Relentless rain in Chase, B.C., on Thursday forced the 2015 British Columbia Golf Mid-Amateur and Mid-Master Championship to be shortened to a 36-hole competition.

After the final round of play at Talking Rock Golf Club was cancelled due to the weather conditions, Jordan Belton was crowned the British Columbia Mid-Amateur Champion and Lance Lundy was awarded the Mid-Master title.

“The course was unplayable. There was excessive water in the fairways,” said Susan White, Senior Manager, Field Operations for British Columbia Golf. “To have played would have not been good for the course or the players.”

White and her tournament team surveyed the course just before 6 a.m. and deemed it unplayable shortly after. The respective leaders were then awarded their provincial titles at a presentation ceremony Thursday morning.

The British Columbia Mid-Amateur is for players aged 25 and older while the Mid-Master is for players aged 40 and older.

The Vancouver Golf Club’s Jordan Belton won the Mid-Amateur title and the Hans Swinton Trophy, with a score of 1-over-par 143. Two strokes behind, in a tie for second place were Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club’s Patrick Weeks and Tobiano Golf Club’s Adam Kernan.

Big Sky Golf’s Lance Lundy won the Mid-Master title, with a winning score of 2-over-par 146 besting Fraser Valley Zone 3’s Mark Heinrich and Point Grey Golf & Country Club’s James Decker by one stroke.

The team comprising of Belton, Weeks and Kernan will represent British Columbia at the 2015 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, being held Aug. 25-28 at the Abercrombie Golf Club in New Glasgow, N.S.

“It’s not the way you ever want to win, but I’ll take it,” said Belton. “A win’s a win. It feels good.”

Belton, who was playing his second Mid-Amateur after finishing 12th last year, credited his trainer, Nick Mueller of Innovative Fitness for helping him to get into better shape. He joined the Vancouver Golf Club giving him the opportunity to play a lot more golf.

“Nick has really worked with me and in the last year, I’ve been out playing about twice a week,” said Belton, who works in the financial investments industry. “My wife started a home décor business and that’s given me more time to golf. It’s also great that with my work, I have the flexibility to get out and golf with clients and mingle with prospective clients.”

Lance Lundy also had mixed feelings about winning the Mid-Master after the final round cancellation.

“It’s unfortunate we weren’t able to play the final round,” said Lundy. “I knew there was a lot of standing water yesterday and with all the rain that’s come down since, there wasn’t much more the course could take. Nobody likes to win like this, but you take what you’re given. It would have been nice to have the opportunity to make a move toward winning the Mid-Am, but it was fun coming out to play with the guys and give these young guys a run for their money.”

There was also a “Best-Ball Competition” where players may make up their own 2-man teams from the field. This championship is a best-ball conducted over 54-holes but was also shortened due to the weather conditions.

The winners of the Best-Ball Competition were Norm Bradley and Lance Lundy. In second place was the team of Daniel Brown and Bryan Toth and in third place were Tyson Burch and Jay Snyder.

The 2016 British Columbia Golf Mid-Amateur and Mid-Master will be contested at the Nanaimo Golf Club in Naniamo, B.C.

For full results from the 2015 British Columbia Golf Mid-Am and Mid-Master, please click here.

Golf Canada in partnership with title sponsor CN announced today that the CN Future Links Junior Skills Challenge National Event will be hosted at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont. on Saturday, July 18^th leading into the 2015 RBC Canadian Open.

Now in its seventh season, the CN Future Links Junior Skills Challenge National Event brings together Canada’s 24 top-scoring juniors in a competition that showcases putting, chipping, iron and driving skills on the national stage.

Delivered by Golf Canada in partnership with the PGA of Canada, CN Future Links Junior Skills Challenges are conducted throughout the year by facilities running CN Future Links programming across Canada. Scores from each Junior Skills Challenge are submitted online to a national leaderboard, from which top qualifiers are selected prior to the June 22^nd deadline. Participants from six different age groups will be invited as follows:

• Girls 11 and under (5 players)
• Boys 11 and under (5 players)
• Girls 12 to 14 (4 players)
• Boys 12 to 14 (4 players)
• Girls 15 to 18 (3 players)
• Boys 15 to 18 (3 players)

For Golf Canada Chief Sport Officer Jeff Thompson, hosting the CN Future Links Junior Skills Challenge leading into the RBC Canadian Open will bring a heightened level of excitement for juniors looking to qualify for the National Event.

“CN Future Links Junior Skills Challenge is an exciting platform to motivate junior golfers to want to improve both personally and against their peers across four fundamentally important areas of golf skill development,” said Thompson. “We are excited to host the National Event this year on the same grounds as the RBC Canadian Open just days before PGA TOUR stars vie for our National Open title.”

The winners of the CN Future Links Skills Challenge National Event in the boys and girls 15-18 age groups will receive an exemption into their local CN Future Links Championship in 2016. All other attending participants of the CN Future Links Junior Skills National Event will receive prizing courtesy of Titleist Footjoy.

“The CN Future Links Junior Skills Challenge is an excellent part of the entire CN Future Links suite of programs, of which PGA of Canada members are proud leaders in the delivery in the program,” said Gary Bernard, PGA of Canada CEO. “The partnership between the PGA of Canada and Golf Canada continues to grow, thus ensuring the continued growth of developing world-class programs for golf in this country.”

To celebrate the event being hosted for the first time leading into the RBC Canadian Open, junior participants will also have the opportunity to test the storied Glen Abbey layout in an exciting match play format on Sunday, July 19^th prior to tournament week. Following that, junior participants will be provided weekly grounds passes and have an opportunity to be involved in Monday’s Pro-Am and secure a spot in Wednesday’s CN Future Links Walk with a Pro event during the Wednesday Pro-Am.

The Junior Skills Challenge is one of many program elements from the CN Future Links family of programming, dedicated to promoting the active, health and safety values of golf.

Current CN Future Links programming includes the Learn to Play program as well as mobile clinics, PGA Jr. League, Girls Club, Field Trip and the CN Future Links Championships. As part of its investment in Canadian junior golf, CN is also a proud supporter of Golf in Schools.

In 2014, CN Future Links junior golf activities were conducted at 455 golf facilities with more than 7,000 juniors registered in the Learn to Play program. In addition, 160 golf facilities took part in the Junior Skills Challenge running more than 3,200 juniors through qualifying events. More than 56,000 youngsters participated in more than 1,200 mobile golf clinics across the country. Since 2006, more than 1.2 million children have been introduced to golf through the CN Future Links program.

To learn more about how to qualify for the 2015 CN Future Links Junior Skills Challenge National Event, click here.

Get the feeling sometimes that weather forecasters are conspiring to keep us off the golf course?

Larry David thinks so.

David, the man who created the iconic Seinfeld TV series, put forth a conspiracy theory about this topic on his show Curb Your Enthusiasm: The local weatherman intentionally predicts rain so he can have the golf course to himself.

While that is stretching it a bit, there is a dark secret, a documented phenomenon, in weather forecasting. Its devastating impact on participation in outdoor activities such as golf is terrifying.

It is the dastardly “wet bias.”

Well known within the forecasting fraternity for years, it was publicly outed in Nate Silver’s 2012 book The Signal and The Noise.

“This phenomenon is commonly known as a ‘wet bias’, where weather forecasters will err toward predicting more rain than there really is. After all, we all take notice when forecasters say there won’t be rain and it ends up raining but when they predict rain and it ends up not raining, we’ll shrug it off and count ourselves lucky. The worst part is the performance of local TV meteorologists. These guys consistently over-predict rain so much that it’s difficult to place much confidence in their forecasts at all.”

Since 1998, Jeff Hutcheson has been a gregarious and peripatetic mainstay of CTV’s Canada AM crew. He’s a longtime avid golfer and while he can regularly be seen describing the national forecast to viewers across the country on weekday mornings, he is quick to point out he is not a meteorologist at all, much less a member of Silver’s despised “local TV” species. He’s a “presenter,” so don’t shoot the messenger, he pleads.

Unlike the fictional weatherman on Curb Your Enthusiasm (“I assure you I have never intentionally predicted rain so I could have the course to myself,” he says), Hutcheson wants to see full tee sheets, especially on tourism-dependent Prince Edward Island where he now lives.

“One of the major problems is that people don’t realize that each little area can be its own eco-system,” he says. “For example, in P.E.I., if it’s raining in Charlottetown, it might be sunny in Cavendish [about 40 kilometres away] where they are thinking about going to golf, but they won’t go because they think it’s raining there, too. You can’t look at the regional forecast and believe that applies to every place within that region.” Hutcheson says most forecasts (prominently including those “local TV” talking heads) are necessarily generalized because of time constraints and people should visit the Environment Canada web site for more detailed information. (Canada AM gets its meteorological data from Environment Canada.)

Chris Scott, who most definitely is a meteorologist, agrees with Hutcheson. Scott, chief meteorologist for The Weather Network, fudges a bit when asked about the existence of the infamous wet bias, but understands the frustrations of golfers and golf courses when it comes to weather forecasts.

He wants us to understand there are frustrations among his colleagues as well. “The science of weather is as complex as any science out there, but we all ‘live’ the weather. We don’t ‘live’ nuclear physics. In general, people won’t make the effort to dig down for the specific details. They want a yes or no answer. Will it rain or won’t it? The weather is full of probabilities, chances, risk. As forecasters, we have to do a better job of communicating to the public.”

To that end, Scott has met with representatives from the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) Canada. “We are always evaluating the way we present the weather and trying to educate the public on how to better identify what the forecast is for their specific location. We want to be as helpful and reliable as we possibly can be.”

Many in the golf industry see this from a totally different perspective.

“We keep asking local radio stations to present the weather in a more positive way,” says Mary-Pat Quilty, Director of Golf at Settlers’ Ghost Golf Club, located in one of Canada’s most popular tourist regions just outside Barrie, Ont. “If there’s a 30-per-cent chance it will rain, there’s a 70-per-cent chance it won’t, but all people hear is the word ‘rain.’” The reliability of five-day forecasts is questionable (and empirical data concurs), she says, but a negative forecast early in the week translates into a spotty tee sheet and significant loss of prime-time revenue on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. “The impact of that forecast, not just on golf courses, but on every tourism-based business, is enormous,” Quilty says. Especially during our all-too-brief Canadian golf season.

“Radar Rob” concurs with Quilty. In real life, he is Rob Howell, General Manager of the Metcalfe Golf Club near Ottawa. His alter ego (@RadarRob1 on Twitter) was borne out of his belief he could more accurately predict the weather than local forecasters. Perusing local radar, he soon proved his point and customers were calling the course for his opinion over that of the “official” prognosticators. YouTube videos and even a challenge to the local forecasters that involved the loser playing golf in some fancy underwear followed. (You can read about it here.)

“Radar Rob began to track the weatherman’s forecast against his forecast, the actual conditions and revenue,” Howell wrote in an article in Golf Business magazine. “The results were staggering. Over a five-day period in May [2014] where we only received 1 mm of rain, our revenue dropped by over 50 per cent on the three days the forecast was incorrect.” Howell’s, er, Radar Rob’s predictions for those same five days were almost spot on.

In the spring of 2014, Howell writes, “Ottawa went through a stretch of the worst weather forecasting I have ever seen. For example, on Friday, May 9, in Ottawa, it was 26 degrees and sunny. However, the forecast was for showers and thundershowers. That day, Metcalfe had 34 paid green fees; other courses in the city reported four, eight and even zero paid rounds.”

NGCOA Canada hears Quilty and Howell and their weather-sensitive peers in the golf industry loud and clear. Their new Weather Position Statement has four major objectives:

1. To minimize the detrimental effect of weather forecasts on golf rounds played.
2. To encourage weather forecasting agencies and media to provide golf-specific forecasts within their general weather forecasts.
3. To support NGCOA Canada golf courses with credible consultation that assists their communications with local media and golfers.
4. To increase golfer awareness of the true realities of weather impact on their golf.

To that end, the NGCOA has some recommendations for media reporting on the weather. These include:

• Probability of precipitation should be expressed as a positive percentage rather than negative, i.e., “70-per-cent chance of no rain” instead of “30-per-cent chance of rain”.
• Precipitation should be expressed with start and stop times; i.e., “the chance of rain will be until 10 a.m., no rain forecasted for the rest of the day.”
• Intensity of precipitation should be related to golfer impact; i.e., “chance of light rain shouldn’t interfere with your golf game.”
• Coverage of precipitation should be related to golfer impact; i.e., “isolated showers should miss most golf courses.”
• All visual media should display more positive graphics icons; i.e., partly sunny with over 50-per-cent chance of no rain should display large sun, small cloud, no rain drops.
• Golf forecasts should be restricted to 24-hour lead time, to maintain high accuracy.
• Web and mobile distribution should be geo-positioned to provide very localized one-kilometre grids for golf forecasts, generating unique weather for every golf course.
• All forecasts should be updated no less frequently than hourly.

In the final analysis, predicting the weather is a complicated and inexact science. Despite all their education and experience, forecasters remain at the mercy of a capricious, cruel and, often, unpredictable master. They are also at the mercy of an impatient and less than understanding audience. Golfers may not want to hear this, but a large part of the onus is on us to do our homework, not just look at the “probability of precipitation” percentage or some cartoonish icon.

Some thoughts from

Here are some tips from Craig Loughry, Golf Canada’s Director of Course Rating and Handicapping, a true all-season golfer

1. Think local to where you are playing, not where you live. Many golfers drive 40 to 50 kilometres to play and the weather can certainly be different.
2. If the forecast says there’s an 80-per-cent chance of rain, check the amount of precipitation expected. If it’s one to five millimetres, real golfers shouldn’t care. That’s a light shower, a softening of the greens, thank you!
3. Dress appropriately. New high-tech gear allows you to enjoy golf in cold, heat, or rain. For example, this year adidas has introduced a three-layer concept to cover most eventualities: a “climachill” shirt with woven titanium fibres that draw heat away from the body for ventilation and evaporation of sweat for cooling comfort and small aluminum dots on the back of the neck create an instant cooling sensation against skin; a “climaheat” pullover with fabric that insulates heat generated by the golfer’s body and traps it within the hollow fibres to deliver sustained warmth, without restricting movement; and a “climaproof” jacket designed to withstand the roughest elements without sacrificing flexibility, comfort and range of motion during play.
4. Check radar and look at the pattern of flow.
5. Check hour-by-hour forecasts.

There are some great apps, says Loughry, like Weather Underground and MyRadar. If you’re going “old school” on your desktop, he suggests Environment Canada.

The Weather Network has also come out with a couple of helpful additions: their start-stop precipitation app and videos on their web site www.theweathernetwork.com in which meteorologists explain how to better interpret the weather probabilities in your specific area.

The PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada returns to Arizona this November.

Verrado Golf Club, located just west of Phoenix in Buckeye, Ariz., plays host to the national championship Nov. 15-18.

“We’re very excited to be headed back to Arizona and even more excited to be going to Verrado Golf Club the PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada,” said PGA of Canada president Constant Priondolo. “Last year was a great success with a full field in Arizona and we expect the same this year.”

Situated in the foothills of the White Tank Mountains, crafted by PGA Tour star Tom Lehman and US Amateur Champion John Fought, the Verrado Golf Club is a spectacular course stretching to over 7,200 yards featuring stunning views, snug box canyons, and considerable elevation changes.

“We’re proud to say that Verrado Golf Club is one of Arizona’s finest championship golf facilities,” said Verrado’s sales & marketing director Doug Foss. “Verrado has been among the top 15 on GolfWeek’s ‘Best Courses You Can Play’ for four years running and most recently made it to the No. 5 spot on the ‘2015 Arizona’ list.”

In 2014, Matt Peavoy captured the PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada, outlasting Scott Allred in a playoff. The 35-year-old put together rounds of 72-74-69 for a three-day total of 2-over-par 215 at the challenging SunRidge Canyon Golf Club.

Former champions of the PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada include Danny King, Adam Chamberlain, Roger Beale, Norm Jarvis, Gar Hamilton, Bob Panasik, Yvan Beauchemin, Graham Gunn, Ken Tarling and Brian Hutton.

In addition to competing for the overall championship trophy, players in the PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada earn much-coveted ranking points with hopes of moving up on the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC. Players who are ranked inside the top 64 following the PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada earn invites into the following year’s PGA Championship of Canada sponsored by Mr. Lube and presented by TaylorMade-adidas Golf.

The Inter-Zone Team Championship, which is comprised of four players per zone (and three scores per team counting), is also handed out after 36-holes.

“Initially, we simply wanted to get more women involved in golf. We knew that there was about a 3:1 participation difference in men and women playing the game, and we felt the need to create a platform specifically for women that would be appealing and motivate more of them to play. So out of that, Golf Fore the Cure was born.” – Jeff Thompson, Chief Sport Officer, Golf Canada

That was 12 years ago. In 2006, Golf Canada partnered with the Canadian Cancer Society to support the Society’s fight against breast cancer. Since then, Golf Fore the Cure has become Golf Canada’s signature charity event, raising over $4 million for the Society’s breast cancer research and support programs. From east to west and as far north as the Northwest Territories, thousands of female golfers have been making a huge difference in the lives of Canadians affected by breast cancer, one round at a time.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Golf Canada’s partnership with the Society and, as in previous years, the company expects to see more women participating in the program.

“While the philanthropic focus of the program underpins its success, we haven’t lost sight of the goal of getting more women to play golf,” says Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s Chief Sport Officer. “In fact, more women playing translates into even more funds generated for breast cancer research, awareness and support. This year, our goal is for 14,000 women to raise $500,000. Ten years championing such a worthy cause is quite remarkable. It also says a lot about the mutuality of the relationship we share with the Canadian Cancer Society. And, of course, the support of Subaru as presenting sponsor of the program cannot be overstated. Subaru is as passionate about health and well-being as both Golf Canada and the Society are. And so seeing an alignment in terms of shared values, they ‘came out swinging’ from the outset.”

Golf Fore the Cure has grown from just over 50 events in 2006 to nearly 180 in 2014. Each year, site coordinators invest many hours in planning, coordinating and hosting local golf events. Eleanor Rudd, of Southside Golf Course in Manitoba, speaks fondly of her experience as a Golf Fore the Cure site coordinator. “It’s fun and inspiring and a wonderful opportunity to do something good for others. You get to reconnect with old friends, meet new ones and have a good time golfing and raising money for a cause that is dear to so many women. It’s a lot of work to plan and run an event but Golf Canada makes it easy by providing all the tools you need to be successful.”

While the women who participate get involved for various reasons, they share a common goal of defeating breast cancer. Their hard work and dedication has had a tremendous impact on the scientific world and on the lives of thousands of Canadian women, their families, friends and caregivers in communities across Canada. Take, for example, the 5-year survival rate for breast cancer, which today stands at 88%. This is a significant improvement over survival rates in the 1980s of just over 70%.

While we celebrate this achievement, some types of the disease – such as triple negative breast cancer – remain hard to treat. Dr Shawn Li, of Western University in London, Ontario, is studying ways to overcome chemotherapy resistance in women with triple negative breast cancer. His work, funded by the Society, could lead to better outcomes for these women.

“I’m extremely grateful to the Canadian Cancer Society for funding my research with an Innovation Grant,” says Dr Li. “While, in general, survival rates for breast cancer are high, it’s important to focus on a breast cancer that is more difficult to treat and affects many young women.”

Golf Canada – and all the women who’ve made Golf Fore the Cure the success it is each year – can be proud of their invaluable contribution to the advancements made in breast cancer research.

But the story doesn’t end there. Breast cancer survivors, like Catherine Coulson, can attest to the Society’s community support programs, which provide the help and encouragement needed to cope with a breast cancer diagnosis.

Catherine shared her story at the 2013 Golf Fore the Cure National Event. “My cancer journey started after I found a lump in my breast. This was followed by biopsy, surgery and 6 months of chemotherapy. I was scared. I didn’t know where to turn. When I was in the hospital recovering from my surgery, one of the nurses asked me if I would like a visit from a volunteer from the Canadian Cancer Society. She said they have a program called Reach to Recovery and a volunteer who was a breast cancer survivor would come to visit me if I wanted. I jumped at the opportunity. I couldn’t remember knowing anyone who had ‘survived’ cancer!”

“My Reach to Recovery volunteer came to my home and brought me a care package of a couple of temporary prostheses, a little cushion for under my arm where nodes had been removed and some exercises for me to practise. She told me about her journey and that she was cancer-free for 7 years! Slowly, it dawned on me that I too could be a survivor.”

Programs like the Peer Support Service, Community Services Locator, Cancer Information Service and transportation and wig programs offer physical, psychological and emotional support for people along their cancer journey.

Pamela Fralick, the Society’s President and CEO, captures the essence of the Golf Canada-Canadian Cancer Society partnership.

“We cannot fulfil our mission without funding from supporters like Golf Canada, but our partnership extends far beyond the dollars. It’s about building awareness and empowering Canadian women. It’s about changing lives and attitudes. We are thrilled that Golf Canada came alongside us, and 10 years later the Golf Fore the Cure program is still gaining momentum.”

“It’s a winning strategy for both Golf Canada and the Society – one that we’re extremely proud of and tremendously grateful for. So, thank you Golf Canada for sharing our vision and having the foresight to step forward. Thank you to every site coordinator for their labour of love in dedicating time and effort to host an event. Thanks to every golfer for every round played these 10 years and for mobilizing your network of family, friends and acquaintances to donate to this worthy cause. And, of course, to lead sponsor – Subaru – whose investment in the program each year makes it all possible.”

You too can get involved and organize your own Golf Fore the Cure event to support the fight against breast cancer. Contact gftc@golfcanada.ca.

All funds raised through Golf Fore the Cure in Québec are donated to the Québec Breast Cancer Foundation

Hi! My name is Michaela DiMarcantonio and this summer I have the pleasure of working as a Media and Public Relations Intern with the Communications Department at Golf Canada. Having a love for the game of golf and a passion for public relations, this is definitely my dream internship. However come Monday, I will be trading my laptop and camera for my clubs and a pin sheet.

From May 25 to May 29, I will be competing in the 13^th Canadian University/ College Championship at Cutten Fields in Guelph, Ont., where collegiate golf teams from across the country will compete for the national title.

This will be my final tournament wearing the maroon and grey of the McMaster Marauders Women’s Golf Team. Throughout the competition, I would like to invite you to follow my player’s blog as I share my experience and reflect on my golf journey.

Entry 3 – The end of the road

This past Friday was the final day of the 2015 Canadian University/ College Championship.  As always, the final round of any tournament is the most exciting and with many of the leaderboards packed coming down the stretch, this competition was no different. It was thrilling to cheer on my fellow competitors in their pursuit of the national title.

After play was complete, the awards ceremony began near the putting green at Cutten Fields surrounded by the Canadian and provincial flags. It was quite the sight to see the winning teams and individuals hoist their trophies and beyond inspiring to hear their acceptance speeches filled with words of excitement and gratitude. They have worked so hard to earn these victories for themselves, their teams, their coaches and their schools. The team champions received banners that will hang in their schools for years to come and future generations of aspiring athletes will beam with pride at the sight of what those before them have accomplished.

To the winners of the 2015 Canadian University/ College Championship, I congratulate you on your achievements! For others who may not have finished the tournament in the way they had hoped, although it is disappointing, there are so many lessons to be learned. Look back and see how much you’ve grown and always remember how far you’ve come.

To those graduating, I congratulate you on outstanding collegiate careers. I had the opportunity to compete alongside many of you during the past four years. I wish you all the best in your future careers and endeavors, whether they remain close to the course or far from it. Wherever your paths may take you, I hope you continue to find comfort in knowing the golf course will always be your second home.

To the freshmen who have just completed their first years at school, enjoy the ones to come and relish every moment – they will be some of the best of your life. Practice hard, study harder and love every minute of it because the whole experience may be over before you know it. Make goals and achieve them; have dreams and soar past them. Take pride in the privilege of representing your schools.

It was a remarkable week at Cutten Fields and I would like to thank the membership and staff for hosting this wonderful championship. On behalf of the field, we were honoured to play such a beautiful course and make use of its outstanding practice facility – calling it world-class would not do it justice.

I would also like to thank my fellow Golf Canada Tournament staff, officials, scorers and starters for their commitment and dedication to their craft. They were all up well before sunrise and in bed well past moonrise. Without you, this event would not have been possible. So, thank you!

To everyone who has been so kind in reading while I shared my experiences at the 2015 Canadian University/ College Championship, you have my gratitude. Golf is a life-long game and may we all continue to learn from it, well past our years in the classroom.

Entry 2 – “The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.” – Vince Lombardi

I have always been a firm believer that success is the result of hard work. Playing competitive golf has taught me that dedication and commitment are fundamental to success – not just on the course, but off it as well.

Today was the practice round at Cutten Fields in Guelph, Ont., for the 2015 Canadian University/ College Championship; tomorrow the real competition begins.

Through this championship, Golf Canada provides the nation’s student-athlete golf teams with the opportunity to gather and celebrate the wealth of talent being developed in Canada’s post-secondary institutions.  From an athlete’s perspective, it’s about providing meaningful competition – to not only gauge where our games are, but to also see the areas in which our games can grow.

The game humbles me. It has taught me to aim further; to try harder; to want to be better, but not only for my own sake. Collegiate golf is unique because tomorrow when I step on to the first tee at Cutten Fields, I won’t just be playing for myself.

I will play for my teammates, who are every bit my family as my own siblings.

I will play for my coaches, whose words of advice are second only to my parents’ guidance.

I will play for McMaster University, where walls and classrooms have given me the same sense of security as any home I’ve lived in.

In the field this week, there will be freshmen representing their schools for the first time at the national level; there will also be veterans sporting their school colours for the final time. For myself, it will be the latter. Regardless, we all share the same passion to compete and better ourselves. There are few things in life as rewarding as the satisfaction of working hard and seeing that determination and effort pay off.

As I look forward to my first round tomorrow, I can’t help but reflect back on my four years at McMaster University. All student-athletes can attest to the challenge of balancing university life and team responsibilities. During the season, I missed classes to compete, but I always considered these days as opportunities for growth – and although they were not academic, they contributed to my university experience and to the person I have become.

Competing this week as a student-athlete for a final time is an honour – one that I will not take lightly and one that I will cherish always.

Entry 1 – Reading textbooks and greens

Like many high school grads, the decision of where to continue my post-secondary education was a difficult one. So many factors came into play, but I was certain I wanted to continue playing golf at a Canadian university. Upon meeting the coaches at McMaster and discovering the Communication Studies program, I knew it would be a great fit.

The first month of university was a big adjustment with a busy schedule and large lecture rooms filled with new faces. It was intimidating, but despite all the changes, golf remained constant. After classes I looked forward to practice and in my first collegiate tournament, despite my nerves, I felt very comfortable. Like always, the golf course was my second home.

Before the Ontario University Championships in second year, my head coach gathered the team and told us, “When you’re older and you look back on your university days, you won’t remember sitting in lectures or if you spent an extra hour studying for a test, but you will remember your experiences representing McMaster, all of your accomplishments and the memories you make with your teammates.”

Those words couldn’t be more true. At the time, I didn’t realize what an amazing experience playing competitive golf for my school would be. I am so grateful for the golf program at McMaster University and the support Golf Canada provides to universities and colleges across the country.

I’ve learned so much through this game – patience, discipline and perseverance. I can’t wait to compete one final time next week at Cutten Fields with my team and to take in one last lesson as a Mac student.

More information on the 2015 Canadian University/ College Championship is available here.

Many of Canada’s top golfers took part in RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifying events today in Quebec and British Columbia in hopes of punching their tickets to final (Monday) qualifying July 20 at Heron Point Golf Links in Alberton, Ont.

The Quebec qualifier was contested at Club de golf St- Raphaël’s Blue Course in Île-Bizard, Que., where hometown talent Lindsay Wilson finished at 2-under par 70 to claim medallist honours.

Jesse Smith (71) of Ohsweken, Ont., finished runner-up at 1 under, while Sonny Michaud of Neuville, Que., took third after an even-par 72 while six more players finished T4 at 1 over (73). In total, nine players from the Quebec Qualifier will advance to the final qualifier in July.

Squamish Valley Golf and Country Club in Squamish, B.C., hosted Monday’s other regional qualifying event where Dillon Rust of Edmond, OK, claimed victory with a round of 5 under 67.

Seann Harlingten of West Vancouver, B.C., earned runner-up honours with a 2 under 70.

Five players shared third after even-par 72s to round out the 16 players who have earned their way today into the RBC Canadian Open final qualifying round on July 20.

In total, there are three regional qualifying events, each consisting of 18 holes of stroke play. Provided that there are 100 or more players in the field, the low qualifier receives an exemption directly into the 2015 RBC Canadian Open. Otherwise, the top 15 per cent of finishers at each qualifier become eligible to compete at the final qualifying event.

The third and final 2015 RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifier will be held June 29 at RattleSnake Point Golf Club in Milton, Ont.

The 2015 RBC Canadian Open takes place July 20-26 at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont.

For the full Quebec scoring click: here.

For the full B.C. scoring click: here.

Listen in to our press conference…

OAKVILLE, Ont. – Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont., has been selected to host the 2016 RBC Canadian Open, as announced today by Golf Canada and RBC.

With the venue confirmed, the Jack Nicklaus-designed, Oakville, Ont. layout will host back to back RBC Canadian Opens, beginning this July 20-26 with the 2015 RBC Canadian Open and then again July 18-24, 2016.

For Golf Canada CEO Scott Simmons, a two-year commitment to Glen Abbey will allow the tournament to build multi-year momentum in the community and deliver innovative activities to enhance the championship experience for players and spectators alike.

“Together with our partners at RBC, we are proud to announce the RBC Canadian Open will be contested at Glen Abbey Golf Club in 2016.” said Golf Canada CEO Scott Simmons.  “Glen Abbey has always been a terrific host venue for this championship and we look forward to reconnecting with fans and volunteers from Oakville and the Greater Toronto Area who have embraced the RBC Canadian Open over the years.”

“With its storied history, beautiful greens and central location, Glen Abbey has proven to be a premiere venue to host players and golf fans alike,” noted Jane Broderick, Chief Brand and Communications Officer, RBC. “We, along with Golf Canada have worked hard to make the RBC Canadian Open a best-in-class tournament with a strong competitive field and fan engagement opportunities, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to this prestigious course.”

The RBC Canadian Open was last contested at Glen Abbey in 2013, when Team RBC’s Brandt Snedeker picked up his sixth PGA TOUR victory. That year’s event was selected as the “Most Fan-Friendly Event” by the PGA TOUR as part of their annual year-end awards.

The return to Glen Abbey through 2016 marks the first time since 2008 and 2009 that the club has hosted back to back RBC Canadian Opens.

“Since the Canadian Open was first played on this Jack Nicklaus Signature course in 1977, Glen Abbey has produced many worthy champions including Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Greg Norman, Lee Trevino, Curtis Strange and Brandt Snedeker,” said Rai Sahi, ClubLink President and CEO. ‘The Abbey’ and the Canadian Open share a special connection and we look forward to adding to that legacy through 2016.”

The 2015 edition of the event will once again raise money in support of national charity partner – Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada. To help welcome the RBC Canadian Open back to Glen Abbey, the Town of Oakville has declared July as Oakville’s Month of Sport.

Glen Abbey was owned and operated by Golf Canada from 1982 to 1998 before the property was sold to ClubLink in the fall of 1998. As the longtime home of Canada’s National Open Championship, ‘The Abbey’ hosted 22 Canadian Opens between 1977 and 2000, as well as, those in 2004, 2008, 2009 and 2013. Golf Canada’s head office and the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum are located on the grounds of Glen Abbey Golf Club.

For information about tickets, free 17-and-under junior passes, volunteer opportunities or corporate hospitality for the 2015 RBC Canadian Open, please visit www.rbccanadianopen.com.

The University of ­­­British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds men’s team claimed a wire-to-wire victory Friday at the 2015 Canadian University/ College Championship at Cutten Fields in Guelph, Ont., while the Université de Montréal Carabins earned the national title in the women’s division.

UBC avenged last year’s runner-up finish by matching its opening-round score of 282 to secure the school’s fourth Canadian University/ College Championship win since the tournament’s inception in 2003. Team members Trent Abraham, Evan Holmes, Conner Kozak, Scott Secord and Jack Wood finished the tournament at 23-over par with a combined total of 1143.

“One of the most important things (for our team) was on day two – when we had the 50 to 60 km winds – that was very emotionally challenging. The ability for our players to refocus and come out and play really exceptional golf was very important to our team,” said UBC Thunderbirds acting men’s coach Peter Crocker when asked about a pivotal moment during the week.

The University of Victoria Vikes finished runner-up, 12 shots back with a team total of 1155. Climbing the leaderboard on the final day was the University of Toronto Varsity Blues, who finished the competition with a combined total of 1166.

UBC Thunderbird Evan Holmes posted a 1-under par final round 69 for a four day total of even-par 280 to be crowned the 2015 Canadian University/ College Men’s individual winner.

“My short game was pretty good all week and that carried on to today,” Holmes said of his victory-clinching round.  “I hit a lot of green-side shots well after some not so good shots.”

The Calgary, Alta., native’s solid short game was on full display when he stuck his approach shot on No. 18 to within a foot. “It was pretty nice just walking up to the green knowing that I kind of had it won.”

Queen’s University Gael Russell Bowie made a charge with four straight birdies from holes 12 to 15 to finish runner-up, two shots back at 2 over 282. Aaron Pauls of the University of the Fraser Valley Cascades finished third at 3 over 283.

The Université de Montréal Carabins women’s team entered the day with a one-shot lead over the University of Victoria Vikes; they managed to seal the win after a final round of 228 gave them a team-total 924. Team members Julie Brossoit, Caroline Ciot, Veronique Fortin-Latreille and Sarah-Andréa Landry captured the school’s second national collegiate championship.

“I’m really proud of my team, they worked hard all winter,” said Nicolas Quirion, the Université de Montréal Carabins women’s coach. “It’s like a family, they count on each other and it’s really fun to coach a team like that.”

The University of Victoria Vikes women’s team secured a second place finish just 3-shots back of the champions on the strength of a solid team effort. The Vikes shot their lowest team score of the tournament (227) to finish at 927. The defending UBC Thunderbirds carded a team total 12-over par 225 during the final round to finish 3^rd at 928.

Fifth-year senior Brynn Tomie of the Victoria Vikes shot a 4-over par 75 to edge out Caroline Ciot of the Montréal Carabins for the win.

“It was a total grind today,” said Tomie who finished with a four-day total of 300. “Caroline played amazing. We were back-and-forth all day. It was so fun to play with her, and things just kind of fell for me.”

Standing on the 18^th tee, the pair were knotted, but Tomie would go on to make par on the final hole to claim the championship. “We were both pretty aware of where we were and we both knew what the putt on the last hole meant,” smiled a beaming Brynn once the victory had sunk in.

Rounding out the top three was Alexandra Pelletier of the Université Laval Rouge et Or, who carded a round of 4-over 75 to finish at 304.

Conducted by Golf Canada, the Canadian University/ College Championship recognizes the exceptional talents of student-athletes from across the country. The 2016 edition of the event will be hosted by Morningstar Golf Club in Parksville, B.C.

Additional information regarding the 2015 Canadian University/ College Championship can be found here.

Guelph, Ont. (Golf Canada) – Following three rounds of play at the 2015 Canadian University/College Championship at Cutten Fields in Guelph, Ont., a great deal remains unclear. The races for individual honours are tied while the top contenders in the team championships are only separated by a handful of shots.

The University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds men’s team kept an impressive field at bay, as several challengers took full advantage of prime conditions to register strong third rounds. The Thunderbirds – who have lead throughout the tournament – again demonstrated their consistent play, shooting a combined three over par on the day.

Peter Crocker, serving as UBC’s acting-coach for the competition, spoke to the focus and mindset of his charges in preparing for the day. “I think at a team level, we were pretty confident that we could play well and be in contention. Our goal after three rounds was to be in the top three and to be in good position on the last day.”

The University of Victoria Vikes kept pace with the leaders and vaulted into second on the strength of a combined two under par performance. The University of the Fraser Valley Cascades registered their best combined score of the tournament to claim sole possession of third after opening the round in a three-way tie for the spot.

Thunderbird Evan Holmes shot a team-low four under par with one eagle and three birdies to climb into a share of the lead in the individual competition at 1-over (70-75-66—211). Also tied with for the lead is Aaron Pauls of the Cascades, who carded a round of 68 – his best day of the competition. The University of Toronto’s Truman Tai went bogey-free to move into solo third.

The day’s stand-out performance belonged to Arthur Heinkelé who flirted with the course record of 62. The native of France registered a tournament -low 6-under-par 64 to jump from a share of 31^st to fourth place. His exceptional round featured the highlight of the day – he holed out from 146 yards to eagle the par-4 10th.

“I made some very good shots, but also some big mistakes,” admitted the Université Laval Rouge et Or student, who totaled seven birdies to accompany his eagle. He remained focused when asked what he needs to do tomorrow. “Just be patient, there’s no reason I cannot make birdies. I still have to play 18 holes and then see whatever happens; I still need to play good golf tomorrow.” Heinkelé sits T4 with defending individual champion Scott Secord who shot a 72 on the day.

In the women’s division, the Université de Montréal Carabins overtook the University of Toronto Varsity Blues after starting the day in second.  The Carabins team captain, Sarah-Andréa Landry, believes she is rounding into form at just the right time to lead her squad. “I’m really motivated and I think I brought this to the girls and helped them stay focused in the moment and take [the round] shot-by-shot.”

The Varsity Blues reversed positions with the Carabins and now sit one shot back of the leaders after a round of 229. Ana Peric of Etobicoke, Ont., shot a women’s side day-low score of two over par in a valiant attempt to keep her Toronto side close to the leaders. Rounding out the top three women’s teams is the University of Victoria who remain within striking distance at four strokes behind Toronto.

Brynn Tomie of the Vikes continued her push up the leaderboard with a score of 75 to bring her three day total to 225. The Bedford, N.S., native shot five over par to move into a share of the lead with Caroline Ciot – who held first place heading into today’s action. This is familiar territory for the two student-athletes – the pair shared third place going into the final day of the 2013 edition of this competition. Holding third is Alexandra Pelletier whose round of 77 was the team-low score for the Université Laval.

The top six women’s teams and the top 10 men’s teams have made the cut and will go on to the tournament’s finale. Players within 15 strokes advance to the final round of competition where team and individual honours will be awarded to the 2015 Canadian University/College champions. Additional information on the tournament can be found here.