The Vancouver GolfExpo is set to jump start the 2020 golf season in the Lower Mainland and the Pacific Northwest for that matter. This weekend, Feb. 8-9th at the PNE Forum you can try the latest equipment at their indoor range, find some terrific deals on merchandise, get tips from PGA of BC Professionals, and so much more. 

And now, Sandpiper Golf Course is prepared to offer a FREE round of golf to everyone who attends the show! Play The PIPER for FREE!

For more details on the Vancouver GolfExpo click HERE.

BC Children's Hospital In Vancouver Has Been Chosen As The Primary Charity For The 2020 CP Women's Open - Image Courtesy Golf Canada 

Courtesy Golf Canada

Vancouver, January 31, 2020 – Canadian Pacific (CP) and Golf Canada announced today that BC Children’s Hospital Foundation has been chosen as the primary charity partner for the 2020 CP Women’s Open. Fundraising initiatives will occur leading up to the tournament and a month-long public match campaign starts February 1st, in recognition of Congenital Heart Defects Awareness Month.

“The CP Women’s Open is an amazing opportunity to draw attention to the important work being done by doctors to mend the hearts of the future,” said Keith Creel, President and CEO of CP. “Partnering with BC Children’s Hospital Foundation again is a natural fit and progression from our first partnership in 2015. I look forward to seeing the lasting legacy this brings to the hospital, children and families who need it.”

The weather outside of late may not have been condusive to actual play, but this is the West Coast so we know that getting out on the links regularly is not far away.

One of the best ways to get into the spirit of the coming golf season is always the Vancouver GolfExpo, where enthusiasts can try out the newest equipment, shop for some great deals at the on-site merchandise outlet, visit booths set up by many of the outstanding golf facilities throughout the Pacific Northwest, learn about some enticing golf travel opportunities, as well as take in some terrific lesson and tip presentations by BC's finest teaching professionals.

Of course one of the most popular reasons to visit the GolfExpo is the opportunity to take advantage of the great deals available at so many of the exhibitor's booths. 

The PGA of Canada has released their members' choices for top 50 public and private courses across the country.

BC COURSES AS RANKED - Top Public, Semi-Private, Resort Courses

Bell Let’s Talk Day 2020 

On January 29th, Bell will donate five cents to Canadian mental health for every text message and mobile and long distance call made by a Bell, Bell Cause pour la cause, Bell MTS or Bell Aliant customer, tweet using #BellLetsTalk, view of the Bell Let’s Talk video on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube, and use of the Bell Let’s Talk Facebook frame or Snapchat filter.

Background 

Bell Let’s Talk is a campaign dedicated to moving mental health forward in Canada. The strategy is built on four pillars: anti-stigma, improving access to care, supporting world-class research, and leading by example in workplace mental health. 

Bell Let’s Talk is not only changing the landscape of mental health funding in Canada, but is also contributing to changes in attitudes and behaviours. 85% of Canadians think attitudes about mental health have changed for the better in the past 5 years, and 75% believe the stigma around mental illness has been reduced. 

With the help of Canadians and people around the world, Bell Let’s Talk Day has now surpassed 1 billion messages of support sent and over $100 million in Bell funding towards mental health.

Jared du Toit Has Earned Himself A Fully Exempt Spot On The PGA Tour Latinoamerica Circuit For 2020 Thanks To His Medallist Performance At Their Qualifying Event - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

Courtesy Golf Canada - Written by John Chidley-Hill/ Canadian Press

A month ago, Jared du Toit wasn’t even sure he’d be playing in the Latinoamerica Qualifying Tournament in Mexico. He’d been frustrated with the state of his game for all of the 2019 season and drilled hard for most of November and December trying to get things back on track. By the time the holidays rolled around, he was fed up.

But fast forward to last Sunday and he’d won the event at the Estrella del Mar Golf & Beach Resort, earning a full exemption for the PGA Tour Latinoamerica season.

“I talked to the people close to me, my coaches and family and everyone was kind of like, ‘Nah, just go do it,”’ said du Toit, who had consulted with Golf Canada coach Derek Ingram and Dr. Adrienne Leslie-Toogood, a mental performance coach with the national program, among others.

“So then I really committed to doing it and really good practices and whatnot and I felt really good for tee off and then obviously played well in the event so it was a big relief getting it done.”

Not only is BC's Ashley Zibrik having a positive impact on the game of golf here at home for golf as a whole and, in many respects, for the advancement of women in the game in particular, her contributions are being duly noted south of the border. 

Recently Zibrik, Shaughnessy Golf Club's Head Professional, was interviewed by Club Trends magazine, a publication put out by the National Club Association based in Washington, DC. She was a major component of an issue put out by Club Trends focussing on the impact women are having at private clubs these days.

The issue, Female Factor: Women's Evolving Influence In Private Clubs,was put out for Fall 2019 and among the articles was a feature Q & A with the former Class 'A' Professional of The Year and two-time PGA of BC Women's Champion, Ashley Zibrik. 

Sport BC has announced the finalists to be celebrated at the upcoming 54th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards taking place on Thursday, March 12, 2020 at the Vancouver Convention Centre East.

The event, to be hosted by CBC’s Scott Russell, recognizes the province’s best in amateur sport including athletes, coaches, teams, and officials for outstanding performances in their sport over the 2019 season.

Click HERE see the video by Golf Canada on how your handicap will be calculated by the World Handicap System starting in Canada from January 8th, 2020.

Watch more RULES AND HANDICAPPING on Golf Canada TV

Courtesy Golf Canada

The World Handicap System will ensure handicaps are calculated consistently around the world.

Click here for more information.

British Columbia Golf is sad to report the passing of a longtime friend and contributor as former Board member and staff employee, Dick Lyle, passed away on December 29th.

As a tribute and in memory of Dick we present here the official obituary as published online at the vancouversunandprovince.remembering.ca

Thomas Craig Anderson (1944 - 2019)

British Columbia Golf and the entire golf community were saddened by the loss of Craig Anderson on December 17th as he succumbed to complications from Alzheimer's Disease. A native British Columbian, Craig was involved in hockey for much of his life as well as being a major contributor to the golf scene including a term as Club President at Victoria's Royal Colwood for three years. 

In memory of Craig we present here the tribute and notification of his passing as per the Victoria Times Colonist last week.

British Columbia Golf was saddened to have learned over the Christmas break of the passing of Victoria's Marion Andrews on December 16th at the age of 95.

We wish to offer our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Marion and share the following memoriam as per the Times Colonist Newspaper and Zone 5 Secretary Barb Rainey.

All Images Courtesy Golf Canada Unless Otherwise Noted

Written by Golf Canada

As the decade drew to a close, 2019 marked yet another significant year for Canadian golf milestones on and off the course and around the world. These are just some of the headlines. Details on these stories and many others are available under News on the Golf Canada website.

By John Gordon/Golf Canada

Welcome to Golf Handicaps for Dummies: Why having a handicap is not a handicap.

No, I’m not calling you a dummy, but if you’re a golfer of any ability who doesn’t maintain an accurate and consistent handicap, you’re not taking advantage of one of the fundamentals that makes golf the most democratic of sports. And that’s just dumb.

With all due respect, you can’t go one-on-one with a pro basketball player or hope to score on an NHL goalie. They’re not going to let you shoot at a basket that’s lower than regulation or a net that’s 10 feet wide and six feet high.

But golf’s handicap system allows you to compete on an equitable basis with players who are more or less accomplished than you are. Maintaining a handicap also allows you to monitor your progress every time you play. It’s an integral part of your golf experience.

And, starting Jan. 8, the new World Handicap System makes that scenario even more attractive. More user-friendly, in other words.

British Columbia Performance Coach Colin Lavers Is Excited About The New Program's Focus And Goals For BC's Best Going Forward - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

A new program designed to provide some of this province’s top junior golfers with the resources to help them take their games to the next level is a key initiative for British Columbia Golf in 2020.

The British Columbia Golf Performance Program is being rolled out in January, when eight athletes will be selected as the program’s first participants.

The goal, quite simply, is to help more British Columbia junior golfers play their way onto Golf Canada’s national teams. “This is a major enhancement to our existing programs and services,” says Debbie Pyne, Managing Director of Player Development for British Columbia Golf.

Victoria, BC's  Anna Wu Is Part Of A Canadian Trio Advancing To 2020 Drive, Chip & Putt Championship At Augusta - Image courtesy YouTube

Written by Golf Canada

Three Canadian juniors will be among the 80 competitors in the sixth annual Drive, Chip and Putt championship at Augusta National on April 5, 2020. In the Girls 7-9 division, Canada will be represented by the duo of Alexis Card (Cambridge, Ont.) and Anna Wu (Victoria, B.C.).

Card punched her ticket to Augusta with a score of 107 at the Oakmont Country Club qualifier while Wu posted a total of 122 at Chambers Bay Golf Course. The Canadians are rounded out by Cole Roberts of Oshawa, Ont., who qualified at TPC River Highlands with a score of 107.  (scoring is based on a 25-point-per-shot basis, explained below - ed.)

Cabot Cliffs GC - Image Courtesy Facility

The PGA of Canada Top 100 presented by Golf Talk Canada is the first ever Top 100 course list compiled exclusively by the PGA Professionals of Canada. The list includes 28 from B.C.

Find out if your favorite course made it to the list!

As Part Of The Best Community, Charity Engagement And Best Sponsor Activation Program, $2.2 million Was Presented From The CP Women's Open Fundraising To The SickKids Foundation - Golf Canada Image

By Terry Lenyk/Golf Canada

NAPLES, FLA. (Golf Canada) – ​The success of the 2019 CP Women’s Open at Magna Golf Club in Aurora, Ont., was recently recognized as the Tournament Partners of the LPGA presented Golf Canada and Canadian Pacific (CP) with two Gold Driver Awards for delivering best-in-class elements among all LPGA Tour events.

The annual Gold Driver Awards were hosted in conjunction with the LPGA Tour’s season-ending CME Group Tour Championship at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples, Fla. The Tournament Partners of the LPGA (formally Tournament Owners Association) have a long standing tradition of recognizing best in class tournaments with Gold Driver Awards at the season ending event on the LPGA Tour calendar.

At the formal ceremony, the CP Women’s Open received Gold Driver Awards for Best Community and Charity Engagement and Best Sponsor Activation.

VANCOUVER (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada, in partnership with title sponsor Canadian Pacific (CP), are pleased to announce that tickets are now available for the 2020 CP Women’s Open, taking place August 31 to September 6 at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver.

One of Canada’s premier annual sporting events, the CP Women’s Open features miles of front row seating for golf fans to experience Canada’s lone stop on the LPGA Tour.

Cheer on Canadian sensation and CP Ambassador Brooke Henderson as she leads the stars of the LPGA Tour back to Vancouver alongside defending champion and world No. 1 Jin Young Ko, past champions Ariya Jutanugarn, Sung Hyun Park and So Yeon Ryu and rising stars Lexi Thompson, Nelly Korda, Jessica Korda, Danielle Kang and Minjee Lee.

TORONTO, Ontario / PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida (November 21)—The Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada announced today that Mackenzie Tour players voted the Bayview Place DCBank Open as the 2019 Tournament of the Year.

Officials handed out the inaugural award on November 20 during the PGA TOUR’s annual Tournament Meetings in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

The Players Choice award was voted on exclusively by Mackenzie Tour - PGA TOUR Canada members and included a number of criteria, including personal experience, tournament volunteers, hospitality, community support and attendance and the golf course among other considerations.