Via Golf Canada

TOKYO – The Tokyo Olympics will open next year in the same time slot scheduled for this year’s games. Tokyo organizers said Monday the opening ceremony will take place on July 23, 2021 – almost exactly one year after the games were due to start this year.

“The schedule for the games is key to preparing for the games,” Tokyo organizing committee president Yoshiro Mori said. “This will only accelerate our progress.”

Last week, the IOC and Japanese organizers postponed the Olympics until 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic. This year’s games were scheduled to open on July 24 and close on Aug. 9. But the near exact one-year delay will see the rescheduled closing ceremony on Aug. 8.

Augusta National - Image Courtesy Wikipedia

By Joel Beall/golfdigest.com

Augusta National Golf Club announced on Monday that it is donating $2 million to local coronavirus response efforts.

In a statement from Chairman Fred Ridley, the club is giving $1 million to Augusta University for expansion of COVID-19 testing in the region, with another million gifted to CSRA (Central Savannah River Area) Emergency Response Fund, a joint endeavor by the United Way and the Community Fund.

According to the press release, the donation will allow Augusta University to triple its drive-thru testing lanes, with an increase in medical personnel and supplies that will raise the amount of tests administered from 100 to 1,000 a day. The Emergency Response Fund is focused on Augusta's population most at risk of losing job support and income in the pandemic's fallout.

Read complete story HERE. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TORONTO/OTTAWA (March 22, 2020) – The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC), backed by their Athletes’ Commissions, National Sports Organizations and the Government of Canada, have made the difficult decision to not send Canadian teams to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in the summer of 2020.  

The COC and CPC urgently call on the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to postpone the Games for one year and we offer them our full support in helping navigate all the complexities that rescheduling the Games will bring. While we recognize the inherent complexities around a postponement, nothing is more important than the health and safety of our athletes and the world community.

We are closely monitoring the constantly-moving situation in the COVID-19 pandemic and carefully following the advice issued to us by the UK Government, relevant health authorities and our medical consultants. 

We have decided to cancel two of our international amateur events – The R&A Student Tour Series Final at St Andrews and Carnoustie and The R&A Girls’ U16 Amateur Championship at Fulford, which were both due to take place next month. We have contacted all those involved. We will keep the status of the rest of the amateur championship season under review.

Courtesy GOLF.com editors

There are lots of questions about the state of the world these days. While we can’t provide answers to some of the more important questions, we can answer some questions about how golf can exist in our current reality.

Here are a few common questions and our best answers on how recreational golf will be affected in the coming weeks and months.

Should I feel safe playing golf right now?

With the information we have available at the moment, yes. But there should be some extra precautions taken when out on the links.

According to one expert, “Being in a wide-open, outdoor space is the least at-risk scenario.” But there are still certain cautious measures to take when on the course.

March 17, 2020 – 5:30 p.m. ET

The health and safety of everyone associated with the PGA TOUR and the global community is and will continue to be our No. 1 priority as we navigate the ongoing health crisis related to the Coronavirus Pandemic.

On March 12, the PGA TOUR made the announcement to cancel or postpone four weeks of events on all six Tours through the week of the Valero Texas Open (March 30-April 5). Augusta National Golf Club also announced the postponement of the Masters Tournament (April 6-12).

With the most recent recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization and the Office of the President of the United States, the PGA TOUR will now cancel four additional events: RBC Heritage (April 13-19); Zurich Classic of New Orleans (April 20-26); Wells Fargo Championship (April 27-May 3); and AT&T Byron Nelson (May 4-10).

The World Handicap System (WHS) consists of the Rules of Handicapping and the Course Rating System.

The World Handicap System (WHS) will bring major changes to the fabric of our handicap system. This new World Handicap System aims to bring the game of golf under a single set of handicapping rules and provide a more consistent measure of players’ ability between different regions of the world.

It is with regret that we are announcing the cancellation of THE PLAYERS Championship.

We have also decided to cancel all PGA TOUR events – across all of our Tours – in the coming weeks, through the Valero Texas Open.

We have pledged from the start to be responsible, thoughtful and transparent with our decision process. We did everything possible to create a safe environment for our players in order to continue the event throughout the weekend, and we were endeavoring to give our fans a much-needed respite from the current climate. But at this point – and as the situation continues to rapidly change – the right thing to do for our players and our fans is to pause.

We will be prepared to answer additional questions on Friday at 8 a.m.

Every Golf Facility Throughout The Entire Pacific Northwest And B.C. Has Been Touched By The Hand, And Voice, Of Larry Gilhuly - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

by Paul Ramsdell

(As seen in the pages of Pacific Northwest Golfer magazine)

You can call it a farewell tour, or a thank-you tour, but whatever you call it, it wasn’t something Larry Gilhuly had planned.

After 36 years with the USGA Green Section, helping Northwest golf courses and their superintendents constantly adapt to changing landscapes and climates, both natural and political, Gilhuly retired in 2019 at the age of 67.

At one of their meetings, which over the years Gilhuly was a regular attendee and speaker, superintendent groups from British Columbia to Hawaii to the Dakotas said thank you with various honors and presentations.

PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan Has Made A Statement Regarding Play On The PGA TOUR And The Coronavirus Issue Going Forward - Image By Screen Capture

Let me preface my remarks by reinforcing that the health and safety of our players, employees, partners, volunteers, fans and everybody associated with the PGA TOUR is our top priority.

I’ve spoken to President Trump this morning, and I spoke to Governor Ron DeSantis a few hours ago as well.

Our team is in constant communication with local health authorities in each market in which our tournaments are played, and we are tracking and monitoring the health information provided by the Centers for Disease Control and World Health Organization in addition to the travel advisories provided by the U.S. State Department.

Both the White House and the Governor’s office have been and are supportive of the precautionary measures we have taken to this point.

A Team Selfie For The OSU Beavers Women's Golf Team After Winning The Meadow Club Invitational. Delta, BC's Amanda Minni Is On The Right - Image Courtesy OSU

Courtesy OSU Beavers

FAIRFAX, Calif. – The Oregon State women's golf team rallied in the final round of the Meadow Club Invitational on Tuesday, March 10th to win its second title of the season. Senior Nicole Schroeder and freshman Issy Taylor both fired a 3-under 69 in the final round to lead the Beaver charge and help the team post a 4-under 284 effort on the day.

Oregon State concluded the two-day, 54-hole tournament with a 7-over 291-296-284--871 at the par-72, 6,157-yard Meadow Club to win the 13-team event by six strokes over second-place Washington State.

Flanking Evans Scholar Coordinator Berne Neufeld Are Victoria Caddies, Lachlan Stewart (L) And Laszlo Torok (R), Who Have Been Awarded Full-Ride Scholarships To The University Of Washington-Seattle For Fall 2020 - (photo credit: Alisa Kerr)

(Victoria, March 9, 2020) – Lachlan Stewart and Laszlo Torok have been awarded the Chick Evans Caddie Scholarship by the Western Golf Association Scholarship Committee to attend the University of Washington-Seattle beginning in Fall 2020.

These are full, four-year, tuition and housing scholarships each valued at US$200,000. Lachlan and Laszlo are caddies number seven and eight from Victoria Golf Club to receive this generous scholarship. The Club is truly proud of their achievement.

SFU's Women's Golf Team Had A Record-Setting Day En Route To A Runner-Up Finish At The Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout Hosted By California State University - Image Courtesy SFU

By Samuel Rowan/Courtesy SFU Athletics

ALAMEDA, CA --- From March 2nd to 3rd, the Simon Fraser Women's Golf Team was in California for the Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout hosted by California State University - East Bay, at Corica Park's South Course.

After a difficult start on day one, Simon Fraser shot the lights out on day two of the tournament, positing a team record 1-under 287 team score. The day was led by Jaya Rampuri's stellar 1-under 71, and backed up by three even par rounds from Emily Leung, Claire Lovan and Frida Ehnebom.

Coquitlam, British Columbia's A.J. Ewart Accepts The Medallist Trophy After Winning The Panther Invitational In Florida - Image Courtesy Barry U Men's Golf

Courtesy Hunter DuBois/ Barry University Athletics

DURAN, Fla. -- Another historic day took place on Tuesday, Mar. 3, with Coquitlam, B.C.'s A.J. Ewart leading the  Barry University Buccaneers to their school-record fifth straight win after taking home the victory at the Panther Invitational by a six-stroke margin.

Barry finished strong, shaving nine strokes off their second round 296 with a one-under par 287 in the final round. Three out of the five Buccaneer starters recorded their best round of the tournament on Tuesday to go along with a 70 from Ewart and a 72 from Tyler Bakich.

The PGA TOUR has been closely monitoring all available information related to the continued spread of the Novel Coronavirus COVID-19.

We conduct more than 175 tournaments across our six Tours, and the health and safety of our players, employees, fans, partners, volunteers and everyone associated with the PGA TOUR continues to be our No. 1 priority.

After reviewing the relevant positions from the Centers of Disease Control and the World Health Organization, there are no planned schedule changes beyond what has already been decided with PGA TOUR Series-China (a delay to the start of the season).

However, we are establishing additional protocols to promote the health and safety of all participants and fans at our tournaments, and we will regularly review our schedule in light of revised CDC and WHO reports and make any updates as necessary.

The Evans Caddie Scholarship Program Exists At The Victoria Golf Club Due To The Tremendous Efforts Of Berne Neufeld, Pictured Here Alongside Angela Bowers, The First Female Caddie From VGC And Canada, To Be A Finalist For The Evans Scholarship - Images Courtesy VGC

By Jenny Dobell

Berne Neufeld is my golf partner. When she hits a great drive I shout, much to her embarrassment, “Feel the Berne!” She didn’t get the reference to that American Bernie, so often in the headlines. While I first did it to tease her (which is easy), I now do it because she is a person whose commitment to a cause reminds me of a political candidate in the heat of a campaign battle.  

And Berne’s cause is the Evans Caddie Scholarship Program.

A few years back a humorous comic strip centred around golf with some characters whose lives in and around the game are likely very familiar to many of us, was a regular feature in many golf publications and on websites.

Life In The Trap, written by Seattle's Rick Newell, tells the story of Clay, Duff, Rosie, Putts and Carrie, the local golf pro, along with the occasional insight from 'Dimples' the golf ball. After a self-imposed hiatus, Newell has decided now is a good time to bring back the once hugely popular strip.

There is a deeper, more meaningful story as to why Newell has resurrected the comic strip and what he hopes it can do toward a greater good. He and his wife run a program called M.U.S.T. - a mentorship program for young people that is having a real positive effect in their community.

Image Credit Bernard Brault/Golf Canada

Via Golf Canada

The USGA and The R&A have issued the Distance Insights Report, which provides comprehensive research and analysis on the contributors to, and long-term impacts of, hitting distance in golf.

After extensive stakeholder research, the report features more than 100 years of data, informed by a library of 56 supporting documents. It is accompanied by a 15-page conclusions paper from the governing bodies that summarizes their perspectives on the long-term implications for the sport.

Bell Let’s Talk Day 2020 

On January 29th, Bell will donate five cents to Canadian mental health for every text message and mobile and long distance call made by a Bell, Bell Cause pour la cause, Bell MTS or Bell Aliant customer, tweet using #BellLetsTalk, view of the Bell Let’s Talk video on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube, and use of the Bell Let’s Talk Facebook frame or Snapchat filter.

Background 

Bell Let’s Talk is a campaign dedicated to moving mental health forward in Canada. The strategy is built on four pillars: anti-stigma, improving access to care, supporting world-class research, and leading by example in workplace mental health. 

Bell Let’s Talk is not only changing the landscape of mental health funding in Canada, but is also contributing to changes in attitudes and behaviours. 85% of Canadians think attitudes about mental health have changed for the better in the past 5 years, and 75% believe the stigma around mental illness has been reduced. 

With the help of Canadians and people around the world, Bell Let’s Talk Day has now surpassed 1 billion messages of support sent and over $100 million in Bell funding towards mental health.