A look at Gilbert Plains Country Club with General Manager & Head Professional Scott McCallum

For more details on Gilbert Plains Country Club, click here.

Golf Manitoba is pleased to share the unique experience of Southwood Golf & Country Club member Rhonda Orr as she participates this week in the 2023 U.S. Senior Women’s Open at Waverley Country Club in Portland, Oregon.

With a 2:34 tee time, the final one of the day the morning was spent watching the leaderboard and resting as the hot weather and excitement was starting to catch up with me.  The range was quite busy again with the morning wave putting in post game practice and the afternoon wave preparing for their round.

Along with Joanne Carner we were the last on the putting green before making the long walk to our 10th tee start.

It was special to have my son Brendan caddie for me this week.

My round started our with a double followed by a near miss for a hole in one. Apparently that excitement got to me as I followed up that birdie with some big scores.

What I will choose to remember about the golf is that I had a numerous birdie chances, 6 straight pars to finish the tournament and on few holes I scored better than Annika.

Although it was not the ending I had scripted for myself I am grateful for each and every minute of this week and that my family was there to experience it with me. 

Thanks for following along, I hope you enjoyed it!

Golf Manitoba is pleased to share the unique experience of Southwood Golf & Country Club member Rhonda Orr as she participates this week in the 2023 U.S. Senior Women’s Open at Waverley Country Club in Portland, Oregon.

Wednesday – Last day of preparation and you can see and feel the change of intensity.  The players parking lot was full, the driving range was 2 deep, putting green was filled with mirrors and alignment aids. All much different than Monday and Tuesday. In the dining room people were in and out quicker and the discussions a little less jovial.

My day started with short game work followed by some time on the putting green where I met Julie Inkster.  A quick lunch where I was able to sit at a table with Annika and her husband Mike. Some would find that intimidating but it was nothing compared to hitting balls 2 positions away from her on the range and watching in awe.

On and around the course you notice the addition of concession stands, security at the entrances, and electronic leaderboards.

They are expecting very hot weather so to keep the greens alive they are watering between the morning and afternoon waves.  Even with that weather the course seems lush and green.

Thursday – As I walked to the first tee from the putting green I thought wow this is really happening! Marshalls with quiet signs, concession stand selling pizza, fans waiting to see you tee off, getting introduced as Rhonda Orr, Canada, it was such a rush.

Unfortunately the first hole started with a three putt , definitely some nerves involved which carried on for a few more holes.   At times it was easy to settle in and feel like it was any other tournament.  But then you would be faced with a large leaderboard or Annika’s  group including the entourage would be on an adjacent hole and you were quickly reminded where you were.

One of my favourite places on the course is the VIP area providing great views of both 9 and 18 greens where you can also enjoy your favourite beverages and snacks.  I learned that my player badge will get me and my guests absolutely anywhere on the property and anything we want to eat or drink! 

I didn’t play as well as I would have liked but the experience is amazing and I am thankful to have the opportunity to do it again tomorrow!

Golf Manitoba, in association with Golf Canada, is pleased to welcome Gladstone Golf & Country Club as our newest member club.

Located just off Highway #16, south of Gladstone along Highway #34, this nine hole course can be played from three sets of tee boxes along with a new set of junior tees in the fairway.

“Our junior tees have been very popular getting more young people introduced to the game” said 2nd Vice President Ivan Milne. “Our course is in real good shape, the greens are fantastic, so it’s been a good summer for us and we are excited about the future.”

The Gladstone Golf & Country Club also features a driving range, putting green and a full menu in their restaurant.

As an official Golf Manitoba / Canada member club, all rounds played at the Gladstone Golf & Country Club are acceptable for handicap purposes and may be recorded toward establishing or maintaining an official Golf Canada Handicap Index.

For more information, check out their Facebook page or call the proshop at (204) 385-2998.

Golf Manitoba is pleased to share the unique experience of Southwood Golf & Country Club member Rhonda Orr as she participates this week in the 2023 U.S. Senior Women’s Open at Waverley Country Club in Portland, Oregon.

How do you describe a day that begins with a 7:15am tee shot and your playing partner says “nice shot” when that partner is Laura Davies? 

Today Waverley country club was the happiest place on earth!

Trish Johnson, an 8 time Solheim Cup team member was also in the group. It was special to see their level of ball striking up close. 

When Laura, who is known for using grass tees used a regular tee on the first hole, I asked her why she hadn’t she replied “Well I wouldn’t want to muck up the tee on the first hole would I?”  She proceeded to “muck up” the remainder of tee boxes. 

Both her and Trish were absolutely lovely to play with. An experience I will remember forever.

Tuesday evening was the player reception where I had the opportunity to visit with Michael Whan, CEO of the USGA and Helen Alfredsson the 2019 US Senior Women Open Champion.

Rhonda

Golf Manitoba is pleased to share the unique experience of Southwood Golf & Country Club member Rhonda Orr as she participates this week in the 2023 U.S. Senior Women’s Open at Waverley Country Club in Portland, Oregon.

My “work” day began on the practice range between Leta Lindley, the 2022 runner up, and golf legend Joanne Carner, winner of 43 LPGA events and 8 USGA titles.  A few minutes on the putting green then off to the 10th tee for 9 holes where due to some late changes I played by myself.

The course is an older style course originally established in 1896 with a recent restoration by Gil Hanse. It is relatively easy course to walk with very short distances between greens and tee boxes. It is in fantastic shape with firm fast greens, as you would expect for a US Open. We are playing at 6104 yards, with the longest par 4 at 395 yards and the par 5s averaging 500 yards.

Massage, physio and chiropractic care are available in player recovery so I stopped in for treatment on a recent injury. On my way out I met Catriona Matthew, the 2019 and 2021 victorious Solheim Cup captain.

Managing your time and energy in these longer events is a priority so the remainder of the day was spent resting, stretching and studying the yardage book.

Looking forward to tomorrow’s 18 hole practice round and some more legend sightings!

Rhonda

Golf Manitoba is pleased to share the unique experience of Southwood Golf & Country Club member Rhonda Orr as she participates this week in the 2023 U.S. Senior Women’s Open at Waverley Country Club in Portland, Oregon.

Day 1: Registration

No more waiting, it is finally here!

After picking up the courtesy Lexus we were off to the course. The drive in was not as overwhelming as I expected as only some of the signage was up with many of the players not arriving until Monday.

Off to player registration where we received our player “card”, signed multiple items for the host committee, and received some player gifts including a custom made ball mark. Then it’s a tour of the amenities, including the player locker room where there are plenty of snacks, beverages and fresh cut flowers.

Next up was a tour of the player dining area where players, caddies and their families will have breakfast lunch and snacks everyday. The dining room overlooks the pool and river.

Some range work to end the first day. The attention to detail is amazing.

That’s a wrap of day 1 from Portland!

A field of 48 will tee off Monday morning at Glendale Golf & Country Club looking to earn a birth into the 2023 CentrePort Canada Railpark Manitoba Open.

Of the 48, six are homegrown talents hoping to be one of the top eight qualifiers to play at Southwood Golf & Country Club starting Thursday.

The six Manitobans include:

Charlie Boyechko
Austin Dobrescu
Travis Fredborg
Ryan McMillan
Jose Mekish-Lacquette
Zach Sackett

If you scroll through a golfer’s smartphone, you’ll undoubtedly find a myriad of golf course images and swing videos. Most golfers enjoy capturing their golf experiences with their smartphone and sharing them with their friends via their favourite social networks – and now the Golf Canada Mobile App can be one of them.

The most recent version of Golf Canada’s Mobile App includes several enhancements that help golfers stay connected off the course, including a new friending system. The new version of the mobile app will also enable golfers to post images and videos to document, log and share great moments from their rounds.

Once you become friends with another Golf Canada Mobile App user, you’ll be able to follow their golfing experiences seeing their scores, photos and videos on your new in-app home screen feed. This home screen feed will also feature relevant news and stories from Canadian Golf. You’ll have the ability to like or comment on updates and also have the option to be notified of their updates via email or app push notifications.

“We recognize that many Canadians journeys with the game of golf are inherently social, this exciting update to the Golf Canada Mobile App, will enable golfers across the country to stay connected with their friends in a new and engaging way,” said Golf Canada Chief Marketing Officer Tim McLaughlin. “Whether it’s photos from a bucket-list course, a new career-low score, or telling your friends you’re headed out on a sunny Friday afternoon for a round, those conversations can all happen right within the Golf Canada Mobile App. We aim to create the largest golf centric social network in Canada.”

Golf Canada’s Mobile App is free for everyone, with an enhanced version available for Golf Canada members.

There are plenty of exciting features that already exist in the app. A major redesign and rebuild in 2020 introduced several enhancements including course GPS, enhanced stats tracking, game modes and Apple Watch compatibility. In 2022, live event features were added for patrons attending Golf Canada’s national golf championships – the RBC Canadian Open and CPKC Women’s Open.

Golf Canada also hopes the new features will encourage more Canadians to get outside, play golf and share their experiences. Research recently conducted by Golf Canada shows that while the No. 1 reason Canadians play golf was for physical activity, No. 2 is for socializing.

Golf Canada first launched its mobile app in 2013 as a member-only app that featured handicapping and scoring as its primary function.

The mobile app is a key component of Golf Canada’s digital marketing strategy designed to draw more people to the sport, improve the in-game experience and increase membership. It has also been developed in consultation with the provincial golf associations across Canada to ensure a grassroots connection.

“You are likely already talking with your golf buddies in a group chat, so Golf Canada wanted to help make it so you can add media and post in a place where everyone is alerted,” added McLaughlin. “This new friend functionality will give golfers even more reason to spend time engaging with what is already the #1 golf app in Canada.”

Golf Canada will continue to work on adding even more exciting updates in 2024. For now, the new update will let golfers from coast-to-coast share their photos, updates and start conversations with all those who love golf just as much as they do.  

The Golf Canada Mobile App is available for download for both IOS and Android operating systems from both the App Store and Google Play at no cost.

Learn more about these new enhancements.

Golf Manitoba, in association with Golf Canada, is pleased to welcome to the Russell Golf Club as our newest member club.

Located east of Russell along Highway #45, this 3,200 yard 9 hole course can be played from various sets of tee boxes with 10 greens available.

“Our course is a very family friendly course” said Executive Board Member Kevin Boucher. “What’s unique about our place is the 8th hole has two greens to shoot at so when you play your second nine holes it gives you a different look.”

The Russell Golf Club also features a driving range, putting green and a full menu in their restaurant.

As an official Golf Manitoba / Canada member club, all rounds played at the Russell Golf Club are acceptable for handicap purposes and may be recorded toward establishing or maintaining an official Golf Canada Handicap Index.

For more information, call the proshop at (204) 773-2969.