PO Box 4306, Helena MT 59604-4306 (800) 628-3752 October 2019 - Volume 9, Issue 10

October Tournaments10/3/19 - 10/4/19

High School StateLaurel GC (Laurel)

10/5/1912th Annual Iron Man

Eaglerock GC (Billings)10/5/19

1st AnnualPine Meadows GC (Lewistown)

10/5/19The Oktoberfest TournamentThe Briarwood GC (Billings)

10/5/19World's Hardest

Eagle Bend GC (Bigfork)10/5/19

World's Toughest GCPolson Bay GC (Polson)

10/6/19Die Hard Tournament

Cottonwood CC (Glendive)10/6/19

Gene Schwartz Memorial ScrambleExchange City Par 3 GC (Billings)

10/6/19Oktoberfest Tournament

Livingston GC (Livingston)10/7/19

American LegionYellowstone CC (Billings)

10/7/19PNWPGA (WMC) Dowaliby Cup

Missoula CC (Missoula)10/12/19

Mission ImpossibleLaurel GC (Laurel)

Big Changes Coming January 1st!Emily Hulsey, MSGA Handicap and Website Coordinator

We've been talking about it for over a year now, but the countdown has finally begun!

Starting January 1, 2020, the USGA Handicap System

will change to the World Handicap System. More than just a name change, the Rules of Handicapping will be changing. This could initially affect your Handi-cap Index and Course Handicap numbers, simply with the new calculations.

The current world scene includes 6 different handicap systems, resulting in different numbers that aren't compatible. The World Handicap System is a col-laboration of these 6 authorities, along with the World Handicap Board. The new system is more modern, simple, and inclusive, and uses the best features of each system.

There will initially be a little learning curve, but we think you'll like the changes! We'll spend time on each of the Top 5 Things a Golfer Needs to Know in the upcoming November through March issues of this newsletter.

You can visit www.msgagolf.org/whs for a preview of the upcoming changes. We'll also have more resources coming on our website, and the clubs will post learning tools in the spring. Stay tuned for more information!

Try the MSGA Smartphone APP.Available in the

Apple or Android Stores.

Congratulations to our newest Ace Club Members!

Did you get a hole-in-one? Go to www.msgagolf.org to see how to get your MSGA Hole-in-One Certificate!

Chris Schuman, 9/2/19, Missoula CC, Hole #12, 122 yds, Pitching Wedge Eugene Wehlage, 8/23/19, Whitefish Lake GC (North), Hole #4, 154 yds, 8 Iron Bonnie Haugenoe, 8/20/19, Whitefish Lake GC (North), Hole #6, 117 yds, 7 Iron Linda J Mann, 7/23/19, Larchmont GC, Hole #14, 135 yds, Driver Shawn Wilson, 4/24/19, Mission Mountain GC, Hole #11, 161 yds, 7 Iron Tarra Grazley-Pfister, 6/23/16, Stock Farm Club, Hole #5, 127 yds, 9 Iron

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The fall golf season is a short burst for the University of Montana and Montana State golf teams. Both the Bobcats and Grizzlies opened their season in Anaconda at the Battle at Old Works. With ten teams participating in chilly conditions, there were positives to be drawn from both Big Sky teams. The Bobcats were fourth overall with rounds of 295-301-306, for an overall total of 902. The Grizzlies were seventh after rounds of 313-312-306, for a total tally of 931.

MSU’s Kelly Hooper captured the lead after the first round with an opening 70 (-2), followed up with even-par 72 in the second round, and with 75 to finish second overall at 217 (+1). Hooper, who finished third at the same tournament in 2017, was at or near the lead in the final round before finishing six shots behind medalist Madalyn Ardueser of Eastern Washington (71-70-69, 210), who closed with the low round of the tournament.

Delaney Elliott posted 228 to tie for 16th overall for MSU, followed by Lucia Prieto Romano at 229 (T20). Coral Schulz shot 233 for the three days and finished in a tie with teammate Sofia Rodriguez Todd for 28th. Hailey Oster posted 235 for T32 standing, followed by Lilly Navarre in T34 at 236. Newcomers Annika Danenhauer posted 242 for T47 and Hannah Rosanova shot 254 for T56, to round out scoring for the Bobcats.

Kylie Esh was the low finisher for University of Montana with scores of 75-76-75. Esh’s 226 total was good for T10 overall to pace the Grizzlies. Patricia Joyce shot

the low score in the second round with a two-under-par 70, shot 81 on day one, and 80 in her third round for a total of 231, and tied with teammate Allison Sobol for T28. Brooklyn VanBebber shot 238 for T37 overall. Two Grizzlies tied for 39th with Faith D’Ortenzio and Teigan Avery shooting 239. Jessica Ponce was one shot behind them at 240 (T42). Emmy Sundby shot 244 for 51st, Margaret Harmon was 55th at 253, and Katie Schlichenmeyer shot 254 for T56 to round out the scoring for the Grizzlies. Full results can be found here.

Big Sky Teams Open Fall SeasonNick Dietzen, MSGA Communications Director

ALL proceeds go to support Junior golf programs in Montana! Go to www.msgagolf.org/raffle-fundraiser for more infor-mation and to download a brochure with application. Twelve great trips are offered, including: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Universal Studios, Florida; Rome, Italy; Las Vegas, Nevada; Denver Broncos football; and more! Don’t want to go it alone? Share a ticket with a friend. With only 300 tickets sold, and 2 winners a month, your chances are good for a return on the cost of the ticket.

And, ultimately, it goes toward a great cause... our kids, the future golfers of Montana. Get your ticket today! Thanks for your support!

2019-20 Raffle Tickets on Sale Now!

Kelly Hooper

Congratulations to our NEWEST WINNERS!SEPTEMBER'S DRAWING:

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico - Tommy Lindell, Kalispell$200 cash - Kristy Paine, Calimesa, CA

** OCTOBER'S TRIP PRIZE is Whitefish, Montana **

Handicapping FAQs Emily Hulsey, MSGA Handicap and Website

Do I Have To Have My Score Attested?

No. This option occurs only when posting your score online, and it is optional. You can use the drop-down menu to add someone from your friends list, click Find Attestor and use the search box to locate a mem-ber, click Enter Attestor in the same screen to enter a name manually, or leave the Attestor field blank.

However, you ARE still required to play with another person, if you want it to count for handicap purposes. This is for peer review, so the person can be playing with you, your caddy, or a friend riding in the cart.

Have a handicap question?CLICK HERE for help.

UM Grizzlies

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Frontier Conference (NAIA)

The Frontier Conference golf schedule kicked off September 9-10 in Great Falls at the Argo Invitational with a hotly contested tournament on the men’s side. Montana Tech’s team picked up an early season vic-tory under the guidance of first year head coach Sean Ryan thanks to an excellent final round in which they made up 10 shots on the field. Tech posted scores of 303-297-281, for a 881 three-day total, to narrowly edge out Lewis-Clark State (LCSC) by one shot (882) and Rocky Mountain College by two (883). Car-

roll College finished fourth at 922, followed by Dickinson State at 964 and MSU-Northern was sixth at 1063.

Tech impressed as they overcame conference stalwart Rocky as well as Lewis-Clark State. Sean Ramsbacher, who secured medalist honors thanks to three under-par rounds, led the way for the Orediggers in the season’s first event. Ramsbacher opened with 69 (-2) at Eagle Falls and posted 68 (-3) on his second and final rounds to finish eight-under-par.

The host school, University of Providence did not field a team score, but Benjamin Kaul of Great Falls finished second overall, two shots behind Ramsbacher with rounds of 74-67-66, 207. Kaul’s final round 66 (-5) was the low round of the tournament. Carlos Davila of LCSC was steady with rounds of 71-71-70, 212, to finish third, followed by Nolan Burzminksi of Rocky Mountain College who shot 73-69-73, 215, good for fourth. Justin Cox of LCSC posted 71-75-71, 217, to take fifth.

Rounding out the top 10 were Mitchell Thiessen of Rocky (218), Ethan Wolf of Dickinson State (220), Trey Hoagland of Tech (221), Samuel Berry of Carroll College (222), and Matt Hobbs of Tech (224). TJ Reynolds of MSU-Northern was their low finisher in T31 position (244). Full results can be found here.

On the women’s side, Rocky picked up where they left off last season – in first place, as the Battlin’ Bears posted rounds of 325-311, 636. The Bears were 14 shots clear of second place LCSC (650), followed by Montana Tech (693) in third, Carroll College (703) was fourth, and Dickinson State (725) was fifth.Rocky’s Hailey Derrickson and Morgan O’Neil tied for medalist honors at 154. Derrickson opened with 78 and shot 76 in her final round, while O’Neil shot 79-75 to tie her teammate for first.

LCSC had Alexandra Schmidt (160) take third. Lauren Hamm of LCSC and Claire Wright of Rocky each shot 161 to tie for fourth. Emily Garden was the low finisher for Tech at 167, to tie for 10th with Weslee Nehl, Carroll College’s low finisher. Leading the way for Providence individually was Catrina Babinecz who shot 175 and finished T18. Tiara Gilham was 28th at 193 and posted the best score for MSU-Northern. Full results can be found here.

Up next on the schedule was the Carroll College Fighting Saints Classic in Helena at Green Meadow Country Club. After taking third in the opening event, Rocky Mountain reestablished their dominance with a 30-shot victory in Helena. Rocky posted rounds of 290-295-283, 868, to claim victory over LCSC at 898. Montana Tech was third at 918, Carroll College posted 930 for fourth, Providence was fifth with 950, and MSU-Northern shot 1101 for sixth.

The top three individual spots were claimed by Battlin’ Bears. Daniel Sigur-jonsson opened with a four-under-par 67 followed by 74-71 for a 212 (-1) total to claim medalist honors. Haydn Driver shot 69-74-72, 215, to tie with teammate Chase Morehouse for second place after rounds of 70-70-75. Jo-seph Potkonjak of host Carroll College was fourth with rounds of 72-71-75, 218, and Trey Hoagland posted 76-72-72, 220, ...Continued on the next page

Fall Season In Full Swing For Collegiate ProgramsNick Dietzen, MSGA Communications Director

Argo Invite Medalists

Rocky Men

Rocky Women

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COLLEGIATE ... from previous pageto tie for fifth with Rocky’s Mitchell Thiessen who recovered from an opening 80 with 74 and a tournament-low final round of 66 for his 220 total. Benjamin Kaul was the low finisher for Providence with 227 to tie for 12th and TJ Reynolds was 28th with a score of 248 to lead MSU-Northern. Full results can be found here.

On the women’s side, Lewis-Clark State were easily the victors in Helena with a team total of 616 (309-307). Rocky was 31 shots behind in second (647), followed by Montana Tech in third with 679. Carroll was fourth at 682 and Providence was fifth at 774.

LCSC’s swept the top three spots and seven players in the top 10. Madilyn Brown shot 75-74, 149, to claim medalist hon-ors over teammate Alexandra Schmidt 78-75, 153, and Lauren Hamm was third overall for LCSC with 77-77, 154. Hailey Derrickson of Rocky was fourth with 79-77, 156. Skyler Martin was the low finisher for Montana Tech with 77-84, 161, good for seventh. Caroline Hobson made a great recovery from 91 to 76 for 167 and a tie for 12th to lead Carroll College. Casey and Catrina Babinecz tied for 22nd at 180 to lead Providence and Tiara Gilham’s 190 was good for 30th overall to pace MSU-Northern.

Full results can be found here. Frontier Conference play for the fall season finishes up October 1st in Lewiston, Idaho, at the Warrior Invitational.

ONE NETWORK IN 2020 Regardless of handicap vendor, all Associations will be converted to one network by the end of 2019 (this date has changed).

Here are the benefits: • ONE network # - multiple states • ONE handicap record - no linking • Accessible by anyone in ONE place • Centralized handicap calculation • All handicap vendors, same network • Invisible to golfers, no software or program change

DO YOU HAVE A GHIN# or other record outside the MSGA?

If so, we need to link your records, if this hasn’t been done already! With the merge to one network coming, this needs to be completed soon to eliminate problems and confusion for both you and anyone searching your record. Just email your information to support@msgagolf.org, and we’ll set you up!

The Marvel Comics Avengers Junior Golf Guide

and Teachers Edition are now

available to order. Click Here.

CLICK HERE to see the 2019 Rules chart on the MSGA Website

Want to see something in the newsletter?Contact Nick Dietzen at:

nick@msgagolf.org(406) 459-3459 SUBSCRIBE

NEWSLETTER ARCHIVEHave you logged in online? Post scores and view your

record from home. Don’t know your login? Contact us at support@msgagolf.org.

2020 MSGA Tournaments:STATE JUNIORS

June 22-23, Cottonwood Hills GC

MEN'S STATE AMJuly 16-18, Yellowstone CC

WOMEN'S STATE & SENIOR AMJuly 30-Aug 1, Riverside CC

MEN'S STATE SENIORSAugust 4-6, Missoula

MEN'S MID AMAugust 13-15, Laurel GC

Freak snowstorm hits parts of Montana to close out September. Old Man Winter seems a little confused!