What do Chris Lambe, J.J.Maitland, Andrew Scayhill, Jim Morand, Ken Riordon, Kevin Feragen, Rob Pearce, Kevin Hann, John Stutz, Mark Bicknell, Simon Jones and Steven Young have in common? Different jobs, family situations, homelands and cars. Together, however, they make up the Banff Springs inter-club team that travelled to Jasper to play the away leg of the BSH-JPL annual men's inter-club Challenge Cup.

JPL isn't the only club BSH challenges annually. In a few weeks, a team will do a home-and-home with Priddis Greens and in September take on Canmore Golf Club. The men are not the only club segment to do inter-clubs - the BSH ladies and junior divisions also compete in inter-clubs with various golf clubs in Alberta.

The concept of the inter-club is for teams - normally 12 person - to do a home and home contest with another golf club. The competition has like handicapped golfers competing in individual and team matches within their fourball. three points per match - nine points per fourball - is up for grabs -one point for each of front nine, back nine and total - and whichever team earns the most points wins the Cup. Playing at each other's courses makes the competition fair by eliminating home-course advantage. It also provides players a chance to play a new course, in different conditions and design.

The match play game is one that I personally feel is the best way to enjoy golf. In match play, it is golfer versus golfer and rather than totalling strokes to get a score (stroke play) you match your score on each hole against your opponents and the lowest score wins the hole with the person winning the most holes winning the match.

If you have a bad hole - say a 10 - then it simply means you lose the hole and if you birdie the next you are probably back to all square. You are able to give a putt for a great shot - who doesn't remember Jack Nicklaus conceding the tying putt on the 18th hole against Tony Jacklin in the 1969 Ryder Cup. Match play means a bad break or missed putt does not need to haunt you and can easily be forgotten. With matches being a combination of front, back and overall - you can shake off a poor start to salvage a point on the back nine or even a half on the overall because of a strong finish. Playing the team match in the fourball is also great as you can ride the back of a hot partner contributing where needed and taking pride in the team's accomplishments.

For me, I enjoy getting to other courses to play - a rarity in season - and playing with my fellow golf professionals discussing the industry, current year sales and staffing. I also enjoy having them come to our course where we take great pride in our service, course conditions and clubhouse - there is no better discerning eye to offer praise and criticism than these golf industry experts. Spending 4 1/2 hours on the course with the likes of Alan Carter, Ron Lower and Darren Cooke and listening to them is equivalent to attending a seminar.

I also enjoy spending time getting to know the members from the club. Be its the drive to the match, the time ahead of the game at the range or the time afterwards at the meal - there is no better way to get to know your members better than sharing stories and tales about the days play and learning a little more about each other's lives. You inevitably learn something new each time and get to appreciate each other better. I enjoy seeing the club members high five and hoop and holler for each other's performance. It is great to be a part of the camaraderie around the final green where the battle finishes and everyone embraces the effort.

I find during the busy work week it is hard to get 30 minutes with my head golf professional - in this case Simon Jones - as we often are busy with daily operations, planning and the business. We need the time to get caught up, strategize and recalibrate. At the inter-clubs I get to travel with Simon to the event and we play in the same group. During that time we accomplish a lot and actually spend the time needed that we don't often take together.

In this past week's match with JPL we finished the away leg down 28 1/2 to 25 1/2. With respect to leads, it is minimal given there is still 54 points to be earned in the return trip to Banff. An advantage should be awaiting the Banff team this week as we will have home-course advantage. I will play again and while winning is a goal, it is not why I will show up. I will be there to enjoy a great day on the links with great company and great food.

CHIP SHOTS: Last Tuesday, Aug. 7, the BSGC women held their annual tournament sponsored by Bow Valley Basics. This year's theme was the Olympics, with winners earning medals for low net team scores. Gold medallists were Trudy Allan, Muriel Mooney and Barb Steiner. Silver medallists were Laurie Anderson and Karen Frey. Bronze was won by Marilyn Gomez and Mona Seguin. The BSGC Ladies Club is pleased to announce its 2012 club champion is Sharon Phillips; In the first flight low gross was Patsy Fisher and second low gross was Judy Tennant. In the second flight, low gross was Trudy Allan and second low gross: was Lois McMillen. The low overall net was Carol Morrison. . Banfitte Jack Wood was the top Albertan at the the 2012 Canadian Men's Amateur Championship played at the Camelot Golf and Country Club in Cumberland, Ont., last week, finishing in a tie for 18th place with a 2-under 286. He was two strokes better than former Banff resident Jordan Irwin, who helped Alberta's Willingdon Cup team to a fourth-place finish at the tournament.

Steve Young is the director of golf at the Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Course. Do you have an interesting fact or results from an event that occurred at your facility or from golfers in the area at events around the province? Please email steve.young@fairmont.com and we would be more than pleased to share these in our Chip Shots.