Sagebrush Golf & Sporting Club's New General Manager, Mark Strong, Anticipates A Busy Re-Opening Season For The Facility - Images Courtesy Twitter/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Mark Strong, the new general manager and head professional at Sagebrush Golf & Sporting Club, figures to be a popular guy this summer. He knows everyone is going to want to play Sagebrush when it reopens after being shut down since the end of the 2014 season.

And Strong, a former general manager at Richmond Country Club and longtime member of the PGA of BC, also knows he probably won’t be able to meet the demand from golfers wanting to tee it up on the scenic layout above Nicola Lake near Merritt that not long ago was rated as one of the 10 best courses in Canada.

Working Out Of His Delta shop Danny Seifried Of Kayson Golf Has Designed A Set Of Custom-Made Clubs That He Says Are Game-Changers - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Like so many Canadian kids, Danny Seifried had a hockey stick in his hands long before he ever touched a golf club. 

Seifried played junior hockey in the Kitchener area of southeastern Ontario and liked to fiddle with his stick to try and get the most of out of his slap shot.

He wasn’t introduced to golf until the pro at one of the local clubs invited Seifried and a few of his teammates, who included future NHLers Don and Dave Maloney, Paul Reinhart and Gaston Gingras, out for a round.

He handed them sets of rental clubs and off they went.

Media Release

Golf Canada will tee it up in 2021 to conduct national amateur championships and is working with public health authorities in host communities to finalize operational protocols so that the competitions may proceed safely. 

Following a 2020 season that saw the cancellation of all Golf Canada competitions due to the pandemic, the 2021 schedule will feature nine National Amateur Championships, eight NextGen Championships for junior-aged golfers, and several USGA qualifiers which will be hosted at member clubs across Canada, starting with the NextGen Pacific Championship at Bear Mountain G&CC in Victoria, BC on May 5th.

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Since losing his PGA TOUR status at the end of the 2018-2019 season, Surrey’s Adam Svensson has been on a mission to make a return visit to professional golf’s promised land.

The former B.C. Amateur champion took a huge step toward realizing that goal by winning the Korn Ferry Tour’s Club Car Championship at The Landings Club in Savannah, Ga. Svensson rolled in a birdie putt from about seven feet on the second extra hole to beat American Max McGreevy.

Among The Awards Presented At The Sport BC AOY Virtual Event Was The Inaugural 'Delivering On Diversity' Award, Won By British Columbia Golf

For Immediate Release – March 25, 2021 – (Vancouver, BC) 

Sport BC celebrated the 54thAnnual Athlete of the Year Awards virtually on Thursday, March 25, 2021. The event was hosted by CBC’s Scott Russell recognizing the province’s best in amateur sport including athletes, coaches, teams, and officials for outstanding performances in their sport over the 2019 season.

Each finalist was nominated by their Provincial or Multi-Sport Organization, High School, College, or University. The Selection Committee, led by long-serving Chair Bernie Pascall, included a diverse group of highly experienced British Columbia sport leaders and media members.

For Immediate Release – March 19, 2021 – (Vancouver, BC)

Sport BC will be celebrating the 54th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards virtually on Thursday, March 25, 2021.

The event is a pre-taped show hosted by CBC’s Scott Russell and will recognize the province’s best in amateur sport including athletes, coaches, teams, and officials for outstanding performances in their sport over the 2019 season.

Acushnet, the parent company of global golf brands Titleist and FootJoy, has demonstrated its commitment to creating a more inclusive culture within golf by becoming a signatory of The R&A’s Women in Golf Charter.

(March 23, 2021 – Golf Canada) – Canadians needing a social outlet and a sense of recreational normalcy during the uncertainty of the pandemic in 2020 turned to golf in a major way.

Now Golf Canada, with the support of industry partners, will build on the excitement, increased interest, and elevated levels of play with a national golfer retention campaign to welcome new and returning players back to the golf course in 2021.

Brad Clapp Is The New General Manager At Abbotsford's Ledgeview GC - Images Courtesy PGA of BC/Ledgeview GC

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Brad Clapp’s timing seems to be just about perfect as he joins Ledgeview Golf Club as general manager of the storied Abbotsford facility.

Golf is booming, thanks in no small part to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Ledgeview is about to open a brand new clubhouse. The future looks bright for the course that has produced the likes of PGA TOUR winners Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor, and Clapp is delighted to be a part of it.

The arrival of spring means a new group of sports and leagues are getting underway. We know that you may have questions about what is allowed under the current PHO Order on Gatherings and Events.

viaSport and BC Recreation and Parks Association would like to provide clarity around travel and the intention of the Order.

• Under current restrictions on travel for sport, participants can travel to their home club, even if it is outside their immediate community. Home club is defined by the PHO as the sport organization, club, or facility at which a person is registered for ongoing sport programming. For example:

                o     a skier who is part of the local ski club can travel to their local mountain, which might cross a regional health authority border;
                o     an archer may need to travel to a neighbouring community because their community does not have an archery club;
                o     a high-performance athlete may need to travel to a nearby community to receive specialized training

• Although there is some flexibility to allow for participants to travel short distances to reach a home club, the intention of the Order is to minimize travel for sport activities, and to stay close to home. For example:

                o     participants from Vancouver Island should not travel to the Lower Mainland, from the Kootenays to the Okanagan, or from the North to Okanagan.

• Remember, the Public Health Order does not specifically address every individual situation. When interpreting the Order, please remember the intention of the Order is important. That intention is to stay local as much as possible. This will help to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our communities and keep sports safe.

Wayne Vollmer Accepts A Plaque In Recognition Of His Club's Hosting The 2017 BC Amateur From Past President David Atkinson - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

After a long and accomplished career in the golf business, Wayne Vollmer acknowledges that retirement feels a little different. “It’s been a couple of weeks now and I am trying to get over the overwhelming feeling of not going into work every day,” Vollmer says with a chuckle.

Vollmer, 75, had been director of golf and head professional at Morgan Creek Golf Course since the Surrey club opened in 1995. But his golf career stretches back much farther than that.

After the sudden passing of her beloved husband Mike three years ago, Kathy Erikson made a life-changing decision: dedicate her energy to crate a golf experience that appeals to everyone, year round, 24 hours a day.

ModGolf Podcast creator and host, Colin Weston, sat down with Kathy Erikson to learn about the passion that drives her to create an indoor golf arena that started with an AHA moment almost thirty years ago.

via Golf Canada and The R&A

The R&A is keen to understand the importance of health messaging and how to best communicate health benefits to existing and potential golfers.

We would very much appreciate your feedback on your experiences and perceptions of the health benefits of playing golf and your thoughts for promoting this in the future.

As a thank you for your time you will have an opportunity to enter a prize draw to win a £200 voucher for Auchterlonies golf shop in St Andrew’s (worldwide shipping)

To take part in the survey please click on the survey link below:

The survey is being undertaken by independent research agency Sports Marketing Surveys. Please be assured that the information that you provide will remain confidential.

Longtime Morgan Creek Head Pro & Director Of Golf Wayne Vollmer Accepts A Plaque Of Appreciation At His Course During The 2017 BC Amateur From BC Golf Director David Atkinson - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

After a long and accomplished career in the golf business, Wayne Vollmer acknowledges that retirement feels a little different. “It’s been a couple of weeks now and I am trying to get over the overwhelming feeling of not going into work every day,” Vollmer says with a chuckle.

Vollmer, 75, had been director of golf and head professional at Morgan Creek Golf Course since the Surrey club opened in 1995. But his golf career stretches back much farther than that.

Victoria, BC's Jeevan Sihota - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/BC Golf

By  BRENTLEY ROMINE/golfchannel.com

Bryson DeChambeau's thought of driving it over the lake and into the ninth fairway while playing No. 18 this week at TPC Sawgrass isn't unprecedented.

The aggressive line is already known as “The Sihota Line.”

Last September at the AJGA Junior Players Championship, Jeevan Sihota, a high-school junior from Victoria, British Columbia, played the Stadium Course's par-4 finishing hole down the ninth all three days.

“It’s a lot wider target to hit,” Sihota told GolfChannel.com on Tuesday. “I knew I had speeds capable of doing it, so I figured why not? It leaves you a better angle into the green and basically takes the water out of play.”

Click HERE to read complete story...

Understanding Customer Needs To Create Value For The Golf Industry - James Cronk, Co-Founder Of Golf Industry Guru

ModGolf Podcast creator and host Colin Weston recently sat down with Golf Industry Guru Co-Founder James Cronk to learn how his team puts the customer first to create new value in a traditional market space.

Courtesy Golf Canada

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA AND TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA – Due to logistical challenges related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the PGA TOUR, title sponsor Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) and Golf Canada announced today that the 2021 RBC Canadian Open, scheduled for June 7-13 at St. George’s Golf & Country Club in Etobicoke, Ontario, has been cancelled.

“Even with an extensive health and safety plan in place, we faced a number of significant logistical challenges that led us to this decision,” said PGA TOUR President Tyler Dennis. “While we are disappointed to cancel Canada’s National Championship, we are thankful to our partners RBC and Golf Canada – along with our Canadian fans — for their unwavering support and cooperation throughout this process. We look forward to the RBC Canadian Open returning to our schedule next year.”

Osoyoos Golf Club In BC's Okanagan - Image Courtesy Facility

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Doug Robb has a warning for B.C. golf courses set to emerge from their annual winter hibernation.

Robb is general manager of Osoyoos Golf Club, which is usually among the first in the Okanagan to open for the season. And when the course did open, on Tuesday, March 2, Robb faced a virtual tsunami of golfers anxious to get out and play.

“The biggest conversation I had over the winter with industry guys was 'what is 2021 going to be like,'” Robb said in an interview. “All I can tell guys is if opening day is any indication, you should be battening down the hatches. This is like nothing I have ever seen before and I have been doing this a long time. This was my 35th opening day.”

Via The Golf Wire & Women's Golf Day

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.- Monday March 8^th is International Women’s Day (IWD), an annual, global event celebrating women and their achievements.

Women’s Golf Day (WGD) will be encouraging male and female golfers to celebrate #IWD2021 this year by taking part in a #WGDUnites social media campaign by posting a photo of a golf ball marked with the name of a woman that drives, inspires, motivates, empowers or supports you.

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Brooke Henderson and Alena Sharp notwithstanding, the LPGA Tour is not exactly being over-run by Canadian content these days. But behind the scenes, one other Canadian is playing a significant role in another key area of the LPGA’s business.

Jody Jackson, a longtime resident of southern Vancouver Island and a former coach with British Columbia Golf, was named this past fall as the LPGA’s technical lead of instruction.

“It is really cool for them to have hired a Canuck as second in command on the teaching education side,” Jackson says with a touch of pride in her voice.