Local Golf Report: Open range offered to HHS golfers

Real summer weather has seemingly arrived, and it couldn’t come too soon, as I have to admit, I was getting sick of rained on, and blown off the golf course the last month.

And, on Monday, there was real summer weather as I visited Old Works Golf Course in Anaconda for the first time in five years. It’s always fun to go back to Old Works, as I consider it one of the absolute crown jewel’s of Montana golf. And, until I got there on Monday morning, I didn’t even realize the course it celebrating its 20th anniversary. So, I’m glad I made it down there this summer, as I did in fact play Old Works the year it opened. Hard to believe, unless I look at the top of my head, that 20 years has passed since the first time I played the course.

And while the course was, as always, fun and hard, my run down to Anaconda Monday did bring up a slight, complaint I have with golf. Joining me Monday were two Old Work’s first-timers, a pair of local high school golfers, as well as excellent tennis players. But, unfortunately, they didn’t get to play the course in all of its usual splendor.

Upon arriving at the first green, we realized that the course had freshly top-dressed its greens. For those of you who don’t know what that means, it is a layer of sand and tiny rock, and its part of annual care and maintenance for all greens. That, I totally understand, and, having worked at a golf course for several different summers in my younger days, I have a tremendous amount of respect for the hard work and care greens keeper's go through to take care of their courses and make them the great courses they are for hackers like me to play.

Having said that, I would have appreciated a head’s up that the greens would be under scheduled maintenance on Monday, only because we were driving a pretty great distance to play a pretty great course for what will be the only time this summer. Had I known the greens were going to be top-dressed that day, or at other times, aerated, which has been the case on several of my other golfing adventures away from Havre, I would have likely chosen a different day to visit, especially considering I was bringing to young, avid golfers who had only heard the legend of Old Works and seen pictures of it on the internet.

And while it was still a great day of golf, and Old Works is still a magical course that I recommend every golfer should play at least once, it would have been even better had I gotten to show my two young friends the true beauty of the course, in it’s purest form.

Speaking of local high school golfers, Havre High head coach Brett Gilman is offering open driving range sessions for all HHS and potential HHS golfers for the remainder of the summer. Sessions will run this Thursday, next Tuesday, as well as July 28, Aug. 1 and Aug 4. Each session will be from 6-8 p.m. at Prairie Farms Golf Course.

Meanwhile, the men’s league at Prairie Farms is starting to wind its regular season down, and the chase for the playoffs is going strong. With only three weeks left in the regular season, last Tuesday and Wednesday were again competitive nights.

Last Tuesday saw Wagner Plumbing and Milk River Engineering tie for high team with 21.5 points. Jeremy Jensen was low gross with an even-par 36, while Greg Baltrusch was low net with a 30.

Last Wednesday night, D.A. Davidson was high team with 24 points. Jim Wirt, Frank Peterson, Dave Herman and Dave Greenwood made up the squad. Jensen and Jim Kato each shot even par to tie for low gross, while Cal Wirtzberger was low net with a 29.5.

On the tournament front, a congrats is in order to the Northern Alumni Foundation for hosting an excellent tournament last weekend at Beaver Creek Golf Course. The scramble was held to help raise funds for the new Diesel Technology Center, and a reported very good time was had by all.

Next up at Prairie Farms is the annual Northern Montana Health Care Foundation Scramble, which will take place Aug. 6.

Prairie Farms Standings

Tuesday Night Men

1. Vic’s Place- 101

2. Hole 19- 99.5

3. Bing n Bobs- 95

4. Dan Wagner Plumbing- 95

5. Milk River Engineering (Misfits)- 91

6. Stockman Bank- 89

7. Havre Ford- 89

8. Korb Construction- 89

9. BKD Law- 87.5

10. Patrick Construction- 86.5

11. Rock Solid- 85.5

12. Cowan & Son- 84

13. Tilleman Motor CO- 83.5

14. Northern Edge- 83

Wednesday Night Men

1. Havre Ford- 102.5

2. DA Davidson- 100

3. Master Sports -100

4. Valley Furniture – 97

5. Michelob Light- 96

6. Gallery Lounge- 88

7. S&M Construction- 87

8. Aarons- 84.5

9. Bear Paw Credit Union- 82.5

10. Mariani Insurance- 82

11. Independence Bank- 80

12. Koefod Agency- 80