The Lloydminster Golf and Curling Centre and Rolling Green Fairways were packed with high school student-athletes as Holy Rosary High School hosted the ASAA Provincial Golf Championship. Pictured above is a lady’s group teeing off at Rolling Green Fairways during day two of competition. Taylor Weaver Meridian Source
It was an action-packed two days at the Lloydminster Golf and Curling Centre (LGCC) and Rolling Green Fairways as Holy Rosary High School (HRHS) hosted Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association (ASAA) golf provincials.
Roughly 220 golfers from across Alberta came to play the two-day championship, held Sept. 25-26, with the girls starting at the LGCC on Monday and the boys starting at Rolling Green. Day two of competition saw the girls at Rolling Green and the boys at the LGCC. The championship included roughly 130 male and 85 female golfers.
The championship featured team play as well as individual, with Holy Rosary sending a team of four boys and three girls.
“After the two-day total we find our top three for individuals; we also score the highest team totals as well for a team award,” explained HRHS career councillor and golf team head coach, Jason Almond.
“We’re really excited to host provincials as it’s a good way to showcase our local athletes and local facilities,” added HRHS principal Jeremy Blais.
“We’re proud of the courses we have here, and it’s nice to have people from all over Alberta coming to Lloydminster and seeing what we have to offer.”
An avid golfer himself, Blais explained it was a pleasure being a part of the day.
“This is also a great way for our golfers to end their season after all the work they put in,” he said.
For HRHS’ Keenan Chappell, whose favourite part of golf is either his drive or chipping, provincials can bring some nerves, but he explained the key is to just shake off bad shots.
“After a bad shot, just wipe it off and go back out there and do the best you can,” he said, explaining he also played during last year’s provincials in Diamond Valley and High River.
“I like to shoot the mid-80s, to get in the top 50 is my goal. I didn’t do as well as I wanted to last year, so this year, the plan is to not let the stress of provincials get to me and play the best I can.”
A home-course advantage was definitely on the minds of many HRHS golfers, especially Chappell.
“I would say the LGCC course is my favourite course. I work there and play there a lot,” he said.
“One thing I’ll have on the (competition) is I’ll know the shortcuts and where to hit your drives … and ever the greens, (I know) how they break, all that stuff.”
HRHS golfers may have also had a leg up on the competition after utilizing the school’s newly-installed golf simulator.
“Over the summer, as part of the construction of many different areas of HRHS, a golf simulator and a pitching simulator, were part of new pieces of equipment that came in; we’re fortunate our division was able to provide this for us,” explained Almond.
“Not only will it assist with our golf program in the future, but it’ll open up opportunities for people who don’t golf much and want to improve on their game.”
