Local Golf Report: Gary's Groomzilla Open

The first day of summer was just last week, but already, the first half of men’s league golf came to a close last week at Prairie Farms Golf Course and Beaver Creek Golf Course.

In the final Tuesday night standings, Tire Rama ran away with the first half, scoring 171 points. Joining Tire Rama in the playoffs from Tuesday night will be, BA Ranch, Patrick Construction, Wagner Plumbing and Hole 19. The top four teams from Wednesday night also found their way into the playoffs next month. Master Sports dominated the first half of the season with 167 points. DA Davidson, Korb Construction and Valley Furniture also qualified.

Last Tuesday saw Tire Rama and Wagner Plumbing share high team with 23 points. Tire Rama was made up of Jeremy Jensen, C.J. and Lunar Evans and Kyle Miller. Wagner was composed of Greg Baltrusch, Russ Earl, Dan Kiederowski and Barry Zanto. Kyle Sheppard was low gross with a one-under par 35, while Pete Christensen was low net with a 28.5.

Wednesday night, Korb Construction was high team with 22 points. Kyle Miller, Mike Erickson, Scott Miller and the guy who writes this column made up the team. It was a big night for Mike as well, as he earned low gross with a 37, and eagled the par-4 second hole for a deuce. Jon Wendland was low net with a 28.

Last Thursday also saw the end of the first half of the season at BCGC, with Beaver Creek Golf Course winning the first half with 147 points. Grip it N Sip It, Team Kaare and New Concept Lawn also finished in the top four. High-team honors last Thursday went to New Concept Lawn with 26.5 points. The team was made up of Justin Hawley, Nick Turner, Shane Patascil and Dan Rayle. Dustin Haas was low gross with an even 36, while Shane Patascil was low net with a 28.

The second half of men’s league at both Prairie Farms and BCGC start this week.

In ladies league last Thursday at Prairie Farms, Independence Bank was high team with 25.5 points. Teresa Brown was low gross with a 41 and Patti Nault was low net with a 30.

In other golf news, I found something pretty interesting when watching the Travelers Championship Sunday. When CBS' coverage was showing results from other PGA Tour events, they showed the results from this week's stop on the McKenzie Tour, formerly known as the Canadian PGA Tour. This week's stop was a brand new tournament in Lethbridge the Lethbridge Open. The tournament was played at Paradise Canyon Resort, which is a newer course just outside Lethbridge. I checked into it more, and as far as I can tell, that's the closest a true professional golf tournament has come to the Montana border. The nearest true tournament to Montana is the annual LPGA Safeway Classic, which is held every year in Boise, Idaho, which is still pretty far trek from Montana.

So, I think it's pretty cool that a real PGA Tour event is now being staged so close to Montana, and very close to Havre. Might be something worth checking out next summer, as I read that the Lethbridge Open has a three-year contract with the McKenzie Tour.

Speaking of tournaments, this past weekend was one that no tournaments were held at Prairie Farms or BCGC, but there was a friendly little tourney still played last Friday morning at Prairie Farms. I'll just call it the Gary Wagner Groomzilla Open for now, and, it was a once-in-a-lifetime event. Of course, the groom shot low gross for the day. I think I was even lucky enough to do that the day before I got married — a long, long time ago. And my old tennis coach, mentor and former Havre Public School Superintendent, Kirk Miller, walked away with low net honors.

So, in honor of that one-time only tournament, I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate Gary Wagner and Morgan McCann on their wedding last Saturday. It was a special weekend for you guys, and I was blessed to be a part of it.

The tourney scene will pick back up in July around Havre, including the annual Rotary Blast, which will be held July 8 at Prairie Farms. The Rotary Blast is a two-person modified stable ford scoring format. You can sign up for it at the Pro Shop at Prairie Farms.

Prairie Farms Golf League Standings

Tuesday Night Men

(1st Half Final)

Tire Rama 171, BA Ranch 150.5, Patrick Construction 149.5, Wagner Plumbing 149.5, Hole 19 147, Vic's Place 143, Tilleman Motors 142, BKD Law 139.5, Stockman Bank 138.5, Cowan & Sons 138, Rock Solid 131.5, Misfits 120.

Wednesday Night Men

(1st Half Final)

Master Sports 167, DA Davidson 151.5, Korb Construction 151.5, Valley Furniture 148.5, BPCU 146, Michelob Light 143.5, Hub Insurance 142.5, Independence Bank 140, Harvest Moon Lanes 128, Havre Ford 121.5.

Ladies League

Independence Bank 136.5

DA Davidson 125.5

Double R 113

Scharfe Kato & Co. 104.5

Patrick Construction 99

Havre Heating 95.5

Prairie Farms 87

Northern Mt. Hospital 84

Western Drug 81

Schubert Agency 81

Rock Solid 59

BCGC Men's League

(1st Half Final)

Grip It n Sip It - 144.5

Team Kaare - 143.5...

New Concept Lawn Care - 139

Triangle Communications - 133

Vine 19 - 131.5

Chvilicek Farms - 131.5

Nalivkas - 131

Droppin A Deuce - 129.5

Grams - 126.5

Havre Rental - 126

Office Equipment - 123.5

Triple Dog Brewery - 123.5

Plain Green - 123

C&S Labs - 121.5

Border Dogs - 111

Oxford Bar - 107

4 Shafts in 8 Balls - 84.5

Independence Bank - 81.5