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By‐law author,

storyteller ,

Tamarack fixture

By Bruce Penton

ne of Bill Johnston’s earliest recollections is of his big of 102-93, putting him into a flight with some fairly high
brother Brian winning the junior championship at handicappers.
Othe Tamarack in 1960. “As the week went on, and I played more, my game naturally
Bill was three at the time. came around,” said Johnston. “So I’m playing John Braendle
Now 61, the former Brandonite is known around the late in the week and on the (par-5) fourth hole, I hit driver, 5-
Winnipeg legal community as The Honourable Mr. Justice wood onto the green and I’ve got 10 feet for eagle. John’s not
William Johnston (Family Division). Apropos that he be a very long hitter so he hit driver, 3-wood, 3-wood right into
affiliated with the ‘Family’ division, because this is a story the hole. for a three. Of course I missed my eagle putt. Gotta
about the Tamarack, which has no prairie peer as a ‘family’ love match play.”
golf tournament. Another time, Johnston was playing Garry Hargreaves of
“I was three, brother Brian was 16 and he beat Dave Hill (of Brandon and was 1-up teeing off No. 17, the picturesque
Winnipeg) in the final,” said Judge Johnston. “Which is kind downhill, 110-yard par-3 signature hole at Clear Lake.
of neat, because Dave (a Winnipeg lawyer) and I are pretty Johnston hit his tee shot 10 feet from the cup while
good friends now.” Hargreaves hit a fat shot that landed in the vicinity of the
Summer, Bill Johnston, and Clear Lake are synonymous. He creek that runs in front of the green. “I was looking around
spends as much time as possible in his Wasagaming cabin and at him to shake hands, but he didn’t realize he was in the
when he’s not at the cabin, chances are he’s on the Clear Lake water, so I marked my ball. He found his ball in a mud pile in
golf course. A good chunk of that time has been Tamarack- the middle of the creek, which was a little low. He whacked
connected. it, mud flying everywhere, and it went right into the hole. I’m
He served on the tournament board for 10 years, was chair pretty rattled, and I miss my putt and then drive it wildly on
for two, served a long spell as bar chair, ran the calcutta for 18 and he wins the hole and the match.”
about 10 years, wrote the first set of bylaws for the Long-time Tamarack competitors will never forget the
tournament and incorporated the tournament in the late tornado of 1985 or 1986 that ripped through the golf course
1980s, and won and lost more than a few memorable on a Friday night and rendered the course unplayable
matches. “In 40 years, every possible stupid thing has Saturday for that year’s scheduled opening day of qualifying.
happened,” said Johnston. Thanks to golf course staff and a small army of volunteers,
“Let me tell you about John Braendle, a gravedigger from “there were 17 holes playable” by the end of Saturday, said
Binscarth,” he said. Johnston. Qualifying, now only one round, went ahead on
It’s a good story. Sunday — on a 17-hole golf course.”No. 10 was unplayable,”
Johnston was in his early 20s, attending university and he said. “So everybody was given a bogey on that hole — and
working construction in the summer, leaving little or no time nobody complained.”
for golf. But he booked time off to compete in the Tamarack The tournament went on, with a few emergency local rules
and his very rusty golf game resulted in ugly qualifying scores in effect to account for storm damage.
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