PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Jason Day created a far better memory Thursday than his last round at the TPC Sawgrass. Not only was he 18 shots better, the world’s No. 1 player tied the course record with a 9-under 63 that gave him a two-shot lead in The Players Championship.

In a game that can defy logic, and on a course that can be perplexing, Day had a simple explanation for bouncing back from last year’s 81.

“I’m playing a lot better than I was last year,” he said.

The 28-year-old Australian was in such control that he putted for birdie on every hole and felt so good on the greens that he thought he might make them all. He made nine of them, and his longest par putt was 30 inches.

“Tee to green was pretty decent – was actually really good – and then once I got on the green, I felt like I could hole everything,” he said.

It helped that there was hardly any wind on a steaming morning that made Sawgrass more vulnerable than usual. Day had only the fifth round of 63 at the Stadium Course in the 35 years of The Players Championship, and he still only had a two-shot lead.

Justin Rose, Shane Lowry and Bill Haas were among the five players at 65. Ernie Els, who just last month took six putts from the 3-foot range on the opening hole at the Masters, ran off six birdies and an eagle to lead the group at 66. There were 29 rounds in the 60s among the early starters.

Jordan Spieth did not have one of them.

Spieth, in his first tournament since he lost a five-shot lead on the back nine at Augusta National, played alongside Day and laboured his way to a 72. Spieth, who says he has put the Masters behind him, had another poor finish.

With three straight birdies, he was trying to at least stay in Day’s neighbourhood. Then Spieth made bogeys on two straight holes, answered with a birdie, and then ended his round of 72 with a double bogey by taking five shots to get up-and-down from a bunker behind the green on the par-5 ninth.

“I hit it seven times,” Spieth said. “I hit two fantastic shots, and then not really sure after that.”

Masters champion Danny Willett opened with a 70 in his first competition since slipping on the green jacket.

Rose looked at the pin positions and had a good feeling, especially on the island-green 17th. It was at the front, with a ridge serving as a backboard. By mid-afternoon, only four shots found the water. And with hardly any wind and greens still moderately soft, good scores were available.

“If there was a day to get the course, today was it,” Rose said.

Day wasted no time.

He knocked in a 30-foot putt on his first hole, caught a good break on the par-5 11th by having a clear gap out of the pine trees that set up a birdie from the bunker, and made it three straight birdies with a wedge into 6 feet on the 12th.

He felt tired. But there was no stress.

Day only got into what looked like trouble on two occasions. He had a stick behind his ball from the pine straw on the par-5 second hole and sent that shot well out to the right. But he hit a perfect pitch that just landed on the green and rolled down to a foot for a birdie.

On the seventh, Day’s drive hit the back end of a bunker and kicked forward down a slope and just inside the red hazard line of a pond, about a yard from the water. He worried about his wedge going long, but it settled 15 feet away for a birdie.

That’s when he started thinking about the course record, last match by Martin Kaymer two years ago in the opening round of his victory.

“Then I’m like, ‘OK, I think I can birdie 8 and 9, and that’ll clip the course record.’ It would be nice to shoot 10 under,” he said.

His 40-foot birdie attempt on the par-3 eighth looked good ball the way, and Day began to backpedal as the ball got closer to the cup, a move he first made famous when he won the PGA Championship last year. He threw up his head in disbelief when it caught the right lip, and he tapped in for par.

And then on the par-5 ninth, he hit another great bunker shot that curled back toward the cup and settled inches away for his ninth birdie and a 63, allowing him to join Kaymer, Roberto Castro (2013), Greg Norman (1994) and Fred Couples (1992).

Abbotsford, B.C.’s Nick Tayor was the leading Canadian after 18 holes. He’s 5-under after a 67 and tied for 13th.

KAMLOOPS, B.C. – Golf Canada’s 2016 competitive season will begin with the Pacific edition of the CN Future Links Championships. Hosted at The Dunes at Kamloops Golf Club in Kamloops, B.C., the competition spanning May 13-15 will feature a field of the nation’s top junior-aged golfers.

The CN Future Links Pacific Championship is the first in a series of six junior competitions presented in partnership with CN. The 54-hole stroke play tournament will begin with a practice round on Thursday, May 12 before the competition gets underway. Founded in 1996, The Dunes at Kamloops is an excellent example of the craft and care that are characteristic of course architect Graham Cooke’s designs.

“Golf Canada could not be more pleased to open the 2016 championship season in Kamloops. The CN Future Links Championships are fantastic platforms for Canada’s premier junior golfers to showcase their skills,” said Tournament Director Dan Hyatt. “The Dunes at Kamloops is in tremendous shape and we look forward to seeing this strong field challenge the course.”

Team Canada’s Development Squad will be well-represented at the season-opening event. The National Team contingent will be led by Grace St-Germain of Orleans, Ont., who will be on-hand to defend the 2015 Pacific Championship title she earned at Pheasant Glen Golf Resort in Qualicum Beach, B.C. The 17-year-old will be joined by the four remaining members of the Women’s Squad: British Columbians Hannah Lee (Surrey), Kathrine Chan (Richmond) and Tiffany Kong (Vancouver), as well as Mississauga, Ont., native Chloe Currie.

Four of the five members of the Men’s Development Squad – Tony Gil (Vaughan, Ont.), Alexander Smith (Calgary), Charles-Éric Bélanger (Quebec) and A.J. Ewart (Coquitlam, B.C.) – will attempt to make it two consecutive years in which a National Team player has claimed the Pacific title after Waterloo, Ont., product Trevor Ranton claimed victory last year.

Five additional CN Future Links Championships will span the country this summer:

• May 27-29 – CN Future Links Ontario – Midland, Ont. – Midland Golf & Country Club
• June 3-5 – CN Future Links Québec – Beauceville, Que. – Club de golf Beauceville
• June 10-12 – CN Future Links Prairie – Neepawa, Man. – Neepawa Golf & Country Club
• July 4-6 – CN Future Links Western – Medicine Hat, Alta. – Medicine Hat Golf & Country Club
• July 12-14 – CN Future Links Atlantic – Fairview, P.E.I. – Countryview Golf Club

The top six finishers in the Junior Boys division will gain exemptions into the 2016 Canadian Junior Boys Championship to be contested August 1-4 at Clovelly Golf Club in St. John’s, N.L. In the case of ties, exemptions will be decided via hole-by-hole playoff. All players within the Top-6, including ties, in the Junior Girls division will each earn entry into this year’s Canadian Junior Girls Championship, hosted by The Links at Penn Hills in Shubenacadie, N.S., from August 2-5.

Prior to the championship on Wednesday, May 11, Golf Canada and Special Olympics Canada will hold a regional competition in promotion of Special Olympics golf. This event will provide a specific focus on the growth and development of a relatively new branch of the sport. A field of 24 local athletes will compete over nine holes. Following the event, a PGA of Canada professional will conduct a Special Olympics coaches and athletes clinic to review the morning’s key learnings.

Additional information regarding the 2016 CN Future Links Pacific Championship, including participants, start times and up-to-date results can be found here.

TORONTO – Alena Sharp tried not to think about the Rio Olympics last year when she was among a pack of players in the mix for one of two spots on the Canadian women’s team.

Since then she has raised her game and her ranking, making herself a virtual lock to be named to the squad this summer along with world No. 5 Brooke Henderson.

“I just kept on it and played really well last year and distanced myself,” Sharp said.

The 35-year-old Hamilton native made 21 of 26 cuts last year. She had two top-10 finishes and was 65th on the money list, her highest position since 2010.

Sharp is off to a decent start again this year, posting her best result of the season last week at the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic with a tie for 22nd place. She’s currently 121st in the world rankings but holds the No. 37 position in the Olympic rankings of eligible golfers for the 60-player field.

Sharp’s excitement level about the Games has been on a steady rise of late, stoked by her steady play and the regular Olympic commercials she sees on television. She was on hand Wednesday at Lambton Golf and Country Club as Golf Canada unveiled the national team uniforms for the Rio Games.

“It’s just more of a realization,” Sharp said. “To represent Canada and wear the red and white and to see these uniforms today, it’s an amazing dream that’s going to come true.”

Sharp’s game appears well-suited for the Olympic Golf Course in Rio’s Barra da Tijuca district. The 18-hole course will be 6,500 yards for the Aug. 17-20 women’s competition, which should give a big hitter like Sharp an edge.

“She’s been one of the longer players for a long time,” said Canadian women’s team coach Tristan Mullally. “It’s a golf course that will require some precision off the tee but you’ve also got to be long enough to give yourself chances. The par fives are long and the par fours, you’re going to be hitting a long fairway wood in. So that gives her an advantage. It’s certainly going to be super-windy.

“We’ve worked with her game over the last nine months (to a year) _ not necessarily for the wind, but just in general _ (to) try to be a little more solid and have some more variety with shots. That’s going to play when it is windy.”

Sharp plans to take next week off before playing in eight tournaments in a row, capped by the Women’s British Open near London in late July. The windy conditions there should help ahead of Rio as well.

“I’ve done well in the wind this year and in the past I haven’t,” she said. “So I already see my game suiting it.”

Sharp is 25th on the LPGA Tour in driving distance with an average of 265.56 yards.

“I think looking ahead she’s starting to see how good her game is,” Mullally said. “She’s almost been under-achieving up until now.

“I’m excited to see where she goes.”

Sharp and Henderson – who’s expected to be a medal contender – essentially have the women’s spots nailed down. The two men’s spots could go down to the wire in early July with several players in the mix.

“Everybody knows about the Olympics,” Sharp said. “Maybe not everybody knows about golf’s majors because they don’t follow golf. But everybody knows about the Olympics and I think it’s a huge thing to be a part of. It’s something on my resume. No one can ever take that away from me. When I’m older, I can say I was an Olympian.

“To go there and do well and to possibly win a medal, that would be something that would be huge on my bucket list and obviously one of the biggest accomplishments I could probably ever have.”

TORONTO – Today, Golf Canada and Hudson’s Bay Company unveiled the uniform that Team Canada golfers will wear when golf makes its historic return to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Unmistakably Canadian with an inspiration that balances tradition, style and strength, the scripting will feature the Canadian Olympic Team mark along with the iconic red Maple Leaf that Canadian athletes have proudly donned in international competition.

“We are excited to partner with Hudson’s Bay in outfitting our Team Canada golfers this summer in Rio de Janeiro,” said Scott Simmons, CEO of Golf Canada. “Golf’s return to the Olympic Games represents an exciting time for our sport both domestically in Canada and globally. With less than 100 days until the start of the golf competition, the momentum is building and there will be an incredible sense of pride to see our Team Canada golfers don the maple leaf during the 2016 Olympic Games.”

The release of the clothing that will adorn Canada’s four athletes—two men and two women—in Rio is specifically logoed to comply with regulations set out by the International Olympic Committee and International Golf Federation.

Canada is proud to enter the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro as the ‘defending golf champion’ when the sport makes its long-awaited return to the Olympic stage following a 112-year hiatus. Canadian George S. Lyon of Toronto, an honoured member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame—made history at the 1904 Olympic Games in St. Louis, Missouri when at the age of 46 he captured Olympic gold—the last time the sport was featured in Olympic competition.

“We are thrilled to be the official outfitter for Golf Canada’s National Team and excited to dress our athletes on the field of play during a competition for the first time”, said Liz Rodbell, President, Hudson’s Bay.  “Hudson’s Bay is dedicated to supporting Canada’s up and coming golfers competing on the international stage and has committed to 10% of sales proceeds from the Golf Canada collection to support the national team program.”

Golf fans looking to cheer on Team Canada can purchase a collection of polos, T’s, jackets, pants, shorts and more at Hudson’s Bay stores across Canada and online at thebay.com. Prices range from $29.99 – $99.99.

A field of 120 golfers—60 men and 60 women—will be selected for the Olympic golf competition based on the World Golf Rankings as of July 11, 2016.

The golf program for the 2016 Olympic Games gets underway on August 11 with the men’s competition running August 11-14 followed by the women’s competition August 17-20.

DUNROBIN, Ont. – Canada’s Brooke Henderson is finally getting to enjoy some quality time at home after a whirlwind start to her 2016 golf season.

Her first full campaign with full-time status on the LPGA Tour has been a busy one and the Smiths Falls, Ont., native has shown her rookie season was no fluke.

Henderson has picked up where she left off last year, finishing in the top 10 at eight of the 11 events she has entered this season. She has risen to fifth in the world rankings and is ninth on the money list.

Not bad for someone still four months shy of her 19th birthday.

“I’m playing really well but I know I have big goals and big dreams ahead of me,” Henderson said. “I’m still pushing to be that little bit better.”

Henderson was back in the Ottawa area on Tuesday with her sister Brittany for an appearance at the Kevin Haime Kids to the Course Classic at Eagle Creek Golf Club.

It was her first trip home since Christmas Day.

“It’s really nice to see everybody and be back home in Smiths Falls and sleep in my own bed,” Henderson said.

She plans to relax at her family cottage later this week before getting ready for the May 19-22 Kingsmill Championship in Williamsburg, Va. That will kick off another busy run of nine tournaments in a row for the 2015 Canadian Press female athlete of the year.

Henderson is planning to play over 30 tournaments in 2016 and is a virtual lock to be named to the Canadian team that will participate at the Rio Games in August. Right now she’s focused on maintaining her consistent play and continuing her push to reach the top spot in the world rankings.

Henderson became the third-youngest winner in LPGA Tour history last summer when she won the Cambia Portland Classic by eight shots. She was immediately given full Tour membership after the victory.

After rising over 200 spots in the world rankings, she set a pre-season goal of reaching the top 10 and improving her consistency around the greens.

Her top result this season was a second-place showing in early February at the Coates Golf Championship. That kicked off a run of eight straight top-10 finishes.

Consistency has been key to her strong play. Henderson is fifth in scoring average (70.02), 14th in average driving distance (268.36 yards) and 25th in putting average (29.55 putts per round).

She has strayed wide of the fairway at times (108th in driving accuracy at 66.01 per cent) but is 13th in greens in regulation (74.37 per cent).

“I’ve definitely had a really good start and my game is in a good place,” Henderson said. “I definitely have small improvements that I want to make just to become a little bit better.”

The Summer Games will be like a sixth major this season. Henderson said she’s still stunned that she’ll get to enjoy the Olympic experience and represent her country.

“It’s kind of both ways,” she said. “Sometimes it’s really surreal, and other times it’s like, ‘You know what, I can go and win there.”’

Henderson added she feels more mature now and is getting used to the extra attention from fans and media. She’s trying to take it all in and really enjoy the experience.

“It’s gone by super fast,” she said. “I’ve been able to travel all around the world and go see a ton of different places and play a lot of really good golf on a lot of really good golf courses. So it’s been a lot of fun.

“I’m definitely living the dream. But it’s nice to back home.”

World No. 1 Lydia Ko will have some Canadian Ko-mpany at this summer’s U.S. Women’s Open. Victoria, B.C.’s Naomi Ko — no relation — has qualified to play in the biggest event in women’s golf. And it wasn’t easy.

Ko, an 18-year-old member of Canada’s national golf team who just completed her freshman year at North Carolina State University, topped a field of 48 players to earn the only spot up for grabs at a sectional qualifier Monday at The Home Course in Dupont, Wash., south of Tacoma.

Ko shot rounds of 74 and 67 to post a 36-hole score of three-under 141 and topped the field by two shots. She made four birdies on the back nine of her second round to overtake Caroline Inglis of the University of Oregon.

Now she prepares to play in the U.S. Women’s Open, which goes July 7-10 at CordeValle Golf Course in San Martin, Calif.

Ko had made three previous attempts to qualify for the U.S. Open.

“I’ve played in a lot of U.S. Open qualifiers before and never played well,” she told the Tacoma News Tribune after her round. “I just think it was because of my lack of experience, and being around (professionals) and not feeling … as good as them.

“This means a lot,” Ko said. “It will be something I can work toward throughout the summer, and have a goal.”

After three years on Golf Canada’s national development squad, Ko was named to the national team earlier this year. Last year, she tied for second at the Ontario Women’s Amateur, placed third at the Canadian Junior, tied for fifth at the B.C. Women’s Amateur and made it to the quarter-finals of the U.S. Junior Girls Championship. Ko won the 2014 B.C. Junior Girls title.

Ko, who plays out of Royal Colwood Golf Club, was named Sport B.C.’s Junior Female Athlete of the Year for 2014.

In celebration of this weeks THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass, we thought we’d share this footage of Rickie Fowler hitting trick shots to the famous island green 17th hole. Enjoy the show!

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

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

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

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

1. DISCOVER JUNIOR GOLF OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO YOUR CHILD

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

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

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

2. LOOK FOR RECOGNIZED JUNIOR PROGRAMS IN YOUR AREA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4. SUPPORT YOUR CHILD AND THE INSTRUCTORS

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

There will be a quiz later.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK

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

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

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

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

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

ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ten years ago on the final time The Players Championship was played in March, before moving to May in 2007, it was Canadian Stephen Ames who captured his second PGA Tour title at the iconic event.

After three rounds, Mike Weir was just three shots back and tied for fourth. It was shaping up to be a Canadian Sunday before Weir faded and Ames pulled away from the pack for an eventual six-shot win, his biggest on the PGA Tour at an event many dub the ‘Fifth’ major – thanks to its tremendous field and recognizable, challenging course (the TPC Sawgrass ‘Stadium’ course, which has hosted each iteration of the event since its inception in 1982.

This year will mark the 42nd playing of the PGA Tour’s marquee event, and even though a decade has gone by since a Canadian victory, there will still be the usual contingent of today’s Canadian PGA Tour stars like Graham DeLaet, David Hearn, Nick Taylor, and Adam Hadwin in the field.

And, there’s no shortage of Canadian connections to the event in Jacksonville, FL.

“Thousands of international travelers come to Northeast Florida every year for The Players Championship, and, historically, Canadians have always been at the top of the list,” explains Players Championship tournament director Matt Rapp.

The Players has consistently had the strongest field of any golf tournament on the calendar, including the major championships. This year, the rumour mill is swirling if Tiger Woods will be making his return to professional golf at The Players, beginning May 12th.

However, even without Woods (who is a two-time champion), and after Rickie Fowler’s history-making finish in 2015 (trailing by five shots with only six holes left, Fowler played the final six holes at 6-under-par to force a playoff. He went on to win the playoff after landing his tee-shot on the par-3 17th five feet from the hole), the 2016 edition of the tournament is set to be another strong one.

“The tournament draws the best field in golf every single year. The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass offers the purest test in golf – challenging everyone and favouring no one,” explains Rapp. “The fact that the best players in the sport come to compete on golf’s greatest stage sets this tournament apart from any other event all year.”

Rapp also says the tournament will also introduce a new fan experience for 2016 called ‘The PLAYERS Club’ where a special ticket gives fans access to the clubhouse, special suites on the iconic 17th and 18th holes, unlimited food and beverages, valet parking, and a $500 gift card to the golf shop.

“This provides that ultra-luxury hospitality experience some fans are looking for,” says Rapp. “It’s a perfect setting for any trip,” states Rapp. “There’s access to miles of beautiful beaches and world-class accommodations just minutes from the course. If you’re a golfer, there are more than 70 courses in the area to play. Mix in great dining options, and it makes for a special visit.”

Graham DeLaet is also hoping his fifth visit to The Players is a special one. Canada’s highest-ranked male golfer’s best finish at TPC Sawgrass is a tie for 26th.

This year’s Players comes during a busy stretch for DeLaet, and he recently told the Canadian Press that staying mentally sharp will be the key for him, especially around the difficult TPC Sawgrass layout.

“Physically I’ve been feeling really good this year, probably the best I have been while on the PGA Tour,” he told the wire service. “I’ve been able to practice more than I have been in the past. It’s more on the mental side that I need to stay ready.”

With Canadians in the field looking for a victory, a past Canadian champion, and some fine hospitality awaiting Canadians to chose to visit Jacksonville, Rapp says it’s an idyllic time to consider adding The Players to your list of tournaments to visit in the future.

“It’s a bucket list item for many to be here in-person, and will certainly be no different this year,” he explains.

Click here to learn more about The Players Championship.