Lions undefeated in pre-season

Prescott golfer, Bruce Perrin put up a one under par 71 on the Iroquois golf course, Saturday to easily win the 2014 Men’s Open Tournament in a field of 56 competitors.

For the tournament, the players played the back holes 10 through 18 first, and then moved over onto the course’s front nine holes to finish it off.

Perrin played the course’s front nine holes at one under par 36, and was even on the back nine with a 35 for his 71.

Next up was Kevin Duvall who plays out of the Morrisburg Golf Club. Duvall was right on Perrin’s heels with a 75 (38-37) which gave him the low net in A flight with a 64.

Despite the high wind of the day, some solid scores were turned in with nine of the 17 A flight players breaking the 80 barrier.

Iroquois club member, Les Gilmour carded a strong 76 to finish third overall, and then with 77s were Matt O’Neil  of Morrisburg, Shawn Lapier of Iroquois and Kevin`Byrd of Prescott.

Lance LePage of Morrisburg shot a 78, and Troy Gilmour of Grafton and Brent Mattice of Iroquois tied with 79s.

Rob Kimmerly, the defending 2013 champion, came in with an 81.

In B flight, it was Jamie Pederson who took charge with a very solid 78. He posted a 40 on the front nine and added a 38 on the back for his winning B flight total.

Next up were Bill Blad of Greely and Bob Mann of Morrisburg with 81s. David Cassell of Prescott, Pete Zeran of Upper Canada and Liam Morrow of Cedar Glen in Williamsburg  all posted 82s. Cassell’s 82 gave him the low net score with a 68.

Finishing off the top B flight players were Richard Guthro from Upper Canada with an 83, and  Chris Barkley of  Iroquois and Jordi MacDonald of Upper Canada tied with 84s. 

Upper Canada’s Sam Laurin and Iroquois’ Kent Smith finished the day tied with 82s. With Smith not available for a playoff, Laurin got the nod for the flight’s top spot and Smith had C flight low net with a 66.

Eldon Horner (no club affiliation) and Mike Hlurchuk were next up with 88s and Mike Laurin of Upper Canada was carded an 89.

Lorey Blad of Prescott and Don Poland of Iroquois tied with 90s.

[…]

When Krista Boyce and Evan Mullin look back on their summer adventures for 2012, one item that will be on top of their list will be their experiences as volunteers at the Great Waterway Golf Classic, Canadian Tour event played at the Smuggler’s Glen Golf Course, September 3-9.

For Krista, who grew up around the Prescott Golf Course and who started the game as a junior player, the call for volunteers for the Classic gave her the opportunity to show her son Evan, 14, a different side of the game.

“He has always only golfed with us in fun stuff, so I wanted him to see what the game is about and what it can be at the competitive level. I wanted him to learn the etiquette of golf and how to behave on a golf course, to experience the gentleman part of the game.”

Although Krista had initially intended for Evan to apply to be a caddy, when  he was accepted, she was approached to also volunteer and ended up working the leader board.

Although Evan is not a member of a golf club, Krista, a one-time, competitive 17 handicapper, has returned to play out of her hometown Prescott Club after taking time off with her young family and later playing briefly at the Morrisburg and Cedar Glen courses.

She says the experience at the Classic was great, for her and Evan and for her daughter, Jessica, 20, who volunteered in the hospitality side of the tournament. 

“Evan is so excited about golf now,” says Krista. “The tournament was so well down. I can’t wait for it to come to Upper Canada next summer. They were the upcoming young golfers and people should go and watch them play.”

“It was just amazing. They came from everywhere across Canada and from universities in the United States.”

To be a caddy in the Great Waterway Classic, Evan was provided four hours of training and a tour around the beautiful 6,502 yard, Smuggler’s Glen layout.  “He was basically taught to pick up, keep up and shut up,” says Krista with a laugh. 

Evan was caddy for Matt Hoffman and although Hoffman, an amateur, did not make the cut, Evan thoroughly enjoyed his two days on the course with him. Hoffman did not mind talking during his round and gave Evan lots of tips and hints says Krista.

“It was quite a show. It was something just to be able to be involved in it. It was good for Evan. We talked about it all the way home, both days. I can’t wait for Upper Canada.”

The Great Waterway Classic, Canadian Tour event was new to the region and involved some 250 volunteers from across Ontario. The tournament was won by Eugene Wong of North Vancouver. 

As a local component, a Chase the Dream series of qualifying events were played to enable golfers from the Waterway Region the opportunity to earn one of four exemptions. Although he did not earn a spot, Prescott golfer Phil Patterson had the best results locally.

The final domestic stop on the Canadian Tour, the Classic is scheduled for at Upper Canada Golf Course in 2013, the Loyalist Golf and Country Club at Bath in 2014, and the Black Bear Ridge Golf Course in Belleville in 2015.

The Great Waterway Tourism Region of Southeastern Ontario stretches from Belleville to Cornwall.

[…]

A number of parents here are hoping that someday, baseball/fastball will again be popular.

With less than a handful of minor ball teams playing in South Dundas, Paul Sheldrick, who is heading up a T-Ball program in Morrisburg, says he hopes to see that change down the road.

“We all used to play ball in this town, and we would like to see it return,” said Sheldrick who had a 30 player response to his T-Ball program run on Monday nights in Morrisburg.

We have enough kids that we have divided them into four teams, and I have four parents who came forward as coaches. 

“A few of the kids are coming down from Iroquois, and I unfortunately had to turn a few kids down.”

Every Monday, Sheldrick and his coaches who include Bob Paradis, Daryl Martin and Jason Cole work with the kids on  their basic batting and fielding skills.

The evening then wraps up with a little game between the Orange Tigers and the Purple Dragons.

The registration cost was kept to a minimum for the eight week program and from it each of the players received a  team T-shirt.

“I have been working with Ben (Macpherson, South Dundas recreation coordinator) and the guys from the municipality have been out and fixed up the diamond.”

Sheldrick says that he is hoping that this year will be one small step in the right direction. He is hoping one of the current coaches will take over the T-Ball next year and he can move up.

“My thoughts are just to rejuvenate some interest in ball. We bought them all little shirts, which they will keep, and Bill Morrow really helped us out. We have a closing party planned for the Legion and Blues Bakery is donating a cake for the kids.”

“We have stepped up as citizens. We played ball here and we want to try to get the kids involved in it again.

[…]