The Golf Community Has Suffered Another Unfortunate Loss With The Passing Of Harry White, Seen Here At The BC Golf House Museum - Image Courtesy Brad Ewart

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

The British Columbia golf community is mourning the passing of Harry White, a tireless promoter of junior golf who influenced the lives of countless youngsters and made an enormous contribution to the game.

White died Tuesday in Vancouver following a lengthy illness. He was 72. White was a longtime member of Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver and ran the Junior Linkster Golf Tour where kids as young as five years old learned the game.

By John Gordon/ Courtesy Golf Canada

The year 2017 has drawn to a close and what a year it was for Canadian golf. Our pros won literally around the world and on just about every tour imaginable. Our amateurs of all ages made Canada proud at home and abroad.

And, off the course, there were significant moments that are well worth memorializing as 2018 gets underway. This is the first of a three-part series remembering most, if not all, of those memorable moments.

(If we’ve unintentionally overlooked any—there were so many, after all!—please let us know on Twitter or Facebook.)

Bears Playing At Whistler Golf Course - Photo Courtesy of Sylvia Dolson, Whistler Bear Smart Society

By Ian Hutchinson/GNN

The following is a story Ian Hutchinson did earlier this year for the Canadian Society of Club Managers about the presence of predators and other wildlife on golf courses and how the game gets along with nature:

Director of golf Peter Smith wasn’t even out on the fairways and greens, so pace of play wasn’t an issue this summer when visitors slowly meandered through a parking lot at the Fairmont Hot Springs Resort in a British Columbia town by the same name, about 25 miles south of Radium.

In such a natural setting with mountains towering all around, the locals are used to seeing wildlife and visitors are thrilled when there’s a deer sighting as there was this day.

“There were two moms with three fawns that were taking their time, walking across the parking lot. They live here, this is their home. Everyone’s sort of respectful in trying to give the a little room and not scare them,” said Smith.

“Then, they run into the Buffalo blower, which is a very noisy piece of equipment that the little ones are bouncing all over the place and running away, but they don’t leave (the property). They’re quite accustomed to that and they’re just part of our everyday life at Fairmont and lots of the golf courses in this region,” he added.

The resort’s Riverside, Mountainside and Creekside courses provide golfers with a picturesque experience. Smith adds the wildlife they are likely to encounter enhances that experience in a big way.

CLICK HERE to read full story. 

BCer's Stuart Macdonald (L) And Seann Harlingten (R) Both Survived The Pressure Of Q-School To Obtain Solid Status On The Web.com Tour For 2018 - Images Courtesy PGA TOUR Mackenzie-Tour Canada

Calgary's Ryan Yip And Toronto's Albin Choi Also Earned Status As All Four Canadians In The Final Stage Of Web.com Q-School Finished Inside The Top 45 

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

If there were any doubts about whether he could make birdies when it mattered most, Stuart Macdonald erased them on the back nine of the fourth and final round of the Web.com Tour qualifying school.

With the butterflies in his stomach in full flight, the 23-year-old rookie pro from Vancouver’s Point Grey Golf & Country Club, calmly made six birdies on his final nine holes to earn Web.com Tour status for 2018.

No sweat? Not really.

image courtesy viaSport British Columbia

This is an open letter and invitation from viaSport's Chief Executive Officer, Sheila Bouman, to parents and sport leaders of young people who take part in sports in our B.C. communities on how they as mentors and coaches can be involved in positively affecting the experience our youngsters have within sports environments in British Columbia.

Courtesy BC Sport

The 2018 BC Sport Leadership Conference will feature Softball Excellence founder and renowned coach, Cindy Bristow.

A past President of the National Softball Coaches Association and Director of Development for the International Softball Federation, Bristow, has also worked as a color analyst for ESPN’s college softball coverage, is a member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame and worked with Olympic softball teams from the USA, Greece, and China.

Are you looking for new ways to motivate your corporate or athletic team?

Or maybe you're curious about high performances athlete's thoughts and experiences with leadership, both on and off the field of play?

If you answered yes for either of these questions, the fourth annual BC Sport Leadership Conference is for you.

Point Grey Golf & Country Club Will Once Again Host Future PGA TOUR Stars At The 2018 Mackenzie Tour - PGA TOUR Canada Freedom 55 Financial Open - Image Courtesy F55FO

The 2018 Freedom 55 Financial Open will launch the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season at Point Grey Golf & Country Club in Vancouver the week of May 28 to June 3rd.

The 72-hole tournament will see 156 players from up to 20 countries begin their quest to earn status on the Web.com Tour, with the top five players on the Order of Merit as season’s end making the next step on the path to the PGA TOUR.

Samantha Richdale From Kelowna, BC Is In Daytona Beach, Florida Looking To Gain Full-Time Status On The LPGA Tour For 2018 - Image Credit: Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/British Columbia Golf

 Courtesy Brad Ziemer's BC Golf Notes

Kelowna’s Samantha Richdale is the lone British Columbia player competing at the final stage of the LPGA Tour’s Q-School, which goes Nov. 29-Dec. 3 at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Fla.

Richdale had limited status on the LPGA Tour this year. She played in only four events and made $3,696. Richdale spent most of her year competing on the Symetra Tour, where she placed 47th on the money list with earnings of $17,971.

Victoria, BC's Jim Rutledge Will Attempt To Regain Full-Time Status On The Champions Tour Next Week At The Champions Q-School Final Stage In Arizona - Image Credit: Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

By Brad Ziemer/British Columbia Golf

Jim Rutledge has endured a couple of lean years on the PGA Champions circuit, but the Victoria native is making another run at regaining full-time status on the 50-and-over tour. Rutledge, 58, has advanced to the final stage of the Champions Q-School, which goes Nov. 28-Dec. 1 at TPC Scottsdale’s Champions course in Arizona.

Rutledge lost his exempt status after the 2015 season and has had to try and play his way into events via weekly qualifiers. He teed it up in just three tournaments this year and played six times in 2016. His best finish this year was a tie for 40th at the Shaw Charity Classic in Calgary.

Vancouver's Stuart Macdonad, Shown Here Competing In The Pacific Coast Amateur, Will Be Looking To Punch His Ticket To The Web.com Tour On A Full-Time Basis This Coming Week - Image Courtesy PCGA

By Brad Ziemer/British Columbia Golf

Qualifying schools are supposed to be golf’s ultimate pressure-cookers, but so far they haven’t fazed Stuart Macdonald. The 23-year-old rookie pro from Vancouver has sailed through the first and second stages of the Web.com Tour qualifying school to earn a spot in the finals.

“Getting through first and second stage isn’t exactly the easiest thing to accomplish,” Macdonald said in an interview. “So to get to the finals and have a chance to play on the Web.com Tour is good. I am excited to get there and see what I can do.”

British Columbia Golf is proud to support the BC Golf House Society & Musuem in their 2018 membership drive campaign.

In order to "Preserve BC's Rich Golfing History" please consider taking out membership in this very worthwhile society.

Click on the image below to see how you can get your membership. 

British Columbia Golfing Legends Alvie Thompson (L) And John Russell (R) Will Be Remembered Always For Both Their Skill And Grace In The Game Of Golf - Images Courtesy BC Golf House 

Golf in British Columbia has a very rich history and our province has had no shortage of outstanding players over the years both at the amateur and professional level.

Recently the golf community as a whole, and here in British Columbia in particular, has been saddened by the loss of a few of those legendary players with two of them leaving us very close together at the end of October and early in November.

As a tribute to those two fine gentlemen we’d like to present here an overview of the accomplishments and contributions to the game by Alvie Thompson and John Russell. Our game and our community are better for having had them here and being able to call them our own.

British Columbia Golf is the Provincial Sport Organization, recognized by Government and Golf Canada as the body responsible for the sport of golf within British Columbia.

Membership is comprised of over 300 golf facilities with an individual membership that exceeds 50,000 golfers. British Columbia Golf is incorporated under the British Columbia Societies Act with By-Laws approved by the membership.

A volunteer board of directors governs British Columbia Golf and sets strategic direction and policies for the association. The board size is twelve and consists of nine directors, elected at large, two elected by the Zone Council and a Past President. Board terms are staggered, with a three-year term.

The nomination committee is currently seeking interested individuals who have an interest and passion in engaging British Columbians in the sport of golf. In total three directors at large will be elected at the Annual General Meeting, which is expected to occur in March 2018.

Please CLICK HERE to see a PDF of the complete Memorandum on the Expression of Interest for the Position of Director with British Columbia Golf.

The Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada Announced Their 2018 Qualifying Tournament Sites Including Vancouver Island's Crown Isle Resort - Image Courtesy Facility

(November 15, 2017 – Toronto, Ont.) - The Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada Qualifying Tournament will take place at five separate sites during the spring of 2018 as players compete for Mackenzie Tour membership for the 2018 season.

Submitted by Brad Ziemer,  Nov 14, 2017

Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club is making a pitch to bring the Presidents Cup to Vancouver.

“Recently the Club has been asked to participate in a bid process which could see Shaughnessy host the Presidents Cup in 2023,” general manager Jason Sigurdson said in a recent note to members.

Submitted by Brad Ziemer,  Nov 14, 2017

Tobiano Golf Course near Kamloops has changed hands. Michael Ternier, a part owner of the Tobiano real estate development, has purchased 100 per cent of the golf course.

“Owning both makes it much easier to integrate many of the operations, and the two will complement the long-term growth and success of each other,” Ternier said in a news release.

He said he has no plans to make significant changes to the golf course operation, but acknowledged Tobiano’s challenging par 5 8th hole could be tinkered with.

Ternier said a top priority for the golf course will be the construction of a hotel to allow for stay-and-play packages.

“The process of determining the best location for our first hotel, the hotel branding, and the selection of an architect is already underway,” he said.

Submitted by Brad Ziemer,  Nov 14, 2017

Canoe Creek Golf Course is getting a new name for the 2018 season. The Salmon Arm course, which was designed by two-time PGA Tour winner Dave Barr, is being re-named Shuswap National.

This name change is in part, recognition of new ownership who are undertaking major upgrades.

On their website, it says: 
"Mike and Sean Foss, our new owners, have an exciting vision for the golf course... Spring of 2018 will be an expecially exciting time as we anticpate that most of their phase one revitalization plan will have been completed."

Submitted by Brad Ziemer,  Nov 14, 2017

West Vancouver’s Seann Harlingten and Stuart Macdonald of Vancouver have both qualified for the final stage of the Web.com Tour qualifying school.

Harlingten advanced by finishing tied for 20th at a second stage Q school site at Bear Creek Golf Club in Murrieta, Calif., while Macdonald finished alone in seventh place at another site at the TPC at Craig Ranch in McKinney, Tex.

Riley Wheeldon of Comox missed advancing by one shot at Bear Creek, while Kimberley’s Jared Du Toit fell four shots short.

Macdonald and Harlingten will join fellow Canadians Ryan Yip of Calgary and Albin Choi of Toronto at the Q school finals, which go Dec. 7-10 at Whirlwind Golf Club in Chandler, Ariz.

Join Viasport Brtish Columbia on November 21st for an impactful and empowering day of expert-led discussion, policy development, and networking on protecting youth from sexual abuse in sport.