Everyone at British Columbia Golf would like to wish all golfers and their friends and family a wonderful Holiday season, however you choose to celebrate. 

Please be safe and enjoy your loved ones as we all look fore-ward (sorry...) to a new and exciting year in golf in 2018.

Note that the British Columbia Golf office will be closed from Friday, December 15th, 2017 - Tuesday, January 2nd, 2018.

See you all in the New Year!

Best Wishes For The Holidays and The New Year From Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum (Tall Gentleman In The Middle) And BC Golf Staff From L-R: Kojo Frempong, Susan White, Corrie Wong, (Mr. Applebaum), Elizabeth Dunn And British Columbia Golf CEO Kris Jonasson. (Missing from photo: Debbie Pyne, Tyler McKay, Andy Fung and Bryan Outram) - Image Credit Bryan Outram

image courtesy viaSport British Columbia

This is an open letter and invitation from viaSport's Chief Executive Officer, Sheila Bouman, to parents and sport leaders of young people who take part in sports in our B.C. communities on how they as mentors and coaches can be involved in positively affecting the experience our youngsters have within sports environments in British Columbia.

Vancouver's Stuart Macdonad, Shown Here Competing In The Pacific Coast Amateur, Will Be Looking To Punch His Ticket To The Web.com Tour On A Full-Time Basis This Coming Week - Image Courtesy PCGA

By Brad Ziemer/British Columbia Golf

Qualifying schools are supposed to be golf’s ultimate pressure-cookers, but so far they haven’t fazed Stuart Macdonald. The 23-year-old rookie pro from Vancouver has sailed through the first and second stages of the Web.com Tour qualifying school to earn a spot in the finals.

“Getting through first and second stage isn’t exactly the easiest thing to accomplish,” Macdonald said in an interview. “So to get to the finals and have a chance to play on the Web.com Tour is good. I am excited to get there and see what I can do.”

British Columbia Golf is the Provincial Sport Organization, recognized by Government and Golf Canada as the body responsible for the sport of golf within British Columbia.

Membership is comprised of over 300 golf facilities with an individual membership that exceeds 50,000 golfers. British Columbia Golf is incorporated under the British Columbia Societies Act with By-Laws approved by the membership.

A volunteer board of directors governs British Columbia Golf and sets strategic direction and policies for the association. The board size is twelve and consists of nine directors, elected at large, two elected by the Zone Council and a Past President. Board terms are staggered, with a three-year term.

The nomination committee is currently seeking interested individuals who have an interest and passion in engaging British Columbians in the sport of golf. In total three directors at large will be elected at the Annual General Meeting, which is expected to occur in March 2018.

Please CLICK HERE to see a PDF of the complete Memorandum on the Expression of Interest for the Position of Director with British Columbia Golf.

Surrey, BC's Susan Xiao Added The Junior Girls PNGA Player Of The Year Award To Her 2017 Trophy Case Which Includes The Hardware Shown Here From The Canadian Junior And Juvenile Girls Titles - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

Federal Way, Wash. – The Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA) announced its 2017 Players of the Year for the region and among those winners is Susan Xiao of Surrey, B.C., who topped the Junior Girl’s category.

In 2017, Xiao captured the Canadian Junior Girls Championship, the AJGA UA Canadian Championship and the MJT Vancouver Season Opener. She had top-5 finishes in four other events.

British Columbia Golf Players Of The Year - Top L-R: Christina Proteau, Jackie Little, Doug Roxburgh, Craig Doell & Alison Murdoch. Bottom L-R: Steven Diack, Nolan Thoroughgood, Naomi Ko, Chris Crisologo & Susan Xiao.

The British Columbia Golf Championship Committee meets each year in October to vote and select the Players of the Year in the categories of Women's, Men's, Senior Women’s, Senior Men's, Women's Mid-Amateur, Women's Mid-Master, Men's Mid-Amateur,  Men's Mid-Master, Junior Girls' and Junior Boys'.

The British Columbia Golf Titleist Order of Merit Performance Points list is used as the primary guide for the selection.

Kimberley, BC's Jared du Toit Took Medallist Honours As He And Three Other BCer's Earned Their Way Into Round 2 Of Web.com Q-School - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Abbotsford’s Adam Hadwin officially ended the Presidents Cup on Sunday afternoon when he conceded a three-foot putt for par to Phil Mickelson on the 17th green at Liberty National Golf Club.

Hadwin and Mickelson were the last two players on the course in Sunday’s singles finale. Of course, the Presidents Cup had been clinched by the Americans much earlier.

BC's Gudmund Lindbjerg (L) From Port Moody & Parnter John Gallacher (R) Of Burnaby Were Among The Champions Crowned At The PNGA Senior Team Championships - Image Courtesy PNGA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 22, 2017

Bremerton, Wash. - At the 35th Pacific Northwest Senior Team Championships, Erik Hanson of Kirkland, Wash. and Craig Larson of Tacoma successfully defended their Men's Senior Team title; Gudmund Lindbjerg of Port Moody, B.C. and John Gallacher of Burnaby, B.C. won the Men's Super Senior Team; Ginny Burkey and Leilani Norman, both of Eugene, Ore., won the Women's Senior Team title; and Mary Ryan of Renton, Wash. and Sun Douthit of Steilacoom, Wash. successfully defended their title in the Women's Super Senior Team with the defending champion pair of Jackie Little and Kathryn McGarvey from B.C. coming in T2nd.

A Final-Round 66 Secured A Two-Stroke Triumph For Phil Jonas In The PGA Of BC Club Professional Championship At Victoria Golf Club - Image Courtesy PGA of BC

VICTORIA, BC,  September 19, 2017 (PGA of British Columbia) - Phil Jonas separated himself from the field to win the Cleveland Golf/Srixon Canada PGA of BC Club Professional Championship presented by Oakcreek Golf & Turf at Victoria Golf Club.

Jonas (Philip Jonas Golf Academy) fired a tournament-low, 4-under-par round of 66 on the esteemed Oak Bay course to finish with a 36-hole total of 3-under-par 137, beating out Matthew Palsenbarg (Northview Golf Academy) by two strokes to claim the Dick Munn Memorial Trophy.

Image Courtesy Golden Eagle Golf Course

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Kwadwo 'Kojo' Frempong spends a lot of his working day on the golf course and it seems many people are a little jealous about that. “I get asked a lot, how did you get that job, and how do I get a job like you,” Frempong says with a chuckle. “And I say, 'You have to wait until I die.' Then I add that it’s very stressful.”

Frempong’s job is to do the course and slope ratings for golf courses in the province for British Columbia Golf. And that entails spending a lot of time on the course. It’s a dirty job but somebody has to do it.

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.

The Saga Of Sagebrush Golf Club Has Taken Another Turn As The Future Of The Property Outside Of Merritt, BC Remains Up In The Air - Image Courtesy Sagebrush Life

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Two key executives of Sagebrush Golf Club have resigned and the course had some of its maintenance equipment and power carts repossessed earlier this summer.

Sagebrush, located about 15 minutes north of Merritt in Quilchena, has remained closed since Newmark Group, a Langley-based residential development company, bought the course from its original owners nearly two years ago.

Coquitlam, BC's Euna Han Is In Ottawa As A Member Of Team Canada For The World Junior Girls Championship At The Marshes Golf Club - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/ BC Golf

Two Teams Will Fly The Flag For Canada At The Marshes Golf Club In Ottawa

OAKVILLE, Ont. – The world’s top 18-and-under female junior golfers will head to Ottawa for the fourth edition of the World Junior Girls Championship from Sept. 26-29 at The Marshes Golf Club. As host nation, Canada will send two teams of three athletes to compete for the international title of World Junior Girls champion.

“It is an honour to host this prestigious event and we look forward to welcoming these players to Canada,” said tournament director Mary Beth McKenna. “The course is in fantastic shape and we are thrilled to host some of the world’s best juniors at this historic club. Our partners at The Marshes Golf Club and the communities in the surrounding area have come together to make this a truly memorable event for our competitors.”

2017 BC Junior Boys Champion Christian Zalli Will Be Studying And Playing Golf At UBC This Fall - All Images Credit: Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/British Columbia Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

When Christian Zalli won the B.C. Junior Boys Championship in July at Squamish Valley Golf & Country Club, the Vancouver resident was adamant that college golf was not in his future. 

He was going to the University of B.C. to focus on his studies and would not be playing golf. End of story. But Zalli has had a change of heart and UBC golf coach Chris MacDonald is thankful about that.

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.

British Columbia Golf's Manager Of Golf Participation, Tyler McKay, Seen Here With A Budding Golf Superhero, Is Bringing The Concept Of The Game To Youngsters In A Fun Fashion - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/ British Columbia Golf

Tyler McKay discovered golf as a kid growing up in the West Kootenay community of Rossland and it wasn’t long before he became hooked on the game.

Years later, it’s now McKay’s job to get British Columbia youngsters interested in golf and he relishes that challenge. McKay, British Columbia Golf’s new Manager of Golf Participation, figures the game sells itself.

His biggest challenge is getting kids exposed to golf, so he spends most of his days doing just that. McKay sets up shop in parks and lets children take their first swings.

The focus of the upcoming 2017 British Columbia Regional Camp being held October 14th at Chilliwack Golf & Country Club is to identify female players in a particular region on the competitive stream and to align Provincial Coaching support with them for the 2018 competitions.

Coaching and training will serve to support player growth and encourage the development of an annual training plan for the upcoming competitive season. In addition, players and families of competitive juniors will be informed and guided on all aspects of the Long Term Player Development Pathway inclusive of leading them to the next stage.

Coquitlam's Steven Diack, Shown Here Getting Set To Tee Off In The VGT Golden Ears Open At Pitt Meadows GC, Is Raring To Get His Pro Career Under Way - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

When Steven Diack decided he was going to turn pro, there was an obvious place to start the next phase of his golfing life. The Vancouver Golf Tour’s Vancouver Open is being played Sept. 22-24 at Northview Golf Club in Surrey, a place that has been good to Diack in the past.

“Once I saw the Vancouver Open was at Northview I was like, that is so good for me,” Diack said in an interview. “I love that place and I can’t wait to go out and start this new chapter in golf. I have actually won two tournaments out there. I won a MJT (Maple Leaf Junior Tour) tournament a long, long time ago and I won the VGT Spring Championship out there as well.”

Quesnel, BC's Kathy Gook Was One Of The Top Instructors Recognized From More Than 1,700 LPGA Certified Professionals Worldwide - BC Golf Image

Via Press Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., August 28, 2017 – The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Teaching and Club Professionals (T&CP) membership announced today the launch of an annual recognition of the LPGA Teaching and Club Professional’s Top 50 LPGA Teachers, presented in partnership with Women’s Golf Journal.

This new initiative will identify and recognize the best LPGA instructors from more than 1,700 LPGA certified professionals worldwide.

All LPGA Class A Members in good standing who meet the eligibility requirements were invited to apply. An independent golf industry selection committee reviewed eligible applications and identified the LPGA Top 50 Teachers, utilizing a weighted points formula.

One of those recognized was Quesnel, British Columbia's own Kathy Gook who moved to Phoenix in 1985 after graduating from Simon Fraser University to pursue a career in golf.

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.