Photo Courtesy Golf Canada/Youth On Course

By Brad Ewart

Casper the friendly ghost would make a good golf parent.

As an invisible ghost he could always remain out-of-sight and out-of-mind allowing his golfer to play without distraction.

Often when parents think they are helping or doing what’s best for their player — they are doing the opposite. Negatively getting into their player’s mind and disruptively into their game.

Perhaps as a parent-spectator you don’t realize that you could adversely affect your golfer and their result. Let’s hope that moving forward you will begin to help and not hinder your player.

Gallagher's Canyon GC Will Host This Week's GolfBC Championship - Image Courtesy Tourism Kelowna

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

British Columbians Stuart Macdonald and Jared du Toit have some momentum on their side heading to this week’s GolfBC Championship at Gallagher’s Canyon in Kelowna on the PGA Tour Canada circuit.

Both players recorded top-25 finishes at last week’s CRMC Championship in Brainerd, Minn. Macdonald, a Vancouver native who spent this past year on the Korn Ferry Tour, tied for 16th at 17-under par, while Kimberley’s du Toit tied for 24th at 16-under.

Golf Industry Guru Gurus, Scott Masse (L) And James Cronk (R) - Image Courtesy GIG Website 

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Golf is not only a hard game, it’s also an extremely difficult business. Think about it. There’s a lot more to operating a golf course than simply ringing in green fees. There’s the food and beverage side of the operation. There’s the agronomy side of the business. There’s staff to recruit, manage and retain in today’s challenging environment and so much more.

“It’s really complicated,” says James Cronk. “As a manger, a general manager, as an owner, you have to have some understanding of how to run a restaurant, how to grow grass, how to sell and market, how to deal with human resources.”  

Cronk and partner Scott Masse have started a business designed to help golf course operators and their staffs. Golf Industry Guru is now in its second year of operation and has close to 100 clients (golf courses) signed up. They make up what Cronk likes to call GIG Nation.

Cordova Bay Golf Course's Nate Ollis Hoists The William Thompson Trophy As He Claims The 2022 PGA of BC Championship Presented By Axis Insurance At Pitt Meadows Golf Club - PGA of BC Photo

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(AUGUST 24, 2022) PITT MEADOWS, BC (PGA of British Columbia) – Nate Ollis of Cordova Bay Golf Course birdied the third playoff hole on Tuesday at Pitt Meadows Golf Club to capture the 2022 PGA of BC Championship presented by Axis Insurance.

The Victoria, BC-native fired back-to-back rounds of 2-under par 70, including a final round on Tuesday that came bogey-free to claim his first PGA of BC victory.

After the completion of 36-holes, Ollis and Seymour Creek Golf Centre’s Bryn Parry (69-71) found themselves tied at 4-under par and heading to a sudden-death playoff.

From L-R: Vanessa Zhang, Gianna Clements And Michelle Liu - Golf Canada Photo

Courtesy Golf Canada

OTTAWA, Ont. – When Michelle Liu qualified for the 2019 CP Women’s Open at 12 years, 9 months and 6 days old, it was a record that many thought would last for the foreseeable future.

Then came Lucy Lin.

On Monday, Lin earned a spot in the 2022 CP Women’s Open via a 3-for-1 playoff in the Final Qualifier at The Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont. and when she tees it up at Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club on Thursday at the age of 12 years, 7 months and 12 days, she will become the youngest female ever to qualify for Canada’s National Women’s Open.

Michelle Liu Holds The BC Women's Amateur Trophy At Age 13 - BC Golf Photo

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

She isn’t exactly all grown up quite yet, but Vancouver’s Michelle Liu is feeling like she’s much better prepared for her second appearance at the CP Women’s Open.

Three years ago as a 12-year-old, Liu made headlines when she became the youngest player to tee it up in a Canadian LPGA Tour event.

She has some great memories of that tournament, held at Magna Golf Club in Aurora, Ont., but she also remembers being somewhat overwhelmed by the length of the course. Physically, she wasn’t quite ready to handle it.

Ilirian Zalli Holds The Trophy After Winning The Vancouver Open - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Vancouver Golf Tour commissioner Fraser Mulholland has a video he shot 11 years ago when now PGA TOUR regular Adam Hadwin won the Vancouver Open in a playoff at Fraserview Golf Course.

In that video, you’ll see a youngster watching the action rather intently. That kid was Ilirian Zalli and on Sunday he became the latest Vancouver Open champion.

He did so in rather dramatic fashion. The former B.C. Junior champion, who grew up just blocks from the first tee at Fraserview, birdied his final four holes to force a playoff and then won that playoff with Vancouver’s Stuart Macdonald on the first extra hole.

Reigning Canadian Senior Women's Champion Shelly Stouffer - Image Credit Bernard Brault/Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Shelly Stouffer has been waiting almost a year to enjoy one particularly nice perk she received for winning last summer’s Canadian Senior Women’s Championship.

The wait is finally over. Stouffer is ready to cash in her exemption and tee it up at this week’s U.S. Senior Women’s Open in Kettering, Ohio. Stouffer acknowledges she may feel a little star-struck this week.

The 120-player field is chock-full of LPGA Tour legends.

The Triumphant Golf Squad From British Columbia - Image Credit Ryan McCullough/Media Release

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Solid gold. That would be an apt description of British Columbia’s performance at the Canada Summer Games golf competition. 

B.C. swept both individual titles and also won the mixed team competition at the Summer Games in the Niagara region of southern Ontario. Tina Jiang of Richmond won the female competition and Vernon’s Cooper Humphreys was the winner on the male side.

All four members of the B.C. team — Jiang, Humphreys, Surrey’s Lauren Kim and Ethan Posthumus of Coquitlam — earned gold medals in the mixed team event.

Courtesy Golf Canada

(August 18, 2022) – Golf Canada is pleased to announce today the six athletes that will represent Team Canada at the 2022 World Amateur Team Championships, conducted by the International Golf Federation in France, outside the capital city of Paris.

Representing Canada on the women’s side will be Lauren Kim, 17, of Surrey B.C., Nicole Gal, 17, of Oakville, Ont, and Brooke Rivers, 17, of Brampton, Ont. The trio will compete for the Espirito Santo Trophy in the 29th playing of the women’s competition, August 24-27 at Le Golf National (Albatros Course) and Golf de Saint-Nom-de-la-Bretèche (Red Course).

Donning the red and white for the men’s team will be Johnny Travale, 21, of Stoney Creek, Ont., Garrett Rank, 34, of Elmira, Ont., and A.J. Ewart, 23, of Coquitlam, B.C. – the three highest ranked Canadian men on the World Amateur Golf Rankings. The Canadian squad will vie for the Eisenhower Trophy during the 32nd edition of the men’s tournament, also being contested at Le Golf National (Albatros Course) and Golf de Saint-Nom-de-la-Bretèche (Red Course), August 31 – September 3.

Recently the storied Huntting Cup celebrated its 100th anniversary as the competiton was held at Victoria's Gorge Vale GC.

The long history of the Huntting Cup is somewhat unique (see the background story by Brad Ziemer HERE) and the women who have played in it over the years have come to cherish the privilege of taking part. 

One of those who has been a regular participant for some 25 years is former provincial champion Karen Pultz.

Karen took the time to put together a special historical tribute to the event in honour of its 100th birthday this year. Enjoy. 

Rose Chen Fired A 2-under 70 Take The Early Lead In The BC Bantam Girls Event At Shadow Ridge GC In Kelowna - BC Golf Photo

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Rose Zhiyan Chen had a feeling it might be her day when she chipped in for birdie on her first hole at the B.C. Bantam Girls Championship at Shadow Ridge Golf Club in Kelowna.

Not that the 13-year-old Langley resident was standing over the shot feeling particularly confident about pulling it off. “No, I was standing over my ball thinking how to not screw up this chip,” she said with a laugh.

“And I hit it way too hard, but it hit the pin and went in. I was like, ‘okay, I’ll take that.’”

Norm Jarvis Is Seen Here After His Win In The 2018 PGA of BC Srs. Championship - PGA of BC Photo

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

No one loved golf more than Norm Jarvis, the longtime Vancouver-area pro who died last week following a lengthy illness. 

“I can tell you he lived for golf, more than anyone I know,” said fellow pro and close friend Muncie Booth. “You didn’t go anywhere with Norm without talking about golf.”

“He absolutely lived for his golf,” echoed former PGA TOUR regular Ray Stewart, another close friend. “His whole world was immersed in golf and his family. Norm was a fighter, he has been fighting for a long time.” Jarvis, who was 70, passed after suffering a major stroke a few months ago.

From L-R: Tina Jiang, Cooper Humphreys, Ethan Posthumus & Lauren Kim - Golf Canada Player Images

After years of planning, the Niagara 2022 Host Society is ready to welcome the country to Niagara for the largest multi-sport and cultural event in Canada.

Featuring 18 sports and over 250 events, including a pair of festivals in Niagara Place and the 13 For 13 Cultural Festival, the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games will host approximately 5,000 up-and-coming Canadian athletes, coaches, and support staff in the Niagara Region from August 6th until August 21 for the 28th edition of the Canada Games.

These Games mark just the third occasion in the event’s 55-year history that they have been held in the province of Ontario and the first time in 21 years.

Amy Seung Hyun Lee Holds The Trophy After Winning The 2022 BC Juvenile Girls Title - BC Golf Image

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Amy Lee has been knocking on the door all summer and she finally broke through it by winning the B.C. Juvenile Girls Championship at Shannon Lake Golf Course in West Kelowna.

The 14-year-old from Langley had finished a close second at the B.C. Junior Girls Championship in Oliver in early July and then registered a tie for fourth at the recent Canadian Junior Girls Championship in Ottawa.

She sealed the deal at Shannon Lake with a final round of one-under 71 that left her at three-under par for the 54-hole event. That was good for a one-shot win over Chelsea Truong of Victoria.

Daniel Xu Hung On To Win The BC Juvenile Boys Title In A Playoff - BC Golf Photo

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Tiger Woods used to talk about winning without his ‘A game.’ Daniel Xu can relate to that. 

The 16-year-old Richmond resident certainly did not have his best stuff in the final round of the B.C. Juvenile Boys Championship at Shannon Lake Golf Course in West Kelowna.

But Xu found a way to win, although it did take three extra holes to do it.

Shelly Stouffer Celebrates Her USGA Senior Women's Championship With Son Brett, Who Caddied For Her - Image Credit Steven Gibbons/USGA

British Columibia's Shelly Stouffer became the first golfer from our province to bring home a USGA National Title.

Stouffer, from Nanoose Bay on Vancouver Island, has had a pretty solid stretch of winning tournament golf over the last couple of years with multiple provincial titles in the BC Senior Women's & Mid-Master divisions and making it to the semi-finals of the U.S. Senior Women's Amateur last year.

This year she had designs on taking it at least a step further. Which she did.

Ilirian Zalli Tunes Up For The Vancouver Golf Tour’s Flagship Event Aug. 19-21 At McCleery, Langara & Fraserview - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

These are still the early days of Ilirian Zalli’s professional career, but the former B.C. Junior Boys champion is already making quite the impression on the Vancouver Golf Tour.

The 20-year-old David Thompson Secondary graduate has quickly recorded four VGT wins, including two earlier this month. Now he has his sights set on winning the VGT’s flagship event, the Vancouver Open.

Chelsea Truong Remains At The Top In The B.C. Juvenile Girls Championship - BC Golf Photo

WEST KELOWNA — It’s shaping up to be an exciting finish at the B.C. Juvenile Boys and Girls Championships at Shannon Lake Golf Club.

The girls championship is deadlocked heading into Thursday’s final round, with Victoria’s Chelsea Truong and Amy Lee of Langley both at two-under par through 36 holes.

Jean-Philippe Parr - Golf Canada Image

KAMLOOPS, B.C. – Prior to today, there were only seven players who could boast back-to-back Canadian Junior Boys Championship titles. Now, Jean-Philippe Parr from St-Célestin, Qué. adds his name to the list as the eighth.
 
During the week at Rivershore Estates and Golf Links, the weather reached upwards of 40 degrees. Hot, but not as hot as JP’s putter. The 18-year-old University of Tennessee commit fired a final round of 3-under-par 69 today to clinch his victory, finishing three shots ahead of the competition.