– National Sport Federation for golf to join other NSF’s preventing bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination by mandating Respect Training –

Calgary, Alta. (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada is proud to announce it is working to combat and prevent abuse, bullying and harassment in golf by adopting Respect in Sport and Respect in the Workplace as part of its deepened commitment to the Responsible Coaching Movement (RCM).

Respect in Sport and Respect in the Workplace are online resources used to prevent bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination (BAHD). The program’s mission is to empower participants to recognize signs of BAHD and eliminate it from the game and workplace, through a global culture of respect.

Golf Canada will be joining other National Sport Federation’s in Canada offering Respect Training to coaches, support staff, parents of Team Canada athletes, directors, staff and other key stakeholders. The association is also encouraging training at the provincial golf association level.

“We are very proud to be joining other National Sport Federations in adopting and facilitating this important training among our golf community,” said Laurence Applebaum, CEO, Golf Canada. “Our commitment to integrating the Responsible Coaching Movement and Respect programming into the core areas of our organization will strengthen our efforts to build a culture of respect, and further instill a safe, fun and positive environment in golf.”

Applebaum, along with Kevin Thistle, CEO of the PGA of Canada, officially signed the Responsible Coaching Movement pledge in mid-December as part of annual Sport Development Meetings between coaches and administrators from the PGA of Canada, Golf Canada and all the Provincial Golf Associations.

The Responsible Coaching Movement (RCM) is a multi-phase system-wide movement, coordinated by the Coaching Association of Canada and the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport. The RCM is a call to action for organizations to implement realistic change based on their individual state of readiness. Golf Canada’s long-term commitment to Respect Training is an important and meaningful step forward for golf in Canada.

The Respect Group—those behind Respect in Sport and Respect in the Workplace, was co-founded by former NHLer and Order of Canada recipient Sheldon Kennedy in 2004. It partnered with the Canadian Red Cross to create a best-in-class e-learning curriculum for mass consumption.

“Respect Group is pleased to partner with Golf Canada in support of the Responsible Coaching Movement,” said Wayne McNeil, President of Respect Group. “Golf Canada is showing great leadership in taking the issues of bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination seriously, and wanting to take positive steps to ensuring a positive sport/workplace culture.”

Golf Canada has also updated several of its policies to help combat BAHD, including its Code of Conduct, Code of Ethics, Junior Code of Conduct, Parent’s and Spectator Code of Conduct, Recognition and Prevention of Abuse Policy, Recognition and Prevention of Discrimination Policy, Harassment & Violence Policy, Whistleblower Policy, as well as its Volunteer and Staff Screening Policy.

Starting with the opening round of the Farmers Insurance Open, leading live-streaming sports service DAZN Canada will carry live coverage of more than 30 PGA TOUR events on its expanding platform.

The one-year deal gives DAZN the rights to broadcast PGA TOUR LIVE’s early round coverage of the opening two rounds of each tournament, covering the two most compelling featured groups on the golf course. After the morning rounds are complete, coverage will switch to ‘Featured Holes’ coverage. DAZN distribution begins January 25 with the return of Tiger Woods at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course. This year’s event boasts a strong field which includes: defending champion Jon Rahm, Justin Rose, Rickie Fowler, Patrick Reed, Jason Day, Xander Schauffele, Phil Mickelson, Charley Hoffman and Canadian Adam Hadwin.

“Our sports menu in Canada continues to grow and we are excited to be offering Canadian golf fans access to some of the best golf competitions of the year,” said Alex Rice, Managing Director for Rights and Strategic Development, at DAZN. “We made a commitment to keep adding more sports in the Canadian market and we are proud to be delivering on that promise today with some top-notch PGA TOUR golf action.”

Woods’ comeback live on DAZN will take place at the course where he last won a major tournament — the 2008 U.S. Open — and where he also won the Farmers Insurance Open in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2013.

“With the ongoing evolution of PGA TOUR LIVE, we continue to look at innovative ways to spotlight and promote our players to fans in core golf markets like Canada,” said Rick Anderson, PGA TOUR Chief Media Officer. “We’re excited to partner with DAZN Canada to provide access to golf fans on their preferred platforms and in the new ways they are consuming content.”

The new partnership between DAZN and the PGA TOUR will result in hundreds of hours of live coverage from 30 PGA TOUR events streamed on the DAZN Canada platform all year long, including the RBC Canadian Open in July.

Golf fans now have a choice of subscribing directly to DAZN Canada for a monthly fee of $20/month or $150/year with one month free for new customers which includes access to PGA TOUR LIVE, all NFL games, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1, FIBA Basketball among other sports properties. Canadian residents can register at www.dazn.com. Alternatively, Canadians can subscribe directly to PGA TOUR LIVE for $5.99 per month or $39.99 per year.

GREAT ABACO, The Bahamas – Canadian Adam Svensson picked up his first Web.com Tour win at The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club in his 58th career start. The Surrey, B.C., product carded a final-round, 4-under-par 68. His 17-under-par 271 total was good for a one-stroke victory over rookie phenom Sungjae Im, who missed a 10-footer on the 72nd hole to force overtime.

“It’s a relief,” said Svensson, who couldn’t see Im’s birdie bid at the last. “Your heart is racing and when it’s over it slows down, and you realize what you’ve done. I just so thrilled I got the win and just so happy.”

What a difference a year makes. Svensson missed the cut at both Bahamas events to start the 2017 season and found himself behind the 8-ball all year. He ultimately made it to the Web.com Tour Finals but finished one spot out of securing his PGA TOUR card.

The Team Canada graduate thought about it all offseason but used it as motivation this year.

“It stings a little less,” said Svensson, about the disappointment of not getting his TOUR card last year. “I’ve still got a lot of work to do going forward, but it’s nice.”

After a tie for 13th in The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic and a win in Abaco, Svensson has moved to No. 2 on the Tour money list, firmly inside the top 25.

“Obviously you want to get into the No. 1 spot, which is very difficult,” said Svensson, who collected a $108,000 first-place prize. “You want to try and get inside the top five or as high as you can.”

Down the stretch, Svensson got nervous and it showed on his tee shot at the 16th hole. With driver in hand, the West Palm Beach, Florida resident hooked his drive into the trees on the left. Svensson took a drop, in which his ball plugged in the sand, and hit his third to 33 feet and drained the par-putt to remain in the lead.

“That was wild,” said Svensson. “I told my caddie, ‘I’m not leaving it short. It’s either in or going by.’”

Sungjae Im misses the birdie putt to force a playoff.

And @adamsvensson59 has won his first #WebTour event at -17.

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— Web.com Tour (@WebDotComTour) January 24, 2018

Having made bogey at the par-3 17th, Svensson needed a birdie at the last to close out the tournament. He flared his second at the par-5 finishing hole right of the green in a deep swale. Svensson then sailed his chip past the pin just off the green.

Left with a slippery downhill putt, Svensson nestled his putt to within tap-in range to finish at 17-under-par.

“I wasn’t trying to make it,” said Svensson, about his birdie putt on 18. “I knew I had to two-putt and somehow I just nestled it down there.”

The top of the leaderboard had an international flair to it with Svensson winning, Im finishing runner-up and Australian Rhein Gibson ending the week in solo third.

With Svensson’s victory in The Bahamas, 18 players from Canada have won 25 tournaments on the Web.com Tour. Ben Silverman was the last to add to the total with his triumph at the Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper. Silverman and Corey Conners finished inside the top 50 to earn their PGA TOUR cards and join fellow Web.com Tour alumni Adam Hadwin, Mackenzie Hughes and David Hearn on TOUR.

Svensson, 24, was one of three team members that won the men’s silver medal for Canada at the 2014 World Amateur Team Championship in Japan.

Svensson hopes to be the next star from the Great White North.

“There are so many good Canadians coming up right now,” he said. “Canada has a lot of good players because of the programs they have in place. The Team Canada program is awesome.”

Calgary’s Ryan Yip finished T10 at 11 under par for the tournament.

Click here for the full leaderboard.

O Canada!

24-year-old @adamsvensson59 (-17) has won the 2nd #WebTour event of 2018 by one stroke over last week’s winner Sungjae Im.

He talks about gutting it out down the stretch. pic.twitter.com/fDxvG4lFBu

— Web.com Tour (@WebDotComTour) January 24, 2018

As the first two-term Golf Canada president since 1931, you might expect Roland Deveau to heave a huge sigh of relief as he hands the mantle to Calgary’s Leslie Dunning.

You would be wrong.

While Deveau, 56, looks forward to getting back to “real life,” as he puts it, he is justifiably proud of the 24 months he spent at the helm of the association. It was a span that encompassed a change of CEOs of the organization as well as experiencing the return of golf to the Olympics and Canada’s 150^th anniversary celebration.

CEO Laurence Applebaum (left) and Roland Deveau at Golf House in Oakville, Ont.

“It wasn’t all smooth sailing, but that’s an integral part of leadership in challenging times,” Deveau said in an interview with Golf Canada a couple of weeks before the association’s annual general meeting in Calgary where Dunning takes over. As past-president, he will remain on the Golf Canada board of directors.

“When I look back, and I want to emphasize that nothing gets accomplished without the support of my fellow directors, staff and volunteers, I think we met many objectives. We stabilized our finances, we delivered our entire suite of programs as promised, some of which are recognized world-wide as best in class. We’re well on our way to delivering our new membership model, which will be completed next year.”

Deveau’s term in office was also marked by memorable performances on-course. Canadian golfers, both amateur and professional, showed well around the world.

But for Deveau, the singularly “surreal” moment came as he watched young Canadian pro Austin Connelly at the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in England.

“Being there on the tee at that last round, seeing Austin in the penultimate group with Brooks Koepke, who had won the U.S. Open just a month before, and teeing off just ahead of the final group of Matt Kuchar and Jordan Spieth, it was unbelievable. Surreal. That’s the only way I can describe the feeling.”

Connelly spent summers playing and practising at Deveau’s home course, Clare Golf and Country Club, a few hours from Halifax, where Deveau, a lawyer, is the vice-chair of the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board.

“To see him grow up during the summers, living less than a mile from my parents’ house and to follow him in the final round of the Open Championship and see his name on the leaderboard … Absolutely incredible.”

He said that experience, for him, encapsulated what golf is all about: Seeing a promising youngster supported by the golf community rising to the world stage.

Most golfers don’t understand the role of Golf Canada’s president. Many may think of the office as a ceremonial one, a figurehead akin to our country’s governor-general. In Deveau’s case, nothing could be further from the truth.

There are unrelenting governance and organizational responsibilities and myriad demands on personal time that must be juggled with the “real job” of the president who is, in the final analysis, just the “first among equals” of Golf Canada’s many volunteers.

“It’s not all about handing out trophies,” says Deveau. “People wouldn’t believe how much goes on behind the scenes. We’re entrusted with the game in Canada as the National Sport Organization and we have never taken our role lightly.”

The gregarious Deveau was the first Golf Canada president to use social media to stay in touch with Canadians and kept his “feet on the ground” as a Rules of Golf official at some significant events, including the RBC Canadian Open and the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship in 2016 and 2017, the 2017 Canadian Women’s Amateur and Canadian Junior Boys Championship, and others.

Deveau says it gave him a chance to interact with players and, most importantly, spectators.

“It showed me just how many people in Canada love this game so much. Not that I would say it gave me ‘credibility’ as such but it gave me a lot of insight.”

As he leaves his historic role, Deveau departs not just with hard-earned credibility and insight, but with other emotions. Regret is definitely not one of them.

“These past two years have definitely been a challenge, but they’ve been so very rewarding and worthwhile. I enjoyed every minute of the experience.”

CALGARY – Golf Canada’s 2018 Annual Meeting is set for this week (January 25-27) at the Grey Eagle Resort and Casino in Calgary, Alta.

The event brings together Golf Canada’s Board of Directors, staff and volunteers as well as representatives from Canada’s provincial golf associations and other stakeholders including international partners from the R&A, USGA, LPGA Tour and PGA TOUR. The group will assemble for three days of meetings, presentations and discussion in preparation for the upcoming golf season.

Golf Canada’s Annual Meeting will culminate with the appointment of Leslie Dunning of Calgary, Alta. to serve as the National Sport Federation’s 114^th volunteer President.

The formal appointment of Dunning as President along with the release of the association’s 2017 financial statements will take place during Golf Canada’s official Annual General Meeting on Saturday, January 25^th at 5:00pm MT.

As part of the Annual Meeting, Golf Canada will also celebrate outstanding contributions to the game of golf in Canada with the presentation of its 2017 Volunteer of the Year Award as well as Golf Canada’s Distinguished Service Award(s).

A full schedule of activities and presentations taking place during Golf Canada’s Annual Meeting is available here.

Golf Canada is the National Sports Federation and governing body for golf in Canada representing over 319,000 golfers at more than 1,400 member clubs across the country. A proud member of the Canadian Olympic Committee, Golf Canada’s mission is to grow participation, excellence and passion in the sport while upholding the integrity and traditions of the game. By investing in the growth of the sport and introducing more participants of all ages to the game, our goal is to be relevant to and respected by all Canadian golf enthusiasts from coast to coast.

Titleist Velocity

The new Titleist Velocity golf balls are designed with proprietary high-speed technology to deliver even more distance on every shot. With the introduction of new high-visibility color options – VISI-White, Velocity Orange and Velocity Pink – the power of Velocity is also packed with personality.

Available in golf shops worldwide, the 2018 Velocity has been reengineered with a softer high-speed core and Titleist’s fastest cover blend to deliver extremely low spin and fast ball speed off the tee for increased distance. Velocity’s advanced aerodynamics produce a high flight on all shots to enhance distance and help golfers stop the ball closer to the hole.

“Everything we do with Velocity is to generate speed and distance,” said Michael Mahoney, Vice President, Titleist Golf Ball Marketing. “When we spoke to Velocity golfers at the beginning of the development process, they told us they wanted even more distance, especially off the tee. Our R&D team responded with new core technology and the fastest cover of any Titleist golf ball on the market to give them that added advantage.”

Titleist Velocity is now offered in four color and preference options: standard White plus three new high-visibility colors – VISI-White, Velocity Orange and Velocity Pink.

VISI-White also features an orange sidestamp and double-digit play numbers (00, 22, 77, 99). The double-digit play numbers were selected based on their popularity among members of Team Titleist.

“We’ve seen an increasing preference among golfers in general to play products that they truly identify with and color is a big part of that,” said Michael Fish, Titleist Golf Ball Product Manager. “We’re confident the improved performance of Velocity with new color options will only make the game more enjoyable for these golfers.”

New Titleist Velocity golf balls (White, VISI-White, Velocity Orange and Velocity Pink) are available in golf shops worldwide beginning Jan. 24, 2018.

Titleist Tour Soft

The continued pursuit of breakthrough technology and performance by Titleist golf ball engineers has resulted in the all-new Titleist Tour Soft golf balls, now available in golf shops worldwide.

For golfers demanding better feel, the invention of Titleist Tour Soft – the softest-feeling golf ball in its category – delivers a better performance experience. Tour Soft’s innovative design combines the largest core ever engineered into a Titleist golf ball with ultra-thin cover technology to provide responsive feel, very fast speed for commanding distance and excellent short game performance.

“We knew based on breakthroughs being made in R&D that there was an opportunity to deliver a brand new high-performance golf ball that would lead the category in terms of soft compression feel,” said Michael Mahoney, Vice President, Titleist Golf Ball Marketing. “Ultimately, because of our exhaustive and iterative prototyping process, we were able to deliver everything we wanted in Tour Soft – and more. It’s not only the softest ball in the category. It’s better and longer than Chrome Soft, TP5 and Tour B RXS.”

More than 19,000 golfers participated in the white box testing and validation process for the new Titleist Tour Soft, with golfers receiving prototype golf balls for on-course evaluation. Player feedback was then gathered through Team Titleist and shared with Titleist R&D. This included a three-ball blind prototype test in January 2017 that led to some key insights toward the Tour Soft development.

New Titleist Tour Soft golf balls are available in golf shops worldwide beginning Jan. 24, 2018.

The next generation of Scotty Cameron Select putters – introducing new four-way sole balancing technology – continues the evolution of a line engineered for performance, milled to precision and designed with elegance.

Available in golf shops worldwide beginning March 30, the 2018 Select line advances Titleist Master Putter Maker Scotty Cameron’s proven multi-material construction methodology of combining face inlays of either 303 stainless steel or 6061 aircraft-grade aluminum with stainless steel bodies for superior balance, weight distribution, sound and feel.

The new Select line features seven tour-validated modern blade and mid-mallet models. The new Select Laguna joins Scotty’s classic Select Newport, Newport 2 and Newport 2.5 blade styles, while the popular Fastback and Squareback names return in updated mid-mallet offerings. Rounding out the line is the heel-shafted mid-mallet Select Newport 3.

Precise refinements made to the sight, sound and sole components of each Select model deliver key performance benefits:

• SIGHT: Contours and sight cues were refined to enhance alignment opportunities and instill confidence. Scotty focused on thinning topline appearances by giving each a slightly rounder radius. Plumbing neck dimensions, edges and angles have been squared up for a cleaner look from address.
• SOUND: Improved sound and feel are the result of up to 30 percent more vibration dampening material connecting face inlays with putter bodies. The connecting screws are slightly larger to account for the increased material and the surface compression necessary to produce the softer sound, while preserving the feedback demanded by the best players in the world to aid in distance control and diagnosing mishits.
• SOLE: For the first time ever, Scotty has introduced a four-way balanced sole design for a faster setup and easier alignment at address. The balance point of each 2018 Select putter’s sole has been shifted forward to account for the weight of the shaft and grip and their impact related to how the putter sits at address. This results in a putter that sits perfectly square at address to promote easier alignment on virtually any lie.

“Everything I’ve learned from refining and redesigning Newport-style putters over the last two decades has gone into this 2018 Select line,” Scotty Cameron said. “I always strive to raise the bar by incorporating new materials, milling and manufacturing techniques. I’m at the point with the Select line of putters that now I’m hyper-focused on the finest details. Tour players pick up on things most people don’t but those details can make a big difference in how a putter performs. We’ve reengineered the sole to account for the shaft and grip weight by actually moving metal in minute increments to help the putter align perfectly. I call it four-way sole balancing because we’ve balanced the putter from face to cavity, and from heel to toe.”

The 2018 Select line employs three unique setups – incorporating Scotty’s innovative face inlays that wrap around the sole and disappear from the player’s view at address – to complement each putter shape and size:

• New 2018 Select Newport, Newport 2, Newport 2.5 and Laguna models are modern heel-and-toe weighted blades designed to support flowing strokes in several player preferred setups. Each model features a sole-to-topline 303 stainless steel inlay that is precision mid-milled and hand-buffed to a brilliant, metallic finish, then bonded to the stainless steel body using up to 30 percent more high-tech vibration dampening material than previous models. This fusion of materials provides golfers with ultra-responsive feel and feedback at impact.
• New 2018 Select Newport 3 is a heel-shafted mid-mallet, based on the classic Newport head shape, designed with a flow neck (with ¾” offset) for the player who needs additional toe flow in his stroke. Multi-material technology – featuring a precision milled, lightweight 6061 aircraft grade aluminum face inlay fused to the precision-milled 303 stainless steel body – distributes weight for higher MOI performance. A left-handed Newport 3 was also added to the line for 2018.
• New 2018 Select Fastback and Squareback mid-mallets combine 6061 aircraft grade aluminum inlays with Scotty’s wrap-around face-sole technology. The face-sole component is a single piece of lightweight aluminum that wraps down and around to create the midsection of the sole. This construction concentrates weight on the perimeter to produce higher MOI and stability for “straight back/straight through” strokes. The lightweight aluminum face-sole is fine tuned for sound and feel through increased vibration dampening material attached to the stainless steel core. Both new models have been refined with a milled sightline in the flange in lieu of the pop-through feature.

Click here for an overview of each 2018 Select putter model.​

New Select putters feature advanced stability weighting with two, customizable stainless steel heel-toe weights, stepless steel shafts and supple Black & Silver Matador Mid-size grips developed to offer the comfort of a larger grip while maintaining responsiveness and feel.

Scotty gave the Select line’s raw stainless steel finish a unique bead blast for a radiant yet glare resistant appearance. Smaller double-milled “cherry dots” on the heel and sole – inspired by Scotty’s familiar three bright translucent red dot theme – with simplified, engraved typography represents this modern, refined line.

Select putters will be available on March 30 worldwide through Titleist authorized golf shops. 1st of 500 models will be available on March 23.

ORLANDO, Fla., – The LPGA’s 2018 advertising campaign made its debut this week on Golf Channel ahead of the season-opening Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic, with the campaign’s emphasis on ‘A Global Tour Like No Other’ and the accessibility and personality of its players.

The 2018 edition of the LPGA’s campaign was created by Austin-based ad agency Divot Group and the spots will be rolled out during telecasts on Golf Channel over the first several tournaments of the 2018 LPGA Tour season, starting with this week’s event at the Ocean Club Golf Course in Paradise Island, Bahamas.

The playful, light-hearted ad series aims to showcase the diverse nationalities of LPGA Tour players while emphasizing their approachability and personality.

One spot (Language) highlights the challenges of playing all round the world, such as the potential pitfalls of language applications, but ultimately concludes: “winning translates in any language”.

Another spot (Global Launch) features Canada’s own Brooke Henderson and states: “…to be the best in the world, you have to beat the best in the world”

And yet another (Next Wave) focuses on the “movement” happening in women’s golf with the “next wave” of competition making it tougher than ever to win on the LPGA Tour.

“Two distinct themes have emerged on the LPGA Tour: its truly global nature and the approachability and accessibility of its players,” said LPGA Chief Commercial Officer Jon Podany. “The LPGA is uniquely golf’s global tour with players representing 32 countries, tournaments in 14 countries and TV distributed to more than 170 countries.

“The best players in the world come to play on the LPGA and the competition is better than ever. This campaign brings that to life, as well as showcases the diverse personalities of our players.”

One more spot was created called Frequent Flyer, in which players joke about who has racked up the most frequent flyer miles.

The 2018 season continues to feature players from across the globe with representatives from 32 nations. Last season produced 22 different winners from eight countries while five players from four different countries occupied the top spot in the Rolex Rankings during 2017.

Further eye-catching elements last year were the depth and quality of competition. The 2017 Tour went 15 events before having a repeat winner, tied for the longest streak in LPGA history, and a record 12 players ended the season with a scoring average below 70 – the previous best was five players set in 2016.

In addition to the LPGA’s Golf Channel telecasts, the 2018 ad spots will be featured through the LPGA’s international television partners, on LPGA.com, and via the LPGA’s social media channels, including YouTube, Twitter and Facebook beginning on Thursday, January 25.

Long-serving Alberta Golf volunteers Fran Marsden and Florin “Fuzzy” Bergh along with golf historian Ron Lyons to be acknowledged on Saturday, January 27^th as part of Golf Canada’s Annual Meeting in Calgary

Renowned sports journalist Cam Cole to be honoured on Monday, June 4th during Golf Canada’s National Team Media Day at Bear Mountain Golf Resort in Victoria

Former Alberta Golf President Fran Marsden and long-time volunteer Florin “Fuzzy” Bergh of Edmonton, along with golf historian Ron Lyons and acclaimed golf columnist Cam Cole will be acknowledged for their tremendous contributions to the game of golf as 2018 recipients of Golf Canada’s Distinguished Service Award.

The National Sport Federation’s Distinguished Service Award has been presented annually since 1993 to recognize individuals who have had an outstanding impact on Canadian golf either nationally or within their community.

Marsden has spent the past 30 years as a contributing golf volunteer in Alberta and was instrumental in the 2000 amalgamation of the former men’s and women’s provincial golf associations into what is now Alberta Golf.

Bergh is a life-long contributor to the game of golf in his community who has supported Alberta Golf and the Alberta Golf Foundation in a variety of volunteer and fundraising roles over the past three decades.

Lyons, the co-owner of the Legends Golf and Country Club in Edmonton, is regarded as one of the foremost golf historians and golf memorabilia collectors in the province of Alberta.

The presentation of the 2018 Distinguished Service Awards to Marsden, Bergh and Lyons will take place on Saturday, January 27^th as part of Golf Canada’s Annual Meeting (January 25-27) at the Grey Eagle Casino and Resort in Calgary.

Cole, who covered golf over the course of a distinguished 40-year career in sport journalism, will be honoured as part of Golf Canada’s National Team Media Day which will be conducted on Monday, June 4^th at Bear Mountain Resort in Victoria.

“Golf Canada is proud to recognize Fran Marsden, Florin Bergh, Ron Lyons and Cam Cole as the recipients of our 2018 Distinguished Service Award,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “Each of their respective contributions across various touchpoints in the game has left a meaningful impression on the Canadian golf landscape. It is with great respect and admiration that we honour these individuals for their passion and commitment to our sport.”

Recipients of Golf Canada’s Distinguished Service Award are often selected from within the province or region of the organization’s incoming President. On Saturday, January 27^th Leslie Dunning of Calgary will be sworn in as Golf Canada’s 114^th president. As president-elect, Dunning will succeed Roland Deveau of Bedford, N.S. who has served consecutive terms as President in 2016 and 2017.

In addition to the presentation of the Distinguished Service Awards, Golf Canada will also recognize Tom Zariski of Drumheller, Alta. as the 2017 Volunteer of the Year. Zariski, a Level 4 Rules of Golf official who currently serves as President of Golf Alberta, will be honoured on Saturday, January 27^th during the closing dinner of Golf Canada’s Annual Meeting.

Golf Canada 2018 Distinguished Service Award Honourees:

Fran Marsden (Volunteer)

Fran Marsden has been a strong contributor to the game of golf in Alberta for more than 30 years. A long-time member of the Glendale Golf and Country Club in her hometown of Edmonton, Marsden’s volunteer efforts began in 1987 as club representative with the former Alberta Ladies Golf Association (ALGA). Her commitment to advance the game elevated her to more wide ranging involvement with the ALGA, culminating with her election as President in 1998. She would play a major role in the amalgamation of the ALGA with the Alberta Men’s Golf Association and was selected by her peers to serve as the first president of Alberta Golf in 2000, the first fully amalgamated provincial golf association in Canada. Marsden also took on the role of Executive Director of the World Masters Games Golf Event in in 2005 which attracted more than 800 golfers competing on multiple courses around Edmonton. She has contributed to provincial and national golf championships and served on numerous volunteer committees with both Alberta Golf and Golf Canada during a career which earned her the Alberta Golf Hall of Fame Distinguished Service Award in 2007.

Ron Lyons (Historian)

Ron Lyons’ contributions to golf are rooted in preserving the storied history of the game. Lyons is a proud golf historian who preserves one of the world’s largest collections of vintage golf cars, tees, golf clubs, books and paraphernalia. As a historian, he has made strong contributions to Alberta Golf, the PGA of Alberta and the Golf Historical Society and has donated antique golf items to various causes over the years. He has shared his collection through antique displays at various events and golf shows and has assisted a number of golf clubs in celebrating their 50^th, 75^th and 100^th anniversaries. Lyons also holds a stake in the game as co-owner of the Legends Golf and Country Club, a 27-hole facility in Edmonton which hosts an annual golf tournament dedicated to honouring individuals for their impact on the game. He is the founder of the Canadian Open Hickory Championship, a North American hickory club event. His collection of hickory clubs was donated for use by players and pro-am participants at the 2006 Telus Skins Game at Banff Springs Golf Course which featured Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, John Daly, Stephen Ames and Sergio Garcia. He owns 84 vintage golf cars and some early turf equipment which he displays in a 6800 sq ft building on the grounds of the Legends Golf and Country Club. Lyons recently completed a 320-page book on the history of the golf car.

Cam Cole (Golf Writer)

One of Canada’s finest story tellers, Cam Cole’s distinguished career as a sports writer and columnist spans more than 40 years with the Edmonton Journal, National Post, Vancouver Sun and Post Media. As a golf columnist, he brought readers inside the ropes at golf’s biggest events including 66 major golf championships, seven Ryder Cups, six Presidents Cups and nine (RBC) Canadian Opens as well as the (CP) Canadian Women’s Open on several occasions. A native of Vegreville, Alta., Cole is a past member of the Richmond Country Club in Richmond, B.C. and a current member at the Harvest Golf Club in Kelowna, B.C. Among the nearly 400 golf courses he’s played, Cole won the Masters Tournament press lottery to play Augusta National on three separate occasions. Aside from golf, Cole covered the world’s foremost sporting events including 16 Olympics, 33 Grey Cups, 30 Stanley Cup Finals, seven World Series, 18 Super Bowls and 17 World Figure Skating Championships before retiring in December 2016. Among his many professional accolades, Cole is a two-time recipient of the Sport Media Canada Award for Outstanding Sports Writing (2004 & 2011) and was honoured by the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2017 with the Elmer Ferguson Award for excellence in hockey journalism.

Florin “Fuzzy” Bergh (Volunteer)

Fuzzy Bergh is considered an institution as a supporter and contributor to golf in his home province of Alberta. For more than 80 years, the Edmonton, Alta. native has been a passionate golf enthusiast and champion for the health, social, business and charitable benefit that golf brings to his community. He has been an instrumental volunteer with Alberta Golf since 1990 and has led course rating activities in the province for many years. A member and former club President at Highland Golf and Country Club in Edmonton, he is a respected contributor to the game at his home club. Bergh is also a long-time fundraiser and past chair of the Alberta Golf Foundation and has been instrumental in driving the Foundation’s scholarship program. In 2015, he was recognized by the Alberta Golf Hall of Fame for his distinguished service to the game.

Master Craftsman and Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Bob Vokey, along with his pioneering R&D team, continue to shape the future of wedge design with the introduction of the new Titleist Vokey Design Spin Milled 7 wedges. Available in golf shops worldwide beginning March 9, 2018, new Vokey SM7 wedges provide all golfers the opportunity for a better, more confident short game through unmatched craftsmanship, technology and performance.

Vokey’s prior generation SM6 models ushered in a new era of wedge innovation and performance with their groundbreaking Progressive Center of Gravity (CG) design. The advancements made with SM7 – already the most played wedge model on the PGA TOUR, with four SM7’s in the bag of Jordan Spieth – further widen the performance gap between a Vokey and all other wedges.

Improving in all three areas of wedge performance, new SM7 models provide increased shot versatility with expanded fitting options, improved distance and trajectory control and more spin through the following key advancements:

The fastest way to a better short game is through a wedge fitting. Developed through his collaboration with the world’s best shot makers, Bob’s six tour-proven sole grinds – F, S, M, K, L and the new D grind – allow golfers of all skill levels to be precisely fit for their swing type, shot making style and course conditions.

• F Grind: Full sole designed primarily for full swings and square face shots. For that reason, F is the only grind available in the 46º-52º models. The 54°/56° F Grind is the most played sand wedge on the PGA Tour.
• S Grind: Design based on feedback from Steve Stricker, the S is best for square faced shots with a touch more versatility than the F Grind. Simple mechanics are best with this wedge.
• M Grind: Voke’s favorite, the M grind is designed for players that like to rotate the club face open and shut to manufacture shots around the green.
• D Grind: The player’s high bounce wedge, the new D Grind offers high measured bounce with the crescent shape of the M Grind for shot making versatility.
• K Grind: The highest bounce wedge in the lineup, the K Grind is the ultimate bunker club and the most forgiving wedge in the lineup for all shots.
• L Grind: The L Grind features a narrow crescent shape allowing maximum green side versatility, but it is the least forgiving wedge in the lineup.

Vokey SM7 offers the game’s most complete selection of lofts, bounces and grinds, with 23 different combinations.

Finely tuned Progressive Center of Gravity locations improve trajectory and distance control while creating the best-feeling Vokey wedges to date.

A concept pioneered by Vokey R&D, Progressive Center of Gravity aligns the CG with the impact position of each loft to produce precise distance and trajectory control with exceptional feel. Engineered using cutting-edge CAD technology, Progressive CG is visible technology on the back of the wedge.
Advanced testing of SM6 models showed an opportunity to enhance the CG locations within SM7. The Vokey R&D team pushed the locations even further – higher on the high lofts and lower on the low lofts – to produce more consistent performance with noticeably better feel at impact.

100% inspected Spin Milled grooves cut at even tighter tolerances deliver more spin (up to 100rpm more spin on average).

Bob and his team identified the opportunity for an additional Spin Milled cutting process for plated wedges (Tour Chrome and Brushed Steel) as compared to the raw offerings (Jet Black and Raw). This new method improves upon Vokey’s industry-leading groove cutting tolerances, resulting in a more precise cut by finish and more spin in the plated wedges.
§ A proprietary heat treatment is applied to all Vokey Design SM7 wedges, resulting in longer lasting spin through the life of the wedge.

Just two weeks following their debut at the Shriners Hospital for Childrens Open, Vokey SM7 wedges became the most played wedge model on the PGA Tour, with 123 SM7’s in play at The RSM Classic.

“One thing I know from working with tour players the last 20-plus years is that they won’t put a new wedge in play unless it’s better,” said Master Craftsman Bob Vokey. “Every time we come out with a new one, we have to prove it. I can’t tell you how many times over the last couple years players asked me and Aaron (Vokey Tour Rep Aaron Dill) how we were going to make something better than SM6. Based on how quickly guys are switching to SM7, we know we’ve done it.”

Jordan Spieth – who put four new models immediately in play (46.10 F, 52.08 F, 56.10 S, 60.04 L) – is one of more than 100 tour players who have made the switch to SM7. That list also includes Jimmy Walker (46.10 F, 54.08 M, 60.04 L), Bill Haas (54.10 S, 60.10 S), Webb Simpson (54.14 F, 60.10 S), Brian Harman (46.10 F, 50.08 F, 54.10 S, 60.04 L) and Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston (46.10 F, 50.08 F, 54.10 S, 58.10 S).

New SM7 wedges are available in three finishes (Tour Chrome, Brushed Steel and Jet Black). Tour Chrome retains its popular bright chrome finish. The darker Brushed Steel finish is richer and slightly more polished when compared to the Steel Gray offered in SM6, while maintaining a non-glare finish in the playing position. The raw Jet Black has been enhanced with black paint fill in the logos and graphics, inspired by requests received on tour by Vokey Tour Rep Aaron Dill.

SM7 wedges can be custom ordered with a wide range of specifications and personalization, including an industry-leading selection of shafts, grips, shaft bands, ferrules, stamping and paint fill. For a complete list of personalization and custom options, visit Vokey.com.

Vokey Design SM7 wedges are available in golf shops beginning March 9.