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ESTEVAN - An Estevan golfer won a national championship at the Canada Senior Games Association’s Canada 55-plus Games in Kamloops, B.C., from Aug. 23-26.

Scott Blackstock finished first in the 65-plus low gross division with a two-round total of 150. He shot a 79 in the first round and a 71 in the second. Handicaps aren’t factored into the scores for low gross.

The 71 he shot in the second round was the lowest of any golfer in low gross. And he had a lower two-round score than anyone in the 55-plus division.

“Anytime you play a new course, you really have to pay attention in the second round. I made a few mistakes in not knowing the course in the first round, so I shot a little higher with the 79, and the next day, you just to remember where the trouble was,” said Blackstock.

He was also more familiar with the greens in the second round.

The course he played at was in great shape, he said. There were lots of bunkers that were difficult to play out of, and the greens were huge.

It was also very hot in Kamloops during the tournament.  

He noted the event is an effort to encourage more activity among older people.

“It’s a lot of fun, and it’s geared for fun, friendship and camaraderie,” he said.

This isn’t the first time Blackstock has won a gold medal at the games. Seven years ago in Edmonton, he captured first in the 55-plus division.

Blackstock noted there was a contingent of about a dozen athletes from southeast Saskatchewan at the games, including a number of golfers, which was nice.

 He wasn’t the only southeast athlete to win a medal.

The team of Janet Shillington, Donalee Paton, Winona Fuchs and Marguerite Black of Carnduff, along with Vera Ross of Saskatoon, won gold in 75-and-over bowling. The tournament used cumulative points over average for the six games that each bowler had to determine the winner.

The Saskatchewan entry’s cumulative average was 653, or 3,918 over six games. The total score for Saskatchewan in their six games was 4,485, or 567 above their average.

(An upcoming edition of the Carlyle Observer will have more on the bowlers’ success).

Omer Carriere of Redvers was second in the men’s 85-plus low gross with a two-round total of 199 (98-101).

Scott Boyes of Carnduff won a bronze medal in the men’s 55-plus low gross with a two-round total of 174 (90-84).

Other southeast golfers were Ron Rittaler, who was fifth in male 70-plus low gross with a two-round 171 (88-83); Linda Murphy was seventh in women’s 55-plus low gross with a 203 (101-102); Kathy Blackstock was fourth in women’s 65-plus low gross with a 207 (103-104); Gary Millions was ninth in the male 55-plus low net, which includes a golfer’s handicap, with a 153 (76-77); and Judy Thompson was 13th in women’s 55-plus low net with a two-round score of 173 (91-82).

The Games are held every two years at locations across the country.