• Ziemer's B.C. Golf Notes: Freshmen Smith and Carswell flourishing at SFU; Bald Eagle in Point Roberts to re-open next spring; Several British Columbians on 2024 national amateur and NextGen teams; Zhang top-10s in Texas

    SFU Red Leaf Stalwart Freshmen Golfers Dana Smith (L) & Denby Carswell (R) - BC Golf Photos

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    Recruiting can be a hit-or-miss game for collegiate golf coaches, who are always on the lookout for promising juniors who can help replenish their teams.

    Those new recruits often need time to develop before they are ready to play regularly and make an impact with their college squads. That is why Simon Fraser University coach Matthew Steinbach feels blessed after seeing how two of his freshmen have performed this season.

    Dana Smith of Campbell River and Denby Carswell of Burnaby have led the women’s and men’s teams this fall.

  • Golf Canada Announces Amateur Athletes Named To 2024 Team Canada With Big BC Influence

    Via Media Release

    Oakville, Ont. – Golf Canada is pleased to announce the names of 39 amateur athletes and 10 coaches named to the 2024 men’s and women’s Team Canada – NextGen and Team Canada squads.

    The Team Canada – NextGen program supports juniors and young amateurs who are transitioning to college golf. The Team Canada program supports a group of experienced amateurs who are on the path towards professional golf along with a group of young professional golfers who are building their careers as touring pros.

  • GJAC Virtual Summit Presented By RBC: State of the Golf Industry

    The Golf Journalists Association of Canada (GJAC) Virtual Summit presented by RBC: State of the Golf Industry took place Nov. 21, 2023, as part of an ongoing GJAC series intended to help golf journalists stay connected, as well as to generate discussion and opportunities around important issues in the game.

  • Ziemer's B.C. Golf Notes: Macdonald, Ewart and du Toit prepare for Stage 2 of Q-school; Svensson ties for 5th at RSM Classic; PGA Tour Americas Q-school headed to Crown Isle; Shaughnessy stop named top tourney by LPGA Tour

    L-R: Stuart Macdonald, AJ Ewart & Jared du Toit - Macdonald/du Toit Courtesy Golf Canada

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    He won his most recent qualifying school by 10 shots, but that doesn’t mean Jared du Toit is looking forward to his next one.

    Q-school is not something you savour as a pro golfer. It’s all about survival, moving on to the next stage and finding a place to play. All that is on the line is your career. Try draining a five-foot putt for par with those kinds of thoughts racing through your head.

    “I don’t care who you are, if you are a PGA TOUR winner or you’re a guy coming out of college, whatever, Q-school is just hard,” du Toit, a Kimberley native, said over the phone from Arizona.

  • Ziemer's B.C. Golf Notes: Victoria stop leads Canadian swing of new PGA Tour Americas circuit; du Toit wins Asian Tour Q-school by 10; Several B.C. juniors commit to NCAA Division I schools; Former Rivershore, Tobiano GM Don Brett-Davies passes at age 60

    Uplands Golf Course In Victoria, BC - Image Courtesy Uplands GC

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    Keith Dagg has been a key organizer of Victoria’s annual pro golf tourney for more than 40 years and he will tell you it hasn’t always been easy to secure enough corporate sponsorship to keep the tournament running.

    “I started this in 1981 and we’re still going,” Dagg says with a hint of pride in his voice. The tournament that has been a labour of love for Dagg will kick off the Canadian portion of the new PGA Tour Americas circuit early next summer.

  • Pacific Northwest Golf Association Selects 2023 Players of the Year

    Four of Eight PNGA POY Awards Go To Players From BC

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    November 8, 2023

    Tacoma, Wash. – The Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA) has announced the region’s Players of the Year for 2023. Those honored include Men's Player of the Year, Cooper Humphreys of Vernon, B.C.; Women’s, Lauren Kim of Surrey, B.C.; Men's Mid-Amateur, Zach Foushee of Portland, Ore.; Women's Mid-Amateur, Gretchen Johnson of Portland, Ore.; Senior Men's, Tom Brandes of Bellevue, Wash.; Senior Women's, Lara Tennant of Portland, Ore.; Junior Boys', James Lee of Whistler, B.C.; and Junior Girls', Lauren Kim of Surrey, B.C.

    The PNGA Player of the Year candidates are nominated by the state and provincial golf associations that comprise the PNGA (British Columbia, Idaho, Oregon and Washington), and are selected by a vote of the PNGA Championship Committee.

  • The R&A And USGA Announce 2024 World Handicap System™ Revisions

    ______________________________________________

    The R&A

    ______________________________________________

    (St Andrews, Scotland and Liberty Corner, NJ, USA) – The R&A and the USGA announced the first update to the World Handicap System™ (WHS™) as part of an ongoing review of the Rules of Handicapping™ and Course Rating System™ with a continued emphasis on accuracy, consistency and equity. The latest revisions will go into effect from the 1st of January 2024.

    Many countries have seen significant increases in the number of scores being submitted for handicapping purposes since the WHS was introduced, reflecting golf’s broadening appeal. More than 100 million scores have been posted each year, unifying millions of golfers through a standard measure of playing ability. The 2024 update leverages the performance data gathered from around the world, in addition to feedback received from many of the 125 countries now using the system.

    Significant updates to the WHS include:

    Click HERE to see complete article.

  • Ziemer's B.C. Golf Notes: No development for Langara, park board declares; Lauren Kim rises in world rankings; Macdonald, du Toit and Ewart prepare for second stage of Q-school

    View From The 1st Tee At Vancouver's Langara Golf Club - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    Even on these soggy November days, there is plenty of roll on the fairways at Langara Golf Course. And now, thanks to a unanimous vote last week by the Vancouver Park Board, there is also plenty of optimism about the course’s future.

    For not the first time, there have been calls recently from academics and assorted others to have at least part of Langara used for affordable housing. The park board’s answer was an emphatic no and commissioner Brennan Bastyovanszky indicated his ABC party colleagues on Vancouver city council feel the same way.

  • BC Golf Performance Camps Help Identify & Prepare Top Athletes

    Recently British Columbia Golf Held A TEAM BC Selection Camp At Richmond's Mayfair Lakes Golf Course For Some Of The Best Aspiring Young Golfers In The Province - BC Golf Photo

    As part of the ongoing BC Golf Performance Program mandate, which states; 'British Columbia Golf is committed to developing a well-rounded performance program as supported by the Long Term Player Development framework for golf in Canada' -  performance camps are held regularly and run by some of the top coaches, instructors and facilitators in the province.

    As stated in the 2022-2025 strategic plan of the Association, the goal of the Player Performance program is to Increase the number of competitive golfers and enhance their performance in BC, in order to develop Canada’s best players.

    Most recently a selection camp was held from October 13-15 at Mayfair Lakes Golf & Country Club in Richmond.

  • BC Golf & Curl BC Jointly Seek Events Manager

    BC Provincial Sport Organizations, British Columbia Golf and Curl BC are jointly looking to hire an Events Manager to perform an important role on behalf of both organizations in a contract position split equally over a 12-month period between the two. 

    Please see full details and how to apply below. 

  • Ziemer's B.C. Golf Notes: Ewart, du Toit move on to second stage of Q-school; Kim’s world ranking on the rise; Taylor ties for 21st in Japan; Carswell shines for SFU

    BC's A.J. Ewart Is On To The Next Round Of Korn Ferry Tour Q-School - Image Courtesy Brad Ziemer

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    A.J. Ewart played well again in Florida, which should not come as a surprise. The 24-year-old Coquitlam native, who enjoyed considerable success as a collegiate player at Barry University in south Florida, sailed through the first stage of Korn Ferry Tour qualifying school last week at a site in Lake Worth, Fla.

    Ewart fired rounds of 69, 66, 65 and 69 to finish tied for fifth at 16-under par. The top 20 and ties advanced to the second stage of Q-school. Ewart’s third-round 65 included a hole-in-one on the 177-yard par 3 third hole at The Falls Club.

  • Ziemer's B.C. Golf Notes: Clutch putt sends Sloan back to PGA TOUR; Leah John collects second collegiate win; Stouffer’s title defence thwarted in Round of 32; UBC men, women sweep Canada West tourney

    Merritt, BC's Roger Sloan Has Punched His Ticket Back To The PGA TOUR -Image Credit Bernard Brault/Golf Canada

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    Eight feet was all that stood between Roger Sloan and a return to the PGA TOUR. Make that putt on the 72nd hole of the Korn Ferry Tour Championship and the Merritt product was back in the big leagues. Miss it and, well, Sloan didn’t want to think about that.

    It was gut-wrenching to watch on TV, so one can only imagine how Sloan felt as he was standing over the putt. He had missed some putts late in his round, so he wasn’t exactly oozing with confidence as he stood over the ball. Somehow, he managed to put all that aside and calmly stroked the ball into the middle of the cup.

  • Ziemer's B.C. Golf Notes: Fast start for Red Leafs; Crunch time for Sloan; New dad Macdonald wins in Arizona; Kim books ticket to Abu Dhabi; Stouffer starts strong in title defence; Christine Wong wins PGA of BC Women’s Championship

    SFU Freshman Denby Carswell Made His University Debut In Style - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    Simon Fraser University golf coach Matt Steinbach suggested before the fall season began that members of his men’s team would be playing with a bit of a chip on their shoulders. They might want to leave it right there.

    The SFU men are off to a fabulous start to the new year, having won their first two events for the first time since joining the NCAA. The Red Leafs opened the fall season with a win at the Bishop Invitational at The Home Course in DuPont, Wash., and then last week followed that up with a win at the Western Washington Invitational at Bellingham Golf & Country Club.

  • Honouring National Truth And Reconciliation Day, September 30, 2023

    Courtesy VIASPORT BRITISH COLUMBIA - As National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 2023 approaches on September 30th, a significant opportunity emerges to reflect on how sport can play a pivotal role in bringing people together, regardless of differences in background, ethnicity, and beliefs.

    This day, set aside to acknowledge the truths about the history and legacy of residential schools in Canada, prompts us to explore how the world of sport can contribute to reconciliation, education, and social progress.

    Recognizing that many of you will already be acknowledging this day of reflection in your own ways, we wanted to share the campaign viaSPORT has created with their networks and for you to share with yours.

  • The Entire Golf Community Is Saddened By The Passing Of Longtime Rules Official Dan Sabourin

    Daniel Edward Sabourin - October 6, 1948 - September 26, 2023

    (September 29, 2023) PITT MEADOWS, BC - It is with heavy hearts that British Columbia Golf and indeed, the entire golf community, says goodbye to longtime volunteer and highly regarded rules official Dan Sabourin. 

    Dan passed away the evening of September 26th in hospital. Dan would have celebrated his 75th birthday on October 6. Dan leaves behind his beloved wife and best friend of 53 years, Pat. (Please look here to see Dan's obituary in the Vancouver Sun)

    Dan had a passion for golf which started while growing up in Coquitlam, where he became a junior member at The Vancouver Golf Club. He became a competitive golfer, and through competition, found a passion for the rules of golf.

    He spent several years working with the Canadian Tour as a rules official. He brought his passion for the game through volunteer commitments at the zone, provincial and national level. He was a positive mentor to many in their rules journey and has been significant in developing many experienced referees.

    He was on several committees with both British Columbia Golf and Golf Canada, receiving the Distinguished Service Award from British Columbia Golf in March of this year. “I have known Dan as a colleague and friend for over 30 years. His passing will leave a big hole in the volunteerism world and he will be missed,” said British Columbia Golf CEO Kris Jonasson.

    Dan was also an active member of Pitt Meadows Golf Club, serving on the board for many years, including positions on the executive and as club president.

    The many people he influenced over the years will miss Dan and his easy going humour. He was a great team player and happy to help wherever he could.

    There will be a celebration of Dan's life at Pitt Meadows Golf Club on October 25th, 2023 from 1-3pm.

    (Thank you to past BC Golf Tournament Director and longtime colleague of Dan's, Susan White, for her contributions to this tribute)

  • Kylie Jack: Driving Indigenous Inclusion in Golf

    BC's Kylie Jack - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

    By viaSPORT British Columbia

    Kylie Jack, a gifted and highly accomplished golfer, competed at the British Columbia Indigenous Golf Championship in May 2023. This was BC’s first Indigenous tournament, hosted by BC Golf, and an opportunity for Kylie to help raise awareness about reconciliation through sport.

    Kylie’s journey showcases her exceptional athleticism, her deep connection with the community, and staying true to her cultural roots in a sport that has been traditionally very elitist and lacking in diversity.

    Click HERE to see complete article on viaSPORT...

    ed. note: Kylie also took part in the just completed BC vs Ontario Indigenous Challenge Match at Victoria's Bear Mountain Resort. Read Brad Ziemer's story on that historic event HERE

  • Second-Day Surge Propels Team B.C. To Win Over Ontario In Inaugural Indigenous Challenge Match

    BC's Harry Ferguson Was Steeped In Emotion After The Inaugural Indigenous Challenge Match - All Images Credit Jeff Sutherland/Courtesy British Columbia Golf

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    VICTORIA — Team British Columbia beat Ontario to win the inaugural Indigenous Challenge Match and Harry Ferguson, like the rest of his teammates, was happy about that.

    But Ferguson, a past B.C. Senior Men’s Champion, would be the first to tell you that this two-day event played on the Mountain and Valley courses at the Bear Mountain resort, really wasn’t about who won and who lost.

    Moments after winning his singles match 4&3, the 66-year-old Invermere resident got emotional when he was asked to describe what the event meant to him.

  • Ziemer's B.C. Golf Notes: du Toit disappointed in Italy; Sloan inches closer to PGA TOUR status; Bjornson brothers lead SFU to win; Allenby wins VGT Tour Championship

    BC's Jared du Toit Felt He Was Denied A Fair Shot At DP World Tour Q-School - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    All Jared du Toit wanted was a fair fight and the Kimberley native didn’t feel like he got it at a DP World Tour first-stage qualifying school site in northern Italy.

    Du Toit, along with fellow British Columbians Kaleb Gorbahn of Smithers and Stephen Thomas of Vancouver, were on the outside looking in when the 72-hole event was abruptly shortened to 36 holes due to heavy rain.

    “I am probably the most angry I have been after a tournament,” du Toit said over the phone from Italy. “At least if you get to play a full event you know you have given it your all and you kind of had a fair shake at it.

  • B.C. And Ontario To Meet At Bear Mountain In Inaugural Indigenous Challenge Cup

    Victoria's Bear Mountain Will Host The Inaugural Indigenous Challenge Cup  

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    Christina Spence Proteau has lots of great memories from this past spring’s inaugural B.C. Indigenous Championship played at Nk’Mip Canyon Desert Golf Course in Oliver.

    She’ll never forget winning the event, one that she also chaired and helped organize, but what really stood out for Spence Proteau was the tournament’s spirit.

    The Port Alberni native had never seen so many smiles at a golf tournament. Participants seemed proud to be there and recognized they were helping plant the seeds for an event that will continue to blossom in the years ahead.

  • Ziemer's B.C. Golf Notes: Coach’s Cousin Leads Cascades To Season-Opening Win; Sloan Closer To PGA TOUR Return; Henry Lee Survives 1st Stage Of DP World Tour Q-school; UBC Men, Women Open With Big Wins; BC's Boydell Close At All-Abilities

    Lucas O'Dell Led The UFV Cascades To A Win In Their Season Opener At Okanagan GC’s Bear Course

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    One of the first things Connor O’Dell did when he was appointed the new golf coach at the University of the Fraser Valley was convince his cousin, Lucas O’Dell, to return home and play for the Cascades.

    That decision paid early dividends when Lucas won the individual title and helped the Cascades capture the team event at the season-opening Battle of the Bear tourney in Kelowna.

    Lucas, a Maple Ridge native, transferred to UFV after spending his freshman year at The Master’s University, a NAIA school in Santa Clara, Calif. He fired rounds of 67 and 68 at Okanagan Golf Club’s Bear course to win the individual competition by six shots over teammates Jackson Jacob and Eli Greene.

    The Cascades won the men’s team title by 28 shots over the University of Victoria.