Golf Canada in partnership with British Columbia Golf is pleased to announce the expansion of Youth on Course to British Columbia.

Youth on Course offers its members aged six to 18 access to golf rounds for $5 or less at participating courses during designated times.

The Youth on Course program will run for the duration of the 2023 golf season at participating golf courses in British Columbia.

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Since winning his seventh PGA Seniors Championship of Canada last summer, Jim Rutledge has spent a lot more time working on the golf course than playing the game he loves.

A frozen left shoulder sidelined Rutledge for the better part of ninth months. He did not play a single round from late last summer until May of this year.

He did, however, still rise early five days a week and head to Uplands Golf Club to work with superintendent Brian Youell and the rest of the grounds crew at the highly regarded Victoria layout.

From L-R: Nick Taylor, Adam Hadwin, Adam Svensson - Images Courtesy Golf Canada/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

The PGA TOUR wraps up its regular season at this week’s Wyndham Championship with many players scrambling to play their way into the top 70 and qualify for the lucrative FedEx Cup playoffs.

The British Columbia trio of Nick Taylor, Adam Svensson and Adam Hadwin have no such worries. All three are well inside the top 70.

Taylor, who is 12th on the FedEx Cup points list, is taking his second straight week off and not playing the Wyndham Championship. Hadwin and Svensson are both in the Wyndham field.

2023 BC Senior Men's Champion Andrew Pinette - BC Golf photo/Will Mackenzie

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

WILLIAMS LAKE — They say you can’t go home again, but Andrew Pinette did and will never forget his wonderful week in Williams Lake.

Playing on the fairways where he logged hundreds of rounds as a kid and forged lifelong friendships, Pinette won the B.C. Senior Men’s Championship at Williams Lake Golf & Tennis Club.

The 55-year-old, now a resident of Surrey, had trouble putting into words what the win meant to him.

Co-Leaders At The BC Seniors Championship, Andrew Pinette (L) & Mike Legg - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

WILLIAMS LAKE — Andrew Pinette had a simple goal in mind heading into his first B.C. Senior Men’s Championship. “I wanted to be in the hunt on the last day,” he said. “That’s what it’s all about.”

Mission accomplished.

The 55-year-old Surrey resident is more than in the hunt at Williams Lake Golf & Tennis Club. He’s tied for the lead with Mike Legg of Prince George heading into the final round of the championship.

Dr. Noel Donnelly (L) And One Of His 'Deliveries' Andrew Pinette - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

WILLIAMS LAKE — When he returned to his childhood home to play in his first B.C. Senior Men’s Championship, Andrew Pinette figured he might see a few familiar faces. What he wasn’t expecting was to run into the man who brought him into the world 55 years ago.

Pinette was preparing to tee off in the first round of the championship at Williams Lake Golf & Tennis Club when he was approached by an elderly gentleman. “He comes up to me and says, ‘Say hi to your dad and, I delivered you,” Pinette said.

Andrew Pinette - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

WILLIAMS LAKE — There’s a new kid in town. Of course, at the B.C. Senior Men’s Championship being a ‘kid’ is a relative kind of thing.

The rookies at this championship are 55 years old and one of them has the first-round lead at Williams Lake Golf & Tennis Club. Surrey’s Andrew Pinette fired a two-under 69 — the only sub-par round of the day — to grab a two-shot lead on a course that brings back lots of memories.

Pinette doesn’t just have an age advantage on much of the 155-man field. He also has more than a little inside information on the golf course.

View From Capilano GC's 14th Tee - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 24, 2023

West Vancouver, B.C. – Capilano Golf and Country Club in West Vancouver, B.C. (Canada), will host many of the top amateur golfers in the world this week for the 56th Pacific Coast Amateur Championship.

Hosted by British Columbia Golf, the championship will be played from July 25-28, 2023. Hosting previously in 2003 and 2013, this marks the third time the championship has been held at Capilano Golf and Country Club.

Vancouver's Stuart Macdonald - Image Credit Bernard Brault/Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

It’s turning into quite the summer for Vancouver’s Stuart Macdonald, who won the PGA Tour Canada’s Commissionaires Ottawa Open in a four-hole playoff.

The win is undoubtedly the highlight, so far, of Macdonald’s professional career. But the 28-year-old has an even bigger moment coming in about three week’s time.

Macdonald’s wife, Carly, is due to deliver the couple’s first child in mid-August.

Doug Roxburgh Will Be Going For Senior Title Number 6 In Williams Lake - BC Golf Photo

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Defending champion Sandy Harper of Nanaimo will be joined by five other past champions at the B.C. Senior Men’s Championship, which is being played July 25-27 at Williams Lake Golf & Tennis Club.

Norm Bradley of Kelowna (2020), John Gallacher of Burnaby (2007, 2015), Harry Ferguson of Invermere (2016), Michael Kennedy of North Vancouver (2021) and five-time champion Doug Roxburgh of Vancouver (2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019) are part of the 156-player field.

Many of them will be seeing Williams Lake Golf & Tennis Club for the first time, but Dennis Williams and Rob Yaworksi are more than a little familiar with the par-71 layout. Williams is a member of the grounds crew at the course and Yaworski is the club’s general manager. Both are playing in the event.

James Lepp Tees Off In The 2006 RBC Canadian Open - Image Credit Graig Abel Photography/Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Bryan Adams sang about the Summer of ’69. James Lepp occasionally reminisces about the Summer of 2003. After all, those were the best golfing days of his life.

Lepp got to thinking about them just the other day when he joined some friends and played Capilano Golf & Country Club in West Vancouver.

The scenic Stanley Thompson gem was a big part of that special summer.

Canada's Brooke Henderson Is A Big Fan Of Playing Golf In The Pacific Northwest - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Brooke Henderson has won twice in Portland, picked up another victory in Seattle and now figures it’s time to add Vancouver to her list of West Coast triumphs.

Henderson made a quick visit to Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club last week to help promote next month’s CPKC Women’s Open. She referenced her past success in the Pacific Northwest.

“I love this area, I love the Pacific Northwest and having won in Portland and Seattle I feel the next stop has to be here in Vancouver,” she said.

Cooper Humphreys Holds The Bostock Trophy After His BC Amateur Victory  - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

July 14, 2023 - (PARKSVILLE, BC) - One of the first real clues that Cooper Humphreys might turn into a special player came at the 2019 B.C. Amateur Championship at Big Sky Golf Club in Pemberton when he was just 14 years old.

Humphreys shocked everyone that week when he tied for third. You kind of knew at that point that this was a kid worth watching. He hasn’t disappointed.

Vernon, BC's Cooper Humphreys Will Take A 3-Shot Lead Into The Final Round Of The 2023 BC Amateur At Morningstar GC In Parksville - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

July 13, 2023 - (PARKSVILLE, BC) - Cooper Humphreys has his game plan all figured out for the fourth and final round of the B.C. Amateur Championship.

It’s quite simple, really. Just play the way he did in the second and third rounds and it should be smooth sailing.

The 18-year-old from Vernon has bounced back very nicely after what he called a lousy start to the 121st playing of the B.C. Amateur at Morningstar Golf Course.

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Four new inductees, each with a long list of playing accomplishments, will be welcomed this fall into the B.C. Golf Hall of Fame.

Craig Doell of Victoria, Brian DeBiasio of Qualicum, Shelly Stouffer of Nanoose Bay and the late Ron Willey of Nanaimo will be inducted at a dinner Oct. 26 at Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver.

Doell, DeBiasio and Stouffer all expressed delight at being selected to join the Hall of Fame. “I am thrilled to be selected to the B.C. Golf Hall of Fame and to have my name in there with so many great players is amazing,” said Stouffer. “I never played golf as a junior, so to be recognized now for my accomplishments is pretty cool.

It is with great pleasure the Board of Directors announce the 2023 Inductees into the Golf Hall of Fame of BC.

The 2023 Inductees will join 44 honoured members plus 2 teams presently in the Golf Hall of Fame of BC at a dinner on October 26th at Marine Drive GC. The 2023 Inductees are listed below:

Jackson Rothwell Is Seen Here With His Dad As His Caddy During His 1st BC Amateur Triumph At Big Sky GC In Pemberton In 2019 - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Jackson Rothwell insists he isn’t thinking about a possible hat trick. The Victoria native is instead looking forward to competing relatively close to home and seeing some familiar faces at the 121st playing of the B.C. Amateur Championship at Morningstar Golf Club in Parksville.

One of those familiar faces will be his dad, Alex, who always caddies for his son at the B.C. Amateur. That, Rothwell said, is a big part of what has made his two B.C. Amateur wins so special.

“It’s a fun week for me because my dad takes the week off and he is on the bag for me,” the 22-year-old Rothwell said in a phone interview from Calgary, where he was competing in an event at Mickelson National Golf Club.

Amy Lee's Win Completed Her 'Triple Crown' Of BC Junior Golf  - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

PRINCE GEORGE — Amy Lee began the day three shots back and by the time she arrived at the 17th tee she had a three-shot lead and seemed to have the B.C. Junior Girls Championship in her back pocket.

But a double-bogey on that par 4 17th hole at Prince George Golf & Curling Club made for a tense finish to the championship for the 15-year-old from Langley.

“No. 17 really got me startled, I have to admit,” said Lee, who rebounded nicely with a birdie on the final hole and won the championship by three shots.

James Lee Successfully Defended His BC Junior Boys Championship - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

PRINCE GEORGE — His tournament ended, appropriately, with a birdie on the par 5 18th hole at Prince George Golf & Curling Club.

James Lee went wire-to-wire to defend his B.C. Junior Boys Championship and his play on the par 5s was the key. Lee absolutely feasted on the 5s, playing them 16-under for the tournament.

“Obviously, I did the bulk of my scoring there,” Lee said of his dominance on the par 5s. “The par 3s are a little more tricky here, so it was nice to have some short par 5s you could take advantage of.”

James Lee Takes A Five-Shot Lead Into The Final Round Of The BC Jr. Boys Championship - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

PRINCE GEORGE — The birdies didn’t come quite as easily in the third round, but James Lee is still on track for what could be a record-setting performance at the B.C. Junior Boys Championship.

Lee fired a three-under 68 and sits at 15-under par. He is five shots clear of Vernon’s Ryan Vest heading into the final round at Prince George Golf & Curling Club, which was set up more difficult than the previous two days.