INNISFAIL - The 32nd Annual Innisfail Pro-Am golf tournament is in the books with Calgary players taking home both the top team and individual honours.
Most importantly for the Innisfail Golf Club, the one-day tournament on Sept. 11 proved once again it's still relevant in today's advancing sport on the links, and still very much an important date on the calendar for many Alberta professionals and amateurs.
"It's definitely established a spot on the calendar for sure. I think it is certainly something that if they (players) got it on their calendar and they consistently come and look forward to that event that tells you it is something worth doing," said Jim Boomer, the club’s head professional. "I think it is important in the sense of golf itself. I think it is one of those things where a lot of times these players come with their pro.
"Their pro is their teacher, their person at the club they know and once a year they come to something like this," added Boomer, noting the local club has earned a reputation as being one of the best in the province. "That is one of the reasons we are able to host it too because it is a little bit of a destination for these people to come once a year."
Better still for the 80 professional and amateur players who came to this year's one-day tourney, was the weather. It cooperated on Sept. 11, one day before the cold and snow blew in.
The tournament featured 20 teams of four players -- one pro with three amateurs. The pros played against each other and with their own ball. There was a team game as well, with the pros part of each team.
What also bodes well for many, said Boomer, is that the tourney's high quality of golf offers a chance for many to learn. "If somebody wanted to come out and watch golf, especially on a course they know, I think that is the interesting part about watching golf,' he said. "If you know the golf course in terms of your own game it becomes pretty interesting to watch some of the better players play the place."
When this year's Pro-Am was over there was a rare tie for top individual score. Calgarians Wes Martin and Steve Blake both shot 71. They each took home $750 in prize money. In the team event, Blake's four-man squad, which included fellow Calgarians Dean Fillpetto, Simon King and John Swacha, came on top with 93 points. Each member of the winning team won a TaylorMAde Spider putter.
The tournament also featured 18 different hole prizes. The prize presentations were made following the tournament dinner.
