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Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference "To be Canada's premiere collegiate athletic conference by developing and inspiring leadership through excellence in academics, sport and citizenship"
Posted: Sep 21, 2017

Golfing Cousins

Hailey (left) and Kassidy Turcotte (right) are golfing cousins on the ACAC golf circuit
Hailey (left) and Kassidy Turcotte (right) are golfing cousins on the ACAC golf circuit

by ACAC Sports Writer Curtis J. Phillips

If you have a sweet tooth, the hamlet of Guy, which is located in northwest Alberta, is the place to bee as it is the largest producer of Organic Honey in Canada.

After a quick sugar buzz, take a turn at Township Road 760 and drive 11 kilometres and you will discover yet another sweet spot.

It is here at the 5 Star Golf Club, a par-32 9-hole golf course, that the sweet spot and pinging pitch from the clubs of Hailey and Kassidy Turcotte were tuned.

Cousins from Fahler, Alberta, it is on the 5 Star Golf Club, adjacent to the Little Smoky River, that they spent summers growing up camping and enjoying cottage life.

"We went to (5 Star Golf Club) for summers and we would camp there and that is how we usually spent out summers....practicing golf," recalled Kassidy, 20, who would be joined by her siblings Kassidy and Konrad along with Hailey's brother Bradyn.

"People would always say, "There are so many Turcottes?" when we showed up."

Hailey, now 18, added: "They didn't know who was who or who was a brother or sister."

Now into their post-education years, Kassidy, her third-year at Concordia University of Edmonton (Bachelor of Science)) and  Hailey, in her first year at MacEwan University (Bachelor of Science), are still active on the links by playing on the Thunder and Griffins golf teams respectively in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC).

At the recent ACAC North Regional Golf tournament, held September 16-17, 2017 at the Camrose Golf Club and hosted by the University of Alberta Augustana Vikings, Hailey tied for second with Griffins' Elizabeth Stewart, shooting a two-day total of 168. 

Kassidy finished sixth at 165.

Red Deer Queens'  Shaye Leidenius won the regional with an 82. Leidenius also earned Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) and ACAC Athlete of the Week honours.

"I didn't play well,"  admits Kassidy, who prior to attending Concordia played ACAC volleyball for the Lakeland Rustlers in Lloydminster.  "I expect a lot of myself when I am competing. I feel  that I have expectations for myself, having qualified for (PING CCAA) nationals last year and I wanted to play well again."

Kassidy tied for 14th at  2016 PING CCAA event held at Fox Meadow Golf Course in Prince Edward Island last October.

Having both attended  George P. Vanier High School in Donnelly, Alberta, the cousins are all-around athletes.

"We were a really small community, so our classrooms were small," recalls Kassidy, who was, along with golf, a star in badminton and volleyball. "So you played all of the sports growing up."

Such was her prowess, that Kassidy attended Arctic Winter Games, Alberta Winter Games and Francophone Games.

The Turcottes are also familiar names on the McLennan Ross Junior Golf Tour leader boards.

To date Hailey has had two holes-in-one, tournament play in Barrhead and another at practice at Wolf Creek, while Kassidy is in search of her first ace.

"I have hit so close multiple times," said Kassidy.

Both enjoy competing against each other in the ACAC.

"We are pretty good friends and when together we talk about the yardage and holes where we are playing," said Kassidy.  "But we are both out to do the best we can."

Hailey concurs: "Usually the talk is golf related. It is just not about the individual especially because we have a team at MacEwan. It is important not to let your team down."

Griffins are currently ranked No. 6 in CCAA women's golf polls.