Players And Coaches From Team BC Had A Very Successful Performance Camp At Mayfair Lakes GC - All images credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

The nine members of the inaugural British Columbia Golf Performance Program are pumped about the opportunities they are getting to improve their games.

Team B.C. just completed a three-day camp at Mayfair Lakes Golf & Country Club in Richmond, where coaches ran them through a series of challenging practice sessions. Everyone seemed to be smiling. 

“It has been a really cool experience,” says Martina Yu of Coquitlam. “I have never really experienced something like this, being together with a team. I have learned a lot, not just skills-wise, but also team work, mental strategy and it’s just really fun being part of a team.”

Richmond's Chris Crisologo, Seen Here Playing As An Amateur At Vancouver's Mackenzie Tour Event, Will Now Be In The Field As A Pro At Bear Mountain - image credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

There will be plenty of British Columbia content at the first two events of the Mackenzie Tour’s Canada Life Series at Bear Mountain next month.

Apart from several sponsor exemptions, the tentative fields have been set for the two 54-hole events at Bear Mountain’s Valley and Mountain courses in the Victoria suburb of Langford. 

B.C. players listed in the Bear Mountain fields include James Allenby of Langley, Chris Crisologo of Richmond, Zach Anderson of Nanaimo, Callum Davison of Duncan, Mike Belle of Burnaby, Adam Cornelson of Langley, John Mlikotic of Kelowna, Jim Rutledge of Victoria, Cory Renfrew of Victoria, Kaleb Gorbahn of Smithers, Zahidali Natu of Richmond, Lawren Rowe of Victoria, Oliver Tubb of Vancouver, Finlay Young of Kelowna, Brady Stead of Vernon, Scott Kerr of Vancouver and Trevor Yu of Vancouver.

Team BC Rescheduled Their Previously Planned 5-Day Arizona Peformance Camp For Beautiful BC's Mayfair Lakes G&CC - All Images Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

It was Mayfair Lakes, not Mesa, but no one was complaining. 

COVID-19 has created challenges for the new British Columbia Golf Performance Program, which was just getting started when the pandemic struck.

But rather than worry about what they could not do, British Columbia Golf Performance Coach Colin Lavers and his team decided to focus on what they could do for the nine junior golfers who are part of the program. So that five-day camp scheduled for Arizona during spring break had to be rescheduled for Mayfair Lakes in July. It wasn’t quite Arizona, but the sun was shining.

image courtesy golfinbritishcolumbia.com

Golf in British Columbia have put together some amazing packages for golf trips in BC. Please take some time to check out the information and terrific golf destinations that British Columbia has to offer below.

There is no better time to explore and enjoy golf in BC than right now.

2019 BC Amateur Champion Jackson Rothwell Is Looking To Defend His Title This Year At Okanagan GC's Bear Course - BC Golf File Photo

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

A championship season that has risen from the ashes is proving to be extremely popular with British Columbia golfers.

For the longest time, it looked like British Columbia Golf’s entire championship schedule might fall victim to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it turns out that champions will be crowned in all events in a new condensed season.

And the top amateur players in the province are clamouring to get on board. The season tees off July 28-30 with the 118th playing of the B.C. Amateur Championship at the Okanagan Golf Club’s Bear course in Kelowna.

2020 Langley Concrete Chilliwack Men's Open Champion Zach Olson (Middle) Is Flanked By Low Gross Amateur Winner Jace Minni (L) & Overall Net Champion Alex Walker (R) - Image Courtesy VGT/Twitter

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

This professional golf thing seems to working out quite nicely for Zach Olson. The former University of the Fraser Valley standout finished fourth in his pro debut last week at the Vancouver Golf Tour’s Ledgeview Open.

It turns out that was just his warm-up act. Olson on Sunday made a clutch up-and-down on the 18th hole to win the VGT’s Chilliwack Men’s Open at Chilliwack Golf Club.

The First Two Events Of The Canada Life Series Will Be Held At Bear Mountain’s Valley And Mountain Courses In Langford - Image Courtesy Bear Mountain

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

The Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada circuit could certainly use some additional Canadian content and a summer series of four events announced Friday will help address that issue.

The Mackenzie Tour has partnered with Canada Life for four 54-hole tournaments that will be for Canadian residents only. The first two tournaments will be held next month at the Bear Mountain Resort near Victoria with the final two events scheduled for the TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in early September.

Each event of what is being called the Canada Life Series will offer a purse of $50,000 Cdn. More importantly, the series will offer players an opportunity to earn some status on next year’s Mackenzie Tour.

13-Time B.C. Amateur Champion Doug Roxburgh Will Miss His First B.C. Am Appearance Since 1966 Due To The Late Date Change Of Tournament Creating Conflict With His Son’s Wedding - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski(JKam Photos)/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

The 118th playing of the B.C. Amateur Championship later this month is going to be missing a very familiar face. After playing in the event for 53 straight years -- and winning it 13 times -- Doug Roxburgh will not be there.

The date for this year’s B.C. Amateur, which is being played at the Okanagan Golf Club’s Bear course in Kelowna, was recently moved from mid-July to July 28-30. That created a problem for Roxburgh, whose son James is getting married on Aug. 1.

Canada Life To Sponsor Tournaments In Langford And Caledon, With 2021 Mackenzie Tour Starts And RBC Canadian Open Invite On The Line

For Immediate Release

TORONTO, Canada—With the official Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada sidelined this season due to issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tour announced Friday that it will hold a series of four tournaments for players residing in Canada. The tournaments are set for Langford, British Columbia, and Caledon, Ontario, in August and September, all events contested under the direction of the Mackenzie Tour and its staff.

The Canada Life Series will feature two 54-hole events at Bear Mountain Golf & Tennis Resort Community in Langford on Vancouver Island and two more at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley. Fields will consist of Canadian professionals and elite amateurs, as well as Mackenzie Tour members, regardless of citizenship, who are already in Canada. Officials anticipate field sizes between 90 and 120 players, with purses set at $50,000 (CAD) per event.

BC Golf Museum's Opening 'Salvo' Was Fired By Kelowna's Dave Barr In May 1989. Now, New Members Are Being Sought To Help The BC Golf Museum Continue Its Work In 'Preserving This Province’s Rich Golfing Heritage' - Image Courtesy BC Golf House Society

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

British Columbia golf courses may be full these days, but the same can not be said for the B.C. Golf Museum coffers.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has helped create an unprecedented demand for tee times, it has also effectively eliminated a significant chunk of the money raised to operate the museum.

The Tradition, the B.C. Golf Museum’s annual fund-raising tourney, had to be cancelled this spring due to COVID-19. Museum curator Mike Riste also lost all the revenue raised by his popular hickory shaft exhibitions at charity events all over the province that have also been called off this summer.

The VGT Has Lost Some Sponsors Due To Covid-19, But The Tour Is Seeing Unprecedented Demand From Players And Selling Out Its Events, Much To The Relief Of The VGT's Driving Force, Fraser Mulholland - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

There were more than a couple of sleepless nights for Fraser Mulholland this past spring when he feared his Vancouver Golf Tour might become a victim of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Back in late March, the tour’s founder and commissioner postponed the start of the VGT’s 14th season as COVID-19 took hold in British Columbia. “I was literally wondering day after day if we were going to shut down,” Mulholland says.

It's All In A Day's Work For These Four-Legged Golf Course Superintendent's Assistants. From L-R: Beans, Jordy & Klay - Images Courtesy Respective Owners As Per Below

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

We’ll start with the obvious: The subjects of this story are all very good boys and girls. They are also very lucky dogs.

What a life they live, up before the crack of dawn and free to run all day on the golf course with their owners.

Via Vancouver Parks Golf

KIDS PLAY FREE - July 6 - 31, 2020

Fraserview, McCleery and Langara are proud to be a part of the National Golf Course Owners Association's Take a Kid to the Course program.

We are offering all Juniors age 16 and under, a free round of golf at our Championship Golf Courses with a paid adult from July 6 to 31, 2020 after 12pm.

Now more than ever, the Golf Canada Foundation understands the financial uncertainty that student athletes are facing as the 2020 school year approaches, and it is our pleasure to announce that all Golf Canada Foundation Scholarships will be available to eligible student athletes once again this year.

Though we understand collegiate golf may be modified, postponed to the spring, or even cancelled, our scholarship committee has made the decision to continue to honour and support athletes who have made the team and are enrolled as full-time students in the fall.

For eligibility requirements and how to apply, please visit our scholarship page.

Ailey​ Jarvis
Coordinator, Scholarship & Events
Coordonnatrice, Bourses d’études et événements
Golf Canada Foundation
Suite 1‑1333 Dorval Drive, Oakville, ON L6M 4X7
T 905.849.9700 x266
1.800.263.0009
ajarvis@golfcanada.ca

14-Year-Old Yeji Kwon Fired Rounds Of 70 And 74 To Win The Rain-Shortened Alberta Ladies Amateur By One Shot  - Image Courtesy @Alberta_Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Yeji Kwon says the COVID-19 pandemic has given her more time to practice and all that hard work paid off for the 14-year-old from Port Coquitlam who this week won the Alberta Ladies Amateur Championship.

“With school being out this spring for COVID I got a lot of practice time in,” Kwon says. “We would practice every day, sometimes from morning to night.”

It wasn’t all golf as Kwon had school work to do to complete Grade 8 at Summit Middle School in Coquitlam. 

The Canadian Pacific Women’s Open LPGA Event Will Return To Shaughnessy In 2021 - Image Courtesy Facility

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

The Canadian Pacific Women’s Open has become another COVID-19 sports casualty and will not be played late this summer at Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club in Vancouver. 

Golf Canada made the announcement Tuesday. With the Canada-U.S. border remaining closed and strict self-quarantine restrictions in place, it simply was not feasible to play the event, which was scheduled for Sept. 3-6. There was some good news for Shaughnessy and Metro Vancouver golf fans, however, as the Southwest Marine Drive layout will play host to the event in 2021.

Vancouver Golf Professional Stuart Macdonald Recorded His Best-Ever Finish With A T27 At The Utah Championship Improving His Exempt Status - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Stuart Macdonald has conditional status on the Korn Ferry Tour and knows that means he must take advantage of every opportunity he gets to play. So far, the Vancouver native is doing just that. Macdonald had his best-ever finish on the Korn Ferry Tour this past weekend when he tied for 27th at the Utah Championship.

Macdonald has drawn into three events this year on the Korn Ferry Tour and has made the cut in each tournament. That will help him when the tour reshuffles its priority rankings in late July.

Nick Taylor First Broke 80 On Ledgeview Golf Course, Then 70. Now He Is On A Quest For A Sub-60 Round - Image Credit Darren MacDonald/UFV Athletics

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Ledgeview Golf Club is as comfortable as a pair of old shoes for Nick Taylor, who feels right at home at the Abbotsford layout he literally grew up on.

It seemed fitting that as he prepares to head back to the PGA TOUR after a nearly four-month absence, Taylor dropped by Ledgeview to play one final round. He was there Friday, June 26th, as the host of his annual fundraiser for the University of the Fraser Valley -- the Nick Taylor Charity Pro-Am.

The 118th Playing Of The B.C. Amateur Championship Will Go July 28-30 At Okanagan Golf Club’s Bear Course In Kelowna - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

The formal announcement of the easing of travel restrictions has allowed British Columbia Golf to salvage part of its championship schedule. Premier John Horgan has given British Columbians the all-clear to travel about the province and that means the 118th playing of the B.C. Amateur Championship will go July 28-30 at Okanagan Golf Club in Kelowna.

Kris Jonasson, chief executive officer of British Columbia Golf, is delighted that tournaments will be played this summer.

“It is really pleasing that we are able to get part of our championship season in,” Jonasson said. “It only really happened because Golf Canada unfortunately had to cancel all of the national championships because we needed to move into those time slots to make it happen.”

Trail Native And Former Burnaby Mountain Assistant Kate Weir Is The New Head Pro At Rivershore, A Robert Trent Jones Sr. Layout In Kamloops - Image Courtesy PGA of BC

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Ask Kate Weir how she got started playing golf and the new head pro at Rivershore Golf Links will tell you that she really didn’t have a choice. 

Her parents golfed and they were determined their daughter would, too, so Weir accompanied them to Rossland-Trail Country Club (now called Birchbank Golf Course). 

It wasn’t exactly love at first swing.