Local Golf Report: Beeters sweep Chinook Invite team title

Around a month ago, many wondered if anyone would even be able to play golf in the springtime. Courses were buried in snow and temperatures were still hovering in the 20s and low 30s every day.

Fast forward one month and things are certainly different — and for the better.

The long, long winter had a profound affect on Class B-C golf in the area, as teams like Chinook, Box Elder, Harlem and Rocky Boy spent much of the first month of the season, and more, inside of gyms and on golf simulators, waiting, and hoping spring would finally come.

Now however, it is here, and so, too, is the Class B and C postseason.

Last weekend's Chinook Invitational wrapped up golf's regular season. Chinook won the boys team title on its home course with a 283, beating Great Falls Central, Malta and Harlem. Tamer Jamieson, Jacob Huckabee and Brandon Paulsen all posted Top 10 finishes for the Sugarbeeters, while Harlem's Sonny Gray, Daniel Rasmussen and Tevin Messerly all finished inside the Top 15, as did Chinook's Chase Moxley.

On the girls side, the Beeters easily won the team title last Saturday with a 299, and a first-place finish from senior Carrie Hofer. Chinook, which finished third at the Class C state tourney last year, also got a third-place finish from Ashley MacLeod, while Alyssa Gruszie and Hailey Bell also finished in the Top 10.

Now, Mike Seymour's teams, along with Box Elder and Rocky Boy, will begin postseason play. The Class C state tournament will be held at Fairmont Hot Springs May 15-16, while the Class B state tournament will be played in Shepherd. Check back with From Tee to Green for all the local results from both state tourneys.

And high school golfers weren't the only ones patiently waiting for real spring weather to arrive. So were all of our local golfers, and finally, it's really here. Beaver Creek Golf Course, Prairie Farms Golf Course and the Chinook Golf Club are all fully operational now, and the recent hot weather is speeding up the growing and greening-up process.

And because all of the courses are in such good shape, men's leagues, albeit a few weeks late, have also begun.

Last Tuesday at Prairie Farms, the season started with Lunar Evans shooting a 2-under par 34 to take low gross honors, while C.J. Evans and Nate Baltrusch were low net, each with a 32.5. High team went to Tire Rama with 24 points. The team was made up of Jeremy and Jeff Jensen, and Lunar and C.J. Evans.

Last Wednesday night saw Valley Furniture score 21.5 points to take high team honors. The team was composed of Cal Wirtzberger, Mike Evans, Kerry Ward and Brent Reber. Jeremy Jensen shot a 1-under 35 for low gores, while Mason Sheppard shot a 31 for low net.

BCGC also started men's league last Thursday night. We hope to have those results in next week's from Tee to Green.

One last reminder, anyone wishing to have league, tournament, or any other information published in my weekly golf column, please email it to [email protected] or [email protected] by the Sunday night before the next column runs.

Prairie Farms Golf League Standings

Tuesday Night Men

Tire Rama 24, Vic's Place 23, BKD Law 23, Stockman Bank 19.5, Tilleman Motors 19, Hole 19 18, Wagner Plumbing 18, BA Ranch 17, Patrick Construction 16.5, Cowan and Sons 13, Misfits 13, Rock Solid 12.

Wednesday Night Men

Valley Furniture 21.5, Korb Construction 20, BPCU 20, Michelob Light 19, Harvest Moon Lanes 18, Havre Ford 17, Hub Insurance 16, Master Sports 16, Independence Bank 14.5.