By Dunc Mills

After we managed to dodge rain and lightning in the Calgary area on Monday earlier this week for the McLennan Ross Alberta Junior Tour event at McKenzie Meadows, Mother Nature doubled down on us this afternoon at the Camrose Junior Open, today’s stop on the Tour.

We had a field of 50 juniors on hand from central and northern Alberta and as far away as Lloydminster and Calgary. Play got underway at noon under warm, sunny skies without a breath of wind.  But conditions gradually worsened through the day and by 4 p.m., it appeared it wasn’t a matter of if , but when the rain and lightning might hit.  Radar showed that a system moving through the area might miss Camrose to the north, but we were forced to halt play at about 4:15 pm, and it was a good thing we did.  Shortly thereafter, a wicked thunderstorm drenched the golf course, but thankfully, we had herded all the competitors to safety in the clubhouse.  Thanks very much to many parents and volunteers who helped Alberta Golf staff to get the kids under shelter.

Rylan Montgomery

Within minutes, the putting green was under hail and water, and it was clear we would not be able to re-start play.  The back 9 at the Camrose course, which is in beautiful condition, was totally unplayable, so we fed the players their dinner, and awarded the prize money in each flight based on the number of holes that every player in each age group had completed.  The computer system won’t calculate net scores without a complete 18-hole round, so we had random draws in each flight from the scorecards of the kids who didn’t win a Gross score prize in their flight.  Got it? LOL

Davin Kropinske

Bottom line is :  We got the kids off the golf course safely.  We fed the players.  The prize money was all awarded.  Everyone seemed to be having a lot of fun, and no one had anything worse happen to them other than get a bit wet.

Avery Coumont