This week host Colin Weston speaks to the USGA's Senior Director of Research, Science & Innovation Matthew Pringle.

Beginning in 2016, Matt has led a new team at the USGA called Research, Science, & Innovation with a mission to, "Create innovative tools that help golf facilities improve the golf experience and reduce the consumption of key resources".

In this episode Matt and Colin refer to the Lean Startup approach to quickly experiment with and validate ideas/products/services. The USGA has embraced Lean Startup's ability to, "Apply entrepreneurial management to drive innovation in any size organization or sector. We’re now up to a team of five and we like to think of ourselves as a scrappy startup within The USGA".

Courtesy Women's Golf Day

November is here, and the holidays are around the corner. Now is the time to think about GOLF! We wish you all a wonderful autumn.

We are happy to share some exciting news with you regarding WGD 2023! By popular demand, we are extending the dates of Women's Golf Day to a Weeklong Celebration this year.

Mark your calendars! We hope to see you online or in person at the PGA Show for the Women's Golf Day session on Thursday, January 26th. We will send out details soon.

Also, as we approach the holidays, are you looking for great gifts for friends and family? We have some ideas included below!

B.C.'s Dustin Boydell Is One Of The Canadian Qualifiers For The U.S. Adaptive Open - BC Golf File Photo

Courtesy: Scott MacLeod/flagstick.com

The U.S. Adaptive Open continues to grow. The event conducted by the United States Golf Association entertained 278 entries for 2024. This growth was the impetus for some changes to deal with the demand.

For the first time 18 hole qualifiers were conducted by Allied Golf Associations (AGAs) at six sites across the United States to fill the spots not already held by exempt players. The championship is open to both male and female professional and amateur golfers with a World Handicap System™ Handicap Index of 36.4 or less and an eligible impairment confirmed by a WR4GD Pass.

The impairment categories are as follows:  

• Upper Limb Impairment 
• Intellectual Impairment 
• Lower Limb Impairment 
• Multiple Limb Amputee 
• Neurological Impairment 
• Seated Players 
• Short Stature 
• Vision Impairment 

Ultimately there are 96 players now finalized to compete at Sand Creek Station in Newton, Kansas, from July 8-10. The competitors will come from 32 states and 11 countries.

One of those nations represented wil be Canada who has nine citizens taking part in this ground-breaking tournament.

To see full list of Canadians taking part and read complete story on the U.S. Adaptive Open please click HERE to go to Flagstick.com.

Included in the nine is Chilliwack, B.C.'s Dustin Boydell - please clck HERE to see the amazing comeback story of Dustin in the Abbotsford News.

By RYAN HERRINGTON, Golf Digest

As January 1, 2019, approaches, it’s time to consider what New Year’s resolutions you’ll be making to help your golf game in 2019.

For those who haven’t come up with any, here’s a suggestion: Learn the Rules of Golf. (No, really learn them this time.)

Perhaps you’ve tried, only to find that by February, the copy of the rules book you picked up is covered with as much dust as that Peloton you bought to get into shape.

Yet here’s the thing: There’s no better time than now to give it another shot because a new, modernized version of the rules goes into effect on New Year’s Day.

Click here for the full story...

British Columbia Will Go For Six Straight At The North Pacific Junior Ladies Team Matches Championship In Corvallis, Oregon

This international competition, created by Washington Junior Golf Association (WJGA) founder, Joan Teats in 1987, has featured a rotation of sites in recent years between the competing golf associations comprising British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

The 2023 edition of the North Pacific Junior Ladies Team Matches is being held at Trysting Tree GC in Corvallis, Oregon and will see the contest taking on a slightly different look as Team BC goes for their 6th consecutive victory in the event.

With Idaho not competing this year, Oregon and Washington have combined to form one team (6 girls each), which will take on 5-time defending champion British Columbia who will be bringing 12 players to the event, creating a 'Canada vs U.S.A.' approach to this year's competition.

Eugene Wong Has Played His Way Onto The Web.com Tour For 2016 After A Top Five OOM Finish On The PGA TOUR China In 2015 - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

DONGGUAN, China (December 6)—North Vancouver’s Eugene Wong finished fifth on the 2015 Ping An Bank China Tour – PGA TOUR China Series’ Order of Merit, a position that earned him membership on the 2016 Web.com Tour. Wong's fellow British Columbian, Justin Shin from Maple Ride, slipped to 6th spot on the OOM, narrowly missing his ticket to the next level. 

Besides Wong other players moving to the Web.com Tour are Australia’s Bryden Macpherson, New Zealand’s Josh Geary and China’s Xinjun Zhang and Zecheng Dou. The players received their membership cards during a ceremony following the final event of the season, the Capital Airlines – HNA Real Estate Championship.

North Vancouver's Roy Kang, Shown Above After Winning The Boy's Title In The 2015 CJGA Western Canadian Junior Championship, Has Signed A National Letter Of Intent With Denver University - Image Courtesy CJGA

for immediate release via University of Denver Men's Golf

Accomplished Junior Golfer Joins Pioneers’ Talent-Laden Freshman Class

DENVER – University of Denver men’s golf coach Erik Billinger announced today Roy Kang (North Vancouver, B.C.) has signed a national letter of intent to join the program for the 2016-17 academic year. Kang joins a talent-laden freshman class for DU that includes Isaac Petersilie (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Troy Dangler (Grand Junction, Colo.) and Eric Hagen (Aberdeen, Wash.).

“Roy is a very talented player and we’re thrilled that he’ll be joining our program for the upcoming season,” says Billinger.

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.

It Was A Very Canadian Atomosphere On Day Two At The WM Phoenix Open - Image Credit Shayain Gustavsp

Editor's Note:This week, BC's Golf contributor, Shayain Gustavsp ('Coach Shayain' to many of her students and social media followers), has flown south to take in the very unique spectacle that is the WM Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Arizona. Shayain will be posting daily observations from the 'Greatest Show on Grass' offering a wide-eyed Canadian's perspective on both the golf and the party-like atomosphere that surrounds the TPC Scottsdale's Stadium Course.

By Shayain Gustavsp (Special To BC Golf)

Stepping into the grounds of the WM Phoenix Open on a bustling Friday felt like a Canadian reunion in the heart of Arizona. With an estimated 115,000 attendees, it seemed as though a sea of Canadian accents and cheerful 'eh's filled the air, creating a familiar echo amidst the desert landscape.

From New Brunswick to Vancouver, the Canadian spirit was unmistakable, proudly donned in attire that ranged from nostalgic Vancouver Grizzlies jackets to the vibrant hues of a bachelor party from North Vancouver.

Sheila Johnson - Image Courtesy YouTube/Salamander Hotels and Resorts

With today being International Women's Day, it seemed appropriate to direct people to the inspiring story of Sheila Johnson, the owner of the Innisbrook Resort where the Valspar Championship - with Adam Hadwin from Abbotsford, BC as the defending champion - is being held this week.

In an article and inteview entitled the Accidental Owner,  PGATOUR.COM contributor Helen Ross tells the story of how an African American Woman became a self-made millionaire and came to be the owner of a resort that hosts one of the premiere events on the PGA TOUR.

The Accidental Owner

by Helen Ross / PGATOUR.COM

When Sheila Johnson bought a floundering Innisbrook Resort for a reported $35 million in 2007, she became what she calls an "accidental hospitality owner in the golf business."

Not for long, though.

Johnson is a savvy businesswoman who recognized the value of the resort and its four 18-hole courses, including the signature Copperhead, which hosts the Valspar Championship this week. She green-lighted the necessary enhancements, and the property in Palm Harbor, Florida, now forms the cornerstone of her portfolio of luxury hotels and resorts across the southeastern United States.

But Johnson, who was named to Forbes Magazine's 2015 list of America's richest self-made women, is so much more than her Salamander brand.

Sophomore Jacqueline Bendrick Will Be The Lone Woman To Tee It Up In The Field Of 156 Players In The Inaugural GolfBC Championship At Gallagher's Canyon Next Week

155 Men And One Woman To Tee It Up At GolfBC Championship - Jacqueline Bendrick Awarded One Of Eight Sponsor’s Exemptions Into Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada Event

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

The inaugural GolfBC Championship will have the usual 156-player field when it begins Thursday at Gallagher’s Canyon Golf & Country Club in Kelowna.

Actually, there will be one notable difference. When the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada makes its Okanagan debut, 155 men and one woman will be teeing it up.

Jacqueline Bendrick, a 20-year-old collegiate player from Mercer Island, Wash., has been granted a sponsor’s exemption into the $175,000 event. She will be the first woman to play in a Mackenzie Tour event since the PGA TOUR began running what was formerly the Canadian Tour back in 2013.

image courtesy Boeing Classic

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SEATTLE, Aug. 23, 2017 – The list of 78 PGA TOUR Champions golfers who will compete in the 13th annual Boeing Classic Aug. 21-27 at The Club at Snoqualmie Ridge for a $2.1 million purse has been finalized and adds up to being one of the most impressive fields of legendary golfers to ever play in the Pacific Northwest.

“This field of PGA Champions Tour Players is truly amazing and we’re thrilled that golf fans in the Seattle area will get an up-close opportunity to see the very best led by Seattle’s hometown favorite Fred Couples,” said Boeing Classic Executive Director Brian Flajole.

“This field is truly a collection of the who’s who of legendary golfers, which will make for a very exciting and competitive week of world-class golf on a great course with breathtaking views.”

Optimist Golf is offering two special awards recognizing the academic accomplishments and/or community service of five junior golfers, the 2018 Hugh Cranford All-Scholastic COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD For Boys and Girls Ages 16-18 as of August 1, 2018.

Craig Doell (L) And Partner Lance Lundy (R) Were Looking Out For Each Other During The Opening Day Of The PNGA Cup Matches At Richmond CC - Image Credit Bryan Outram

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Craig Doell and Lance Lundy had a nice opening day at the PNGA Cup, but were left lamenting the half-point that slipped away. After winning their morning four-ball match 5&3 over Jim Dunlap and Tom Greller of the Oregon Golf Association, Doell and Lundy had a one-up lead heading to the 18th tee of their afternoon alternate-shot match against Erik Hanson and Scott Johnson of the Washington State Golf Association.

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.

October 9, 2014

Adam Helmer, Golf Canada

One of the hot topics in golf at the moment is pace of play.

Pace of play is affected by many factors, including player ability and behaviour, management practices and course difficulty and set-up. Many commentators argue that golf nowadays takes too long, that slow round times are driving people away from the game and that something needs to be done. Conversely, others would say that golf is not a race, that not everyone wants to play in a hurry and that some courses are just not capable of being played in under four hours.

The R&A is interested to hear the views from golfers around the world on this issue and has compiled a survey with this in mind.

Please take a few moments to fill out their survey by clicking here.

Saskatchewan's Graham DeLaet Poses With The Kids At The 2016 Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship Junior Clinic for Kids - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

VICTORIA, B.C. – Tournament Organizers have announced that the 2017 Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship Junior Clinic for Kids will take place on Saturday, September 16, from 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

The clinic will be held at The Westin Bear Mountain Golf Resort & Spa — the site of the PGA TOUR Champions event, and will be hosted by one of the PGA TOUR Champions players competing in the tournament.

TV Personality And Co-Host Of The Popular Canadian TV Show ‘The Social’ Cynthia Loyst Will Host The 2017 Pacific Links Championship Executive Women’s Day Initiative

VICTORIA, B.C. (July 13, 2017) – Tournament Organizers, Pacific Links International, and PGA TOUR Champions are excited to announce the launch of the 2017 Pacific Links Championship Executive Women’s Day initiative, which will be part of event week and hosted on Saturday, September 16 at The Westin Bear Mountain Golf Resort & Spa.

Cynthia Loyst, Co-Host of national CTV television program ‘The Social’ will act as the keynote speaker of the Executive Women’s Day event. She’s created an advice column, a clothing line, numerous documentaries and is the creator and lead contributor to the popular online destination Find Your Pleasure.

Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship

Bear Mountain Golf Resort (Mountain Course) | Victoria, B.C. | September 19-25, 2016

Media Contact

Chris Richards – PGA TOUR Manager, Communications
chrisrichards@pgatourhq.com
678-644-4258

Quick Facts

Par 71 / 6,881 yards
Jack and Steve Nicklaus co-design (2003)
$2,500,000 purse (Winner’s Share: $375,000)
Golf Channel will televise all three rounds live from 3-6 p.m. PDT