Surrey, B.C. – The NextGen Fall Series West Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards begins this week with a field of 99 amateur golfers set to compete at The Hills at Portal Golf Club in Surrey, B.C.

The starting field will feature – 72 Junior Boys and 27 Junior Girls competing for three spots each into their respective Canadian Junior Championships next summer.

“The NextGen Fall Series West Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards promises to be a great tournament and provides players another opportunity to compete on the national stage in the fall,” said Golf Canada Tournament Director, Daniel Suppa. “Golf Canada is thrilled to welcome the field to The Hills at Portal Golf Club for our final NextGen series event of the season.”

Practice rounds are scheduled for Wednesday, October 4, before the official 54-hole tournament gets underway on October 5. The tournament will conclude on October 7 with an awards ceremony following play.

“On behalf of the entire team at the Hills we are proud and honoured to host this group of talented young golfers. We are excited to watch this next generation of golfers and wish them a very successful week here,” said Mahmood Mawji, General Manager, The Hills at Portal Golf Club. “We have made sure the weather and playing conditions are great. Once again, a big thank you to Golf Canada for allowing us to host this event, hopefully we will be able to do this again in the future.”

The Hills at Portal Golf Club was established in 1928 and was formerly known as Peace Portal. The golf course is regarded as one of the top public courses in the country. The Hills saw a change in ownership in October 2021 with new owners, Joe Haley and Randy Bishop. Since then, the course has undergone numerous changes that have improved playing conditions and have created a more challenging course for players. Off course renovations included a completely renovated clubhouse and restaurant.

This week’s tournament marks the final stop on the NextGen Series schedule for the 2023 season. The NextGen Fall Series West Championship is one of Golf Canada’s eight regional junior championships presented in partnership with JOURNIE Rewards. Rosie Bee Kim of Edmonton and Matthew Wilson of Nanaimo, B.C. won their respective divisions in the 2022 NextGen Fall Series West Championship.

To follow the live leaderboard of the NextGen Fall Series West Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards, click here.

A birdie on the second playoff hole of last year’s Sanderson Farms Championship put Mackenzie Hughes in a solid position for the rest of the PGA Tour season. 

As much as he’d like to repeat as champion, things have changed in the past 12 months.

Hughes, from Dundas, Ont., still wants to win it for a second consecutive year, but now it’s more about keeping his game in good shape than it is climbing the FedEx Cup standings. The shifting goals are largely because the PGA Tour’s points list resets on New Year’s Day instead of straddling two calendar years as it did last season.

“When I won last year I was the top of the FedEx Cup and I was set up for a great year, right from the get go,” said Hughes, No. 51 on the FedEx Cup standings, on a video call from Country Club of Jackson in Mississippi. “If I’m to win this week it doesn’t necessarily give me a head start on next year’s FedEx Cup. 

“January 1st, everyone’s starting from scratch, starting fresh.”

Instead, Hughes is trying to earn entry into more tournaments this fall and make sure he’s finely tuned for the 2023 golf season, which will have a different format following the PGA Tour’s merger with the Europe-based DP World Tour and Saudi-owned LIV Golf circuit.

He said that the schedule and format changes have impacted the entire field at the Sanderson Farms Championship, including fellow Canadians Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., and Michael Gligic of Burlington, Ont.

“No one’s looking at it as if you’re getting ahead of the guys that aren’t playing,” said Hughes. “Everyone out here is playing for something a little bit different, whether it’s a guy that’s 150th in the FedEx Cup and is playing for his card, or a guy like me who’s trying to just maintain where he’s at, and hopefully win and play my way into some of those other tournaments.”
Hughes has been clear about his goals for the 2024 season for months now. 

He wants to play for the International team in the Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal Golf Club. It’s not just an opportunity to represent Canada on one of the biggest stages in men’s golf, but a chance to play for golfing legend Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., who is the first Canadian to captain a team at the international event.

“Obviously, my goals are to play for Mike at Royal Montreal and be on that Presidents Cup team and really just kind of get back to playing some good consistent golf,” said Hughes. “I feel like I have a great understanding of what I need to do now. 

“I think that despite what I’ve gone through the last like six months or so I feel like I’ve actually never felt better about what what’s to come. I’m really bullish on my season next year and beyond.”

Carrie Julie knows Sawmill Golf Course won’t be around in 30 years if she and her husband, Jeremy – the owner-operator pair at the course near St. Catharines – don’t put in a grow-the-game effort now.

“That’s simply what it comes down to,” she says.

Sawmill was one of the inaugural winners of Golf Canada’s National Facility Award for Junior Golf in 2022 (awarded “to a facility that provides exceptional access and membership opportunities for junior golfers”) and Julie knows that drumming up even more interest in the game amongst youngsters starts with one thing leading to another – opportunity to access.

National Facility Awards for Junior Golf

There is a myriad of junior programs at Sawmill, she explains, including a golf-and-hockey camp that targets that hockey-playing group if kids and gets them interested in golf (“The retention has been off the charts”) and Try Golf Days, supported by Stephen Ames, that happen on Saturdays. Three hundred and fifty-two kids tried golf this year.

The club also made a pact with its members that the only tournaments it will host are for juniors.

When Julie and Sawmill won the Junior Golf Opportunity Award last year, she said she accepted it on behalf of the 300-or-so members. They step up. They know the importance of this program. She often turns away volunteers for junior tournaments because she has just too much interest.

The club made this choice, and she knows it was the right one.

“We certainly haven’t made the commitment to juniors for pats on the back, but I have to tell you, it was a really nice honour in the inaugural year to win the award,” Julie says. “It really cemented we’re doing the right things for the right reasons.”

Through the start of the COVID-19 pandemic golf saw a boom unlike any other in recent history in Canada. Tiger-Mania couldn’t hold a candle to how many people started to play golf, picked golf up again, or played more golf than they ever had before. It resulted in the popularity of the sport in Canada being as high as it ever had been. A lot of courses, however, needed to make a choice they were never faced with before on junior golf because of the demand for tee times. Could they still give up a tee-time for $20 for a youngster if they had a line of adults waiting to pay $100+ for the same time?

“We’re super empathetic about some of the unintended challenges that a participation spike creates,” Golf Canada chief sport officer Kevin Blue says. “But at the same time, we’re trying to think about the health of our sport over the next 30, 40, or 50 years and clearly junior golf is a part of that.”

Blue has spoken at length about his time growing up as a non-family sponsored junior member at the Bayview Country Club, which, he says, allowed him to develop as a golfer significantly. A non-family sponsored junior program allows junior golfers to play and practice at a private club for a reasonable annual fee without their parents having to join. While many clubs across Canada continue to have programs like this, some have scaled back access for juniors due to increased demand for tee times. Blue suggested that all private clubs in Canada should consider adding a limited number of non-family sponsored juniors – for example, two girls and two boys – to help some tournament-playing youngsters have access to quality facilities.

“They pay a reasonable annual fee for being there […] and the club rallies behind these players,” Blue says. “A casualty (due to golf’s increased popularity through the COVID-19 pandemic) in some instances has been these non-family sponsored junior programs. Or at least shrinking them. We understand the influences involved and why these choices are made. But at the same time, that’s had a direct impact on (junior) opportunities to be able to train and practice and develop.”

(Click image to enlarge)

Nick Taylor, the three-time PGA Tour winner and – of course – the reigning RBC Canadian Open champion, was one of those youngsters able to take advantage of an affordable junior program. Growing up in Abbotsford, B.C. (about an hour outside of Vancouver) Taylor recalls his parents paying about $220 to have full access to the course (minus, he thinks, sometimes on the weekend) where he would be at the course every day from sun up to sun down.  

“It was the greatest babysitter,” Taylor says with a laugh.

Now as a father of two, he reflects on the opportunity afforded to him by this junior-golf program and those are the two key things he hopes other clubs across the country will be able to offer – accessible, affordable golf for kids.

With Taylor’s win at the RBC Canadian Open now four months in the rear-view mirror, he’s been able to reflect on his position in Canadian golf as someone who can inspire the next generation, like Mike Weir did to him after Weir’s 2003 Masters triumph.

Taylor has his own charity golf tournament each year at home in B.C. and this year there was the Nick Taylor Junior Golf Day, with 94 young golfers asking questions and watching Taylor hit balls. Monies from his charity event went right back into the community.

“It’s obviously very important […] to maybe be that person to get some more kids in the game and get them determined to be as best as they can be,” Taylor says.

Taylor had affordable access to a course that was supportive of kids learning the game and becoming the next generation of golfers in this country. Julie, at Sawmill, is committed to having a place like that.

There are plenty of other great examples across the country providing a safe space for kids to learn – and love – golf. But there’s still even more room to grow.

“I often say to my peers, ‘go on and copy and paste our program. It would be an honour,’” Julie says. “It’s who our club is.”

————-

On Oct. 2, 2023, Blue took part in a Golf Journalists Association of Canada (GJAC) Virtual Summit with the topic being Courses Supporting Junior Golf.

The series is part of an ongoing GJAC series intended to help membership stay connected, as well as to generate discussion and opportunities around important issues in the game.

Panelists for this Summit included Blue, as well as Nick Taylor, 2023 RBC Canadian Open Champion and Carrie Julie, Owner/Operator, Sawmill Golf Club. The Summit was moderated by Dan Pino, Golf Canada’s Senior Director of Communications. You can watch it below.

Sixty-six players from twenty-one countries will compete in the eighth playing of the prestigious world championship

Brampton, Ont. – Canada will once again host a global showcase of the world’s best junior golfers as the eighth edition of the World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms will be contested October 2-7, 2023, at the Brampton Golf Club in Brampton, Ont.

This year marks the largest field in tournament history, with a total of 66 athletes comprising 22 teams and representing 21 countries – including two teams from host nation Canada – competing for the team and individual titles.

“Together with our partners at Golf Ontario and Sargent Farms, Golf Canada is extremely proud to host the eighth edition of this prestigious international championship at Brampton Golf Club,” said Dan Hyatt, Golf Canada Tournament Director. “This championship has become a world-class showcase featuring some of the most promising young athletes from around the world. It is an honour to welcome these talented juniors to Canada—many whom we know will go on to great success in the professional game.”

“Golf Ontario is excited to partner in bringing the World Junior Girls Championship to Brampton and there is great excitement in welcoming this outstanding group of athletes from around the world,” said Golf Ontario CEO Kyle McFarlane. “Brampton Golf Club has proven itself time and again to be a world-class host and a championship-worthy venue that will be ready to challenge the world’s best junior golfers. We look forward to seeing the Brampton golfing community rally around this wonderful event.”

Canada’s lead coach will be Jeff MacDonald of Chester, N.S. who is currently the Assistant Coach of the Team Canada – NextGen Squad. MacDonald is a three-time PGA of Atlantic Canada Coach of the Year recipient. Supporting MacDonald will be Ann Carroll of Mississauga, Ont. who is currently the Head Teaching Pro at Lambton Golf Club. Carroll was a member of the national team coaching staff from 2012-2017 and now runs the Ann Carroll Golf Academy which supports competitive junior golfers.

As the host country, Canada will field two teams competing for the championship.

Team Canada 1 will feature 17-year-old Vanessa Borovilos of Toronto along with 14-year-old Anna Huang and 16-year-old Vanessa Zhang, both of Vancouver. Borovilos, who earned a direct exemption and is currently ranked no. 210 in the (World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), finished fourth in the 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship presented by BDO and competed at the 2023 CPKC Women’s Open. Huang and Zhang earned their spots in a 54-hole qualifying tournament during the NextGen Selection Camp earlier this month at Whistle Bear Golf Club in Cambridge, Ont. Huang was part of Team Canada 2 at the 2022 World Junior Girls Championship and Zhang is currently ranked no. 293 in the WAGR.

Team Canada 2 will feature 14-year-old Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta. who earned a direct exemption onto the team and is currently ranked no. 369 in the WAGR. Park won the 2023 Canadian Junior Girls Championship presented by BDO in July. Park’s teammates will be 16-year-old Luna Lu of Burnaby, B.C. and 14-year-old Miranda Lu of Vancouver. Luna finished as runner-up in the 2023 Canadian Junior Girls Championship and qualified for the 2023 CPKC Women’s Open through the final Monday Qualifier. Miranda won the UHY Albany Junior tournament in August. Both Luna and Miranda Lu earned their spots through the same qualifying tournament as Huang and Zhang.

This year’s field for the World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms is highlighted by eight competitors currently ranked inside the World Golf Amateur Rankings (WAGR) top-100 including the tournament’s top-ranked player, Spain’s Rocío Tejedo Mulet (no. 23). Spain and South Korea both feature two players ranked inside the WAGR top-100, with Spain’s Andrea Revuelta Goicoechea (no. 33) and South Korea’s Hyojin Yang (no. 60) and Soomin Oh (no. 67). Belgium’s Savannah de Bock (no.40) returns this year after finishing T5 in the individual championship in 2022. For the final field of all teams and competitors, please click here.

Defending champions Spain (2017 & 2022) is tied with South Korea (2015 & 2019) for the most victories in the event’s seven-year history, with two each. Other team winners include the United States (2014), Philippines (2016), and Italy (2018). South Korea and Sweden are tied with the most podium finishes in tournament history with four each. Canada’s best finish in the team competition was third in 2014 and fourth in 2018. A history of past individual and team winners is available here.

Several players who have competed in the World Junior Girls Championship have gone on great success on the LPGA Tour, led by Canadian Brooke Henderson, a 13-time LPGA winner and Canada’s winningest professional golfer, who finished fourth in the individual competition at the inaugural championship hosted in 2014.

Other notable competitors who went on to become LPGA Tour winners include Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand who won back-to-back World Junior titles in 2018 and 2019 as well as Yuka Saso of the Philippines who won the 2016 World Junior title. The 2023 CPKC Women’s Open winner, Megan Khang of the United States competed in the inaugural tournament in 2014. Other former World Junior competitors who have gone on to win on the LPGA Tour include Hannah Green of Australia and Maja Stark of Sweden.

The prestigious Brampton Golf Club is the gracious host for the 2023 championship. Brampton has hosted a number of high profile provincial and national championships, most recently the 2014 Ontario Women’s Amateur Championship. Brampton Golf Club was also most recently named the Club Management Association of Canada (CMAC) Club of the Year in 2023 and celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2021.

The individual champion will receive an exemption into the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open being held at Earl Grey Golf Club in Calgary from July 22 – 28, 2024.

The following is a list of competing countries in the eighth annual World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms:

Austria

Belgium

Canada (2)

Chinese Taipei

Colombia

Czech Republic

Denmark

England

Finland

Germany

Iceland

Italy

Mexico

Peru

Poland

South Korea

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

United States

Wales

Practice rounds for the 72-hole competition will take place October 2-3 with the first round of play set for Wednesday, October 4. The tournament’s closing ceremony will immediately follow the conclusion of play on Saturday, October 7. Admission to the competition is free. For more information on the tournament, please click here.

Each week we write to Golf Canada members who record a hole-in-one, congratulating them and asking if they’d tell us how it happened. These are their stories (edited for length and clarity).

Have you recently accomplished the feat of a hole-in-one? Tell us about it! Share your story, picture / video and course information with us at holeinone@golfcanada.ca.

Al Donald, Cherry Hill Club, Hole #16

I was playing with Mark McBride. I used a pitching wedge and 125 yards.

Alex Lolua, Beverly Golf and Country Club, Hole #7

It was during the final night of Men’s League, so I won closest to, a skin and the hole-in-one jackpot. I was playing with Tony Cupido, Tony and Andrew Mantecon.

Andre Ereaut, Cougar Creek Golf Resort, Hole #3

Best day!

Baron Snow, Grand Falls Golf Club, Hole #12

I played with members Tony Beson and Roger Budgell. It drizzled in the morning, and both Tony and I thought it might have gone in but weren’t sure due to the drizzle on our glasses.

When we approached the green it was nowhere to be seen. I asked Rog to check the hole to see if I needed my putter or not. He said leave the putter but bring his phone. At 66 years old I wondered if I would ever get a hole-in-one, but I did!

Barry Caland, Fort William Golf and Country Club, Hole #11

It was 120 yards with a gap wedge. My witnesses were Don Zatti, John Boorman and Bill Mauro.

Bill Drury, Inverary Golf and Country Club, Hole #8

I am 73 and mostly playing from the red tees these days. Hole #8 at Inverary shows a yardage of 115 yards. There’s a lip at the front so it’s playing a bit longer, plus a wind against on the day. So, I figure total yardage at 128 yards. Using a hybrid, I hit the shot and saw the ball very close and above the hole. It stayed there for a few seconds before it rolled into the hole, helped by the slope and the wind. My playing companions were my wife, Cynthia, and our friend, Al Parkin.

Bill Robinson, Brockville Country Club, Hole #9

I used a wedge on the 9th hole at the Brockville Country Club. I was playing with a friend, Paul Sloan, who is also a member. The distance was 115 yards.

Doug Ward, Thornhill Country Clubm, Hole #5

I was playing with our Wednesday afternoon men’s group. The hole was approximately 150 yards long with a significant uphill rise. I used a TaylorMade 6 iron. I hit the ball fairly clean, and it landed beside the green and got a very good “kick” towards the hole and it went in. A very pleasing feeling.

Eddie Dent, Prince George Golf Club, Hole #12

What a great day!

George Bowditch, Chinook Golf Course, Hole #7

I made my third ever hole-in-one on the par 3, 135-yard 7th hole. My buddy Bob Sanders witnessed it and ironically, he witnessed my first when it was hole #4 on the same tract of land but the direction of the green was reversed. This area of Chinook Golf Course is my favourite and luckiest part of any course I have played.

Jamie Alcock, Mill Run Golf and Country Club, Hole #16

I played with John and Karen Michalicka. It was 139 yards and I used my 9 iron.

John Faubert, Harbourview Golf and Country Club, Hole #2

It was on hole #2, 160 yards hit with a TaylorMade Hybrid #4 fairway metal. My partners that day were Dave Gillam, Steve Leigh and Dominic Cugliari. This was my second hole-in-one since I began golfing.

Kellan Bernard, Scenic City Golf Course, Hole #11

I was playing with Sean MacDonald and Trevor Beadie. It was 123 yards with a 54-degree wedge.

Kieran Shanahan, Glasgow Hills Resort, Hole #7

I was playing with Derek Huestis and Mike Holland, fellow members at Glasgow Hills. The yardage was 127 yards, and I used my 5 wood club. It only took me 62 playing years to accomplish the goal.

Kyle Shaw, Spring Creek Golf Club, Hole #9

Every Wednesday 12 of us play Spring Creek Golf Course. Afterwards we all have a beer and chat about the past and future plans. On Wednesday, September 20, 2023, my dream finally came true! I was having a decent round with two bad holes and was four over going into the 9th and final hole. The pin was playing 157 yards with sunset creeping over the left side tree line, casting shadows on the green. I teed off first using a 7 iron and hit it pure. My buddies in front of us had an opportunity to see the shot but kept walking to their cars. I lost the ball as it was coming down and my buddy James said, “I think that it went in.” as he saw it hit the front of the green and lost it at the flag. My other buddy Dick said, “It sure looked good so I grabbed my range finder and couldn’t see it on the green but thought I had seen a ball at the back of the green just in the first cut. James and Dick then teed off and I was very curious at this point to see if my dream had come true. As we approached the green, I noticed the ball that I thought was mine, wasn’t a ball, my heart started to beat faster. I then looked in the cup and there it was, a 157-yard hole-in-one. I let out several large yells and James and Dick started taking pictures. My buddies in front of us were already on the deck with their beers when they asked why all the yelling as they thought I chipped in for birdie, only to find out they were getting a free beer on me. I went up to the club house and told the lady what happened, and she was just as excited as me. I am now part of the hole-in-one club at Spring Creek, and she gave me an emblem to put with the case I’m planning to purchase to showcase my ball (Taylor Made TP5), scorecard, emblem/pin and picture. As I was waiting for the group behind us to get on the green, I started asking them all what drink they want only for them to realize I had gotten a hole-in-one. I can honestly say I never thought it would happen and now that it has, there truly are no words to describe it and what an amazing feeling.

Larry Davies, Piper’s Heath, Hole #11

I had a hole-in-one at Piper’s Heath on Thursday, September 21, on hole #11. The yardage was 166 and I hit a beautiful 6 iron that landed and then rolled in the hole like a putt. I marshal at Piper’s and was playing with a fellow marshal and two other individuals we had not met previously. This was number eight for me but the first in over five years.

Lisa Carbonetto, Sirocco Golf Club, Hole #14

I was golfing with my husband, Barry Carbonetto, Sean White and Desmond White. As we approached the par 3, hole #14 my husband just happened to be talking with Sean about a hole-in-one that I got many years ago, at River Spirit Golf Course (which was a total fluke as I had only golfed maybe two or three times in my life). I took out my Callaway 7 Hybrid and hit my ball 122 yards to sink my shot in one! It was quite funny that a hole-in-one had just entered our conversation prior to me hitting the shot. This was my last game of the season as we are heading over to Rome to see the Ryder Cup. What a terrific way to end my season!

Mark Flood, Rocky Crest Golf Club, Hole #17

The yardage was 157 and I hit a 7 iron.

Maureen Schell, Ponoka Community Golf Course, Hole #17

On Thursday, September 28, 2023, I was golfing the Ponoka Golf Course with two friends from the course, Barb and Marj and I got a hole-in-one on the 17th hole!

The distance for this hole is 141 yards with an elevated green. The pin placement for that day was on the left side in the front. I always use my driver on this hole because I don’t often hit the green (in my eyes it’s the toughest par 3 of the 4 that we have)!

Marj was the one who called it! She said, “This is a hole-in-one! It’s in!” I hit the front right of the green and the ball just started to curl left and rolled slowly into the cup! It was surreal! The three of us just hooted and hollered!!

The best part was to have gotten a hole-in-one with two great friends as witnesses!

Michael O’Reilly, Pheasant Run Golf Club, Hole #16

I got the hole-in-one on the 16^th hole. It is actually the 7^th hole on the Midlands 9. I play from the white tees. The yardage was approximately 136 yards, and it was a 7 iron. I was playing in a foursome. My playing partners included Merle Sibbert, John Pagniello and a gentleman who joined us who I did not know. His first name was Loui.

Mike Cornford, Beach Grove Golf Club, Hole #7

I was playing with Paul Rempel, Shawn Babcock and Gregg Rushton. What a special day and one I won’t ever forget. It was hole #7 at Beach Grove Golf Club, the yardage was around 122 and I hit a pitching wedge. Absolutely perfect shot, a few yards past the hole and spun it right back into the cup. One of the best shots I’ve hit this year, and it absolutely proved it. Can’t wait to get out and play again all fall and winter!

Noel Hay, Mount Brenton Golf Course, Hole #7

The distance to the pin was about 125 yards. I used a hybrid pitching wedge. Slight draw, landing close to the pin and rolling in. Unfortunately, I did not see the ball fall in but the other three saw it all. My foursome included Jim Baker, Ray Morris and Germain Belanger.

Norm Oliver, Whistle Bear Golf Club, Hole #8

My hole-in-one was on the 8^th hole at Whistle Bear Golf Club. It was 109 yards with a two club headwind. I used an 8 hybrid.

Paul Horswood, St. Andrew’s Valley Golf Club, Hole #17

It was on the 17th at St. Andrew’s Valley. The pin placement was at the front left, and I believe it was 138 yards from the white tees, which is what our group were playing and usually play. The club was a rather nicely struck 8 iron. I had time to pick up the tee before we all watched in silence as the ball pitched about a foot in front of the pin and rather serenely rolled forward and disappeared into the hole. At which time the silence was broken with a mix of profanity and jubilant celebrations. My foursome was Davey Stone, Peter Saunders, Jeff McCloskey and myself.

Ron Ellis, Blue Devil Golf Club, Hole #16

The yardage was approximately 145. I used a 7 iron as the wind was behind me. I was playing with Michael Zaychkowsky, Rob Hughes and Bill Salter who are all members of Blue Devil Golf Club.

Ronnie Birdgenaw, Pine View Golf Course, Hole #10

It was 97 yards, and I used a 54-degree Titleist Vokey SM9 and a Titleist ProV1x ball.

Scott Mirault, Deep River Golf Club, Hole #4

The scorecard says 155 yards, but with the pin at the back of the green, and tee blocks at the back of the tee, it was playing 165. My 8 iron landed just short of the pin and we (Todd Chaput, Ryan Joyce, and Eric Senohrabek) all witnessed the ball disappear into the cup.

Sing Lee, Bally Haly Country Club, Hole #7

I played with my husband, Dave Blanchard, Fred Steinhauer and ShiKan Yue on a freezing cold day. I used an 8 iron and it rolled in like a putt!

Tibor Bogdan, Chilliwack Golf Club, Hole #17

Yesterday was my dad’s 62nd birthday and I took him golfing at Chilliwack Golf Club in Chilliwack, B.C.

About two months prior, we played golf together at the same course and I made a hole-in-one on the 17th hole.

Yesterday my dad made a hole-in-one on the exact same hole I had one on. He hit a 5 iron from 155 yards. To top it off he called it on the tee box, and it was his birthday!  Pretty incredible!

Luke Bogdan, on behalf of Tibor Bogdan

Tom Fagan, Smuggler’s Glen, Hole #10

This is my second hole-in-one. I was playing with a group of 24 players, who refer to the group as the Monkee Tour. They have been playing together every spring (May) and Fall (September) for over 30 years. 

Saturday was our last round of the trip, and I was playing, Jim Micucci, Tim Oakes and Lindsay Nickels. On the 10th hole at Smugglers Glen, I used an 8 iron. It was nice that we all saw it hit the green and roll straight in.

Vicki Lacasse, Kanata Golf and Country Club, Hole #16

September 18th was a typical golf day for our Monday ladies group. I was fortunate to be teed up with Farida Tavares and Penny Rae-Keyes. Needless to say, I had one of my best rounds of golf shooting a 92. To top it off, I ended up with an ace on the 16th hole.

I was the last person to tee off on this particular hole and we all shared our choice of what clubs we were going to hit. It was decided that I would use my 5 hybrid. This hole has always been a nemesis for me as I don’t always know what club to hit. It was a 110 yard shot to an elevated green. As I hit the ball to the green Farida yelled out, “Your ball hit the pin” and thought, perhaps it may have gone in the hole.

The 16th hole par 3 is an elevated hole which is a difficult hole as it is an elevated green with three sand traps in the front. It ended up being a very exciting day with many of my club members congratulating me for my ace. Fortunately for some of the members they were able to share in the celebration for the next hour with free drinks on the house!

Wayne Butters, Blue Mountain Golf and Country Club, Hole #6

I was playing with Al McLean, Peter Hogg and Jerry Schaubel. I used my 8 iron and the yardage was 120.

Will Smith, Conestoga Golf Course, Hole #2

I got my second hole-in-one at Conestoga Golf Course outside of Waterloo on September 21st. It was hole #2 on the Goose nine, 160 yards and I used my 5 iron. It was our high school class reunion tournament, so I had lots of friends around to share in the excitement. As a bonus it was also the hole, they were using for closest to the pin, so I won a nice bottle of Tequila.

[TORONTO] – On Thursday, September 22, the 2023 Sponsorship Marketing Awards (SMAs) illuminated the Globe & Mail Centre in Toronto, and Golf Canada, along with several of its valued partners, took centre stage, securing numerous accolades at the prestigious annual event hosted by the Sponsorship Marketing Council of Canada (SMCC).

The SMAs, considered the Canadian sport marketing industry’s most esteemed recognition, span across various sectors, including sports, arts, and culture. Golf Canada was proud to garner recognition in multiple categories honouring 2022 activities, emphasizing the organization’s commitment to working collaboratively with partners to enhance the golf and festival experience at its two signature golf properties—the RBC Canadian Open and CPKC Women’s Open.

The distinguished recognition achieved by Golf Canada and its partners for 2022 activities include:

PROPERTY OF THE YEAR

Gold – Golf Canada (RBC Canadian Open & CPKC Women’s Open)

BEST NEW INITIATIVE

Gold – Hilton on the Green

EVENTS & FESTIVALS

Award of Distinction – RBC Canadian Open

SPORTS (over $500K)

Award of Distinction – theScore Bet Skyline Seats

SUSTAINED SUCCESS

Award of Distinction – CPKC Women’s Open

In addition to these outstanding achievements, Golf Canada’s partners earned the following recognitions:

MUSIC

Gold – RBCxMusic

AGENCY OF THE YEAR

Gold – Wasserman

Golf Canada and its partners were proud to secure more awards than any other organization at this year’s event, providing an emphatic testament of success for these outstanding activities throughout 2022.

Of note is the coveted “Property of the Year” award, a reflection of Golf Canada’s commitment to excellence and innovation in the world of sponsorship marketing.

“These remarkable achievements are a direct result of the unwavering dedication, collaboration, and passion demonstrated by each member of the Golf Canada team and innovative partners,” said Lisa Ferkul, Golf Canada’s Chief Commercial Officer. “These accolades are a testament to a collective commitment to elevate the sponsorship marketing landscape and enhance the festival experience for our partners, fans, and stakeholders.”

Golf Canada extends heartfelt congratulations to every organization involved in these remarkable achievements and looks forward to continuing its journey of excellence and innovation in sponsorship marketing across its signature properties.

Deadline of November 5 for Canadian golf community to submit nominations for Community Leader Award & Future Leader Award to recognize individuals’ impact through golf.

(September 27, 2023) – Golf Canada and the Golf Canada Foundation are pleased to announce that nominations for the 2023 Lorie Kane Community Spirit Awards are now being accepted through to Sunday, November 5.

The inaugural Lorie Kane Community Spirit Awards launched in the summer of 2022 and the Canadian golf community is invited to submit nominations for one of two signature recognitions  – the Community Leader Award as well as the Junior Leader Award.

The Lorie Kane Community Leader Award celebrates individuals over the age of 19 with a demonstrated ability to lead community initiatives; who have contributed a measurable impact through volunteerism or charity; or have showcased excellence in their involvement with, or support of youth programs such as First Tee – Canada or other junior golf activities.

The recipient of the Lorie Kane Community Leader Award will receive a $5,000 donation from the Golf Canada Foundation to advance a golf program or golf-related initiative of their choice.

To recognize youth who are making an impact in their community, the Lorie Kane Future Leader Award will honour an individual 19 years of age or younger who embodies community leadership; has a history of sportsmanship or demonstrated activities to make the game more inclusive; or an individual who has used golf to create a meaningful impact in their community.

The recipient of the Lorie Kane Future Leader Award will be awarded a $5,000 donation towards their post-secondary education and will also be offered a paid work internship with Golf Canada.

The Lorie Kane Community Spirit Awards were named to honour the Canadian golf icon for a longstanding commitment to advancing the sport, charitable work and giving back to the game that defined her Hall of Fame career. Kane is a member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Canada Sports Hall of Fame as well as a recipient of the Order of Canada.

“On behalf of Golf Canada and the Golf Canada Foundation, we are pleased to begin accepting nominations from the Canadian golf community for the 2023 Lorie Kane Community Spirt Awards,” said Golf Canada President David McCarthy. “Lorie Kane is a Canadian golf icon who has given back so much to numerous communities across Canada through her charitable work and to the continued growth of our sport. We look forward to recognizing similarly committed individuals including youth leaders for their positive impact on the sport in their community.”

In 2022, Fareen Samij of Burlington, Ont. and Bob Beauchemin of Brampton, Ont. were named the inaugural co-recipients of the Lorie Kane Community Spirit Award.

A 5-time Canadian Women’s Long Drive champion and former golf touring professional, Samij is a respected entrepreneur, speaker, and author who founded the Smashing the Grass Ceiling golf program to engage women and young girls to connect and be inspired on the golf course.

Beauchemin, a PGA of Canada professional and Head Teaching Professional at Oakdale Golf and Country Club, was nominated for his efforts to advance junior golf including First Tee Canada, as well as his mentorship to countless golf industry professionals through the Humber College Professional Golf Management Program.  

The Canadian golf community is invited to submit individual nominations for the 2023 Lorie Kane Community Spirit Awards through an online nomination form. The nomination period will close at 11:59 p.m. ET on Sunday, November 5.

Click here to nominate an individual for the Lorie Kane Community Leader Award.

Click here to nominate an individual for the Lorie Kane Future Leader Award.

At the conclusion of the nomination period, all Lorie Kane Community Spirit Award submissions will be compiled and evaluated by a selection committee that includes representatives from Golf Canada, the Golf Canada Foundation, Honoured Members of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, industry representatives and the Golf Journalists Association of Canada. 

TORONTO (September 26, 2023) – Golf Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee have announced Canada’s golf team nominated to compete at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games.

The Team Canada golf team for the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games is:

Athletes

• Selena Costabile (Thornhill, Ont.)
• Myles Creighton (Digby, N.S.)
• Étienne Papineau (St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Que.)
• Alena Sharp (Hamilton, Ont.)

The four athletes qualified for Team Canada based on their standing through their respective World Golf Ranking, with considerations for 2023 performance as well competition schedules on the global golf calendar. Santiago 2023 will mark the Pan American Games debut for all four athletes.

Sharp, a two-time Olympian (Rio 2016 & Tokyo 2020) and long-time LPGA Tour member, recently made her 18^th appearance at the CPKC Women’s Open where she finished tied for 36^th. Sharp won the 2023 ORORO PGA Women’s Championship of Canada and is ranked 12^th on the 2023 Epson Tour points list in a season that features a victory and four other top-10 finishes.

“I am honoured to represent Canada at the Pan Am Games and take great pride in representing my country,” said Sharp. “In recent years I’ve tried to help and mentor younger Canadians coming up through the professional ranks and I’m looking forward to competing in Santiago alongside Selena. We’ve spent time together this year, I know we will have a great time, and we hope to bring a medal home for Canada.” 

Costabile, a member of Golf Canada’s national team, currently sits 65^th on the 2023 Epson Tour points list where she has three top-10 finishes. The 25-year-old turned professional in 2018 and will be competing in a major multi-sport Games for the first time ever.

Creighton, 27, turned professional in 2018 and will go into Chile riding a stellar 2023 season on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica with nine cuts made in 12 events played, including a win, two third-place finishes, and five top-10s overall. A member of Golf Canada’s national team program, Creighton finished second on the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica ranking to earn conditional 2024 Korn Ferry Tour membership. He also made the cut in three of five events played on PGA TOUR Canada, including two top-10 finishes.

Papineau, 27, who turned professional in 2022, is coming off a great season on PGA TOUR Canada that included a victory, five top-10 finishes, and 16 of 21 event cuts made. The National Team member finished fourth on PGA TOUR Canada’s Fortinet Cup standings to earn conditional status on the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour. 

Golf joined the Pan American Games program at Toronto 2015. At Lima 2019, Team Canada won its first and only Pan Am Games medal in golf — a bronze – by Austin Connelly, Mary Parsons, Joey Savoie and Brigitte Thibeault in the mixed team event. At Santiago 2023, golf will have individual events only.

Golf Canada’s Manager of High Performance Sport, Emily Phoenix, believes the Canadian squad brings a strong balance of global competitive experience and a collective passion to represent Canada in the multi-sport Pan American Games. 

“Our team is well constructed with athletes who bring strong experiences and are playing well on the global golf stage in what has been one of the most successful seasons in Canadian professional golf history,” said Phoenix. “Selena will lean on Alena’s veteran presence as a two-time Olympian, and both Étienne and Myles have played great on their respective tours this season, especially Myles with a great comfort competing in Latin America. In Santiago, I’m confident that they will be up to the moment in representing Canadian golf.”

Golf will take place November 2-5 (Day 18 to 21) at the Prince of Wales Country Club in Santiago, Chile.

“Welcome, Team Canada golfers! In a sea of swings and putts, you’ve brought the perfect balance of precision and patience to the Pan Am Games,” said Christine Girard, Team Canada’s Santiago 2023 Chef de Mission. “Let’s tee off with enthusiasm and enjoy every moment on the green.” 

Team Canada’s golf coaching and support staff for the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games are:

Jennifer Greggain (Vancouver, B.C.) – Associate Coach, Team Canada – Women
Matthew Scanzano (Oakville, Ont.) – Golf Canada High Performance Coordinator

*Each of the participating athletes will be supported by a local club caddie.

Prior to being named to Team Canada, all nominations are subject to approval by the Canadian Olympic Committee’s Team Selection Committee following its receipt of nominations by all National Sport Organisations.

The latest Team Canada Santiago 2023 roster can be found here.

Oakville, Ont. – Golf Canada is proud to announce the six athletes that will represent Team Canada at the 2023 World Amateur Team Championships. The tournament is being held at the National Course at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates with the men’s competition take place October 18 – 21 and the women’s tournament running October 25 – 28.

Representing Canada on the men’s side competing for the Eisenhower Trophy will be Piercen Hunt, 22, of Hartland, Wis., Ashton McCulloch, 21, of Kingston, Ont., and Brady McKinlay, 22, of Lacombe, Alta. The team will be led by Team Canada Men’s Assistant Coach, Benoit Lemieux.

On the women’s team, competing for the Espirito Santo Trophy will be Lauren Kim, 18, of Surrey, B.C., Monet Chun, 22, of Richmond Hill, Ont., and Katie Cranston, 19, of Oakville, Ont. The team will be led by Team Canada Stollery Family Women’s Head Coach, Salimah Mussani.

“The 2023 editions of Team Canada feature deserving players that have had successful seasons and we are excited to watch them compete in Abu Dhabi and know that they will represent Canada proudly,” said Emily Phoenix, Golf Canada Manager of High Performance. “The World Amateur Team Championships provides our athletes with an incredible opportunity to test their skills against the top amateur golfers from around the world.”

Team Canada has enjoyed past success with both the men’s and women’s teams earning multiple podium finishes. The men’s side has won one gold medal (1986), five silver medals (2014, 2006, 1978, 1964, 1962) and one bronze (1986). The women’s team has won four silver medals in tournament history (2014, 2004, 1978, 1966).

The biennial international amateur competition is conducted by the International Golf Federation, which comprises the national governing bodies of golf in 149 countries. Each team will feature three players and will compete over 72-holes of stroke play. In each round, the two lowest scores will count towards the team’s score for the day.

The 2025 World Amateur Team Championship will be held in Singapore and the top-10 teams from 2023 will earn automatic qualification.

Men’s Team Bios:

Piercen Hunt – 22 years old – Hartland, Wis.

Hunt is in his second year as a Team Canada member and is currently the highest ranked Canadian male player on the World Amateur Golf Rankings. The senior at the University of Illinois, earned two top-5 finishes last season in NCAA tournament play.

Ashton McCulloch – 21 years old – Kingston, Ont.

McCulloch is currently in his third year with Team Canada and won the 2023 Canadian Men’s Amateur, earning an exemption into the 2024 RBC Canadian Open. The Michigan State Junior also finished T2 in the Ontario Men’s Amateur and earned a 7th place finish at the Glencoe Invitational earlier this summer.

Brady McKinlay – 22 years old – Lacombe, Alta.

McKinlay won four individual collegiate events as a senior at Utah Valley and qualified for the 2023 NCAA Championships as an individual. This summer, McKinlay finished T5 at the Canadian Men’s Amateur and third in the Alberta Men’s Amateur.

Women’s Team Bios:

Lauren Kim – 18 years old – Surrey, B.C.

Kim is in her third year as a member of Team Canada, and just entered her first year at the University of Texas at Austin. Kim won the 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur in Halifax and is the low Canadian on the women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking. This season, Kim qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open, U.S. Women’s Amateur and U.S. Junior Girls championships in addition to competing at the 2023 CPKC Women’s Open. This marks the second year that Kim has been selected for the World Amateur Team.

Monet Chun – 22 years old – Richmond Hill, Ont.

Chun is in her sixth year as a member of Team Canada, and in her senior year at the University of Michigan. This season Chun became the first Canadian to make the cut at the Augusta Women’s National Amateur, earning a top-20 finish. In addition, Chun made the cut at the U.S. Women’s Open and finished T7 at the 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur where she was defending champion.

Katie Cranston – 19 years old – Oakville, Ont.

Cranston, a three-year member of Team Canada is a sophomore at Auburn University. This season, Cranston advanced to the round of 32 at both the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship and The R&A Women’s Amateur Championship, along with finishing 9th at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship. This summer, Cranston also competed at her second consecutive CPKC Women’s Open.

Sherbrooke, Que. – Rosie Bee Kim and Chase Jerome have won the NextGen Fall Series East Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards at Club de Golf Milby in Sherbrooke, Que.

In the Junior Girls Division, Kim of Edmonton, finished strong with a 2-under 70 on Sunday to secure the wire-to-wire victory and finished nine shots clear of Léonie Tavares of St. Jérôme, Que. (8-over).

Kim fired rounds of 72-73-70-215, finishing at 1-under to win the tournament and secure her spot in the 2024 Canadian Junior Girls Championship. Kim also won the 2022 NextGen Fall Series West Championship last fall. Joining Kim at the 2024 Canadian Junior Girls Championship will be Tavares and Grace Anderson of Burlington, Ont. who placed third at 9-over.

Tavares won the Bantam Girls Division by 25 shots over Kate Guo of Knowlton, Que. following rounds of 77-74-73-224 (8-over).

In the Junior Boys Division, Jerome of Ottawa, edged out Cameron Robitaille of Saint-Hyacinthe, Que. by one-shot to win the championship and book his place in the 2024 Canadian Junior Boys Championship. Jerome grabbed the lead on Saturday and held on, finishing even par for the tournament with rounds of 73-68-75-216. Jerome also won the Bantam Boys Division by nine shots over Oscar Ricketts of Pointe Claire, Que.

Robitaille finished 1-over to finish in second and earned his spot in the 2024 Canadian Junior Boys Championship. Joining Jerome and Robitaille is Nicholas Girard of Boucherville, Que. who finished third at 3-over.

The field of 99 amateur golfers (81 Junior Boys and 18 Junior Girls) competed over 54-holes for three spots each into their respective Canadian Junior Championships next summer.

There will be one final stop on the NextGen schedule for this year with the NextGen Fall Series West Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards, taking place from October 5 – 7 at The Hills at Portal Golf Club in Surrey, B.C.

For the final leaderboards in the NextGen Fall Series East Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards, click here.

About the NextGen Championships, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards

The NextGen Championships, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards is a high-performance junior golf series which totals eight competitions. From May to July, six championships will take place across Canada where the region’s best junior golfers will compete to earn exemptions into their respective 2023 national championships. Two additional Fall Series events will be hosted to close the season. NextGen Championships provide junior players an opportunity to develop and showcase their skills at the highest level of tournament golf. For more information on the NextGen Championship series and 2023 results, click here.