By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

In Larry Gilhuly’s opinion, the three biggest issues facing the game of golf are pace of play, player enjoyment and economic sustainability.

Gilhuly likes to think he has the solution for all three. “The answer for all of these, in my opinion, are properly placed forward tees,” Gilhuly told the Annual General Meeting of British Columbia Golf at Tsawwassen Springs Golf Club.

For much of his 35-year career with the United States Golf Association, Gilhuly was all about agronomy. His formal title with the USGA is Agronomist, West Region. In other words, Gilhuly is an expert on growing grass. But in recent years, Gilhuly has become passionate -- very passionate -- about teeing it forward. And by forward, he means way forward. “This topic that I am talking about has got me fired up,” Gilhuly told his audience.

Image Courtesy Canadian Blind Golf Association

The 2019 Western Canada Blind Golf Championship and the 2019 ISPS Handa Canadian Blind Golf Championship are being held back-to-back at St. Eugene Mission Golf Club in Cranbrook and Kimberley Golf Club in Kimberley, BC. 

These two competitions bring together highly skilled blind and partially sighted golfers along with their coaches, providing an opportunity to earn world ranking points.

Athletes will come from across Canadaand the United States as well as Internationally. Some competitors will compete in both championships and some will only compete in one. Each championship field will consist of 50 athletes and 50 coaches. Local clubs will assist with officials and volunteers to act as spotters for the competitors.

In celebration of International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.

Attention all golfers who'd like the opportunity to test out and be fitted for Titleist golf clubs. Titleist Thursday Complimentary Fitting Events are back. This summer they'll be available in two different locations in BC... 

Okanagan GC in Kelowna starting this week.
Northview GC in Surrey starting next week.

As a reminder, these are Titleist run, public access fitting events at the same locations for consecutive Thursdays. Check the schedule below, then go to the Titleist website for more information and to book online.

The events page accepts appointments for each event.

Capilano Golf Club's Par 3 14th Hole - All Images Courtesy Facility

Last month, we announced your choices for top public access courses. Now, it's time for the top privates...

CP Women's Leadership Summit (Golf Canada)

Courtesy R&A and Golf Canada

The R&A’s drive to increase the number of women and girls participating in golf and to encourage more opportunities for women to work within the sport has been reflected in early success for the new Women in Golf Charter.

Launched last May in London, the Charter set out to inspire an industry-wide commitment to developing a more inclusive culture within golf globally. It is designed to encourage actions that enable more women and girls to flourish and maximise their potential within the golf industry at all levels.

Laurence Applebaum - Image Courtesy GNN

Golf Canada's CEO Laurence Applebaum recently chatted with GolfNewsNow (GNN) owner, operator and Canadian golf writer Ian Hutchinson about Golf Canada's upcoming Annual General Meeting in Montreal, the welcoming of a new President, some new initiatives and the unveiling of a new Strategic Plan.

To listen to this inteview please click HERE.

Women’s Golf Day is an event celebrating girls and women playing golf and learning the skills that last a lifetime while supporting a worthy cause.

This highly successful and worthwhile event takes place on June 4th in 2019 and interested facilities can register for free to host an event by signing up through February 28th.

Courtesy Golf Canada/Written by John Gordon

No matter how many times we talk about the benefits and amenities included with a Golf Canada Gold-level membership (most recently, here), it doesn’t strike home until, well, it strikes home.

A little while ago, I saw a tweet from a member at a local golf club. “Somebody stole my putter out of my bag while I was at the range right before my match. My red TaylorMade Spider…,” he lamented, adding a few expletives directed at the thief.

At last check, that putter retails for close to $400. He thought he was out of pocket for a replacement.

British Columbia Golf is proud to announce our support of The ModGolf Podcast. We encourage you to listen to these unique golf innovation stories that align with our vision to grow the game.

Host Colin Weston (who works and lives in Vancouver) speaks with industry influencers, innovators, disruptors and entrepreneurs who are shaping the future of golf.

Launched in May 2017 and now 50 episodes in, The ModGolf Podcast shines the spotlight on a diverse range of golf industry guests who share their engaging stories.

An Aerial View Of The Victoria Golf Club Which Celebrates Its 125th Anniversary This Year - Image Courtesy Wikipedia

By Brad Ziemer

When you get to be 125 years old, one birthday party just won’t do. So Victoria Golf Club, which was founded back in 1893, is having a year-long celebration of sorts to mark its notable anniversary. The Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, which will be played Aug. 21-24 on Victoria Golf Club’s spectacular seaside links, is a big part of that celebration.

“Our actual birthday is Nov. 7,” says Head Professional Lindsay Bernakevitch. “We are hosting a bit of a member’s tournament on that day or right around there, but that was the impetus behind us trying to get this national championship that we could host and celebrate our 125th with.”

In July, an outdoor gala was held with about 650 people in attendance. And earlier this month, Victoria’s putting green was the site of a special afternoon high tea. Victoria Golf Club is the oldest 18-hole golf course still on its original site in Canada. It is also among the most beautiful anywhere.

Tiffany Kong Of Vancouver Has Earned A Spot In The CP Canadian Women's Open As The Low Canadian In This Year's Canadian Women's Amateur At Marine Drive - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

This time, Tiffany Kong figures it will be a little more of a fair fight. The 17-year-old Vancouver resident finished as the low Canadian at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship on Friday at Marine Drive Golf Club.

That accomplishment brings with it a nice little perk -- an exemption into the LPGA Tour’s CP Women’s Open, which goes Aug. 23-26 at Wascana Country Club in Regina. It will be an encore performance of sorts for Kong, who as a 14-year-old successfully Monday qualified into the 2015 CP Women’s Open at Vancouver Golf Club in Coquitlam.

The 2018 Canadian Women's Amateur Champion Yealimi Noh From Concord, California - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

No matter what she accomplishes in what certainly seems to be an extremely promising future as a golfer, Yealimi Noh will likely never forget the month of July, 2018.

All the recently turned 17-year-old from Concord, Calif. did was win three big amateur events. July started with a win at the Girls Junior PGA Championship in Lexington, Ky. Last week, she followed that up with a win at the U.S. Junior Girls Championship in Pebble Beach, Calif.

Her encore performance came Friday at Marine Drive Golf Club, where Noh won the 105th playing of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship.

British Columbia's Top Junior Girls Will Trying To Make It Four In A Row At The 2018 Canadian Junior Girls Championship At Beach Grove GC Next Week. Surrey's Susan Xiao (Inset) Was The 2017 Champion - Images Courtesy Beach Grove/Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer/British Columbia Golf

TSAWWASSEN, B.C. -- British Columbia has a little streak going at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship, one its players hope to extend at Beach Grove Golf Club.

The last three Canadian Junior Girls Championships have been won by B.C. players. Susan Xiao of Surrey won it last year, Naomi Ko of Victoria was the 2016 champion and Michelle Kim of Surrey captured the title in 2015. 

“This is home turf and the B.C. girls have to represent and do well and have some fun out here,” says Vancouver’s Tiffany Kong, one of a large number of strong B.C. players who will compete in this year’s championship, which goes July 31-Aug. 3 at Beach Grove.

BC Golf Legend Doug Roxburgh Goes For His Fourth B.C. Senior Men's Title This Week At Big Sky Golf Club - File Image

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Doug Roxburgh is looking for another senior moment. Fresh off his 52nd straight B.C. Amateur Championship appearance, where he made the cut for the 50th time, Roxburgh this week defends his B.C. Senior Men’s Championship title at Big Sky Golf Club in Pemberton. A huge field of 168 players will play in the 54-hole event that begins Tuesday.

“It is going to be a fun week,” Roxburgh said. “I just like playing competitions. Big Sky is a great course, you have to hit every club in the bag and it will be a good challenge.”

Richmond's Chris Crisologo Holds The Bostock Trophy As The 2018 B.C. Amateur Champion - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

KAMLOOPS -- His last win had come some 11,000 kilometres from home and was beginning to feel like a lifetime ago. Actually, it had only been seven months since Chris Crisologo travelled to Buenos Aires, Argentina and won the South American Amateur Championship.

That was a huge win for the talented 22-year-old from Richmond, but so was the one he earned Friday at Rivershore Golf Links in Kamloops.

In a way, it might even be bigger for Crisologo, a young man who is proud of his British Columbia roots and was absolutely delighted to hoist the Bostock Trophy as the 2018 winner of the B.C. Amateur Championship.

Now That She's Got Her Hands On The Flumerfelt Trophy As The B.C. Women's Amateur Presented By Maui Jim Champion, The19-year-old Delta Resident Will Turn Her Attention To The Canadian Women’s Amateur Later This Month At Marine Drive Golf Club In Vancouver - Image Credit Greg Moody/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

It wasn’t until Mary Parsons clutched the Flumerfelt Cup as B.C. Women’s Amateur champion that the significance of what she had accomplished really began to sink in.

“I saw a few of the names and I was just thinking like those are some pretty amazing players and to have my name on it with them means a lot,” Parsons said after her convincing win at Golden Golf Club.

Team British Columbia In This Year's 50th Anniversary Edition Of The Eddie Hogan Cup Consists Of From L-R: Zach Ryujin, Cole Wilson, Michael Crisologo And Sean Buckles - Images Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/British Columbia Golf & Chuck Russell (Golf Canada)

The 50th annual Eddie Hogan Cup tournament is scheduled to take place August 11th – 12th 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.

The Eddie Hogan Cup is filled with excellent competition from across the USA including Southern and Northern California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Idaho, Hawaii and others as well as British Columbia.

It is restricted to boys 18 years of age or younger as of the final date of competition. However, a player may NOT have started college.