Posted: Sep 28, 2016

Fore!

by ACAC Sports Writer Curtis J. Phillips

The 2016 Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Golf Championships are scheduled for October 1-2, 2016 at Lac La Biche Golf & Country Club.

Following are thumbnail sketches of the teams participating and comments from the respective head coaches.

University of Alberta Augustana Vikings

Head Coach: Bill Penny

ACAC Men's Team Championships: 1
ACAC Women's Team Championships: 0
ACAC Men's Individual Championships: 2
ACAC Men's Last Individual Championship: Brandon Fox 2015
ACAC Women's Individual Championships: 0
ACAC Women's Last Individual Championship: 0

"This year we have two girls. One is a development player Cieanna Hewitt (1st year, Chemistry, Calgary Alberta) who has improved so much that she is now counting. She is quite capable of breaking 80. Darcie Benoit (2nd year, Physical Education, Girouxville Alberta) has gained experience where she has gone from shooting scores that were 130 to 140 down to 102.

"Michael Harrison (2nd year, Physical Education, Camrose Alberta) was a CCAA (Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association) All Canadian last year (along with former Vikings golfer Braxton Fox) and he is our No. 1 player. He leads with his work ethic which is unbelievable and he works diligently on his game and that reflects on the other team members. He is very competitive and very cool under pressure and his demure on the course is very good.

"Rookie Colton Leslie (1st year, Biology, Camrose Alberta) has shown that he is able to shoot a good opening round and then be able to come back and have another good round the next day. That says a lot about a rookie. We also expect Chase Martin (4th year, Business Economics, Medicine Hat Alberta) to play well."

Of the Lac La Biche Golf & Country Club: "From what I understand it is an excellent golf course. It has some dog legs and from what I hear we may have to play against the weather conditions...that will be a huge factor for everybody."

Footnote: Bill Penny was named 2015 CCAA Golf Coach of the Year.

Concordia University of Edmonton Thunder

Head Coach: Kevin MacAlpine

ACAC Men's Team Championships: 0
ACAC Women's Team Championships: 0
ACAC Men's Individual Championships: 0
ACAC Men's Last Individual Championship: 0
ACAC Women's Individual Championships: 0
ACAC Women's Last Individual Championship: 0

"Of our men's golfers, Connor Beeston (3rd year, Bachelor of Arts, Edmonton, Alberta) would be the most consistent hitter. He definitely has the potential to be in the Top 5 and that is what he is gearing up for.

"As a men's team, all four of our golfers can compete. At the North Regionals we were leading the field and then a little inconsistency allowed the other teams to catch up.

"For our women, Kassidy Turcotte (2nd year, Bachelor of Science, Falher Alberta) is trying to gear up for a Top 5 or better. She can shoot in the high 70s' or low 80s and she is capable of shooting two solid rounds.

"I played at Lac La Biche Golf & Country Club as an (ACAC athlete for Concordia where he also played badminton, four years; golf three years and two years of curling) and from what I remember, it was a short course not long. You have to know where the pin is and keep it in play."

Footnote: Connor Dobberthien played ice hockey wearing the goalie pads for Briercrest Clippers in 2013-2104.

MacEwan University Griffins

Head Coach: Jodi Campbell

ACAC Men's Team Championships: 6
ACAC Women's Team Championships: 9
ACAC Men's Individual Championships: 3
ACAC Men's Last Individual Championship: Brett Hawken 2012
ACAC Women's Individual Championships: 8
ACAC Women's Last Individual Championship: Elizabeth Stewart 2015

"Brett Hawken (5th year, Bachelor of Commerce, Wetaskiwin, Alberta) is definitely one of our leaders (Hawken is defending ACAC men's individual title holder) along with Barrett Belland (5th year, Bachelor of Commerce, St. Alberta, Alberta).

"Christian Solkowski (3rd year, Bachelor of Commerce, Edmonton Alberta) and Joshua Gorieu (3rd year, Bachelor of Commerce, Stony Plain Alberta) have also had solid weekends.

"We have the luxury of having a lot of solid players on our team. Each weekend we get to analyze who is playing well and how the course is set up.

"Our girls will be up against a solid team from Medicine Hat. There will be a good battle. We are looking at two of our girls, Elizabeth Stewart (4th year, Accounting & Strategic Measurement, Edmonton, Alberta) and Daniela Donnelly (4th year, Bachelor of Commerce, St. Albert, Alberta) to play big.

((Stewart is defending ACAC women's individual title holder).

"I have never seen La Biche Golf & Country Club but I heard the elements of the course are tight and the greens small. It will be a good test for the entire field."

Footnote: Barrett Belland won both ACAC Regional events this fall.

Medicine Hat College Rattlers

Head Coach Trevor Moore

ACAC Men's Team Championships: 0
ACAC Women's Team Championships: 0
ACAC Men's Individual Championships: 1
ACAC Men's Last Individual Championship: Darrin Cooke 1979
ACAC Women's Individual Championships: 0
ACAC Women's Last Individual Championship: 0

Footnote: Becky Martin ACAC feature

"Becky Martin has brought a mature perspective to the team. One of the things that jumps out is that she is one of the most prepared athletes that I have ever coached and it rubs off on the other players. She should win this weekend. (Martin's 146 total and 18 stroke lead at the ACAC South Regional was the largest victory in the event since 2010 when a three-women field had Lauren Schmidek 175 beating Mount Royal Cougars teammate Ashley Martine 208 by 33 strokes.)

"Danielle Blackmer (5th year, Bachelor of Nursing, Maidstone, Saskatchewan) has played twice at CCAA (Women's National Golf Championships) and has a ton of experience. Also playing well and making an impact is Nicole Schultz (1st year, Bachelor of Nursing, Olds, Alberta)

"Braden Schacher (4th year, Bachelor of Nursing, Medicine Hat, Alberta) is a guy that has shown that he can play at this level and after losing two veteran leaders ((Jesse Florkowski and Mitchell Kurtz) to graduation, he has stepped up on and off the course to lead.

"We also have a bunch of other guys that have stepped up to replace that one-two punch we had before."

Footnote: Medicine Hat Rattlers are currently ranked No. 7 I in CCAA Women's Golf polls. 'Rankings are a nice acknowledgment," said Moore. "But we do not rest our hat on that. We have seen Top 10 teams not qualify before. But once again it is an honour to our program."

Olds College Broncos

Head Coach Cory Mossing

ACAC Men's Team Championships: 0
ACAC Women's Team Championships: 0
ACAC Men's Individual Championships: 2
ACAC Men's Last Individual Championship: Roy Abbenbroek 1982
ACAC Women's Individual Championships: 0
ACAC Women's Last Individual Championship: 0

"On our men's team, Brandan Lyster (2nd year, Turfgrass Management, Mannville, Alberta) and Dustyn Wozny (4th year, Bachelor of Applied Science, Rycroft, Alberta) are our top golfers. Both players are very straight off the tee, and possess good short games

"On our women's team, Rebecca Grabski (2nd year Bachelor of Applied Science Calmar, Alberta) is our top golfer. Her distance off the tee is a strong asset for her, as well as a great demeanor and attitude.

"I don't know a lot about the Lac La Biche Golf Club, so I'm looking forward to playing a practice round on Friday. From what I have heard, it will favour "ball strikers," and obviously a great short game, as is the case in any tournament.

"The weather will be a factor, but it's the same for everyone. The golfers, who are mentally strong enough to deal with it and not complain about it, are the golfers who will have success this weekend.

"Overall we've played some pretty good golf so far this season, but we haven't reached our potential. We'll find out this weekend if our team is mentally strong enough to handle the pressure of the ACAC Championships."

Footnote: Roy Abbenbroek current CPGA Associate Professional at Seymour Golf and Country Club has scored five holes in one during career.

Portage Voyageurs

Head Coach Everett Hanna

"I don't feel comfortable assigning the label of "best" to any one of my student-athletes. On the male side, Trevor Froehler (2nd year, Open Studies, Lac la Biche, Alberta) shot the lowest score of our male golfers at both regional qualifiers. Trevor hits a very long ball, but also has the ability to hit impressive approach shots – two qualities that are often mutually exclusive, especially in amateur golfers. Trevor is working on improving the consistency of the contact he makes with the ball. When he hits the ball consistently for an entire round (or two), he has the potential to shoot low.

"On the female side, Kristen Swampy (1st year, College Prep, Lac La Biche, Alberta) shot the lowest scores of our female (just the two) golfers at both regional qualifiers. Kristen's biggest strength is her natural coordination and talent that comes from playing hockey. She is learning to apply her raw athleticism to the mechanics of a golf swing while improving her course management skills.

"We are a relatively small college, so our golf team tryouts are less competitive than those of our competitors. That being said, each athlete that was selected to represent Portage College on the golf course this season put their best effort forward by finishing out their rounds with poise – even when that meant grinding through tough conditions and high scores. Golf is a tough game because it pits you alone against the course – no teammates to fall back on. I was very proud of each of our athletes for representing the college well and respecting and preserving the ethics of the game and ACAC competition.

"The course isn't terribly long so reduced ball flight distance due to the colder temperatures won't be a huge factor; however, the course sits on the shores of Lac La Biche (lake) – when the wind blows in the right direction, look out. Depending on the wind direction come tournament time, playing the wind could become an important part of the game."

Footnote: Goodfish Lake has two student/athletes of the Voyageurs golf team: Tannis Quinney and Aaron Bull.

Red Deer College Kings and Queens

Head Coach Scott Bergdahl

ACAC Men's Team Championships: 2
ACAC Women's Team Championships: 0
ACAC Men's Individual Championships: 4
ACAC Men's Last Individual Championship: Kyle Morrison 2013
ACAC Women's Individual Championships: 1
ACAC Women's Last Individual Championship: Caitlin Kelliher 2009

"I think a couple of things have to happen for (Queens) Shaye Leidenius (1st year, Kinesiology & Sport Studies, Ponoka, Alberta) to compete with (former NCAA player and current Medicine Hat Rattler) Becky Martin.

"Number one, Shaye has to be firing on all cylinders. She is capable of competing with Becky but she is not the same calibre of player. Shaye would have to put it all together at one time. She would have to get closer to the pin and play stronger on her field shots.

"Cole Morrison (2nd year, Open Studies, Red Deer, Alberta) is firing on all cylinders for the men. He lost to (MacEwan University Griffins) Barrett Belland by one stroke (146-145) at (ACAC Men's North Regional held Sept. 24 –Sept. 25 at Raven Crest Golf & Country Club). They have a good friendship and friendly competition and it will be fun to watch if both are competing at their best.

"Ryan Skoreyko (1st, Bachelor of Commerce, Lacombe, Alberta)...we have not seen the best from him yet. He might be the sleeper for us."

Footnote: Former Queens golfer Katie Griffiths won silver in individual CCAA competition last year in Abbotsford, B.C.