Local Golf Report: Jim and Geno win annual Rotary Blast

Don’t look now, but one of the biggest weeks of golf at Prairie Farms Golf Course has now come and gone.

And what a week it was.

Last week was Rotary Week at Prairie Farms, starting with the well-attended Rotary Youth Golf Camp. Each year, Jim Kato, Doug Sheppard and a host of volunteers put on the annual golf camp, which is open to ages 8-18.

This past week, though, the weather wasn’t perfect, was another great example of the camp — which has become very popular for younger golfers, and kids looking to learn the game from the ground up.

Over the years, I have spent plenty of time around the Rotary Youth Golf Camp, and I must say, it is so impressive what they do. As an avid golfer, and pretty much self-taught, I would have loved to have something like the Rotary Camp when I was growing up.

So, once again, thank you to Jim and Doug and everyone else who made this year’s camp another great one. As someone who loves the game of golf, I certainly appreciate all you guys do.

And, the camp wasn’t the end of a very busy Rotary week either. On Sunday, Prairie Farms played host to the annual Rotary Blast, the two-person, 18-hole Modified Stableford tourney that has always been so popular.

In the end, Jim Kirkpatrick and Gene Harada blew away the field with a score of +23, which, in that format, is very, very good. So congrats to Jimmy and Geno on a job well done. Rick Floren and Frank Peterson came in second place with a score of +13.5, while Marc and Steve Mariani were third with a +13.

And while last week was the big Rotary Week at Prairie Farms, it was quiet on the league front as both men’s and women’s leagues took the week off due to the Fourth of July holiday. League action resumes with the men tonight and Wednesday, while the ladies will be back in action Thursday. From here, it’s not long until golf’s postseason begins.

And speaking of golf’s postseason, don’t forget to watch the Open Championship this week. While the Masters might be the most popular golf tournament, and the U.S. Open might be toughest, the Open Championship, which is the real name for the British Open, is certainly the most historic. The courses are incredible, and steeped in history and tradition. This year, Royal Troon is the host, and while it might not be the birthplace of golf like St. Andrews, it is near the birthplace of the Open Championship, which originated just a few miles away at Prestwick Golf Club. Troon took over for Prestwick in the 1920s, and it’s one of the seven famed original greats of the Open Championship rota.

Yes, there is nothing quite like links golf on the Scottish and English coasts, and, it doesn’t get more traditional than at Troon, with the first six holes bordering the North Sea, the bullet train going by No. 16 and, of course, the Postage Stamp, the 122-yard, treacherous, but world-renowned Par-3 8th hole at Troon. I actually got to play a replica of the Postage Stamp when I played Royal Links in Las Vegas, and while it did only play 122 yards, I, being the inaccurate ball striker that I am, can see why the little hole at Troon gives the pros so many headaches.

Yes, it’s completely worth getting up, or staying up in my case, to watch the Open Championship, and starting early Thursday morning, I’m not going to be getting much sleep the rest of this week.

Prairie Farms Golf Leagues

Tuesday Night Men

1. Hole 19- 82.5

2. Vic’s Place- 81

3. Bing n Bobs- 78

4. Dan Wagner Plumbing- 73.5

5. Havre Ford- 70

6. Milk River Engineering (Misfits)- 69.5

7. Korb Construction- 69.5

8. Rock Solid- 69

9. Stockman Bank- 69

10. Tilleman Motor Co.- 69

11. BKD Law- 68.5

12. Cowan & Son- 68

13. Patrick Construction- 66.5

14. Northern Edge- 67

Wednesday Night Men

1. Master Sports- 83

2. Havre Ford- 82.5

3. Gallery Lounge- 76

4. Valley Furniture- 76

5. D.A. Davidson- 76

6. Michelob Light- 76

7. Aaron's- 68.6

8. Mariani Insurance- 67

9. S&M Construction- 66.5

10. Independence Bank- 65

11. Koefod Agency- 64

12. Bear Paw Credit Union- 63.5

Ladies League

D.A. Davidson- 153.5 (Bye Week)

Independence Bank- 150

Northern Montana Hospital- 148

Makin Waves- 140.5

Scharfe, Kato & Co.- 132.5

Patrick Construction- 132

Havre Heating & A/C- 127

Schubert Agency- 125

Western Drug- 112.5

Prairie Farms- 112.5

Rock Solid- 96