The BC Golf Industry Lost A Special Friend With The Passing Of Trisha Larsen

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

The British Columbia golf industry and tourism sector lost a great champion and friend with the recent passing of Trisha Larsen. 

Larsen, who was 54, died after a battle with pancreatic cancer. She founded The Web Advisors marketing agency in 2011, but Larsen’s involvement with and promotion of the British Columbia golf industry goes back nearly three decades.

Image Source https://pgatour.2k.com/2k23/

Neil Davidson (Canadian Press)

From Moe Norman to Mike Weir and Sandra Post to Brooke Henderson, Canada has a rich golf history.

But there’s also a little-known golf hotbed in Lunenburg, N.S.

Located on the south shore of Nova Scotia, with a population of 2,396 according to the 2021 census, the port town is home to HB Studios, creator of the new “PGA Tour 2K23” video game.

Click HERE to read complete story....

Stuart Macdonald Is Shown Here Competing In The RBC Canadian Open - Image Credit BBrault/Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Stuart Macdonald made it look easy as he sailed through the second stage of Korn Ferry Tour qualifying school in Murrieta, Calif.

But the 27-year-old Vancouver native will tell you it was anything but. Q-school, Macdonald says, is never easy. 

“Obviously, it felt good to get through and just be able to battle through everything that comes along with Q-school,” Macdonald told British Columbia Golf in a telephone interview.

“It feels like you are playing for your life, like your life is literally on the line. That’s what it feels like. I couldn’t eat for four hours after I played because your stomach is just in knots and it’s not very fun at all.”

The PNGA Player of the Year candidates are nominated by the various state and provincial golf associations that comprise the PNGA (Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington), and are selected by a vote of the PNGA Championship Committee.

Awards are given annually in eight different categories: Men’s, Women’s, Senior Men’s, Senior Women’s, Men’s Mid-Amateur, Women’s Mid-Amateur, Junior Boys’ and Junior Girls’.

In advance of the Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA) announcement acknowledging the recipients of the 2022 Player of the Year awards, British Columbia Golf is proud to share the names and playing accomplishments of those who are being nominated from our province for the awards. 

Courtesy PGA of Canada

Teams from Canada, USA, Australia, Great Britain & Ireland, South Africa, and Sweden are set to head to Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico next week for the second PGA Women’s Cup, where Canada will look to build on their runner-up finish from the 2019 event in Texas.

Two new players, Caroline Ciot and Katy Rutherford, will join second-time competitors Emma de Groot, Casey Ward and Christine Wong at Twin Warriors Golf Club. Wong was the top player on the Canadian squad in 2019, firing the team’s low score two out of three days in the form of a 70 and 71.

If you are, or know a young competitive golfer, you may well be interested in knowing that the Zone Golf Academy is holding a university ID Camp at Lake Las Vegas, Nevada, USA on December 3 & December 4, 2022

Led by Coach Taronne (TJ) Atley, Zone Golf Academy is a leading elite junior golf academy working out of multiple facilities in the Lower Mainland and specializing in USA and Canadian university placement.

As per their Mission Statement:

"Zone Golf Academy is designed to equip the player in all aspects of the game, from the technical fundamentals, short game, on course management, to physical and mental conditioning. The result is ultimately an improved game which is coupled with scholastic readiness. Finally, the player would gain entrance to their top North American University of their choice, ideally on scholarship."

Richmond, BC's Chris Crisologo Wears Vancouver Canuck Colours At The Canadian Open In 2019 - Golf Canada Photo/Marcus Oleniuk

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

At the beginning of this year, Chris Crisologo sat down and made a list of things he wanted to accomplish during 2022 in his journey as a young professional golfer. 

He just crossed off one very important goal from that list. 

By surviving the second stage of the Korn Ferry Tour qualifying school last week in Albuquerque, N.M., the Richmond resident has earned himself Korn Ferry Tour membership for 2023.

Spain (Pictured) Won The Team Competition While Canada 1 & Canada 2 Finished Sixth And Eighth Respectively - Golf Canada Photo/Jeff Vogan

MARKHAM, Ont. – Undeterred by cold and blustery conditions, Spaniard Cayetana Fernández saved her best for last at Angus Glen Club as the 17-year-old shot a final-round 2-under 70 to lead Spain to victory at the 2022 World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by Sargent Farms.

Competitors faced challenging conditions Saturday that included a 46-minute weather delay with heavy morning winds in the Markham area. When play resumed, Fernández would emerge as one of only two players to score under par, leading Spain to victory and claiming the tournament’s individual title.

In this episode of the ModGolf Podcast, show creator and host, Colin Weston, speaks with Laura Diaz, the Sr. Director of Community & Inclusion with the LPGA. Diaz learned through her own experiences how important it can be to make the effort to invite people out to play golf.

That simple act can open a world of opportunity for many who would not otherwise consider getting into the game. 

"I have become a lot more self-aware about being that person that invites others because we do get cliquey."

In this episode of the ModGolf Podcast, show creator and host, Colin Weston, sits down for a conversation with Brett Jaffee, Co-Founder of Caddy Time. Jaffe saw an opportunity where people could connect with the golf-savvy community. Professional and recreational golfers would be able to add a caddy to any golf outing that they chose.

"Sometimes golfers need a competitive caddy, but also for senior play, junior play, woman's play. Caddies are a terrific bridge to the golf facility."

In this episode of the ModGolf Podcast, creator and show host, Colin Weston, speaks with Markus Westerberg, Co-Founder Of dewiz. Westerberg and his company started up about a year ago and as he says, "There's no ego motivation here. We just want to help golfers get better, grow the company and reach out to more golfers."

In this episode of the ModGolf Podcast, show creator and host, Colin Weston, talks to Eileen Jurczak, Founder And CEO Of Xonic Golf. A former Trading Room Floor denizen for BMO, Jurczak had an AHA moment that led to her starting up Xonic Golf. 

"At that point in my life I was working on the trading floor for many years with BMO and had been introduced to artificial intelligence in the financial realm. Not in sports but AI nonetheless. The two came together and I said 'wait a second, I wonder if there's a product here? I wonder if we can bring together AI and this passion for golf?"

The CP Women’s Open is back! Golf Canada is proud to partner with Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club in Vancouver, BC to host the 2023 CP Women’s Open.

We are excited to bring the world’s best golfers to Canada to compete in the 49th playing of our National Open, hosted at a club with plenty of history and a passionate community.

Each year, over 1,200 people dedicate their time and hard work to make the CP Women’s Open possible.

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Tee times in Langley figure to be tough to come by the next few months as another area course is forced to close temporarily due to the TransMountain pipeline expansion project. 

The West Coast Golf Group says Belmont Golf Course will close in mid-October and is not expected to re-open until sometime next summer. “Construction of the pipeline is scheduled to be complete by June 2023, with the course needing a period of recovery before re-opening,” WCGG said in a weekend message to its customers.

“We will advise everyone of our anticipated re-opening date as soon as we are able.”

Kevin Stinson Tees Off During A VGT Event - Image Courtesy Vancouver Golf Tour

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Kevin Stinson has collected something much more valuable than a bunch of frequent-flier points the past three weeks. He has stored away some precious golfing memories that will last a lifetime. 

It has been a September to remember for Stinson, a Mission resident who plays and teaches out of Cheam Mountain Golf Course in Chilliwack. He’ll never forget the camaraderie he had with his three teammates at the inaugural Four Nations Cup in South Africa and the immense pride he felt when they won the competition for Canada. 

“Probably one of the coolest golf experiences I have ever had,” Stinson said in an interview.

Kimberley, BC's Jared du Toit Will Head To DP World Tour Q School This Fall - BC Golf Photo

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Qualifying school usually means a trip or two to southern California or Arizona, but this Fall Jared du Toit will do his ‘studying’ abroad. And he’ll have lots of Canadian company. 

The Kimberley native has decided to travel to Europe for the DP World (formerly the European) Tour Q School. “I am putting my eggs in that basket,” du Toit says. “Costs are kind of crazy to do both. It’s $6,500 US to do the Korn Ferry Q School, which is nine grand Canadian, and the Euro school is about three grand Canadian. So that played a factor.”

Du Toit was also influenced by the fact his close friend Aaron Cockerill of Manitoba is experiencing success playing the DP World Tour.

Disclaimer: The following guest blog is written by Colin Weston and wholly represents his thoughts and ideas and are not intended to be indicitive of British Columbia Golf's opinions or position on this subject. Weston is the host and creator of The ModGolf Podcast, where he speaks with entrepreneurs, innovators, disruptors, and influencers who are shaping the future of the golf industry. You can listen in at www.mod.golf -  ed.

By Colin Weston/ModGolf Podcast

Lots of listeners have asked me “why aren’t you talking more about LIV Golf since The ModGolf Podcast is about entrepreneurship and innovation in the golf industry?”

The main reason why I haven’t is that I’m playing the long game on this story. I believe coexistence is attainable as has been proven out in other pro sports leagues with alternative playing formats such as cricket and volleyball. The NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB, English Premiership and La Liga understand the value of team brands and so does LIV.

In a very well done short documentary aired by Skratch, Erik Anders Lang travels to Bald Eagle GC in Point Roberts, WA, a formally 'unreachable' course to find out what happened to so completely isolate the facility in this episode of Adventures in Golf, presented by United Airlines.

Golf boomed during the pandemic...everywhere except here. Two years later, it's finally making its comeback. Bald Eagle GC has a unique story of being virtually abandoned during the pandemic, which was far from unique in the U.S. and Canada at the time, but is slowly making a comeback thanks to the local volunteers who are helping as they play.

To see Brad Ziemer's recent story and interviews on Bald Eagle's comeback click here. 

Vancouver's Stu Macdonald Celebrates His Ace In The GolfBC Championship - PGATourCanada Photo

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Kimberley’s Jared du Toit and Chris Crisologo of Richmond both played their way into PGA Tour Canada’s season-ending Fortinet Cup Championship and Vancouver’s Stuart Macdonald recorded his ninth hole-in-one. 

Those were the British Columbia highlights of the $200,000 GolfBC Championship at Gallagher’s Canyon Golf & Country Club in Kelowna. Du Toit tied for 18th at 14-under par and Crisologo tied for 45th at nine-under.

Those finishes were enough to keep them inside the top 60 on the points list, which also makes them fully exempt for the 2023 PGA Tour Canada season.

Clockwise From Top Left: Pierre-Alexandre Bédard, Gordon Burns, Kevin Stinson and Branson Ferrier To Represent PGA of Canada professionals at Kyalami Country Club In South Africa - PGA of Canada Image

Courtesy PGA of Canada

The PGA of Canada is set to take on teams from the PGA of South Africa, PGA of Australia and PGA of New Zealand from August 31-September 4 in the inaugural Four Nations Cup.

The team from the PGA of Canada was chosen based off the PGA of Canada Points Rankings and ability to attend.

“The team is so excited to be competing this week in South Africa,” said PGA of Canada Championships Manager Matt Mueller, who is joining the team in Johannesburg. “It isn’t often that players get to compete in a team-based format, so for some of our top players to have the opportunity to represent our country and the PGA of Canada will be a phenomenal experience.”