By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

POINT ROBERTS, WA (March 10, 2025) - When we re-open it, will they come? That’s the question owners and staff of Bald Eagle Golf Course in Point Roberts are asking themselves.

General manager Tracy Evans has confirmed the course will indeed re-open this spring. An initial target date of April 1 likely will not be met, but the hope is shortly thereafter the highly regarded layout will be back open for business.

And if the course is to remain open, it must attract British Columbians, who in the past have accounted for 90 per cent of its play. Evans knows the current political climate is not great and many Canadians are vowing not to cross the border. “It’s a concern,” says Evans, a Whatcom County realtor who doubles as GM of the course.

“Point Roberts is definitely being impacted by it already. People are just not crossing the border to come down for gas and other things. The businesses down here are feeling it already.”

BC's Cooper Humphreys In The 2023 BC Amateur At Morningstar GC - BC Golf Photo/Bryan Outram

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

(March 3, 2025) - Cooper Humphreys has that laid-back, California surfer-dude persona and has always seemed like the kind of guy who would feel right at home in shorts, shades and flip-flops.

So it should come as no surprise that the two-time B.C. Amateur champion is loving life playing collegiate golf for the University of San Diego. “It has been awesome,” the Kelowna native said in a telephone interview.

“After growing up with snowy winters, it’s so nice to wake up to 70 degrees and sunshine pretty much every single day. I can remember one day where it has rained a little bit and a couple of days where it has been cloudy. The weather has been awesome.”

So has the golf. Humphreys has registered two top-10s in the first two spring events of his freshman year and his team has taken home titles in three of its last four starts.

North Bellingham GC - image courtesy North Bellingham GC

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

(February 17, 2025) - Golf course operators south of the border in Whatcom County will be nervously examining their tee sheets in the coming weeks to determine what effect the threats of tariffs and Canada becoming a “51st state” will have on their businesses.

With snow on the ground last week and courses closed, it was too early to say what effect U.S. President Donald Trump’s tough talk regarding Canada is having on golfers who regularly play Whatcom County layouts.

But with polls showing that many Canadians are vowing to avoid travel to the United States, it seems likely that Bellingham and Blaine-area courses like Loomis Trail, North Bellingham and Shuksan could be hurt. Those courses rely heavily on play from British Columbians.

Grace Bell, UBC T'Birds Women's Golf - Image Courtesy Chris MacDonald/UBC TBirds

Hadwin top-10s in Phoenix; Anna Huang cashes cheque in her Ladies European Tour debut

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

(February 10, 2025) - Grace Bell is deep into the back nine of her collegiate golf career and is determined to make the most of the time she has left.

This spring’s schedule is a last hurrah of sorts for Bell and three of her UBC teammates who are set to graduate this spring. They already have a bushel full of memories — including NAIA and Canadian championships — that figure to last a lifetime, but why not produce a few more.

Bell helped do just that when she created a little UBC history by winning last week’s Wigwam Preview, a NCAA Division I event in Litchfield Park, Ariz.

DELTA, BC (February 5, 2025) -  BC Golf and the Notah Begay III Canadian Junior Golf National Championship (NB3) will work together once again this year to provide our juniors with the chance to participate in the NB3 Canada/USA platform.

Players will compete locally with hopes to advance into the NB3 Canada Championship and/or to play in the United States in the state of Washington.

The top-finishers within each division from the NB3 Canada Championship and/or the Washington State Regional Final will move into NB3's U.S. Championship which takes place in Kinder, Louisiana annually. The U.S. Championships air on the Golf Channel for 2 hours!

Vancouver, BC's Anna Huang - Image Credit Bernard Brault/Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

(February 3, 2025) - Vancouver native Anna Huang is doing her own version of the Marrakesh Express.

The 16-year-old is back in Morocco this week where she will make her professional debut at the Ladies European Tour’s Lalla Meryem Cup at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat.

Just before Christmas, Huang travelled to Marrakesh where she earned status for this year’s LET Tour at qualifying school. She had entered Q-school as an amateur, so she had a decision to make once she earned playing status. It didn’t take her long to decide that she would turn pro.

New Capilano GC Head Professional Mike Haraguchi

Taylor, Hadwin head to Pebble Beach and Netflix; Lauren Kim gets second crack at Augusta National; Sloan heads to Panama for season debut on Korn Ferry Tour

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

(January 27, 2025) - You can count on one hand the number of head professionals Capilano Golf & Country Club has had since opening in 1939. Mike Haraguchi is honoured to be among them.

The highly regarded West Vancouver private club recently appointed the Richmond native as their new head pro.

He succeeds Mark Thirtle, who departed last year to become director of golf at La Cumbre Country Club in Santa Barbara, Calif.

BC's Nick Taylor Won His 5th PGA TOUR Title At The Sony Open In Hawaii - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

For a good chunk of his PGA TOUR career, Nick Taylor flew under the radar. He was known as a steady, not spectacular, player who quietly went about his business.

Not anymore. Taylor has developed a flair for the dramatic. The bigger the moment, the better he plays. And when he gets in contention, Taylor just hits one clutch shot after another.

He did it again on a magical Sunday on the island of Oahu where Taylor chipped in for eagle on the 72nd hole and then beat Nico Echavarria of Colombia on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the Sony Open in Hawaii.

Adam Hadwin Is Shown Here In 2024 Sony Open In Hawaii (Image Credit: Bryan Outram/BC Golf)

Ziemer's Notes: Macdonald heads to Bahamas for Korn Ferry Tour opener; Zalli about to become a world traveller on DP Challenge Tour; Humphreys top-10s at Thunderbolt Invitational; Clara Ding impresses in Florida

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

(January 6, 2025)  - A four-round total of 18-under par will usually get you a top 10, maybe even a win, most weeks on the PGA TOUR.

Not at Kapalua’s Plantation course, where the season-opening Sentry tournament is an absolute birdie-fest.

Abbotsford’s Adam Hadwin had 24 birdies and an eagle in his 72 holes of golf at the Plantation and just eked out a top-30 finish by finishing 29th at 18-under par.

Capilano hires its new superintendent from within, now looking for new head pro; British Columbians blanked at Asian Tour Q-school; Anna Huang earns status on Ladies European Tour

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

It was a lost opportunity, one that had weighed heavily on Stuart Macdonald in recent months. After a fine season on the PGA Tour Americas circuit, the Vancouver pro had come agonizingly close this past fall to earning a promotion to the Korn Ferry Tour.

Ten Korn Ferry Tour cards were handed out when the PGA Tour Americas season ended in early September and Macdonald fell from 10th to 11th in the final event of the season. It’s not a stretch to say he was devastated.

But Macdonald’s story has a happy ending. You could call it a Christmas miracle of sorts.

Golf Canada via PGA TOUR Communications 

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida – (December 16, 2024)  - The PGA TOUR announced the 2025 PGA TOUR Americas schedule, which features 16 tournaments contested across eight countries, beginning in March and culminating in September at the Fortinet Cup Championship contested at Morgan Creek Golf Course in Surrey, British Columbia and where Korn Ferry Tour membership will be awarded to the top 10 finishers on the season-long Fortinet Cup standings.

For the second consecutive season, the top 10 players in the final Fortinet Cup standings will earn Korn Ferry Tour membership for the 2026 season. A $225,000 USD purse will be contested for at each of the 16 events, totaling a $3.6 million USD pot for the season. Additionally, a $100,000 bonus pool will be shared among the top 10 players, with $25,000 awarded to the points leader, courtesy of Fortinet.

Click HERE to see complete story & schedule. 

Yeji Kwon misses cut at LPGA Q-school; Henry Lee advances to final stage of Asian Tour Q-school; Surrey council to debate Peace Portal redevelopment in New Year

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

(December 9, 2024) - The second stage of PGA TOUR Q-school wrapped up last week and its long list of casualties included British Columbians Stuart Macdonald of Vancouver, Chris Crisologo of Richmond and A.J. Ewart of Coquitlam.

For them and so many others, PGA TOUR regular Joel Dahmen had some words of encouragement he posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “For every player who didn’t get thru 2nd stage this year, keep your head up,” Dahmen said in his post. “I never got through myself. Keep believing.”

Point Grey winner Dahmen comes up clutch in final round; Macdonald, Ewart, Crisologo prepare for second stage; du Toit makes cut in Hong Kong, now heads to Qatar

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

The PGA TOUR wrapped up its 2024 season at last week’s RSM Classic on St. Simons Island in Georgia, where Abbotsford’s Nick Taylor didn’t play but got some good news anyway.

Taylor managed to hang on to his spot inside the top 60 on the Fed Ex Cup points list — finishing 60th — and that means he can add a couple of lucrative Signature events to his 2025 PGA TOUR schedule. Players finishing 51st to 60th on the points list earned invitations into two California Signature events, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on the Monterey Peninsula and the Genesis Championship at Riviera Country Club in suburban Los Angeles.

The 2024 season was a mixed bag for the four British Columbians who had PGA TOUR status. Here’s how we grade their play in 2024.

In addition to earning exempt status on next year’s European Challenge Tour at qualifying school last week, Vancouver’s Ilirian Zalli brought home some memories that will last a lifetime.

One in particular stands out for the former B.C. Junior Boys champion. It happened when Zalli and his caddie — his father Gentian — were about to begin the third round of the final stage of the DP World Tour Q-school in Spain. Standing on the first tee was two-time Masters champion José Maria Olazábal.

“He was caddying for his nephew and we were paired with him the third and fourth rounds, so my dad was really excited to meet him and pass the flagstick back and forth to José,” Zalli said with a chuckle in an interview. “That was fun for me, too. José cleaned my golf ball a few times on the greens. I didn’t even ask him. It was a little hard to believe, to be honest with you.”

Residential Development Proposed For The Hills At Portal GC; Major Renovation Planned For Whistler Golf Club

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

In addition to earning exempt status on next year’s European Challenge Tour at qualifying school last week, Vancouver’s Ilirian Zalli brought home some memories that will last a lifetime.

One in particular stands out for the former B.C. Junior Boys champion. It happened when Zalli and his caddie — his father Gentian — were about to begin the third round of the final stage of the DP World Tour Q-school in Spain. Standing on the first tee was two-time Masters champion José Maria Olazábal.

“He was caddying for his nephew and we were paired with him the third and fourth rounds, so my dad was really excited to meet him and pass the flagstick back and forth to José,” Zalli said with a chuckle in an interview. “That was fun for me, too. José cleaned my golf ball a few times on the greens. I didn’t even ask him. It was a little hard to believe, to be honest with you.”

In this episode of The ModGolf Podcast, show creator and host, Colin Weston, speaks with Tim Markison, Founder and CEO at Athalonz.

Tim's story illustrates how personal experiences can fuel entrepreneurial endeavors. His background, including overcoming childhood trauma and his daughter's health challenges, inspired him to create Athalonz and engage in philanthropy.

There are at least three key takeaways from Tim Markison's episode on The ModGolf Podcast that will benefit you:

On this November 11th Remembrance Day....In Flanders fields, Lest We Forget...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TACOMA, WA (November 6, 2024) - The Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA) has announced the region’s Players of the Year for 2024.

Among the honorees are three women from British Columbia in the Junior Girs, Women's, and Senior Women's categories.

(November 4, 2024) - Fraser Mullholland has had a front-row seat to Ilirian Zalli’s development as a professional golfer, so the Vancouver Golf Tour commissioner was not surprised to see Zalli advance to the final stage of the DP World Tour Q- school.

“He just continues to prove to himself and to us that he is not afraid of the moment and is fully confident in his abilities,” Mullholland said of Zalli, a former B.C. Junior Boys and Vancouver Open champion.

Zalli shot four rounds in the 60s and breezed through his second-stage Q-school site in Girona, Spain.

British Columbia Golf is a member of the International Association of Golf Administrators (IAGA) and as such are very involved with initiatives that promote and support golf as an activity that should be accessible to all seeking the health and wellbeing benefits that this wonderful game has to offer. 

One of the barriers that people with disabilities often encounter in the pursuit of golf's benefits, is the issue of basic accessibility itself.

In this video Dave Barton, PGA, Executive Director of the National Alliance for Accessible Golf provides an overview of the “Onboarding Training Series for Golf Facility Leadership and Staff” designed to provide the foundation for a welcoming, accessible and inclusive environment at your golf facility or those you may be working with in your state or region for adaptive golf competitions or programming.