Golf Canada President Leslie Dunning With Distinguished Service Award Recipient Cam Cole - Image Credit Chuck Russell/Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer/British Columbia Golf (Special To Golf Canada)

Cam Cole seems to have this retirement thing down pat.

“I am playing way more than I ever have in my life,” he says over the phone between rounds at his new home course, The Harvest, in Kelowna. “I am probably playing three or four times a week. The game has not become less a part of my life after retirement. It has become even bigger. I am enjoying that.”

For many years, so many Canadians enjoyed Cole’s beautifully crafted columns from golf’s major championships. By his count, Cole covered 66 majors, along with seven Ryder Cups and six Presidents Cups, nine (RBC) Canadian Opens and several (CP) Canadian Women’s Opens before retiring in December 2016 after an exemplary 41-year career as one of this country’s top sportswriters.

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Jordan Niebrugge hopes his win Sunday at the Freedom 55 Financial Open will be his Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada swansong. The 24-year-old Oklahoma State University graduate has conditional status on the Web.com Tour, where he will play this week in Illinois, and hopes he won’t be making a return trip north.

“If I can get on a roll and keep playing well my focus will probably be down there a little more,” he said.

Former B.C. Junior Champ Riley Wheeldon Finished T10 At The Freedom 55 Financial Open Also Taking Low-Canadian Honours And The Bonus Cheque - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

No one said it was going to be easy and Riley Wheeldon would be the first to tell you it has been anything but. The former B.C. Junior Boys champion from Comox has taken a long and winding road in his journey as a professional golfer. He has hit more than a few speed bumps along the way.

“It has been a roller-coaster,” Wheeldon said after Sunday’s final round of the Freedom 55 Financial Open at Point Grey Golf & Country Club in Vancouver. “Obviously, my first couple of years out here were a nice steady incline and then a steady decline and hopefully now we’re back on the up.”

Daniel Campbell Of The University Of The Fraser Valley Has Helped Put The Cascades Golf Program On The Map After Leading His Team To The Canadian University/College Championship Men's Title at Chilliwack Golf Club - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

CHILLIWACK -- Respect has been hard to come by for the University of the Fraser Valley’s men’s golf team, which has played in the shadows of more established programs at the University of B.C., the University of Victoria and Simon Fraser University.

That should no longer be a problem. The title Canadian University champions changes everything for the Cascades and their hard-working coach, Chris Bertram. “This is the biggest win we’ve ever had and probably one of the biggest team victories we have had as a university since we got involved a few years ago,” Bertram said after his UFV men’s team won the Canadian University/College Championship at Chilliwack Golf Club in convincing fashion.

Avril Li Led The Way For The UBC T'Birds Women's Squad Winning The Individual Title At Chilliwack Golf Club - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

CHILLIWACK -- The University of British Columbia’s women’s golf team did what they nearly always do on Friday by capping off their season with another Canadian University/College Championship.

It was the 13th win in the 16-year history of the event for the Thunderbird women. And it doesn’t figure to be their last. The four members of Friday’s winning team at Chilliwack Golf Club included three freshmen and a junior. In other words, the future is bright.

University Of Victoria Vikes' Lawren Rowe Is The Embodiement Of Much Of What Is So Great About The Canadian University/College Championship - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

CHILLIWACK -- This is his collegiate golf swansong and Lawren Rowe insists he has no regrets. The University of Victoria senior knows he made the right decision four years ago when he chose to play his collegiate golf close to home.

“I was always curious about that in the beginning,” Rowe said Thursday before he played the third round of the Canadian University/College Championship at Chilliwack Golf Club.

“I thought that maybe I would regret not having gone down to the States, but I am definitely thrilled to be out at UVic and thankful for the opportunities I have had. It is so great to be close to home and be able to play in tournaments like these. It was definitely the right choice.”

Averaging over 2,000 hours of sun every year, Kelowna offers one of the longest, driest golf seasons in Canada. Vineyards, orchards, semi-desert terrain, rolling hills, and expansive lakes make the golf courses in the area some of the most picturesque in the country.

That’s not all: many clubhouses also offer amazing dining experiences that range from casual to gourmet. With 19 courses that range from easy-going to ego-shattering, there is something in Kelowna for every skill level.

Kelowna is the proud home of the Mackenzie Tour - PGA Tour Canada taking place at Gallagher’s Canyon Golf and Country Club June 11 – 17th.

The University Of The Fraser Valley, Led By Zach Olson, Leads The Men’s Division By 12 Shots At The Halfway Point Of The 2018 Canadian University/College Championships At Chilliwack GC - Image Courtesy Dan Kinvig (UFV)

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

CHILLIWACK -- The University of the Fraser Valley men’s golf team does not look like it is going to come back to the rest of the field at the Canadian University/College Championship at Chilliwack Golf Club.

Someone is going to have to catch the Cascades and it doesn’t figure to be easy. The Cascades went deep Wednesday for the second straight day, posting a second-round score of 11-under par to finish 36 holes at 21-under par. They lead second-place University of B.C. by 12 shots. The Cascades, who have never finished better than fourth at this event, are halfway to history.

Adopt a School Week is a Golf Canada junior initiative to drive interest and fundraising efforts to support the Future Links, driven by Acura Golf in Schools program.

Key points about the program:

• Provides golf curriculum and equipment to grades 1-12
• Your donation can be directed to the school of your choice
• The program reaches 420,000 students annually coast-to-coast
• Since inception in 2009, 50% of the 3,500 registered schools were adopted
• In 2017, 266 new schools were adopted

You can contribute to the continued growth of the program and help us reach the remaining 85% of schools yet to be a registered as a Golf in Schools site. Invest in the health of our sport by adopting a school in your community!

Donate now as the first 30 adoptions will be matched with a second school of your choice!

Please visit golfcanada.ca/adoptaschool to donate or learn more about Future Links Golf in Schools.

UBC Freshman Kelly Hellman Helped Lead The Thunderbirds To A First-round Lead At The Canadian University/College Championships In Chilliwack - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

CHILLIWACK -- Compared to most of the young women competing at this week’s Canadian University/College Championship, Kelly Hellman started golf late. It wasn’t until the summer of her Grade 9 year that Hellman swung her first golf club. Her grandfather could no longer play and she inherited his clubs. Her mom took her for a golf lesson and that was it. Hellman was hooked.

“I was a bit skeptical (about golf) but after the first lesson I just absolutely fell in love with the sport and every day I was out at the course,” the 19-year-old Hellman said after she opened with an even-par 72 that helped her UBC Thunderbirds grab the women’s team division lead at Chilliwack Golf Club.

Speakers Chyloe Kurdas (Golf Australia), Hazel Irvine (BBC), Sarah Stirk (Sky Sports), Nick Pink (England Golf), Liz Dimmock (Moving Ahead) and Martin Slumbers (The R&A) At The Launch Of The Women In Golf Charter Staged At The View From The Shard, London - Image Courtesy R&A/Twitter

The R&A today unveiled a new Women in Golf Charter as part of the organization’s drive to increase the number of women and girls participating in golf and to encourage more opportunities for women to work within the golf industry.

The Women in Golf Charter aims to inspire an industry-wide commitment to developing a more inclusive culture within golf around the world and to enable more women and girls to flourish and maximise their potential at all levels of the sport.

Representatives Of Golf Associations From Across Canada Including BC Golf President Patrick Kelly (7th from left) And Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum (8th from right) Participate In “National Golf Day” On The Front Lawn Of Parliament Hill - Image Credit Kris Jonasson/BC Golf

(OTTAWA), May 29, 2018 – Today, to mark Canada’s first annual National Golf Day, Canadians are invited to take a swing on Parliament Hill with a number of We Are Golf interactive golf activities.

As well, PGA of Canada professionals will be on hand to provide golf tips and share their enthusiasm for the game with golfers and Ottawa-area school students.

The event is aimed at raising awareness among the public and government decision-makers on the many positive health, economic, social, environmental and charitable impacts of the golf industry across Canada.

Team BC Poses With The North Pacific Junior Ladies Team Matches Trophy For The Third Straight Year - Image Courtesy Jennifer Greggain/Instagram

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Coach Chris Bertram is not about to discount the home course advantage his University of the Fraser Valley Cascades will enjoy at this week’s Canadian University/College Championship at Chilliwack Golf Club.

The Cascades know the Chilliwack layout inside and out, having regularly practised at the course for many years. “We have called that our home course for 12 or 13 years and it is always going to be an advantage playing at a place that you are familiar with,” says Bertram. “We get to play there regularly so there aren’t too many shots out there that we haven’t seen.

“But Chilliwack isn’t the kind of place that has a lot of blind tee shots or tricky green complexes. The course is out in front of you and players can figure the course out fairly quickly, I would say. But I don’t discount the fact that being out there every day the last few weeks is a big advantage for us.”

Mission Native Kevin Stinson Has A Spot In The Season-Opening Mackenzie Tour Event At Point Grey, But Is No Longer Chasing The PGA TOUR Dream - Image Credit Mike West/VGT

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Much is made of the considerable success the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada circuit has had in developing players and helping them move on to the Web.com and PGA TOURs.

We hear less about the many others who don’t make it to golf’s promised land. Mission’s Kevin Stinson is one of those and he’s okay with that.

CHILLIWACK, B.C. – Canada’s top student-athlete golfers will descend on Chilliwack Golf Club in Chilliwack, B.C., from May 29 – June 1 for the 2018 Canadian University/College Championship.

2018 marks the 16th playing of the event, which was established in 2003 by Golf Canada to give the country’s best college and university golfers a chance to compete at a national championship. The University of the Fraser Valley Cascades will host the event this year on the magnificent tree lined fairways of Chilliwack Golf Club.

Now Reinstated As An Amateur, The Future Is So Bright For Surrey's Dan Swanson, He Has To Wear Shades - Image Credit Mike West/Vancouver Golf Tour (VGT)

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Old golf pros don’t fade away. Some of them get reinstated as amateurs, where they can further stoke their competitive fires. Actually, Dan Swanson isn’t old. He’s only 39 and thinks he has lots of good golf left in him. Just not at the professional level.

So Swanson, who turned pro in 2003 after a successful collegiate career at the University of Texas-El Paso, has had himself reinstated as an amateur. “For me personally, I just wanted to be able to compete in big events just because I love competing and I love the game,” Swanson said in an interview.

Swanson, a Surrey native who now lives in Langley, tried life as a touring pro. He spent three years on the Canadian Tour and played in one Canadian Open. He also worked as a club pro. Swanson was head professional for a time at Guildford Golf & Country Club in Surrey, where he and his buddies still gather for men’s night every Tuesday.

You can help Mackenzie Tour PGA TOUR Canada and the Freedom 55 Financial Open raise money for the very worthwhile Canucks For Kids Fund.

And if you're a fisherperson you're going to like this opportunity.

Merely bid on a trip for TWO to West Coast Resorts “The Lodge at Hippa Island!! The value of the two trips is $10,390 and is all-inclusive except gratuities, drinks at the bar and massage.

Image courtesy GolfBC/Arbutus Ridge GC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cobble Hill, B.C., (May 23rd, 2018) – Arbutus Ridge Golf Club is launching a revolutionary golf program for people who love golf but don’t have the time to play…it’s called the FAST FIVE!

“Arbutus Ridge Golf Club is committed to growing the game of golf by eliminating the barriers preventing people from playing,” says General Manager Richard Ingle.

“The Fast Five program offers golf for a significantly discounted price to those that don’t have 4 hours to play a full round and is the only 5-hole rate available on Vancouver Island,” he continued. The Fast Five is a discounted rate of only $15 to play the first five holes at Arbutus Ridge Golf Club; the 5th green is closely located to the clubhouse, making the perfect short loop for time restricted golfers.

Abbotsford's Nick Taylor Is Shown Here Playing In A Vancouver Golf Tour Event At The University Of The Fraser Valley In His Hometown - Image Courtesy VGT

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Nick Taylor shot four rounds in the 60s at the AT&T Byron Nelson tourney in Dallas and showed some positive signs that he is snapping out of a mid-season funk on the PGA TOUR.

Rounds of 69, 68, 69 and 69 left Taylor at nine-under par and tied for 32nd place. For Taylor, it’s as good as he has felt on the golf course in a long while. The Abbotsford native recently endured six straight missed cuts and admitted in a telephone interview Sunday night that he has been frustrated by his play.

“I was very frustrated and it was hard to stay positive,” Taylor said. “It went on long enough that doubt starts to creep into your mind and you start playing to almost make cuts. It gets in your mind when you get off to a tough start in a round and you’re like, here we go again. So I feel like it is behind me and I feel like this week I took a big step in the right direction.”

For Immediate Release

To Celebrate The Occasion Of National Golf Day On May 29th, British Columbia Golf Will Be Closing Their Office At 12 Noon So That The Staff Can Go Play Golf! 

"We would encourage all our members to do something similar" - Kris Jonasson/CEO British Columbia Golf

(OTTAWA), May 3, 2018 – Today, Canada’s national golf industry associations announced the first annual National Golf Day, May 29, an event aimed at raising awareness to the public and government decision makers on the many positive impacts of the golf industry.

“More Canadians play golf than any other participation sport and our industry is #1 in driving economic impact, employment and charity fundraising,” said Jeff Calderwood, National Allied Golf Associations (NAGA) and We Are Golf Chair. “Combined with golf’s diversity, healthy fitness benefits and environmental stewardship, we really do have such a positive message to communicate.”

National Golf Day provides the opportunity for Canada’s golf industry leaders to discuss these wide-reaching benefits of the sport directly with MPs, Senators and policy advisors at Parliament Hill. A May 28 evening reception will also be held in Centre Block, and NAGA will be hosting a day of interactive golf activities on the front lawn where MPs and visitors will be able to participate. This day of outdoor golf activities will include a focus on junior golf.