Golfer makes most of second amateur status
Tournament director is back to enjoying game at grassroots level
Scott Allan has done what most golfers wouldn’t even think of doing.
Once a PGA of Canada club professional, Allan applied to Golf Canada to get his amateur playing status back. He was successful. Allan — who a year ago was working for Golf Saskatchewan in a dual promotional and tournament director capacity — is back enjoying golf at the grassroots level.
“(Last year) 2015 was my first full year back as an amateur,” says Allan, 45. “It’s nice to be back, especially nice to be participating back in Saskatchewan. It’s good. It’s a really good bunch of guys, especially in the Mid-Am from age 25 up all the way up to Mr. (Colin) Coben, who is upwards of 60. I got to play a couple of really enjoyable rounds with him (in the Saskatchewan Mid-Am), a really good week out (at Moon Lake).”
Allan placed fifth in the Saskatchewan Mid-Am this past week at Moon Lake Golf and Country Club, earning a spot in the upcoming Canadian Mid-Amateur at Golf Chateau-Bromont in Quebec from Aug. 23-26.
Allan shot rounds of 68-71-76 in the Sask. Mid-Am to grab a berth.
Growing up in Saskatoon, Allan did his apprenticeship as an assistant pro at Silverwood Golf Club, then under head pro Earl Scott, before venturing out west to British Columbia.
“Way back in 1994 or 1995, I started with my most valuable mentor, Earl Scott, up in Silverwood,” Allan recalls. “I spent four years with him and he kind of got me kick-started both in the game and club pro duties.”
He would finish up his club pro duties as a teaching professional, back in 2010, at Predator Ridge in Vernon. Before that, he worked at Sun Rivers up in Kamloops and Nakusp, a small town east of Vernon, and Golden prior to that.
These days, Allan must feel a little relieved to concentrate on golfing rather than likely running around, with his head cut off, during Golf Saskatchewan’s tournament season.
“It was definitely different,” he says of that experience. “It was a tough last summer, being as competitive as I am or want to be and doing the duties with Golf Saskatchewan.
“Probably too much desire to be out there playing. I’m trying to find some direction. I’ve got a five-year plan to get fit and get my game in shape and who knows what can happen in five years time when I turn 50. We’ll just keep plugging away and loving golf again.”
He is currently up north in Fort McMurray, doing some website work with his company, Green Golf Designs. He is also working on a new project with Kyle Duffin, who is a PGA of Canada member and regional Callaway representative who most recently worked at the Lloydminster Golf Club.
“He and I have teamed up and we’re just about to launch the new Sask Golfer.com website and pretty much make it the directory for golf courses in Saskatchewan, news, and product features,” says Allan. “They’re some really good products being introduced in Saskatchewan and some good amateur golf being played. I think Kyle and myself can play a really big part in growing golf in Saskatchewan some more.”