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.”

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.

Jennifer Gu Is The 3rd Round Leader Of The BC Women's Amateur - Image Credit Brad Ziemer

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

(June 22, 2023) COBBLE HILL — They played the third round of the B.C. Women’s Amateur Championship and absolutely nothing changed.

West Vancouver’s Jennifer Gu still has the three-shot lead she began the round with and Burnaby’s Meera Minhas is still second.

Both players had rounds of three-over 75 they weren’t satisfied with at an Arbutus Ridge Golf Club course that continues to play tough.

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.

Victoria's Chelsea Truong Leads The BC Women's Amateur - Image Credit Chuck Russell/Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

COBBLE HILL — There were a lot more bogeys than birdies in the first round of the 118th B.C. Women’s Amateur Championship on a challenging Arbutus Ridge Golf Club layout.

Chelsea Truong made three of each en route to her even-par 72 that gave the Victoria teenager a one-stroke lead. For that, she thanked her putter. “My putting was pretty good, but my ball-striking wasn’t the best,” said the 17-year-old Truong, who is just completing Grade 11 at Oak Bay Secondary. “But I kept it in the fairway.”

That really is the key to scoring at Arbutus Ridge, where there is lots of trouble lurking off many of the tees.

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.

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.

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.

PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE OKANAGAN REGIONAL ID CAMP IS SOLD OUT

British Columbia Golf is holding a Regional ID performance camp taking place Saturday, June 24th at The Okanagan Golf Club in Kelowna.

Register for the BC Regional ID Camp - Okanagan, being held at The Okanagan Golf Club hosted by BC Golf and Performance Coach Conner Kozak on Saturday, June 24, 2023.

Registration Closes: Thursday, June 22, 2023 at 09:00 AM

Registration is now open, click HERE to register for the Okanagan ID Camp.

See itinerary below: 

PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE VANCOUVER REGIONAL ID CAMP IS SOLD OUT

British Columbia Golf is holding a Regional ID performance camp taking place Sunday, June 18th at Lago Golf Academy in Coquitlam.

Register for the BC Regional ID Camp - Vancouver being held at Lago Golf Academy in Coquitlam hosted by BC Golf and Performance Coach Patrick Lago on Sunday, June 18, 2023.

Registration Closes: Thursday, June 15, 2023 at 09:00 AM

Registration is now open, click HERE to register for the Vancouver ID Camp.

See the itinerary below:

Head Pro And GM At Christina Lake, Kevin Maffioli - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

CHRISTINA LAKE — Life for many club pros can be a transitory existence that involves bouncing from one course to the next.

Kevin Maffioli considers himself one of the lucky ones. He’s been at Christina Lake Golf Club for 27 years and counting. He’s had opportunities — good ones — to move on to greener pastures, but chosen to stay put.

Maffioli, the club’s head professional and general manager, lists multiple reasons why he has never been tempted to leave Christina Lake. “It’s a beautiful golf course and the membership is fantastic,” he says in an interview.

Shelly Stouffer Stretched Her Lead From Six Shots To Eight Following The Second Round Of The BC Women's Senior Championship - Image Credit Kathryn Riley/USGA

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf 

CHRISTINA LAKE — For a while, it looked like Shelly Stouffer had run out of birdies. The back nine changed that.

Stouffer recovered nicely from a shaky start to her second round with three birdies on the back side of Christina Lake Golf Club that helped give her a hefty eight-shot lead heading into Wednesday’s final round of the B.C. Senior Women’s Championship.

Nanoose Bay's Shelly Stouffer Is At It Again As She Leads After Round One Of The BC Senior Women's Championship At Christina Lake - Image Credit Kathryn Riley/USGA

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

CHRISTINA LAKE — As players sit down at the scoring table after their rounds at the B.C. Senior Women’s Championship, many of them are asking the same question.

“What did Shelly shoot,” they want to know. The answer Monday was a three-under 70 at Christina Lake Golf Club that included seven birdies.

Shelly Stouffer shows no signs of slowing down after a record-setting 2022 season. In fact, she thinks she may be even playing better than last year.

In this video, from Coach Shayain's YouTube site, we're thrilled to share clips & interviews from B.C.'s first-ever Indigenous golf tournament.

This groundbreaking event brought together golfers of all ages from across the province, showcasing the inclusivity and progressiveness that the sport is striving for.

Traditionally seen as an elitist sport with limited access, golf is now embracing a new era of openness. Over 100 Indigenous golfers representing 80 different nations gathered at the beautiful Nk'Mip Canyon Desert Golf Course in the southern Okanagan Valley for this historic tournament.

To see Brad Ziemer's wrap-ups and interviews with the inaugural tournament champions click HERE and HERE.

Check out Coach Shayain's video, interviews and overview below.