The Estevan Oilfield Technical Society (OTS) wrapped up its busy season of events this past weekend with its annual Mixed Golf Tournament at Hidden Valley Golf Club. Despite concerns earlier in the week about low registration numbers, the event ended up exceeding expectations.
Tony Sernick, president of the OTS, said the turnout was a pleasant surprise.
“By mid-week we only had about 48 golfers registered, but in the last couple of days the numbers really picked up,” said Sernick. “We ended up with 76 golfers, which was actually a few over capacity, but we made it work.”
This was the fourth annual Mixed Golf Tournament and marked the final event on the OTS calendar for the year. The group hosts four events annually, starting with curling in the spring, followed by a trap shoot, the OTS Golf Tournament at TS&M Woodlawn, and then the Mixed Golf at Hidden Valley.
“It is a quick two to three months of events, but all four were well attended this year,” said Sernick. “It is always great to see the community come together for these.”
One of the highlights of the weekend, according to Sernick, was seeing strong support for the tournament despite competing with another major local event, River Jamm, happening the same day.
“We debated even holding it on the same weekend, but people showed interest and a lot of them ended up taking in both events. It turned into a great weekend for Estevan.”
Sernick noted that the OTS has worked to broaden its reach in recent years. Once an exclusive group for those working directly in the oilfield, the organization has opened its doors to anyone who supports the oil and gas industry.
“A couple of years back, we changed the rules to include anyone who supports oil and gas. You do not have to be working in the patch. If you support the industry, you are welcome to join us,” he explained.
Each OTS event draws a different crowd, helping the organization connect with a wider range of people from across the region. Sernick said the committee focuses on making the events fun and accessible, acting more like event planners than a traditional society.
As for the results of the weekend, the mixed golf champions were Kerry Sawyer and Tanya Briltz. Jeremy and Trisha Mackenzie finished second, and Derek Cooney and Sydney Mellom finished third.
Now that the busy event season is over, the committee will take some time to wrap up the year’s activities before setting their sights on planning for 2026.
“We will just make sure all the I’s are dotted and T’s crossed and then start getting ready to do it all over again next year,” said Sernick.