Regina Beach Ladies Golf Club History
In 1922 the Regina Beach Golf Course started as part of the Regina Beach Sports and Recreation Club. This association was formed to organize golf, tennis and other desirable sports. They built a club house and 9-hole golf course. The golf course was popular and around 1932 saw the beginning of an organized golf course.
The course flourished under the management of Al and Grace Hammand from 1958 until 1967. It was during the Hammands’ tenure that the Regina Beach Ladies Club was formed in 1965. The initial membership was 22 ladies.
Grace established a trophy for a nine-hole competition, the “Barber Hammond Trophy” in 1968 that is still being competed for today. The first winner of the trophy was E. Gilbert. This trophy is sponsored today by Home Hardware Building Centre and presented by Ada Lou Watson a long-time member of the Regina Beach Ladies Golf Club and the Regina Beach community.
In 1971, the Kinookimaw Association took over the golf course. Three years later, in 1974, the Association began construction of the existing club house as well as a new 9-hole course. The much improved, fully irrigated course was completed in 1976.
In the early 70’s, the Regina Beach Ladies Invitational Golf Tournament was established by some of the Club Membership. Some of the ladies attended Invitational tournaments around the province and wanted to start one at Regina Beach. Muriel MacRae was the Marshall at the very first tournament. Elaine Bewcyk from the 9-Hole Ladies was a key organizer of the event. Muriel said that the ladies cooked the meal themselves for the first event. Ladies from various golf clubs in Saskatchewan participated. In 2001, the annual tournament became part of and organized under the Regina Beach Ladies Golf Club. This Tournament became well known and very popular amongst the Saskatchewan lady golfers. The tournament was hosted by the club until 2008.
Muriel MacRae and her husband Bill managed the Pro Shop in 1980 and 1981. The Saskatchewan Golf Association approached Bill and offered a grant to start a Junior Golf Program. Along with the Regina Beach Mens Golf Club, the Regina Beach Ladies Golf Club has for many years sponsored a very successful Junior Golf Development Program at the Regina Beach Golf Club.
It was also during this time that the golf course and golf clubs became more organized. The Regina Beach Golf Club became a rated golf course. The ladies could purchase a locker in the basement of the Golf Club for a nominal fee to store their pull cart and golf clubs. Tuesdays were established as the Men’s golf day and Wednesdays became the Ladies golf day. It was also at this time that the #1 tee box was moved from the front of the Club House to where it is today along the Kinookimaw Road.
Muriel initiated the building of the first sheds – the first row at the back on the North side and the side row. The cost of the shed was $7.00 for building materials and pain. There was power installed in some of the sheds for the people that had electric carts. An additional fee was charged for that. The front row was added later by Max Ferguson.
Muriel liked to run a tight ship and she fondly remembers a lot of people referring to her as “Colonel Klink”.
By 1988, the membership had grown to 101. The membership has continued to be maintained and is still over 100 members in 2014.
A Ladies Mixed Tournament – played as a Texas Scramble – was started in the early 90`s. This Tournament is played by the Regina Beach Ladies Golf Club and the Regina Beach Mens Golf Club. Each team has two men and two ladies placed by handicap. In 2005, the Tournament became sponsored by ET`s Recreational Service, Brent Simon. This is still the sponsor in 2014.
The Wednesday closest to July 1st, Canada Day, is a Canada Day Celebration with the 9-Hole Ladies and the 18-Hole Ladies playing together all decked out in red and white garments and displaying Canada Day Flags. In 1984 Harold Dean initiated this day as Helen Dean’s Competition Day in memory of his wife Helen. In 2001, this Day became Pat’s Two Ball sponsored by Pat Turgeon until 2009. In 2010 and 2011, the Day became Pitch, Putt and Party sponsored by Karen Cumbers and Lynne Tait. In 2012 the Day was changed to Denise Kerr Fun Day in honor of Denise who passed away from cancer. It is now the Canada Day Memorial Trilogy honouring all members who have passed away.
The Regina Beach Ladies Golf Club has for many years participated in the Regina Beach and District Canada Day Parade. Members of the Club decorate their golf carts and drive them in the parade.
Decorating the Carts – L-R – Pat Scherle, Dolly Dermody, Darlene Miller)
On July 7th, 1999 Shirley Friel made a Hole-in-One. She did this on Hole #12 during the Regina Beach Ladies Invitational Tournament. Shirley says: “The thing that made this so special was that I got the Hole-in-One during our Invitational so there was not only celebrating out on the course, but also back at the Club House and then at the banquet afterwards with over 100 golf gals from around Saskatchewan. There was a really nice article in the Waterfront Press. It was great! Everyone in town helped me to celebrate that summer. My husband and I hosted a Hole-in-One party later in July with many members of our Club attending to mark the occasion.”
The Regina Beach Ladies Golf Club Inc. was incorporated as a non-profit organization in June of 2005.
Along with the Regina Beach Mens Golf Club, the Regina Beach Ladies Golf Club has for many years sponsored a very successful Junior Golf Development Program at the Regina Beach Golf Club.
In 2008, South Shore School of Regina Beach and Lumsden Elementary School in partnership with the Regina Beach Golf Clubs were awarded the Prairie Valley School Division Grass Green Junior West District Golf Competitions which were held at the Regina Beach Golf Club.
In 2010 the Regina Beach Ladies Golf Club adopted the Regina Beach South Shore Elementary School through Golf Canada’s Golf in Schools Program. This provided the school with golf equipment and learning curriculum materials so that students can learn the game as part of the school’s physical education classes.
In 2012 the Regina Beach Ladies Golf Club won the Membership Card Activation Contest for Saskatchewan put on by Golf Canada. The Regina Beach Ladies Golf Club had 100% participation in this contest. This entitled us to an article on our Club in an upcoming issue of the Golf Canada Magazine. This article appeared in the June, 2013 issue of the Golf Canada Magazine. We also received a “Golf in School’s Program” with a value of $500.00 to support a golf program in a local school. This was given to Lumsden Elementary School.
The season for the Regina Beach Ladies Golf Club begins the first Wednesday of May and continues until mid-September. The Club is a very enthusiastic group and has always been a very social group enjoying many socials together.
The Membership at the Ladies Club is diverse, ranging in age from early 30’s to the club’s oldest member, Eva Eckert, a very active 94-year-old who still golfs several days a week. On July 16, 2014, Eva celebrated her 94th birthday at the Regina Beach Golf Club. She celebrated by golfing with the Regina Beach Ladies on their regular Wednesday ladies golf day and then was presented with a cake by Joe Daniels, Manager of the Regina Beach Golf Club.
The Regina Beach Ladies Golf Club has a 9-hole and an 18-hole group that golf every Wednesday and a business ladies group that golf on Saturdays. Competitions are held separately for each group.
The 9-Hole Championship Club Trophy was the Cope Trophy sponsored by Cope Groceries before 1998. In 1998 the 9-Hole Championship Club Trophy became the Taylor Cup, sponsored by Wes Taylor of Wes’ Place – Hair Works. The first winner of the Taylor Cup was Grace Fairburn.
Another competition for the 9-hole Ladies Group is the Putting Competition. The August Putting Trophy was sponsored by Connie August from 1993 – 1996. In 1997 The Butler Putting Trophy, sponsored by the Butler Family, was established. The Butler Family originally owned the Bluebird Cafe which was famous for their fish and chips.
The 18-Hole Championship Club Trophy, the Sybil Tremaine Cup, is sponsored by Syd Tremaine since 1995 in memory of his wife who was one of the founding members.
Another Competition is the Forester Competition sponsored by Judy Forester of Forester Realty – 18 Hole Medal Round – lowest aggregate of three new scores out of five. This was initiated by Forester Realty in 1981. The first winner of this Trophy was Leona Heron.
The 2013 and 2014 golf seasons were challenging due to the large amount of rain received in the region. The golf course had several holes under water which resulted in the course being modified in order to be played and was a very challenging year of golfing for the Regina Beach golfers.
The Past Presidents of the Regina Beach Ladies Golf Club are as follows: (*deceased)
Molly Stepenoff – 1965-67 Jane Hopkins – 1967-69 Sybil Watson – 1969-71*
Muriel Wilson – 1971-73* Louise Walker – 1973-75 Evelyn Gilbert – 1975-77*
Bea Smith – 1977-79* Pearl Grieves-1979-80* Helen Harper – 1980-81*
Marg Parker – 1981-82* Esther Medhurst – 1982-83* Shirley MacBean – 1983-84*
Anne Kangles – 1984-84* Sybil Tremaine – 1985-86* Audrey Ferguson – 1986-87*
Phyllis Cushway – 1987-88* Jean Reid – 1988-89 Irene Wilkie – 1989-90*
Evelyn Selby – 1990-91* Vel Lyons – 1991-92 Verna Martin – 1992-93
Jean Reid – 1993-94 Noel Klock – 1994-95 Agnes Saleski – 1995-96*
Janey Davies – 1996-97 Shirley Knight – 1997-98 Kris Walter – 1998-99
Denise Kerr – 1999-00* Pat Turgeon – 2000-01 Dianne Lasek – 2001-02
Joanne Aldag – 2002-03 Willa Sunnucks – 2003-04 Judy Marchtaler – 2004-05
Dean Anderson – 2005-06 Carolyn McKay – 2006-07 Lynne Tait – 2007-08*
Arlene Schultz -2008-09 Karen Cumbers – 2009-10 Priscilla Theriault – 2010-11
Deb Ebel – 2011-12 Linda Jacobs – 2012-13 Pearl Peters – 2013-14
Cathy Joyner – 2014-15
The following members of the Regina Beach Ladies Golf Club have had significant achievements:
1999 – Shirley Friel – Hole-in-One (Regina Beach Golf Course – Hole 12)
2001 – Kim Sinclair – Regina Beach Golf Club Course Record of 79
2002 – Joyce Scherer – Hole-in-One (Regina Beach Golf Club – Hole 3)
2004 – Pat Turgeon – Hole-in-One (Regina Beach Golf Course –Hole 7)
2004 – Sue Mehlsen – Hole-in-One (Deer Valley Golf Course)
2006 – Marj Wiggins – Eagle (Regina Beach Golf Course – Hole 4)
2007 – Marlene Lessard – Hole-In-One (Regina Beach Golf course – Hole 3)
2009 – Keely Riebling – Tied the Regina Beach Golf Club Course Record of 79
2010 – Vel Lyons – Hole-in-One ( Regina Beach Golf Course – Hole 7)
2013 – Judy Starkes – Hole-in-One (Regina Beach Golf Course– Hole 3)
2014 – Keely Riebling – Tied the Regina Beach Golf Course Record of 79 (on modified Course)
2014 – Sue Mehlsen – Eagle (Regina Beach Golf Course – Hole 8 – on modified Course)
