CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS AND PHOTOS

 FINAL RESULTS 2026 CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP - Sept 17

2026 Birchbank Retirees Championships

Forty Retirees Club members wrapped up the 2026 season September 17 by playing in the Retirees Championship followed by a steak dinner in the Bistro.

Overall Low Gross winner was Brad Harding who won the title after a sudden death playoff with David Panton — both players shot a gross score of 76

Overall Low Net winner was Brian Austin with a net 69 score. This was Brian's first title win.

Net Winners - Net Scores

'A' Flight:

1st Rick Brown (75)

2nd Bob Elliott (76)

3rd Don Whitford (77)

'B' Flight: (tie break system used after a 4 way tie)

1st Marlin Frederick (77)

2nd Terry Brennan (77)

3rd Richard Dewdney (77)

'C' Flight

1st Joseph Gallant (71)

2nd Mark Schickler (77) via tie break after a 3 way tie

3rd Steve Hope (77) 

Closest to Pin & Longest Putt winners

KP#2 - Dave Muir

KP#7 - Ken Umbarger

KP#14 - Steve Hope

KP#17 - Wayne Weaver

LP#9 - Dave Wray

LP#18 - Marlin Frederick

PHOTOS

KP & LP Winners: Hope, Wray, Muir, Frederick, missing Weaver & Umbarger

'C' Flight winners: Hope, Schickler, Gallant

'B' flight winners: Frederick, Dewdney, Brennan (missing)

'A' Flight winners: Whitford, Elliott, Rick Brown

Overall Winners: Brian Austin (Low Net), Brad Harding (Low Gross)

Season long helpers...THANKS to Stan Trozzo, Reg Cherenko, Dave Muir, and Ray St.Jean who acted as  members of the Planning Committee. Al Piccolo (50/50 seller), Thomas Keen KP/LP pins, Bob Elliott, Rick Brown, Phil Molloy, (scoring) and everyone else who stepped up when a job needed somebody to get it done.

Plus, the behind the scenes Golf Club staff who always when out of their way to help make the ball roll into the hole (course maintenance staff), help make the social part of the events go smoothly (food & beverage staff), and help get us on the course on time (Jeff and the Pro Shop staff).

RETIREES CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP and CLOSING EVENT

 SEPTEMBER 17 - Club Championship

9:30 shotgun start — Check-in starts at 8:00

2025: Ken Swanson (Overall Low Net), Don Whitford Overall Low Gross)

The final event of the 2026 season is a flighted event played to determine the Overall Low Net and Overall Low Gross winners. The entry list is split into flights (3 or 4 depending upon total entries); each group is made up of players with matching course handicaps.

Each player's score is eligible for one of the prizes: overall low net or overall low gross or flight low net placing 1st-3rd.

Individual prizes are also available for KP and LP holes and 50/50 draw

Here are a few photos from the 2026 season:

THE SECRET TO GOLF - so simple really.

PGA CHAMPION

We were finally able to get a trophy presentation photo of our 2026 PGA Champion Brian Muskeyn, which meant I didn't have to Photoshop his head onto someone else's body....

Presenting the coveted Tiger Woods Bobblehead trophy to Brian is Ray St Jean.

CANADIAN OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP ENDS THURSDAY

The 3rd event in the Retirees Majors schedule finishes this Thursday with round 3. The winner is determined using their 2 lowest net scores from Retirees rounds played during the month of June.

Players are reminded to turn in your scorecard after each Retirees round AND enter your NET score on the scoresheet — if bonus strokes were earned they should be noted on the scorecard.

Next up is British Open Month beginning July 2

Some 2 bonus stoke winners

Week 2: Lenn Delorie red socks and red shirt!

 

Week 1: Thomas Keen, Marlin Frederick, John Lattanzio

Week 1: Jim Park

REDSTONE INVITATIONAL JULY 10

Friday, July 10  Shotgun start: 9:30 am  Entry deadline: July 2

Entry fee includes Golf, BBQ lunch, prizes — Must be paid by our deadline or lose your spot.

ENTRY FEE (updated)

Walking: $75

Power Cart: $95

THE SECRET TO GOLF

After finishing par-par on my round last week, it appears I have found the secret to golf. Sorry, I can't tell you what it is.... it's a secret.

MASTERS WIN FOR LATTANZIO, OPENING SCRAMBLE...and more stuff

LATTANZIO OVER COMES HOSTILE CROWD TO WIN MASTERS

John Lattanzio scored a best two rounds total of (67-72) 139 to overtake his neighbourhood rival Serge Pasquali (71-71) 142 and last year's Club Championship Low Net winner Ken Swanson (70-73) 143. The hostile crowd, 2 pesky Crows and cranky Robin, seemed to take delight in making noise on every backswing and on every putt — ok the crows might have just been trying to steal Al Piccolo's snack from his cart.

One member of the hostile crowd

OPENING SCRAMBLE THIS WEEK

44 players are on the entry list to play in this season's opening scramble and lunch. The weather forecast is for sunny skies and mid-20's.

Check-in: 8:30 - 9:15am
Player meeting: 9:15 - 9:20 (last minute changes)
Shotgun start (back 9): 9:30 or sooner (listen for the horn)

HANDICAP, INDEX, AND COURSE HANDICAP

1. Handicap Index is a portable, standardized number (calculated from your 8 best scores of the last 20) representing your potential playing ability worldwide. It is a decimal number, for example 12.3

If you are NOT using Golf Canada for your handicap index, you need to keep track of your best 8 of your last 20 scores and use the handicap calculator (link at the top of the screen). The Chronogolf app does not calculate it correctly.

2. Course Handicap is the whole number of strokes you receive on a specific course and set of tees, determined by applying your Index to the course's difficulty (Slope/Rating).

3. The term handicap should be replaced with COURSE handicap. When entering events at other courses you should always use your Handicap Index

4. Our weekly events use NET scores with your COURSE handicap from the WHITE TEES or the appropriate COURSE handicap for the tee you are playing. Our scramble events and championship are WHITE TEES.

All clear as mud?

BIRCHBANK INVITATIONAL - MAY 21

Go to the top of this page and click on ONLINE REGISTRATIONS to read all about it and enter. That entry fee information is only for our members since you do not pay a green fee. Sign up now. Volunteer now to help with set up and clean up - talk to John Lattanzio.

WHITFORD & SWANSON TAKE OVERALL TITLES

 2025 RETIREES CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS    

45 members of the Retirees Club teed off Sept 18 to determine the Club Champions. Three flights of players competed for the Overall Title, Flight winners, and KP/LP prizes. 

L-R Ken Swanson (Overall Low Net), Don Whitford Overall Low Gross)

It was a fine Autumn day, with sunshine and comfortable temperatures for the full 18 holes thanks to the meticulous planning by the volunteers running the event. 

"A" Flight: L-R; Chris Vlanich (2nd), Dave Muir (1st), Bob Elliott (3rd)

Following the completion of play, the players enjoyed a steak dinner and tasty desserts as well as a refreshing beverage while having a laugh or two about how they played.

"B" Flight: L-R Brian Muskeyn (3rd), Paul Troseth (1st), Stan Trozzo (2nd)

After the event prizes were awarded, several more draws were made for prizes some provided by the Trail Hockey Club Society, 50/50 cash prizes, and additional sleeves of golf balls

"C" Flight Results *** an error was found in the 3rd place results for this flight, the correct results are as follows (new photo will need to be arranged for posting here)

1st: Merv Olson

2nd: John Newton

3rd: John Rilkoff ***

THANK YOU

Thank you to everyone who volunteered, helped out when asked, made suggestions for improving things, and generally made things run as well as they could for the season.

Special thanks to all the members who have learned how to check in early at our events,  how to use the online sign up link, have switched from cash only to using eTransfers for fees — it all makes our job a whole lot easier.

FINAL MAJOR WINNER PLAYS LIKE SCOTTIE, DICE SCRAMBLE RESULTS, AND Only 4 Weeks to go...

 LAST RETIREES MAJOR WINNER FOR 2025 DECLARED

Reg Cherenko ran away with the Fed Ex Cup event to win our final Retirees Major for the 2025 season and took home 'slightly' less than a $10 million first place prize. 

Huge thank you to Robin Valentine and Stan Trozzo for taking on the running of the monthly competitions — 'It was a piece of cake." was the comment I thought I heard Robin say....

DICE SCRAMBLE COMPLAINTS OF DEFECTIVE DICE

This year's event was filled with stories of possible defective dice as several teams complained of repeatedly rolling the SAD FACE. Needless to say, the top teams didn't seem to have any such issue however.

L-R: John Rilkoff, Don Szilagyi, John Lattanzio, Marlin Frederick

Results:

1st: Rilkoff, Szilagyi, Lattanzio, Frederick (67)

2nd: Cherenko, DeWitt, Piccolo, Papilion (68)

3rd: Muir, Brown, Dewdney, Newton (71*)via tiebreak

KP winners: #2- Frederick, #7- Rilkoff, #14- Burke, #17- Gallant

LP winners: #9- Brennen, #18- Burke

TIME FLIES ON THIS SEASON

Get out there, there are only 4 weeks left in the Retirees season for 2025. The Retirees Club Championship is set for Sept 18 at 9 AM (back up date is Sept 25 in case it snows on the 18th) 

Entry fee is $25.00 and includes all the golf, prizes and steak sandwich lunch.

CHRISTINA LAKE TOURNAMENT - SEPT 4 

9AM SHOTGUN, check in at 8am. The deadline has passed and the entries sent in. Here is the list of entries.

RETIREES MIXED SHAMBLES TEES OFF THIS WEEK

SHAMBLES THIS WEEK

The sunny and warm weather is forecast to return just in time for this year's edition of the Retirees Host the Ladies as a mixed shambles tournament and lunch. Forty-eight players are scheduled to tee off in a 9:00am shotgun start with lunch and awards to follow the completion of play

CHERENKO WINS BRITISH OPEN MONTH

A super final round earned Reg Cherenko the title of this year's Champion Golfer of the Year as winner of our British Open Month. Reg will now get to hold the trophy and get the coveted tee bag that was part of his massive winnings. Watch future posts for the photo.

HAWAIIAN SHIRT DAY NEXT WEEK

Dig out your favourite Hawaiian shirt to celebrate July's rare 5th Thursday of the month. This will be a freeplay day with no special scoring, no need to turn in scorecards, and no KP/LP prizes — just play golf with your pals.

2025 RETIREES PGA WINNER

 Congratulations to Mike Vlanich for winning the Retirees PGA Month way back in May, unfortunately it took us until this week to get a photo of Mike with the PGA Trophy.... Nice Rolex watch Mike! 😜😜

2025 Retirees PGA Winner

LOOK MA, NO RAIN!!

Winning team: Shubert, Tresidder, Bain, Dewdney

 While it was exactly bright sunshine and hot, it was pretty close to perfect weather — for most golfers that means NO RAIN. It was a busy day at the course as 104 players from six local courses played in the annual Birchbank Retirees Invitational. 

RESULTS

 CLOSES TO PIN:

#2 - Ty Langton  (Birchbank)      #7 - Mark Rusten (Redstone)

#14 - Rollie Caron (Birchbank)    #17 - Sean Thornton  (Redstone)

LONGEST PUTT:

#9 - Frank Tresidder (Castlegar)   #18 - Don Szilagy (Birchbank)

TEAM SCORES (Total of 3 Best Nets) 

1st - 211 TOTAL

Rich Dewdney (Birchbank) Wayne Shubert (Birchbank) 

Frank Tresidder (Castlegar) Doug Bain (Christina Lk)

2nd - 226 TOTAL

Mike Wagg (Granite Pointe)    John Rilkoff (Birchbank) 

Norm Higgens (Castlegar)    Ernie Davis (Castlegar)

3rd - 227 TOTAL

Greg Terlesky (Christina Lk)    Bob Elliott (Birchbank) 

Stu Howes (Champion Lk)     Glen Akselson (Castlegar)

INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE CUP 

ICC is a season long competition involving results from tournaments at Birchbank, Castlegar, Colville, & Christina Lake.

Total of 4 lowest nets for each club

1st (tie) Birchbank (289) 

             Castlegar (289)

3rd Christina Lake (292)

4th Champion Lakes (309)

5th Redstone (325)

6th Colville (335)

More photos taken by Birchbank Golf Course

LEFTY ADVANTAGE

 It's Retirees Club MASTERS MONTH starting April 3 and here is an interesting take on the Augusta National course....

2024 SEASON COMES TO A CLOSE

 ST JEAN TAKES 3RD RETIREES CHAMPIONSHIP

Perfect weather greeted the 50 Birchbank Retirees as they teed off in the season closing Club Championship and dinner.

Ray St. Jean made it a hat trick with his 3rd straight Retirees Club Championship winning the Overall Low Gross title while Wayne Shubert won his first Overall Low Net title.

RESULTS:

Overall Low Gross: Ray StJean (71)

Overall Low Net: Wayne Shubert (net 70) via tiebreak

'A' FLIGHT

1. Sandy Santori

2. Marlin Frederick

3. Rick Brown

'B' FLIGHT

1. Serge Pasquali

2. Brian Muskeyn

3. Stan Trozzo

C'' FLIGHT

1. Pat Zinio

2. Perry Hyson

3. John Newton

CLOSEST TO THE PIN

Don Szillagyi, Farrell Mclellan, Tom Stevens, Kevin Oliver

LONGEST PUTT

David Panton, Dave Muir

OVERALL CHAMPIONS

'A" FLIGHT WINNERS

"B" FLIGHT WINNERS

'C' FLIGHT WINNERS

2024 EVENT WINNERS

Each month the Retirees Club played 3 rounds that matched up with the professional majors, but without the big prize money. The winners did get to hold a  'big' trophy for a photo and have bragging rights for a year.

APRIL - RETIREES MASTERS MONTH

Green Jacket winner: Gary Schmitz shown donning the Green Jacket with last year's winner Marlin Frederick

MAY - RETIREES PGA MONTH

Bobblehead winner - Richard Dewdney

JUNE - RETIREES CANADIAN OPEN MONTH

Cdn Open winner - Al Pasin

JULY - RETIREES BRITISH OPEN MONTH

The Open winners - John Newton & Paul Troseth (tied)

AUGUST - RETIREES FED EX CUP MONTH

Fed Ex Winner - Wayne DeWitt

RETIREES CHAMPIONSHIP - SEPT 19 and more stuff

 2024 RETIREES CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP

Register now for our windup event to be held Sept 19 at 10AM.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER ONLINE

Entry fee is $20.00 — includes dinner, individual prizes for Overall Low Gross, Overall Low Net, and 1st,2nd.3rd place in each flight, and individual prizes for KP & LP.

All players will be flighted by their course handicap and play in a group with players from the same flight. 

All players expected to abide by the Rules of Golf unless a Local Rule is in effect (ie. Local Root Rule) and all putts must be holed — there is no maximum number of strokes on any hole.

2023 Overall Winners: St.Jean and Holm

SEPTEMBER SPECIAL ROUNDS

Next up Sept 5 - Long Drive Day - let out the shaft and give 'er a rip to see how far you can hit it (in the fairway of course). FYI we have 30 players going to Christina Lake that day, so even I have a chance for LD.

Sept 12 - No Gimmes Day - count all your putts, don't take any gimmes in order to get ready for the Championship.

Sept 19 - CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP AND WINDUP 10AM SHOTGUN

Sept 26 - Last Retirees Day using the sign up sheet for tee times

SOME GUYS GOT THE MEMO