba Wellingdon Cup Team. Following their match, the three men held a free clinic for local golfers and commented on how fine the links were. Boes frequented many events in the Glenboro area over the years following, speaking volumes for his regard for the course.
With Glenboro Golf Club’s prestige growing and record numbers of golfers attending events, the committee needed to expand with the demand. And one area where the club was lacking was its dated, compact clubhouse.
In the spring of 1960, Glenboro Golf Club purchased the Patricia School building from the Glenboro Legion. The building was moved onto the golf course and attached to the existing clubhouse on the location of what is now the second tee box. The old clubhouse had been moved to this location in 1955 and would now serve as the kitchen with the addition of the Patricia School building. This expansion gave the golf course more room to add extra facilities and enhance their overall operation. It came at an expense of $2,000 which equates to about $18,500 in 2022. In order to raise money for this expense the club sold shares valued at $10 and as the locals do time and time again, they stepped up and purchased these shares at a rapid rate and before long this clubhouse expansion was paid in full.
As the first 40 years at Glenboro Golf & Country Club come to a close in 1962, the club has so very much to be proud of and has set in place a culture and events that are still synonymous with GlenboroG&CC to this day. The club had survived the Great Depression & Second World War. The course conditions evolved with the times thanks to the love and care of the courses members and their caretakers over the years. They now had a comfortable sized clubhouse. Men’s Night was growing into the popular weekly event that it still is today. Mrs. Gownlock & Mrs. Frederickson among many others formalized a ladies league on Wednesday evenings in 1961. That too continues every Wednesday 60+ years later.
There is much credit to be given to the individuals and families who kept the club alive through the war and nurtured it into a thriving club through the 50s and beyond. Their drive and determination to not be caught up in the status quo is what laid the foundation for Glenboro Golf & Country Club to prosper and created a culture that always strives to make the golf course better. To that end, the members of GGCC through the 1960s & 1970s would undertake projects that would forever change GlenboroG&CC.
Putting on the 6th Green (present day 7th) - 1955
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The year is 1922. Gene Sarazen won the US Open with a four round score of 288 (+8) defeating Bobby Jones & John Black by 1 shot. Sarazen earned $500 for his first major victory. The Toronto St. Pats won their first Stanley Cup over the Vancouver Millionaires. George Vezina was between the pipes for the Montreal Canadiens and Punch Broadbent finished the season with the most points and best name in the NHL. The New York Giants defeated the New York Yankees to become World Series Champions. The homerun leader that year was not named Babe Ruth and if you can name who did lead the MLB in homeruns in 1922 you have an extremely impressive knowledge of baseball history. In Manitoba John Bracken of the United Farmers of Manitoba was elected Premier of Manitoba. The first combine harvesters are on the horizon and will gradually replace the 3.5 million horses across Canada currently used by almost every farmer.
One year prior, in 1921, in one small corner of one of the thousands of fields across Manitoba are gentlemen tearing up the terrain with something not usually seen in a Manitoba field, a golf club. On the W. Witherspoon farm just outside of Glenboro, MB a small group of young men were striking golf balls on their own home made driving range. Having tried the game first on the fairgrounds in Glenboro these men quickly realized their shots needed more room to fly and asked permission to construct a driving range on the north east corner of the Witherspoon farm, to the north of where the Esso station lies today. It is written that local residents scoffed at this “sport” and that the young men were ridiculed for taking part in this “Pasture Pool” game. Despite this disapproval by many the game began to rise in popularity with more and more joining in.
It isn’t known how long this driving range lasted but judging by the ambitions of these young men it wasn’t long, as by the end of 1922 they would have far more than a driving range.
G. McNamee, A. R. “Dick” Cline, Otto Sigurdson, Dick Mott, Dudley Cline, Fred Frederickson G. M. “Bay” Smith and others according to numerous articles found from the 20s and beyond were among these individuals dreaming of one day having a course of their own to call home rather than just a driving range. Mr. McNamee and company decided that a formal golf course was needed and began exploring the surrounding area for a suitable area for a golf course. Knowing firsthand what the land north of Glenboro Manitoba offers as far as terrain suitable for golf I can only assume that the hardest part of this process would have been deciding which piece of land to use or being granted permission to do so. Eventually they settled on the perfect piece of land that Glenboro Golf & Country Club currently sits on and arranged a lease with A. E. Johnson for the land. Once this was ironed out, they were granted permission to begin construction of their very own golf course.
Once given the green light, the committee wasted no time and began the process of building a golf course in late 1921. Rather than laying out the course themselves the group decided to seek the advice of someone who may have more insight and expertise in the game of golf. This was a very educated decision for as passionate as these men were, they had only been playing golf for a short time and rarely, if ever, on a real golf course. This simple decision may have been the most important one in Glenboro Golf Club’s history.
At the time, James Pringle was the golf professional at Brandon Golf Club and although the architect of Glenboro Golf Club has only ever been described as “a good Scottish Fellow” it has become known through archives and research that James Pringle was indeed that man. Mr. Pringle was a product of North Berwich, Scotland, home of a who’s who of the Old Guard of golf. After serving in the first World War and a 2-year stint as professional in Scotland, Pringle came to Canada in 1921 and joined Brandon Golf Club. What timing. Along with an impressive playing career and professional resume over his time in Canada, Pringle can now be credited with laying out the Glenboro Golf Club as well as Souris Golf Course in the two years he was in Brandon.
It is not known what the Glenboro boys said to convince Pringle to come to Glenboro but he was sure happy he did, stating that the land in which they stood was as close to Scottish links land that he had seen not on the ocean. Pringle laid out the holes over rugged old sand hills of the ancient Lake Aggessi combating the ground cedar that those who cleared the land would come to loath. Pringle spent 3 days in Glenboro and once the holes were decided upon and mapped out, the community of golfers began clearing the land to make room for greens and fairways in late 1921 into the winter months.
The first organized meeting of the Glenboro Golf & Country Club was held at the Union Bank which is today where the Municipal Office stands in Glenboro. With about a dozen men in attendance W. G. McNamee was named the first President of the GlenboroG&CC. Other officers elected were vice president John Olafson, second vice president C.K. Rogers, secretary-treasurer M.J. Sharpe. The Executive Committee consisted of E. R. Kennedy, F. M/ Ferg, G. Lambertsen, & E. W. McKerlie. At this meeting it was announced that the ground had been procured and the nine-hole course would be ready for play shortly. The enthusiasm the men received lead them to believe that the club would boast a membership of 50 before long.
Glenboro soon became recognized as one of the most beautiful courses in the province, owing much of this to the fact that it was just the way nature made it. The greens were made from sand that was just below the surface along with crude and old cylinder oil drained saved from local vehicles in the spring. This combined with an opening membership cost of $2 for men & $1 for ladies made Glenboro one of the most economical courses of the time. Each member was accountable for the condition of a specific hole in the early days before a permanent Groundskeeper was hired. “Friendly” exhibition matches were held annually between the President & Vice President of the board, golfers from all over the province flocked to tournaments at Glenboro Golf Club and interclub matches were conducted with other clubs such as Killarney. With the main knock on the course being its shaggy nature, the golf course purchased a proper mower in 1927 which replaced the equivalent of a haybine that was used prior.
Eventually it came time to hire a groundskeeper for the course but there was no place for them to establish themselves at the golf course. Once again, the members volunteered their time and banded together to construct a small clubhouse at the center of the golf course. The small clubhouse, which originally sat roughly where the present day ninth tee is, did not offer much in the early years as most golfers carried their two or three hickory shafted clubs around, wood tees were not used and merchandise sales were not a priority. However, throughout the years, members slowly improved the clubhouse area to the point where they could offer light lunches and golf equipment. It is imagined that the sale of hickory shafts were popular since the reports of broken clubs over the ground cedar roots are plentiful. It is not officially known by many, if anyone, who the first groundskeeper or caretaker of the course was. However, in 1939 Jonas Bjarnason was tasked as caretaker for the season and is the earliest record of an official name being attached to that job title.
Things were looking good in Glenboro. Even through the depression years the course survived and persevered, although not without some struggles. Course conditions suffered as money became harder to come by and extreme drought conditions plagued the prairies and it would have been easy to let the course go through the height of the depression. Annual dances were held as fundraisers and members volunteered more time than ever to ensuring the course did not become a financial burden. In 1934, a push was made by the board and the caretaker at the time to remodel some greens and ensure the course was in proper shape for that season. It seemed to pay off as by the end of the decade reports of record numbers of members and an increase in prices to a whopping $6 for local men to become members.
The Great Depression was behind them and Glenboro Golf Club was inching towards it’s 20th season in the early 1940s. However, the 20th season at Glenboro Golf Club would be one everyone in Glenboro and across the globe would never forget, for all the wrong reasons.
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After a delayed start due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the season began on May 4th, 2020 for almost every golf course in Manitoba. All courses hitting the ground running on the same day is something we will probably never see again. With restrictions in place we were thrilled to be able to open our doors and offer people a much needed outlet during unprecedented times in our world. Golfers flocked to the Minnedosa Golf & Country Club like we had never seen before. Everyone was thrilled to be out of the house and with provincial travel still restricted, many people stayed around home this year rather than travel to other destinations out of province or country.
We were unable to conduct some events the way we have in the past due to COVID-19 restrictions and some of our bigger events such as the RFM Par 3 had to be scrapped completely to ensure the health and safety of the public. However, we were able to conduct events via tee time and saw record numbers for all June events. We also saw the addition of the RBC PGA Scramble Qualifier in Minnedosa this season which brought golfers from all over the province to contend for a spot in the Provincial Championships. While this event and others were marred by restrictions, we were happy to be operating at all and thrilled with traffic levels to begin 2020.
While the season was off and running there once again was very little precipitation coming our way leading to some strain on the course that needed to be corrected. In what would turn out to be typical of 2020, we got precipitation, 14 inches of it, all at once. On June 28th the rain began to fall heavily in the evening and did not let up. In the early morning hours of June 29th the Little Saskatchewan River flowed over our dikes and onto and already saturated golf course. With run off water coming down the valley from all directions across the golf course, all we could do was move to higher ground and watch as cart paths washed onto fairways, bridges floated 150 yards from their original home, and water created new paths at the expense of our golf course.
The golf course closed completely for 10 days in the middle of our prime season. On July 8th we were able to get the back nine reopened and golfers could see just how damaging the flood event was even to our back nine which is elevated 100+ feet above the front nine and the river itself. With nine holes in play we trudged on through the 2020 season. Our grounds crew got to work immediately pumping water from the course, overseeding, repairing bunkers, cart paths, and many other damaged areas all while maintaining the rest of the course which was growing at a rapid rate. Their efforts this year cannot be put into words, it was truly remarkable what they accomplished given the hand that they were dealt. After exactly 2 months of repair and regrowth we were able to reopen all 18 holes on August 28th.
Those 2 months were the most challenging of my career but I am proud that our team was able to work through it and completed all the events that we had planned, in a modified form. We made the best of the situation we had while still maintaining public health as a priority, don't forget about the global pandemic! 2020 was given many one word descriptions such as uncertain, challenging, disastrous or other more vulgar descriptors. I would like to think our year at Minnedosa Golf & Country Club could be summed up in another word, perseverance.
The season concluded with a full golf course for the final 7 weeks and great fall weather which provided a small bright spot in the golf season. Even though masks became the new normal, we saw a great amount of rounds played in September and we once again ran our Free Golf campaign in October to raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society. This year we were able to raise $855 for cancer research by offering free golf with a donation to the Cancer Society. This is always an enjoyable way to cap off the season in Minnedosa.
Outside of the exciting events 2020 had to offer in the valley, I was able to continue with junior golf programs not only in Minnedosa but in Glenboro & Pleasant Valley this summer. Although many of the programs I had planned for the spring were thwarted by COVID-19, I was able to work in some junior programs safely and numbers were never higher. This too was an encouraging aspect of 2020, the future of golf is bright if we can continue to nurture the growth of junior golf.
The highlight of my summer however came during Dylan Thornborough & I's 9th annual Marathon Monday fundraiser event. COVID-19 once again made this event challenging and forced us to become creative with how to conduct the event. We wanted to host our second Sunday Funday tournament for the public to enjoy but restrictions did not allow us to do this as we envisioned. So we took the event virtual in a sense and challenged golfers to fundraise on their own and play as much golf as they could at their home course in the name of the Canadian Cancer Society. The response was humbling. By the time our supporters were done and Dylan & I's Marathon Monday concluded we had raised a record $16,140 for the Canadian Cancer Society. Dylan even managed to beat me after our 210 hole Monday match, another strange thing to happen in 2020.
The final months of the year, post golf season, have once again been dominated by lockdowns and pandemic talk and it is very easy to get caught up in the negative aspects of this year. However, I encourage everyone to take time and focus on all the good that has happened this year. Such as the residents of Minnedosa banding together to help one another in so many different ways during the 2020 flood. That in itself was more amazing to me than the scope of the flood itself. Heartwarming moments like this were plentiful in 2020, so lets focus on the positive!!
I will not miss 2020, but it may be the best year for my family yet. Nicole & I welcomed our first child mid-December which wraps up the year in the best possible way. Despite everything this year threw our way, holding our healthy, happy son made 2020 beyond comparable. So as we flip the calendar to 2021, I would like to wish everyone all the best in the New Year from my newly expanded family to yours. I cannot wait for what this year has in store for us all.
Patrick Law
]]>It has been some time since I have written anything on my site in regards to the state of the game of golf or any aspects of it. Over these past few weeks, the spring that I and the entire golf industry had planned has been flipped on its head along with the rest of the world. The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc across the world and into our backyard in Manitoba. The government and all those who are taking this as seriously as we should are pleading with everyone to stay home and prevent the spread of this virus. Many are abiding and staying home and social distancing, many are not and that is disappointing. For some, staying at home is an annoyance. For so many others, this has been extremely trying on their mental health and that is something that needs to be considered more than it is.
Being confined to your living room, limited to walks around the block as the extent of physical activity and the peak of social interaction being a wave from across the street or a Facetime through an iPhone is becoming "the new normal". Unfortunately, this new normal is a necessary evil to flatten the curve of COVID-19 and we must all do our part. That is not to say however, that we cannot safely do our part to social distance and flatten the curve while being physically active, socialize with a few friends and gain some sanity for our mental health. Enter golf.
Golf is one sport or activity that possesses the ability to social distance while getting outside, exercising, socializing and focusing on something other than what Donald Trump is doing that day. With 200+ acres of green space for golfers to safely roam, the golf course can provide a fantastic outlet for individuals to get out of the house as the weather turns for the better.
As I write this, all courses in Canada with the exception of a select few in British Columbia have been mandated closed or opted to close their doors for the time being. I respect this decision as golf courses are not without their risks, there is no arguing that. However, golf courses who are fortunate enough to be open or were planning to open at this time of year, are implementing a number of practices to eliminate direct contact and provide a safe venue for people to enjoy in these extraordinary times. This is something that can easily be done in Manitoba as well. Limiting the number of people allowed in the pro shop, spacing tee times further apart, providing online advanced payment options, one person per golf cart, flags remaining in the cup and the cups themselves lifted out of the hole so that no golfer has to reach into the bottom of the cup to get their ball. The list goes on and on of all the measures that courses can and will implement to ensure the safety of the public and their staff.
I do not think I can stress enough the fact that these plans only work if the public abides by policies set by the golf courses. If people continually refuse to follow guidelines we will see the government step in and not only close courses but hand out fines to businesses and individuals in a time when no one can afford anymore financial blows. The consequences of the poor choices made by a few have the potential to cripple some golf courses to the extent where they may not be able to recover. Lost jobs, lost wages, lost income, lost golf courses.
Here is the line you have all been waiting to see, GOLF COURSES SHOULD OPEN & ARE ESSENTIAL. But not for the reason you may think.
Obviously, I am very bias in wanting the golf course to open. It is my livelihood. But the biggest reason I think golf courses should be open is not because of the financial loss. Its not because of the job losses. It is not even because I have some fancy new clubs that I want to try. It is because golf is essential to everyone's mental health, in these times more than ever! At this moment, there is nothing that anyone can do outside aside from walking around the block or on some hiking trails while maintaining a safe distance from everyone else trying to keep their sanity. This is all for a good reason, I am not questioning why we have to do this because we do. But, golf, when done properly, can provide a safe activity for people to get out of their house, see some different faces (from 6 feet away) and take their mind off the extremely stressful COVID-19 infected days. We have to look out for our physical health, no question but our mental wellbeing is arguably just as important and golf can help with that. Everyone must do their part or we will all be stuck in our homes for a very long time and frankly that makes me more than a little concerned.
So, if we are able to golf this year, show that we can come together and be safe and responsible. Your actions affect more than just yourself now more than ever. Together, we got this.
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Most of Manitoba, including Minnedosa was blessed and cursed with great weather this season. The dry hot weather meant minimal rain days and a lot more time to golf. It also created a challenging environment for our maintenance staff to handle but Dan Bailey and his staff came through. Conditions at Minnedosa Golf & Country Club came a long way from the extremely dry 2017 to a point in the fall where the greens were rolling amazing, fairways were still lush and the course was as good as I have seen it in years past. Great work Dan and company.
My first season at Minnedosa Golf & Country Club was great. It was very busy between learning the new position, planning a wedding (Nicole did it all), & moving to a new home & community but all in all it was extremely enjoyable. The town of Minnedosa and it's community members welcomed me in with open arms and helped me out big time with the transition. Nicole & I are very happy to be a part of such a great community.
Our season saw a large volume of green fee traffic with the outstanding weather. We held many of the same events that everyone has come to know and love at the golf course including the RFM Par 3, Mixed, Senior Men's, Senior Ladies Opens, $1,000 Draw, Senior Men's Fall Classic & the Credit Union Cup most of which had an increase in numbers this season. We also hosted the Brandon Chamber of Commerce Tournament and added the Minnedosa Masters to the tournament schedule. I would like to thank all of the sponsors that make these tournaments possible, and everyone who participated and supported MinnedosaGCC. Expect to see more fun events added to the schedule in 2019 and an increased investment in getting the entire family out to enjoy #DosaNational!
2018 Minnedosa Masters Champion - Zach Wytinck
This year I was also able to continue with Junior Golf programs throughout rural Manitoba. Programs were held in Minnedosa, Glenboro, Carberry and a one day camp in Pleasant Valley. Overall, there were over 100 juniors reached through these programs and I hope to continue these rural programs in some capacity in 2019. Junior golf, as I have said many times, is vital to the continued growth and health of our game so I am going to make every effort I can to support that aspect of the industry throughout my career. Thank you to all of the parents who bring their kids to these program offerings and especially to those who continue to encourage and support their child to play golf after the programs have concluded.
I did not get to my home golf course of Glenboro much this year. Just to play 162 holes with Dylan Thornborough to raise over $7,200 for the Canadian Cancer Society and for one other big event. On August 25th, Nicole & I got married on the Glenboro Golf Course in front of a crowd of friends and family that we are extremely fortunate to have supporting us. The weather cooperated, Nicole did not get cold feet and I believe some wine was drank. It was the perfect way to wrap up a crazy summer and one that I will not forget.
Thank you to everyone for the support in what has been the toughest but most rewarding season of my career. Stay tuned for more golf related ramblings throughout the offseason and I will see you on the course in a few short months.
- Patrick Law
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This decision was not as easy as some might think as there is a wide range of emotions that come with leaving a club and family that I have known for the better part of a decade. The staff, members and regular patrons of the Shilo Country Club have made coming to work every day an absolute pleasure. There are no words that I can speak that can thank everyone at the Shilo Country Club for what they have done for me over the years. They have helped me grow from a shy kid fresh out of high school to a PGA of Canada Class A Professional with a wealth of knowledge and invaluable experience. They have supported me every step of the way in my career, including in this latest step, which shows you the kind of people they are. I will forever be thankful to ShiloCC and I hope to be back quite regularly to see everyone and enjoy #WestmansBest18.
I am very excited to announce that I have accept the General Manager/Head Professional position at the Minnedosa Golf & Country Club. I could not be more humbled and honoured to be selected for this position at one of Manitoba's most scenic and one of my personal favorite clubs in the area. I am looking forward to becoming an integral l part of MinnedosaG&CC, helping the club and the town of Minnedosa thrive in the coming years. Over the next few months I will be starting into the position by getting everything in place that we will need for an enjoyable and successful 2018 golf season and hope to meet a number of members of the golf course and community in that time. Everyone can expect the same first class service that has become synonymous with MGCC and I am confident 2018 will be a fantastic year in Manitoba's Valley Paradise! #DosaNational
Thank you to everyone for the kind words of support and encouragement throughout this process, it means far more to me than you know.
Patrick
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ShiloCC had a much busier season than last with one of the best years of weather that I can remember, with the exception of some wind days that conveniently fell on tournament days. We introduced two new events to our club tournament list. The first was the SCC Ryder Cup which featured teams of two golfers playing 6 holes of better ball, 6 holes alternate shot, & 6 holes of scramble. This was something I really wanted to make happen. It is a great way to start the year off with something different and fun! It was well received, well attended and will be back in 2018. The next was our Shilo Vegas Open which was essentially a revival of our Men's Open but featured a trip for 2 to Las Vegas for the winner as well as another trip for two drawn at random in which all participants were eligible. Again, this event was something I was very excited about and I cannot thank McPhail Travel of Brandon enough for their support of the event along with the many other sponsors. We had many corporate tournaments again this season that featured a fun atmosphere and were blessed with great days of weather. I'd like to thank all of the tournaments that chose ShiloCC for their venue and I hope we see them all again next year. I would also like to congratulate our Club Champions, Dale Coulter (Men's), Bill Bolley (Senior Men's) & Gisele Sayer (Ladies), Our Vegas Open Champion, Dale Mackenzie and Senior Open Champion Mike Bernie on their victories this year. We had a great year celebrating Canada 150 at Shilo Country Club in 2017 and looking ahead to 2018 you can expect the same excellent service, conditioning and atmosphere that SCC strives to offer year in and out.
Junior golf is near and dear to me as I have mentioned at length in the past so to be able to offer junior programs at a number of different rural clubs throughout western Manitoba is something that gives me great satisfaction. This year from late April to the end of June I conducted junior golf programs at Boissevain, Glenboro, Carberry, Pleasant Valley and Shilo golf courses. All programs were well attended and I hope to continue to offer these type of programs at all of the above courses and potentially others as well! I also volunteered my teaching services, along with many other professionals, at the Tamarack Cubs golf clinic this year which was held at Poplar Ridge Golf Course just outside of Riding Mountain National Park. This year the Cubs clinic and tournament hosted over 80 young golfers. Junior golf is the future of our game and I cannot stress enough how great it was to see that many young golfers playing the game and showing enthusiasm doing so.
A look back at 2017 would not be complete without the highlight of my summer. I was able to get away to one of my favorite places to escape in the summer, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. This resort town is located just outside of Spokane and features some excellent golf, laid back atmosphere and excellent scenery. The most "famous" or talked about golf course in the area is the Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course which features a 15,000 square foot floating green on the 14th hole. The entire course is unique, scenic and has always been one of my favorites for reasons I couldn't quite explain. It was just special. This year I gave myself a reason to say why this course is special. On the tee box of the 14th hole with the floating green in the background I asked my girlfriend to be my wife. She thankfully said yes in front of a crowd of golfers who forgave us for briefly holding them up. This was the perfect way to wrap up a summer to remember and will undoubtably ensure 2018 is a memorable year as well!
Finally, I have to thank everyone for their support this year. I cannot go in to naming names at the risk of missing someone and there are literally too many people to thank. Many individuals have offered me support in the form of helping out with my business to listening to (or reading) my rants on golf and the industry to just the kind words of encouragement and these gestures do not go unnoticed. Thank you all for a great golf season!
- Patrick Law
]]>This quote is one that stood out to me over the course of watching and reading various articles and features on the game of golf, growing the game and the design of current golf courses. There is no denying golf is a hard game and if you have followed any of my previous posts many of them have been tailored toward making the game easier by informing anyone willing to listen. Spoiler, this article is no different. The design of the golf course itself has a great deal to do with the difficulty of the game. We are seeing a few big name golf courses such as Pinehurst, Bandon Dunes and Medinah implement some interesting new concepts to help grow the game and make the game more enjoyable for the majority.
The first new concept we are seeing is a new, innovative tee system. Yes, I am going to beat this drum again but this time I have back up from the Founder of US Kids Golf and golf course architect, Reece Jones. They were featured on one of the best features I've seen recently on Golf Channel bringing attention to the Longleaf Tee System. I encourage everyone to take a minute and watch this feature at the bottom of this page. The Longleaf tee system effectively scales the golf course and provides options for golfers of all ages and skill levels to easily evaluate which tees they should be playing. Scaling the golf course means that each hole plays as it was intended. For example, a par 4 is meant to be reached in 2 shots and usually stretch from 300 yards to 450 yards. A junior golfer who hits it 150 yards off the tee has next to no chance of getting to a standard length par 4 in two shots making a tee option from say 225 or 200 yards a more reasonable option for them to play, not to mention provides a much more enjoyable playing environment. The chart below shows how golfers can easily determine what position they should be playing from to be able to get to each hole in regulation and give themselves a shot at posting a good score. This method gives juniors and beginners a place to play from early on in their playing career and provides an enjoyable environment for the golfer.
I experienced this first hand when playing with a beginner golfer. They originally played from a course's "ladies" tees and while they were hitting the ball just fine, they were taking 3 or 4+ shots to get to par 4s and par 5s quickly became unenjoyable for them. I suggested they move to the set of gold tees that were further forward yet from the "ladies" tees and it was like a switch had been flipped. The game became enjoyable and they even had a few legitimate looks at birdie. This is a pretty straight forward concept for golfers of all levels when you think about it. Is it more enjoyable to drive par 4 or have 3 iron or 3 wood into a par 4? This is not a concept that only your local muni can utilize. As stated in the Golf Channel special, Medinah has implemented this program providing yardage options for the course as short as 2,000 yards! Every golf course can and should implement a system similar to this to provide 92% of golfers with a proper place to play from and create a more enjoyable golf environment for these golfers if they so choose to swallow their pride and move forward!
Most rounds played are for fun, recreational purposes, so why not play from a position that allows you to post a decent score and enjoy the game!? Shooting in the double digits is much more enjoyable than triple digits.
The other interesting trend that many big name venues are implementing is the short or par 3 course. Most recently, Pinehurst announced that they hired Gil Hanse to not only renovate their No. 4 course but to first and foremost build a 10 acre short course next to the club house. This is a fantastic idea in my opinion. This again provides a place for juniors to learn the game on a smaller scale course while also providing a fun venue for golfers of all ages to enjoy a quick round or a fun round before or after they take on the big course.
These courses are becoming more popular and Pinehurst is not the only big name constructing these unconventional courses. Bandon Dunes, Prairie Club, Bluejack National, Augusta National all have a short course facility. Tiger Woods' latest project was actually a short course addition to his course in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Of course, the implementation of an entire 10 to 20 acre addition is a greater undertaking than addition in some tee locations with a much larger price tag attached to it. However, there is undoubtably a place for these courses in the golf business. Golfers are always looking for somewhere to get in a quick round with their increasingly busy schedules or a place to take their kids out to spend a few hours away from their Playstation. Locally these type of courses are present and provide these assets to the golf industry. Northern Pines Golf Course in Brandon Manitoba has served as a venue for juniors, ladies, beginners as well as accomplished golfers to hone their skills on a course that does not demand 250+ yard drives off the tee. While I think that there is a demand for additional golf options in Brandon to begin with, golf courses such as this are instrumental to the growth of the game of golf now more than ever. If there were ever another course built in the area, my hope is that there is a feasible way to implement a short course in with the facility.
Golf is hard and 99.5% of us can attest to that fact. But are we making it harder than it needs to be? Golf courses are implementing forward tee options for juniors and beginners and it is up to us to know where we should be playing from and utilize the options provided to us! I truly hope the trend of short course construction continues and encourage everyone to give it a try if given the opportunity. Finding a way to feasibly implement a short course or a tee system similar to the Longleaf system would be a huge asset to any facility. Golf is hard, but it doesn't have to be.
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Featuring some of the best golf courses in the world, the 2 virtual simulators at the Shilo Country Club allow golfers the chance to play courses such as Augusta National, Pebble Beach, St. Andrews and many more. The E6 launch monitor system provides very accurate and life like conditions for customers to experience. For just $25 one can experience 18 holes on one of these simulators and stay in mid season form throughout the winter months! The simulators are also available for practice sessions at $20 per half hour. The practice session can include use of the short game or driving range applications on the simulator allowing the golfer to see the ball flight of their shots on a large projection screen.
The 7 available hitting bays and short game area at the Golf School also allow golfers a chance to hone their skills. The 7 hitting areas provide hitting mats that allow player to hit full shots into the hitting nets with anything from a driver to a wedge. These areas combined with the 300 square foot putting green and chipping area give the customer everything they need to practice every aspect of their game in a warm indoor setting. This also makes for a fun, unique setting to host your Xmas party! With Rick's Restaurant in the same building and offering food delivery right to your seat at the golf school simulator, you can treat your staff, friends and colleagues to a round of golf, meal and drinks all in a warm, comfortable environment.
Finally, the Golf School is staffed with PGA of Canada Professionals Dave Scinocca and Patrick Law to help golfers of all ages and skill levels improve their swing over the winter months. Whether you are an avid golfer looking to improve an aspect of your game or a beginner just taking up the game, ShiloCC professionals are on site and ready to aid you in improving you abilities and making the game more enjoyable.
The Winter Golf School is now open to the public via appointment. If you wish to book a practice session, lesson or tee time on one of the virtual simulators please contact Patrick Law at (204)765-3623 (Pro Shop) or (204)720-9623 (cell). The facility will commence regular hours December 1st. The golf school will be open Thursday, Friday & Saturday from 11am to 5pm with the simulators available for booking outside of these times by appointment only. For more information on pricing please see the charts below. The Shilo Country Club is also offering use of the facility's practice areas free of charge to all those who purchase their 2018 early bird memberships by January 1st! Shilo CC staff are all able to help set up your 2018 membership and can be contacted at the follow numbers or at the Country Club during the day.
Scott Ramsay, General Manager (204)765-3625
Karen Gero, Facility Administrator (204)765-3622
Patrick Law, PGA of Canada Professional (204)765-3623 or (204)720-9623
Virtual Simulator |
Price |
18 Holes (4 Hour Maximum) | $25 |
18 Holes (4 Hour Maximum) - Military | $20 |
18 Holes (4 Hour Maximum) - Junior | $15 |
1/2 hour Practice Session | $20 |
Contact Patrick at (204)765-3623 or (204) 720-9623 to book your tee time.
Memberships |
Price |
Adult Year Membership | $140 |
Adult Monthly Membership | $50 |
Contact the Pro Shop at (204)765-3623 or Patrick at (204)720-9623 to set up your winter membership.
Lessons - Dave Scinocca |
Price |
1/2 Hour Adult Lesson | $50 |
1 Hour Adult Lesson | $80 |
1/2 Hour Junior Lesson | $35 |
1 Hour Junior Lesson | $50 |
Contact Dave directly at (204)724-7078 or dave@shilocountryclub.com to book your lesson.
Lessons - Patrick Law |
Price |
45 Min Adult Lesson | $50 |
45 Min Junior Lesson | $35 |
3 Pack of Adult Lesson | $125 |
3 Pack of Junior Lessons | $95 |
Contact Patrick directly at (204)720-9623 or patricklawcpga@gmail.com to book your lesson.
]]>Those who know me know that I am not a fan of Tiger in the slightest. In my opinion I have a valid reason for this and its not his infidelity, his arrogance, or that he seems to pull out of any golf tournament that he is not going to win with an "injury". It is the media. The media blows Tiger up in any way that they can. When watching a golf tournament in which Tiger is in the field, I will see every single one of his shots even when he is 5 over thru 6 and see maybe a quarter of the leader's shots. Not a fan of that practice. A young up and coming golfer who birdies his last 6 holes to win his first tour event will lose the spotlight if Tiger decides to be seen hitting 3 wedge shots in the water. Seriously. This is no fault of Tiger's, it is just the damaging effect the media can have now a days and ironically enough it may be the reason Tiger calls it quits sooner than some may think.
Imagine Tiger tees it up on the PGA Tour this fall and shoots 80, 78 and misses the cut. What do you think the first question the media will ask and open the guy up to? My guess is it would be something along the lines of "What is wrong with your game? Is Tiger done?". Imagine he makes the cut and finishes T35. A common question I assume may be asked is "What is wrong with Tiger? Why isn't he winning?". I'm not way off base here, we've seen this happen with the media before with Tiger and even Jordan Speith this season. Jordan won 5 times last year and after he didn't win for a three tournament stretch the media began talking about him being in a "slump" and questioning his ability as a golfer. This is the negative effect Tiger's dominance has had on the media expectations. If Tiger isn't winning, the media and the public are not satisfied. So, if you were Tiger Woods would you be excited to come back and play golf on the PGA Tour if anything less than a win was considered failure? I wouldn't, that makes the game very stressful and the furthest thing from enjoyable. Tiger is set for life financially and otherwise so is there really a need for him to come back and expose himself to all of that stress and scrutiny? The media wants so desperately for the guy to come back and yet they may be the reason that he doesn't.
Tiger Woods is playing golf right now. People who are fortunate enough to golf or be employed at some of the courses in the Florida area have seen or heard about Tiger playing regularly with good friends like Micheal Jordan. Tiger's health is not the concern and maybe the state of his game when playing these rounds is not PGA Tour caliber but those who say he still is unable to hit balls and practice are mistaken. He can play golf but maybe where he is happiest doing so is out of the public eye among those who lay no judgement if he hits a poor shot. His good friend Michael Jordan was even quoted as saying that he believes Tiger is tired and would like to retire, that he has no compassion or happiness within his life. Even Tiger has said that he has "had a good run" in reference to his career and future in the game. Very cryptic messages coming from the man himself and those who know him the best.
The Tiger Era is over. If the state of his game over the past few years and his large absence from the game is not proof enough, the words spoken by Bob Parsons, founder of the new high end equipment company PXG, should provide a prime example of how Tiger is beginning to be perceived in the business side of the industry. When Nike exited the club manufacturing side of the golf business a slough of high profile golfers became available for other club manufactures to try and sign, Tiger Woods being one of them. When asked about the potential of signing someone like Tiger, Bob Parsons said he would not be interested in signing Tiger but showed a lot of enthusiasm in signing players like Rory McIlroy or Brooks Keopka. Basically Parsons wants to talk to anyone left hanging by Nike EXCEPT Tiger Woods. Ouch. While I do think Parsons may be alone in this way of thinking, it speaks volumes that anyone would turn their nose up at the idea of signing Tiger Woods.
It is not all doom and gloom however. Even if Tiger never returned to competitive golf he has done more to grow the game than arguably anyone else. All of the high quality players that we see on the PGA Tour now are products of his influence. They all grew up idolizing and emulating Tiger and pushed themselves to try and achieve the greatness that Tiger exuded. We could even go as far as to say that the "Tiger Effect" had an impact on the economy. With this influx of people playing the game because of the "Tiger Effect" many jobs were enhanced or even created to deal with the increase of traffic on golf courses, driving ranges or golf retailers. Purses on the PGA Tour have double since Tiger came on tour and sponsorship and endorsement money has gone through the roof. The list goes on and on with all the positive impacts that Tiger has had on the game of golf over the past 20 years and will continue to have into the future.
With all of that in mind, I'd like to second Tiger's comment of "I've had a pretty good run". I do believe Tiger will play golf competitively again but everyone needs to pump the brakes on the expectation levels that we have for the man. Otherwise, we may see him totally lose his passion for the game, if he hasn't already, and we may soon hear him coin the phrase, "Goodbye, World".
]]>It is no secret that the golf equipment business is tough sledding even if you are leading the charge. Fellow professionals and retailers can attest to the small margins and large financial commitment it takes to stock equipment that has become very expensive for the average customer. Nike saw their equipment sales flattening or even slightly dropping while their clothing and shoes continued to profit and decided to cut the dead weight and focus solely on a money maker. Its smart business as far as I'm concerned. It is also very likely that other major businesses will follow in Nike's footsteps as well. Adidas has already reportedly been shopping parts of its golf division, including Taylormade. Early in May of this year a story from Golf Digest quoted Herbert Hainer, CEO of the Adidas Group as saying: “TaylorMade is a very viable business. However, we decided that now is the time to focus even more on our core strength in the athletic footwear and apparel market,”. This sounds very similar to Nike's announcement the only difference being Nike is completely discontinuing their equipment while Adidas is selling Taylormade. Could Nike potentially BUY Taylormade essentially trading their bottom of the market club line for one of the industry leaders if not THE industry leader in equipment?? There is a good chance that if Adidas does not want the burden of Taylormade sales, it is doubtful that there competitor would just washed their hands with the equipment business would want it either. That is not to say it won't happen, a guy can dream right?
The sale of Nike also leaves its vast line up of Tour players without a club manufacturer. This list of names include Rory McIlroy, Paul Casey, Tony Finau, Michelle Wie, and oh yeah, Tiger Woods! Tiger's agent Mark Steinberg, said that he will be pursuing a new club maker for his client immediately but that Tiger will remain a loyal ambassador for Nike now and in the future. Tony Finau, who was signed by Nike in January of this year, was also quoted as saying that it is highly unlikely that he will be playing Nike in 2017 and it appears he was as taken back as anyone about the news and had no idea the announcement was coming. Rory McIlroy signed a 10 year, $250 million contract with Nike back in 2013 and made the switch to their equipment all the way through the bag right down to the golf ball. Now 3 years into that contract it appears he, and the rest of the Nike staff will have to do it all over again. That said, it is hard to feel for these guys as I am sure Nike has to honor their contacts and now they will have a chance to sign with other equipment companies and bring home even more money on top of their current Nike deals.
Where will these pros land? The equipment gear head in me cannot wait to see the answer to that question! Billionaire Bob Parsons of Parsons Xtreme Golf said he received no less than 30 phone calls from Nike staffers within an hour of Nike's announcement. He also said that he is not in any rush to make any sudden moves stating that he is going to let the golf world digest this information and get a lay of the land as this announcement has caught everyone off guard. However, my guess is that if given the opportunity to sign Tiger Woods, any sane business man would do anything to make that happen and Bob Parsons is a very proven business man. Could Rory go back to the glory days of playing Titleist? Again, I think given the opportunity, Titleist would leap at the opportunity to put Rory back on their staff list.
The next few months in the golf equipment industry has potential to drastically alter the landscape of the business. Rest in peace Nike Golf.
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Now, I understand that the Zika virus is a major concern and most golfers who have pulled their name from contention have sited this as their reasoning for skipping the games. For the most part I can appreciate that reasoning as contracting the virus can be a scary thought especially for those wishing to start or grow their family in the future. There are mixed reports out there about the likelihood of contracting the virus but from what I can tell there is no guarantee of contracting Zika thought mosquito bites. In fact the risk is quite low. Also, the virus will eventually clear your system posing no threat to future pregnancies. So, in my extremely uneducated medical opinion, if you are not planning to have children in the next year or so the Zika virus may not be as doom and gloom as the media has made it out to be. However, these guys have access to medical professionals that would have a much better grasp on the health risks than I do and no matter how small the risk, it is a risk none the less.
Yesterday something happened that I NEVER thought I would do and that was side with Brandel Chamblee over my favorite golfer Rory McIlroy. Yesterday, Rory McIlroy made the comments in regards to golf in the Olympics and really appeared to show why he is actually not going to Rio. Rory stated that he probably won't even watch golf in the Olympics and when asked about what he will watch he said "the stuff that matters". That sends a pretty direct and poor message to everyone listening that one of the worlds most recognizable golfers thinks that golf in the Olympics is irrelevant. Brandel Chamblee addressed these comments saying "he will regret those words for the rest of his life" and for once I agree with that assertion and the comments he followed up with which can be found here. This only fuels the fire in regard to the controversy surrounding golf and the Olympics and again takes away from the event itself. Common, Rory.
Rory is not alone in his thinking. Former world #1 Adam Scott has had some pretty strong words in regards to golf in the Olympics from day 1. Most recently he was quoted as saying "Having another 72 hole tournament with a weaker than most field doesn't really pique my interest". Another brutally honest assessment of why one of the worlds top golfers is not giving the Olympics the time of day.
The worlds top golfers not attending the Olympics is likely to be the focus of most discussions leading up to the Games and this is a shame. While it is very unfortunate that these golfers are passing up an opportunity others would kill to have a chance at, it is more unfortunate that we are not focusing on those who are going to the games. Golf is back in the Olympics! Lets get at least a little excited about that! I cannot wait to see what Gil Hanse, one of the great golf course architects of our time, has created in Rio for the world to enjoy. Even with Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson withdrawing from the games, the USA still has a formidable team in Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler, Patrick Reed and Matt Kucher who may be challenged by Great Britain's Justin Rose and Danny Willett. Lets not forget we have two Canadians vying for gold in Graham DeLaet and David Hearn! There is still great potential for an exciting event and I guarantee the golfers attending will remember and cherish this experience for the rest of their lives.
Instead of focusing on all the negative surrounding golf in the Olympics, and there is a lot of it, lets try focusing on the fact that for the first time in 112 years golf is back in the Olympics! There is still many quality golfers playing a quality golf course in a beautiful country. I will be watching intently, cheering on the Canadians in the field and when the time comes I do believe Rory and the others who have withdrawn will regret this potentially once in a lifetime opportunity to compete for a gold medal.
]]>Play ready golf. This is simple. Whoever is ready to hit, hit the ball. Too many times do I see a guy ready to hit on the tee box when the others are chatting or still marking scores from the last hole but he does not hit because he made a double bogey on the last hole and does not have the honor on the tee. If you're ready, forget honors or who is furthest from the hole, play when ready. That doesn't mean be oblivious to your playing partners and stand in their line on the green, jump in front of them to hit or play speed golf, just be ready to play if those who technically have the honor are not. If you are riding in a cart and your ball is on the opposite side of the fairway from your partner, go to your ball, grab a club to hit the shot required and let your partner take the cart to their ball on the opposite side of the fairway. Simple practices to decrease the length of the round and keep the group behind you happy. Too many times have I seen all of the above practices ignored and rounds unnecessarily lengthened. Play ready golf!
Pre-Shot routines. A pre-shot routine is a must and helps golfers stay in a rhythm and prepare for the shot ahead of them. However, this routine in no way needs to involve 5 practice swings and an eternity of standing over the ball running through a hundred different swing thoughts before pulling the trigger. We all know this guy, don't be that guy. I am not here to tell you what exactly your routine should be but it should not involve much more than lining up your shot, a light swing or two and hitting the golf ball. This carries right through to the green. If you are playing with your buddies for 10 cent snips, is it really necessary to look at every putt from all 4 sides of the ball, plumbob your 3 foot putt or analyze why the putt did or did not break after you've hit the putt? NO, its not!
Looking for golf balls. I heard a great comment/joke from a playing partner this year in regard to the group in front of us looking for their lost golf ball in the long grass while we waited on the tee for upwards of 10 minutes. "I think they've even checked the gopher holes for that ball, must be made of solid gold...". In reality it was probably a Top Flite XL2000 but he was right, they looked for that ball like it was "made of solid gold" and why? By the rules of golf, you have 5 minutes to find your golf ball otherwise it is deemed lost. So why do people look beyond that? Chances are you if you can't find it in the first couple minutes you are not going to have much of a shot so you are not going to improve your score by finding the ball, actually quite the opposite more often than not. If you think you have hit the ball in trouble, hit a provisional. If you can't easily find your original shot, go play the provisional and move on with the round. It reduces the time to play the hole and round and while that two shot penalty for a lost ball sucks, it is not the difference between you making or not making the PGA Tour.
Speaking of the PGA Tour, have you guys seen that Jordan Speith kid? If you have watched any golf over the past year or more there is a good chance you have seen Jordan Speith play a round or two. What stands out to most is his great play and how he holes putts from almost everywhere. What you may not have noticed is how long he takes to hit some shots. He and his caddie methodically analyze every shot he faces whether it is a 200 yard approach or a 20 foot putt. Personally, it agonizes me just watching that and not because its painful to watch. It is because I know there are millions of golfers, young and old watching the same thing and wanting to replicate one of the greatest players in the world. It is not just Jordan Speith that is the cause of the problem. Great players on the PGA Tour over the years have been chronically slow or "methodical" golfers, all the way from Jack Nicklaus to Tiger Woods. There are also others like Rickie Fowler and Rory McIlory who while appear methodical and slow actually play in half the time of the players labeled "slow" on tour. Like I said earlier, there is much to learn from these great players but pace of play may not be one of them.
Even the PGA Tour is fighting with the issue of slow play. Fortunately for them they have officials monitoring each group and they have the authority to fine and penalize players who do not abide by the pace of play rules. Your average golf club does not have this authority nor do I think they should but since there are really no consequences for playing slow we have to self govern and make sure we keep the pace of play going for your playing partners and the entire golf course. Many people do not play golf strictly because they do not have the time. Golf does not have to take 5 hours to play! Help improve participation and health of our game, pick up the pace!
]]>A successful, thriving community needs to provide amenities to its residents. A golf course is a huge amenity to have in any community and if yours has one, don't ever lose sight of how fortunate you are to have it there. The course provides a place for individuals to get quality exercise, fresh air and improve their overall well being. It is a safe, nurturing environment for the youth of the community where they can learn to be individuals, develop mentoring relationships as well as reap the rewards of an outdoor, physical activity. Men's and Ladies golf leagues provide a venue for many individuals of the community to gather for a fun social outing out of the house. The list goes on and on. A community golf course is something that should not be taken for granted by those who have access to it!
When you think about a charity fundraiser during the summer months, what venue comes to mind? For me, it's a golf course. Of course I may be biased in this but golf courses provide a venue for many successful charitable events throughout a short Manitoba golf season. In 2014 it was estimated that golf, through a variety of efforts, raised $3.9 BILLION for various charities. This by the way, is more than all other sports, combined! Last year, between two charity events in the rural community of Glenboro, MB, population 645, almost $50,000 was raised for two worthy causes. In Shilo, MB, the course in which I work, it is not unusual for there to be 3 or 4 charity golf tournaments in a single week during the summer, all with well over 100 people in each event. The examples are endless. Golf courses provide a venue like no other for organizations to raise money for many different causes.
My point? Golf courses need to, at the very least, be considered when determining where your donation money should be spent. They provide a quality opportunity to better ourselves and our community and ask for nothing in return other than a reasonable green fee and more than reasonable membership rate. Sure, we support the courses by paying for these services and benefits but more often than not those fees barely cover the extremely high and often forgotten operating costs associated with running a 150+ acre property. Running a business that's success will be determined more or less by the weather is a tough business. Golf in Western Manitoba is as cheap as you will find anywhere provincially or even nationally making it difficult for courses to maintain quality, respectable conditions with so little discretionary income to deal with after the completely necessary expenses are paid (wages, taxes, utilities, etc.). Rest assured, a donation to support your local golf course is not one that will be made in vain.
]]>Shilo Country Club is a course in the Westman area that offers as good of conditions as you can find in the area. High scores cannot be blamed on patchy lies in the fairway or slow bumpy greens so why is it that many golfers find Shilo a difficult course to play?Working at the Shilo Country Club for the past 6 years, I have heard golfers say many times that they play elsewhere because Shilo is "too difficult" and if they are playing the wrong set of tees I would agree. A golfer who averages under 250 yards off the tee (a typical distance for most golfers) will be hard pressed to find an easy approach into any green at ShiloCC when playing the Black Tees (6,625 yards). However, put that golfer at the Blue Tees (6,205 yards) they are now roughly 25 yards closer to the green after their tee shot and that 4 iron approach that they had from the Black tees is now a 6 or 7 iron approach from the Blue tees. I think we can all agree that makes for an easier more enjoyable round of golf! This is only an example of how a course can be made more difficult than it needs to be simply by starting the hole from the wrong spot.
Shilo Country Club offers many tee options for golfers of all skill levels and in 2016 they are expanding on these options. The three tee options and yardages at ShiloCC are as follows, Black- 6,625 yards, Blue- 6,205 yards, White- 5,230 yards. As you can see there is a large yardage gap between the Blue and White tee markers thus a large gap in options for golfers that should be playing the course at a yardage in that area. The staff at ShiloCC decided that there needed to be an offering in the 5,700 yard range in order to make the course more enjoyable for a large demographic of golfers. Rather than creating another set of tee boxes or cluttering the existing tee boxes with more tee markers, the staff came up with a simple and effective solution, a Blue/White combo tee option. On the scorecard for 2016 there will be circles around certain holes on the Blue and White yardages as shown below. These circled yardages add up to 5,790 yards creating an alternate course that fits between the Blue and White tee options and gives golfers yet another option when choosing the proper tees to play from. Combine this with the high quality conditions that Shilo continues to offer year in and year out, the course is set up beautifully for an enjoyable and rewarding round of golf.
How do you determine which tees are right for you? There are a couple general ways to determine roughly what yardage of golf course will allow you to score well as well as challenge yourself, all while having fun doing so. The first is by taking the distance you hit your 5 iron (be honest with this number!!) and multiplying it by 36. For example, if you hit your 5 Iron 175 yards, a 6,300 yard golf course should be manageable for you. The other way of generally determining the proper course yardage is simply by using the distance you hit your driver and comparing it to the chart below:
Avg. drive | Recommended Tees |
300 yards | 7,150-7,400 yards |
275 yards | 6,700-6,900 yards |
250 yards | 6,200-6,400 yards |
225 yards | 5,800-6,000 yards |
200 yards | 5,200-5,400 yards |
175 yards | 4,400-4,600 yards |
150 yards | 3,500-3,700 yards |
For these formulas to be accurate, so to must your assessment of how far you hit your clubs. Pride often clouds the judgement of how far we hit the ball and what tees we should be playing from. Don't let it! Personally, I would rather swallow my pride and play from the forward tees and enjoy my four hours on the course than continue to write 8, 9, or even a dreaded 10 on my scorecard!
So if you are looking to get more enjoyment out of your time on the golf course this season, consider the points made above in regards to where you start each hole. Consider teeing off from the Blue tees instead of the Black or try a combination of tees such as the Blue/White tee combo at Shilo Country Club. The key to lower scores and a more enjoyable experience may be as simple as swallowing your pride and teeing it up from the tees 20 yards in front of your playing partners. They may throw a few comments your way for doing so but I assure you they will quiet down when you lighten their wallet! And of course if you are still finding the game difficult, see your local CPGA Professional for a quick lesson!!
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Junior golf is not only vital to the health of the game but the health of the juniors that play it as well. The game of golf can teach young adults many lessons during their time on the course while providing great exercise as well. Golf differs from many other sports in the way that it is an individual sport. In this type of sport children are praised for achieving individual goals that have been set for them or better yet, that they have to for themselves. This can provide a unique avenue for children to learn self motivation and independence, something that can serve them very well throughout life outside of the golf course. The golf course itself is even a safe and secure environment for children to get some exercise, compete with friends and even gain a mentoring relationship with members of the club. The list of benefits goes on and on and for all those willing to listen I'd be glad to continue to list them off for you but for now I will get to the point of this post!
In 2016, I am thrilled to be working with five courses in Western Manitoba in growing junior golf by offering or being involved in teaching programs at each one. Myself along with some fellow professionals and some young helpers will be offering programs at the Shilo Country Club, Deer Ridge Golf Course, Carberry Sandhills Golf Course, Glenboro Golf & Country Club and Taurus Golf Course. This is something I am very excited and proud to be a part of this season and I hope to see many juniors out enjoying the game the way I did as a kid and still do to this day. Information on these programs can be found in the posters below or at patricklawgolf.com/pages/junior-golf. Sign up information is in each of the posters but please feel free to contact myself with any additional questions you may have about a specific program!
]]>Lack of time? Yes, I suppose that could be an issue but why is it an issue now and not in the past? I am not a parent myself but I can definitely see the difficulty in trying to get some time to yourself with everything that kids have the opportunity to be involved in in today's world and the demand that puts on the parents. A welcome demand but a strenuous one none the less. But it isn't like children/parenting is something new to this world is it? How did parents find time in the past to play golf and somehow cannot now? ...If you're looking for me to answer that question in here you'll be sorely disappointed because I am genuinely asking! I know a lot of parents that golf along side me once a week in a men's league. They have found the time but maybe they are the fortunate ones? This excuse is valid in many cases but if you genuinely want to get out and play golf, there is a way to manage your time and do that. Easy for me to say, I know but consider this. There are 168 hours in the week, I set aside four hours on Monday night and three hours on Thursday to play golf in leagues that are a lot of fun and relieves the stress of the work day/week. Yes, despite the odd curse and occasional lightening of my wallet, yes it does relieve my stress because its fun, sociable and quality exercise even if you're riding. I suggest everyone finds time to spend the same 2% to 4% of their week to have time to themselves and have some fun! Doesn't seem like much when its broken down that way does it?
High Cost? Inflation. I could end the discussion right there and feel like I've justified my answer but I will elaborate and force you to read more of my rambling! As the cost to operate a course goes up so will the green fees and memberships. Gone are the days of $5.00 minimum wage and $0.51 gas, although as I write this that last one is within shouting distance. It plain and simple costs more to operate a golf course these days and in our area we should be very thankful it costs as much as it does. Big name, high end golf courses charge a lot to play their course because they offer a high quality customer experience, course conditions, and hospitality, and people pay for that. If people didn't pay their $250 green fees they would have to cut costs in order to lower the green fee. You do not have to pay exorbitant amounts of money to play golf, but if you want quality, you pay for it and I don't believe that is any different from any other aspect of life from buying a car or to buying clothing. You get what you pay for. To touch briefly on the cost of golf in the Westman area, it is fantastic! If you don't believe me I will put you in contact with my friends in BC, Alberta or even down the road in Winnipeg where $700 to $800 memberships within a 30 to 45 minute drive would be very welcome.
Difficulty? I will concede this one. Golf isn't easy. Of course its more enjoyable when you are playing well and making those long putts to beat your playing partner but is it completely necessary to have a good time? I know a lot of guys who head to the course prepared to shoot in the triple digits and lose by an easy 15 shots to their competitor and they have a BLAST doing it. You are out in the sun, away from the hectic schedule of life and possibly enjoying a few beverages from the beer cart. Would playing well make the day perfect? Probably, but there is a good chance you aren't going to shoot a course record that day so enjoy everything mentioned above because there are a lot of people struggling to get out of the house and into the seat next to you in that golf cart. I also know a guy who gives lessons and fits for clubs that make the game a whole lot easier and more enjoyable.... Go see your local pro! We all take great pride in making this game enjoyable for you!!
Golf isn't cool? You mean Rickie's high top shoes and flat brim hats aren't cool?? I'm cancelling my order right now then! Yes, it is a constant battle to get kids into the game of golf today. With the option to play hockey, soccer, baseball or any other sports that are now offered year round, a lot of kids are as over scheduled as the parents. Not to mention the fact that Xbox and PlayStation have taken over the free time they do have. While it is great to see kids out playing other sports, the benefits of the game of golf cannot be ignored either. Individual sports such as golf teach kids to be self motivated, compete at their own pace and compete directly against their own personal goals. However, during their free time the youth of today don't see the golf course as a "cool" or fun place to go and that is truly unfortunate. Again, it appears as those the days of kids chipping around their parents yard or the golf course itself have been replaced with video games. This isn't always the case but more often than not, it is.
Is golf missing Tiger Woods? Let's put the scandle aside and think about the effect he had on the game over the past 20 years. Flashback 15 years or so every young golfer on the PGA Tour including Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Jason Day are 7 to 10 years old and are all watching Tiger DOMINATE the game of golf and making the game look "cool". They idolized him, went to the golf course to emulate his success and worked extremely hard at it to get to where they are. Now they are the ones carrying the torch and are in the spot light for kids today. Do they have what it takes to have the same affect on the youth of today as Tiger did on them? My guess is no and that spells trouble for our game. Maybe in another 20 years we will see a Tiger Woods in the game and have the same affect but today, we are struggling to find the star power that he brought to the game to influence some many young players to take up the game.
Maybe this post has left you with more questions than answers about the health of our game but I hope it has better informed you of some of the questions that should be asked. Golf is dying because it is too time consuming. No more than it ever was so why the panic now? Golf is dying because it costs too much. I strongly and respectfully disagree. Golf is dying because it is too hard. It is a lot easier then it was in the days of persimmon drivers and lack of technology in the clubs and balls. Golf is dying because its not "cool" and kids aren't playing. Drag them and yourself away from the TV and have a fun family night at the course once a week. Golf is dying because Tiger Woods isn't dominating like he used to. Maybe, but did you see Jordan Spieth's season last year? I'd look up to that performance! Golf is not on life support yet, but it is aging and we need your help to inject some youth into the game!
Golf only dies if we let it.
]]>Welcome to Patrick Law Golf's new website! I look forward to providing everyone with the latest news from the world of golf locally and globally. Upcoming merchandise and equipment releases as well as sales can also be found here. I will also periodically post tips and personal views on the game of golf on this page to better inform you on the great game of golf! This website is here to help myself better serve all of you on all things golf! I look forward to officially launching this site and interacting with all of you!
Thank you for stopping by and here's to an early golf season in 2016!
Patrick Law
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