Written by Glenn Campbell

Women and The Wolf

This article was originally published in the 2016 edition of The Alberta Golfer Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.

The fine people of Ponoka are hoping that the wind howls and “The Wolf” bares its teeth in late August. Wolf Creek Golf Resort will be the site of the 2016 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship from August 24-26.

Mary Beth McKenna, manager of rules and competitions at Golf Canada, claims that Wolf Creek is the perfect site for this tournament.

“Wolf Creek has hosted numerous Alberta Golf and Golf Canada championships in the past and director of golf Ryan Vold has always been a great supporter of amateur golf,” McKenna said. “The course is one of the best in the province and will provide an excellent test for all the competitors.”

Kim Carrington won the 2015 Guardian Capital Alberta Senior Ladies Championship at The Glencoe Golf and Country Club and she’s excited that Wolf Creek is hosting this year’s national championship. You see, the Carrington name is pretty well known at Wolf Creek.

“My dad, Bill Carrington, is a 50-year lifetime member of the PGA of Canada and was actually a golf professional at Wolf Creek for six years in the late 1990s,” Carrington proudly stated. “I was fortunate enough to play the course many times.”

Competitors will play Wolf Creek’s Old Course in the championship. There will be three competitions underway simultaneously: the Mid-Amateur for women aged 25 and over, the Mid-Master for those 40 and up, and the Senior Championship for women aged 50 and over as of the first day of the tournament.

Favourites in the senior division will likely include some of the past champions such as Terrill Samuel, Mary Ann Hayward, Jackie Little, Helene Chartrand and Alison Murdoch. Christina Proteau will be a strong contender in the Mid-Amateur division, having previously captured five national titles in that category.

“Both Hayward and Murdoch are members of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and both have numerous championships on their resumes,” said McKenna.

You can also throw Carrington’s name into that list of contenders, as she finished in eighth place at the 2015 Canadian Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship. With this year’s event being held in Alberta – and with her knowledge of the course – Carrington may just have an advantage. Kim isn’t so sure about that.

“It’s been long time since I played Wolf Creek,” Carrington noted. “I’m in golf sales and Ryan Vold is a great customer, so maybe I’ll have to make a few more calls to the course! I hope to play it as much as I can before the championship.”

Carrington says it’s a fantastic golf course and it should attract all of the best players. “Wolf Creek has proven itself to be an outstanding venue for men’s events. Hosting a Canadian [Women’s Mid Am and] Senior Championship will be fantastic for not only the players, but also for Wolf Creek. It will provide great exposure for women’s golf.”

Carrington has been competing in national golf events for over 30 years and has a Canadian Mid-Amateur title and two provincial Mid-Masters Championships to show for it. She says winning the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship would be icing on the cake. “To add a national senior title in my own province would make it that much more special.”

Carrington’s 2015 win at The Glencoe GCC gives her a ton of confidence heading into this season. “I played with Jackie Little of Vernon, BC in the last group last summer at The Glencoe. Jackie has been a great friend for years,” Carrington said.

Maybe the pair will find themselves in the final group on a bigger stage at Wolf Creek.

Women and The Wolf

This article was originally published in the 2016 edition of The Alberta Golfer Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.