If you’re a parent looking to get your kid into golf, the first place you should look is…in the mirror. Gone are the days when parents would drop their children off at their golf club in the morning with enough money for a hotdog and a Coke and pick them up at suppertime. Also gone, for the most part, is the opportunity for less-affluent kids to learn about the game by caddying.

Those were not the proverbial “good ol’ days,” at least when it came to developing junior golf. The first example was glorified babysitting for those parents fortunate enough to be members at a private club and the latter was by no means typified by the entertaining sequences in the movie Caddyshack.

In these “good new days,” there are ever-increasing opportunities for parents, golfers or not, to get their kids involved in golf and to watch them progress as far as their skill level and love of the game will take them.

Sorry, folks, but that’s the only time you’re allowed to sit back and watch. In order to introduce your kids to golf and keep them in it, it is your turn to get busy and do some homework.

1. DISCOVER JUNIOR GOLF OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO YOUR CHILD

“First and foremost, the onus is on the parents to find good programs to introduce and then to keep their kids in the game, if the child wants to do that,” says Doug Lawrie, an internationally respected junior golf instructor who is the owner and director of instruction at Focus Golf Group Academy in Burlington, Ont.

“The right program will guarantee an amazing, enriching, fun time for your child. And the instructor will be compassionate, caring, and will never forget that they are dealing with children. Ask questions, lots of questions. Ask your golfing friends, visit the golf facilities in your area. It’s an important decision.”

Finding the programming that suits your child’s specific situation is critical. “I’ve got seven-year-olds who are competing in world championships and 14-year-olds who are just taking up the game,” says Lawrie. “You can’t have a cookie-cutter approach for instruction based simply on age. You have to view each child as unique.” Lawrie’s advice is vital, and there are numerous online resources available on the Golf Canada website and through your provincial golf association.

2. LOOK FOR RECOGNIZED JUNIOR PROGRAMS IN YOUR AREA

You may be fortunate enough to live near a National Junior Golf Development Centre. A relatively new initiative, these centres (approximately 30) are located across Canada at golf facilities that are “doing all the right things,” says Dave Stockton, Golf Canada’s manager of sport development.

Conducted by specially trained PGA of Canada professionals, they offer programming for children five to 18 years old, covering everything from introduction to the game to competitive opportunities. “These centres offer a best-in-class experience, regardless of age or skill level,” says Stockton. “The instructors are committed to juniors and the centre is linked to at least one local school delivering the Golf in Schools program.”

The word “linked” comes up frequently when discussing the state of junior golf development with those leading the charge in Canada. Not only is it formalized in CN Future Links’ “Get Linked” program, wherein schools establish a relationship with a local golf facility, but it is mentioned often in reference to creating a golfing continuum for enthusiastic youngsters and their families.

“We need to build more bridges, not just between all our programs, but between golf and the community, and golf and kids and their families,” says Mike Kelly, executive director of the Golf Association of Ontario (GAO). For years, Kelly has been an innovative force in advancing the sport. For example, he was one of the instigators of what is now known as Golf in Schools, a program that involved nearly 2,800 schools across Canada last year.

“We’re missing a continuous, engaging pathway when it comes to growing the game,” says Kelly. “Why can’t a golf facility be like the local arena? You’ve got all ages and skill levels, the kids are all playing a sport they enjoy, parents are connecting with parents. We’ve got to stop living in our old golf world and start living in the real one.”

3. CONSIDER GETTING MORE INVOLVED BY BECOMING A COMMUNITY GOLF COACH

The GAO is launching a program called Building a Golf Community. The season-long pilot project, with the theme ‘Try, Learn, Play,’ is based in Barrie, Ont., and surrounding communities. The objective is to “get individuals of all ages and backgrounds playing golf and create a bridge between courses, community partners and golfers. The goal is to bring more people to the game and keep them playing for life.”

As one aspect of the initiative, several students in Georgian College’s Professional Golf Management Program will be trained in 2017 as Community Golf Coaches, under a program unveiled a year ago.

As a parent, if you want to share in your child’s golf development, you might make an ideal Community Golf Coach. This joint initiative of Golf Canada and the PGA of Canada is open to individuals who are not members of the PGA of Canada. They must complete a two-day workshop with both classroom and outdoor components to enable them to deliver the CN Future Links Learn to Play program.

As a result, they will play a vital role in supporting other volunteers and PGA of Canada members at club-level junior programs by assisting with the administration and/or delivery of the program.

“There are ideal candidates for this program right across the country,” says Glenn Cundari, the PGA of Canada’s technical director. “They are parents or other passionate people who are likely already helping out with junior programs at courses that may or may not have a PGA of Canada professional. The fact of the matter is that there just aren’t enough PGA of Canada pros to successfully engage all the kids who want to play golf, so that’s where the Community Golf Coach comes in. Let’s give them proper training and let them facilitate that first step into a lifetime of golf.”

“While some facilities view junior golf programs, camps and clinics as a hassle, theirs is a very short-sighted perspective,” says Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s chief sport officer. With the right programming, he says clubs can foster a family environment that can enhance customer acquisition and retention for years to come. “We’ve heard some great stories, clubs that went from practically zero junior members to 200 or 300.” Contingent to that success is quality instruction and appropriate pricing, of course. Engaging more golfers and new enthusiasts must take priority over a potential revenue stream.

4. SUPPORT YOUR CHILD AND THE INSTRUCTORS

Finally, parents, don’t succumb to the common pitfalls of raising children in athletics. Let the teachers teach and you specialize in being mom or dad. If you’re doing your homework and your local community’s golf facility isn’t involved in Golf in Schools or doesn’t know how to become a National Junior Golf Development Centre, ask them why not. If your local golf facility doesn’t have a junior program, find out why. Sign up to be a Community Golf Coach. Get some answers from Golf Canada, your provincial golf association or a PGA of Canada professional.

There will be a quiz later.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK

Aside from asking all the right questions, there are extensive online resources for parents who want to encourage their kids in golf. The most comprehensive is available at juniors.golfcanada.ca.

There you will be asked to enter your postal code in order to find local junior golf opportunities. There are descriptions of all Golf Canada/PGA of Canada junior programs under the categories Learn, Play and Compete.

“Learn” includes Camps and Clinics, Golf in Schools, Instruction, Girls Club, Community Golf Coach and Long-Term Player Development. “Play” covers Junior Leagues, Development Centres, CN Field Trip Program, Golf in Schools Pro Visit, Junior Memberships, Equipment and Junior Skills Challenge. “Compete” explains National Development Squad, National Junior Order of Merit, Provincial Order of Merit, Provincial Teams and Financial Assistance.

The information at learntocompete.golfcanada.ca is geared toward coaches and instructors but is of considerable value to parents who want to understand what the future may hold for their young golfer. Many communities have instructors who specialize in juniors. But before you sign your child up, do some research. Ask for references. More importantly, says Chad Rusnak, director of golf operations at the Golf Canada Calgary Centre, look for “passion, engagement and dedication. Not every instructor is suited to teach juniors. Make sure you get one who is.” His facility, one of several National Junior Golf Development Centres in Alberta, welcomes up to 500 juniors into its Learn to Play program every year.

Every province has junior tours that typically offer fun, competitive events for golfers of varying abilities and ages. A quick Google search will show you if there is one in your locale or reach out to your provincial golf association or Golf Canada for resources to enhance your junior’s golf experience.

ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL

As Doug Lawrie, recently recognized for the third straight year as one of U.S. Kids Golf top 50 junior instructors in the world, points out, “You can’t have a cookie-cutter approach for instruction based simply on age.”

But while that applies to individuals, Golf Canada and the PGA of Canada developed the Long-Term Player Development guide in conjunction with leading experts from all sectors of sports as a road map to golfing satisfaction and success. The second iteration of this leading-edge guide was released in 2015 and describes seven age-based “developmental stages of the competitive pathway” under the heading “Golf For Life: Active Start, Fundamentals, Learn to Golf, Introduction to Competition, Learn to Compete, Train to Compete and Compete to Win.” You can board and disembark this train at any point. It is not just for elite players. It is a guide for education and engagement for golfers of all ages (literally from the cradle to the grave) and all abilities. It also outlines the important role that parents, instructors, coaches and golf facilities play in the development of a golfer.

Although intended more for coaches and instructors, parents with a promising young golfer will find it educational from many perspectives, not the least of which is the comments from leading authorities on how to handle a young athlete…and how to behave as the parent of one.

Time for parents to pitch in This article was originally published in the April 2016 edition of Golf Canada Magazine. To view the full magazine, click the image to the left.

In Canada we are blessed with beautiful landscapes and a seemingly endless choice of fantastic golf courses but we have a much shorter season than most of us would like. While not ideal, this hiatus allows time in the off-season for the short-term results to be less important.

One of the best changes you can make in the winter is to your grip because of the time it takes to become comfortable. For the majority of players, a strong grip (positions not pressure) produces a right to left shape and a weaker grip produces a left to right shape. However, Hall of Fame members who were faders of the golf ball often had a strong grip, which flies directly in the face of this information.

The correct grip is much more than how many knuckles are visible and an often overlooked angle at address could be your way to have improved positions at impact. There will be some experimentation here to see what works for you and I would encourage you to work with your PGA of Canada professional to make this fast and efficient.

In these two pictures above featuring Team Canada’s Maddie Szeryk, you will see two grips (A & B) that are viewed as being strong (three knuckles clearly visible). While these two grips look similar in terms of knuckles they have the potential to produce different flights based on the angle created between the lead arm and the hands.

Now let’s look at photos C and D. The positions at the top look different (wrist angles and clubface orientation) because they have maintained the highlighted angle that was created at address. In picture C the wrist angles mirror those at address in picture A and you can see the difference between this clubface and the clubface in picture D (D is functionally more closed).

If both of these swings return the club with a relatively flat left wrist at impact (one of golf’s few non-polarizing points of instruction) then the face would point in two very different positions at impact. The face has the most influence over the start line of the ball and is critical to achieving the desired direction.

There is no universal grip that is perfect for everyone but there is one grip that works best for you. Think not only about the amount of knuckles showing but also the angle between the lead hand and the club.

As you will likely be indoors, a mirror can be your best friend in trying to recreate these positions both at address and at the top. One of these may feel very foreign to you but it may also be the key to getting your ball started in the direction you want. Practise creating the angle you desire by thinking of your normal shot type and recreating the one you need.

Get a grip This article was originally published in the April 2016 edition of Golf Canada Magazine. To view the full magazine, click the image to the left.

TAVARES, Fla. – Calgary’s Jennifer Ha won her second National Women’s Golf Association (NWGA) event on Friday at the International Club.

The 22-year-old Kent State alumna jumped out to the early lead after opening with a bogey-free 71 on Wednesday. The Team Canada graduate finished at 3-over par (71-72-76) to hang on for the two-stroke victory over Eileen Vargas of Winter Garden, Fla.

Ha led the field with 49 pars to lock up her second professional victory this season—she earned a one-stroke victory back in April at NWGA’s event hosted at the Timacuan Golf Club.

Ha’s win adds to an impressive streak of Canadian victories on the NWGA this season. Young Pro Squad’s Augusta James (Bath, Ont.) recorded two wins earlier in the year, followed by a win from Saskatchewan’s Anna Young at the end of April.

The next NWGA event takes place from May 10–12 at the Zellwood Country Club.

Click here for full scoring.

It is my privilege to serve as the chair of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame Selection Committee along with nine of my committed peers. Each of us holds great respect for the responsibility and integrity that is inherent in being connected with the Hall of Fame.

The Selection Committee, which prohibits the inclusion of any members of the Golf Canada board of directors, breaks down as follows:

• Three honoured members of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, with a minimum of two from the “Players” category;
• One representative of the PGA of Canada; and
• Six representatives of the golf industry, which may include members of the media, golf course owners, golf superintendents, club managers, volunteers, etc.

The commitment is one three-year term, to a maximum of two terms (six years in total). The names of all individuals who volunteer their time on the Selection Committee are published yearly in Golf Canada’s Annual Report. Nominations are due by July 31st of each year and can be submitted from the Canadian golf industry or from the public at large.

Once a nomination is received, staff members with the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame compile a package which includes new and carried forward nominations, all letters of endorsement, supporting documentation and a consolidated fact sheet with all of the individual’s key accomplishments and items of significant note. These packages are then distributed to all Selection Committee members. After being given two months to review the nominations, the members meet in the fall where they discuss all new and carried forward names. A February meeting is then dedicated to final discussion and voting. There is no limit to the number of nominations that the Selection Committee reviews each year.

• Each nomination is received and reviewed against criteria by the Selection Committee members.
• A nomination must receive eight of 10 available votes to be elected into the Hall of Fame.
• If within the five-year timeframe the nomination does not receive the eight votes to be elected, the individual is removed from the ballot.
• In any calendar year, a maximum of one builder and two players may be elected. This does not mean that the Hall of Fame must select an honouree every year. The Selection Committee may choose to elect no one based on nominations submitted as well as those carried over for consideration.

Although Golf Canada solely funds the administration of the Hall of Fame as well as the Canadian Golf Museum and Archives, the organization does not influence the nominations or participate in the selection process.

As with any Hall of Fame, there will always be discussion and even criticism regarding the selection process, the honourees and the unsuccessful nominations. While not all nominations put forth to the Selection Committee of the Hall of Fame are successful, this in no way should diminish the contributions of those individuals nominated and supported by their friends, family or industry peers.

I know that I speak for all of the dedicated members of the Selection Committee when I say that we will continue to ensure that the most exceptional achievers are acknowledged for their own indelible marks on the game of golf in Canada.

How the Hall of Fame works This article was originally published in the April 2016 edition of Golf Canada Magazine. To view the full magazine, click the image to the left.

Members often wonder how dues paid to Golf Canada and their provincial golf association are being invested back into the sport. More than 305,000 members comprise Canada’s largest community of golfers and their fees are invested into programs and services designed to enhance the golfer experience. Their contribution to the game is extraordinary.

Here’s a sampling of what your dues support:

• The Long-Term Player Development (LTPD) guide for Canadian golf provides golfers of all ages and abilities with a comprehensive plan to reach their competitive potential or enhance their recreational enjoyment of the game.
• In partnership with the provincial golf associations and the PGA of Canada, more than one million youngsters have participated in CN Future Links junior golf activities since 1996.
• The Golf in Schools program, designed to increase participation at the grassroots level. Launched in 2009, nearly 2,800 schools nationwide are introducing golf to students of all ages and demographics.
• In partnership with Canada’s National Allied Golf Associations, Golf Canada and the provincial golf associations are advocating to federal and provincial legislators on behalf of our member clubs and the Canadian golf industry — communicating the economic, health, tourism and charitable benefits that golf provides in communities across Canada.
• Since its inception in 2004, Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru has welcomed more than 100,000 female golfers and helped to raise more than $5.4 million in the fight against breast cancer.
• The next generation of Canadian golf stars, which is a product of world-class athlete training as well as the operation of national and provincial amateur championships. Each provides the highest level of competition and resources for Canada’s best amateur golfers of all ages.
• The CP Women’s Open and the RBC Canadian Open, which allow golf fans to experience the highest level of professional competition while inspiring our golfing youth.
• The Rules of Golf education program is available to all members online. Learn more about the game, test your skills and consider attending an in-person seminar.
• Preserving and celebrating the game, including the new online interactive map of Canadian golf through the ages at golfcanada.ca/coursehistory.

But what do I get from membership?

Your joint membership in Golf Canada and your provincial association, introduced in 1948, has always provided you with access to competitive tournaments and the opportunity to maintain an Official Handicap Factor, as well as home delivery of this magazine. But in recent years, a number of new benefits have been added to thank you for your support:

New Score Posting Experiences

The Golf Canada smartphone scoring app provides players with an easy way to track their stats, post scores and keep track of their golfing history. The new mobile-friendly site provides a variety of new features with more coming throughout the season.

Golf Equipment Identification System

Losing your golf equipment can certainly cut into your enjoyment of the game. The new Golf Equipment Identification System is designed to reunite golfers with equipment that has been left behind on the course. Protect your gear by ordering your membership card.

Rewards for playing golf and posting scores

Through the generosity of partners such as TaylorMade-adidas and others, members are eligible to win prizes with every score posted to the Golf Canada Score Centre. In 2015 more than 600 prizes, such as equipment, merchandise and achievement bag tags, were awarded.

Check out the full list on the benefits tab next time you log in to the Score Centre or visit golfcanada.ca/join.

Thank you for being a member!

Investing in our game This article was originally published in the April 2016 edition of Golf Canada Magazine. To view the full magazine, click the image to the left.

UXBRIDGE — Golf Ontario is pleased to announce the launch of a new Ontario Junior Ranking system. The new system features numerous changes from previous years including: the inclusion of results from all partner regional and national junior tours, updated points allocation for junior events meeting minimum standards, and an updated placing points allocation chart for different field sizes and competition types.

The Golf Ontario Junior Ranking system is structured with events that are categorized into maximum point values according to competition scope, length of event and relative strength of field.  Point distribution for a given event will vary based on the total number of players in the field.

For 2016, the Golf Ontario Junior Ranking will include eligible events from April 30 to August 31. The top eight points scored will count towards the player’s respective age division 2016 Golf Ontario Ranking.   Public rankings will be maintained for Junior, Juvenile, and Bantam age divisions.

A key feature of the new system allows players to play ‘up’ an age division in events where separate recognized age divisions are contested, while still scoring points across all age divisions they are eligible for.  This will better support players finding events that are best suited for their competitive needs, without sacrificing potential placement on their age-eligible season rankings.

In order to be eligible for the 2016 Golf Ontario Junior Ranking, players must be a permanent resident of Ontario, holding a valid OHIP card; be a member in good standing of Golf Ontario at a minimum level of a bronze membership; and have unquestioned status as an amateur golfer.

For junior tours to be partners on the Junior Rankings System they must sign on as partners with Golf Ontario, and adhere to the Golf Ontario ‘Tour Standards’.  A list of recognized Golf Ontario Junior Tour partners will be maintained on the Golf Ontario website.   Partner tours will receive marketing and operational support from Golf Ontario.

“This an important day for Junior golf in Ontario.  After years of work by Junior tour operators, and a workforce led by Mary Ann Hayward, we are now in a position to welcome all of our Regional and National Junior Tour partners into the Golf Ontario competitive pathway.   We know it takes great experiences at every stage of an athlete’s development to allow them to reach their fullest potential.  The new rankings system and partnership with the Regional Junior Tours will help Golf Ontario better promote and celebrate these experiences.” said Golf Ontario High Performance Director, Andrew Moss.

More information about the new Junior Ranking system can be found on Golf Ontario’s website at: https://gao.ca/new-junior-rankings

Golf’s Long-Term Player Development (LTPD) guide encompasses all aspects of athlete progression—from early childhood through to adulthood. The framework is at the core of Golf Canada’s mission to develop players that can compete at the highest level within the sport.

While serving as a measurement tool for performance, the LTPD guide also focuses on continued efforts to foster life-long engagement with the sport. The 2015 release of the guide’s second iteration elevated the experience for those that utilize the guide by incorporating new interactive elements to separate it from its earlier version (released in 2006).

In addition to the printed document, the LTPD guide is offered through a mobile app, available for free on the app store. To compliment the mobile experience, LTPD also streamlined its own dedicated web portal, providing instant access to up-to-date research and insightful video interviews from industry experts and professionals.

Although specifically targeted at golf professionals, athletes and parents, LTPD also contains valuable information for Golf Course Owners and Superintendents.

Click here to download the mobile app.

Augusta National is the carrot. The Masters Tournament, United States Golf Association (USGA) and PGA of America dangle it like a winning lottery ticket, like a sweepstakes for junior-aged golfers and their families.

Can you blame them? Having Augusta as the centrepiece of America’s Drive, Chip & Putt initiative helps make it the junior golf development windfall it has become. That and Golf Channel providing tour-level coverage, players in the Masters field and Augusta National members handing out medals, and finalists invited to stay over for Monday’s Masters practice round.

Let’s not kid ourselves (apologies for the pun): This is a juggernaut. As a grassroots development platform, the Drive, Chip & Putt profile has no equal. It’s unparalleled.

But it wasn’t the first. From a curriculum standpoint it might not even be best.

Five years before Drive, Chip & Putt, there was the Junior Skills Challenge. Ever heard of it? CN sponsors the program. Golf Canada administers it. The PGA of Canada and provincial golf associations deliver it.

The Canadian version actually uses a fourth category — iron play — to join putting, chipping and driving as the skills pillars. Regional qualifiers are held across the country with winners converging at Glen Abbey GC the Saturday prior to the start of the RBC Canadian Open for the finals. Up to $500 in travel subsidies are available. Did I mention Acushnet Canada provides qualifiers with more than $300 worth of prizing? Not bad, right?

“The national finals during RBC Canadian Open week is a wonderful stage for these talented kids,” says Scott Simmons, Golf Canada’s CEO. “It’s an inspirational and exciting atmosphere for them and their families.”

Wait, there’s more. On Sunday, kids participate in a nine-hole Golf Canada Junior Open tournament after the skills finals. They also get an opportunity to walk with a PGA Tour pro during the Wednesday pro-am and attend junior clinics. The clinics are hosted by Team Canada Young Pro squad members during RBC Canadian Open practice round days.

“This program is community-based. Families do not need to invest significant money to travel to regional qualifiers and PGA of Canada professionals represent the front-line delivery for these quality golf experiences. What separates our Skills Challenge is the depth and quality of the CN Future Links program in its entirety. It really is an exciting platform to motivate Canada’s junior golfers,” adds Simmons.

Look, I’m not here to apologize for being a proponent of Drive, Chip & Putt. It’s an amazing program. Canadians sign up and a few have even gone on to compete at Augusta. Simmons says discussions are ongoing about CN Future Links Junior Skills Challenge one day becoming a qualifier for it.

“They (USGA & PGA of America) certainly recognize the quality of our program up here,” he says. “I think there is strong potential to somehow align Junior Skills Challenge with Drive, Chip & Putt in the near future.”

Until then, however, I need to pay better attention to my own backyard. Truth is, CN Future Links Junior Skills Challenge has, rather quietly, been quite a success story in this country. Last year 3,400 kids signed up at cnfuturelinks.com to try qualifying at 168 regional events, a year-over-year increase of 28 more sites from 2014. Of those 3,400 juniors involved, 40 per cent were ages nine to 11. That’s a key target demographic Golf Canada is trying to engage. It’s promising and it bodes well for the game’s future.

For kids who participate in the CN Future Links Junior Skills Challenge there’s plenty of motivation and reasons to take part.

No, the Jack Nicklaus-designed Glen Abbey is not Augusta and the RBC Canadian Open will never be confused with the Masters. But that’s okay.

They’re still great carrots.

Canada’s Drive, Chip & Putt This article was originally published in the April 2016 edition of Golf Canada Magazine. To view the full magazine, click the image to the left.

CALGARY – Today, WestJet and Canadian Pacific revealed a mother’s day video celebrating Canadian golf idols, Lorie Kane and Brooke Henderson, and the love they have for their mothers. Journey to the LPGA: #LoveMom witnesses the unconditional love between mother and daughter and inspires the golfers to thank and recognize the one person who’s been with them every step of the way to the top – mom.

“As the official airline sponsor for the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open (CPWO), we watch many moms walk the golf course cheering for, consoling and guiding their daughters,” said Richard Bartrem, WestJet Vice-President, Marketing Communications. “The idea for the video comes from this journey, and the connection and experience that we all have with our moms or with someone who is like a mom. We believe that connecting people and creating amazing experiences is truly the core of our brand. Journey to the LPGA: #LoveMom will inspire people to think of how they can connect with their own mom and make the day extra special.”

“Being a professional golfer is an intense physical, mental and emotional journey – a journey one doesn’t take alone,” said Mark Wallace, CP Vice-President, Corporate Affairs. “Through this video we celebrate the journey taken by these professional golfers, their families and their moms. We look forward to their arrival at the destination, the 2016 CPWO, to be held in Calgary this summer.”

“It has been a thrill to watch Lorie go from the Belvedere Golf and Country Club in Charlottetown all the way to the LPGA Tour and now the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame,” said Lorie Kane’s mother, Marilyn Kane. “Participating in this video shoot has been an emotional and surreal experience for me. As I reflect on Lorie’s tremendous career and the important role family has played in it, I am truly proud beyond words.”

WestJet and Canadian Pacific invite individuals to follow Lorie and Brooke’s lead in saying thanks to their moms by posting their favourite “mom” memory for a chance to take their mom to the CPWO. Enter by either commenting on the official video on the WestJet Facebook page or using the #LoveMom hashtag and sharing a link to the video on Twitter. Eligible entries have a chance to get closer to the game and win two tickets and an exclusive “Inside the Ropes” experience to the CPWO in Calgary this summer. Winners from outside Calgary will receive flights and accommodations. The contest runs May 3 to May 8, 2016. Please visit the WestJet blog for full contest rules and regulations.

Journey to the LPGA: #LoveMom is the first WestJet video to be released featuring Lorie and Brooke. WestJet and Canadian Pacific teamed up with creative agency, studio m, to create the video ahead of the CPWO taking place at Priddis Greens Golf and Country Club near Calgary, August 22 to 28, 2016. Tickets to the tournament can be purchased at cpwomensopen.com.

Growing up in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., Brent McLaughlin never imagined he’d be the maestro behind Canada’s national championships. “It still doesn’t really compute in my brain that I’m doing it,” he admits. That’s because 20 years ago he walked onto the grounds of Glen Abbey and begged anybody he could find for a job. Ascending up through the maintenance staff, into the pro shop, and then the Golf Canada (nee RCGA) offices after a brief stop at the Golf Association of Ontario, the tournament director for the men’s and women’s national opens has made the most of his opportunity.

Golf Canada Magazine: What is the daily routine of a tournament director?

Brent McLaughlin: It’s so many things and yet, I don’t really do anything. All I do is answer questions. The real doers are the sales and marketing folks in our office and our operations team. I kind of sit there and I steer the ship. I try to make sure the people that are really doing the work have strong direction, can share ideas and feel supported when they make decisions. It is just such a great job because on top of it all, when you’re planning for a great party, I still get to have the conversations with player agents and players to entice them and their families. What do these players need when they get here? What type of car do they need? Are they bringing their family with them? What do their kids want to do? It’s just such a wide variety. To say there’s one thing I focus on each day is crazy and that’s what makes this job so great. There’s so many things every day that come up.

How does that change during tournament week?

Tournament week is actually the best week because hopefully you’ve planned everything correctly — if you screwed something up, it’s too late to fix it. So our stressful time, believe it or not, is the three months leading up to July. Once we’re into July we’re hopefully in a state where you’re just wishing for good weather and a great finish. Tournament week we’re there at 4:30 in the morning. We don’t usually leave the property until 11 o’clock at night. And our 1,500 volunteers, they’re doing the same hours and it’s amazing. You go into the volunteer centre at 5:30 in the morning and it’s jam-packed.

What’s your biggest challenge?

Space. To find space, not only on-site but off-site, to run these events is a huge challenge. When I look at parking, for example, how do we park so many cars? For the men, we have to park 10,000 vehicles in a town (Oakville, Ont., where Glen Abbey is located) that’s continually growing. I think on-site, golf continues to grow. It’s such a huge sport and our TV compound has changed drastically over the last couple years. The square-footage for our TV compound has basically quadrupled in size. Fitting all those little jigsaw pieces into the property at Glen Abbey or any golf course is a huge challenge. On top of that, what everybody talks about: the date. Especially this year, you’re sandwiched between the British Open and the PGA Championship so two majors. That’s a huge challenge, the field. But I always keep saying whenever I talk to the media or anybody, this event can’t be solely about the field and it can’t be about the date. This is a party. It was a party last year. I go to the Players Championship every year, as a rules official for 10 years and now as a tournament director to talk to players. I go to 16-17-18 and their hospitality areas. Rest assured, nobody is watching golf. It’s just like the Waste Management (Open in Phoenix) — no one is watching golf. They’re there because it’s the place to be. It’s a party, they’re socializing, they’re networking, they’re doing a million different things but they don’t know who’s on the tee necessarily or who’s hitting shots. That’s my vision for our Open.

Is there anything you really want to do but haven’t figured out how to pull off?

I would love to take the 14th hole down in the valley and on the far left side, where there’s a gravel access road, I’d love to pump in a bunch of sand and make that a beach. Have people go down and change into their bathing suits, grab a beach towel and lie in the sun. You’ve got your feet in the water, catching some rays watching the golfers play through. I’m also trying to get a five-kilometre race off the ground. The golf course is closed the week before. I’d love to do a road race through the golf course, a 5k where you come in and get a ticket to the Open the following week but now you get to run the golf course. There are so many runners in the community — in Oakville and across the Halton region — you call it the Par 5k and away you go. For a lot of people that may not be golfers and may not have seen what goes on in there, now you run the course and you’re connected to it and you realize this is a big thing, there is a lot of infrastructure.

What’s been your biggest surprise since taking on the job?

The spring of last year I visited four or five different events and started talking to players (about why they did or didn’t play the RBC Canadian Open) and the one thing that was the common theme I heard from every player was that when you come to Canada you never know you’re in Canada. They said it looks like every other PGA Tour event. When I came back I said we’re going to bring the Canadiana back to the Canadian Open. So when you stood on No. 18 tee and looked down, the only thing you could see was the Canadian flag. I think we need more than that.

How about the craziest problem you’ve had to navigate?

On Sunday last year, when David Hearn’s group came out of the valley off 15, I remember getting a call from Barry Hughes, who’s a sergeant with Halton Police and oversees our policing. He called me and said, ‘We got a lot of people coming up from the valley. There’s nowhere for them to go.’ There had to be nearly 5,000 people who couldn’t go down 16, they couldn’t go down 17, they couldn’t go down 18. So we brought everybody around the back of 17 and 18 tee and allowed them to walk the driving range for the first time ever just to get the flow going. So we had to re-rope basically the entire three holes on the fly. As everybody was watching play, we’re freaking out about re-roping people to get them out and back to the spectator village. So that was chaotic and quite a scene.

Biggest difference setting up the Men’s Open vs. Women’s Open?

There’s a few more moving parts on the Men’s Open. One notable difference is from a courtesy-car standpoint. Traditionally on the LPGA Tour we’ll dole out about 20 courtesy cars to the top players but for the RBC Canadian Open, through our relationship with BMW, every player gets a car. So that’s 156 moving parts right there off the top. From an infrastructure standpoint, the Men’s Open is just a bigger animal. It has more spectators on site, more corporate hospitality options so the footprint on site is larger, as far as your build goes. With the CP Women’s Open, we’re building around 16, 17 and 18 for our hospitality.

Fact or fiction: The LPGA Tour players are easier to deal with than the PGA Tour players.

That’s probably 90 per cent fact. The women are very engaging, they understand it’s a big deal. They all have their moments as professional athletes so I wouldn’t say easier but maybe a little more available.

What’s the best compliment you’ve received from a player regarding the CP Women’s Open?

I think every player that I’ve spoken to on the women’s side believes it’s a major. They treat it like a major even though it’s not a major in name. It’s the largest purse they play for outside of the majors so I think that has a lot to do with it. Last year, including the majors, we were the strongest event on tour. We had 96 of the top 100 players. We’re the event after the Olympics this year and every single person I talked to said, ‘We will not miss the Women’s Open. We don’t care when the Olympics is.’ So that’s a telling statement that they’ll turn out in Calgary and how important the event is.

What are your thoughts on the possible development of Glen Abbey?

From a personal standpoint, it’s a huge part of my life. I would be devastated. Devastated not to have that as a golf course and not to have it as a place to drive into every day. It’s much deeper than just the Open. It goes back to my days in the golf shop and riding the shuttle and picking the range. It’s also our office plus the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame & Museum. There’s a lot of things that go on outside of the RBC Canadian Open but from a purely personal standpoint, I want it to stay a golf course.

Some personal stuff: What inspired you to buy your ice fishing trailer?

I love my outdoors. I love my alone time. I love hunting. Fishing is one of my huge hobbies too but I hate being cold. So I started thinking what I could do to make this a more comfortable experience. I went on Kijiji and looked for a camper. I found an old, beat up 15-foot Prowler camper. I tore it apart inside, put a wood stove in it and it’s got room for five or six people pretty comfortably. It’s got three fishing holes and once you get the wood stove going, it is incredible how hot it is. You can fish in your underwear if you want.

What’s the biggest fish you’ve caught?

Biggest fish I’ve caught would be a halibut in B.C. It was a small halibut for its size but big for me, about 80 pounds. But the most prized fish I’ve caught is one just outside Sault Ste. Marie (Ontario) in Echo Bay. I caught an 11-pound walleye and as I reeled it in, I said to myself this is going to cost me money now. It goes from being a prized fish to being an expensive fish real quick. To get the taxidermy and put it on the wall was something else but it was a beautiful fish.

You drove your motorcycle cross-country last summer. What kind of bike is it and does it have a name?

(Laughs) It does not have a name although after we bonded coming back from Seattle after the CP Women’s Open at The Vancouver Golf Club it should have a name. I was telling my wife that I wanted to upgrade the bike and then I drove it back from out west and as soon as I got home I said I’ll never get rid of that bike. It’s a 2004 Dyna Low Rider. The bike’s originally from Texas and it’s in miles, which screws me up all the time.

How much golf do you play?

Last year I had the good fortune of playing in the RBC Heritage pro-am with Ian Poulter. That was my last round of golf. Never touched a club after April. Now, 80 per cent of that is my own fault because I have other interests outside of the game. But I need to get back in that mindset of playing more.

What would you be doing if you weren’t in golf?

Growing up I always wanted to be a fireman. I went to school at Seneca College for Fire Science and I think if I wasn’t a fireman, I really see myself in some other sport. Hockey’s my passion, I’m a huge Philadelphia Flyers fan. My bar downstairs is painted orange and black. It’s got all kinds of Flyers memorabilia. My dog’s named Philly. The dog before that was named Tocchet, after my favourite player Rick Tocchet. Anybody that knows me knows that I’m obsessed so it’d definitely be something in hockey.

The Party Planner This article was originally published in the April 2016 edition of Golf Canada Magazine. To view the full magazine, click the image to the left.