Picture Butte Golf Club renames turf care centre, annual mixed scramble after late superintendent

By Lethbridge Herald on July 9, 2025.

Herald Photo by Nathan Reiter. The turf care centre at Picture Butte Golf Club has been renamed after late superintendent Clint Collier, who passed away in September 2024

By Nathan Reiter

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter- Lethbridge Herald 

For more than 25 years, the name Clint Collier was synonymous with the Picture Butte Golf Club.

Collier was the head superintendent at the course from 1998 up until his sudden passing in September 2024. He was 53 years old.

The club has renamed the turf care centre along with the annual mixed scramble tournament in honour of Collier.

Dean Sklarenko, the executive professional at Picture Butte, says he shared a very close personal and professional relationship with Collier.

“He was the first person that I met when I walked through the door for my interview back in 2006. From that point forward he was a huge part of why I was here. He was always supportive, a great team person, a great friend, a mentor for many out here and in the community throughout the province, a mentor through his business. One of my closest friends and I’m proud to have known Clint and been around for so long together.”

Collier met his eventual wife, Shannon, on course grounds in Picture Butte according to his obituary. Clint and Shannon would often play together in the mixed scramble with their children Brady and Kyra also being consistent players annually in the event.

The first annual Clint Collier Memorial Mixed Scramble was hosted by Picture Butte on Saturday, July 5.

After Collier’s passing, there were discussions about renaming the club’s Men’s Scramble or Men’s Two-Ball after him. Sklarenko says the decision was made to rename the Mixed Scramble because it allowed every member of Collier’s family to play in the event. 

“The mixed scramble was a conversation that we had with our board, our membership and including Clint’s family, Shannon, Brady and Kyra. We wanted an event that would recognize Clint. We tossed around a lot of ideas from a memorial tournament specific to Clint, different events and we felt that the mixed scramble was special because it was an event that he could play with his family. He played with his wife Shannon, always with some great friends as their teammates for years. It was something that we could name after Clint and then his family could also participate.”

It was a common sight to spot Collier on the course at all hours of the day driving a maintenance vehicle, often accompanied by his dog and unofficial assistant Kobe. 

With 2025 being the first full golf season since Collier’s passing, Sklarenko says the atmosphere at the course hasn’t quite been the same.

“There’s a continuing void here. It’s not the same, Clint had such a presence at our club not only with the staff, but with the membership, showing up and saying hello to the golfers that are out. They say time will heal all and we’re moving forward as best we can, but it’s not forgotten. That’s a special part for us in our club and Clint’s legacy.”

After Collier’s passing, Picture Butte had interest from all over western Canada for Collier’s head superintendent position. Justin Jones, who previously served as the head superintendent at Magrath Golf Club, was hired to fill in the position.

Jones had previously worked as an assistant under Collier in Picture Butte for several years before he was hired in Magrath.

Jones says he learned a lot during his time under Collier and explained that Clint was respected for how he handled his staff.

“In this industry, it’s very easy to get caught up in work and the golf course becomes your entire life. Clint definitely worked hard and he poured his heart and soul into this place. 

“The one thing he taught me about was work-life balance, making time for yourself and for your family. He also created a family within the crew as well. He made everybody feel like they meant something to the golf course and that they were important to the golf club. I know myself and assistant Landon Hall, who worked with Clint for a long time feel the same way. We try to create a culture here where people want to come to work. You want to come and do your best and create something here. Clint was a big part of that. He was a leader, he was a mentor to a lot of us and he’s a big reason why the culture at the Picture Butte Golf Club is the way it is.”

Another influence that Collier had on Jones was his constant desire for improvement. Jones says that even if the course was in top condition, Collier always wanted to continue to strive for excellence.

“I’ll never say that I’m going to be a harder worker than him, but one of our models was to work smarter, not harder. We try to find ways that are more efficient. We try to create efficient processes that let us get through our daily tasks, and that’s even more important here at this club now that we’re busier than ever. We have more golfers coming through here every day than we ever have, so we have to be more effective, more efficient. He definitely tried to improve on everything every single year. He never just rested on his laurels. The place was in good condition. 

“He always wanted to get better and improve. His work ethic was second to none, respecting and relying on your staff and putting them in positions of responsibility.”