Courtesy Golf Canada/Written by John Gordon

No matter how many times we talk about the benefits and amenities included with a Golf Canada Gold-level membership (most recently, here), it doesn’t strike home until, well, it strikes home.

A little while ago, I saw a tweet from a member at a local golf club. “Somebody stole my putter out of my bag while I was at the range right before my match. My red TaylorMade Spider…,” he lamented, adding a few expletives directed at the thief.

At last check, that putter retails for close to $400. He thought he was out of pocket for a replacement.

British Columbia Golf is proud to announce our support of The ModGolf Podcast. We encourage you to listen to these unique golf innovation stories that align with our vision to grow the game.

Host Colin Weston (who works and lives in Vancouver) speaks with industry influencers, innovators, disruptors and entrepreneurs who are shaping the future of golf.

Launched in May 2017 and now 50 episodes in, The ModGolf Podcast shines the spotlight on a diverse range of golf industry guests who share their engaging stories.

By John Gordon/Courtesy Golf Canada

“I’m not good enough to keep track of my handicap.” Craig Loughry, Golf Canada’s Director of Handicap and Course Rating, is tired of hearing that.

“The purpose of the Handicap System is to make the game of golf more enjoyable by enabling players of differing abilities to compete on an equitable basis,” the Golf Canada Handicap Manual states.

“If you’re playing golf regularly, you’re keeping track of your scores in some fashion,” he points out. “You’re golfing for a reason or reasons, whether it’s for the competition against yourself or others, recreation, socializing, whatever. It obviously is a significant part of your activity schedule, so why not keep track on an ongoing basis?

Every fall the Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA) votes on the Player of the Year Award for Junior Boys, Junior Girls, Men’s, Women’s, Mid-Amateur Men, Mid-Amateur Women, Senior Men, and Senior Women.

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

(L-R) European Tour Chief Medical Officer Andrew Murray, Professor Fiona Bull, LPGA Legend Annika Sorenstam, R&A Chief Executive Martin Slumbers, Professor Charlie Foster And MP Craig Tracey Were On Hand For The First International Congress on Golf and Health - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

Written By The R&A/Courtesy Golf Canada

LONDON, England – A global consensus amongst leaders in public health, public policy and sport backs golf in the race to tackle physical inactivity and the prevention of a range of non-communicable disease (NCD) including heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer of the breast and colon.

Evidence linking golf and health, commissioned by the World Golf Foundation and supported by The R&A, was presented this week in London at the 7th Congress of the International Society for Physical Activity and Health (ISPAH). The biennial scientific meeting is widely regarded as the world’s flagship physical activity and public health event attended by more than 1,000 delegates from 60 countries.

Hall Of Fame Golf Writer Brad Ziemer, Now A Fixture With British Columbia Golf, Received The PGA of BC Arv Olson Media Personnel Of The Year Award From The PGA of BC For The 2nd Time, Becoming The First Two-Time Winner Of The Award - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

Courtesy PGA of BC

OCTOBER 10, 2018 - RICHMOND, BC (PGA of British Columbia) - The PGA of BC proudly named the provincial recipients of its annual honours for 2018 during the Association's Awards Celebration presented by Replay Golf Supplies on Wednesday evening at the River Rock Casino Resort.

BC's Jackie Little (L) And Holly Horwood (R) Emerged Victorious In The PNGA Senior & Super Senior Women's Championships Held At Shaughnessy G&CC - Image Credit PNGA

Courtesy PNGA

Jackie Little (Procter, B.C.) shot rounds of 72-81 to win the 32nd Pacific Northwest Senior Women’s Amateur Championship. This is her third title in this championship, having previously won in 2008 and 2009.

In the 7th Pacific Northwest Super Senior Women’s Amateur, Holly Horwood (Vancouver, B.C.) shot rounds of 73-80 to successfully defend her title. She won the championship last year, when it was held at Overlake Golf and Country Club in Medina, Wash. Horwood also won the 2012 Pacific Northwest Senior Women’s Amateur.

British Columbia Golf's Brad Ziemer Is Seen Here Interviewing 13-Time B.C. Amateur Champion Doug Roxburgh. Ziemer Will Receive His 2nd PGA of BC Arv Olson Media Personnel Of The Year Award At This Year's PGA of BC 2018 Association Awards At The River Rock Casino - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

October 3, 2018 - RICHMOND, BC (PGA of British Columbia) - The PGA of BC is proud to announce the recipients of four of the Association's 2018 awards, as well as the PGA of BC Community Leadership Bursary and the Jim Gibson Scholarship. These honours are designed to recognize leaders in the golf community exhibiting qualities such as volunteerism, selflessness, passion, and dedication to the game.

These honourees, along with the recipients of 11 other Association awards, will be recognized at the PGA of BC Awards Celebration presented by Replay Golf Supplies, taking place Oct. 10 at the River Rock Casino Resort:

Burnaby's Ilirian Zalli (L) And West Vancouver's Jennifer Gu (R) Were The Boys And Girls Division Champions Respectively In The Future Links driven by Acura Fall Series Championship At Sunshine Coast G&CC - Image Credit Chuck Russell/Golf Canada

Courtesy Golf Canada

ROBERTS CREEK, B.C. – Jennifer Gu emerged as leader in the Girls Division and Ilirian Zalli captured the Boys Division at the Future Links, driven by Acura Fall Series Championship at Sunshine Coast Golf & Country Club on Sunday.

Gu, who started the third and final round tied with the lead, carded a 1-over 73 to distance herself from the pack en route to a six-stroke victory. The West Vancouver, B.C., native finished at 7 over par in the 54-hole event.

British Columbia Golf, with the support of Titleist, will be holding a Performance Camp at Seymour Golf & Country Club on the North Shore on October 27th and 28th, 2018. 

This Provincial Training Camp will be used as a part of the team selection process for the 2019 season, including the North Pacific Junior Team Matches, Girls Junior Americas Cup and Eddie Hogan Cup Matches. 

BC Golf uses multiple criteria to make selections for their teams, this will be 1 of the criteria used for the above 3 teams

LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. AND ST. ANDREWS, SCOTLAND (Sept. 18, 2018) - A global online questionnaire and data-gathering exercise on distance in golf has been launched by the USGA and The R&A today as part of the Distance Insights project.

The detailed questionnaire is open to all interested participants in golf until Oct. 31, 2018 and is available in 10 languages. Administered independently by Sports Marketing Surveys Inc., it can be accessed at both usga.org/distanceinsights and at randa.org/distanceinsights.

Golf’s New Rules Have Been Published By The R&A And The USGA Ahead Of Coming Into Effect On  January 1st, 2019

For the first time, a new Player’s Edition of the Rules of Golf is being introduced to provide a shorter, more user-friendly version of the Rules for golfers at all levels of the sport. This version, which will serve as the primary publication for all golfers, features:

• A more intuitive organization with ten simplified topical groupings
• A “Purpose of the Rule” description at the top of each Rule to better define why the Rule exists
• Easy-to-follow, full-colour diagrams and charts to aid in understanding
• A simpler, more direct writing style

Printed copies of The Player’s Edition should be available from your local golf club and the Player’s Edition, the Rules of Golf and Official Guide are all available now on The R&A’s website and on The R&A’s new 2019 Rules of Golf App (Download from your App store: iOS / Android). Print versions of the Official Guide will be available from November.

Various other resources, including a Visual Search and an updated Rules quiz, are also available to help golfers, Committees and Referees to familiarize themselves with the new Rules of Golf, both on The R&A’s website and on the App. Additional resources, including an updated Rules Academy and a Committee Toolkit, will be added in the coming months.

For more information on the new Rules of Golf and the resources that are available, follow the link below.

READ MORE

By Jeff Sutherland

The golf marijuana survey conducted by Inside Golf and British Columbia Golf is now complete with 56 facilities and 5466 golfers responding.

L to R: Alison Murdoch, Denise Kieffer, Ginny Burkey, Susan Craven And Carrie Jacobson - Image Courtesy WSGA

Victoria, BC's Alison Murdoch just continues to add to her impressive career resume qualifying for the 2018 U.S. Senior Women's Amateur Championship at Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club in Vero Beach, Fla. on October 6-11.

An invitation is a simple yet powerful way to show someone they belong....

With a brand new school year just underway the time is perfect to introduce youngsters to the benefits of basic golf skills and the game's inherent 'physical literacy' along with the fun and enjoyment that can accompany learning about golf, 'a game for life' through the Playground To Fairway school golf program. 

Please find below an introductory letter for those in appropriate decision-making positions in BC's school system from British Columbia Golf's Manager of Golf Participation, Tyler McKay. We have also attached booking and confirmation forms for those who wish to take advantage of this great opportunity for their students.

Team BC From L-R: Al Jensen, John Gallacher And Doug Roxburgh Are The 2018 Inter-Provincial Senior Men's Champions - Image Credit Golf Canada

Courtesy Golf Canada

Bathurst, N.B. – The second round of the 2018 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship concluded Wednesday at Gowan Brae Golf and Country Club with Team British Columbia emerging as provincial team champions.

The trio of Doug Roxburgh (Vancouver), John Gallacher (Burnaby, B.C.) and Al Jensen (Nanaimo, B.C.) posted a combined second-round score of 2-over-146 to capture the Phil Farley Trophy with a total of 297 (+9). It was a close finish between Team British Columbia and Team Alberta, which was comprised of John Festival (Calgary), Brian Coston (Calgary) and Ken Griffith (Red Deer, Alta.).

The Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council (I∙SPARC) of BC is pleased to announce the 2018 BC Indigenous Provincial Golf Camp will be hosted by the Musqueam Indian Band, Musqueam, British Columbia Golf and with the support of the Province of BC.

The event will be held September 22, 2018 at the Musqueam Golf & Learning Academy located in Vancouver, BC.

Please note this is NOT a Team BC selection event for the NAIG (North American Indigenous Games), however, this event does provide opportunity for athletes to better prepare for the 2019 Team BC selection processes for 2020 North American Indigenous Games. Registration is open to eligible participants - No pre-qualification required.

The PNGA Senior & Super Senior Women’s Amateur Championship is coming to Vancouver's Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club on October 1-2, 2018. 

CHAMPIONSHIP DETAILS

Eligibility: Entries are open to female amateur golfers who: (a) are members in good standing of a PNGA member club; (b) are 50 years of age or older by October 1, 2018; and (c) have a USGA Handicap Index or Golf Canada Handicap Factor not exceeding 40.4 at the close of entry.

Format: 36-hole stroke play competition (Gross and Net). Competitors will be divided into four equal flights by course handicap. An A.M. shotgun start will be used each day.

Age Limit: Entrants must be 50 years of age or older by October 1, 2018

Sue Wooster (Photo: Claus Andersen)

Courtesy Golf Canada

FONTHILL, Ont. — Australian Sue Wooster successfully defended her Senior and Mid-Master titles on Thursday, becoming only the 8th player to win back-to-back champions in the final round of the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur & Senior Championship at Lookout Point Country Club.

“I played pretty good today,” said the 56-year-old. “I got off to a rough start, so I was three over, so it felt hard to finish at that score so I’m really happy with my performance under pressure.”

Wooster had quite the up-and-down round, starting the day with a bogey on the first hole and a double bogey on the par-3 second hole. After closing out the front-nine with a birdie, Wooster remained steadier after the turn, matching two more bogeys with two birdies to finish with a one-stroke victory over second-round leader Mary Ann Hayward.