Local Golf Report: Northern golf teams teeing it up this fall

The 2020 Frontier Conference golf season is going to look a bit different for the Montana State University-Northern Lights and Skylights, thanks to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Still, the season is underway neverthelessess.

Northern is in its second year coached by my good buddy Jim Kirkpatrick, and the Lights and Skylights opened their season Monday at the Montana Tech Invitational.

Golfing this season for the Lights is returners T.J. Reynolds and Kyle Vandenacre, while newcomers Troy Amsden, Oden Hallock and Matt Krueger are also making up the men’s team.

On the women’s team, Tiara Gilham and Megan Vandenacre are back for the new season, while Makayla LaBuff and Leotie Whitehead will also compose the squad.

As for the season, the Frontier is playing a four-week fall season, but only one-day tournaments, as opposed to the usual 54-hole tourneys the men would play, and the 36-hole events the women would usually play.

On Monday, Northern played at the Montana Tech tournament at the Butte country Club. The Lights finished fourth with Amsden shooting a team-best 77. On the women's side, Gilham took 10th overall with a 92, while Vandenacre took 13th with a 97.

Northern’s schedule also includes two more tournaments at Carroll College in Helena, and an Oct. 4 tournament hosted by Rocky Mountain College.

On a different note, next week will be the final From Tee to Green for the 2020 golf season. If any course or league wants anything published, they need to get that information to me by Sunday night.