ESTEVAN - The Estevan Oilfield Technical Society's (OTS) Oilwomen's Golf Tournament continues to see a resurgence in popularity.
The fun event will take place on July 19 at the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Course, with a shotgun start at 10:30 a.m. The tournament has a Texas scramble format. A chicken supper will be served afterwards, and there will be a variety of prizes, watering holes on the course and more.
"This year we did ask for teams to try to be OTS-related … so to be oilwomen. We also opened it up to oil wives just to generate, again, a little bit more interest from the females in the sector," said committee member Tanya George.
Teams can also add one or two women from outside the sector, as long as those women support oil and gas. People can register on as individuals or teams.
Last year's tournament was opened to women from outside of the patch for the first time, and it paid off, as the number of entrants swelled from 58 in 2022 to more than 120. As of Sunday afternoon, 130 golfers were registered for this year's tournament.
"I think it's because we're opening it up to others, so we're opening it up to oil wives, which in the past, it was pretty strict, it had to be oilwomen only. So last year we opened it up to oil wives, and then when we were finding that people were still having a hard time making teams, it opened it up to non-oilfield employed women," George said.
This year most of the registered players are connected to the patch.
George said fun is a big part of the tournament's success. There will be random draws for the first and second prizes among the teams that submitted a scorecard.
The tournament also has a strong social component.
"Once they come out and golf, they realize just how much fun it is – and that it is just for fun, it isn't competitive in any way, shape or form, because a lot of these women have never golfed before, or only golf once a year, and that would be in this tournament," said George.
The tournament is also a fundraiser. Each year the women's OTS sells 50/50 and raffle tickets for prizes that are largely donated. All proceeds raised from those activities will be donated to a local charity. Last year they raised just over $4,000, which was bumped up to $5,000, for the Southeast College's scholarship program. A cheque presentation to the college will occur the day of the tournament.
The beneficiary for the 2024 tournament will be announced on July 19, and the cheque will be presented next year.
