Saskatchewan golfer honoured with national award

Paul Schatz has been helping grow the game of golf at the grassroots level in Saskatchewan, and he’s being recognized on the national stage for his work.

Schatz, the associate pro at the Tor Hill Golf Course, was named the recipient of the Jack McLaughlin junior leader of the year award on Dec. 12. The award, which is handed out by the Professional Golfers’ Association of Canada, is given to a leader in junior golf.

“I was super surprised,” Schatz said. “We have 100 golf professionals (in Saskatchewan) and the (Greater Toronto Area) has 500, or something, so being from somewhere that’s so small, you don’t get your name out as well as other people.”

Schatz said there are a lot of great golf professionals in the province and he was honoured to be put in the same class as some of them.

“The guys here in Saskatchewan can compete in a national level, be it teaching programs or playing,” he said.

Schatz was rewarded for the work he has done with schools in Regina.

He created a partnership with the public school board and started a family golf night at five schools, called Starting New at Golf (SNAG).

“I invested in some equipment called SNAG. (It’s) specifically geared towards juniors – colourful, big and kind of like tennis balls to hit,” Schatz said.

Schatz said he had more than 140 participants take part in the program. He also did learn-to-golf classes at the Joanne Goulet, Lakeview Par 3 and Tor Hill golf courses.

Schatz said the SNAG equipment was created by an American golf pro. The equipment comes with golf clubs with big plastic heads with a bulls-eye target so people know where the ball should hit.

It also includes colourful dots where the hands should be placed and the balls are hit at Velcro targets to which they stick.

“I had kids from four-year-old’s all the way to teaching at the university,” Schatz said. “Anyone from four to 90 can use the equipment.”

While other golfers in the province have used the SNAG program, it was the first time Schatz had decided to implement it.

Schatz, who began golfing when he was seven years old, said he wanted to start the programs because, compared to other sports like hockey, there aren’t many youth programs available for people wanting to learn.

“Golf over time has lacked those programs to get kids involved. Once you build a program, then you have to promote and work your butt off to get people to come out.”

Schatz also worked at the Long Creek Golf and Country Club in Avonlea. He said once kids get exposed to the game, they can get the “itch” to keep heading out.

“I had a kid out in Avonlea who, after being around golf for three months, was out at the golf course every day playing,” Schatz said. “I don’t see it as an issue of kids wanting to do it, it’s building those programs and giving them the option to play.”

He said when he first became the professional at Avonlea, he noticed they had a beautiful golf course but many of the kids never used it.

“I made it my mission to get as many of the local kids in the community of 500 come out to play golf,” Schatz said. “I built up the program and with the retirement of my mentor, a position opened up at Tor Hill and they made the offer right for me to come back otherwise I would still be out in Avonlea doing the same stuff out there but with a much smaller scale than what I was able to accomplish here in Regina.”

Schatz said he believes the future of golf is in good hands in the province.

“The PGA of Saskatchewan as a whole has a whole bunch of professionals that are passionate about the game and passionate about the zone,” Schatz said. “Lots of people could have opportunities in B.C. or Toronto where the seasons are longer, and the money might be a little bit better, but they stay here and work hard.”