Boyle set for senior nationals

Nice clear skies and calm winds will often make for a pleasant day of golf.
Unfortunately for Moose Jaw's Lorie Boyle, golf courses in St. John's, Newfoundland rarely offer nice weather, and it's certainly not likely to happen this week at Bally Haly GCC for the Royale Canadian Senior Women's Championship.
Boyle, Saskatchewan's best senior women's golfer, is one of the contenders for the crown but even she has to practice and sharpen up her game.
"My driver has kind of left me the last few days," lamented Boyle before she headed to her last practice session Saturday before her flight out "And I'm going to do a little chipping and putting, and then I'll be ready to go."
Boyle's been wide left a few times, but says she knows what's wrong and just needs the practice. She also wants to stick with her pre-shot routine for fear of going too fast and losing the rest of her swing.
"If I just keep my steady tempo all week, I'll do fine," she said.
The experience she has had at the last two national championships will undoubtedly help, as only she and Judy Sefton have completed three rounds at this tournament before. They and newcomers Laura Small and Joanne Schiller qualified after finishing in the top four at Saskatchewan Senior Women's provincials at the Hillcrest.
"I'll try and keep them calm, too. Since I'm team captain, that's what I'm going to do, and I think we're going to kick some butt this year," Boyle said.
Boyle had a practice round at Bally Haly Monday and a three-day, 54-hole tournament Tuesday through Thursday. Every practice out there will help, as she has very little experience at this course.
"All I remember is that 14 of the 18 holes were blind going into the green," she said. "I remember the wind was brutal out there and I see on the Weather Channel today, it's just as bad with 50 to 60-k winds out there now and only a high of 18 (degrees). Looks like it's going to be a cold week."
While the blustery conditions may sound bad at first, the swirling, fast winds are about par for the course for many experienced Saskatchewan golfers.
"I think we definitely have an advantage over Alberta and B.C. for sure, and Onatrio, where they do get much wind and we do," Boyle said. "I think we'll have a little advantage over that."
They won't change much of their game plan for the salty ocean breeze.
"You've just got to make sure your tempo is slow for the big winds and if you keep it slow, then you'll hit the ball fine," she said.

Corey Atkinson can be reached at 691-1260