By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Tee times in Langley figure to be tough to come by the next few months as another area course is forced to close temporarily due to the TransMountain pipeline expansion project. 

The West Coast Golf Group says Belmont Golf Course will close in mid-October and is not expected to re-open until sometime next summer. “Construction of the pipeline is scheduled to be complete by June 2023, with the course needing a period of recovery before re-opening,” WCGG said in a weekend message to its customers.

“We will advise everyone of our anticipated re-opening date as soon as we are able.”

Kevin Stinson Tees Off During A VGT Event - Image Courtesy Vancouver Golf Tour

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Kevin Stinson has collected something much more valuable than a bunch of frequent-flier points the past three weeks. He has stored away some precious golfing memories that will last a lifetime. 

It has been a September to remember for Stinson, a Mission resident who plays and teaches out of Cheam Mountain Golf Course in Chilliwack. He’ll never forget the camaraderie he had with his three teammates at the inaugural Four Nations Cup in South Africa and the immense pride he felt when they won the competition for Canada. 

“Probably one of the coolest golf experiences I have ever had,” Stinson said in an interview.

Kimberley, BC's Jared du Toit Will Head To DP World Tour Q School This Fall - BC Golf Photo

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Qualifying school usually means a trip or two to southern California or Arizona, but this Fall Jared du Toit will do his ‘studying’ abroad. And he’ll have lots of Canadian company. 

The Kimberley native has decided to travel to Europe for the DP World (formerly the European) Tour Q School. “I am putting my eggs in that basket,” du Toit says. “Costs are kind of crazy to do both. It’s $6,500 US to do the Korn Ferry Q School, which is nine grand Canadian, and the Euro school is about three grand Canadian. So that played a factor.”

Du Toit was also influenced by the fact his close friend Aaron Cockerill of Manitoba is experiencing success playing the DP World Tour.

Disclaimer: The following guest blog is written by Colin Weston and wholly represents his thoughts and ideas and are not intended to be indicitive of British Columbia Golf's opinions or position on this subject. Weston is the host and creator of The ModGolf Podcast, where he speaks with entrepreneurs, innovators, disruptors, and influencers who are shaping the future of the golf industry. You can listen in at www.mod.golf -  ed.

By Colin Weston/ModGolf Podcast

Lots of listeners have asked me “why aren’t you talking more about LIV Golf since The ModGolf Podcast is about entrepreneurship and innovation in the golf industry?”

The main reason why I haven’t is that I’m playing the long game on this story. I believe coexistence is attainable as has been proven out in other pro sports leagues with alternative playing formats such as cricket and volleyball. The NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB, English Premiership and La Liga understand the value of team brands and so does LIV.

In a very well done short documentary aired by Skratch, Erik Anders Lang travels to Bald Eagle GC in Point Roberts, WA, a formally 'unreachable' course to find out what happened to so completely isolate the facility in this episode of Adventures in Golf, presented by United Airlines.

Golf boomed during the pandemic...everywhere except here. Two years later, it's finally making its comeback. Bald Eagle GC has a unique story of being virtually abandoned during the pandemic, which was far from unique in the U.S. and Canada at the time, but is slowly making a comeback thanks to the local volunteers who are helping as they play.

To see Brad Ziemer's recent story and interviews on Bald Eagle's comeback click here. 

Vancouver's Stu Macdonald Celebrates His Ace In The GolfBC Championship - PGATourCanada Photo

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Kimberley’s Jared du Toit and Chris Crisologo of Richmond both played their way into PGA Tour Canada’s season-ending Fortinet Cup Championship and Vancouver’s Stuart Macdonald recorded his ninth hole-in-one. 

Those were the British Columbia highlights of the $200,000 GolfBC Championship at Gallagher’s Canyon Golf & Country Club in Kelowna. Du Toit tied for 18th at 14-under par and Crisologo tied for 45th at nine-under.

Those finishes were enough to keep them inside the top 60 on the points list, which also makes them fully exempt for the 2023 PGA Tour Canada season.

Clockwise From Top Left: Pierre-Alexandre Bédard, Gordon Burns, Kevin Stinson and Branson Ferrier To Represent PGA of Canada professionals at Kyalami Country Club In South Africa - PGA of Canada Image

Courtesy PGA of Canada

The PGA of Canada is set to take on teams from the PGA of South Africa, PGA of Australia and PGA of New Zealand from August 31-September 4 in the inaugural Four Nations Cup.

The team from the PGA of Canada was chosen based off the PGA of Canada Points Rankings and ability to attend.

“The team is so excited to be competing this week in South Africa,” said PGA of Canada Championships Manager Matt Mueller, who is joining the team in Johannesburg. “It isn’t often that players get to compete in a team-based format, so for some of our top players to have the opportunity to represent our country and the PGA of Canada will be a phenomenal experience.”

Golf Canada

(September 1, 2022) – Golf Canada and the PGA of Canada are committed to providing opportunities for people with disabilities to experience the physical, psychological, and social benefits golf can offer.

As part of this commitment, the national golf organizations have launched the EDGA 359 Pilot Project, presented by Golf Canada and the PGA of Canada, partnering with EDGA (formerly the European Disabled Golf Association) on coach training designed to demystify adaptive golf and give coaches the confidence needed to launch and develop programs for golfers with disabilities across Canada.

“Through this coach training, we are eager to increase support for golfers of all abilities and make our sport inclusive of more Canadians,” said Laura Wilson, Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Safe Sport for Golf Canada.

Click HERE for complete article...

View Of The 13th Hole At Bald Eagle From 2019 - Image Courtesy Facility

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

It’s hard to argue that the Covid-19 pandemic has been a boon to the golf industry. Golf courses have never been busier and prime time weekend tee times have become something of a precious commodity.

Golf has undergone a renaissance of sorts as the pandemic brought new people to the game and those who already played logged even more rounds. 

It’s been a great time to be in the golf business pretty much everywhere but the border community of Point Roberts, Wash. The golf boom never materialized at Bald Eagle Golf Club, which was forced to close for more than two years during the pandemic due to border restrictions.

Golf Industry Guru Gurus, Scott Masse (L) And James Cronk (R) - Image Courtesy GIG Website 

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Golf is not only a hard game, it’s also an extremely difficult business. Think about it. There’s a lot more to operating a golf course than simply ringing in green fees. There’s the food and beverage side of the operation. There’s the agronomy side of the business. There’s staff to recruit, manage and retain in today’s challenging environment and so much more.

“It’s really complicated,” says James Cronk. “As a manger, a general manager, as an owner, you have to have some understanding of how to run a restaurant, how to grow grass, how to sell and market, how to deal with human resources.”  

Cronk and partner Scott Masse have started a business designed to help golf course operators and their staffs. Golf Industry Guru is now in its second year of operation and has close to 100 clients (golf courses) signed up. They make up what Cronk likes to call GIG Nation.

Reigning Canadian Senior Women's Champion Shelly Stouffer - Image Credit Bernard Brault/Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Shelly Stouffer has been waiting almost a year to enjoy one particularly nice perk she received for winning last summer’s Canadian Senior Women’s Championship.

The wait is finally over. Stouffer is ready to cash in her exemption and tee it up at this week’s U.S. Senior Women’s Open in Kettering, Ohio. Stouffer acknowledges she may feel a little star-struck this week.

The 120-player field is chock-full of LPGA Tour legends.

Courtesy Golf Canada

(August 18, 2022) – Golf Canada is pleased to announce today the six athletes that will represent Team Canada at the 2022 World Amateur Team Championships, conducted by the International Golf Federation in France, outside the capital city of Paris.

Representing Canada on the women’s side will be Lauren Kim, 17, of Surrey B.C., Nicole Gal, 17, of Oakville, Ont, and Brooke Rivers, 17, of Brampton, Ont. The trio will compete for the Espirito Santo Trophy in the 29th playing of the women’s competition, August 24-27 at Le Golf National (Albatros Course) and Golf de Saint-Nom-de-la-Bretèche (Red Course).

Donning the red and white for the men’s team will be Johnny Travale, 21, of Stoney Creek, Ont., Garrett Rank, 34, of Elmira, Ont., and A.J. Ewart, 23, of Coquitlam, B.C. – the three highest ranked Canadian men on the World Amateur Golf Rankings. The Canadian squad will vie for the Eisenhower Trophy during the 32nd edition of the men’s tournament, also being contested at Le Golf National (Albatros Course) and Golf de Saint-Nom-de-la-Bretèche (Red Course), August 31 – September 3.

Adam Stanley/ Golf Canada

After two years of the CP Women’s Leadership Summit presented by ICON being a virtual affair, there is a ton of excitement to have the event return to an in-person setting this summer in Ottawa.

And it promises to be a day of inspiring stories, laughter and fun.

Hosted by TSN’s Lindsay Hamilton, the summit is taking place on Tuesday August 23rd, at the Infinity Convention Centre – just a short distance from the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club.

Click HERE for complete story.

The U.S. Amateur Has Been The Stepping Stone For Many A Storied PGA TOUR Career - All Images Courtesy Brad Ewart 

By Brad Ewart

The ultimate achievement in men’s amateur golf would be to win the United States Amateur Championship.

This week in Paramus, New Jersey, an elite field of 312 of the top amateur golfers in the world will compete for the coveted Havermeyer Cup and the US Amateur title. There were 7,256 golfers who attempted to qualify at 94 different venues around North America.

Everyone entered had a dream to compete in the USGA’s men’s amateur championship.

Shelly Stouffer Celebrates Her USGA Senior Women's Championship With Son Brett, Who Caddied For Her - Image Credit Steven Gibbons/USGA

British Columibia's Shelly Stouffer became the first golfer from our province to bring home a USGA National Title.

Stouffer, from Nanoose Bay on Vancouver Island, has had a pretty solid stretch of winning tournament golf over the last couple of years with multiple provincial titles in the BC Senior Women's & Mid-Master divisions and making it to the semi-finals of the U.S. Senior Women's Amateur last year.

This year she had designs on taking it at least a step further. Which she did.

Team British Columbia In This Year's Edition Of The Eddie Hogan Cup Consists Of From L-R: Ryan Liang, Ryan Vest, Matthew Wilson And Shunkichi Yamamoto - Images Credit Golf Canada 

The Eddie Hogan Cup tournament is scheduled to take place August 13th – 14th at the Riverside Golf & Country Club in Portland, Oregon and British Columbia has been represented every single year since its inception in 1969.

BC has won the Eddie Hogan Cup title twice since 1972, with the first coming in 2009 and then again 4 years later in 2013 where team member Kevin Vigna also won the individual title.

All Images Courtesy R&A

For Immediate Publication/Courtesy R&A

10 August 2022, St Andrews, Scotland: The R&A has revealed the name of its brand new golf concept that will open in Glasgow next summer.

Golf It! will be its new community-based golf and entertainment facility located on the south bank of Hogganfield Loch, following the redevelopment of Lethamhill golf course.

The vast new indoor and outdoor attraction is a new innovation and marks a significant financial investment by The R&A towards its purpose of making golf more accessible and inclusive.

In this episode of The ModGolf Podcast show creator and host, Colin Weston, talks with Nick Longley, co-founder at Inrange Golf.

Inrange is a company that,  "...uses technology, combined with the more informal environment of the range to open up the game of golf. To make practice fun again. To bring in a whole new generation of players. To redefine what 'playing golf' actually looks like."

Rodrigo Pena (L) And Canadian Amateur Champion Luis Carrera (R) After 'Their' Win - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

An early eagle and some help from an old friend propelled Mexico’s Luis Carrera to the biggest win of his amateur career. Carrera and Rodrigo Pena were junior golf friends who were members of the same course in Mexico City.

Neither could quite believe it when they ran into one another during the second day of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship at Point Grey Golf & Country Club. Carrera was in the field playing the event, while Pena had started working in the Point Grey pro shop about a month ago after moving to Vancouver recently with his Canadian wife.

On Thursday, the two old friends had a day they will never forget.

 BC's Shelly Stouffer Celebrates With Son Brett After Winning The USGA Sr. Women's Title - Image Credit Steve Gibbons/USGA

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Shelly Stouffer not only won the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship, she also made a little history in becoming the first British Columbian to win a United States Golf Association championship. “That’s pretty cool,” the longtime Nanoose Bay resident said over the phone from Alaska.

Stouffer won the event in the most convincing fashion. She steamrolled her way through the field and finished it off with a 4&3 victory over Australia’s Sue Wooster in the championship match at Anchorage Golf Course.