Gord Paziuk summed up golf to me today “when Nike is getting out of golf there is a reason”. Right now Nike said they are down 8% in sales therefore no longer going to be in the golf industry. We reached out to some of the local golf pro’s and course owners to see where the current state and future of golf is going. Dave Scinocca, who would be one of the most recognizable names in golf in Brandon and Westman, had a simple message about the state of golf and that is to get more kids involved. But Dave did have good points in saying that current golfers are not playing as much as they used to….. New golfers have dropped off to some degree…… plus we have several good courses all within 45 minutes of Brandon that compete hard for the golfing dollar. The lifeline of the local golf course are the corporate events or big tournaments like Dreams for Kids or Birt Cup. He said without them we would have to raise course prices so high. Chris “CK” Kading, pictured below, from Deer Ridge Golf Course has another theory that other local operators agree with. The City of Brandon has made the price for the City run Rec Centre at such a low price that it has a huge effect on local golf course operators. Kading feels very strongly that the City of Brandon should not be in the golf business. In addition he feels that the course is in terrible condition. When BDNMB asked the Mayor Rick Chrest for his thoughts on the low prices he stated that Council felt that $16.00 was all it was worth at the time. Additionally Kading feels the City prices are “predatory pricing which would be illegal for private business and at worst unethical for the City of Brandon.” Jason Earl owner of Glen Lea Golf Course has some great feedback. There is a huge problem in the industry right now and that's no secret. Our rounds and memberships at Glen Lea are down a fair bit compared to an average year over the last 15 years. We are turning to other ways to try and generate revenue for the golf course. This includes things like: selling clay. We are also looking at, and in the process, of doing market research for other demands (outside of golf) in the Westman area that might help us bring revenue in for Glen Lea. We are very fortunate to own the majority of the surrounding land around the golf course. This will allow us to grow (if the golf industry ever becomes healthy again in Westman) or try different business avenues to help bring in more revenue to help the golf course survive. Other areas that we need to expand to help grow golf, include: more school programs for the kids, junior leagues / programs, lessons, approaching businesses to both sponsor golf programs and have them promote more golf outings for their employees, corporate memberships, promote family nights, etc. It's unfortunate that the Westman golf rates do not reflect the costs of doing business, resulting in the golf course industry in our area not being healthy. Every year our cost of doing business increases a large amount and our golf season is always the same length. On average (average of last 10 years), we are open 188 days a year. 52% of the year we are open. Factor in days that we're closed for bad weather (Rain days, too hot, too cold, etc.), plus the month and half at the start of the season and month and a half at the end of the season were we charge discounted rates for Spring/Fall,,,, and that's a small window to bring in revenue. Scott Kozoroski from Brandon Source for Sports said they are basically seeing a decline in golf sales over the past 5 years. Golf is a low margin product (which I didn’t know ) so therefore to tie up money in inventory and floor space perhaps both are better spent on more profitable sports. On a good note Scott said they have seen a big increase at the Tamarack Golf Tournament in the age groups. 4 – 10 year olds (Cubs). Lets face it golf is and will always be an expensive and time consuming sport. But if you travel and play golf in Calgary, or Vancouver, you will see Brandon and Westman prices are at times one quarter less expensive than other cities in Western Canada. Golf is maybe for the first time in decades facing some huge challenges and with some help and luck and cooperation perhaps it can turn a corner.

It was an exciting night of hockey action this evening at the Sportsplex in Brandon, MB as the Wendy's Summer Hockey League Division 1 champion was crowned. A couple of hundred rowdy and raucous fans took in the night's action as the Domino's Packers toppled the Browns Social House Contenders 8-4. Dominos scored the first 5 goals of the game before Browns stormed back with 3 unanswered goals of their own in the final minute of the 2nd period narrowing the gap to 5-3. Dominos regrouped and rallied to score a couple of early markers to start the third putting the game out of reach. Philadelphia Flyers draft pick, Travis Sanheim led the charge offensively with 3 goals and an assist in helping the Packers claim their first ever championship. Former Brandon Wheat King Shayne Wiebe and Florida Panthers prospect Jayce Hawrlyuk also had 4 points (1g, 3a) in the game. Five different skaters register 2 points for Browns Social House including Scott Glennie, Quinton Lisowy, Dan Chartrand, Josh Kobelka and Tyler Coutler. Browns had reached the finals after earlier in the week thrashing Tastee's Badgers 20-1 while Domino's advanced after defeating last year's champions Houston's Scramblers 15-9. Tonight's win was especially gratifying to Marian University forward, and Brandon product, Cole McCaig who captured his first division 1 title after having competed in the previous 4 championship finals, losing all 4.  McCaig tells bdnmb.ca that he thinks the last time he won a game that meant this much to him was back in bantam.  

Courtesy:  Brandon Wheat Kings Press Release Brandon, MB. – When the Brandon Wheat Kings open defence of their Western Hockey League Championship next month, Kelly McCrimmon will not be on the bench. The winningest coach in franchise history, who has spent the better part of the last three decades as the driving force behind the Wheat Kings, has confirmed that he will be joining the new National Hockey League franchise in Las Vegas as the team’s new Assistant General Manager. A 3-time winner of the Canadian Hockey League and WHL Executive of the Year, McCrimmon joined the Wheat Kings in 1988 and was named general manager the following year. He purchased on third ownership of the team from partner Bob Cornell in 1992 and assumed sole ownership in 2000. As the club’s Owner and General Manager, he has led the Wheat Kings to more wins than any other team in the Canadian Hockey League since 1992, including fifteen seasons of forty or more wins, ten Eastern Division pennants and six Eastern Conference Championships. As well, he has been instrumental in four Memorial Cup appearances, including two as WHL Champion after winning in both 1996 and 2016. As a coach, McCrimmon has compiled a 423-223-36-38 record and over the course of the past ten seasons he has posted an impressive .640 winning percentage. “Kelly is an outstanding hockey man and we are delighted to have him join us,” says George McPhee, General Manager of the Las Vegas club that will begin play in the NHL in 2017-18. “His extensive experience and consistently high level of performance in the game will help us build a strong and successful organization and team. His hockey acumen, character and work ethic are perfect for us.” “This is a dream job for any hockey executive and one I feel very fortunate to have been offered,” says McCrimmon. “The chance to build a team, an organization from the ground up, the chance to develop an identity and establish a culture will be challenging, invigorating and rewarding.” A member of the WHL Board of Governors Executive Committee for six years and Chairman of the Competitions Committee, McCrimmon says that more news on the club’s new organizational structure will be announced later this week. McCrimmon also used Tuesday’s announcement to deliver an important message to western Manitoba hockey fans. “Our family will continue to own the hockey club,” says McCrimmon. “I look forward to offering leadership, guidance and resources for the team to continue to be successful. The strength of our organization is the people and we will have some announcements soon with respect to the open positions. A 55-year old native of Plenty, Saskatchewan, McCrimmon played two seasons in Brandon in the late seventies and was a member of the 1979 WHL Championship club before moving on to the University of Michigan from 1980-84, serving as team captain during his senior year. The Wheat Kings, who defeated Seattle in May to capture their third Ed Chynoweth Cup and first in twenty years, are scheduled to open up training camp August 30th at Westman Communications Group Place. The club will kick off the 2016-17 regular season with a weekend home and home series with Moose Jaw on September 23rd-24th.

Brandon Firefighters Charity Fund, Annual Golf Tournament, is a non-profit event which raises funds towards supporting families in the Westman area who are struggling with unforeseen financial expenses (most commonly due to illness of a loved one). All money raised by the Charity Fund is done by Brandon Firefighter Paramedics and E911 Dispatchers, volunteering at fund-raising events. Since 1994, the Charity Fund has donated over $200,000 to various individuals, families, and organizations in southwestern Manitoba including: -United Way -Heart and Stroke Foundation -Child and Family -Breast Cancer Foundation -Muscular Dystrophy Association -Big brothers and Big Sisters -YMCA Kids Programs -Brandon General Hospital Foundation -Helping Hands -Individual families in need This year the event will be held at the Wheat City Golf Course on Sunday, August the 28th.  Various prizes will be given out throughout the tournament which are graciously supplied by the sponsors. Sponsors will be identified at the tournament along with acknowledgment on the website. Come join in and show your support, Westman thanks you. All completed entry forms can be dropped off at #1 Fire Hall - 120 19th Street N in Brandon or e-mailed to tannas@goinet.ca . Deadline for entry is August 5th 2016. Fees can accompany entry form or be mailed to 153 8th Street Brandon R7A 3W9 care of Brandon Firefighters Charity Fund. For any other arrangements call Matthew at 204-764-0418. 2016 CHARITY GOLF ENTRY FORM 2016 CHARITY GOLF SPONSORSHIP FORM

For the first time in 23+ years fans of the Brandon Wheat Kings will have a new play by play announcer to listen to as earlier today the Wheat Kings released a brief photo statement from Kelly McCrimmon saying they are sorry to see Bruce Luebke move on. It went on to say that Bruce had been a great voice of the Wheat Kings and that he had served as a real ambassador for the organization. Bruce had been the “voice” of the Wheat Kings since 1993 when he replaced outgoing play by play man Darren Dreger who moved from CKLQ radio over to CKX-TV. Prior to joining the Wheat Kings Luebke had spent time as the voice of the Weyburn Red Wings of the SJHL. In other Wheat Kings, it was reported yesterday that Josh Guenther, the Wheat King trainer of the past 3 seasons, has accepted a job to become the new Athletic Therapist for the Red Deer Rebels of the WHL.