Campbell River's Dana Smith Is The Halfway Leader In The BC Junior Girls Championship - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

PRINCE GEORGE — Dana Smith is wrapping up her junior golf career this summer and preparing to begin her collegiate golf journey at Simon Fraser University this fall.

The 18-year-old Campbell River native can’t think of a much better way to end this phase of her golfing life than with a win at this week’s B.C. Junior Girls Championship. Smith is halfway there as she leads the tournament at Prince George Golf & Curling Club through two rounds.

“I am hoping I can put together two more nice rounds so that I can finish off my junior career strong,” said Smith, who is even-par through 36 holes.

BC's Megan Osland - Image Credit Bernard Brault/Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Kelowna’s Megan Osland not only had to beat her opponents, she had to beat the heat to win the Oscar Williams Classic on the Women’s All Pro Tour. The 72-hole event was held in Anna, Tex., during what has been an epic heat wave in parts of the southern U.S.

“I would say most of the days it was between 40 and 45 degrees Celsius, plus the humidity,” Osland said over the phone. “I had a 7 a.m. tee time one day, so I got to the course just before 6 a,m. and I got out of the car and I just started sweating. At 6 a.m.! It was crazy. The heat was definitely a battle in itself.”

Capilano Golf & Country Club Entertained A Prospective New Member Recently - Twitter Screen Grab

At British Columbia Golf we are staunchly in support of 'diversity & inclusion' in golf and indeed in all sports. We might have some 'safety of environment' concerns in this specific instance, however.

Jeremy Watt posted this video on Twitter of an 'uninvited' guest at the venerable golf club in West Vancouver.

Prince George Golf & Curling Club Hosts The 2023 BC Junior Championships - Image Courtesy PGGCC

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

The B.C. Junior Boys & Girls Championships are heading north to Prince George Golf and Curling Club and that brings back some memories for general manager John Swanson.

The last time the B.C. Juniors was held in northern British Columbia was 20 years ago when the 2003 Junior Boys competition was played at Dawson Creek Golf Club.

Swanson happened to be general manager at Dawson Creek at the time and that field had some interesting names that included Nick Taylor, Adam Hadwin and Roger Sloan, who all went on to play on the PGA TOUR.

BC's Lauren Kim (R) Posed With LPGA Legend Betsy King Before The 2022 U.S. Women's Open At Pine Needles In North Carolina - Image Credit Kevin Kim

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Before she heads to the University of Texas to begin her collegiate golf career, Surrey’s Lauren Kim has a busy summer ahead of her.

Kim, who just graduated from Earl Marriott Secondary, has qualified to play in three major United States Golf Association events this summer.

In addition to the Women’s Amateur, Kim has also qualified to play in the U.S. Women’s Open and the U.S. Junior Girls Championships.

Playing golf from the appropriate set of tees is a great way to derive a lot more enjoyment from the game.

At the same time, how do we really know how to determine credibly what those tees should be for each of us?

Chelsea Truong Is The 2023 BC Women's Amateur Champion - Images Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

(June 23, 2023) COBBLE HILL - Chelsea Truong needed to play the round of her life and it didn’t start particularly well. The 17-year-old from Victoria opened her final round of the 118th B.C. Women’s Amateur Championship with a bogey.

Considering she started the final day at Arbutus Ridge Golf Club seven shots back of the lead, it would have been easy for Truong to hang her head and concede that this wasn’t going to be her week. But Truong isn’t wired that way. The words give up are not in her vocabulary.  There was lots of golf left, she told herself, and as it turns out it would be some very special golf.

British Columbia Golf hosted their inaugural All Abilities Golf Championship at McCleery Golf Course from June 12 - 13, 2023.

The Vancouver Parks Golf (@VanParksGolf) course proved to be an outstanding host and as Tournament Chair and British Columbia Golf Director Joe Higgins said as players prepared to tee off, "The event will be a celebration of adaptive golf, and what’s possible when so many work for a common goal. We have lots of work ahead and we’re excited for what’s to come."

The video below was produced by event liason and BC "Golf Fore All" committee member Shayain Gustavsp.

Jennifer Gu Leads At The Halfway Mark Of The BC Women's Amateur - Image Credit Brad Ziemer

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

COBBLE HILL — Jennifer Gu’s second round of the B.C. Women’s Amateur Championship started smoothly enough with six straight pars. Then things got interesting.

“The rest of the round was a little bit of a roller-coaster,” Gu said with a laugh. “I had almost every number from two through seven.”

That included an eagle three on the par 5 18th hole that capped off a round of two-under 70 that left the West Vancouver native with a three-shot lead at the halfway mark of the 118th playing of the Women’s Amateur.

Image Credit Shayain Gustavsp

On June 21, for National Indigenous Peoples Day, we recognize and celebrate the history, heritage, resilience and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis across Canada.

For generations, many Indigenous groups and communities have celebrated their culture and heritage on June 21 or around that time of year because of the significance of the summer solstice as the longest day of the year.

National Aboriginal Day, now National Indigenous Peoples Day, was announced in 1996 by then Governor General of Canada, Roméo LeBlanc, through the Proclamation Declaring June 21 of Each Year as National Aboriginal Day.

To find out was is happening throughout British Columbia to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day, click HERE.

Coquitlam, BC's AJ Ewart Made His Pro Debut In Victoria After A Stellar College Career - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf 

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

VICTORIA — A.J. Ewart will remember some good shots and some not so good shots, but the one thing he will remember most about his first event as a golf pro was that feeling of knowing he belongs.

The 24-year-old Coquitlam native tied for 37th at the PGA Tour Canada season-opening Royal Beach Victoria Open at Uplands Golf Club. His first pro cheque was worth $940. Not as big as he’d hoped, but it’s a start.

“I am happy with how I played,” Ewart said after closing with a one-over 71. “Every day I had it going. All in all, I am happy. I made a couple of silly mistakes I will learn from, but I also learned that my good golf can play with these guys. I just need to clean some things up and move on to next week.”

BC's Victoria Liu Will Play In The CPKC Canadian Women's Open In August - BC Golf Photo

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

A record-setting round helped Victoria Liu play her way into the CPKC Women’s Open and the 20-year-old is more than a little excited about teeing it up in her first LPGA Tour event an her home course.

“I play out of Shaughnessy so it’s very exciting,” Liu said after winning the Glencoe Invitational in Calgary. “I was really hoping to get to play in that tournament and so I’m happy I have earned a spot.”

Liu, who just finished her second year at Princeton University in New Jersey, opened the Glencoe with a course record eight-under 64 that she called the round of her life.

Although volunteer spots have been filling up for the 2023 CPKC Women’s Open at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver, BC, taking place August 21-27, 2023, there's still time to sign up and be a part of a great event and see the best women golfers in the world, including our very own Brooke Henderson. 

Men's Overall Stroke Play Champion, Matthew Hallat Tees Off At McCleery GC - All Images Credit BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Like all good golf tournaments, this one came down to the 18th hole.

Matthew Hallat of North Vancouver won the inaugural B.C. All Abilities Championship at Vancouver’s McCleery Golf Course with a clutch par on the final hole.

Hallat, a former Paralympic skier who is now high performance director, para-alpine, with Alpine Canada, said events like the B.C. All Abilities Championship are an important first step in growing the sport and improving access for people with health conditions or impairments.

Jake Lane Of Charlie Lake, BC Earned His PGA Tour Canada Card At Crown Isle Q-School - Image Credit PGA Tour Canada (used with permission) 

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Jake Lane’s golf journey began in the northern B.C. community of Charlie Lake and continued in Qualicum Beach before heading south to Florida and North Carolina.

It will now resume on the PGA Tour Canada circuit after Lane made it through last week’s qualifying school at Crown Isle Golf Resort in Courtenay.

The 24-year-old fired a five-under 67 in the final round of Q-school and then had to survive a four-man playoff for one of the final two exempt spots. He’s in the field for this week’s tour opener at Uplands Golf Club in Victoria and could not be happier.

2023 RBC Canadian Open Champion Nick Taylor Reacts To His Dramatic 72-Foot Eagle Putt Dropping In For The Win - Image Credit Bernard Brault/Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

To that list of great Canadian sporting moments, we can add three words: Nick Taylor’s putt.

Yes, that 72-footer for eagle that won the 35-year-old Abbotsford product the RBC Canadian Open on the fourth extra hole Sunday will be discussed in the same breath as Sidney Crosby’s Golden Goal, Joe Carter’s World Series-winning home run and Mike Weir’s Masters win of 20 years ago. It was that big.

And no longer will we have to listen to that phrase that has been repeated ad nauseam for decades. You know the one, about no Canadian having won the Canadian Open since Pat Fletcher in 1954.

Nick Taylor - Image Credit Bernard Braultt/Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Goolf

Like much of the rest of the country, Jay and Darlene Taylor were glued to their television as their son Nick made Canadian sports history.

Alone in the family room of their Abbotsford home, the Taylors hugged one another and cried when Nick’s 72-foot putt dropped on the fourth hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the RBC Canadian Open.

They were still crying half-an-hour later when reached on the telephone. “We are super proud, we are super pumped,” said an emotional Jay Taylor.

British Columbia Golf and the entire golf community were saddened to learn of the passing of long time official and volunteer Bill Klein after a hard fought battle with cancer.

Bill had been designated as an Honorary Host Chair for the BC Amateur. A tireless volunteer in many roles with both Golf Canada and British Columbia Golf, Bill was a very familiar face to many and in particular at Pheasant Glen Golf Resort in Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island. 

All of us join in sending our heartfelt condolences to Bill's family and friends. Please take a moment to read the In Memoriam on the Pheasant Glen Resort website which so eloquently chronicles what Bill contributed and meant to not only the game of golf but the people in and around it. 

In Remembrance Of William ‘Bill’ Klein: A Great Friend And A Good Man

Sport organizations in British Columbia are committed to creating a sport that is accessible, inclusive, respects their participant's personal goals and is free from all forms of Maltreatment.

As part of British Columbia Golf’s commitment to Safe Sport, our staff and board have completed “Commit to Kids” training.

British Columbia Golf has approved and adopted the British Columbia Universal Code of Conduct (BC UCC).

The code can be found here:

BC Universal Code of Conduct

Golf Canada is committed to Safe Sport. Their commitment can be found here:

https://www.golfcanada.ca/safe-sport/

Shelly Stouffer Wins Her Fourth Straight BC Senior Women's Trophy - Images Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

CHRISTINA LAKE — Shelly Stouffer is not just winning golf tournaments, she is making a little history along the way.

Stouffer became the first player to win four straight B.C. Senior Women’s Championships and she did it in style, winning by eight shots at Christina Lake Golf Club.

That eight-shot margin was the exact same cushion she started the final round with. Stouffer felt like she had the tournament in hand, but couldn’t help think about what happened at this same tournament in 2021 at Revelstoke Golf Club.