The 2021 BC Golf Education Summit series continues Tuesday, February 9th at 7PM. This next session features Colin Lavers and Matt Cella, two coaches from the BC Golf Performance program, who will be heading the 'Planning for Performance' webinar.

Anyone can learn from some of the most knowledgeable people in Canada on how to succeed along the path to becoming the best possible golfer you can be.

All Images Courtesy Haywood Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

When competing with industry heavyweights like Taylor Made, Titleist, Ping and Callaway, it’s important to have something that sets you apart.

For Haywood Golf, a Vancouver-based direct-to-consumer equipment company, that would be price. “The way we describe our clubs is 'we’re not cheaper, we are just more affordable,'” says company founder Joshua Haywood.

Not even three years old, Haywood Golf is turning some heads in what is an ultra-competitive business. Golfers like the sleek, simple look of Haywood’s irons and they love the price.

Nick Taylor, Wife Andie And Their Apparently Unimpressed Young Son Charlie Posed Following Taylor's Win At Pebble Beach Last Year - Image Courtesy Twitter

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

The memories figure to last a lifetime, so one year after the biggest win of his professional career Nick Taylor has no difficulty recalling some of the most special moments of that magical week on the Monterey Peninsula.

One of the best was having his wife Andie and their young son Charlie waiting for him behind the 18th green at Pebble Beach Golf Links after he won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

The memories figure to last a lifetime, so one year after the biggest win of his professional career Nick Taylor has no difficulty recalling some of the most special moments of that magical week on the Monterey Peninsula.

One of the best was having his wife Andie and their young son Charlie waiting for him behind the 18th green at Pebble Beach Golf Links after he won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Click HERE for full story...

OAKVILLE, Ont. (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada is pleased to announce the 10 athletes who have been selected to represent the 2021 Team Canada Young Pro Squad.

Comprising the 2021 Women’s Young Pro Squad will be returnees Brittany Marchand (Orangeville, Ont.), Jaclyn Lee (Calgary, Alta.), and Maddie Szeryk (London, Ont.). After becoming a first-time mom in July, Golf Canada is also pleased to welcome back Anne-Catherine Tanguay (Quebec City, Que.) to the Young Pro Squad as she makes her return to the LPGA Tour.

The 2021 Men’s Young Pro Squad features a six-pack of familiar athletes led by Taylor Pendrith (Richmond Hill, Ont.).

Other members of the Men’s Young Pro Squad for 2021 include Jared du Toit (Kimberley, B.C.), Chris Crisologo (Richmond, B.C.), Stuart Macdonald (Vancouver, B.C.), Joey Savoie (La Prairie, Que.), and Hugo Bernard (Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que.).

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

For the past 21 years, Muncie Booth has run golf camps for inner-city children at McCleery Golf Course in Vancouver. The kids are given some golf instruction, run through a series of fun drills and offered a scrumptious brunch inside McCleery’s clubhouse.

They don’t pay a dime to attend the camps, thanks to the efforts of Booth, the longtime head professional at McCleery.

For that work and so much else he has done in his 40 years as a member of the PGA of Canada, Booth was last week named the inaugural winner of the association’s Warren Crosbie Community Leader of the Year Award.

An Aerial View Of The Back Nine At Bootleg Gap GC And The Hoodoos - Image Courtesy Bootleg Gap GC

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Since joining Bootleg Gap Golf Course as a young assistant pro in 2004, Trevor Simkins has pretty much done it all. 

Simkins became head pro at the scenic Kimberley course in 2006 and eight years later was appointed general manager. He’s now about to take on the biggest role of his life.

Simkins has bought the golf course.

Simkins, his father Harold -- a former longtime club pro in Kamloops -- and his step-mother Jeanna take possession of Bootleg Gap on Feb. 11 after purchasing it from the City of Kimberley. 

“From assistant golf pro to owner,” Simkins says. “It’s pretty cool.” Yes, it is.

The 2021 British Columbia Golf Championship Season Begins May 25th At Gorge Vale GC In Victoria With the Men’s and Women’s B.C. Mid-Amateur Championships - Image Courtesy Gorge Vale GC

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

British Columbia Golf’s 2021 championship tournament schedule is testament to the fact that we are blessed with so many terrific golf courses throughout the province. “We are literally all over B.C. this summer,” says Doug Hastie, manager of field operations and tournament director with British Columbia Golf.

“We try to rotate our events around the province as much as we can.”

Bell Let’s Talk Day is Thursday, January 28 and we’re joining in to help drive progress in mental health.

COVID-19 has affected every aspect of our lives, including our mental health. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, 38% of Canadians say their mental health has declined due to COVID-19, and people already struggling with their mental health were 2 times more likely to say their mental health has declined due to the pandemic.

Since 2010, Canadians and people around the globe have joined in the world’s largest conversation around mental health on Bell Let’s Talk Day. Together we have taken big steps to reduce the stigma around mental health issues and inspire one another to take action and help create a Canada where everyone can access the mental health support they need.

BC's Nick Taylor Used His Knowledge Of The Rules In The Sony Open To Get Relief From This Situation By Stating He Would Play It Left-Handed - Image Courtesy Golf Rules Questions YouTube Video Grab

In the second round of the Sony Open, on the 503-yard, par-5 9th at Waialae Country Club, Nick Taylor hit his drive left and off the tall netting that separates the driving range from the hole, and his ball dropped inches outside of out-of-bounds fence posts below.

Three Youngsters Enjoy A Game Of A Golf At Quilchena GC In Richmond - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

By Zephyr Melton / Golf.com

Golf is a beautiful game for many reasons, but one of the most notable is that it can be enjoyed your entire life.

From the time you are old enough to stand and hold a club until you are collecting social security benefits, golf is a constant.

Nick Taylor - Golf Canada Photo 

By Brad Ziemer/British Columbia Golf

SO CLOSE AT SONY: Nick Taylor didn’t have quite the weekend he’d hoped for, but still tied for 11th at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Taylor entered the weekend with a two-shot lead after firing an eight-under 62 in Friday’s second round.

He closed with weekend rounds of 68 and 67 on the par-70 Waialae Country Club layout in Honolulu to finish the event at 17-under par, four shots behind winner Kevin Na.

Sunday’s finish was Taylor’s best on the PGA TOUR since winning the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am nearly one year ago. Taylor earned $153,450 on Sunday and completed a nice two-week visit to Hawaii.

He tied for 29th at the Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua’s Plantation course in Maui the previous week.

A Happy, Smiling, Maddox Hadwin Celebrated Her 1st Birthday Last Week - Image Courtesy Jessica & Adam Hadwin

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Adam Hadwin and his wife Jessica recently celebrated the first birthday of their daughter Maddox, a day in which they reflected on not only the joy she has brought to their lives but the struggle they faced bringing her into the world.

Adam and Jessica went through many ups and downs, including two failed pregnancies, in their attempts to start a family.

With the help of in vitro fertilization (IVF), Maddox arrived on January 8, 2020. The struggles they endured and the fact they were in a financial position to use IVF led the Hadwins to think about trying to help others facing similar challenges. Late last year they started The Hadwin Family Foundation.

2021 Women In Coaching, BC's Kyla Inaba - Image Courtesy PGA of Canada

Written by Golf Canada

Together with the PGA of Canada, Golf Canada is excited to announce the nine individuals named as inaugural participants in the 2021 Women in Coaching program.

Each participant receives in-depth career development support that is focused on four main areas: sports science and coaching education, hands-on training experiences with coaches and top players, project work and individualized learning plans. Recipients are awarded a $2,500 bursary to help offset costs for the hands-on training portion of the program.

Due to the volume of qualified applicants, Golf Canada and the PGA of Canada are considering ways to extend career development support to a broader pool of aspiring female coaches. Increasing the number of female mentors and role models is a priority for the growth of golf in Canada.

British Columbia Golf will be holding two Provincial Rules seminars online beginning in February of 2021.

Please see the information below for details and to pick which option may be of interest to you.

Please Note:

The Player Development Trust Fund Program Is Being Restructured - The PDTF Program Committee Will Have Updated Information To Announce Soon  

 ______________________________________________________________________________________________

With the winter season upon us, not everyone has the ability to get outside to practice and play. And while this break may not be your first choice, there are still things you can do to improve in the off-season.

GOLF.com Top 100 Teacher Kellie Stenzel shares 10 tips.

Click here to read the full story...

The Titleist T100 Iron -Image Courtesy Titleist

By DR. BARRY LOTZ, Inside Golf

As 2020 draws to a close, despite many feeling that can't come soon enough, there are still always positives to come from the year that was and in this instance we're going to share with you a list of golf products that garnered the most 'buzz' from our research.

Check out the 'Top 10' list below and the extended list with categories and brands after that.

You very well could find something you'd like to give or receive this Christmas.

Via Press Release

Abbotsford, BC – December 14, 2020 – Gatekeeper Systems Inc. (‘Gatekeeper’ or the ‘Company’) (TSX-V: GSI) (OTC: GKPRF) (FSE: 1GK) a video and data solutions provider for public transportation and smart cities, will deploy its Intelligent Temperature Sensing Systems (ITSS) in a solution designed for rapid testing at sports venues.

The Company has signed the Vancouver Golf Tour (“VGT”) as its first sports venue customer, in a recurring revenue business model.

“For the past 14 years, VGT has been providing thousands of golfers in our region with an opportunity to compete in professionally-staged tournaments,” stated VGT Commissioner Fraser Mulholland.

“We have always prided ourselves on the professional nature of our events and providing a year-long tournament platform for our local players to put their skills to the test in a PGA Tour-like environment.”

image courtesy georgetakei.com/www.picpedia.org

Just a friendly reminder to all golfers in British Columbia that as much as this is the time of year for giving and celebrating, there are unfortunately also those who will look to take advantage of the 'seasonal goodwill' that flows during this time. 

We received a reminder of this from our friends down south at the Arizona Golf Associaton who shared a scam attempt sent to their members with a fake GoFundMe campaign. We've pasted the warning they shared with us below and wish to remind all of you to always be on the lookout and be aware of this type of communication.