Québec Golf Community Mourns the Passing of Patrick Rhéaume
Golf Canada joins the Golf Québec community in extending our deepest respect and condolences to the family and friends of former colleague Patrick Rhéaume of Québec City following the news of his recent passing.
Patrick joined Golf Canada in 2019 as Membership Regional Director for Québec and worked with the organization until stepping down in 2023 following his diagnosis of Lou Gherig’s disease. A passionate advocate for golf, Patrick spent 31 years working in the golf industry in Québec.
Below is a message shared from our friends at Golf Québec in celebration of Patrick’s impact on the association and his outstanding contributions to the game.
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THANK YOU, PATRICK, | A great friend in the golf industry has left us far too soon. Lou Gehrig’s disease, which Patrick had been suffering from for more than a year, progressed much more quickly than desired and we are left with unforgettable memories of our friend and colleague.
The Golf Québec community extends its most sincere condolences to his wife, his two children and the family.
Hardworking and dedicated. Patrick always brought innovative ideas to advance the sport of golf in Québec. Teacher and coach for more than 22 years at the AGFC with his BFF Fred Colgan, he allowed countless others to discover the joy of golf, several who went on to excel in competition. Patrick was a colleague as Regional Director of Golf Canada for Québec for three years until his retirement. His enthusiasm and expertise brought a major impact in the relationship with golf clubs across the province. His knowledge, rigor, and his desire to always do better earned him the respect of his peers as an agent for change in the golf industry.
Patrick, we will miss you. Your sense of humour and your sense of duty will remain in our memories. Thanks Pat, and rest in peace, dear friend.
Golf community mourns the passing of Bob Panasik
Golf Canada joins the Canadian golf community in extending our deepest respect and condolences to the family and friends of Canadian Golf Hall of Fame honoured member Bob Panasik of Windsor, Ont. on the news of his unexpected passing December 27 following complications from heart surgery in late November.
Panasik was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 2005 following an outstanding career across amateur, professional, and international golf. He was also inducted into the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame in 2005, the PGA of Canada Hall of Fame in 2014 and was a charter class inductee into the PGA of Ontario Hall of Fame in 2020.
Born October 20, 1941 (82), Panasik’s celebrated competitive career spanned more than 50 years, with bookend victories at the 1955 Ontario Bantam Championship through to the PGA of Canada Super Senior title in 2003. Among his many accomplishments are wins at the 1958 Canadian Junior, 1958 and 1960 Ontario Junior, 1959 Ontario Amateur, two PGA of Canada Championships, two PGA of Canada Club Professional Championships, and three PGA of Canada Senior Championships along with 12 provincial titles.
Panasik played his way (through qualifying) into nine US Opens, played on three Canadian World Cup Teams, and competed in 14 Canadian Open Championships including 1958 where he finished T64 and became the youngest player to make the cut in a regular PGA TOUR event (15 years, 8 months), a record that stood for 56 years.
Fellow Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Lorne Rubenstein celebrated ‘Panny’ with a fitting tribute to one of Canadian golf’s great competitors and storytellers.
Panasik is survived by his daughter Melissa and brother Nick along with nephews, nieces, and countless friends across the Canadian and international golf community.
A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, January 13, 2024 from 1pm to 4pm at the Beach Grove Golf and Country Club in Tecumseh, Ont. Those wishing to make a donation in Bob’s memory, are asked to consider the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Victory for Canada at the 2023 World Junior Girls Golf Championship
Denisa Vodickova of the Czech Republic wins individual title at Brampton Golf Club
Brampton, Ont. – The most successful season in Canadian golf history added another exciting chapter on Saturday as Team Canada won its first-ever team title at the World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by Sargent Farms.
The Canada 1 Team comprised 14-year-old Anna Huang of Vancouver (71-69-70-70—280), 17-year-old Vanessa Borovilos of Toronto (70-73-73-75—291), and 17-year-old Vanessa Zhang of Vancouver (72-75-80-68—295) shot a team-total 138 under cool and blustery conditions at Brampton Golf Club in Brampton, Ont. to finish at 4-under 564 for the championship, a single shot clear of the Republic of Korea.
Canada 1, who began the day with a share of the third-round lead alongside Korea and the United States, needed a late-round charge to overtake Korea, who held a one-shot team lead through 16 holes.
The tournament shifted on the par-5 17th hole when Huang made a birdie for Canada and Korea’s Soomin Oh made a bogey. Zhang then stepped up with a birdie on the par-4 18th, followed by Huang rolling in a par-putt to secure Canada’s first-ever team gold medal at the prestigious international junior championship.
Team Canada 1 Coach Jeff MacDonald of Chester, N.S. was proud of how his team battled all week, going head-to-head with powerhouse challengers from Korea and the United States to earn the prestigious title – of world champions.
“It feels really amazing, the girls have worked so hard, they all contributed so much today, it was really close all day and they dealt with the stress really, really well,” said MacDonald, who was especially proud of the team’s resolve and self-belief that they could win. “Anna made a huge birdie on 17 while Vanessa was rolling in an incredible 30-footer on 18. We always knew it was a good company to be in, they (Korea and the USA) weren’t going to back down. The Koreans made a lot of putts today, they were exceptional, and our Canadians really stepped up to the occasion. They never felt like they couldn’t win this golf tournament. The whole time they knew they belonged, and they knew they could compete with those countries. They were competing, they wanted to win, and they knew they could win the whole time.”
“I think me, and Vanessa (Zhang) did a great job on the last four holes, we both made two birdies, so that was a really great comeback for us, I’m just really proud of how we all did as a team, its not just individual scores, its all about the team effort,” said Huang.
Canada’s previous best team finish at the World Junior Girls Golf Championship was a bronze medal in 2014.
“I don’t think we all had super high expectations going into this event, we just set out to do our best every single day and it was nice that we saw ourselves on the leaderboard, it more just came down to keeping our practice routines the same and trying our best each and every shot,” said Zhang.
“It’s such a cool experience, I said this earlier this week, you’re playing for something bigger than yourself, you’re playing for a team, and to do this together, feels pretty cool,” added Borovilos.
The two-time past winners from Korea would finish with the silver medal, shooting a team-total 3-under 565 followed by Czech Republic earning bronze at 4-over 572. Rounding out the top-five were Sweden (5-over 573) and Mexico (8-over 576).
The Team Canada 2 squad of 14-year-old Miranda Lu of Vancouver, 16-year-old Luna Lu of Burnaby, B.C. and 14-year-old Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta. finished 18th.
World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms – final team standings:
1 Canada 1 (-4) 141-142-143-138—564
2 Korea (-3) 143-141-142-139—565
3 Czech Republic (+4) 145-142-142-143—572
4 Sweden (+5) 140-147-144-142—573
5 Mexico (+8) 144-144-149-139—576
6 United States (+9) 139-142-145-151—577
7 Belgium (+12) 142-149-146-143—580
8 Spain (+15) 143-144-149-147—583
9 Italy (+16) 146-144-152-142—584
10 England (+17) 141-148-149-147—585
11Germany (+26) 148-147-149-150—594
12 Finland (+28) 146-147-154-149—596
13 Denmark (+29) 151-147-147-152—597
14 Poland (+32) 148-147-150-155—600
15 Chinese Taipei (+35) 148-153-146-156—603
T16 Switzerland (+36) 148-147-158-151—604
T16 Colombia (+36) 153-150-151-150—604
18 Canada 2 (+43) 154-151-153-153—611
19 Peru (+44) 151-155-158-148—612
20 Iceland (+47) 152-156-154-153—615
T21 Austria (+51) 149-154-159-157—619
T21 Wales (+51) 155-158-156-150—619
Click here for the full team competition leaderboard.
In the individual competition, third-round leader Denisa Vodickova of the Czech Republic followed up yesterday’s scorching 66 with a final-round even par 71 to win the Czech Republic’s first-ever individual medal in the eight-year history of the championship. An adjustment a month ago to her putting grip brought a great sense of confidence into the championship, finishing 7-under 277 for the tournament.
“It’s amazing, I feel great. I was very nervous today, I messed up the 17th hole a little bit and wasn’t sure I was still leading but was very glad about the finish,” said Vodickova, who plans to play college golf at Wake Forest next year. “My putting was really good, I’m putting cross-handed now, I changed a month ago and it’s working really well.”
With the victory, the 18-year-old earns an exemption into the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open next July at the Earl Grey Golf Club in Calgary, Alta.
Canadian Anna Huang capped off a tournament to remember, earning runner-up honours in the individual competition in addition to helping Canada win its first-ever team title. Huang, who finished T11 in 2022, shot a final-round 1-under 70 to finish at 4-under 280 for the championship, three shots back.
The runner-up finish for Huang was the best by a Canadian in the individual competition since Brooke Henderson’s fourth-place finish in 2014.
Soomin Oh of Korea finished third at 3-under 281 while Savanah de Bock of Belgium (1-under 283) and Nora Sundberg of Sweeden (2-over 286) rounded out the top-five.
Click here for the third round individual leaderboard.
This year marked the largest field in tournament history, with a total of 66 athletes comprising 22 teams and representing 21 countries competing for the team and individual titles.
RBC Canadian Open welcomes Justin Rose, Tyrrell Hatton & Cameron Champ
(May 25, 2023) – A trio of PGA TOUR stars and fan-favourites will compete at Oakdale Golf and Country Club in Toronto as 11-time PGA TOUR winner Justin Rose, world no. 18 Tyrrell Hatton and 3-time PGA TOUR winner Cameron Champ have joined the field for the 2023 RBC Canadian Open.
Rose, who will make his fifth start in the RBC Canadian Open, is currently ranked No. 22 on the FedEx Cup and no. 29 in the world. A European stalwart with the Ryder Cup and DP World Tour, Rose is a former US Open winner, past FedEx Cup champion, and gold medalist at the 2016 Olympics. He has four PGA TOUR top-10s this season including a win at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, T6 at The Players and T9 at the PGA Championship.
Fellow Englishman Hatton, who will make his second start in Canada, is a past winner on the PGA TOUR who sits no. 19 on the FedEx Cup and no. 18 in the world. The two-time Ryder Cup member and DP World Tour standout has five top-10s this season including a T6 at the WM Phoenix Open, T4 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, solo second at The Players Championship, T3 at the Wells Fargo Championship, and T5 at the Byron Nelson Championship.
One of the longest hitters on the PGA TOUR, Champ makes his third start in the RBC Canadian Open. A three-time winner on the PGA TOUR, Champ has a pair of top-10s on the season including solo eight at the Zozo Championship and T8 at the Mexico Open.
Rose, Hatton, and Champ join a growing field headlined by two-time defending champion and world no. 3 Rory McIlroy who will be looking to become the first player to win three consecutive RBC Canadian Open titles. Others previously committed include reigning US Open and RBC Heritage champion Matthew Fitzpatrick (world no. 9) along with fellow European stars Tommy Fleetwood (world no. 23) and Shane Lowry (world no. 26).
The group will compete alongside Team RBC ambassadors Sam Burns (world no. 14), Cameron Young (world no. 16), Sahith Theegala (world no. 27), seven-time PGA TOUR winner Webb Simpson, and nine-time PGA TOUR winner Matt Kuchar.
A full Canadian contingent will also challenge for the national championship led by PGA TOUR winners Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont. (world no. 28), Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C. (world no. 58), Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont. (world no. 62), Nick Taylor of Abbottsford, B.C. (world no. 66), and Adam Hadwin of Abbottsford, B.C. (world no. 71) as well as fellow PGA TOUR members Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont. and Michael Gligic of Burlington, Ont.
In addition to world class golf, fans at the 2023 RBC Canadian Open will be treated to the two-night RBCxMusic Concert Series onsite at Oakdale Golf and Country with Grammy Award-winning pop group, the Black Eyed Peas performing on Friday, June 9 and Canadian Grammy Award-winning icon Alanis Morissette performing on Saturday, June 10.
Tickets for the 2023 RBC Canadian Open are available here. Children aged 12-and-under get free admission with a ticketed adult.
Introducing the CPKC Women’s Open
Canada’s National Women’s Open Golf Championship renamed following the historic rail merger of Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern
May 17, 2023 – Golf Canada and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) have announced the tournament known since 2014 as the CP Women’s Open is now the CPKC Women’s Open.
The renaming of Canada’s National Women’s Golf Championship follows the historic combination of title sponsor, Canadian Pacific, with Kansas City Southern. The two railway companies came together April 14, 2023, to become CPKC, the first single-line railway network connecting Canada, the United States and Mexico.
“We are extremely proud to partner with CPKC in this new chapter of the railway’s storied, iconic history,” said CPKC Women’s Tournament Director Ryan Paul. “CPKC remains a major supporter of women’s golf globally and we look forward to introducing the new CPKC Women’s Open brand across the tournament.”
“This event, the lone Canadian stop on the LPGA Tour, showcases CPKC’s continued commitment to our world-class championship that raises significant amounts of money for children’s heart health in a host communities across Canada,” Paul added.
The 2023 CPKC Women’s Open will be played August 22-27, 2023, at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver, B.C.
In nine years of title sponsorship of the CPKC Women’s Open, more than $13.5 million has been raised to support children’s heart health in the event’s host communities. The 2023 charitable beneficiary of the CPKC Women’s Open will be the B.C. Children’s Hospital Foundation in Vancouver, B.C.
For more information about the CPKC Women’s Open, visit www.cpkcwomensopen.com
Amateur Taylor Durham wins B.C. Regional Qualifier to earn exemption into 2023 RBC Canadian Open
Abbotsford, B.C. – Taylor Durham of North Vancouver, B.C. shot a 5-under 65 Friday at the B.C. Regional Qualifier hosted at Ledgeview Golf Club in Abbotsford, B.C. to earn a direct exemption into the 2023 RBC Canadian Open, June 6-11 at Oakdale Golf and Country Club in Toronto.
Competing in the RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifier as an amateur, Durham caught fire at the turn, reeling off five straight birdies on holes 9 through 13 and seven birdies on the day to earn medalist honours, two shots clear of Zahidali Nathu of Richmond, B.C. (-3). Team Canada NextGen amateur Alex Zhang of Richmond, B.C. was solo third at 2-under with six others finishing with a share of fourth at 1-under.
Durham, 29, outlasted a field of 124 professional and amateur golfers at Ledgeview Golf Club (exceeding the 120-golfer requirement for a direct exemption) to earn his first-ever start in the Canada’s National Open Championship.
“I’m pretty speechless to be honest, it’s definitely a lifelong dream to play in a PGA TOUR event but you never really believe its going to happen, said Dunham, a 2-time Men’s Club Champion from Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver. “After hole 11, just off birdies on 9 and 10, I felt I was hitting if really nice, and tried to get home without any big numbers. I’ve been texting friends and family, it still feels hard to believe, just an awesome day and I’m super excited to be in this position right now.”
The remaining top 15% of the field from the B.C. Regional Qualifier will advance to the RBC Canadian Open Final Qualifier scheduled for Sunday, June 4 at Coppinwood Golf Club in Goodwood, Ont.
Playing to Par 70 over 6,159 yards, Ledgeview proved to be a solid test for Qualifier field, with only nine players shooting below par. In addition to Durham’s exemption, 19 golfers will advance to the Final Qualifier on Sunday, June 4.
RBC Canadian Open B.C. Regional Qualifier Results:
| Pos. | Player | Residence | To Par | Total | ||
| 1 | Taylor Durham (a) | North Vancouver, BC | -5 | 65 | ||
| 2 | Zahidali Nathu | Richmond, BC | -3 | 67 | ||
| 3 | Alex Zhang (a) | Richmond, BC | -2 | 68 | ||
| T4 | Cory Renfrew | Delta, BC | -1 | 69 | ||
| T4 | Cory Hilditch (a) | Penticton, BC | -1 | 69 | ||
| T4 | Ethan Wilson (a) | St. Albert, AB | -1 | 69 | ||
| T4 | Ryan Hall | Knoxville, TN | -1 | 69 | ||
| T4 | John Paul Kahlert (a) | Maple Ridge, BC | -1 | 69 | ||
| T4 | Khan Lee | Chilliwack, BC | -1 | 69 | ||
| T10 | Tanvir Kahlon | Langley, BC | E | 70 | ||
| T10 | Kaleb Gorbahn | Smithers, BC | E | 70 | ||
| T10 | Brett Webster | Abbotsford, BC | E | 70 | ||
| T10 | Jake Lane | Vancouver, BC | E | 70 | ||
| T14 | Oliver Rizun (a) | Kelowna, BC | +1 | 71 | ||
| T14 | Kamyar Yamini (a) | Vancouver, BC | +1 | 71 | ||
| T14 | Denby Carswell (a) | Burnaby, BC | +1 | 71 | ||
| T14 | Bryce Barker | Vernon, BC | +1 | 71 | ||
| T14 | Daniel Campbell | Bellingham, WA | +1 | 71 | ||
| T14 | Sher Sidhu (a) | Abbotsford, BC | +1 | 71 | ||
For the full leaderboard click here.
The B.C. Qualifier at Ledgeview was the first of five 2023 RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifiers. The next is scheduled for Monday, May 15 at the Oshawa Golf and Curling Club in Oshawa Ont. and then Wednesday, May 17 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley (North Course) in Caledon, Ont. Additional Regional Qualifiers will take place on Wednesday, May 24 at Golf-Château Bromont in Bromont, Que. and on Monday, May 29 at Pinebrook Golf and Country Club in Calgary.
Matthew Fitzpatrick joins field for 2023 RBC Canadian Open
(May 1, 2023) One of the hottest golfers on the planet is sure to be a fan-favourite at Oakdale Golf and Country Club in Toronto as world no. 6 Matthew Fitzpatrick will compete in the 2023 RBC Canadian Open.
Competing in his third RBC Canadian Open, the 28-year-old Englishman is having a stellar 2023 season with three top-10 finishes including a victory at the recent RBC Heritage and a T10 finish at The Masters. Currently ranked no. 22 on the 2022 FedEx Cup, Fitzpatrick, a two-time winner on the PGA TOUR, six-time winner on the DP World Tour, and two-time Ryder Cup team member will compete in Canada’s National Open Championship before defending his U.S. Open title the next week at L.A. Country Club.
“I am really looking forward to returning to Canada and competing in the RBC Canadian Open in front of the amazing Canadian golf fans,” said Fitzpatrick. “Having won the RBC Heritage last month, I am hopeful to play well at Oakdale and keep that momentum going into the U.S. Open.”
Fitzpatrick joins an emerging field headlined by two-time defending champion and world no. 3 Rory McIlroy who will be looking to become the first player to win three consecutive RBC Canadian Open titles. A victory for McIlroy would make him only the fourth three-time champion, joining Tommy Armour, Sam Snead, and Lee Trevino. Leo Deigel’s four victories are the most in the tournament’s storied history.
McIlroy and Fitzpatrick will be joined by fellow European stars Tommy Fleetwood as well as Shane Lowry. The world no. 23 ranked Lowry is a two-time PGA TOUR winner and a past Open Championship winner while Fleetwood, who has two top-10 PGA TOUR finishes this season, has won seven international titles, and is ranked no. 25 in the world.
The group will compete alongside Team RBC ambassadors Sam Burns (world no. 13), Cameron Young (world no. 16), Sahith Theegala (world no. 24), seven-time PGA TOUR winner Webb Simpson, and nine-time PGA TOUR winner Matt Kuchar.
A full Canadian contingent will also challenge for the national championship led by PGA TOUR winners Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont. (world no. 30), Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont. (world no. 57), Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C. (world no. 56), Nick Taylor of Abbottsford, B.C. (world no. 65), and Adam Hadwin of Abbottsford, B.C. (world no. 71) as well as fellow PGA TOUR members Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont. and Michael Gligic of Burlington, Ont.
A trio of Canadians have also accepted tournament exemptions to compete at Oakdale including Winnipeg, Man. Native Aaron Cockerill who is currently ranked 24th on the DP World Tour as well as Thornhill, Ont. native Ben Silverman who won on the Korn Ferry Tour earlier this year to sit second on the Tour’s 2023 Points List.
Also accepting an exemption to compete is Canadian golf icon and President’s Cup International Team Captain Mike Weir of Bright’s Grove, Ont. who will be competing in his 31st RBC Canadian Open, one back of fellow Canadian Golf Hall of Famer George Cummings who had a record 32 starts in Canada’s National Open Championship.
In addition to world class golf, fans at the 2023 RBC Canadian Open will be treated to the two-night RBCxMusic Concert Series onsite at Oakdale Golf and Country with Grammy Award-winning pop group, the Black Eyed Peas performing on Friday, June 9 and Canadian Grammy Award-winning icon Alanis Morissette performing on Saturday, June 10.
“We are less than 40 days away from the RBC Canadian Open and extremely excited to get the tournament started,” said Bryan Crawford, Tournament Director, RBC Canadian Open. “Oakdale Golf and Country Club in the heart of Toronto joins our host club rotation for the first time and will present a great test of golf for the world’s best players. Our partners have leaned into our National Open Championship in a major way to deliver a truly immersive fan festival experience as a kickoff to summer.”
Tickets for the 2023 RBC Canadian Open are available here. Children aged 12-and-under get free admission with a ticketed adult.
Golf Canada extends its partnership with Hilton
April 4, 2023 – Golf Canada and Hilton have announced the renewal of their multi-year integrated partnership with Hilton as the official hotel partner for the National Sport Federation and its members.
Golf Canada is proud to have Hilton’s continued support of Canada’s signature National Open Golf Championships – the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open as well as a new integrated partnership with Team Canada. Through this new partnership, Hilton will be featured prominently on Team Canada athlete uniforms and will be the official hotel partner for Golf Canada’s National Team Program, Canadian Amateur Golf Championships presented by BDO and the World Junior Girls Championship presented by Sargent Farms.
“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Golf Canada as Official Hotel Partner and look forward to building on our relationship with their sponsorship of Team Canada,” said Jennifer White Hilton’s Director of Destination Marketing for US and Canada. “Golf is becoming an increasingly popular sport in Canada, and we look forward to welcoming Golf Canada members, fans, and players from all around the world to stay with us and experience our signature Hilton hospitality.”
Hilton is deeply engaged, and we are pleased to continue to expand their commitment to Canadian golf across so many areas of our organization, specifically on Team Canada,” said Craig Sharp, Golf Canada Senior Director, Partnerships. “Their new commitment to the development of the team will no doubt have a lasting effect as we work towards our goal of 30 Canadian players of the LPGA and PGA Tours by 2032. Our robust partnership has a premium touchpoint with so many levels of Canadian golf and its exciting for our members across Canada to continue accessing a meaningful suite of travel and lifestyle benefits.”
Golf Canada launches National Golf League in support of First Tee – Canada
Your League Levelled Up!
(April 3, 2023) – Golf Canada has announced the launch of The National Golf League (NGL), a nationwide network of existing recreational golf leagues designed to enhance the league experience for participants and generate charitable support for First Tee – Canada.
Built for golfers of all skill levels, the National Golf League will feature a six-week regular season that takes place within existing recreational league play during the summer. A series of regional playoff tournaments across Canada will take place in the fall at premium golf courses. The National Golf League will culminate with the NGL National Championship at Hamilton Golf and Country Club as part of the 2024 RBC Canadian Open tournament week celebration.
The National Golf League will also contribute to the development of a more sustainable and inclusive future for the sport by supporting a charitable component through First Tee – Canada. First Tee is a youth development program that provides accessible pathways to golf participation at schools, community centres, and golf courses across the country.
“League play is one of the most popular ways that Canadians engage with golf. The National Golf League will build on the fun that league golfers already have by supplementing and levelling up existing leagues through a national platform for regular season play and an exciting and unique playoff format,” said Golf Canada Chief Sport Officer, Kevin Blue. “The National Golf League will also provide important charitable support to First Tee – Canada, a program that creates youth participation opportunities for the next generation of recreational golfers.”
National Golf League competitions will utilize an official Golf Canada Handicap applied towards a net Stableford scoring system that allows golfers to earn points for the net score they record on each hole.
Regular season NGL competition will take place over nine holes during six weeks of identified league play called “NGL Majors” that are integrated into existing league play and scheduled at the convenience of the local league operator. A golfer’s best four net Stableford point totals of the six NGL Majors will count towards their season-long points total on the NGL leaderboard.
A portion of the top regular season finishers in each participating league will qualify for the NGL Regional Playoffs, which will take place at premium courses across Canada. Qualifying golfers will select a guest teammate who also played in their regular season league and participate as a team of two in a best-ball net Stableford competition over 18 holes. Successful teams in the NGL Regional Playoffs will earn an all-expenses-paid trip to the NGL National Championship.
The NGL is open to recreational golf leagues played at both private and public courses. Participants must be Golf Canada members to ensure an official handicap is used. There is no registration fee for golfers or leagues to join the National Golf League. Participants will be asked to support First Tee – Canada in their home province by way of donation.
The size of the National Golf League will be limited in its launch year to ensure a positive experience for players and league operators. A limited number of spots remain for leagues to join the National Golf League in 2023—interested league operators should contact Ryan Logan (rlogan@golfcanada.ca) to express interest before April 15. For more information visit NationalGolfLeague.ca.
Golf Canada joining Abuse-Free Sport
Golf Canada is pleased to announce that it has signed an agreement to join Abuse-Free Sport, the new independent program to prevent and address maltreatment in sport.
Golf Canada will initially adopt Abuse-Free Sport specifically for Team Canada athletes, athlete support personnel, and staff. Other participants will continue to report Safe Sport concerns through ITP Sport, the independent third-party reporting service that is used by Golf Canada.
Team Canada stakeholders will have access to the services of the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner (OSIC), which serves as the central hub of Abuse-Free Sport, following a transition period which will end no later than June 30, 2023.
“Golf Canada remains fully committed to Safe Sport and supports the creation of a national oversight mechanism. As part of that commitment, we’re pleased to sign on to Abuse-Free Sport and to soon have the OSIC to administer Safe Sport reporting and review processes for our national team athletes, support personnel, and staff,” said Laura Wilson, Golf Canada’s Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Safe Sport.
Golf Canada is in the final stages of updating its internal policies to reflect the most recent version of the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport (UCCMS), which it must do before operationally implementing the Abuse-Free Sport program.
Prior to June 30, 2023 all participants who have experienced or witnessed abuse will continue to have access to independent third-party services through ITP Sport by using the phone number and links at the bottom of Golf Canada’s Safe Sport website.
GOLF CANADA’S COMMITMENT TO SAFE SPORT
Golf Canada is fully aligned with the important work of Sport Canada and recognizes our obligation and responsibility to protect the health, safety and physical and mental well-being of athletes, staff, volunteers, and other participants involved in our sport. The organization recognizes that Safe Sport is everyone’s responsibility and has taken important steps to foster safer environments in golf including: preventative education through the Respect Group; enhanced screening practices for all employees and volunteers; a full suite of Safe Sport Policies including the adoption of the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport; and an Independent Third Party to manage the intake of complaints and determine the appropriate manner and forum to address the allegations. All golf enthusiasts deserve to participate and compete in an environment free from harassment, abuse, or discrimination, regardless of gender identity or expression, race, ethnicity, religion, language, age, and ability. Golf Canada takes any situation involving misconduct or maltreatment very seriously. We are committed to enacting and enforcing strong, clear, and effective policies and processes so anyone participating in golf can do so within a culture of inclusivity and respect.