By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

When he began caddying for members at Victoria Golf Club two years ago, Aleksej Milojevic had no idea how profoundly it would change his life.

He was 15 and as green as the grass he walked on to complete his first caddying loops on the scenic oceanside layout. Milojevic knew very little about golf or life...

By JOEL BEALL, Golf Digest

It's a good thing professional golf does not have a "Number of Days Since Last Rules Controversy" sign placed at tournament sites. Because it would never crack double digits.

[In a span of one week], the sport has seen Lee Ann Walker assessed 58 penalty strokes for having her caddie improperly line her up on putts and Jesper Parnevik dinged for not taking a mulligan.

Joining those ill-famed ranks is Marcel Siem.

Click here for the full story...

Coquitlam, BC's Henry Lee Had A Very Solid Collegiate Career At The University Of Washington - Image Courtesy @UW_MGolf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

His collegiate golf career is over, but Henry Lee will never forget the five years he spent playing for the University of Washington Huskies. “I will always remember how much fun we had as a team,” Lee says.

“Golf is a very individual sport, but college is an exception because you play as a team. I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything and I just gained so much as a person, as a player. They taught me so much along the way in terms of helping make me the best version of myself. They really transformed me.”

Image credit (Michael Schroeder/ Golf Canada)

By John Gordon/Courtesy Golf Canada

“Bifurcation” is a word we’re hearing more and more in the world of golf. It means to divide into two parts. But don’t let that simple definition fool you. It’s an increasingly controversial concept that strikes at the heart of the game as we know it.

The first area of the current bifurcation debate relates to the Rules of Golf. Should there be one set of guidelines for recreational golfers and another for elite amateurs and professionals?

The second bone of contention, which has set off near panic among many of my colleagues in the golf media and some golf administrators, is this: Are golf courses too short? Do we need to stretch them to 8,000 yards? Do we need to rein in the ever-advancing ball and club technology?

No. And no.

Via Press Release

ORLANDO, Fla. (Oct. 22, 2019) – The United States Postal Service announced today that it will be recognizing Arnold Palmer with the issuance of a nationwide stamp as a part of its 2020 stamp program.

The U.S. Postal Service will honor Palmer for his positive impact and compelling story, rising from humble beginnings to become a globally revered champion. The U.S. Postal Service notes, “with drive and charisma, he helped transform a game once seen as a pastime for the elite into a sport enjoyed by the masses.”

Mary Parsons (Far Right) With Canadian Teammate Emily Zhu Before Their Match With Wenyung Keh (Far Left) And Julianne Alvarez Of New Zealand - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

VICTORIA -- Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Argentina, Guatemala, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Peru. Those are some of the places golf has taken Delta’s Mary Parsons the last few years.

This week is not quite as exotic. The 20-year-old Parsons is a member of Canada’s four-woman team at the Astor Trophy competition being held at Royal Colwood Golf Club. She only had to hop on a ferry to get here. It is the end of what has been a hectic summer for Parsons, the 2018 B.C. Women’s Amateur champion.

The highlight of her summer came in early August when she was part of Canada’s golf team that won a bronze medal in the mixed team event at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. Parsons also finished fifth in the women’s individual competition in Lima.

If you are, or know a young competitive golfer, you may well be interested in knowing that the Zone Golf Academy is holding a university ID Camp at Lake Las Vegas, Nevada, USA on December 3 & December 4, 2022

Led by Coach Taronne (TJ) Atley, Zone Golf Academy is a leading elite junior golf academy working out of multiple facilities in the Lower Mainland and specializing in USA and Canadian university placement.

As per their Mission Statement:

"Zone Golf Academy is designed to equip the player in all aspects of the game, from the technical fundamentals, short game, on course management, to physical and mental conditioning. The result is ultimately an improved game which is coupled with scholastic readiness. Finally, the player would gain entrance to their top North American University of their choice, ideally on scholarship."

LPGA Legends Including BC's Gail Graham (Inset) And PEI's Lorie Kane Will Be In The Field For The Suquamish Clearwater Legends Cup - Images Courtesy The Legends Tour

Attention Female Amateur Golfers: Tee it up in the White Horse Women's Team Scramble on June 6, 2018 and if your group posts the lowest gross or net team score YOUR TWO-WOMAN TEAM will tee it up with an LPGA Legend in the Legends Cup Pro-Am on Friday, June 8.

The Suquamish Clearwater Legends Cup is a two-day Legends Tour event featuring 30 Legends of the LPGA to be played at White Horse Golf Club in Kingston, WA on Saturday and Sunday, June 9-10, 2018.

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. 

Augusta National - Image Used With Permission Creative Commons License

By
Rex Hoggard/Golf Channel.com

AUGUSTA, Ga. – The silence will be deafening. A Masters without patrons is going to stand alone in the history of a tournament with no shortage of history, but beyond the lonely landscape, the challenge for players will be playing a course that has become as familiar as an old friend in the spring... in the fall.

READ FULL STORY HERE.

_{All Images Courtesy Suncadia Resort}   

The View Of The Exterior From Behind The Inn At Suncadia 

By Michael Cunningham/www.golfandtravelwriter.com

With the recent announcement that the border with our American neighbours will be open, there is a sense of excitement amongst Canadians to now venture south and return to some form of normalcy in their vacation habits.

During our twenty months of isolation, outdoor recreation became the best way to combat the monotony and golf was no exception, in fact, the game showed an enormous increase in participation, far beyond industry expectations! Canadians, from coast to coast, began to appreciate the numerous benefits of the game: activity, the great outdoors and newfound camaraderie.

However, now that we can begin to safely prepare for our new adventures many other North Americans are also making similar plans.

Former BC Junior Girls Champion Luna Lu - BC Golf Photo

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

They battled their nerves along with an exceptionally tough golf course. Teeing it up a LPGA Tour event was a new experience for five of the six British Columbians playing in the CPKC Women’s Open at Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club.

“I think on a scale of one to 10 on the first tee I was like an eight or a nine,” was how Burnaby’s Luna Lu described her nerves early in Thursday’s opening round. “And then after about nine holes I was like maybe 5 or 6.”

The 16-year-old former B.C. Junior Girls champion carded a five-over 77, joining a large percentage of the field who were over par for the day.

Kimberley, BC's Jared du Toit Has Had A Pretty Solid Start To His Pro Career, Earning Canadian Player Of The Year Honours On The PGA Tour Canada-Mackenzie Tour Circuit - Image Credit Bernard Brault/Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

He wasn’t happy with the way he finished his round, but Kimberley’s Jared du Toit hung on to win Canadian Player of the Year honours on the PGA Tour Canada-Mackenzie Tour circuit.

That award, sponsored by Freedom 55 Financial, carries a hefty $25,000 bonus and du Toit said it helped soothe the frustration he was feeling about ending his round Sunday with three straight bogeys.

Du Toit closed with an even-par 70 to finish the season-ending Freedom 55 Financial Championship in London, Ont., at 10-under par and tied for 17th place. He finished the season 23rd on the money list with $26,233, although he made more than that in unofficial money on Sunday.

Abbotsford's Adam Hadwin Surpassed The $3Million Mark For The Year With His 5th Place Finish In The Bridgestone Invitational - Image Courtesy @adamhadwin.com

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Adam Hadwin made his World Golf Championship debut a highly impressive one as he finished tied for fifth in a field that included 49 of the top 50 players in the world. Hadwin closed with a one-under 69 at Firestone Country Club to finish the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at seven-under par.

Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama ran away from the field, shooting a nine-under 61 Sunday to finish at 16-under par and five shots ahead of American Zach Johnson. Hadwin, who had missed three straight cuts, did more than bump a slump at the Bridgestone. He also boosted his chances of making the International team at this fall’s Presidents Cup.

Abbotsford, BC's Adam Hadwin Clinched His Automatic Selection This Weekend To The International Squad For This Year's Presidents Cup Competition In New Jersey - Image Courtesy adamhadwin.com

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

It wasn’t quite the round he had hoped for on Monday, but Abbotsford’s Adam Hadwin still accomplished a huge goal by clinching a spot on the International team for this fall’s Presidents Cup.

That Presidents Cup berth is the cherry atop what has been a spectacular year for Hadwin, who shot a 59 at the CareerBuilder Challenge in January and earned his first PGA Tour win two months later at the Valspar Championship in Palm Harbor, Fla.

Hadwin finished 10th on the International team points list for the Presidents Cup, which goes Sept. 28-Oct. 1 at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, N.J. International captain Nick Price will make his two captain’s picks later this week.

Having Won His First PGA TOUR Event At The Valspar Championship This Year, Adam Hadwin Now Has His Eyes On Another Very Special Trophy - The Claret Jug - Image Credit Kelly Murray

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

It wasn’t the finish he was looking for, but Abbotsford’s Adam Hadwin still had reason to celebrate after Sunday’s final round of the Dean & DeLuca Invitational in Fort Worth, Tex.

Hadwin tied for 53rd spot at Colonial Country Club, but more importantly he remained inside the top 50 in the latest Official World Golf Ranking and clinched a spot in the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.

Kimberley's Jared du Toit Will See How He Stacks Up Against The Pros In This Week's SIGA Dakota Dunes Open - Image Courtesy Jared du Toit/Twitter 

B.C. Amateur Champion Has Spot In This Week’s Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada Event In Saskatoon

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Fresh off a big win at Calgary’s Glencoe Invitational, Jared du Toit will get his first taste of pro golf at this week’s Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada event in Saskatoon. Du Toit, the reigning B.C. Amateur champion from Kimberley, has been granted a sponsor’s exemption to play in the SIGA Dakota Dunes Open. 

It will be the first professional tournament for du Toit, Canada’s top-ranked amateur player.

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

It is the second round of the FedEx Cup playoffs this week on the PGA TOUR and Nick Taylor must be feeling a little like he’s about to play Game 7. It’s do or die for the Abbotsford native.

After missing the cut in last week’s playoff opener, The Northern Trust in Old Westbury, N.Y., Taylor fell to No. 92 on the FedEx Cup points list. The top 100 advanced to this week’s Dell Technologies Championship near Boston, but only the top 70 will move on to the third of four playoff events, the BMW Championship near Chicago.

Sagebrush Is Almost Set For Its Re-Birth - Image Courtesy Sagebrush

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

The highly anticipated re-opening of Sagebrush is now scheduled for early June. The initial hope was to have the Merritt-area course open later this month, but general manager Scott Masse says a little more time is needed to get the facility ready. Sagebrush remained closed last year and was sold this past fall by its original owners to Newmark Group, a Langley-based residential construction company.

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Abbotsford’s Nick Taylor has his 2018 PGA TOUR season off to a fast start. After finishing tied for ninth at the season-opening Safeway Open in Napa, Calif., Taylor followed up with a tie for 13th place Sunday at the CIMB Classic in Malaysia.

Taylor closed with a seven-under par 65 to finish at 12-under par. That was 12 shots behind winner Pat Perez, who beat runner-up Keegan Bradley by four strokes. Taylor has made $292,450 in the first two events of the 2018 season and stands ninth on the PGA TOUR’s FedEx Cup points list.