An extended holiday ate up much of Ann Holmes' practice time for golf this summer but she's not using that for an excuse if she falters on the course this weekend at the 50th Ladies Simon Fraser Open.
Even if Holmes brings her A-game to the two-day tournament today and Sunday at the Prince George Golf and Curling Club she figures she will be hard-pressed to keep pace with her former students at UBC - Lindsay MacDermott and Jackie Touchet - back for another kick at the can after they finished 1-2 respectively a year ago in the event.
MacDermott shot 78-76 to claim the 2016 Simon Fraser title, 11 strokes fewer than the second-place Touchet (86-79). Holmes shot 84-83 last year to tie for fourth place. After an unspectacular nine-hole practice round at the PGGCC on Wednesday she's not expecting any miracles this time around.
"I've hardly played this year, we flew to Ottawa for Canada Day and we did five provinces in 21 days," said the 45-year-old Holmes. "My putting and chipping was a glaringly obvious weakness. I'm hitting the ball OK it's just I wasn't getting the speed right with my putts."
MacDermott, who grew up in Langley and attended UBC under her maiden name Jackson, turned pro right after she and Touchet (nee Hays), and their coach Holmes (nee Oishi) brought home the NAIA national team golf title in 2002.
Touchet lives in Prince Rupert, where her father Moe (The Pro) Hays is well known for teaching the game and Holmes says the dry West Coast summer means Touchet has been playing more than she usually does. MacDermott is a teaching pro at Kamloops Golf & Country Club.
"The band is back together," said Holmes. "The emails and texts flying around and the buildup is as much fun as the weekend.
"Last year, Lindsay played lights out and we were kind of clumped together after that. Lindsay's husband Brice is the head pro and GM at Kamloops Golf & Country and Lindsay has been building the junior program there, so I think she's definitely around golf more than the two of us are. She has probably hit more balls than any of us and I expect good things out of her."
Homes knows you can never count out Betty Ann Shiels, who is chasing her 10th Simon Fraser Open championship. Shiels shot 83-83 last year, one fewer stroke than Holmes, to finish third overall last year.
"She just gets it going and plays consistent golf," said Holmes. "I'm way more erratic. I can make some birdies and then make a 10 and she never does that."
Another former student of Holmes, 16-year-old junior Natasha Kozlowski of Prince George, could also be hanging with the leaders Sunday afternoon.
"She's just such a hard worker and she's just really dedicated about golf so she's going to be just fine," said Holmes. "She's been playing and practicing a ton and it's her home course. Anything could happen with her, she could shoot 75 or 85, any number is fair game because she's young. She's been off playing (junior) tour events and she's getting that experience that you need to take it low. She just has to connect all the dots at the right time and the right day."
Seventy-four golfers are entered this weekend, starting with the opening tee-offs at 8:01 a.m.
