The 8th annual First Tee Million Dollar Pro-Am Challenge is all about raising funds to ensure vulnerable kids and youth can have the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of the game of golf.

The First Tee of the YMCA of Greater Vancouver enables kids ages 6-17 to learn how to set goals and build character while learning fundamental golf skills. Through the game of golf, kids also learn essential life skills and positive values have a whole lot of fun. Let’s face it—kids learn best when they’re having fun!

This exciting shotgun tournament will offer amateur players an intimate experience to compete in an 18 hole team scramble with one of Canada’s premier golf professionals. Held at the exclusive Richmond Country Club, eight lucky participants will be randomly drawn and will have an opportunity to sink a hole-in-one shot to win $1,000,000.

2017 British Columbia Golf Junior Boys Champion Christian Zalli Takes A Drop During The Championship At Squamish Valley GC - Image(s) Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/BC Golf

The USGA nd The R&A have unveiled the new Rules of Golf, to be implemented on 1 January 2019. 

The USGA and The R&A finalized golf’s new Rules this month after an extensive review that included a request for feedback from the global golf community on the proposed changes. Golfers can now access the official 2019 Rules of Golf by visiting www.RandA.org or www.usga.org/rules.

The process to modernize the Rules began in 2012 and was initiated to ensure that the Rules are easier to understand and apply for all golfers and to make the game more attractive and accessible for newcomers.

Fast approaching year 3, Women’s Golf Day is a one-day event celebrating girls and women playing golf and learning the skills that last a lifetime. 

In less than three years, one woman’s idea has blossomed into a global movement that is quickly becoming the next big thing in golf. The organizers at WGD are excited to bring you better technology, advanced features, new events, and more as #wgdinspires on June 5, 2018!

As part of this valuable and exciting venture, it is all-important to have as many golf facilities as possible on board and assist with hosting women of all ages for this event as the game continues to grow and welcome everyone who has an interest in 'golf, a sport for life'.

British Columbia Golf is proud to represent over 300 member golf clubs throughout our province. There's an old saying that "Membership has its privileges" and while that's true, being a member of a golf facility provides so much more than merely privileges.

The benefits to all involved are numerous and often it's merely a matter of knowing what is available in order to make a solid choice and begin enjoying those benefits right away.

With that in mind, we present here links to British Columbia Golf member clubs who are offering membership opportunities and just what those opportunities entail as far as categories, price ranges etc. 

Please click on the links associated with the clubs listed below to see what is being offered and how you can begin getting the most out of your 'golf time'. 

Image Courtesy Golf Canada

For Immediate Publication

(5 March 2018, St Andrews, Scotland and Liberty Corner, NJ, USA) - The R&A and the USGA have completed the annual review of driving distance in golf, producing a research report that documents and evaluates important findings from the 2017 season.

Introduced in 2015, the annual report examines driving distance data from seven of the major worldwide professional golf tours, based on nearly 300,000 drives per year. The data from studies of male and female amateur golfers is also included.

British Columbia Golf wishes to extend sincere condolences to the family and friends of Cherie A. Baker (Harrison) who passed away on February 8th. As such, we offer a memoriam from her family here in commemoration of Cherie's life and long involvement with the game of golf. 

Cherie A. Baker (nee Harrison)

April 8th, 1947 – February 8th, 2018

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our mother, Cherie A. Baker (Harrison), age 70, of Creston, BC, who passed away on Thursday, February 8, 2018 at Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary, AB, where she was undergoing treatment for cancer.

– Steam Whistle Partners With Golf Canada To Enhance The Experience At Canada’s National Open Championships And On Courses Across The Country –

Written by Dan Pino/ Golf Canada

Toronto, Ontario (Golf Canada) – The Good Beer Folks at Steam Whistle, Canada’s Premium Pilsner, have announced a new partnership to become the Official Beer of Golf Canada, the RBC Canadian Open and the CP Women’s Open.

Through the multi-year partnership, Steam Whistle will work alongside Golf Canada to encourage more enthusiasts to enjoy a cold Steam Whistle Pilsner during a round of golf with friends and at Canada’s National Men’s and Women’s Open Championships. The agreement represents Steam Whistle’s largest partnership in their history, a significant milestone for the independent Canadian brewer.

 If you are interested in becoming a Community Coach please contact us at B.C. Golf

Optimist Golf is offering two special awards recognizing the academic accomplishments and/or community service of five junior golfers, the 2018 Hugh Cranford All-Scholastic COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD For Boys and Girls Ages 16-18 as of August 1, 2018.

Image Courtesy Golf Canada

For Immediate Publication

(February 27, 2018 - St Andrews, Scotland): A significant growth opportunity exists for golf if it can attract more women, girls and families into playing the sport more often according to a new research report published by The R&A.

Many countries are seeing a fall in the number of both males and females playing golf and the research report analyzes the factors which affect whole family participation in the sport, including women and girls, and details a number of useful practical recommendations for national golf bodies and golf clubs to help them encourage more women and girls to play.

Victoria Golf Club

Courtesy Golf Canada

ETOBICOKE, Ont. – The Canadian Golf Superintendents Association (CGSA) and The Toro Company are pleased to announce Mr. T-Jay Creamer from the Victoria Golf Course in Victoria, British Columbia, as the first CGSA/Toro Assistant Superintendent of the Year Award winner for 2017.

The new CGSA/Toro Assistant Superintendent of the Year award recognizes the specific achievements of a golf course assistant superintendent whose performance and contributions to the success of the facility go beyond those that would normally be expected.

The award is to be presented to an individual who has contributed to his or her golf facility in a significant way and who has demonstrated professionalism, leadership, innovation and a team approach in their work.

The BC Provincial Titleist Performance Camp is fast approaching, Saturday March 10th - Sunday March 11th at Northview Golf & Country Club in Surrey.

THIS CAMP IS NOW SOLD OUT

Dear Players/Parents

The 2018 BC Golf Provincial Titleist Performance camp has been well oversubscribed with almost 40 registrants to date. Therefore, the registration has been closed early due to the high demand. Every effort is being made to set-up additional camps on a regional basis or to accommodate as many players as possible who are seeking provincial level training for future team selection.

Originally 16 spots were available, we have expanded this to 20 spots. The Performance Camp Selection Committee will meet in the next couple of days to decide the players who will be accepted for the 20 spots for the March 10-11, 2018 camp at Northview Golf Course.

Players will be notified no later than Thursday afternoon, March 1st, 2018.

If you were intending to still register for the camp and are interested in training, please feel free to send a note to elizabeth@britishcolumbiagolf.org and she will place you on our wait list to be notified when the additional camps are confirmed. This includes a camp on Vancouver Island.

Best regards, Debbie Pyne

Managing Director of Player Development

2018 British Columbia Golf Instagram Contest

Each month of 2018 (excluding January) British Columbia Golf will be giving away a logo shirt (similar to the one worn by 2017 Provincial Order of Merit Winner Chris Crisologo in the picture above) to one of our Instagram followers through our Instagram Contest.

Here is how you enter:

1. Take a photo of yourself or your friends doing any golf related activity (mini golf, driving range, virtual golf etc…)
2. Post that photo to your Instagram page
3. Tag us (@britishcolumbiagolf) and use the hashtag #BCGOLF
4. Follow us on Instagram

Your name goes into a draw at the end of the month to win the shirt.

Rules:

1. To be entered you must be following British Columbia Golf on Instgram
2. Only one entry per person per month

For further information contact either Tyler McKay at tyler@britishcolumbiagolf.org or Bryan Outram at bryan@britishcolumbiagolf.org 

In support of the SFU  Men's and Women's  Golf Team we invite you to The John Buchanan Classic presented by OpenRoad Audi Boundary at The Vancouver Golf Club on Monday, April 10.

The John Buchanan Classic is the annual tournament held in loving memory of SFU's Legendary Coach John Buchanan. John Buchanan was part of the fabric of Simon Fraser University Athletics & Recreation where for 50 years, he energized our community and exemplified our institutional ambition to be better tomorrow than we are today. Sadly, we said goodbye to Coach Buchanan in January 2017.

The John Buchanan Classic serves as the major fundraising event for SFU Golf. All proceeds from the annual event go towards the John Buchanan Golf Endowment, giving us an opportunity to remember Coach Buchanan and honour his legacy.

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Recipients will be honoured at the 24th Annual Presidents’ Awards

Recipients will be honoured at a ceremony on March 28, 2018

VANCOUVER, BC (February 22, 2018) — Sport BC is pleased to announce the following recipients of the prestigious Presidents’ Awards presented by Sports with Balls. This group is comprised of the following Provincial Sport Organizations - Basketball BC, Volleyball BC, BC Lacrosse, BC Soccer, Softball BC, Baseball BC, BC Rugby, Tennis BC and BC Ringette.

The Awards ceremony will take place in Vancouver on Wednesday, March 28, 2018 preceding the Athlete of the Year Awards.

By Jeff Sutherland /iG 

When the National Golf Course Owners’ Association (NGCOA) took over the long running Vancouver Golf Show last fall, they plan to change much more than just the name.

It started with a new show layout to give attendees room to breathe plus an expanded tee deck to give everyone the chance to hit as many balls as they wanted.

Optimist Junior Linkster Tour Image Credit: Michelle Fedosoff

Thanks to his dedicated friends Harry White’s junior golf activities will operate as normal in 2018. The group, headed by Mike Riste, Volunteer Office manager at the BC Golf Museum, is in the process of establishing the Harry White Junior Linkster Golf Society.

The new society will: operate Harry White’s Optimist Junior Golf Tour, select the BC Junior America’s Cup Boys Team, select the Optimist Team members, and administer the Harry White Scholarship .

For updated information visit www.juniorlinkstertour.com

USGA and The R&A Release Key Features

Golf Canada To Adopt All Features Of The Proposed New World Handicap System

For Immediate Release

February 20, 2018

Liberty Corner, N.J., USA and St Andrews, Scotland – The R&A and the USGA announce key features of the proposed new World Handicap System (WHS), designed to provide all golfers with a consistent measure of playing ability globally.

The idea for a new, unified system was conceived by the USGA and The R&A and developed following an extensive review of systems administered by six existing handicapping authorities - Golf Australia, the Council of National Golf Unions (CONGU) in Great Britain and Ireland, the European Golf Association (EGA), the South African Golf Association (SAGA), the Argentine Golf Association (AAG) and the United States Golf Association (USGA).

The Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada Is Set To Kick Off Its Season at Point Grey Golf & Country Club In Vancouver - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

Tournament announces the opening of Volunteer and Caddie registration and the 2nd annual Canucks for Kids Fund Charity Ball Hockey Classic

(February 19, 2018 – Vancouver, B.C.) – The Freedom 55 Financial Open is set to open the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season May 31 – June 3rd at Point Grey Golf & Country Club in Vancouver.

The 72-hole tournament kicks off the Mackenzie Tour’s sixth season, where up-and-coming players from over 15 different countries will aim to make the next step Ion the path to the PGA TOUR and earn Web.com Tour status.

In addition to showcasing top up-and-coming players, Mackenzie Tour tournaments aim to make a positive impact in the communities where they play, raising more than $1-million for charity in each of the past two years.

For the third year in a row, the Canucks for Kids Fund will be the Freedom 55 Financial Open’s official charity, and the tournament will once again be incorporating a Canucks for Kids Ball Hockey Classic event to raise both awareness and donations for the charity.

The 2018 Chinese New Year begins on Friday, February 16. Chinese New Year takes place on a different date each year, because it is based on the lunar calendar.

New Year's Day normally falls between January 21 and February 20.

The global celebrations are an explosion of light and sound, involving bell ringing, lighting firecrackers and watching traditional lion dances. Chinese families gather together for a reunion dinner on New Year's Eve, and clean their houses to sweep away bad fortune on New Year's Day.

Traditionally, kids would be given red envelopes stuffed with 'lucky money' and positive wishes on New Year's Day.

2018 is a Year of the Dog. In Chinese astrology, each year is related to a Chinese zodiac animal according to the 12-year cycle. 2018 is an Earth Dog Year.

Years of the Dog include 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, and 2030... The Dog occupies the eleventh position in the Chinese zodiac, after the Rooster, and before the Pig.

For more information on Chinese New Year please CLICK HERE