TEEING OFF: Slate to test game at match play qualifier
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Nolan Slate has always seen golf as an outlet — something to do during time away from competition.
But now that he’s a few years removed from high-level team sports, he realized it can be much more.
Slate is teeing it up today in the Golf Manitoba match play qualifier at Scotswood Links in Elm Creek.
Brandon's Brayden Hamm is one of a handful of juniors stepping up to take on the top amateur golfers in Manitoba this week. (Thomas Friesen/The Brandon Sun)
“Now that I’m missing that competitive nature from my life, it’s a good way to get back into it,” Slate said.
“I’m looking forward to doing a few more in the future, but just looking to get my feet wet this summer and see where it goes.”
Slate was part of a strong Vincent Massey Vikings volleyball team in high school, reaching the AAAA provincial quarterfinals in 2019 and nearly knocking off the No. 2-seed St. Paul’s Crusaders.
The following season was lost to COVID-19, but he spent a few years playing for the Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference’s Assiniboine College Cougars.
Slate was a hard-hitting outside hitter, and is an even harder hitter of the golf ball.
He has topped 180 miles per hour with driving distance that easily keeps up with the PGA Tour average.
Slate plans to use that as an advantage today, even though he has tried to dial it back in competitive play in the past.
“I’d play a couple of recreational tournaments here and there and I went in thinking I should completely change my approach, I need to go to the range an hour before — and it honestly hasn’t worked at all for me. It just puts more pressure on myself,” Slate said.
“Going into this weekend, I’m not going to put any expectations on myself. I’m just going to do what I do, show up, swing hard, play free and see what happens.”
While Slate only dabbled in a few events, including one on the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour more than 10 years ago, and has played the Tamarack most summers, he has some competitive golf experience to draw from in his family.
His older sister, Tianna, was one of the top juniors in the province and joined the University of Manitoba Bisons in 2017.
Nolan said he learned a lot from watching his sister navigate competitive golf.
“It’s a completely different game from any other team sport you grow up playing. It’s also crazy different playing in a competitive setting than playing at your home course. Simply entering a tournament gets you back in that mindset, and you kind of have to prepare yourself,” he said.
Former Assiniboine College volleyball player Nolan Slate is jumping back into competitive sports as he tees it up in the Golf Manitoba match play qualifier at Scotswood Links today. (Thomas Friesen/The Brandon Sun)
“You’ve got to really work at it if you want to make it work.”
Slate still wasn’t sure he wanted to get back into it, but longtime friend and golf buddy Will Fawcett said he was likely signing up for the match play, so Slate decided to come along for the ride.
They’re in a field of 89 men competing for 32 spots in the match play bracket, which begins on Thursday at the Whispering Winds of Warren.
There’s a strong Westman presence, featuring Brandon’s Evan Nachtigall, Hunter Oakden, Spence Mott, Dayne Douglas, Ross Sheard, Brad Pardy, Nolan Tutkaluk, Brayden Hamm and Will Kinsman, and Glenboro’s Glen Ford.
Onanole’s Keith Fawcett and Treherne Delahunt Golf Club’s Mike Berney are competing in the new super senior event, while Clear Lake member Ron Cornell is in the senior men’s field.
Sixteen of the 23 super seniors will qualify, while all 32 senior men will battle for seeding and compete in the main event.
All 10 women will move on to the match play portion as well.
“I’m just looking forward to getting into it, having some fun, no expectations and put myself out there again,” Slate said.
ACES: The holes-in-one have been pouring in early despite a late start to the season. Kerry Barkman scored the lone one of Shilo Country Club’s season on the long par-3 eighth hole with a six-iron on May 9 … Wheat City has had two, with Will Pearson knocking one in on No. 11 with a six-iron on May 6 and Carter Manser getting No. 14 with a seven-iron on May 11 … Doug Hanska aced the 14th at Oak Island with an eight-iron on May 6 … Neepawa’s first ace was on May 16 when Ward Brister capped his round with a perfect pitching wedge on No. 18 … Ryder Smith aced No. 11 with a 54-degree wedge at Dauphin Lake on May 7, the club’s opening day, before Tyler Golding aced No. 9 with a nine-iron the following day.