Oakville, Ont. (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada is pleased to announce that Nancy Spineti Delle Donne of Montreal has been named the 2020 recipient of the Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year Award. A presentation of the award will take place on Thursday, March 4 as part of Golf Canada’s Virtual Annual Meeting.

For more than 20 years, Nancy has been a major contributor to Golf Quebec and Golf Canada as an expert in Handicapping and Course Rating.

In 2008, Nancy was named to the Golf Canada Handicap & Course Rating Committee, a position she held proudly until the end of 2020. During this time, she played an integral  role in the national launch of the new World Handicap System which was rolled globally in 2020.

“Volunteers are a driving force behind golf in this country and we are proud to recognize Nancy Spineti Delle Donne for her deep contributions to Handicapping and Course Rating this past year and over the last 20 years,” said Liz Hoffman, Golf Canada’s 1^st Vice President who will sworn in as the Association’s 116^th President during the Annual Meeting. “Nancy’s contribution to the game and her support in the execution of an important golf service has made and major impact. She has carried those responsibilities with excellence and is truly deserving of this recognition.”

Nancy was Chair of the Golf Québec Course Rating and Handicap Committee from 2008 to 2020 and served on the Golf Québec Board of Director from 2008 to 2015.

During her tenure with Golf Quebec, Nancy helped to train course rating teams across eight regional associations. She would visit 40+ member clubs a year and has rated nearly 90 courses. Her commitment to the craft included meticulous data collection and support documentation to ensure the highest standard of Golf Quebec’s course rating services.

Nancy has also served as Golf Quebec’s feature presenter for handicap seminars and played an instrumental role in training a province-wide network of club Handicap Committees who supported countless members in establishing a valid Handicap Index. From 2011 to 2014, she was also Chairperson of the Golf Québec Membership Committee.

A public player with provincial contributions dating back to 1997, Nancy was recognized for her exceptional service as Golf Quebec’s 2004 Volunteer of the Year, and in 2020, Golf Québec Board of Directors celebrated her retirement from the association by naming her an Honorary Governor.

Now in its 15^th year, candidates for the Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year Award are put forth to Golf Canada for consideration by the respective provincial golf associations in acknowledgment of significant contributions to the game of golf in their community.

The Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year Award is named in recognition of Toronto native Bruce Mitchell who in 2017-18 was the first Canadian to serve as captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A). Born in Victoria and raised in Edmonton, the former president of the Toronto Golf Club and R&A member since 1988 was just the ninth internationally appointed captain of the R&A, one of the most prestigious volunteer positions in the world of golf. Duties as captain included representing the R&A as a global ambassador and aiding in the R&A’s effort to develop golf around the world.

Congratulations to Nancy Spineti Delle Donne of Montreal, Que. on being named the 2020 Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year!

Liz Hoffman has served on Golf Canada’s Board of Directors since 2012 and has been a recognized leader in Canadian sport as an athlete, coach, and administrator.

She honed her executive leadership skills over a 39-year career with the University of Toronto including 16 years as Director of Athletics and High-Performance. She has been active with many sport organizations, serving as a past president of Canadian USport and Ontario University Athletics and as an officer and board member of both Ontario and Field Hockey Canada. She also served on the Board of Directors of Coaches of Canada and as a member of the Sport Development Committee of Swim Canada.

During her time with Golf Canada, she has contributed across a multitude of committees, councils and working groups including most recently serving as Chair of the Compensation Committee, the World Junior Girls Steering Committee and as a member of the Ad Hoc Committee on Governance Renewal. She has previously chaired the Amateur Competitions, Sport Development and Human Resources Committees, as well as the Ad Hoc Committee to Review the COC Report. She has been a member of the Audit and Risk Committee, the Diversity Enhancement Working Group, and the Volunteer Services Working Group. Hoffman is also a member the Board of Directors of the Golf Canada Foundation, serving on the Executive Committee as Secretary and chairing both the Scholarships & Grants and the Women’s Fund Committees.

A past President of the Golf Association of Ontario, she was also the non-playing captain of Canada’s Women’s Team at the 2012, 2014 and 2016 World Amateur Team Championships and served as Golf Canada’s delegate to the Biennial meeting of the International Golf Federation in 2018. In 2020, she participated as a program mentor in the R&A’s Women in Golf Leadership Development Program and also joined the PGA of Canada’s Diversity and Inclusion Task Force. She has been active as a tournament chair and starting & scoring official at Golf Canada amateur, professional, and international competitions.

A former provincial, national, and international golfer who won both the Ontario Junior and Quebec Women’s Amateur Championship, Hoffman is a member of both the Thornhill Golf Club and the Mad River Golf Club and shares her passion for the game with her husband Rick and their sons Matt and Mark.

Golf Canada’s 2021 Annual Meeting shifts to a two-day virtual experience this week, March 3-4 as the National Sport Federation looks ahead in preparation for the 2021 season.

The event will bring together Golf Canada’s Board of Directors, staff, and volunteers as well as representatives from Canada’s provincial golf associations and other stakeholders.

The opening day session runs from 1-4 p.m. ET on Wednesday March 3^rd with a selection of feature presentations outlining key Golf Canada initiatives for 2021 including:

• Golf Canada’s 2021 Outlook – presented by Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum

• Golf Industry Advisory Council: National Golfer Retention Campaign – presented by Golf Canada Chief Marketing Officer Vanessa Morbi

• Keynote Presentation: Fireside Chat on Global Golf –featuring R&A CEO Martin Slumbers and the USGA’s outgoing CEO Mike Davis, hosted by Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum.

• Sport Overview – presented by Golf Canada’s Chief Sport Officer Kevin Blue

• Overview of Golf Canada’s Diversity & Inclusion Alliance – presented by Alliance Chair & Team Canada Sport Psychologist Dr. Adrienne Leslie-Toogood. The session also includes a panel discussion with Sandy Cross (Chief People Officer, PGA of America) as well as Teri Dennis-Davies (Senior Vice-President Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at Maple Leaf Sport and Entertainment).***each of the feature presentations will be available online at golfcanada.ca.

The event will continue on Thursday March 4^th with a virtually conducted Annual General Meeting beginning at 1:00pm ET which will include the release of Golf Canada’s 2020 Annual Report and Financial Statements posted to www.golfcanada.ca.

Golf Canada will also introduce its 2021 Board of Directors including the appointment of Liz Hoffman of Thornhill, Ont. as the association’s 116^th President. Hoffman will take over the role from Charlie Beaulieu of Lorraine, Que. who served consecutive terms as President in 2019-20.

In addition, Golf Canada will celebrate outstanding contributions to the game of golf including a presentation of the 2020 Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year Award to Handicap and Course Rating expert, Nancy Spineti Delle Donne of Montreal.

Kevin Sutherland chipped in for the only birdie of the final round on No. 16 and had a tap-in for another on the next hole, shooting a 4-under 69 to overtake Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont. in the Cologuard Classic on Sunday.

Sutherland trailed by two to start the day and was down four after Weir birdied the par-5 eighth in blustery conditions at Tucson National. Sutherland cut Weir’s lead in half with two birdies in his first three holes to start on the back nine and chipped in from short right of the 183-yard, par-3 16th.

Sutherland tapped in on 17 after putting through the fringe on the par 5 and just missed another birdie on the difficult 18th to close out his second victory in his last three PGA Tour Champions starts and fifth overall. He finished at 15 under, two ahead of Weir, three up on Steve Stricker and Scott Parel.

Weir had bogeys on two of his final three holes to shoot an even-par 73. The 2003 Masters champion has twice been runner-up on the PGA Tour Champions since turning 50 last year.

Calgary native Stephen Ames finished in a tie for 52nd place at 4-over par.

Phil Mickelson’s long-shot bid to win his first three PGA Tour Champions starts came to a screeching halt with a triple bogey on the par-4 ninth. He shot 73 to finish 11 shots back.

Weir opened the second round with a birdie as gusting wind bent flagsticks at sharp angles. He followed with five straight pars and walked up to the green at the par-3 seventh as Rush’s “Limelight” blared from one of the backyards lining Tucson National.

The Canadian left-hander responded with a little inspiration of his own, chipping in for birdie from about 90 feet. A curling 15-foot birdie putt at the par-5 eighth gave him a four-shot lead over Sutherland.

Sutherland, who won the Charles Schwab Championship in November in Phoenix, opened the back nine with a birdie and had another on the par-5 12th. The 56-year-old from Sacramento, California, stumbled when he couldn’t get up and down from a bunker on the par-3 14th, but closed with a flourish as conditions worsened.

Weir watched a slick 4-foot par putt slide by the hole after a nice bunker shot on No. 16 and missed a birdie putt from the fringe on No. 17 after a bunker shot ran through the back of the green. He three-putted to bogey the par-14 18th.

Mickelson was the last amateur to win on the PGA Tour in Tucson 30 years ago, but couldn’t conjure up the same magic in his return.

Nine shots back entering the final round, he had three birdies and a bogey through the first eight holes before hitting his tee shot into the water on the par-4 ninth. He then hit into the greenside bunker and three-putted for a seven.

Mickelson did avoid the mud on No. 15, at least.

He hit two good tee shots in the opening two rounds and both found the pond on the dogleg of the par 5. Mickelson made a birdie after hitting his second shot out of the mud in the first round and salved par after another mud shot in the second.

He avoided the pond altogether Sunday by hitting into the adjacent 17th fairway and ended up with par after missing a birdie putt of about 15 feet.

Team Canada along with activating on site at Golf Canada’s National and Amateur Championships. For this year, here’s a breakdown of some of the key products that FootJoy has to offer. With more Canadians playing more golf than ever in 2020, FootJoy is providing gear to help make every day playable. Be sure to contact your local PGA of Canada professional for fitting and availability, or head to FootJoy’s website to learn more.

SHOES

The first thing golfers will notice about the FootJoy Premiere Series is that it’s an old-school cool vibe about it. But once you look under the hood and understand all the modern technology that goes into the newest shoe line from FootJoy, you can’t help but be wowed.

“It was a really fun project to work on,” says Keith Duffy, a senior product manager at FootJoy. “I’m confident we have the best design and development team in footwear but everyone upped their game a bit. When we started to look back at old catalogues and the footwear we used to release… it’s such a competitive advantage for us, that we have that history. We first started making golf shoes in 1910, and there’s just so much to lean back on.”

Designed and developed in collaboration with many PGA Tour players, the Premiere Series boasts three new upper designs. The Tarlow Collection has a cap toe design, The Packard Collection has a calfskin croc print accent in the saddle area, and The Flint Collection features embossed detailing on the saddle area but is clean otherwise. The shoes are 12 percent lighter than the ones they are replacing in the FootJoy line and boast the new Versatrax+ outsole to help deliver maximum traction. They are available, for both men and women, on March 1st.

“In talking to consumers, and that includes PGA Tour players, members at clubs, or daily-fee players, when they think back on the FootJoy brand, especially those who have been playing golf for a while, everyone always brings up the Classics!” says Duffy.

From modern traditional to modern-modern, the other new golf shoe option for 2021 from FootJoy is the Hyperflex. Featuring a new BOA fit system called WRAPID, it ensures a dialed-in, precision fit with a reduction in pressure on the top of the foot. It boasts a new foam blend in the cushioning and multiple flex grooves in the outsole to move naturally with your foot. It’s not just a good walking shoe, but it helps to maximize the ground force interaction through every swing.

“There’s a better connection to the show (with the WRAPID system) and it holds your foot down and closer to the outsole than any other in the footwear category,” says Duffy. “And since the shoe is connected to the ground, it gives you a better connection to the ground as well.”

The only piece of equipment golfers use for every shot, other than the ball, is their footwear. That’s why you see such strong effort put forth by FootJoy every year.

“So many players think of footwear as an extension of their equipment, or as equipment period, and so do we,” says Duffy. “We take it very seriously.”

APPAREL AND OUTERWEAR

Golfers in Canada took the course in record numbers in 2020 partially because many didn’t know if they might have had the game taken away from them, due to COVID-19 restrictions. Golf was played in all kinds of weather a year ago, and FootJoy has produced a solid line of apparel built for all conditions in 2021. There are four key performance outerwear jackets for 2021, all under the Hydroseries line.

“Everything we’re designing and developing at FootJoy is done so with the golfer in mind,” says Chad Crocker, the product manager of FootJoy apparel. “A lot of apparel companies can adapt from their other main focus, whether that’s running or outdoors or basketball or football. They make great products, but they adapt them to golf. Whereas FootJoy, we start with golf and that’s it. It’s focused on that.”

The HydroTour is designed to withstand the most extreme weather conditions and boasts a new technology called DrySeal – a double collar system that keeps rain out.

“We challenged our designer. ‘That’s just the way it is’ was not acceptable to us,” says Crocker of the ongoing issue with water dripping down the back of a golfer’s neck. “We had to figure out a way to stop that from happening.”

The two-layered collar features a cinch cord on the inside that seals off the elements. It’s also a soft multi-directional stretch fabric (so it’s not too loud or noisy) that has fewer seams. The other pieces FootJoy is releasing include the DryJoys Select LS (the lightest, most waterproof garment FootJoy as ever produced), the HydroKnit (feels like a mid-layer, protects like a rain jacket), and the HydroLite (a 100 percent waterproof piece that also comes in a short-sleeve version).

“The resistance to wearing rain jackets for a long time while playing golf came from the resistance the jacket presented throughout the swing,” says Crocker. “But as we design these garments, it’s imperative there is a full range of motion without any sacrifices.”

GLOVES

For 2021, FootJoy has developed one new glove called the Hyperflx. That new addition compliments two others, making FootJoy the most-worn glove in the game. The Hyperflx boasts superior feel, ultimate breathability, and soft comfort. It was built, according to Zabkar, with athlete construction in mind.

“We wanted to use best-in-class materials to help a golfer with their game. We’re utilizing premium cabretta leather for ultimate breathability, Tour-proven, soft and supple leather, and unmatched softness,” says Zabkar. “It’s the perfect glove for everybody.”

Zabkar says FootJoy quantifies success by showing how many PGA Tour golfers are deciding to wear the product. They’re the ones, he says, week after week trying to make money and are trusting FootJoy gloves to help them notch great results.

The other gloves in FootJoy’s line include the StaSof (which has been the No.1 leather glove in golf since 1983. The current version was released in 2018 and FootJoy leaned on decades of product innovation and testing), and the Pure Touch (“A gift to yourself,” Zabkar says. As it’s the ultimate in soft feel). No matter the product, however, the most important thing to do with gloves – like with shoes or clubs – is to get fit. Zabkar says over 60 percent of all golfers are wearing a glove that is too big for their hand. If you’re wearing a glove that is too big, he says, it’s going to cause early wear and tear.

“Gloves, says Zabkar, “are a key and essential piece of equipment for all golfers.”

The USGA and The R&A have announced proposals for significant changes to the Rules of Amateur Status that govern the game worldwide.

These proposals result from a modernization initiative that has identified a clear need to bring the Rules up to date to reflect today’s global amateur game and ensure that the Rules are easier to understand and apply.

The proposed Rules, along with explanations to key changes, have been posted on usga.org and randa.org and the organizations are now inviting feedback from golfers and stakeholders. Comments will be accepted through Friday, March 26, with the new Rules scheduled to be adopted on January 1, 2022.

A comprehensive review of the Rules of Amateur Status began in late 2017, focusing on three main goals: to ensure the Rules are in the best interests of the game, reflect the modern game, and are easily understood and applied.

This review reaffirmed amateur golf’s important position in the game and the value in maintaining amateur status Rules to safeguard all the ways golf is played and enjoyed.

The result is a set of Rules that redefine the distinction between amateur and professional golf and provide a condition of eligibility – amateur status – for amateurs who compete in golf competitions.

As part of the modernization effort, it is proposed that the new Rules will identify only three acts that will result in a golfer losing their amateur status:

• Accepting a prize in excess of the prize limit
• Accepting payment for giving instruction
• Accepting employment as a golf club professional or membership of an association of professional golfers

To achieve this simplified approach, the following key changes are proposed:

• Eliminating the distinction between cash prizes and other prizes.
• Using the prize limit as the only way an amateur can lose amateur status through their play (meaning that entering or playing a competition as a professional would not, of itself, result in the loss of amateur status).
• Removing restrictions from the Rules surrounding competitions such as long-drive events, putting competitions and skills competitions that are not played as part of a tee-to-hole competition; and
• Eliminating all sponsorship restrictions.

“Golf is unique in its broad appeal to both recreational and competitive golfers,” said Craig Winter, USGA Senior Director, Rules of Golf and Amateur Status. “We understand and value how important amateur status is, not only to those who compete at the highest level of the amateur game, but for the millions of golfers at every age and skill level who enjoy competitive events at their home courses. These updates should help simplify these Rules and ensure the health of the amateur game.”

Grant Moir, Director of Rules at The R&A, said, “The Rules of Amateur Status play an important role in protecting the integrity of our self-regulating sport but the code must continue to evolve. This is particularly so in relation to the modern elite amateur game, where many of the players need financial support to compete and develop to their full potential, and the proposed new Rules will give much greater scope for this.”

“Today marks another important step in the process to modernize the Rules of Amateur Status,” said Akash Patel, Rules and Competitions Manager at Golf Canada. “A great amount of work has gone into making the Rules easier to understand and apply for both the recreational and competitive golfer. We are confident that the proposed changes reflect the modern game and will help with our continued efforts to grow the game.” The proposed new Rules are accompanied by an overview document and explanations that detail the rationale for why changes are being proposed and, in some instances, why they have stayed the same.”

FORESIGHT AND GOLF CANADA Hardy says Foresight’s partnership with Golf Canada is a perfect fit. The company’s goal, first and foremost, is to reflect the fact that it’s a performance solution. The country’s top coaches and its top amateur players are using the Foresight product to get better.

“They’ve been great partners in moving our business forward and we enjoy the fact our product moves their coaching and their programs forward as well,” says Hardy.

Look no further than Women’s National Team Coach Tristan Mullally’s own garage for an example of where Foresight can help work meet play. Mullally, a long-time leader with Golf Canada, is also pretty handy. He built most of the system where a Foresight unit is installed himself, turning part of his garage into a little room where he could do online coaching with the team, have fun with his family, and post videos to social media.

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“It’s just allowing him to do a lot of great stuff,” says Hardy. “It was a fun set up. It was great to work with him and we always are able to have fun and work at the same time.”

FORESIGHT AT HOME

Even if you’re not one of the top golfers in the country you’re still able to take advantage of everything that Foresight has to offer for in-home or at-course solutions. Last year Foresight launched its GC Hawk product, which is a ceiling-mounted device. That’s been a huge success in Canada, Hardy says, thanks in part because it allows golfers who are both left and right-handed to switch off easily. Previous models of the product forced golfers who were of opposite hands to pivot the device before hitting a shot. But that is no longer. Foresight’s product is superior because it helps measure the launch window before a shot is struck – of both the ball and the club independently of one another.  The data provided by Foresight allows golfers to analyze their true club delivery and helps to see their true ball-flight measurements without the effects of wind or weather.

“It’s a perfect snapshot into the launch window,” says Hardy.

But while you may sometimes get overwhelmed by numbers, Hardy says that the company’s big objective is still for people to have fun.

With the GC Hawk, Foresight has added the ability to provide data on a ton of different sports including baseball and soccer. It will also be adding hockey soon, meaning there will be a lot more in the multi-sport realm for the GC Hawk. It has also released a new software model called the FSX Pro, which is a coaching platform.

The cool thing about the FSX Pro software suite is that a lot of it has been developed with input from Canadians including coaches Liam Mucklow and Ralph Bauer, short-game guru Gareth Raflewski, and club expert Ian Fraser.

“We have a really strong, Canadian component for anything that Foresight is developing which is pretty awesome,” says Hardy. “I can’t think of a lot of other companies that include Canadian talent. We’ve got some smart guys and it’s great that Foresight gives them a microphone.”

SIMULATOR SEASON

Part of the FSX software suite also allows golfers to play simulator golf on some of the world’s top courses. Glen Abbey, the iconic RBC Canadian Open venue, was the most recent Canadian track added to the system. Fellow ClubLink course Rattlesnake Point will be added soon along with Westmount Golf and Country Club in Kitchener, Ont. There will be upwards of 14 Canadian golf courses says Hardy including (“hopefully,” he says) a few mountain courses in Alberta and B.C., plus the potential for Cabot, too.

“There’s definitely some exciting stuff on the course-play side of things,” says Hardy.

Not only that, but the new E6 software from Foresight links up launch monitors to allow people with a Foresight product to play against someone with a totally different launch monitor. It’s been popular during COVID-19, Hardy says, and has opened the company’s eyes to the kind of demand there could be while there is so much uncertainty in the world right now.

“It was a feature in the old world of course, but now you’ve got 1000’s of people around the world who want to participate in a simulator,” says Hardy. “So we’re looking forward to a new and improved version of that to open up tournaments, leagues, local events and things that would allow people to participate in in groups.”

Big shout out to #quadsquad team member, @mweirsy on recording a 59! Congrats Mike! ?? ?️ ? pic.twitter.com/Ad5YatHGdd

— Foresight Sports?? (@ForesightCanada) January 25, 2021

While the Foresight technology is trusted by Golf Canada’s coaches and its national team players, it remains the top choice for those keen Canadians who are hopeful to take swings (and track their data) 12 months per year.

“It’s probably never been more important to make something like this happen,” says Hardy of in-home installations. “In some ways its harder because most simulator companies are sold out for months in advance, but we’ve grown a bunch. Our bandwidth is probably 10x was it was two years ago.

“And our product is great because there is not a lot of space restrictions – that’s one of the reasons why we do great in the residential space because not everyone has the right space for a traditional simulator so being able to make solutions in single garage bays, small rooms in a basement where you don’t have 11-foot ceilings… it’s a great advantage of our product and sets us apart from the competitors. It can be a net, a laptop computer, a lot of different ways to create that experience in your house.”

No matter where you are, Foresight is there for you and your game

LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. (Feb. 17, 2021) – The USGA announced today that Mike Whan will join the organization this summer as CEO, and will become the eighth top executive in USGA history. Last month, Whan announced his intention to step down as LPGA Commissioner in 2021, after his organization completes a search for the next Commissioner. His transition follows an impressive 11 years at the helm of the LPGA, during which the organization experienced historic growth in virtually every aspect of the business. As USGA CEO, Whan will be responsible for leading all aspects of the association’s operations, including its core functions, essential programs, and human and financial resources. He will also represent the USGA on a variety of national and international boards.

“Mike Whan is a proven, successful and transformative leader, not only in the golf industry but throughout his entire career,” said USGA President Stu Francis, who oversaw the CEO search process. “He has shown a unique ability to understand how the environment is changing in global golf and how to quickly and thoughtfully adapt an organization to meet those changes. Importantly, Mike is already a trusted peer for so many key stakeholders in the industry, and his existing relationships will not only help the USGA, but will also help advance the game.”

Whan started his career at the Procter & Gamble Company in 1987, where he rose to Director of Marketing for Oral Care before leaving to pursue a passion for sports. Whan’s sports business career began at Wilson Sporting Goods as a Vice President and General Manager in the golf division. He joined the TaylorMade Golf Company as Vice President of Marketing in 1995 and later served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing and Executive Vice President/General Manager for Taylormade-adidas Golf. In 2002, Whan became the President and CEO of Mission Hockey, a hockey equipment company.

Since joining the Ladies Professional Golf Association in 2010, Whan increased the number of tournaments on the LPGA Tour’s schedule to 34 from 24, increased purses from $41.4 million to $76.5 million, and grew television hours from 125 hours per season, to over 500 hours. Under his leadership, the LPGA became a truly global business – with players, tournaments, sponsors and fans coming from all over the world. Currently, the LPGA Tour is televised in over 170 countries each week. Whan’s leadership resulted in the expansion of the LPGA to now include both the Symetra Tour, the recently announced joint venture with the Ladies European Tour, as well as a nearly 50% increase in LPGA’s teaching division. Whan’s focus on growing the game for junior girls has led to a significant expansion of the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf Program, which had 5,000 members when he joined the organization to 90,000 girls now engaged in the program.

“As someone who grew up loving this game, I have always had huge respect for the USGA and its role in leading our sport,” said Whan. “The game has given me so much throughout my life, both personally and professionally. I know I have a lot to learn, but I’m truly excited about this role, as it gives me the opportunity to not only give back to the game, but to also work hard to leave it stronger.”

Current USGA CEO Mike Davis, who joined the USGA in 1990 and became the Association’s seventh executive director in 2011 and first CEO in 2016, will depart later this year to team with Tom Fazio II in a new course design venture, Fazio & Davis Golf Design.

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Mike Whan for many years and I view him as a trusted, strategic leader who has a proven track record of building collaborative partnerships,” said Davis. “I know the USGA will be in great hands, and I look forward to partnering with Mike to ensure a smooth and successful transition for the USGA.”

Fairly early on in the pandemic there was an evident need for facemasks, says Saunders, so Levelwear started by creating masks by reengineering existing garments, like some of its t-shirts. The demand continued to grow so Levelwear used its sourcing channels to product high-quality face coverings and began to sell them, says Saunders, and created an initiative.

It donated roughly 40,000 facemasks, all-told, and raised more than $200,000 for various charities, organizations, and small businesses.

“Talk about a sense of pride,” says Saunders. “That was a whole other level. “We had this realization that doing some of the little things… you can have a bigger cause.”

With some early success with the NHL and its Toronto bubble, Levelwear has become the Official Face Covering of the league – no small feat for the Toronto-based business, which still considers itself medium sized.

“There’s that sense of pride again for us, and another opportunity. All coaches, players, all training staff, all in-arena and not on ice are to be wearing the product. We’re seeing a lot of exposure and recognition,” says Saunders of the teams rocking its Guard 3 face covering.

ON-COURSE PERFORMANCE

Even with the impressive business pivot through 2020, Levelwear is going to shine even brighter on the golf course in 2021 thanks to some renewed commitments to quality. There are two distinct style approaches for men and women in 2021, but both are rooted in a couple of key philosophies – modern athletic and premium leisure.

“We are now able to make better quality products and better fitting products,” says Saunders.

“You’ll notice Levelwear, who has always been strong in the pullover category, has made marked improvements in its polos. There is more attention to detail – cleaner collars with stays, extra button details, and laser-fusing instead of stitching. It’s an elevated polo,” Saunders says. “That same effort for men’s polos will be reflected in women’s golf stuff as well. You’ll see a lot of impressive prints, modern colour selects, and closet-staple pieces that will enhance any golfer’s wardrobe.”

Some of Canada’s top male golfers are all Levelwear ambassadors, including Corey Conners, Adam Hadwin, Michael Gligic, and Taylor Pendrith. On the LPGA Tour Levelwear counts Sandra Gal, up-and-coming star Kristen Gillman, and last year’s U.S. Women’s Open runner-up Amy Olson as ambassadors.

OFF-COURSE COMFORT

At home – where most of us are spending most of our time these days – you’ll see Levelwear has continued to lean into developing its fabulous athleisure lines for both men and women even further. People are choosing comfort over everything, and Levelwear has a nice offering that compliments its golf-specific gear for both men and women.

“Traditionally a lot of people have just thought about ‘casuals’ as t-shirts and sweatshirts, but we’ve taken a more sportswear approach to this kind of product category. We’ve elevated product. It’s stuff you’ll feel comfortable in if you go out. It doesn’t feel like you’re sloppy, it feels like you’re well-prepared,” says Saunders of the Levelwear line that actually started, conceptually, three years ago.

“We were starting to see it on the professional athlete side… now for the everyday person, it’s trickled down to them.”

For women, Saunders says the Verve by Levelwear line is hitting a fever pitch in terms of popularity. It’s a transitional line – think going to the gym, home from the gym, and working from home – with more prints, premium fabrics, and attention to detail.

EVENTS EXCITEMENT

While Levelwear has golfers covered both on the course and off – whether you hit them like Corey Conners and Sandra Gal or just a weekend warrior – it’s also trying to ride a ton of momentum from 2019, when it made a hearty impression on some of the biggest golf events in the world. Levelwear has partnered with 17 PGA Tour events, and assuming fans will start to return to courses in the near future, Levelwear will be in the retail experiences of the championship management division of the PGA Tour. It took on a sponsorship of the Rocket Mortgage Classic, too, and it has a brand-new, state-of-the-art mobile marketing trailer. Look for that trailer hitting member-guest events and clubs between the Ottawa-to-Windsor corridor in Ontario. It will likely be deployed as a pop-up shop on wheels and Saunders, like tournament organizers, are aiming to have it set up at the RBC Canadian Open, too. Its partnership with Golf Canada, the RBC Canadian Open, and CP Women’s Open, Saunders says, has also been an idyllic one.

Levelwear and Golf Canada has just renewed a multi-year extension of its original partnership agreement, and Saunders says despite 2020’s challenges, the teams have been able to use the extra time to really hone-in on productive ideas for Canadian golfers.

“Golf Canada is in such an incredible position and they’ve just got everything in order from the quality of field to the quality of champions to the addition of concerts and spectator increases… they have everything you would want in a successful event,” says Saunders of both the national professional championships and the amateur events that Golf Canada puts on. “They just seem to be riding this rocket ship, and it’s fun to be along for the ride.”

OAKVILLE, Ont. (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada is pleased to announce the 10 athletes who have been selected to represent the 2021 Team Canada Young Pro Squad. Comprising the 2021 Women’s Young Pro Squad will be returnees Brittany Marchand (Orangeville, Ont.), Jaclyn Lee (Calgary, Alta.), and Maddie Szeryk (London, Ont.). After becoming a first-time mom in July, Golf Canada is also pleased to welcome back Anne-Catherine Tanguay (Quebec City, Que.) to the Young Pro Squad as she makes her return to the LPGA Tour.

The 2021 Men’s Young Pro Squad features a six-pack of familiar athletes led by Taylor Pendrith (Richmond Hill, Ont.). Other members of the Men’s Young Pro Squad for 2021 include Jared du Toit (Kimberley, B.C.), Chris Crisologo (Richmond, B.C.), Stuart Macdonald (Vancouver, B.C.), Joey Savoie (La Prairie, Que.), and Hugo Bernard (Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que.).

For the bulk of the athletes returning to the Young Pro Squad, 2021 is an opportunity to build of off the adversity of 2020 and take a next step in their developing careers.

“This is a very exciting time for young professional golfers in Canada, and we are really looking forward to seeing their continued success in 2021,” said Golf Canada Chief Sport Officer Kevin Blue. “For most of the athletes returning to the Squad, the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on scheduling, training, and competition in 2020. With the support of our key partners and the drive these athletes have to overcome adversity and succeed, I’m positive we’ll see even more great results from this talented group of athletes.”

Men’s and Women’s National Team coaches Derek Ingram and Tristan Mullally – both award-winning PGA of Canada members – will continue as head coaches for the Young Pro Squad.

Now in its eighth year, the Team Canada Young Pro Squad helps to bridge the gap for top-performing amateurs transitioning into professional golf. Click here to read Team Canada Young Pro Squad player bios.

EMERGING PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD

The Golf Canada Foundation has also announced the creation of a new award – the Emerging Professional Player of the Year Award, presented by Andrew Cook. The inaugural recipients of the award are Young Pro athletes Taylor Pendrith and Maddie Szeryk who will each receive $10,000 towards their continued development in professional golf.

Andrew Cook, a proud Trustee of the Golf Canada Foundation and past President with Golf Canada, established a $20,000 fund to annually recognize a top male and female emerging Canadian professional golfer from the Young Pro Squad having success on golf’s developmental.

“I am very pleased to partner with Golf Canada and Golf Canada Foundation to launch the Emerging Pro Player of the Year Award, as an additional incentive to Canadian professionals around the globe,” said Cook. “As a long-time volunteer of the game, I appreciate the power our heroes have in inspiring the next generation of young players, and my wife (Anne) and I are excited to help continue the tremendous success of the Young Pro Program.”

“We are so excited to announce Taylor and Maddie as our first Emerging Professional Players of the Year,” said Martin Barnard, CEO of the Canada Foundation. “Thanks to the continued generosity of Andrew Cook, we are able to reward these two deserving young professionals with additional financial support that will have an important impact as they chase their dreams.”

Pendrith, a long-time part of Golf Canada’s National Team as an amateur and now a professional, had a breakout year on the Korn Ferry Tour. He currently sits second on the Korn Ferry Tour’s Season Long Points List thanks to five top-3 finishes in 2020. Pendrith also finished T23 at the U.S. Open (finishing as Low Canadian) and jumped from 399th to 128th in the Official World Golf Ranking – all of this just one year after he played on the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada.

Szeryk notched her second win as a professional in 2020 in her second year as a pro. In 2020, she also recorded her career-low Symetra Tour finish (T11, FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship) and ended the year as Top Canadian on the Symetra Tour. There were only 10 events on the Symetra Tour last year and the gap between men’s and women’s professional golf opportunities widened during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Current and former team members of the Young Pro Squad, which was established in 2014, have accounted for 43 wins across various professional golf tours including a record nine LPGA Tour wins by Brooke Henderson along with PGA TOUR wins from Mackenzie Hughes and Corey Conners.

Funding for this program, in large part, comes from the Golf Canada Foundation with generous contributions from founding partners RBC and Canadian Pacific, as well as supporting partners Citi Canada and Bear Mountain Resort – the Official Training Centre of Golf Canada’s National Team program.

“RBC is proud to support the next generation of Canadian golfers through the Young Pro program” said David Agnew, CEO, RBC Wealth Management Canada, “It’s exciting for us to watch golfers we supported as amateurs, like Corey Conners, Brooke Henderson and Mackenzie Hughes, succeed as professionals.”

“From the CP Women’s Open and our deep involvement with Team Canada to ambassador partnerships with Brooke Henderson and Lorie Kane, CP is proud to support these talented athletes representing Canada on the world stage,” added James Clements, Canadian Pacific. “As the best team in the railroading business knows, precision and excellence require a strong team. We are extremely proud to be part of the great team supporting these young professionals in their golf journey.”