• Ziemer's B.C. Golf Notes: Sloan lone British Columbian in field as new PGA TOUR season begins; Davison T2 at TPC Toronto; du Toit makes cut in Korn Ferry Tour debut

    Merritt's Roger Sloan Is The Lone BCer In This Week's Season-Opener On The PGA TOUR - BC Golf File Photo

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    One season ends and another begins. There really is no off-season anymore on the PGA TOUR, which tees off its 2020-21 season with this week’s Safeway Open in Napa, Calif.

    It is the first of a record 50 tournaments, including six majors, scheduled over the next year in what the PGA TOUR has dubbed a ‘super season.’

    The U.S. Open and Masters, both postponed due to COVID-19, will be played twice over the next year.

  • A Cautionary Tale For Junior Golfers And Their Biggest Fans

    Free Image Courtesy Pixnio

    By Shawn Allen/Morningread.com

    Parents naturally take pride in their child's accomplishments as a golfer, but experts say the goal should be to develop the skills needed to form a well-adjusted adult. And if the kid happens to become a good golfer along the way, then consider it to be a bonus

    This has been anything but a typical year in golf. Not just on the PGA TOUR, which resumed play in early June and only recently held its first major championship. The junior-golf season has been turned inside out, as well.

    Around the country, young golfers got a late start on their events and are preparing for the new school year amid the uncertainty of the global coronavirus pandemic. Golf is a safer sport to play than contact sports, but the question is begged, What is the goal of pushing juniors into competition so early? The answer reveals a pernicious side to the junior game.

    See full story here...

  • Brendan Lawlor Becomes First Golfer With Disabilities To Compete On European Tour

    By DANIEL RAPAPORT, GolfDigest.com

    A 22-year-old Irishman made history becoming the first golfer with disabilities to compete in a European Tour event. 

    Click here to read the full story...

     

     

  • September 1st Is Women's Golf Day - Join In The Festivities

    Women’s Golf Day is an event for females of all ages and skill levels to participate in golf and help us grow the game. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the original day for this International Event was postponed from June 2nd to September 1st.

    There are celebrations around the world with golf facilities putting on special events and clinics. To find out what is happening in BC click on the Find A Location tab on the Women's Golf Day website.

     

  • Vancouver’s Tiffany Kong Trying To Adapt To Her New Ivy League World

    Vancouver's Tiffany Kong Finally Got To Play In A Golf Tournament For The First Time In Six Months In The Vancouver Open - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/BC Golf

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    Tiffany Kong did something she hadn’t done in nearly six months this past weekend. She played in a golf tournament.

    The Princeton University sophomore was the low woman amateur at the Vancouver Golf Tour’s Vancouver Open, played over 54 holes on the three City of Vancouver courses.

    Kong swears her game is rusty, but it didn’t really show as she shot rounds of 73, 74 and 73. “Definitely showed some rust, especially around the greens and putting,” Kong said. “My feel wasn’t great.”

  • Four-Time B.C. Seniors Champion Gudmund Lindbjerg Passes At Age 71

    Gudmund Lindbjerg 1948 -2020 - image courtesy Twitter/WA Golf 

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    Gudmund Lindbjerg, a longtime Pitt Meadows Golf Club member who won four straight B.C. Senior Men’s titles starting in 2008, has died following a battle with cancer. He was 71.

    Lindbjerg produced a rather remarkable amateur golf career despite not playing the game until he was 29. He emigrated from Denmark in his early 20s and at that time was more interested in hunting ducks than chasing birdies on a golf course.

  • GNAC Decision A Double-Whammy For SFU Golf Teams

    Simon Fraser University Golf Coach Matthew Steinbach - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    A decision by the Great Northwest Athletic Conference to cancel fall sports due to the COVID-19 pandemic has left the Simon Fraser University men’s and women’s golf teams with no place to play.

    The canceling of the fall season did not surprise SFU golf coach Matthew Steinbach. “At the end of the day we are in a global pandemic, so travelling across the border and playing a regular competition schedule, we didn’t think that was going to happen,” Steinbach said.

    The real gut punch for Steinbach came when he was also informed by GNAC officials that SFU would not be permitted to play in a proposed series of one-day events with fellow British Columbia schools this fall.

  • PNGA Cancels Remainder of 2020 Championship Season

    Via Press Release

    Federal Way, Wash. – With the recent spike in cases surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and the concerns with contestants traveling from all parts of the Pacific Northwest and throughout the U.S. to compete, the Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA) has made the difficult decision to cancel the remainder of their 2020 championship season, effective immediately.

    The PNGA Executive Committee held a special meeting on Friday, June 26 to discuss the spike in cases and the concerns and risks of contestants traveling from across state borders, staying in local hotels, going to local restaurants and bars, grocery stores, and other venues.

  • Three British Columbia Chapters Join The LPGA Amateur Golf Association

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    Commissioner Michael Whan likes to refer to the LPGA Tour as family, one that has grown with the addition of three British Columbia chapters to the LPGA Amateur Golf Association.

    Whan was part of a recent conference call welcoming British Columbia to the association, an organization that aims to connect women who play the game. “Whether you play the game professionally, whether you teach it, whether you are helping young girls learn it, or whether you just play with your friends on a nine and dine, we all want to be engaged in this together,” Whan said.

  • BC Golf Excited To Announce Affiliation With LPGA Amateur Golf Association June 17th

    LPGA Commisioner Michael Whan & Canadian Golf Hall Of Fame Member Lorie Kane Will Be On Hand For The Online Announcement Of BC's LPGA Amateur Golf Association Chapters And Canadian Women's Open Champ Brooke Henderson Will Have A Recorded Message To Share - Images Courtesy LPGA and BC Golf/JKam photos

    Recently, British Columbia Golf became one of the latest golf associations to affiliate with the LPGA Amateur Golf Association, with the creation of 3 'Chapters' in B.C., the Vancouver Island chapter, Lower Mainland/Fraser Valley chapter and the Okanagan/Kamloops/Shuswap chapter.

    The LPGA Amateurs focus on creating opportunities for women of all ages to become involved in and enjoy the game of golf. Here is the 'About Us' message as taken from their website:

  • Golf, Played Well... Or Not So Well, Has Immense Health Benefits

    Walking A Golf Course Is One Of The Most Health Beneficial Activities We Can Take Part In - Image Courtesy wallpaperflare.com

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    It was another frustrating day on the golf course, where a round that had shown considerable early promise was derailed once again by sloppy play. But my numbers were not all bad. Despite my less than stellar score, there were some positives about that recent round at Peace Portal Golf Course in Surrey.

    When I checked the step-counter on my phone, it told me that I had taken more than 13,000 steps during the round and walked about nine kilometres. (Clearly, I did not hit every shot straight down the middle).

    I also climbed the equivalent of 23 floors, which is testament to Peace Portal’s hilly terrain. It is numbers like these, rather than the ones I mark on my scorecard, that have convinced me that golf is good for me.

  • Membership Currently Has No Privileges For B.C. Golfers Who Belong To Clubs In Washington State

    Former Vancouver Canucks Colour Commentator Tom Larscheid (Inset) Is Missing Being Able To Play At His Home Club In Blaine, Wash. - Image Courtesy Facility & YouTube

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    Tom Larscheid is missing the camaraderie as much as the golf at his home club. The popular former Vancouver Canucks colour commentator and his wife Leslie haven’t been able to visit Semiahmoo Golf & Country Club in Blaine, Wash., since the Canada-U.S. border closed to non-essential travel in March.

    “There’s no question we miss the many friends that we have made down there through the years,” says Larscheid, a member of the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame. “We have been members since 2004 so that is a long time.”

  • BC Golf's 'Coach Shayain' Hosts Social Distancing Women's Golf Day Clinic

    Coach Shayain Leads Her Women's Golf Day Clinic In Their Warm-up Session - Image Courtesy Shayain Gustavsp

    At this year's Annual General Meeting, British Columbia Golf welcomed 3 new directors onto their Board. One of those new directors is Shayain Gustavsp, who also happens to be an accredited LPGA Teaching Professional. 

    In honor of Women's Golf Day, on Tuesday, June 2nd 2020, Coach Shayain hosted a Women's Golf Clinic in Richmond. She knew this clinic was going to be different than those she'd held in the past. Due to Covid-19 she would have to adhere to social distancing guidelines and yet still create an intimate environment for her students.

  • Matthew Steinbach Named Div. II West Region Coach Of The Year

    Matthew Steinbach Has Received Another Honour As Coach Of The SFU Golf Program - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

    Courtesy Jacob Hall/SFU Sport Information Manager

    NORMAN, Okla -- In his fourth year as head coach of the Simon Fraser golf porgram, Matthew Steinbach was named the Golf Coach Association of America, NCAA Division II, west region coach of the year.

    This is yet another accolade for Steinbach as he was also named GNAC coach of the year for both the men's and women's team. It was quite the year for Steinbach and the program as they had many program firsts.

  • Women's Virtual Golf Day Held June 3rd - Looking Ahead To Sept. 1st

    Join in Virtual Women's Golf Day - Digital Celebration, June 3rd!

    Women's Golf Day, with events around the globe is planned for September 1st.

    Meanwhile, here is the statement put out from Women's Golf Day with respect to the one day delay from June 2nd to the 3rd on the Virtual Celebration:

    We have decided to pause our social media activity today. Join us JUNE 3rd in honouring the people that we work with in the 50+ countries where Women’s Golf Day takes place and we kindly ask you to post and share WGD content tomorrow as we unite to Support, Engage and Empower women and men around the world. #wgdUNITES

    This engaging virtual experience will be hosted on the WGD website http://www.womensgolfday.com and will include ways to engage through social media, videos, content and an online charity auction.

    Links to all of the WGD action can be found below.

  • Mackenzie Tour Cancellation Puts Dreams Of Allenby And Wheeldon On Hold For Another Year

    Riley Wheeldon (Top Left) And James Allenby (RIght) Will Have To Wait Another Year To Get Back Out On The Mackenzie Tour - Images Credit BC Golf/Golf Canada (Chuck Russell)

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    James Allenby and Riley Wheeldon were not surprised by the official word that the 2020 Mackenzie Tour - PGA Tour Canada season was being cancelled. Just profoundly disappointed.

    Their professional golf dreams are on hold for another year. Langley’s Allenby and Comox native Wheeldon both had exempt status for this year’s Mackenzie Tour, which was officially cancelled on Friday.

  • Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada Cancels 2020 Season

    The Full-Operational Focus For The Mackenzie Tour - PGA TOUR Canada Points Toward A 2021 Restart - Image Courtesy Mackenzie Tour/Golf Canada

    TORONTO, ONTARIO – Due to border restrictions, mandatory quarantines for those entering Canada and gathering restrictions in all provinces because of COVID-19, the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada announced Friday that it is canceling its 2020 season.

    “With growing uncertainty surrounding the border and the 14-day quarantine regulations, among other factors, we’ve weighed all of our options and concluded that it is not feasible to play this summer,” said Mackenzie Tour Executive Director Scott Pritchard.

  • Bald Eagle Golf Club Faces A Summer Of Uncertainty

    As Long As the Canada-U.S. Border Remains Closed, So Will The Point Roberts Course - Images Courtesy Bald Eagle GC

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    With his course stuck in the golfing equivalent of no-man’s land, Kyle German is finding it increasingly difficult to believe a season can be salvaged at Bald Eagle Golf Club.

    Golf courses have re-opened in both British Columbia and Washington state and by all accounts business is brisk. But at Bald Eagle, located across the border in Point Roberts, there is no business at all. With the U.S.-Canadian border closed until at least June 21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bald Eagle remains shuttered.

  • Handicapping, Active Seasons

    Written by Golf Canada

    The World Handicap System stipulates every player is responsible for returning all acceptable scores into one’s scoring record from rounds played on courses observing their active season, which is part of the golf season when courses have acceptable playing conditions.

    Ultimately, it is the responsibility of authorized provincial golf associations to declare active and inactive periods, and it is the responsibility of the area club and golfers to observe these dates for posting purposes.

    Each year, provincial associations analyze numerous factors to determine their active seasons. This ensures consistency of when scores would be posted by the majority of golfers to help keep Handicap Indexes accurate.

  • Mike Weir Ready To Take On Champions Tour As 50th Birthday Approaches

    Image courtesy Jim Epler/Flickr

    Courtesy Golf Canada (Written by John Chidley-Hill/ Canadian Press)

    As far as Mike Weir is concerned, 50 is the new 20.

    The Canadian golfing legend will reach his half-century mark on Tuesday and qualify to join the PGA Tour Champions, the senior circuit for professional men’s golf. Although the date of the next tournament is still up in the air thanks to restrictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Weir is ready for a new beginning in his career.

    “The interesting thing about professional golf is that you look forward to your 50th birthday instead of dreading it,” said Weir. “I’ve been looking forward to this for quite a while.”