VANCOUVER -- The UBC Thunderbirds women's golf team won its sixth straight Association of Independent Institutions Conference Championship April at The Club at Colony Creek in Victoria, Texas.

With the victory the Thunderbirds earn an automatic berth into the 2015 NAIA Women's Golf National Championship May 12-15 at the Savannah Quarters Country Club in Pooler, Ga.

The UBC Thunderbirds men's golf team finished in a tie for second at the Association of Independent Institutions conference championship, Tuesday, April 28, in Victoria, Texas.

After two rounds of 4-over par 292 on Monday, the Thunderbirds recorded a final-round score of 7-over 295 to finish at 15-over 879. California State University-San Marcos won the tournament by three strokes over UBC and Ashford University, which led the event by three going into the final round at the Victoria Country Club.

TORONTO, Ontario (AP) — The head of a Canadian media conglomerate that acquired rights to the NHL in the largest sports deal in the country’s history has been hired as the new chief executive of golf’s European Tour.

Keith Pelley, a 51-year-old Canadian, will replace George O’Grady in the role from this summer. O’Grady takes up a new position as president of international relations.

Former Teammates On The UBC Thunderbirds Golf Squad, Kyla Inaba (L) And Eileen Kelly Have Reunited To Compete On The New Golf Reality Series Altered Course - Image Courtesy Golf Channel

Golf Channel recently announced a new reality competition series, Altered Course, that combines golf, speed, fitness, teamwork and decision-making as teams navigate re-imagined and extreme golf holes in excess of 700 yards, traversing the natural obstacles and challenging terrain as fast as possible.

Altered Course’s inaugural season will take place in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Slow play won’t be an issue on this fast-paced series that features two-person teams competing on extraordinary hole layouts exceeding 700 yards -- while racing against time.

Nanaimo's Zach Anderson Is The Latest British Columbia Product To Land At Washington State With The Cougars - Image Credit Alfie Lau

by Alfie Lau

Washington State Cougars head golf coach Garrett Clegg may have gone to school at Utah, been an assistant coach at the University of Washington for four years and is currently completing his fourth year as WSU’s head coach, but he’s got a huge affinity for Canada.

Not only did he work with Nick Taylor at Washington, his current Cougars squad features fifth-year senior Sang Lee from Calgary and freshman Zach Anderson from Nanaimo.

Delta, BC's Charles Thompson At The MCB Curacao Masters - Image courtesy CJGA

WILLEMSTAD, Curacao — The MCB Curacao Masters concluded Saturday, April 11th at the beautiful Blue Bay Golf and Emmstad Golf & Squash Club.

Twenty-eight professionals and 26 amateurs, including three CJGA members, Ty Celone, Keaton Gudz, and Charles Thompson teed it up in the 9th annual MCB Curacao Masters.

The professionals played in a three day stroke play competition for the Curacao Cup while the amateurs battled for the Curacao Top Amateur title.

LAKE WALES, Florida — Sue Kim of Langley, B.C., made a 25-foot birdie putt on the ninth hole to seize the lead and never looked back as she carded a 2-under 70 on Sunday to win the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic at 5-under 211.

Kim earned her second career Symetra Tour victory and moved to the top spot on the Volvik Race for the Card money list.

2014 GNAC Champion Kevin Vigna Leads SFU Through Their First Competition Of 2015, Finishing As The Top GNAC Attendees

by Jade Richardson, SFU Sports Info Co-Ordinator

Livermore, CA – The eighth-ranked Simon Fraser University men’s golf team opened their 2015 schedule with a third-place finish at the Notre Dame de Namur Argonaut Invitational Monday and Tuesday at the Poppy Ridge Course in Livermore, CA.

by Alfie Lau, Inside Golf

The U.S. Open Trophy Which Will Be Presented To The Winner At Chambers Bay In June Was On Display At The Seattle Golf Show Recently -  Image Credit - Alfie Lau

SEATTLE - The U.S. Open at Chambers Bay is just over three months away and preparations are going along swimmingly.

Larry Gilhuly could not be more clear: The U.S. Open will be played at Chambers Bay in Tacoma, Washington this June.

with files from SJSU

Kelowna, B.C.’s Megan Osland was co-medalist to help the San Jose State women's golf team win the Juli Inkster Spartan Invitational at the Almaden Golf & Country Club held February 23-24th.

February 16, 2015

by Alfie Lau

Ben Doyle was a charter member of Golf Digest’s 50 Best Teachers list and also made Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Instructors list.

While golf aficionados shed a tear upon learning of his death, at age 82, on Dec. 15, 2014 in San Francisco, those same golf fans celebrated his unorthodox teaching methods, which included Doyle being the first teacher of Homer Kelley’s revolutionary golf instruction book, ‘The Golfing Machine’.

But what these golf fans may not know is that Ben Doyle has deep Lower Mainland roots, as he went to high school in New Westminster with his twin brother Bernie and first picked up the sport at the Vancouver Golf Club, where his mom worked.

iG's Alfie Lau was right beside Tiger as he walked to his car after making a(nother) withdrawal from a PGA TOUR tournament... this time from the Farmers Insurance Open. Lau was able to get a few quotes and photos before Woods' pulled out of the parking lot.

Josh Williams Launches A Drive In The ParaLong Drive Championship

all images credit Fairways Media/Randy Dodson

January 28th, 2015

by Jim Claggett, Inside Golf

Getting the ball to go forward off the tee is something most golfers can accomplish on a regular basis.

January 26, 2015

by Alfie Lau, Inside Golf

It was just after 6 p.m. at the McCormick Ranch Golf Club in Scottsdale and almost too dark to see anything, but Victoria’s Cory Renfrew smiled so widely that it almost lit up the course.

Renfrew, listed officially as a Scottsdale resident – he does live here with roommate Eric Hawerchuk, as they chase their golf dreams – is the pride of Victoria and shot a (-6) round of 66 on the Pine Course at McCormick Ranch to claim one of the three spots into the Waste Management Open, Phoenix’s biggest party masquerading as a golf tournament.

Team Canada’s Women’s Development Squad, including 3 players from BC, is geared up to showcase their talent at The Grange Golf Club for the time-honoured Astor Trophy. 

Ann Carroll, Canada’s Development Squad coach, leads Grace St. Germain (Ottawa), Naomi Ko (Victoria, B.C.), Jaclyn Lee (Calgary), Alisha Lau (Richmond, B.C.) and Michelle Kim (Surrey, B.C.) into overseas action for one of their first events as a new team.

November 14, 2014

Tom Cade, (PNGA)

Par-3 15th hole selected as one of the ‘Great Holes of the Northwest’

Federal Way, Wash. – In the upcoming November issue of Pacific Northwest Golfer magazine, the par-3 15th hole at Talking Rock Golf Resort in Chase, B.C. is recognized as one of the “Great Holes of the Northwest,” one of just four holes selected each year by the Northwest’s largest and longest-running golf publication.

Measuring anywhere from 152 to 210 yards, this downhill par-3 marks the return of the layout to the shores of Little Shuswap Lake and provides spectacular scenery for the finishing holes.

Guarded by bunkers left and right, the mounded green allows for shots to run up onto the surface, while shots hit long will roll into the surrounding fescue.

November 14, 2014

Alfie Lau, Inside Golf

A strong crop of British Columbia nominees resulted in Canadians winning half of the eight Pacific Northwest Golf Association Player of the Year awards for the 2014 championship season.

Adam Svensson of Surrey won the top honour in the Men’s category while Kevin Carrigan of Victoria won for the third consecutive year in the Men’s Mid-Amateur category.

On the women’s side, Christina Proteau of Port Alberni won in the Women’s Mid-Amateur category while Naomi Ko of Victoria triumphed in the Junior Girls’ category.

November 10, 2014

Alfie Lau, Inside Golf

If you don’t have the coin to golf Chambers Bay, site of the 2015 US Open, then this might be the best alternative. And at $40, it gives you many hours of enjoyment and sheer wonderment that an old sand and gravel pit in the middle of literally nowhere will be hosting the Pacific Northwest’s first US Open in less than nine months.

Blaine Newnham and Tom Cade have put together a truly amazing book which chronicles the history of Chambers, from the vision of Pierce County executive John Ladenburg to the belief of the USGA’s Mike Davis that the US Open could be contested in Tacoma.

October 9, 2014

Adam Helmer, Golf Canada

One of the hot topics in golf at the moment is pace of play.

Pace of play is affected by many factors, including player ability and behaviour, management practices and course difficulty and set-up. Many commentators argue that golf nowadays takes too long, that slow round times are driving people away from the game and that something needs to be done. Conversely, others would say that golf is not a race, that not everyone wants to play in a hurry and that some courses are just not capable of being played in under four hours.

The R&A is interested to hear the views from golfers around the world on this issue and has compiled a survey with this in mind.

Please take a few moments to fill out their survey by clicking here.

October 9, 2014

Scotty Crouthamel - PNGA

Federal Way, Wash. – Melanie Grant of Kelowna, B.C. won the 28th Pacific Northwest Senior Women’s Amateur, while Sue Hubbard of Kent, Wash. took the title in the 3rd Pacific Northwest Super Senior Women’s Amateur. Both championships were held concurrently at Fairwood Golf & Country Club in Renton, Wash., and were conducted by the Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA).

Grant’s final round of 2-over par 73 was the championship’s low round, and vaulted into first place for a two-shot victory over second-place finisher Gretchen Klein of Hoquiam, Wash. Grant had shot an 82 in the first round.