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If you're a golfer, the Parkland is an incredible place to live. With so many beautiful options to play, there is surely a spot for you.

Whether it's at the Clear Lake Golf Course or the Gilbert Plains Country Club, both are two of the better courses in the province. Just past the Clear Lake Golf Course is the Poplar Ridge Golf Course and if you haven't visited that course before, it is also one of the best around.

With lush fairways and pristine greens, it's appealing to any golfer of any skill level.

"Our course condition is outstanding, I don't know that you'll find a better-conditioned course than ours," said Lavern Popple, Director of Golf. "We offer a fairly wide-open driving area and some challenging greens."

Lavern adds the pace of play is always great and the course also offers different specials. On Monday, you can play for just $35 which gives you 18 holes with a cart. On Tuesdays, the second round is just $2.

Popple has also confirmed that the course will be hosting tournaments this year. Details are currently being finalized and a full list of events will be available next week at tournaments.

"Yeah, we're really excited about the prospect of hosting tournaments. We're hoping Manitoba can continue to flatten the curve," concluded Popple. "Golf is a safe thing for people to do, there's no doubt about that. We have plans and we want to follow through with them."

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Jun 20, 2020 - 12:00 pm

Two Americans have committed to the Dauphin Kings organization as a busy, but unusual off-season continues for Doug Hedley.

The Club has announced that forwards Gage Vierzba and Jack Campion have committed to the program.

Vierzba is coming off an offensive season that most wish they could have. In just 13 games with his Fort Zumwalt East High School Lions, he scored 30 goals and 22 assists for a 52 point total. That's an average of four points-per-game. He also scored 20 more times and added 16 assists in 30 contests with the Chesterfield Falcons U18 team this past season.

In all, Gage tallied 88 points. Standing in at 6'5 and 195 pounds, Vierzba will add a great offensive touch and some physicality to the lineup. Doug Hedley first noticed Gage at the UND Camp a couple of years ago.

"He's gotten bigger and stronger. We really liked his size at the UND Camp and we're really excited to get him up here," said Hedley. "He's really going to help us on the right side. He has a long stride and he's the kind of power forward that works well in this league. He also has some great interest in playing up here, so we're really happy about that."

From Crystal, Minnesota, Campion was also a proven scorer last season with the Robbinsdale Armstrong/Cooper High School Falcons. In just 25 games as team captain, Campion had 60 points, 25 of which were goals. 

"His coach had nothing but outstanding things to say about his character and work ethic," added Hedley. "We know he's going to bring his work boots to practice every day. We watched some video and we believe he's going to be a solid piece to the puzzle here."

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Jun 19, 2020 - 1:33 pm

The Neepawa Golf & Country Club is truly one of the best courses in Manitoba and it's been a busy month and a half for the club since they opened back on May 4.

The track that is very playable for every player out there whether you're a scratch golfer or just a recreational player has been ranked as the 9th "Best Valued" course in the country by Golf Advisor. 

The course begins with a rather straight forward par 4 that is 369 yards. Landon Cameron, Head Professional says it's a good hole to take your par and run.

"I think the best thing about the course is it gives everyone a new experience and something pretty different than most courses around the province," he said. "We have some great elevation changes and beautiful scenery."

Golf is one of the few sports around the globe that you can do safely with everyone going on when it comes to the coronavirus pandemic. And with that being said, Cameron says there hasn't been much of a dull moment at the course yet this season.

"Our rounds played are very equivalent to year's past, we're very happy with how things have shaped up so far this year," continued Cameron. "Some of our revenues are up and some are down, but we're happy with the season so far."

If you're looking for a round on a Monday, you can also take part in the Highway 16 deal. For just $16, you can play 18 holes. Keep in mind, you must rent a cart so for just $36, you can play 18 holes with a cart for $36. You can also capitalize on this deal at the Minnedosa Golf & Country Club.

"It's been a very good addition to our offerings this season and I know Minnedosa feels the same way," ended Cameron. "It's really filled in some of our dead time."

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Jun 19, 2020 - 9:46 am

The Dauphin Kings hosted their Annual General Meeting last night as the 2019-2020 season was officially wrapped up inside of the Aspen Lodge.

The evening kicked off with Christian Laughland who has now been promoted to Director of Business Operations going through the financial end of things that showed the Club lost $10,766 in 2019-2020.

We'll get more to the financial outlook from the past season in just a bit. First; however, we'll talk about two changes that took place.

The first saw Dean Cooley step down as President, a role he's held since 2014. The owner of Dean Cooley GM in Dauphin said he's looking forward to becoming a part of a board in the automotive industry.

"I think a little bit of turnover is a good thing for any board, you get that fresh energy and fresh ideas," said Cooley. "It's the best time for me to step away and let some fresh blood in."

Cooley added that he's very happy with where the team currently as well as where the team is heading.

With the resignation, the board passed a motion that saw the naming of Ashley Shaw as the new President of the Dauphin Kings.

Ashley was the captain of the UND women's hockey team in the 2007-2008 season and she's the wife of Jason Shaw who is a former Dauphin King player. Ashley also becomes the first female President in Dauphin Kings' history.

"It's not the reason that I'm doing this, but I think it's great when women get involved in sports," said Shaw. "I'm extremely passionate about hockey and I love this organization. I've been on the Board of Directors for a couple of years and I've learned the ropes. It's a great opportunity and was an easy decision."

Ashley added that the team has a great current Board of Directors and it's going to be extremely easy to work with them.

Optimism:

In his address to the public, Jason Gibbs, Team Governor believes the season will start and it will start on time. The Manitoba Junior Hockey Leagues' regular-season typically begins in late September. 

By the Numbers:

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Jun 18, 2020 - 7:39 pm

Several golfers from Dauphin have teed it up this season on the Westman Junior Tour and that will continue throughout the summer. Next week's event is at the Poplar Ridge Golf Course.

It'll include Jackson Delaurier who will look to win his third straight tournament.

After next week's event, the Tour will take a two-week break from singles play; however, they will be hosting an event on Tuesday, June 30 at the Minnedosa Golf and Country Club. 

It'll be a two-person scramble and it's open to anyone aged 16 and under. 

"Most the kids that play in it play every week on the Tour and it gives them a different feel," said Gary Poole. "It gives everyone a bit of a break from playing single golf and you get to play with a friend and play the best ball. It's a fun little format for everyone."

It's $40 per player which includes your round, meal, and a chance at some prizes. Up for grabs will be wedges, golf shoes, balls, and more. 

If you'd like to register with your friend today, call Gary at 204-573-4686. You can also email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Jun 18, 2020 - 1:49 pm

Just like it is for so many junior golfers in the Parkland in the spring, summer, and fall, Luke Myhre has been all golf. The young man from Dauphin has played just about every day since the season opened back on May 4.

Most of his rounds have come at the Gilbert Plains Country Club; however, he's played at different courses around the Parkland and just outside. Myhre's best round of the season so far is a 79.

"I'm not hitting the ball very well right now, but it's just the start of the season," said Myhre. "I expect to be better and I know I'll improve as the summer goes on."

Myhre said he's spent countless hours on the driving range as he looks to improve his swing and consistency. 

On top of his non-competitive rounds, Myhre has also played on the Westman Junior Tour this season, a tour that includes nine different events around the Parkland.

Back on June 10, Jackson Delaurier won the 14 and under age group as he fired an 82. Myhre was just behind with a 90 in his first competitive round of the season.

Earlier this week in Killarney, Myhre improved his score as he fired an 86 to finish in third place, just two strokes behind Delaurier who once again won the age group.

Myhre will now hit the road to play in next week's event at the Poplar Ridge Golf Course and shortly after next week's event; it's time for a Golf Manitoba championship. Luke has signed up to compete in the Bantam Championship presented by the Alex and Peggy Colonello Foundation.

The event will take place at the Portage Golf Course, a track that plays to just over 6100 yards. He'll also be joined by Delaurier who plays most of his golf at the Dauphin Lake Golf Club.

"I think it's going to be a great experience. I want to play on the Manitoba Junior Tour in the future, so I think this is a great start," continued Myhre. "I try to play as many tournaments as possible in the summer and I'm also really looking forward to playing alongside Jackson."

Luke adds keeping his mental game intact is the most important thing moving forward. 

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Jun 18, 2020 - 10:14 am

The Dauphin Kings have announced that they will hold their Annual General Meeting tonight at 6:00 p.m. at the Aspen Lodge inside of the Parkland Rec Complex.

Due to COVID-19, the Club has announced that the capacity will be 25 and physical distancing will be respected. 

"We're going to review the 2019-2020 season both from the hockey side of things and financially as well," said Dean Cooley, President. "We will also have an opportunity to take a look at what next year's team will look like and various other things."

As is the case for many junior teams, Dean does note that the books will have taken a hit. Dauphin was guaranteed at least one more playoff game on top of their spring camp as well as their golf tournament. 

"We do know that we're down some very important revenue," concluded Cooley. "We're going to have to be careful moving forward into next year in terms of what our expense structure looks like."

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Jun 17, 2020 - 3:46 pm

Baseball fans likely won't have the opportunity to buy some Cracker Jack, peanuts, or a cold beverage at Shaw Park this season. The home of the Winnipeg Goldeyes, the "Fish" will be playing this summer; however, it's unlikely that they'll be playing any games in Winnipeg.

The American Association of Independent Professional Baseball has announced that six of the league's times will compete in a 60-game season in three hub cities this summer. Winnipeg will be heading to Fargo, the home of the RedHawks to play their season. 

The announcement has Winnipeg playing 42-of-60 games at Newman Outdoor Field.

"It's honestly bitter-sweet. We were hoping things would get better and we would be able to play games at Shaw Park," said Andrew Collier, General Manager. "With that being said, just to be able to play baseball is great. And with the number of releases that Major League Baseball has done, the talent pool is going to be great. I think the quality of baseball is going to be some of the best that we've seen."

You may be wondering why only 42 of Winnipeg's games will be played in Fargo. That's because the league has said that teams can return to their home fields for the remaining games if local health authorities allow them to do so. That means that there is a very slim chance that Winnipeg could play some games at Shaw Park this season.

"A lot of things would have to go extremely right for us to play in Winnipeg this summer," continued Collier. 

Winnipeg won the league in back-to-back years dating back to 2016 and 2017. Prior to that, their last league championship was in 2012. The Kansas City T-Bones and St. Paul Saints have won the past two seasons, respectively.

As mentioned above, Collier says the talent pool will be very deep this season. After a tough 2018 campaign, Winnipeg went 57-43 last year; however, they weren't able to get it done in the end. Collier is expecting this year's team to make another run for it.

"It should be good. I know Rick Forney has been hard at making sure we have a top-notch roster to field every game," continued Collier. "I know some guys that had committed to play in Winnipeg won't play now, so he has some holes to fill, but we're very confident that he will do just that."

A short spring training will begin on June 25 while Opening Day will take place on July 3. The Goldeyes begin their season with a three-game set against Fargo.

This year's league will only consist of six teams with the Cleburne Railroaders, Gary SouthShore RailCats, Kansas City T-Bones, Lincoln Saltdogs, Sioux City Explorers, and Texas AirHogs announcing that they are going to suspend operations in 2020 due to the COVID-19 crisis. All plan on returning in 2021.

This means, Winnipeg will be joined also by Chicago, Sioux Falls, St. Paul, and the Milwaukee Milkmen. In other news, fans will be allowed in the stands.

"It's very exciting that the season will get going soon. It's like we've gone from 0-100 in 10 days," concluded Collier. "I sort of accepted that we wouldn't be playing this summer. Now, we have less than 10 days to get everything set." 

You can see Winnipeg's complete 2020 schedule at Goldeyes.

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Jun 17, 2020 - 1:21 pm

The Westman Junior Tour continued yesterday at the Killarney Golf Course and once again, Jackson Delaurier finished on top. After winning last week's season-opening event, he outlasted Micky Giordani-Gross by one stroke to win this week's event with an 84.

Luke Myhre was just behind as he carded an 86 in the 14 & under age group as he finished in 3rd. In the 12 & under age group, another Dauphinite finished on top to join Delaurier in the winner's circle.

Boston Karlson, who plays most of his golf at the Gilbert Plains Country Club, fired an 88 to capture the top spot as he got by Carson Craig by two strokes.

It was Boston's first tournament of the season and it was quite the rollercoaster between the Dauphinite and Craig of Sandy Lake. After nine holes, Karlson was one behind after shooting a 45.

Entering the 16th hole, Craig had what most would think would be a commanding lead of four strokes.

However, that wasn't the case as Karlson stormed back. He made three straight pars to end the match while Craig struggled. In the end, Karlson held off Carson by one stroke to claim the back-and-forth victory in his tournament debut this season. Karlson's final score was an 88 while Craig fired a 90. 

"It felt good, especially because it was my first tournament of the year," said Karlson. "I felt pretty confident and it was a great feeling hearing my name called at the end to get a prize. I'm happy with how things went, that's for sure."

Boston joined the Westman Tour because his friends played in it last year and he wanted to try it out. The tour travels across the province for tournaments every Tuesday throughout the summer.

Next week's tournament is right here in the Parkland as the Poplar Ridge Golf Course will play host to the third event. Karlson will be back as will Carson Craig.

"My goal is to continue getting points every week and I want to win the entire tour," concluded Karlson. "I'm looking forward to seeing what I can do the rest of the way. I also know my family really supports me, so that helps me."

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Jun 17, 2020 - 9:48 am

Logan Chapman opened up his golf season by making a statement and increasing his confidence while doing so. Playing at the Dauphin Lake Golf Club late last month, the Dauphinite aced the 9th hole as he joined the "Parkland Hole-in-One club".

Shortly after, Daryl Lacquette joined the club as he aced the 8th hole at the Neepawa Golf and Country Club. Now, the Parkland and Dauphin specifically have another member of the club.

This time it's Owen Connolly. Connolly chucked a dart into the 6th hole with an 8-iron to record the ace, the second at the Dauphin Lake Golf Club this season.

It was also Owen's second of his career, the first of which came at the Quarry Oaks Golf Course.

"I just hit my shot and I was fortunate that it bounced a couple of times and went into the hole," said Connolly. 

Owen admitted that he doesn't get that excited on the golf course, but golf's perfect shot changed that within seconds of the ball hitting the club and launching into the air. If you haven't played the 6th hole in Dauphin, you have to hit it over a creek into a tough green.

"It's a thrill for sure, it doesn't happen very often," added Connolly. "I think everyone in my group was pretty pumped up, perhaps even more excited than I."

Connolly played alongside Bart Michaleski, Darren Ripmeester, and Ray Karlson.

"It was a beautiful evening, there was no wind or mosquitos," concluded Connolly. 

Parkland Hole-in-One Club:

1. Owen Connolly
2. Daryl Lacquette
3. Logan Chapman

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Jun 16, 2020 - 2:18 pm