INCHEON, South Korea – Phil Mickelson has played 49 matches in the 21 years since the Presidents Cup began.

And he learned something new Friday.

For starters, Mickelson was not aware of the one-ball rule in fourballs and singles matches, meaning that players can’t change the model of their golf ball during the match. He also didn’t realize that a match could go from all square to 2 up in just one hole.

“That’s the first time I’ve ever heard of that happening,” he said.

It turned out to be a costly mistake when Mickelson and Zach Johnson halved their fourballs match with Jason Day and Adam Scott, and that allowed the International team to pull within one point of the Americans going into Saturday.

There’s rarely a dull moment around Mickelson, and that was the case Friday at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea. For the second straight day, he holed a bunker shot that helped to turn his match around. For the second straight day, tensions were high coming to the final green.

All that was overlooked because Mickelson didn’t know the rules – and in this case, neither did the rules committee.

It was a double blunder, and it started when Mickelson reached into his bag for a golf ball with a slightly harder cover that he thought would help him reach the green in two on the par-5 seventh hole. Mickelson found the fairway and was sauntering to his ball when he noticed U.S. captain Jay Haas following them.

“I was talking with Jay and I just thought, ‘Gosh, I’m going to ask. I’m sure it’s not an issue,'” Mickelson said. “And it turns out that there was a one-ball rule and it was an issue. As a player, you need to know that. You need to know the rules, and if you have a question, you do it beforehand.”

No one knew the ramifications.

The penalty for violating the one-ball rule is called a one-hole adjustment, meaning the one hole is awarded to the other team.

But the rules committee erred when it told Mickelson that he was out of the hole, and Mickelson picked up his ball. Because the one-hole adjustment already had been assessed, Mickelson should have been able to finish the hole. He was in the fairway just over 290 yards from the hole, which he could have reached with a good shot.

But he never got that chance. Day made birdie and won the hole, so the International team went 2 up heading to the eighth hole.

“The weird thing was I’ve never heard of a match adjustment penalty,” he said. “I just thought, ‘OK, if I hit the wrong ball, no big deal. Zach will cover me on this hole’ But obviously, that’s not what happened.”

Mark Russell, the senior vice president of rules and competition for the PGA Tour who took the blame for the mistake, said the committee could not go back and let Mickelson finish the hole because “allowing a correction could potentially undermine the strategy” with players on both teams having already hit their shots.

Mickelson had reason to be confused.

The Ryder Cup does not have a one-ball rule when it is played in America, nor does the PGA Championship. So he thought nothing of using a different ball, especially one day after a foursomes match (alternate shot) where teams can switch golf balls on every hole.

Asked to comment on his match, Mickelson smiled and said, “Zach and I had a very uneventful day. We walked away with a tie.”

He took the blame, even though it was shared with the rules staff, saying that he never should have put the staff in that position if he had known the rule. And Mickelson wasn’t bothered that his team had to settle for a halve.

“I feel like we spotted the International’s best team two holes, and they still couldn’t beat us,” he said. “Just saying.

The new Scotty Cameron Futura X7 and X7M putters make use of face-sole core technology with advanced perimeter weighting to offer increased stability and forgiveness throughout the stroke, in addition to providing easy alignment and a soft, sure feel.

Futura X7 and X7M are the next evolution of Scotty Cameron’s tour-proven Futura X line, a putter family defined by modern contours that deliver high-MOI performance through advanced perimeter weighting.

“The motivation behind Futura X always has been to help golfers make a more stable, more balanced, more consistent, more confident stroke,” Cameron said. “We’ve enhanced those benefits with X7 and X7M through larger, multi-material constructions that make alignment simple. For the golfer, that translates into higher MOI for stability, a bigger sweet spot for forgiveness, easier alignment for a more confident setup, and a better, softer feel.”

Futura X7 is a large, modern wingback mallet with horizontal and vertical sight lines, while Futura X7M offers a unique pop-through bar-back mallet design for additional MOI and stability. Futura X7M Dual Balance combines the X7M head style with tour-proven Dual Balance technology for added stability.

Each Futura X7 model features a lightweight aluminum face-sole core surrounded by a stainless steel frame. “The key feature is the two materials,” Cameron said. “Basically there are two constructions involved here. The feel and sound of the lightweight midsection are married together with the heavier surrounding heel, toe and back to be more forgiving, for better performance.”

On this side of the pond, we’re very concerned about score for some reason. I don’t know when that became the norm, but we would do well to flip this thought and consider some great alternate forms of play on a regular basis. Want to have more fun? Try Match Play, Stableford, or combine both in a four-ball whether that be Stroke Play, Stableford or Match Play! No idea what we’re referring to, or why these are cool? Read on.

MATCH PLAY:

The beauty of this game is only understood by playing it. In Match Play, each hole is a game in itself, and a hole is won by the side that completes the hole in the fewest strokes. When applying the Handicap System to Match Play events, the lowest net score wins the hole. Generally, a match is won by the side leading by a number of holes greater than the number of holes remaining. In singles match play, Golf Canada recommends using 100 per cent of the course handicap (CH). The percentage is known as a Handicap Allowance, and allowances exist to provide equity in handicapped events. The higher-handicapped player receives the full difference in Course Handicap between the two players; and the lower-handicapped player plays from scratch (0). At Golf Canada we receive an extraordinary number of inquiries about Match Play, and the two most frequent questions asked are:

1. An alternate allowance is being used in singles Match Play (75 to 80 per cent); and
2. Each player in the match should take their full CH, and not bother applying the difference between the two players (each player takes their strokes as they would fall).

Although it is certainly up to a Committee conducting an official competition to determine allowances, we use this example when responding to singles match play allowances: If 80 per cent is taken, a 1 handicapper becomes a 0.8 which rounds to 1, and 80 per cent of a 30 handicapper is 24 (6 strokes less). Does that setup really provide equity? Second, in singles matches, it is not permissible to allow each player to use their handicap and apply it fully to the allocation table. This is because the majority of handicap stroke holes are established to maximize the number of halved holes in a match by assigning strokes where higher handicapped players most need them. If matches are conducted by taking full CR, the lower handicapped player has a slightly greater advantage, and the result is more holes won on those higher stroke holes by the lower handicapped player. That’s a fact, and you’ll have to trust that some very smart people set up the system for equity, and differing substantially from their recommendation breaks the model down (and believe me these guys have run serious statistical data modelling to base their decisions from).

As a quick aside, there are some unique Match Play formats that allow you to play your partner’s ball, or take a total score for your team on each hole. I recommend reading Section 9-4 of the Golf Canada Manual that outlines many formats/games in detail.

STABLEFORD:

Our friends in Australia use Stableford more than any other golfing nation. Scoring is simple, points are awarded in relation to a fixed score (usually par or net par) on each hole. Points are accumulated and the highest point total at the end of the round wins. Have a look at the table for the point breakdown.

An alternative is Modified Stableford, which the PGA TOUR has glamourized, that uses the following point system:

• Double Eagle: 8 pts
• Eagle: 5 Pts
• Birdie: 2 Pts
• Par: 0 Pts
• Bogey: -1 Pt
• Double Bogey or higher: -3 Pts.

FOUR-BALL:

Would you like a partner to help out once in a while? If yes, then this is your game. Four-Ball is also known as “Better Ball” where you and your partner both play your own ball but the lowest score between partners counts for the team. At times, you’ll find having a partner to rely on a relief, and you may even putt a little bolder knowing you have a backup. Partnered events are great for strategy, camaraderie and fun. And, a four-ball game can be played as stroke play or match play. Fourball is a fairly popular format played in Member/Guest events.

What’s the coolest thing about playing Stableford, Match Play, Four-Ball games, or combining them? For one, these forms play fast (that’s a fact). Think about it, you don’t have to grind out a messy hole for a high score. If you aren’t able to score any points or better your competitors or partners score, just pick your ball up knowing you start fresh on the next hole. That equates to a good pace of play (in competitions or fun play). For clubs struggling to get participation in some of your Club Championships, especially in higher handicapped flights, try using Stableford; it will help participation/sign-ups. Second, we believe new golfers and higher handicapped golfers will appreciate being introduced to these partnered formats. They certainly won’t feel as much pressure or intimidation knowing they have a partner to rely on, or that they could pick up their ball with no real harm.

Let’s start a movement towards team play and match play. In one of your upcoming rounds, try one of these formats or make a push to try it at your club, league, men’s/women’s night. We think it will add to the enjoyment of your round. These games are all used on Tours in one shape or form whether it’s in the PGA TOUR’s President’s Cup, LPGA’s Solheim Cup, or the Ryder Cup. Don’t those players look like they’re having fun?

INCHEON, South Korea – The Presidents Cup wasn’t an hour old when Nick Price looked at the scoreboard and had that sinking feeling.

It was filled with American red.

And there wasn’t much Price or the International team could do about it Thursday in an opening session that ended just like so many others in this one-sided affair.

Phil Mickelson and Zach Johnson capped off a performance that was as businesslike as their handshakes, and the Americans had a 4-1 lead after foursomes in which they never trailed in any match except the one they lost.

“A tough day for us,” Price said. “Having said that, we are only five points into 30. We still have another 25 points left out there. So we’ve got a long way to go, and that’s that I told my team. Just to keep their chins up and do the best they can tomorrow.”

The International team was adamant that the number of matches be reduced – it was lowered from 34 to 30 – to keep it a close contest. After one day, maybe having one less match on Thursday helped.

It could have been worse.

The Americans, who have lost the Presidents Cup only one time since it began in 1994 and are going for their sixth straight victory, had a lead after the opening session for the fifth straight time. The margin was their largest since a four-point lead in 2007 at Royal Montreal.

That makes the five matches of fourballs on Friday even more critical.

U.S. captain Jay Haas put Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson in the first match, followed by Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker.

“He’s going for the kill,” Price said. “If we get momentum going, it can change things.”

All the momentum belonged to the Americans on Thursday.

Bubba Watson and J.B. Holmes ran off four straight birdies early in their match against Adam Scott and Hideki Matsuyama, and that set the tone. They wound up winning a tight match when Scott and Matsuyama missed key putts and ended it on the 16th hole.

“That was my whole goal,” Watson said. “Get out there fast, change the color so the other guys see that and it sparks them going forward.”

Watson and Holmes didn’t deliver the first point. That came from Fowler and Walker, who are unbeaten as a team but picked up their first win. They halved their three matches at the Ryder Cup last year, and they had the shortest match at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea, 5 and 4, over Anirban Lahiri and Thongchai Jaidee.

The lone International victory came from Louis Oosthuizen and Branden Grace of South Africa, who took advantage of some sloppy play by Matt Kuchar and Patrick Reed in a 3-and-2 victory. Kuchar hit a tee shot into the water on No. 11, and he hit a wedge so far on No. 14 that it didn’t even reach the creek.

Grace went 0-4 in his Presidents Cup debut two years ago, and the South Africans gave the International team at least some hope.

“I know we’re behind,” Grace said, glancing at a scoreboard behind him. “But one point is better than none.”

The Americans got help from top to bottom.

Spieth, coming off a year of two majors, the FedEx Cup and the No. 1 ranking, and Dustin Johnson made for a formidable duo. They set the tone early when Spieth holed a 20-foot birdie putt on No. 2, and Johnson stepped up on the next hole and hammered a tee shot nearly 350 yards.

They halved that hole, but a message was sent.

“Me hitting bomb drives, Jordan holing putts,” Johnson said. “That’s what you want to get in their heads.”

Johnson had a few wild drives, too, but they restored their cushion early on the back nine and coasted to a 4-and-3 victory.

Mickelson had to rely on a captain’s pick for the first time since the inaugural Presidents Cup in 1994. Players wanted him on the team for his experience and enthusiasm, and the Hall of Famer showed he was more than capable with a club in his hand. Mickelson holed a bunker shot on the par-3 13th to go 2 up, and he came up big with a key drive on the 18th with water down the right side.

Jason Day, coming off a five-win season that included his first major, did his part to extend the match. Day holed a 40-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole to keep alive hopes of at least earning a half-point. But on the closing par 5, Mickelson’s big drive set up nothing more than a 7-iron for Zach Johnson, and he put it 10 feet below the hole.

Day’s eagle putt from about 18 feet slid by on the left, and he and fellow Aussie Steven Bowditch conceded the eagle to Mickelson for a 2-up U.S. win.

“It’s tough when you go out there and you see all the red and we’re down,” Price said. “I’m certainly not despondent about the whole thing. I think this team is going to bounce back a lot quicker than maybe any of the other teams we’ve had. I don’t know, we’ll have to wait and see.”

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Alison Lee shot a 6-under 65 on Thursday for a share of the first-round lead with China’s Xi Yu Lin in the LPGA Malaysia, the 20-year-old American’s first event since her emotional Solheim Cup debut.

Lee birdied five of the first eight holes at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club, and added birdies on Nos. 12 and 14. The UCLA student bogeyed the par-3 17th and – after rain and lightning delayed play more than three hours – got up-and-down for par on the par-4 18th.

In the Solheim Cup last month in Germany, Lee was in tears after Suzann Pettersen called for the American to be penalized for picking up her ball when she mistakenly thought a short putt had been conceded in the completion of a fourballs match. Infuriated, the U.S. rallied to beat Europe in the biggest comeback in event history, with Lee winning her singles match.

“Not only did we win, but just to be able to be there and participate and be a part of something so great like that and to go into history with the biggest comeback ever,” Lee said. “Definitely learned a lot from it.”

She has been busy off the course.

“Right after Solheim I took one day off and started school right away and did my apartment and bought books and went to class, did rush,” Lee said. “I don’t know how I’m sitting here right now. I don’t know how I survived, but I did it somehow. I feel like it’s all a great experience. I love still being in school.”

Lin three-putted the 18th for her only bogey.

“I guess I was a little too aggressive trying to make another birdie,” Lin said.

Michelle Wie was a stroke back along with defending champion Shanshan Feng, Yani Tseng and Chella Choi. Finally over hip and ankle injuries, Wie had eight birdies and three bogeys.

“Just feels so good to be out here and not thinking, ‘Oh, this swing is going to hurt my hip and my ankle,'” Wie said. “Just going out there and being actually able to hit balls and hit golf shots and play the way that I know I can.”

Feng dropped out of a tie for the lead when she three-putted the final hole for her lone bogey.

Top-ranked Inbee Park, the 2012 winner, was tied for 10th at 68. She won two majors this year and is tied with second-ranked Lydia Ko for the tour victory lead with four.

Ko had a 71. The 18-year-old New Zealander is coming off consecutive victories in the Canadian Women’s Open and Evian Championship, where she became the youngest major champion.

Pettersen opened with a 77. The Norwegian star had a double bogey and four bogeys.

The event is first of five straight in Asia. The LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship is next week in South Korea, followed by stops in Taiwan, China and Japan.

WOBURN, England – England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick birdied his final two holes to card a seven-under par round of 64 and lead by one stroke after the first day of the British Masters at Woburn on Thursday.

Fitzpatrick made six birdies and an eagle in his opening round to edge ahead of Marc Warren, Lee Slattery, Soren Kjeldsen and Robert Karlsson, who all shot a 65.

“It doesn’t get better than that,” Fitzpatrick. “I think tee to green, it is pretty tough. If you don’t hit it in the fairway, the rough isn’t deep but it is quite wet, so it clings. It is difficult to get it to the full, normal distance of your irons.”

The 21-year-old Fitzpatrick won the 2013 U.S Amateur Championship as well as taking the silver medal in the British Open at Muirfield later that year for finishing tied 44th, the highest placed rookie.

His first professional appearance was at last year’s Irish Open but he had to rely on invites to compete in the remainder of the European Tour’s events. He secured his card at Qualifying School in Spain in November for his first full campaign.

This season, Fitzpatrick has already recorded five top-five finishes, including second at the European Masters in Switzerland in July, and his prize money for the year stands at 681,640 euros ($770,882). But he is still seeking his first victory.

“I missed quite a few cuts in a row at the start of the year even though I felt like I was playing all right,” Fitzpatrick said. “Now, I’ve played decent and I’m getting the results I have been looking for. I have been getting so much experience, week-to-week learning more about myself and about tournaments and that has been the biggest thing.”

Bridgestone Invitational winner Shane Lowry is two shots behind Fitzpatrick following a five-under 66, alongside Irish compatriot Padraig Harrington.

Ian Poulter, who is hosting the tournament at his home course, had to overcome some tension caused by his extra responsibilities before his three-under 68.

“I felt nervous on the first tee today, on the 10th, and that is a feeling I haven’t had for a little while,” Poulter said. “But it was nice feeling. I was pretty pumped last night, I was excited and I could not drop off to sleep. Coming out today and seeing everyone on the course, it was a great day.”

UXBRIDGE, Ont. — The Golf Association of Ontario (GAO) has announced the seven boys and five girls who will comprise Team Ontario for 2016. The team met in full for the first time, Oct. 2-4 in Foot’s Bay, for their kickoff camp held at OviinByrd Golf Club.

The team is set for a full winter of training, which will include two camps in Florida, along with a camp/the Can-AM Matches during March Break in South Carolina. The camps will all be leading up to the start of the 2016 season, which will begin with the Team Ontario Cup in late April.

“The coaching staff and I are very excited to begin training with this very talented group of young athletes,” said GAO Manager of Sport Performance Mary Ann Hayward. “Several of the players already hold national and age category provincial titles and we are looking forward to raising their games to the next level and hopefully putting more Ontario players onto the National Development Team.”

This year’s team again highlights the quality of the GAO’s high performance programs as eleven members of the team are either returning to Team Ontario or are products of the GAO’s Regional (U17) Team Program.

With each new installment of the team, there are departures. Three 2015 members have graduated from the program and are furthering their career in the ranks of the NCAA. Unionville’s Max Sear is attending the University of West Virginia; Ruthven’s Alyssa Getty is at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; and Ridgeway’s Madeline Marck-Sherk is at Florida Gulf Coast University.

The 2016 version of team Ontario will feature five returning players:

• Jason Chung, 16, from Thornhill and Thornhill Golf & Country Club, coached by Charlie Woo.
• Monet Chun, 14, from Richmond Hill and The Summit Golf & Country Club, coached by Don Lee.
• Jackson Bowery, 17, from London and Greenhills Golf Club.
• Jake Bryson, 16, from Dunrobin and Eagle Creek Golf Club, coached by Kevin Haime.
• Isabella Portokalis, 14, from London and West Haven Golf & Country Club

Joining the returnees, are the following graduates of the GAO Regional Team Program:

• Lachlan O’Hara (Team York), 15, from Mississauga and Credit Valley Golf & Country Club, coached by Jeff Overholt and Jon Roy.
• Ty Celone (Team Ottawa), 16, from Long Sault and the Upper Canada Golf Course.
• Peyton Callens (Team Waterloo), 15, from Langton and Delhi Golf & Country Club, coached by Ralph Bauer.
• Sam Meek, (Team York – 2014), 17, from Peterborough and Kawartha Golf & Country Club, coached by Henry Brunton.
• Hailey McLaughlin, 14, from Markham and Cedar Brae Golf & Country Club, coached by Gord Burns.
• Alexandra Naumovski, (Team York – 2014), 18, from Halton Hills and Brampton Golf Club.

Rounding out the team is: Alyssa DiMarcantonio, 12, from Maple and Station Creek Golf Club, coached by Thomas Youn.

GAO Head Provincial Coach Reggie Millage, a Class ‘A’ PGA of Canada professional from Milton, leads the Team Ontario coaching staff. Millage enters his third season with the team. Also returning this year are Athletic Therapist Andrew Hoermann, Strength and Conditioning Coach Nick Martichenko and Mental Skills Coach Judy Goss.

The team is already an accomplished group and they will look for even more success in 2016. Some highlights from the 2015 season included: Chung – CN Future Links Quebec Champion and silver in the Ontario Juvenile Boys’ Championship; Callens – AJGA Junior All-Stars at Ravenwood Champion; Celone – CJGA Mizuno National Champion; McLaughlin – Ontario Bantam Girls and Women’s Four-Ball Champion; DiMarcantonio – Ontario Peewee Girls’ Champion, Bantam Tour Hidden Lake Champion and silver at the Ontario Bantam Girls’ Championship; Chun – Ontario Junior Girls’ Match Play Champion, silver at the Ontario Juvenile Girls’ Championship and bronze at the Spring Classic; Naumovski – silver at the Ontario Junior Girls’ Championship; Meek – Bronze at the Ontario Junior Boys’ Championship; Bowery – Bronze at the Spring Classic; and Portokalis – bronze at the Ontario Bantam Girls’ Championship.

Looking ahead Team Ontario will train indoors during the winter months at Peak Performance Golf in Vaughan. ClubLink’s TPC Eagle Trace in Coral Springs, Florida will host Team Ontario training camps in January and February.  During March-break, the team will head to the Wachesaw Plantation Club in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina for a training camp as well as to take part in the Can-Am Matches, an annual team-match event between the top junior golfers from Ontario and South Carolina.

INCHEON, South Korea – Comparing the Presidents Cup to the Ryder Cup is like listening to a conversation between a Scot and an American.

The words might be similar, but they sound nothing alike.

The biggest difference with the Presidents Cup is an American team that is filled with smiles, not stress. And there’s a reason for that. The Americans haven’t lost in these matches since 1998, and the last four have not been particularly close.

They walk taller. They worry less.

Jordan Spieth has played in one of each in his short but already stellar career, and it was hard not to notice the contrast between the two cups.

“It seems there is a bit of a difference in the two teams rooms in the Presidents Cup experience I’ve had and the Ryder Cup last year,” Spieth said Wednesday. “Almost like we put too much emphasis on the Ryder Cup instead of just freeing up to play our own game.”

Ryder Cup practice rounds felt like dress rehearsals. Presidents Cup practice rounds feel like a Tuesday money game on tour.

“We feel like the favorites,” Spieth said. “We’re walking around with cockiness in our step, and often that can bite you if you’re not careful, but we’re aware of that. But the point is, we’re out there smiling because we believe whatever matchup we want to put together, we believe we can beat the other team.”

The Americans, who have won the Ryder Cup only one time in the last 16 years, go after their sixth straight victory in the Presidents Cup when the matches get started Thursday at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea.

Adam Scott, who has yet to play on a winning Presidents Cup team in six previous tries, and Hideki Matsuyama lead off the foursomes session against J.B. Holmes and Bubba Watson, two of the longest hitters in golf.

Spieth and Dustin Johnson are in the anchor match against Marc Leishman and Danny Lee.

A lively opening ceremony Wednesday night, which featured South Korean President Park Geun-hye and former President George W. Bush, began with great suspense when a secret box was carried onto the stage. It was carefully opened to reveal the shiny gold Presidents Cup trophy.

But there really hasn’t been much suspense at all.

The last time it was close was in 2003 at South Africa when it ended in a tie after Ernie Els and Tiger Woods matched pars in three sudden-death playoff holes before it was too dark to continue. Jack Nicklaus was the captain that year, and he mentioned that Presidents Cup in a speech Wednesday night. Nicklaus referred to it as the greatest sporting event in which he had ever taken part.

“We have that opportunity again this week,” Nicklaus said.

The Presidents Cup has lacked the rancor of the Ryder Cup, which is inevitable when it’s a competition between two tours (PGA and Europe) instead of the Americans against an International team in which all but one player – Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand – is or will be a PGA Tour member.

“They’re all Americans, they were just born in a different country,” U.S. assistant captain Fred Couples said.

This is the first Presidents Cup without Woods since 1996 when he was a 20-year-old playing on sponsor exemptions to avoid going to Q-school. Els didn’t qualify and didn’t feel worthy of a pick, so he is out for the first time since 2005.

Price has an International team that is the youngest ever despite the 45-year-old Thongchai. The captain is worried that if the Presidents Cup is another blowout, even some of the players might start losing interest.

What might give these matches a little edge is a debate over the number of matches, which were reduced from 34 to 30 this year in a decision that left neither team happy. The International team wanted it lowered to 28, like the Ryder Cup. The Americans wanted it to stay at 34.

Price believes the fewer the matches, the more likely it is to come down to the last day.

Whether that makes a difference depends largely on the one aspect that doesn’t change no matter what kind of cup is involved. It’s about making putts, winning holes and piling up points.

“We don’t have a crystal ball, and anything can happen in this game,” Scott said. “But I believe we’re moving closer to a great competition.”

When the Golf Canada Calgary Centre was established in 2001, the strategy was very clear-cut—create a well-rounded training facility (academy, range, executive par-3 and mini golf) that delivers best-in-class programming and an inviting experience to all types of golfers.

Since its inception, the Calgary Centre has been at the forefront of quality junior programming in Canada. For Golf Canada’s Chief Sport Officer, Jeff Thompson, the Calgary Centre continues to push the needle when it comes to junior golf and Long-Term Player Development.

“The Calgary Centre has been our flagship facility with respect to piloting programming and coaching programs that appeal to all types of golfers—including schools in the community, women’s groups and families looking to get involved with competitive golf programs,” said Thompson. “The coaches and instructors on staff have done a tremendous job in maximizing programs available to them such as CN Future Links and Golf in Schools. It is our vision that National Junior Golf Development Centres like the Calgary Centre will lead the way when setting an example for best-in-class junior facilities.”

Seven PGA of Canada Class “A” professionals are on staff at the Calgary Centre, delivering a full suite of junior programs, including the Get Linked initiative which provides grants that connect CN Future Links facilities to nearby Golf in Schools sites.

To find a National Junior Golf Development Centre in your area, visit the Golf Canada Juniors website: golfcanada.ca/juniors

To learn more about the Golf Canada Calgary Centre, click here

MISSISSAUGA — The Golf Association of Ontario (GAO) announced the recipients of the 2015 Volunteer Awards on October 5, as par of the annual Volunteer Appreciation Day held this year at Mississaugua Golf & Country Club.

The GAO volunteer recognition program has been designed to recognize outstanding performances and contributions by volunteers who have played an instrumental role in promoting the growth and development of amateur golf throughout the province of Ontario, while preserving the integrity and traditions of the game.

“Our volunteer team in Ontario is second to none and their dedication to the growth of the sport is inspiring,” said GAO Interim Executive Director Mike Kelly. “From course rating to championships to committee work, volunteers move our association forward with passion and for that we are grateful.”

This year, the GAO presented two Honourary Life Director Awards, two Dick Grimm Distinguished Service Awards, the Volunteer of the Year Award and the District Volunteer of the Year Award.

Honourary Life Director Awards — Bill Muzak & Jim Bristow
Honourary Life Directors are recognized for their outstanding achievements through their involvement as a Committee and Board Member. This year the GAO chose to recognize a pair of individuals who have made tremendous contributions to the association and golf in the province.

Bill Muzak, a resident of Baden, can often be seen and heard at many GAO events as a starter welcoming players and guests to the tee at tournaments. He has been volunteering as a Tournament Official since 2001. He also served on the Board of Directors from 2008 to 2014 during which time he sat on numerous board and operating committees.

Jim Bristow, from London, is a past Ontario Golf Association President (1996) and has been a volunteer with the GAO since 2002. He is a level 4 Rules Official, but also works as a Site Coordinator, Senior Rules Official and currently serves on the GAO’s Finance/Risk Committee.

Dick Grimm Distinguished Service Award — Randy Millage & Kathy Hill
The Dick Grimm Distinguished Service Award is considered the highest honour recognizing individual service to the game of golf in Ontario. The award is named after Richard H. Grimm, who was affectionately known as “Mr. Canadian Open” for his service to the event from 1965 to 1993. The GAO’s Dick Grimm Distinguished Service Award recognizes an individual’s meritorious service as a volunteer. Recipients of this award embody the principles of integrity, dignity and commitment, which are central to the volunteer experience and to Mr. Grimm’s persona.

Kathy Hill, a Mississauga resident, has been a course rater for more than 20 years. She has been a Team Leader and Chair of the Handicap & Course Rating Committee and is designated as a Master Course Rater. Throughout her time volunteering with the GAO, Hill has shown strong leadership and interpersonal skills. She has taken on additional responsibilities in the form of recruiting and training new course raters and has always been willing to help out when called upon.

Randy Millage, from Ennismore, has been involved in golf in the province since 1980. His work has concentrated on junior programs that began out of his home club: the Peterborough Golf & Country Club. He has also served as club president and on numerous club committees. Millage teamed up with the GAO in order to organize junior events. The events helped to open doors for junior golfers by making connections with NCAA schools. Millage is also a Certified Rules Official and has been a Site Coordinator at GAO qualifiers and championships for many years.

Volunteer of the Year — Pat Newman
The GAO Volunteer of the Year Award has been designed to recognize and honour a GAO volunteer who has demonstrated outstanding performance and contributions while preserving the integrity and traditions of the game.

Pat Newman, a native of Collingwood, has been a GAO volunteer since 2007. As a dedicated Rules Official, Newman has demonstrated his leadership skills in that role along with the positions of Senior Rules Official and Site Coordinator. One of Newman’s greatest accomplishments happened in 2014 when he took on the task of writing and introducing the GAO qualifying manual. It became evident that the manual is a valuable resource for new and returning volunteers and has provided consistency at qualifiers that are operated by volunteers.

District Volunteer of the Year — Shirley Egerton
The District Volunteer of the Year Award has been designed to recognize those volunteers who embody the spirit of volunteerism and have shown dedication by making a significant contribution in promoting, supporting and expanding amateur golf within their district.

Shirley Egerton, who lives in Bath, has been volunteering with the GAO since 2009 as a Tournament Official and has been the Kingston District Coordinator since 2013. Egerton has fully embraced her district community and has taken a special interest in promoting and supporting junior golf in the district. She is always available to help and takes time to mentor new volunteers at qualifiers and championships.

The GAO congratulates all of the 2015 award winners and thanks all of the volunteers who put in countless hours to make GAO events successful.