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.

BIRCHBANK INVITATIONAL - THE START OF TOURNAMENT SEASON

TOURNAMENT SEASON BEGINS

This season's inter-club tournament season has teed off with the playing of the Birchbank Retirees Invitational held May 21. Ninety-five players from six local clubs attended and formed teams with players from the other clubs as a way to promote friendships.

Thank you to the volunteers, Pro Shop staff, Course Maintenance staff, and Bistro staff.

This would have been a photo of the winners, if we remembered to take one.

Next 2 events: 

Castlegar Invitational June 4

Redstone Invitational July 10

Results for the team event:

Results for the Inter-Club (International Trophy) competition uses the 4 low net scores for each club (must have 4 player scores to count)

GREAT DAY FOR GOLF - 2026 OPENING SCRAMBLE

OPENING SCRAMBLE RESULTS

Sunny, with blue skies and warm. Eleven teams participated in our opening scramble and lunch with every team under par for the round.

Winning this year's event with a score of 64 was the team of David Panton, Perry Hyson, Thomas Keen, and Sergio Peloso. Second, was the team of Jim Park, Rick Brown, Brian Muskeyn, and Al Holm with a team score of 65. Third place with a 68 was Bob Elliot, Ken Swanson, Joe Bella, and Tom Stevens.

(L-R) 1st place: Hyson, Panton, Peloso, Keen

KP and Long Putt prizes:

KP2 - Team 17 (Park); KP7 - Team 7 (Wray); LP9 - Team 11A (Zinio)

KP14 - Team 15 (Elliot); KP17 - Team 10A (Campbell); 
LP 18 - Team 13 (Molloy)

GREEN JACKET AWARDED TO MASTERS MONTH WINNER

John Lattanzio was present with the green jacket as the final act of winning our Masters Month competition. Last year's winner Alex Birukow was on hand to help John put the jacket on.

NEXT UP — RETIREES PGA

Thanks to Bob Elliot who volunteered to take on the job of 'scorekeeper' for the event. Be aware that the scoresheet will have some minor changes to it — only your NET score will be entered. Don't forget to turn in the scorecard after each round.

RETIREES INVITATIONAL RETURNS MAY 21

This is our biggest event of the season with entries from most of the  local golf clubs attending and 100 players. Volunteers are needed to hellp with the logistics of setting up and cleaning up so you can expect to be asked to help.

CLICK HERE TO SIGNUP ONLINE NOW

Entry fee for Birchbank Retirees is $45 and covers the Asian buffet meal and prizes (Walk, own cart, lease cart - $45; riders add $20)

EARLY BIRD MEMBERSHIP DEADLINE PASSED

May 1st our membership price is back to the 2026 Regular rate of $40.00 (another victim of world inflation).

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.

SERGE LEADS, JOHN DISAPPEARS, and the sun is back

RETIREES MASTERS this week

It was a week of change at the top of our Masters Month leaderboard. Serge Pasquali 'serged' into a 4 shot lead with a 2 round NET total of 142 over chasers Marlin Frederick and Ken Swanson at 146. 

One more round coming this week, which gives the chase group another chance to improve their total score.

Remember we use your best 2 rounds to determine your score AND you should use the same course handicap for all rounds in April. This simplifies the job of scoring — please update your course handicap when starting your first round of next month's RETIREES PGA MONTH.

2025 PGA Month Champ Mike Vlanich

EARLY BIRD MEMBERSHIP CLICK HERE TO START

Only a couple of weeks left to get your Retirees Early Bird membership ($30), price goes up on May 1. 

FYI - A portion of your membership fee and 50/50 draws is used for each of our events to reduce the price we charge for the entry fee and to cover the expenses for the meal and prizes. Our aim is to break even at the end of the season, not to make a profit.

Pay via eTransfer (preferred method) - if you did it last year it will be ready to go in your online banking

OPENING SCRAMBLE AND LUNCH CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

April 30 - 9:30 am Modified Shotgun ENTRY FEE: $30 (Pulled Pork buffet)

Check-in starts at 8:30 - be sure to check in upstairs when you arrive

Entry Deadline is Saturday April 25 at noon.

Scorekeepers needed - talk to John if you can help out.

WEEK 2 OF RETIREES MASTERS and some other important stuff

 RETIREES MASTERS Fake News Headline

Scary news for this year's Retirees Masters Month, only two more rounds  to be played and John "Rory" Lattanzio tells me he is leading after last week's round. I have it on good authority that if John wins the Masters he will take the prize money and walk away from the game forever.

So get out there, play your best ever rounds and make sure John doesn't leave. ;)

REAL MASTERS NEWS

This Thursday is week 2 of 3 rounds for the Retirees Masters Month. If you choose to participate, remember we take your best 2 round NET scores to determine the champion. If you missed last week, you will need to play both of the next two in order to qualify.

OPENING SCRAMBLE AND LUNCH APRIL 30

Get yourself entered in the starting scramble and lunch. Paper sign up will be posted Monday, but why wait (or if you are away) sign up now online 

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

DEADLINE TO ENTER Saturday, April 23 — Entry fee is $30 and must be paid by the entry deadline, please pay via eTransfer (preferred method)

BIRCHBANK INVITATIONAL SIGN UP NOW

Use our ONLINE Registrations link on the website (link below) to sign up for almost every tournament for this season and just wait until closer to the event to pay the entry fees. 

Full details are available if you CLICK HERE TO ENTER

MASTERS MONTH and more..

 MASTERS MONTH STARTS THIS WEEK

Last year's Masters champ Alex Birukow trying on the Green Jacket

Thursday is the first of two rounds to determine our Retirees Masters champion for this season — as always, it is your choice to participate or not. The winner will have the lowest net score for the two rounds played.

Play your round, turn in the scorecard, include your GROSS & NET scores clearly entered, THEN WRITE YOUR SCORES AND HANDICAP on the results sheet posted on our bulletin board. Please use the same handicap for both rounds.

Remember that the success of this competition requires everyone being accurate and following the instructions.

VOLUNTEER NEEDED to verify scores after they are entered on the results sheet. Check the score card score and the posted one are correct. If can help with this job please contact John or email us. (perfect job for you and your regular playing partners to volunteer for.)

RETIREES FEES ARE DUE

Your $30 early bird fee is due now — the rate goes up May 1. Please pay with eTransfer (use our email address: birchankretiress@gmail.com).

NOTE: 

If you eTransfered fees previously, it should still be set up in your banking app.

Please fill out the online registration prior to sending eTransfer or paying John. Click on the ONLINE REGISTRATIONS link at the top of this page.

ONLINE TOURNAMENT REGISTRATIONS OPEN 

Almost all the registration links are open so that you can sign up early for this year's tournaments. The our of town events do not many details yet, but I advise you to sign up now to make sure you don't miss out. 

If things change and you need to drop out that is better than trying to get in to the event at the last minute. Click on the ONLINE REGISTRATIONS link at the top of this page.

OPENING SCRAMBLE AND LUNCH - APRIL 30

Sign up online now for our opening team scramble and lunch on April 30.

Teams will be formed from the list of players who enter and pay the $30 entry fee. Total team handicaps will be as close to equal as we can make them, no handicaps will be used during play.

Teams play a scramble format from tee to green but using at least 4 drives from each player. A single team score is recorded for each hole.

Last year's Opening Scramble winning team