Adam Helmer/ Golf Canada's Director of Rules and Competitions

Oakville, Ont. – As golf’s governing body in Canada, Golf Canada, in conjunction with the R&A and the United States Golf Association (USGA), announce the new revisions to the Rules of Golf for 2016.

In accordance with the Joint Rules Committee’s four-year review cycle of the Rules of Golf, the new changes will come into effect on January 1, 2016.

There is a full time position with British Columbia Golf available for qualified candidates as outlined below.

About British Columbia Golf

British Columbia Golf is the Provincial Sport Organization (PSO) recognized by Government and Golf Canada as the organization responsible for golf within British Columbia. The organization is non-profit operating with a volunteer board. Incorporated in 1922 British Columbia Golf has roots extending back to 1893 within the province.

Image Courtesy Vancouver Sun

Arv Olson (Left) From The Book Jacket Cover Of His Definitive History Of BC Golf, "Backspin," and (Right) From His Early Days At The Vancouver Sun As The Golf Beat Writer 

by Kent Gilchrist

We lost Arv Olson Wednesday. I use the collective “we” because golf has lost him, hockey and rugby have lost him and all his friends and family have, too.

And we will really miss him.

Sisters Taylor (L) And Michelle Kim Are Two Very Supportive Sibling Rivals Who Now Find Themselves Both Ranked In The Top 10 Amateurs In The Country - Image Credit Aflie Lau

Weekly Top 10 Rankings - Golf Canada - Week of October 19, 2015

It was quite a week for B.C.’s Kim sisters in the Top-10. Taylor Kim picked up eight spots to climb up to a career-best No. 3 in the Canadian rankings while younger sister Michelle Kim jumped 33 spots and up to No. 5 in Canada following a third place finish at the Pat Lesser Harbottle Invite.

The freshman at Idaho shot a career-best final round 69 which included a 30-foot putt on her final hole of the tournament. The result was enough to also land Kim 'Big Sky Conference Player of the Week' honours for the third time in four tournaments this fall.

Michelle is also tied for 17th in par-3 scoring in the U.S. “She has transitioned to college well and is building off the experience she gained this past summer at national events,” said her coach Lisa Johnson. That experience included winning the B.C. Women’s Amateur title over her older sister Taylor.

Michelle Kim, The British Columbia Women's And Junior Girls Champion Of 2015 Heads Up A Contingent Of 8 B.C. Players Who Will Represent Canada On The National Amateur Team Squads For 2016 - Image Credit Alfie Lau

by BCG editors with files from Golf Canada

OAKVILLE, Ont. – No fewer than 8 players from British Columbia have been named to the National Amateur Team squads for 2016. Those teams include the Men's and Women's National Amateur Teams as well as the Developmental Squad. The Young Pro Squad for 2016 is expected to be announced in mid-November.

USGA Agronomist Larry Gilhuly Talks To Kids From Pitt River Middle School During A First Green ‘Links As Labs’ Program At Redwoods Golf Course Demonstration On Oct. 2 - Image Credit Alfie Lau

by Alfie Lau

Up until now a field trip to a golf course would usually mean swinging some clubs and learning some golf etiquette. No longer.

24 wide-eyed Grade 7 and 8 students from Pitt River Middle School stepped off a school bus and onto a real-life science lab.

And that lab was The Redwoods Golf Course in Langley on Oct. 2 as the Western Canada Turfgrass Association (WCTA), in partnership with the First Green Foundation, launched the first program in Canada that brings environmental education to grade 5 and up students using golf courses as environmental learning labs.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OCTOBER 14, 2015

Richmond, BC (PGA OF BC) - On Wednesday October 14, 2015 at the River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond, the PGA of British Columbia recognized the proud achievements of its members at the 2015 PGA of BC Awards Celebration.

Sixteen awards were presented Wednesday night, preceded by a special presentation by the ALS Society of British Columbia. The PGA of BC has supported the Society for 10 years with its Golfathon for ALS fundraisers across the province, and has raised just shy of $1.2 million for the duration of the program.

RICHMOND, BC (PGA of BC) - The PGA of BC is proud to announce the recipients of both the 2015 Forestar Golf Community Leadership Bursary, as well as the Jim Gibson Scholarship.

This recognition program is designed to honour individuals in the golf community that exhibit qualities such as volunteerism, selflessness, passion, and dedication to the game.

The Forestar Golf Community Leadership Bursary recognizes an individual who demonstrates an extraordinary desire and passion to to use their abilities to make a difference in the lives of others, setting an example of "giving back" with which all PGA of BC members are proud to be associated.

B.C.'s Jared Du Toit (Shown Holding The BC Men's Amateur Trophy Has Been Nominated As The PNGA Men's Player Of The Year - Image Credit Alfie Lau

Courtesy Tom Cade and PNGA

At the end of each golfing season, the Pacific Northwest Golf Association selects the region’s Players of the Year in eight different categories: Men’s, Women’s, Mid-Amateur Men’s, Mid-Amateur Women’s, Senior Men’s, Senior Women’s, Junior Boys’, and Junior Girls’.

The players are voted on by the PNGA Championship Committee, and this committee extends to the NWGMA one vote in each category as part of the process.

Below are the nominees in each of the eight categories.

Victoria's Cory Renfrew Was The Low Monday Qualifier For The PGA TOUR's Season Opening Frys.com Event - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

courtesy Herb Fung/ Golf Canada

Victoria native Cory Renfrew posted a 7-under 65 to earn medalist honours at the Monday Qualifier for the Frys.com Open – the season-opening event on the PGA TOUR.

The 29-year-old collected eight birdies en route to a four-stroke victory over runners-up Ben Geyer, Eric Hallberg and David Bradshaw. The quartet completed the full field of 144 hoping to notch a win at Silverado Country Club in Napa, Calif.

Toni Taylor Shows Female Golfers Some Finger And Wrist Exercises At Richmond Country Club During A Women With Drive Workshop On Oct. 6 - Image Credit Alfie Lau

by Alfie Lau

All throughout the province, for most of September and October, women golfers have been getting together with certified PGA of Canada or LPGA coaches in Women With Drive, Get In The Game workshops funded by British Columbia Golf and the Golf Canada Foundation Women’s Fund.

“We’ve organized clinics all throughout the province which will enhance opportunities for women to gain interest and develop their golf skills so that we can continue to grow women’s golf,” said Debbie Pyne, the managing director for player development for British Columbia Golf. “We’ve had clinics all throughout the province and they have been well attended.”

Christina Proteau Has Advanced To The Quarterfinals Of The U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur For The Second Straight Year - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

courtesy Joey Flyntz (USGA)

CHOUDRANT, La. – Christina Proteau, 32, of Port Alberni, B.C. advanced to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, for the second straight year, which would have been hard to imagine after she shot a 15-over 87 in the first round of stroke play.

Proteau, a prosecutor for the province of British Columbia, rebounded with an even-par 72 in the second round to make match play and has posted three impressive wins.

Canada's Casey Ward Was The Medallist In The 29th U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur, Just The Second Canadian To Earn That Honour - Image Courtesy USGA

courtesy Joey Flyntz USGA

Casey Ward, 25, of Picton, ON followed Saturday’s round of 2-over 74 with a 2-under 70 on Sunday to earn stroke-play medalist honors at the 29th U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, being conducted at the 6,061-yard, par-72 Squire Creek Country Club.

Ward was joined in the match play portion of the tournament by two British Columbia golfers, Christina Spence Proteau and Shelley Stouffer.

Ward is the second Women’s Mid-Amateur medalist from Canada and first since Mary Ann Hayward, the 2005 Women’s Mid-Amateur champion, did so in 1998. Entering the day two strokes behind Sarah Davison, Ward posted four birdies and two bogeys on the day to record the low round of stroke play.

British Columbia Golf's nomination committee is currently seeking individuals who have an interest and passion in engaging British Columbians in the sport of golf.

Following is the Memorandum that has been issued to Member Clubs, Zone Committees and Volunteers from Chair Michelle Collens and the Nomination Committee.

Nick Taylor Was The Lone Rookie To Win On The PGA TOUR This Year - Image Courtesy PGA TOUR

Abbotsford, B.C.'s Nick Taylor has been named a finalist for PGA TOUR rookie of the year.

A graduate from the Web.com Tour a year ago, Taylor won his first PGA TOUR title in just his fourth start at the Sanderson Farms Championship. 

The former top-ranked amateur in the world went on to finish 101st in FedEx Cup standings and 93rd on the tour money list ($1,072,360), recording one top-10 finish and two top 25s with 17 made cuts.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Northwest Golf Media Association Announces Annual Awards

(September 29, 2015) - Seattle, Wash. – At the 16th annual awards luncheon of the Northwest Golf Media Association (NWGMA), Kent “Cookie” Gilchrist of Vancouver, B.C. will be honored with the 2015 NWGMA Distinguished Service Award, the Association’s highest honor.

Also being recognized at the luncheon will be Steve Kealy of Seattle, Wash., the longtime golf course superintendent who has been selected to receive the Association’s Local Legend award. The luncheon will be held at historic Tacoma Country & Golf Club in Lakewood, Wash. on October 8.

BC And Canadian Amateur Golf Great Doug Roxburgh - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

British Columbia Golf Editors, With Acknowledgment To Brad Ziemer (Vancouver Sun)

British Columbia Amateur golf legend Doug Roxburgh was competing at Egg Harbor Township in New Jersey for the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship this past weekend and despite a tough start managed to get through to the match play portion of the tournament.

Roxburgh counts no fewer than 13 British Columbia Amateur titles to go along with his 4 Canadian Amateur wins and is a member of both the B.C. and Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

Team Canada's Junior Girls Pose For A 'Selfie' At The Junior World Championships In Ottawa - Image Credit Alfie Lau

by Alfie Lau

Scoreboards rarely tell the real story of a golf tournament and for five British Columbia girls who were selected to play at The Marshes for the World Junior Girls Championship, that could not be more true.

While South Koreans and Scandinavians dominated the top of the leaderboard, the Canadian girls, led by Alisha Lau, Kathrine Chan and Euna Han on Team Canada 2 and Hannah Lee, Tiffany Kong and Ontario’s Grace St-Germain on Team Canada 1, were the hometown favourites who bravely played on despite their golf games not being at their peaks.

The Five Members Of Team Canada Who Flew From BC To Play At The Marshes Were, From Left, Tiffany Kong, Alisha Lau, Kathrine Chan, Hannah Lee And Euna Han - Image Credit Alfie Lau

by Alfie Lau

It was a chilly final day for the World Junior Girls Championship at The Marshes in suburban Ottawa, but nothing could cool down Hye-Jin Choi and the South Korean girls.

Choi walked away with the individual title, with a stunning (-7) round of 65 to finish at (-12) 276, seven strokes clear of Denmark’s Cecilie Bofill. Choi shot under-par for all four of her rounds and salted away the title early, making four birdies on the front nine to stake herself to a comfortable five-stroke lead over Bofill as they made the turn.

Bofill shot a credible (-3) round of 69 to finish solo second at (-5) 283, three strokes clear of Sweden’s Filippa Moork, who finished third at (-2) 286.

Richmond’s Kathrine Chan Shot The Low Round Of The Six Canadian Players During Round 3 Of The World Junior Girls At The Marshes In Ottawa - Image Credit Alfie Lau

by Alfie Lau

South Korea’s Hye-Jin Choi, who was the first-round individual co-leader, shot a (-2) round of 70 and now sits at (-5) 211, one stroke ahead of Sweden’s Filippa Moork, who had the round of the day Thursday, a (-4) round of 68 which has her at (-4) 212 for the tournament.