SAN ANTONIO – Canadian golfer Taylor Pendrith posted his second straight career-best finish on the Korn Ferry Tour on Sunday, finishing second at the TPC San Antonio Challenge at the Canyons.

Pendrith, from Richmond Hill, Ont., shot a 6-under 66 in the fourth round to finish 21 under for the tournament, four strokes behind winner David Lipsky of the United States.

Pendrith, who tied for third at last week’s TPC Colorado Championship at Heron Lakes, is projected to jump to 12th from 26th in the tour standings after this week’s result.

The top 25 in the standings next fall earn PGA Tour cards for the following season.

Pendrith, a member of Team Canada’s Young Pro Squad, has shot in the 60s in 14 of his past 16 rounds.

France’s Paul Barjon, who edged out Pendrith for top spot on the Canadian-based Mackenzie Tour’s order of merit last year, and Paul Haley II of the U.S., tied for third at 20 under.

Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., posted his second straight top-10 result, finishing in a tie for eighth at 17 under.

Svensson is projected to be 37th in the standings this week.

The Korn Ferry Tour remains in San Antonio for another event next week.

In golf, there is no such thing as “one size fits all.”

That’s why there are different sets of tees to accommodate all types of players. That’s a good thing.

That’s also why there are so many options when it comes to equipment. That could be a good thing but, for the vast majority of you reading this, it’s not. And it’s your fault.

You’re probably thinking, “I’m not good enough to get fitted for golf clubs.” Interestingly, this is the most common excuse you likely cite when asked why you don’t have a Handicap Index. And, in both cases, you are wrong.

It’s not about your ability, says Rick Young. It’s about your level of commitment.

“It makes zero sense to buy golf clubs without getting fitted,” says Young, SCOREGolf’s longtime equipment expert. He warns against purchasing new clubs off the rack as well as new or used clubs online.

His point is repeated by every expert in the field. Many compare buying a standard set of clubs to purchasing apparel. While that might be a touch trite, it is undeniably accurate.

The average Canadian man is 5’8” tall and weighs 182 pounds. The average woman is just over 5’3” and about 153 pounds. Chances are that doesn’t describe you so the odds that the clothing that fits those “average” Canadians wouldn’t fit you either.

So why are you playing their golf clubs? Essentially, that is what you are doing when you buy a standard set off the rack.

I’m 6’2” and weigh 220. Not average, by any means. So my clubs are a little longer than standard, the lie is a touch upright and the grips are slightly larger. As I get older, I’ve switched to regular shafts in my irons from the stiff version I played for years. There’s no chance my 5’4” wife (about the national average) was fitted for the same clubs as our 6’1” daughter. Thank goodness she got her looks from her mom and her height from me and not the other way around.

Like our dimensions and ages, our Handicap Indexes vary but we all saw getting fitted for clubs as an investment in our enjoyment of the game, not just an expense. Playing the wrong clubs can be discouraging, infuriating, and can dissuade you from playing more golf.

“Do you want to get better? Then get fitted, even if you’re terrible,” says Tony Covey, managing editor of My Golf Spy, an independent online reviewer and evaluator of all things golf.

“You don’t have to spend a lot of money right out of the gate. As you improve and your scores go down, you can get re-fitted and either get your clubs adjusted or invest in a new set and sell the old ones or trade them in.”

Covey also cautions against some of the misconceptions that may influence your equipment choice.

“Don’t get sucked in by brand bias and some of the other mythology that’s out there. Do some research and then find a reputable expert and listen to them.”

Ian Fraser is the founder and CEO of TxG (Tour Experience Golf) with locations in Toronto and, soon, Mississauga, Ont. With a background in club fitting, he worked with beginners as well as superstars like Colin Montgomerie, Gary Woodland and Eduardo Molinari before coming to Canada to start Modern Golf, a leading-edge club-fitting company. In 2015, he left Modern Golf to found TxG.

As a nod to his expertise, GOLF Magazine named TxG No. 2 on their 2020 list of the top club fitters in North America.

Fraser points out that the proliferation of golf club technology has made getting properly fitted more essential than ever. There are more than 30,000 potential combinations to ensure the client gets the correct “prescription,” as he calls it, for 14 optimized clubs to maximize their enjoyment and lower their scores.

A full-bag (driver through putter) fitting session takes 4 ½ hours. Don’t panic. Much of that time is spent discussing, analyzing and advising. It’s not a ball-beating marathon.

Not surprisingly, that philosophy is echoed at Fraser’s former hangout, Modern Golf, which has locations in Mississauga and Vaughan in Ontario, two in Calgary and one in Vancouver.

At Modern Golf, TxG and other sophisticated fitting facilities, the technology, such as ForeSight and other high-tech aids, is on par with the expertise of the humans doing the hands-on fitting. For example, Modern Golf has a “coach/build” concept that places a fitter and a coach in the fitting bay with you. That combination doesn’t come cheap but, remember, this is an investment.

At Modern Golf, the $400 full-bag fitting fee is waived if you purchase a new set of clubs. The fee is also waived for any of their other fitting options ranging from single clubs like the driver or putter to irons and wedges.

Once you’ve committed to a fitting, go all the way, Young recommends.

“One thing people don’t realize is that 42 per cent of your shots are on the green but people will walk into a golf store, try two or three putters and when they make a couple of putts, they fork over two or three hundred dollars for a putter that most likely is wrong for them. Do you need a mallet or blade, toe-balanced or face-balanced, what loft, what length, what grip, what kind of putting stroke do you have … these are all questions you need expert advice on.

“And how about your wedges? Do you have the right gapping between your wedges? Are the lofts right for you? How about the bounce?”

Young believes not getting fitted can discourage new golfers who want to enjoy the game but have the wrong equipment. If, for example, the lie angle on those used irons you bought for a song is too upright, you’ll likely be hitting pull hooks. Or if the lie is OK but the shaft is too stiff, get used to hitting a bunch of low-right screamers.

“The worst mistake you can make, at any level, is buying clubs that work against you,” says Matthew Sim, Modern Golf’s Director of Operations.

If getting to some of the facilities mentioned here is inconvenient, there are lots of other options. If you’re really out in the boondocks, major manufacturers have online fitting apps for everything from clubs to balls.

Fittings are easy to arrange with many PGA of Canada members across the country offering fitting services. If you decide to purchase new clubs, the fitting fee is waived in most cases.

Alternatively, many courses have “demo days” during the golf season where one or more of the major club manufacturers set up shop on the range. “This is one of the best ways for novice golfers to get a baseline for fitting if they’re unsure of what they want for free,” says Young.

Just as there is a fitting option suitable for every budget, so too is there one for the clubs themselves, even at places like TxG.

“If the client says, for example, that their budget is $900, then we give them the very best value we can for that budget,” says Fraser. “We treat every client the same whether they’re a pro or a beginner. It’s in our best interest to make sure they not only get better but have more fun.”

TORONTO —With the official Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada sidelined this season due to issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tour announced Friday that it will hold a series of four tournaments for players residing in Canada. The tournaments are set for Langford, British Columbia, and Caledon, Ontario, in August and September, all events contested under the direction of the Mackenzie Tour and its staff.

The Canada Life Series will feature two 54-hole events at Bear Mountain Golf & Tennis Resort Community in Langford on Vancouver Island and two more at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley. Fields will consist of Canadian professionals and elite amateurs, as well as Mackenzie Tour members, regardless of citizenship, who are already in Canada. Officials anticipate field sizes between 90 and 120 players, with purses set at $50,000 (CAD) per event.

Exempt players for the Canada Life Series will include any Canadian professional who has held status on any of the PGA TOUR’s International Tours since 2018 (Mackenzie Tour, PGA TOUR Latinoamérica and PGA TOUR Series-China). In addition, six sponsor exemptions will be used by Golf Canada for its national team members. Canada Life will receive two sponsor exemptions, while both host facilities will have two sponsor exemptions each. The Tour will fill the fields on a first-come-first-served basis if the exempt categories don’t reach their limits.

“It was certainly disappointing when circumstances surrounding COVID-19 required us to cancel the 2020 Mackenzie Tour season. We were poised for a great summer of golf, but we never lost sight of the purpose for this Tour, which is to give players opportunities to play tournaments on quality golf courses,” said Scott Pritchard, Mackenzie Tour Executive Director. “Canada Life has been an incredible partner in helping us put this together, and with two terrific venues—Bear Mountain and TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley—we will stage four exceptional tournaments.

“To be able to promise the top player from the Canada Life Series additional playing opportunities next season on the Mackenzie Tour only enhances what we’re trying to do, and we’re extremely pleased that will happen,” Pritchard continued.

The player who earns the most points during the four tournaments will be granted conditional Mackenzie Tour status and guaranteed six tournament starts on the 2021 Mackenzie Tour. In addition to those playing opportunities, Golf Canada will also award the top player a spot in the 2021 RBC Canadian Open. The players finishing in the second-through-fifth positions on the final points standings earn conditional 2021 Mackenzie Tour status along with two guaranteed Mackenzie Tour tournament starts. The players finishing between Nos. 6-10 earn a discounted rate into one of the 2021 Mackenzie Tour Qualifying Tournaments.

“At Canada Life, we believe in helping Canadians achieve their potential. The Canada Life Series is one way we can do that,” said Jeff Macoun, President and Chief Operating Officer, Canada, at Canada Life. “We’re very proud to be able to provide Canadian-based players the opportunity to advance their careers.”

The first two Canada Life Series tournaments will be at Bear Mountain’s two courses, both designed by World Golf Hall of Famer Jack Nicklaus and his son Steve. The Canada Life Series at Bear Mountain: Mountain Course is from August 10-12, while The Canada Life Series at Bear Mountain: Valley Course is August 17-19.

The Mountain Course has twice hosted PGA TOUR-affiliated golf, the PGA TOUR Champions’ 2016 and 2017 Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship. Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie won the 2016 event, while American Jerry Kelly prevailed a year later.

“Bear Mountain’s two courses are quite diverse, and Jack and Steve designed them in such a way that we think the tournaments will certainly have different feels to them while at the same time providing excellent tests of golf,” said Rob Larocque, Bear Mountain Director of Golf.

The Series will observe a one-week break, allowing players to travel to the other side of the country for the final two events, outside Toronto. The Canada Life Series at TPC Toronto’s links-style Heathlands course is set for September 2-4. The following week, September 9-11, the players will once again tackle the Heathlands, one of three signature Doug Carrick courses at TPC Toronto, for the Series’ closing event, the Canada Life Series Championship.

TPC Toronto is also no stranger to PGA TOUR-affiliated tournament golf. It has been home to the Mackenzie Tour’s Osprey Valley Open presented by Votarantim Cimentos – CBM Aggregates since 2018, with the eventual Mackenzie Tour Player of the Year in each season winning both editions of the tournament—Tyler McCumber in 2018 followed by Paul Barjon in 2019. McCumber is currently a PGA TOUR member, and Barjon is playing on the Korn Ferry Tour.

“The Mackenzie Tour is a familiar and important partner of ours, and we’re thrilled to be hosting two Canada Life Series tournaments here in September. We look forward to seeing some outstanding players compete on the Heathlands and follow in the footsteps of Tyler, Paul and the other champions who have played here over the last two years,” said TPC Toronto President Chris Humeniuk.

“It was gratifying to see TPC Toronto enthusiastically embrace this concept. We planned to play the Heathlands for the 2020 Osprey Valley Open, and we will now use the Canada Life Series events as a chance to showcase this spectacular course to these players,” Pritchard added.

DUBLIN, Ohio –

A trio of Canadians are near the top of the leaderboard following the opening round of the PGA Tour’s Workday Charity Open on Thursday.

Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., posted the highest score among Canadian golfers with a 6-under 66. He’s one stroke behind leader Collin Morikawa who shot a 7-under 65.

Nick Taylor, also of Abbotsford, was in a group of four golfers two shots behind back at 5 under, while Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C. shot a 4-under 68 Thursday. He is in an 11-way tie for seventh place.

Taylor is playing in his first tournament on tour since the PGA restarted last month during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hadwin, who shot his eighth consecutive round in the 60s, is coming off a tie for fourth last week at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit.

Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., shot 2-under 70, while David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., carded a 71.

Hadwin bogeyed his first hole before reeling off seven birdies.

“Even the first two weeks back, I felt like I played some pretty decent golf. I just kind of made some rusty mistakes,” Hadwin said.

“I’d hit a ball out of bounds or in the water where I shouldn’t have or maybe try to get too much out of a shot, whereas I think last week it kind of came together. I was doing a lot of the similar things, but I didn’t make any of the mistakes. I felt like there were times where last week where I probably could have gotten a few more shots, but I really didn’t have any risk. It was kind of a free-flowing easy type round and just not a lot of stress. When you can do that through multiple weeks, it helps a lot.”

Taylor took time off as the tour restarted to be with his eight-month-old son.

“Obviously the break was great timing for a lot of reasons … Have a bit of a cushion, take some more time off, I just really enjoyed being home, so just waiting an extra few weeks, (it) was great to be home,” Taylor said. “Yeah, I’m excited to get back out here and play, but it was nice to be home.”

Chemical Engineering major and Canadian LPGA Tour golfer Brittany Marchand offers up a home schooling lesson on the science behind the golf swing.

Stuart Macdonald wasn’t quite sure what Golf Canada’s Derek Ingram wanted to talk about when he was called up to his hotel room in early January, but the men’s head coach was direct as soon as the conversation got going.

Ingram told Macdonald that he should fly out of Golf Canada’s training camp in Phoenix for the Monday qualifier at The Club at Weston Hills in Miami to try and enter the field for the Korn Ferry Tour’s Panama Championship, a sentiment echoed by fellow Canadian golfer Taylor Pendrith.

Macdonald made the trip and earned one of the two spots to play in Panama. He tied for 42nd in that tournament and has since played in the El Bosque Mexico Championship, the Utah Championship and last week’s TPC Colorado Championship at Heron Lakes.

“If I didn’t Monday qualify for Panama and then get in and make a cut there who knows where I’d be right now,” said Macdonald, who will be playing in this week’s TPC San Antonio Challenge at the Canyons in Texas. “I’d probably be playing some mini-tour somewhere.”

Macdonald’s original plan for the season, before being redirected by Ingram, was to return to the PGA Tour China, which was scheduled to begin in March but has had its season derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ingram said Macdonald’s plans for 2020 had been on his mind for days before he actual sat the 25-year-old from Vancouver down for that fateful talk.

“I was thinking to myself ‘here’s a guy who can do it, he’s good enough,’ and yeah, there’s only four guys that can make the tournament out of 150 but, why not you?” said Ingram.

“I just sat him in my hotel room at our training camp in January and said ‘I don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t be playing in that.”’

Macdonald is currently ranked 139th on the Korn Ferry Tour and was encouraged when he tied for 28th at the Utah Championship at the end of June. He’ll be joined by Pendrith, from Richmond Hill, Ont., Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., and Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., in San Antonio this week and next – the TPC San Antonio club will host back-to-back tournaments on different courses.

Because of the golf season being suspended for several months by the global pandemic, the PGA Tour has determined that all players’ statuses, including Macdonald’s conditional status, will carry over until 2021, effectively giving him 18 months to qualify for either a full Korn Ferry Tour card or even make the PGA Tour.

`It’s really nice to think that I’ve got another 20-something events to do what I want to do and have a chance to work hard.” said Macdonald. “It’s a bit of relief because there’s so many guys right now that may be playing great golf but if you’re not playing on a PGA Tour sanctioned tour it’s not really getting you anywhere.”

As far as Ingram is concerned, there’s no reason why Macdonald won’t be able to succeed at the highest levels of professional golf.

“Ultimately, I see Stuart Macdonald as a PGA Tour player,” said Ingram, recalling the conversation in the hotel room. “You’re good enough to Monday qualify, to make cuts, and reshuffle, and make this tour full time.”

If it seems like it’s been harder to get a tee time this summer, it’s not just your imagination.

Golf Canada reports that there were 17 per cent more scores registered with the national sport body this June compared to the same month last year. A total of 1,483,506 rounds were submitted to Golf Canada’s handicap calculator last month compared to 1,271,782 in June 2019.

“It was a pretty big jump from last year, comparing 2019 numbers to this year,” said Adam Helmer, senior director of golf services for Golf Canada, on Wednesday. “We were expecting that as golf has emerged as one of the safest activities, where people can be physically distant and we’ve reduced touchpoints.”

 

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What a month CANADA! June 2020 was the greatest month of scores posted to the Golf Canada Score Centre in recorded history ? Special thanks to all golfers, member clubs and operators for accomplishing this while keeping everybody safe. Here’s to beating this number in July – go low Canada! ??

A post shared by Laurence Applebaum (@laurence.applebaum) on Jul 14, 2020 at 7:44pm PDT

The surge in June ended a streak of three months when recreational rounds played in Canada dropped precipitously due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As restrictions were lifted across the country in May, the number of scores registered increased.

In May, 165,026 rounds were registered between the 1st and the 15th but 265,480 scores were submitted in the final two weeks of that month. The May 1-15 numbers are a nearly 40 per cent drop from the same period in 2019 (211,809) but the May 16-30 numbers are just five per cent lower than last year (269,266).

Helmer said he expects the number of rounds submitted to Golf Canada to continue to climb through July and into August.

“We’ve heard anecdotally that a lot of newcomers have joined the sport, especially now that school is done we’re going to see an increase in juniors too. We think the trend is going to continue,” said Helmer. “Golf has seen a pretty big lift and it’s emerged as the sport of the summer.”

The upward trend comes even as Golf Canada had to cancel all of its amateur and professional championships due to travel restrictions put in place to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

A shift in how scores are registered has also been seen, with most recreational players entering their scores online instead of in the course’s clubhouse or pro shop, which have largely been closed this summer because of physical distancing protocols.

Golf Canada plans to launch an updated version of its scoring app later this month, helping to keep players physically distant and improve their game.

The PGA of America, Ryder Cup Europe and the PGA TOUR jointly announced today that both the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup have been rescheduled and will now be played one year later than originally planned.

The 43rd Ryder Cup, scheduled for September 22-27, at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin, has been rescheduled for September 21-26, 2021.

Likewise, the Presidents Cup, initially slated for September 30-October 3, 2021, at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, will now be played September 19-25, 2022.

The decision to reschedule the Ryder Cup was based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and in conjunction with the state of Wisconsin and Sheboygan County, with the health and well-being of all involved as the top priority.

“Unlike other major sporting events that are played in existing stadiums, we had to make a decision now about building facilities to host the 2020 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits,” said PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh. “It became clear that as of today, our medical experts and the public authorities in Wisconsin could not give us certainty that conducting an event responsibly with thousands of spectators in September would be possible. Given that uncertainty, we knew rescheduling was the right call. We are grateful to PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan and our partners at the TOUR for their flexibility and generosity in the complex task of shifting the global golf calendar.

“As disappointing as this is, our mandate to do all we can to safeguard public health is what matters most. The spectators who support both the U.S. and European sides are what make the Ryder Cup such a unique and compelling event and playing without them was not a realistic option. We stand united with our partners from Ryder Cup Europe, the NBC Sports Group, Sky and our other broadcast partners around the world. We look forward to delivering the Ryder Cup’s renowned pageantry, emotion and competitive drama to a global audience in 2021.”

Guy Kinnings, Europe’s Ryder Cup Director, said: “The Ryder Cup is rightly celebrated as one of the world’s greatest sporting occasions, made special and totally unique in our sport by the fervent atmosphere created by the passionate spectators of both sides.

“While that point is significant, it is not as important as the health of the spectators which, in these difficult times, is always the main consideration. We considered all options including playing with a limited attendance but all our stakeholders agreed this would dilute the magic of this great occasion.

“We therefore stand beside our partners at the PGA of America in the decision to postpone the Ryder Cup for a year and join with them in extending our thanks to the PGA TOUR for their willingness to move the dates of the Presidents Cup.

“We also thank NBC, Sky and our many broadcast partners around the globe, in addition to the worldwide partners of this great event, whose support and commitment are second to none.”

With the decision to play the 2020 Ryder Cup in September 2021, all subsequent Ryder Cups after Whistling Straits will also shift to odd years: 2023/Marco Simone Golf and Country Club (Rome, Italy); 2025/Bethpage Black (Farmingdale, New York); 2027/Adare Manor (County Limerick, Ireland); 2029/Hazeltine National Golf Club (Chaska, Minnesota); 2031/Europe (to be determined); 2033/The Olympic Club (San Francisco); 2035/Europe (to be determined); 2037/Congressional Country Club (Bethesda, Maryland).

With the momentum of the successful 2019 Presidents Cup played in Melbourne, Australia, the 14th playing of the Presidents Cup will now be hosted for the first time in the Southeast United States at Quail Hollow Club in 2022.

“These two premier international team events are lifted by the spirit of the fans,” said Monahan. “With the uncertainty of the current climate, we fully support the Ryder Cup’s decision to delay a year in order to ensure fans could be a part of the incredible atmosphere in Wisconsin, and the delay of this year’s Presidents Cup was the right decision in order to allow for that option. We are thankful that our global partners, our friends at Quail Hollow Club, our long-time annual title sponsor in Charlotte and all associated with the Presidents Cup and the Junior Presidents Cup have approached this change with a unified, positive spirit. We are confident the move will give us even more runway as we bring the Presidents Cup to Charlotte in 2022.”

Additionally, as a result of the Presidents Cup date change, the Wells Fargo Championship will be played at its traditional venue at Quail Hollow Club in 2021, at TPC Potomac in 2022 during the Presidents Cup year and will return to Quail Hollow in 2023. Presidents Cup 2022 qualifying will be determined at a later date.

The Ryder Cup, which began in 1927, brings together the finest tour professionals from the United States and Europe.

“While it is disappointing that the Ryder Cup won’t be played this year, the decision to reschedule is the right thing to do under the circumstances,” said U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Steve Stricker. “At the end of the day, we want to stage a Ryder Cup that will rival all other Ryder Cups in my home state of Wisconsin, and now we have the opportunity to showcase the event as it was meant to be seen.”

Pádraig Harrington, Captain of the European Ryder Cup Team, said: “Rescheduling the Ryder Cup was never going to be an easy decision given the many factors to take into consideration. But I believe it is the right assessment given the unprecedented circumstances we are facing at this time.

“When you think of the Ryder Cup you think of the distinctive atmosphere generated by the spectators, such as around the first tee at Le Golf National two years ago. If that cannot be responsibly recreated at Whistling Straits in September, then it is correct that we all wait until it can be.

“I know, right now, that September 2021 feels like a long time away. But it will come around quickly and I guarantee that the European players and I will be ready when it does.”

For Ryder Cup qualifying, both the United States and European teams will revisit their respective selection processes in the near future.

In a corresponding decision, the PGA of America and Ryder Cup Europe also announced that the Junior Ryder Cup will be rescheduled for September 20-21, 2021 at Blue Mound Golf & Country Club in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. It was originally scheduled for September 21-22, 2020.

Master Craftsman Bob Vokey’s long-trusted T Grind – an original Vokey grind still in the bags of many tour players including Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas – is now available through WedgeWorks.

Inspired by Vokey’s work with one of the game’s all-time best wedge players, the T Grind was designed for great hands and a vivid short-game imagination. Available in 58º and 60º lofts, it is ideal for a shallow angle of attack in firm conditions, with low bounce and a narrow crescent surface. Compared to Vokey’s L grind, it has a wider back flange which allows for lower measured bounce.

“Wedge play is an art, and the T Grind brings out the best in the artist,” Vokey said.

“The leading edge stays low to the playing surface as the wedge is rotated which allows you to hit a variety of shots from tight lies. This is the wedge that really made Vokey Grinds an important part of our process – and still to this day is a great option.”

T GRIND ON TOUR

Both Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas have recently added Vokey T Grind lob wedges to their setups. Spieth first used the T Grind during his college career. At last season’s Players Championship, Spieth asked Vokey PGA Tour Rep Aaron Dill to build him a 60-degree T Grind – and it has stayed in the bag ever since. Justin Thomas tested a series of low-bounce options leading up to the 2019 Presidents Cup, ultimately deciding the T Grind best fit the conditions and his game at Royal Melbourne. He now keeps a 60T in his travel bag and selects either the T Grind or a low-bounce K Grind based on the week, course and conditions.

The T Grind continues to grow in popularity on tour, especially in Europe where players are more often faced with links-style conditions.

Said Will Harvey, Vokey’s European Tour Rep: “I’ve had players say they feel like they can hit any shot with the T – the combination of the forward bounce for low pitch shots and the grind for the soft control shots is something needed with the vast amount of shots required on links or firmer course set ups.”

SM8 TECHNOLOGY

WedgeWorks T Grind wedges are designed with the same advanced technologies that have made Vokey Design SM8 wedges the #1 wedge on tour:

• Reimagined Progressive CG is pushed forward from the face for increased MOI – producing improved distance and trajectory control, better feel and a club face that simply wants to square up at impact for more consistent results. To achieve this in the T Grind and all SM8 lob wedges, Vokey’s team lengthened the hosels and counterbalanced that weight with high-density tungsten low in the toe.

• 100% Inspected Spin Milled Grooves are cut with a level of precision that is unique by finish, producing maximum spin and shot control. Micro-grooves are individually cut in between grooves, which maximize spin on partial shots. A proprietary heat treatment is applied to the impact area to double the durability of the groove without impacting feel – making it the most durable groove in golf.

ADVANCED PERSONALIZATION AND CUSTOM OPTIONS

Consistent with SM8, the T Grind features a modern, clean look, which also provides a big canvas for customization. Inspired by Aaron Dill (@VokeyWedgeRep), the WedgeWorks custom options are expanded to include:

• Six unique toe engravings;
• Expanded stamping options: 10-character Straight/Freestyle; 15 characters around toe; 5-character staircase style; and
• Custom paint-filled Loft and Grind markings and BV Wings logo.
• Hand Grinds: Raw finishes can be hand ground to exact specs, including both performance grinds and profile adjustments – a true tour van experience.

SM8 wedges can also be custom ordered with an industry-leading selection of shafts, grips, shaft bands and ferrules. For a complete list of options, visit Vokey.com.

LOFTS, FINISHES & AVAILABILITY

The WedgeWorks T Grind will be available for custom order in golf shops and on Vokey.com in both 58° and 60° lofts in Tour Chrome and Raw finishes. RH only. Price ($269) includes custom stamping, custom ferrule and custom shaft band.

Something strange happened on the way to this article.

The original theme was to explore how Canadian courses are dealing with the myriad of challenges reopening in the midst of a pandemic.

Chatting with course managers, I heard the usual explanations of sending carts out with just one rider, physical distancing at all times, F&B nightmares, cancellations of events like tournaments and weddings, and on and on.

Then I started to hear comments like these:

“Our leagues are at an all-time high and our memberships and junior memberships are showing a significant increase.” Michael Todd, the President and Director of Operations at Legacy Ridge Golf Club in Owen Sound, Ont., found a silver lining inside the COVID cloud that compensated somewhat for the loss of other revenue streams.

Although his club (originally the Stanley Thompson-designed Owen Sound G&CC) turns 100 years old this summer, there will be no centennial bash but golfers will still get to play. More golfers than ever, in fact—a theme I found repeated over and over, across the country.

“Golf is back!” exults Scott Atkinson, CEO of multi-course owner/operator Play Golf Calgary Facilities. “Golfers are playing more. Golfers are finding their way back after years of not playing and plenty of people are taking up the game for the first time. Our short-course play has doubled. Tons of families and lots of couples are playing together. It’s wonderful!”

You may have heard the phrase, “It’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good.” If not, it refers to an unfortunate event that somehow benefits someone.

A clearer, more pertinent explanation comes via Ashley Chinner, the former touring pro who now works in the insurance business in the Toronto area. “I talked to a public course manager who told me his tee sheet has been slammed every day. ‘Hate to say it but COVID could be the best thing for golf since Tiger.’”

This is not to make light by any means of the coronavirus that has killed hundreds of thousands globally and affected millions of others.  It does, however, demonstrate that there are glimmers of good news.

Membership at the semi-private Granite Ridge GC in Milton, Ont., is up 30 per cent and leagues are better attended than ever. Public tee times are booked solid several days in advance.

Scott MacLeod, a PGA of Canada member and the editorial director/associate publisher of Flagstick Golf Magazine, said he spoke to a colleague in New Brunswick who told him membership at his club increased to 550 from 390 this spring.  In fact, Golf New Brunswick reports that many facilities in that province are seeing increases in both memberships and greens fee play.

In Calgary, Rob Ward told me Willow Park G&CC had 5,000 rounds in May compared to 3,700 the same month a year ago. Michael Turner reports anecdotally that courses in Metro Vancouver are seeing “exponential growth.”

From Manitoba, self-described struggling golfer and keen observer of the game Jim Geruzzi says he’s heard the same refrain from various courses. “Seems like rounds played are way up (20%++). Just in time, too, as some courses where facing hard decisions even before COVID.”

“We have to keep reminding ourselves that even in these tough times, we are still a club,” emphasizes Cory Johnson, the General Manager of Breezy Bend Country Club in Headingley, Man. “And that can be tough when you can’t socialize the same way you could before the virus.”

Johnson and his team have adapted many traditions to cope with our new and ever-changing reality with some surprising success. For example, the annual general meeting was held via video conference and had the highest turnout ever. From the time the course opened May 3, it has been busier than usual with the necessary protocols in place.

Sean Joyce, the Director of Golf at Mill River Resort in P.E.I., says their junior membership has doubled and adult memberships are up as well.

But there are COVID caveats, too.

Ian Leggatt, the former PGA TOUR professional who now is director of golf at Summit GC in Richmond Hill, Ont., has seen a growth in membership because, in his opinion, “people are reallocating their summer spend that they likely would have used for a vacation.

“I’ve said all along that this [COVID-19] would have a positive impact on golf. Now we just need to stay open and not let a few bad apples misbehave and get the courses shut down again.”

It’s not all sunshine and rainbows for the staff at courses. I’ve heard horror stories of golfers, private club members and public players alike, abusing staff and disregarding safety protocols put in place to protect them. In fact, I had an acquaintance quit his job at a course because of the constant abuse and the lack of back-up from management.

Ken Bruneski, the Superintendent at Nk’mip Canyon Desert Golf Course in Oliver, B.C., is appalled by the way some people are taking advantage of the new guidelines, like by requesting separate carts even though they arrived at the course in the same vehicle. “We are running into a lot of troubles here. With reduced tee times and hours of operation, combined with the limited number of carts, we are finding it impossible to get league play going or opening up the tee sheet fully to increase revenue. It’s more than a little bit frustrating.”

And the negative impact on other sports and activities must be acknowledged. They are the unfortunate and undeserving victims of that “ill wind”, for sure. Kids can’t play softball or soccer, older folks can’t lawn bowl, families can’t travel on vacation.

“Really, it’s the only game in town,” notes a tweet from Pointe West GC in Windsor, Ont.

One of my favourite sayings comes from J.H. “Doc” Holliday, a pal of Wyatt Earp and OK Corral shootout fame.

“There’s no such thing as a normal life,” he allegedly once said.

“There’s just life.  And you deal with it.”

Such is life—and golf—in the time of COVID.