BC Tourism Industry Conference
October 19-21, 2015

The BC golf industry is invited to join 400+ tourism industry peers in Vancouver, October 19-21 at a conference designed just for you! The BC Tourism Industry Conference will bring together the varied sectors of the province’s tourism industry for two days of connecting, learning and celebrating. Get up to speed on industry trends and issues, make new connections and return to your business with the skills and tools you need to make a positive, measureable impact.  Golf travelers are an important segment of many course's market and participation in the conference will provide information on how best to attract more golf travelers.

 Click here to learn more.

Brown Is The New Green As Evidenced By This View Of The Chambers Bay Layout For The 2015 U.S. Open - Image Credit Kris Jonasson

by Kris Jonasson, Executive Director - British Columbia Golf

Tuesday I attended, along with my friend Dana Prince, my first golf event in many years strictly as a spectator.

Here is what I learned and what you should know before heading down to the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay.

by Alfie Lau, Inside Golf and intrepid BCG reporter

Never has the U.S. Open been closer to home for British Columbians, but that only intensifies the pressure for us media types covering the event.

Having covered six U.S. Opens for Inside Golf, the 2015 version, at Chambers Bay, presented a variety of unique challenges.

While the course was a manageable 4-hour drive away from Vancouver, securing suitable accommodation close to Tacoma proved quite challenging.

Chris Crisologo Puts Together Some Snag Equipment For International Olympic Day At The Richmond Oval - Image Credit Alfie Lau

by Alfie Lau

When the doors opened at 10 a.m. Monday for International Olympic Day at the Richmond Olympic Oval, hundreds of schoolchildren rushed through the doors and headed for specialized sports areas such as volleyball, athletics, basketball and tennis.

But the biggest rush was to the golf area run by the CN Future Links team led by Stephanie Wong and her team of Winnie Hyun, Chris Crisologo, Eizza Hernandez, Curtis Chan and Quilchena assistant pro Tom Flockhart.

The Richmond Olympic Oval Will Be The Site Of International Olympic Day Celebrations On Monday, June 15th And Golf Is Playing A Major Role - Image Courtesy Richmond Olympic Oval

by Alfie Lau, Inside Golf

Monday, June 15 looks like any other Monday, the beginning of another work week and the last spring Monday of 2015.

But look a little deeper and you may discover it’s the biggest day in British Columbia golf.

Let’s start with an event that’s not just about golf, but is important nevertheless. Golf will return to the Olympics in Rio in 2016 and International Olympic Day will be celebrated from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Richmond Olympic Oval, with British Columbia Golf and CN Future Links playing a big part in this event.

Jordan Belton Of The Vancouver Golf Club Receives His Trophy And Awards From David Atkinson, President Of British Columbia Golf - Image Credit Alfie Lau

by Alfie Lau

Relentless rain at Talking Rock in Chase, BC cancelled the final round of the 2015 British Columbia Golf Mid-Amateur and Mid-Master championship on Thursday.

“The course was unplayable. There was excessive water in the fairways,” said Susan White, Senior Manager, Field Operations for British Columbia Golf. “To have played would have not been good for the course or the players.”

White and her tournament team surveyed the course just before 6 a.m. Thursday and notified the players via email just before 6:30 a.m. The respective leaders after the second round were awarded the titles at a presentation ceremony Thursday morning.

The Vancouver Golf Club’s Jordan Belton won the Mid-Amateur title, with a winning score of (-1) 143. Coming in a tie for second, two strokes behind, were Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club’s Patrick Weeks and Tobiano Golf Club’s Adam Kernan.

Lance Lundy Leads The British Columbia Golf Mid-Master Component Of The Mid Amateur Event At (+2) 146 After Two Rounds At Talking Rock - Image Credit Alfie Lau

by Alfie Lau

A steady rain provided some challenges during Round 2 of the British Columbia Golf Mid-Amateur and Mid-Master at Talking Rock Golf Course in Chase on Wednesday.

The British Columbia Mid-Amateur is for players age 25 and older while the Mid-Master is for players age 40 and older. The 54-hole event has a cut to top 70 and ties after 36 holes.

Talking Rock played to 6,620 yards on Wednesday, with only two players breaking par. Jordan Belton and Mark Heinrich, playing in the same group, both shot (-1) rounds of 71, while Kamloops’ Adam Kernan came in at even par 72.

Belton leads the Mid-Amateur standings with a (-1) total of 143. He’s two strokes ahead of Kernan and first-round leader Patrick Weeks, who shot (+3) 75 on Wednesday.

Patrick Weeks Of Shaughnessy Is The First-Round Leader At The British Columbia Golf Mid-Amateur At Talking Rock In Chase. Weeks Shot A (-2) Round Of 70 - Image Credit Alfie Lau

by Alfie Lau

The first tournament of the British Columbia Golf calendar kicked off Tuesday at Talking Rock Golf Course in Chase with the Men’s Mid-Amateur and Mid-Master. The British Columbia Mid-Amateur is for players age 25 and older while the Mid-Master is for players age 40 and older.

The 54-hole event – cut to top 70 and ties after 36 holes – opened under grey skies and some rain, but that didn’t stop three golfers, of the 97 who started the tournament, from breaking par on the par-72 6,641-yard track.

Current British Columbia Men's Amateur Champion Jordan Lu Will Lead A Strong BC Morse Cup Team In The Pacific Coast Amateur

by Alfie Lau, Inside Golf

The Pacific Coast Amateur, being held at Eugene Country Club July 28-31, is coming up fast and British Columbia Golf has just named its Morse Cup team for that event.

Mid-amateur Kevin Carrigan of Victoria, University of Washington freshman and current British Columbia Amateur champion Jordan Lu, and University of Idaho sophomore Jared du Toit, will be carrying the BC colours in the team portion of the PCA.

At 15 Years Of Age Khan Lee Is The Youngest Member Of The Boys Team - But He May Be The Most Outgoing - Image Credit Alfie Lau

by Alfie Lau, Inside Golf

Three months from now, the best 16-and-younger golfers will compete at the Western Canada Summer Games in Wood Buffalo, AB and British Columbia will be ably represented by 8 of the best young golfers in the country.

Head coach Matt Palsenbarg officially named his team after the CN Future Links event in Qualicum Beach earlier this month and the teams feature a girl’s team of all 15-year-olds and a boys team of 3 16-year-olds and one 15-year-old.

Nick Sherwood Smiles As He Receives His Ticket From Susan White Of British Columbia Golf To Play In The PC Financial Open At Point Grey After Monday Qualifying At Swaneset Bay Resort - image credit alfie lau

by Alfie Lau, Inside Golf

For Albany, OR’s Nick Sherwood, it was the longest afternoon of his golf career.

After shooting a morning round of (-3) 69 at Swaneset Bay’s Resort Course during the Monday qualifier for the PC Financial Open, Sherwood had to wait hours to see how the rest of the other 129 players who had forked out $250 to play for one of 10 spots into the first PGA TOUR Canada stop at Point Grey would do.

Just before 7 p.m., Sherwood got the word he was looking for from British Columbia Golf’s Susan White, who was happy to give Sherwood one of 10 pieces of paper telling him his next steps, which included what awaited him at Point Grey.

The Downhill 180 Yard 12Th At Portland Golf Club Is Called Bridge And Is Protected By Four Green Side Bunkers - Image Credit Alfie Lau

by Alfie Lau, Inside Golf

It may be the most prestigious amateur title in U.S. women’s golf, but don’t tell that to the myriad of Canadian women who will be trying to hoist the Robert Cox Cup at Portland Golf Club on August 16.

Portland, Ore. – The 12-person team representing the Washington State Golf Association (WSGA) took a slim lead into the second day’s play and held on to win the 10th PNGA Cup.

The Ryder Cup-style matches were held at Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland, Ore., and featured 48 of the finest amateur golfers representing the Washington, Idaho, Oregon and British Columbia golf associations.

British Columbia Golf Volunteer And Member Of The Leq:amel First Nation (Sto:lo Nation) In The Fraser Valley, Patrick Kelly, Addresses The AGA "Golf Awareness Day" Assembly - Image Credit Jeff Sutherland

by Jeff Sutherland, Inside Golf

When the Allied Golf Association of BC (AGA BC) was formed four years ago, one of its chief aims was to present the needs and position of Golf in BC to government.

And if the fourth annual "Golf Awareness Day" held in late April in Victoria was any indication, they are doing a great job. Twenty MLA's came to a luncheon and got an update on where golf in BC is and where it is headed.

 There Are Nine Par 4's At Two Eagles GC In West Kelowna

by Alfie Lau, Inside Golf

The province’s best 14-and-under golfers will descend on Two Eagles Golf Course in West Kelowna Aug. 24 and 25 for the 2015 British Columbia Golf Boys’ & Girls’ Bantam & Novice Championships.

When they get there and see a scorecard that tops out at 5,005 yards from the black tees and 3,793 yards from the red tees, they may mistakenly think Two Eagles is a pushover, but after playing the course, they’ll realize the course is more than tough enough.

 Vernon's Spallumcheen G&CC Is No Stranger To Hosting Championships

by Alfie Lau, Inside Golf

Just 10 minutes outside of Vernon, champions have been produced at the Spallumcheen Golf & Country Club. 

The 6,423-yard track, which most recently played host to the 2013 Canadian Women’s Senior Championship, has also hosted the BC Junior Championship, the BC Senior Men’s Championship, the BC Senior Ladies’ Championship, the BC Men’s Amateur (with Vernon Golf & Country Club) and the BC Ladies’ Amateur.

So it’s no surprise that Spallumcheen will be hosting the best 16-and-under golfers for the British Columbia Golf Juvenile Championships Aug. 18-20.

 The 'Jewel' Of The South Okanangan, Fairview Mountain GC, Is Ready To Host The Best Male Amateur Golfers In The Province This Summer

by Alfie Lau, Inside Golf

Known by locals as the Jewel of the South Okanagan, the Fairview Mountain Golf Club is set to surprise, bedevil and enthrall the province’s best amateur golfers this July when it hosts the 113th British Columbia Amateur Championship.

The big prize may be the Bostock Trophy, which was won last year by Vancouver’s Jordan Lu in a thrilling five-hole playoff over Michael Belle, but every golfer lucky enough to tee it up at Fairview Mountain will come away impressed with how well-conditioned, challenging and fun the course is for all golfers.

The results From The Nike Golf Picking The Majors Contest are now tabulated.

The Grand Prize Winner is Omineca Golf & Country Club member Michelle Naka from Vanderhoof, BC .

For only the second time in the six year history of the Picking The Majors (21 separate contests), the winning entry did not make all ten picks correctly.

A Celebration of Life will be held for Dick White on Saturday, April 18th at the BC Golf Museum located at 2545 Blanca Street, Vancouver, BC from 2:00 – 4:00 pm.

Known as a kind and gentle man who led by example and cared deeply for his family, friends and community, White was instrumental in working with the provincial government to cut through all the red tape so that the then newly-formed society could take possession of the old University Golf Course clubhouse and start renovations to create what is now the BC Golf Museum. 

Outside of work and family, Dick was passionate about golf. In addition to being a member of Marine Drive Golf Club and Beach Grove Golf Club, Dick was president of the B.C. Golf Association, captain of Beach Grove Golf Club and co-founder of the B.C. Golf House Society. In later years, he also found time to volunteer at the Tsawwassen Community Police Station.

Please contact BC Golf Museum if you plan to attend. Call the Museum at (604)-222-4653 or e-mail them at office@bcgolfhouse.com

by David Atkinson, British Columbia Golf

British Columbia Golf  Past President David Atkinson has been a major part of a process to revitalize the Association and re-align its mission, vision and values to be in keeping with the needs of all the province’s golfers.