Update to Program Handicap Stipulations Coming

(Acton, ON) - The PGA of Canada is pleased to announce that some of Canada’s top courses have been secured as host sites for the 2022 RBC PGA Scramble Regional Finals.

Building on last year's return to Cabot Links for the National Final and the largest draw of players ever to participate in the program, we are excited to announce that players who qualify from their local qualifier will head to one of the following Regional Final hosts:

Player Registration Is Now Open For The 2022 RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifying Competitions In British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, & Alberta

(March 14, 2022) - Golf Canada, in partnership with title sponsor RBC, is pleased to announce the qualifying format for the 2022 RBC Canadian Open, scheduled for June 6-12 at St. George’s Golf & Country Club in Toronto with nearby Islington Golf Club serving as the official practice facility.

A two-stage qualifying process for Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship will feature regional qualifying competitions in British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec as well as Alberta which is new for 2022. Three of four regional qualifier dates and host sites are set with the Quebec qualifier details to be confirmed in the coming weeks.

The 111th playing of Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship Returns June 6-12, 2022 At St. George’s Golf & Country Club In Partnership With Islington Golf Club In Toronto

For Immediate Release

(March 10, 2022) – The RBC Canadian Open is officially back to kick off the 2022 summer festival season!

Golf Canada, in partnership with title sponsor RBC, is pleased to offer a full selection of ticket options for the 2022 RBC Canadian Open.

Following two years of cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the RBC Canadian Open returns June 6-12 at St. George’s Golf & Country Club in Toronto with nearby Islington Golf Club hosting the tournament’s official practice facility.

The stars of the PGA TOUR will return to Toronto as St. George’s prepares to host the tournament for the fifth time and first since 2010.

via Golf Canada

Golf Canada’s 2022 Annual Meeting culminated on Thursday, March 3rd with the election of Liz Hoffman of Wasaga Beach, Ont. to serve a second term as the 116th President of the National Sport Federation.

Hoffman, a member of both Mad River Golf Club in Creemore, Ont. as well as The Thornhill Club in Vaughn, Ont. is joined by Vice-President Dale Jackson of Victoria, B.C. in leading the 13-member Board of Directors who will work closely with Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum.

Based on the report of Golf Canada’s Nominating Committee, Hoffman and Jackson will be joined on the 2022 Board of Directors by returnees Alison Chisholm of Rothesay, N.B., Adam Daifallah of Montreal, Que., Diane Drury-Clarke of Montreal, Que., Shawn Evans of Kitchener, Ont., Patrick Kelly of Victoria, B.C., Susan MacKinnon of Calgary, Alta., Peter Major of Calgary, Alta., David McCarthy of Toronto, Ont., Jean-Sébastien Monty of Montreal, Que., and Rai Sahi of Mississauga, Ont., along with new addition Michelle Collens of Vancouver, B.C.

 By John Gordon/Golf Canada

For the most part, I enjoyed and appreciated Richard Moss’s 2013 book The Kingdom of Golf in America.

Until the very last paragraph.

After 355 pages, Moss took a double bogey on the (figurative) 18th hole.

“Golf’s problems are rooted in the seismic changes in the economy and the culture of the past 40 years. If the golf community responds to these changes by dramatically changing the game, by making it shorter, easier or by changing the rules, it will be a profound mistake. Golf is not best seen as a consumer product …”

Not?

Media Release/Golf Canada

Golf Canada is undertaking an integrated and multi-faceted enhancement of its high-performance program to accelerate Canada’s position in the global professional golf landscape.

The National Sport Federation announced last week (Feb. 23rd) a strategic framework for its player development program with a stated primary objective to increase the cumulative number of Canadian athletes on the LPGA and PGA TOUR to 30 by 2032.

With the Canada Summer Games back on the schedule this year, following its postponement in 2021 due to the Covid -19 pandemic, British Columbia Golf is pleased to announce the selection of the coaches who will be in charge of our province's team heading to Niagara, Ontario August 6th - 21st.

Golf is being played the second week from August 14th - 21st, and will feature two events. Both the team event and individual event will be played at the Legends on the Niagara Battlefield Course in Niagara Falls with four rounds of play.

Golf joined the Summer Games sport program in 2009, and has been on every summer program since. https://niagara2022games.ca/

Written by Clark Stork (reprinted with permission)

Regina’s Chad McCormick is very pleased he has a Golf Canada membership.

McCormick was in Kelowna for a family wedding celebration when a vehicle in the parking lot at the course he was playing was broken into. The vehicle was “cleaned out” according to McCormick with many wedding gifts being swiped as well as clubs belonging to several players, including McCormick.

ModGolf Podcast creator and host, Colin Weston, recently returned from the 2022 PGA Show in Orlando, FLA after missing the event last year due to COVID restrictions. He found a slightly different but still extremely informative and enjoyable show presentation on this visit and put together this blog to share with us about his observations and experiences at 'golf's biggest industry event'. - editor

The ModGolf Podcast at The 2022 PGA Show

Contributed by Colin Weston/ModGolf (reposted with permission)

It's been two long years since I last attended The PGA Show in Orlando and although I was apprehensive about getting on a plane from Vancouver with the Omicron variant still swirling around us, I'm glad I made the decision to go.

After hundreds of Zoom video calls over the past 24 months has pushed me to the point of burnout, reconnecting with old golf industry friends and meeting some new ones face-to-face was exactly the medicine my spirit needed.

So here's a recap of my eight days in central Florida and my takeaways from golf's biggest industry event.

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

A small British Columbia company specializing in handcrafted tartan golf head covers and accessories is teaming with the Canadian Cancer Society’s Plaid for Dad campaign to help raise money for prostate cancer research.

Vernon residents Henry and Sandra Goy started Maggie’s Celtic Golf Collection about five years ago. Recently retired and both avid golfers, the couple was looking for something to do during the off-season. “How it started is kind of an interesting story,” Henry says.

MADDIE SZERYK WON THE BC WOMEN'S AMATEUR IN 2017 - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski/BC Golf

By Lara Kuipers/Golf Canada

With a new year comes a new group of players on the LPGA Tour, and 2022 will be no different.

While 10-time LPGA Tour winner Brooke Henderson will no doubt continue to push the envelope for Canadian golf, there’s some new and familiar faces ready to join the Smiths Falls, Ont., native on the 2022 schedule, which includes the return of the CP Women’s Open at the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club from Aug. 22-28.

Veteran Alena Sharp will carry Symetra Tour status. She’ll have the opportunity to play LPGA events through sponsor exemptions and Monday qualifiers.

Adam Stanley/ Golf Canada

Golf continues to provide a record number of Canadians safe refuge during the COVID-19 global pandemic as a proven activity that benefits physical and mental health.

As we look ahead to 2022, there is comfort in knowing golf can continue to be a haven for safe gathering and fitness – for all.

And beyond just the ability to continue to play the game, the world of golf has given Canadians much to be excited about as we look ahead to a new year!

Courtesy Golf Canada

OAKVILLE – (Golf Canada) – Some golfers claim their favourite aspect of the game is recanting highlights (and maybe even some lowlights) with friends following a round of golf.

Now, members of Golf Canada and their respective provincial golf association who track their games with Golf Canada Score Centre can do just that… digitally.

Introducing Golf Canada #MyGolfYear – a retrospective of a member’s golf year generated by the scoring data posted to the Golf Canada Score Centre in 2021.

Courtesy Golf Canada

Calgary, AB – Canadian Pacific (CP) is proud to announce that fundraising efforts over the past two years for the CP Women’s Open (CPWO) have helped raise more than $2.8 million to support important equipment purchases and research at BC Children’s Hospital, along with an additional $557,000 for Kamloops Royal Inland Hospital.

“CP is honored to support BC Children’s Hospital in their critical efforts to improve cardiac care for children,” said Keith Creel, CP President and CEO.

Seven Sites, Including Courtenay, BC's Crowne Isle Resort, Will Host The PGA TOUR Canada's 2022 Qualifying Tournaments - Image Courtesy Golf Vancouver Island

FOR RELEASE: December 28, 2021

TORONTO—The Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada announced December 28 it will hold 2022 Qualifying Tournaments at seven separate sites over a six-week period, beginning in mid-February and concluding in late-April at Courtenay, BC's Crowne Isle Resort.

While the global pandemic made it difficult for PGA TOUR Canada to conduct its season as it had since its 2013 inception, the Tour did play a series of eight tournaments for players living in Canada this past summer on top of a set of four events it held in 2020. The 2022 campaign will be the first full season in two years that features a complete complement of members.

Image Credit Chuck Russell/Golf Canada

Courtesy Golf Canada via R & A

(St. Andrews, Scotland) – New research figures revealed by The R&A and Sports Marketing Surveys (SMS) show golf has enjoyed a significant increase in popularity worldwide since 2016 with over five-and-a-half million additional golfers taking up the sport.

The number of total golfers globally has increased from 61 million to 66.6 million in a five-year growth period, surpassing the previous high mark of 61.6 million set in 2012.

The measure includes club members and non-member independent golfers playing nine or 18 holes and users of driving ranges in markets where course availability is limited.

One of the longest running amateur golf tournaments in south Florida is being contested this week with many Canadians in the field.

Dating to 1924 in the Men’s Division, the Women’s tournament was added in 2002 and the event has grown to such a stature that it now attracts fields of players from around the world.

Both the men and women will play this week from December 16-19 with the men tackling Eagle Trace Golf Club and the women taking on Palm Aire Country Club.

The Charles Schwab Challenge Grant is providing a transformational opportunity to help First Tee – Canada deepen your impact by matching funds raised until the end of 2021!

First Tee is an internationally recognized grassroots life skill development program that builds character, instills life-enhancing values and promotes healthy choices for young people through the game of golf.

In 2021, Golf Canada launched three inaugural First Tee chapters in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec.

Our goal is to have 5,000 participants in each of our launched chapters by the end of 2022 and add new chapters serving all provinces by the end of 2023.

Great news, this year your tax-deductible gift will be matched 1:2 ($1 is matched for every $2 raised) through the Charles Schwab Challenge Grant! With your support, we can help deliver exceptional life-skills programming through the game of golf.

By John Gordon/ Courtesy Golf Canada

This time of year, we are inundated with “gift guides for the golfer in your life.” I’m here to tell you I am that golfer and I don’t want most of that stuff.

Why the greatest game has the cheesiest accessories is beyond me. You’ve seen them: Caddyshack gopher head covers, ugly sweaters and those visors with the fake hair sprouting out the top.

Note to my family: Buy me one of those and the next time you see one while walking through the local thrift store and remark, “Hey, that’s just like the one we got Uncle John for Christmas,” rest assured it is the same one.

So here’s the real stuff the golfer in your life (and likely you) want for Christmas.