by Alfie Lau, Inside Golf

For anybody else, winning the PGA Tour Canada stop in Ottawa, The Forces & Families Open, finishing 13th on the Order of Merit and coming second in the Canada Cup would be a good golf year, but for Summerland’s Greg Machtaler, it was only the tip of the iceberg.

“My back was in rough shape and I really only played half the season with a close-to-healthy back,” said the 31-year-old who now calls Kelowna home. “One of the reasons why I’m looking so forward to 2015 is I’m feeling good, my back is getting close to 100 per cent and I know that if I play like I did at the end of last year, I’ll have a good chance of finishing top-5 here and getting my Web.com card for next year.”

The UBC Thunderbirds men's golf team finished in a tie for second at the Association of Independent Institutions conference championship, Tuesday, April 28, in Victoria, Texas.

After two rounds of 4-over par 292 on Monday, the Thunderbirds recorded a final-round score of 7-over 295 to finish at 15-over 879. California State University-San Marcos won the tournament by three strokes over UBC and Ashford University, which led the event by three going into the final round at the Victoria Country Club.

Former Teammates On The UBC Thunderbirds Golf Squad, Kyla Inaba (L) And Eileen Kelly Have Reunited To Compete On The New Golf Reality Series Altered Course - Image Courtesy Golf Channel

Golf Channel recently announced a new reality competition series, Altered Course, that combines golf, speed, fitness, teamwork and decision-making as teams navigate re-imagined and extreme golf holes in excess of 700 yards, traversing the natural obstacles and challenging terrain as fast as possible.

Altered Course’s inaugural season will take place in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Slow play won’t be an issue on this fast-paced series that features two-person teams competing on extraordinary hole layouts exceeding 700 yards -- while racing against time.

Nanaimo's Zach Anderson Is The Latest British Columbia Product To Land At Washington State With The Cougars - Image Credit Alfie Lau

by Alfie Lau

Washington State Cougars head golf coach Garrett Clegg may have gone to school at Utah, been an assistant coach at the University of Washington for four years and is currently completing his fourth year as WSU’s head coach, but he’s got a huge affinity for Canada.

Not only did he work with Nick Taylor at Washington, his current Cougars squad features fifth-year senior Sang Lee from Calgary and freshman Zach Anderson from Nanaimo.

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.

Delta, BC's Charles Thompson At The MCB Curacao Masters - Image courtesy CJGA

WILLEMSTAD, Curacao — The MCB Curacao Masters concluded Saturday, April 11th at the beautiful Blue Bay Golf and Emmstad Golf & Squash Club.

Twenty-eight professionals and 26 amateurs, including three CJGA members, Ty Celone, Keaton Gudz, and Charles Thompson teed it up in the 9th annual MCB Curacao Masters.

The professionals played in a three day stroke play competition for the Curacao Cup while the amateurs battled for the Curacao Top Amateur title.

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

B.C's Top Female Amateur Golfers Will Compete At The Challenging Duncan Meadows Layout This June - Image Credit Jeff Sutherland

by Bryan Outram, Inside Golf

Duncan Meadows first opened for play in the early 1990's. In its early years, the course was operated by various owners, under different names, and without much success, until Grace and Ming Hui purchased the property out of bankruptcy in the fall of 1996.

By then, the course had been allowed to deteriorate to the point that it appeared well on its way back to its dairy farm origins. However, Grace and Ming saw the potential of the rolling terrain, abundant wildlife, the impressive backdrop of Mt. Prevost and the solid existing course layout.

During the next several years, the Hui's incorporated a hands-on management style and put in endless hours of good old-fashioned work to essentially rescue the course, and develop it into a site that became capable of hosting elite level events.

To that end Duncan Meadows will play host to this year's British Columbia Golf Women’s Amateur & Mid-Amateur Championships starting on June 30th.

by Bryan Outram, Inside Golf

The Cowichan Golf Club first opened for play on June 24, 1922 as a 9-hole AV Macan design on just over 31 acres in the Cowichan Valley where the Duncan mall is located today.

It was ultimately Macan who would also design the next layout that opened on August 21, 1949 eventually seeing it expand in June of 1985 to the 18-hole track it is now .

On June 24 of this year, exactly 93 years to the day it first opened for play, the Cowichan GC will play host to British Columbia Golf’s Mid-Master, Senior, Super-Senior and Stableford Women’s Championships.

Talking Rock's Par 3 15th Hole - courtesy Talking Rock GC

by Bryan Outram, Inside Golf

British Columbia Golf opens their 2015 Championship schedule on June 2nd with the Men’s Mid-Amateur and Mid-Master events taking place at the Talking Rock Course at Quaaout Lodge in Chase, B.C.

From incredible pricing In Kamloops to exclusive offers from GolfBC's Okanagan courses to a VIP Contest From Big Sky, there are some great deals out there for BCG members... READ MORE

LAKE WALES, Florida — Sue Kim of Langley, B.C., made a 25-foot birdie putt on the ninth hole to seize the lead and never looked back as she carded a 2-under 70 on Sunday to win the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic at 5-under 211.

Kim earned her second career Symetra Tour victory and moved to the top spot on the Volvik Race for the Card money list.

 Junior Boys Titleist Order Of Merit Award Winner Alex Francois Accepts His Plaque From David Atkinson At The British Columbia Golf AGM

by Alfie Lau

Ten amateur golfers were honoured on March 28th with Titleist Order of Merit plaques at the British Columbia Golf Annual General Meeting.

While only three of them were on hand to receive their plaques in person, that doesn’t diminish the great seasons they had in 2014 on the golf course.

The Picking The Majors Contest powered by Inside Golf... Make your picks to win a Nike Vapor Driver!

Port Alberni's Christina Spence Proteau Will Proudly Carry The Canadian Hopes At Pacific Dunes In Bandon, Oregon - image credit USGA/Fred Vuich

by Alfie Lau, Inside Golf

When 64 two-women teams tee it up from May 9-13 at the inaugural U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship at Pacific Dunes in Bandon, Oregon, there will only be one Canadian, Port Alberni’s Christina Spence Proteau, in the field.

But if you think that thought scares the 31-year-old, think again.

Kelowna, BC, native John Mlikotic Carded A final Round 68 To Finish One Stroke Behind Individual Winner Kenny You Of Dixie State University

courtesy Steve Frost - Sports Information Director (sfrost@sfu.ca)

CORONA, Calif. – Senior captain John Mlikotic fired a final round 68 to finish second overall and three of his teammates finished in the Top 20 to lift Simon Fraser University to its first tournament victory of the season Tuesday, capturing the California Baptist Invitational at Eagle Glen Golf Club.

It is the Clan’s second tournament victory since joining NCAA Division II in 2010.

image courtesy PGA of BC

by Alfie Lau

If the measure of a man is the number of people he’s affected in his life, then the outpouring of support for Herb Paterson at his Celebration of Life held Tuesday afternoon at Capilano Golf and Country Club made the statement that Paterson is a beloved figure in the world of golf who will be greatly missed.

by Alfie Lau, Inside Golf

What a winter it has been for Cory Renfrew.

The 28-year-old Victoria native who lives in Scottsdale, Arizona during the winter has made memories – and several big paycheques – while pursuing his golf dreams down south.

image credit SportBox PR

by Alfie Lau, Inside Golf

Surrey’s Adam Svensson has left Barry University, turned professional and signed on with SportBox Entertainment Group, which also represents Canadian PGA Tour stalwarts Graham DeLaet, David Hearn, Roger Sloan and Mike Weir.

Jordan Lu And Naomi Ko Were Both Winners At The 49th Sport BC Athlete Of The Year Awards

by Alfie Lau, Inside Golf

British Columbia Golf had many reasons to be happy at the 49th Athlete of the Year Awards held on March 12 at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver.

Both Naomi Ko and Jordan Lu were victorious in their categories, being named Female Junior Athlete and Male High School Athlete respectively.