The Estevan 2016 Saskatchewan Summer Games South East golf team will be chosen at an 18-hole competition at TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club on June 11.
Three male and three female athletes, who must be under the age of 17 as of Aug. 4 for males and Aug. 5 for females, will be picked to join Team South East after the June 11 tournament based on their Stableford scoring system results. Any golfer who lives in the southeast region is eligible to try out for the team, but they must register for the Games qualifying tournament through Golf Saskatchewan beforehand.
“It’s an 18-hole qualifier, so anything can happen,” said Amanda Minchin, coach of Team South East. “It’ll be interesting to see who qualifies because anybody can beat anybody on any given day, so it won’t necessarily be the kids who have the lowest (average) handicap. It’ll be who can play well on that day and under the circumstances.”
The Stableford scoring system is based on the number of strokes taken on each hole, with the golfer’s objective being to score the highest number of points. A golfer can score as many as nine points on a hole if they shoot an albatross (three under par) or record a low of zero points if they shoot a triple bogey or worse. Shooting a par on any hole is worth three points, with varying totals available for each score between the two bookends.
The Summer Games golf tournament will run July 24-27 at TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club. The driving range at the club will be open to competitors on July 24 and a practice round is scheduled for July 25. The two-round tournament to decide medal winners will go on July 26 and 27.
During the two-round tournament, a golfer will earn individual points while also getting the chance to score points for their team. The top two point totals for each team on each hole will count for the total team score.
Minchin enjoyed the opportunity to represent Team South East as a golfer at the Yorkton 2000 Saskatchewan Summer Games when the results were based on straight stroke play, but she noted the Stableford system might make the tournament more inclusive. She said the Games are an opportunity for kids who want and strive to compete with the best, but it also provides a chance to earn a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“They were great,” said Minchin. “You got to live at the athlete’s village and you met a ton of people. It was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed it.”
