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.

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

I was with two of my girlfriends and the two of them had gone ahead of me. I proceeded to ask my girlfriend what club they used and one of the girls said she had used a 5 hybrid. Even though I’ve never really been that successful on hitting the green, I decided to use my 5 hybrid anyway. I got up to the tee and hit my ball and one of my friends watched and said you hit the flag I’m like “yeah okay, whatever” but we weren’t sure if in fact the ball went in the hole so as we proceeded to get up to the hole, we all looked in and sure enough the ball was in the hole. I screamed at the top of my lungs. It’s something that is just amazing to think that I actually got a hole-in-one, so it was very exciting. After that we had a one hour social in the clubhouse for anyone that wanted to join us in celebration of me getting my hole-in-one with free drinks for the hour, so it was a very exciting day.

Darian Ducharme, Kawartha Golf Club, Hole #12

Hole #12, 104 yards (into the wind), 8 iron, I clubbed up, light swing, good loft and directly went into the cup. I was playing with my friend and we both heard it all the way at the white tees blocks.

Steven Webber, Tangle Creek, Hole #8

On September 18, 2023 I got a hole-in-one on hole #8 at Tangle Creek Golf Course in Barrie, Ontario. I used a 7 iron on the 147 yard hole. I was golfing with my brother-in-law Jerry Lukowski.

David Gurr, Victoria Park East Golf Club, Hole #6

Hi, my name is David Gurr and I got my first hole-in-one in 54 years of golfing! Yep, it finally happened for me! It happened at Victoria Park East Golf Club in Guelph, Ontario on April 12, 2023 during our first round of the year on the par 3 hole #6. The pin was front right 136 yards and I hit an 8 iron right at it, 2 bounces and in the hole it went. I was playing with my brother and two other long-time members. Seeing it was the opening day of the new 2023 season the course was packed with eager golfers, luckily, I had hole-in-one insurance and the bar tab was insured!

 

Gerry Tresierra, Big Horn Golf & Country Club, Hole #17

Almost scored a hole-in-one on hole #15 but on hole #17, it happened. 110 yards using my 9 iron! I was playing with John Silano, Les and Kirk! My first in 40 years and glad it happened on men’s night! I was awarded a medal from the Big Horn golf and country club along with some cash!

Donna Yost, Bear Mountain, Hole #14

The hole-in-one was at hole #14 on the mountain course. I used my TaylorMade 54 degree wedge to pop my lucky ball over the gully and master a one hop exciting hole-in-one. The distance to pin was approximately 64 yards. I took this photo above right before I hit the ball as it was so beautiful at that moment. The day had been a mixture of weather that could have sidelined the opportunity! Pouring sleet/rain and wind on hole #11 and 12. Cold and windy on the front nine. Crazy spring weather but us die hards hung in there and thankfully so! The ladies I was with for the momentous occasion were Danya Carter, Carla Anderson and Liz Stafford.

Mike Ebner, McCleery Public, Hole #3

Hole was playing 128 yards that day (into the wind), club was a pitching wedge. Played with fellow McCleery Club member Ron Wootton.

Growing up Ellie Szeryk played a number of sports, but ultimately found her passion on the golf course. Today, with her sights set on playing golf at the highest level, the Canadian National Team member is confident she has the support and resources to reach that goal.

“Golf was something I was always around. My dad played it a lot and Maddie played a lot. So I was just born into,” said Szeryk, whose older sister Maddie Szeryk is currently in her third year on the LPGA Tour.

Szeryk – whose parents Neil and Karen relocated from London, Ont., shortly after being married – also played competitive soccer and basketball growing up.

“My mom played soccer and coached my soccer team. I played both soccer and basketball until the age of 13 but then I started to focus on golf,” said the five foot ten inch high performance athlete.

“I really enjoyed playing in golf tournaments and I remember in one small tournament I was competing against boys and I chipped in for my first eagle ever. My dad was caddying for me and I remember we were both pretty excited about that.”

She adds that some of her fondest memories growing up was through a healthy sibling rivalry with her older sister.

“My dad would go out with us when we were quite young and he would say ‘whoever won this competition could pick what we had for lunch’ and Maddie and I would get so competitive about it. Some of my fondest childhood memories were from playing golf with Maddie,”

She reminisced.

“I got to see Maddie go through high school and university and now playing professionally and seeing her overcome all these challenges.  She’s always been my biggest inspiration,” added the amateur squad member.

Similar to her older sister, she is dedicated to reaching her full potential on the golf course.

“I learned that if you want to get to the next level you have to put in more work than anyone else. Thankfully Maddie and I come from a really hardworking family.  My mentality has always been that I’m going to work as hard as my mom and dad do, but put in that work on the golf course,” she said.

The hard work started to pay off for Szeryk in 2017 when the then 15-year-old won the Ontario Junior Girls’ title and the following year she won the Ontario Women’s Amateur championship.

Szeryk would go on to attend Texas A&M university and in 2022 transferred to Southern Methodist University.

She has struggled a bit with her consistency while playing collegiate golf but managed to win her maiden NCAA tournament last year. In October of 2023, Szeryk won the Jim West Challenge by going 16 under for the tournament, winning by one stroke.

“It was my first win since winning the Ontario Amateur so it was a bit emotional. I cried, my family cried,” said the SMU senior. “It was a good feeling knowing I could handle the pressure and be able to pull it off to win by one stroke.”

Szeryk says the recent win has given her a bit more confidence; and in a sport like golf where a lot of it is played between the ears, that confidence goes a long way.

“People say golf is 75 percent mental but I think it’s even more than that.  It’s something I’ve been working on – just in terms of being aware of my tendencies, acknowledging my fears and learning to let them go. I feel I’m more in control mentally now,” she said.

“Being in the right mental state and having that self-confidence is so important to finding success on the golf course.”

The talented amateur golfer says being part of the National Team Program also gives her confidence that she’s on the right track.

“Being part of the National Team Program has given me the opportunity to play in so many big tournaments that I would not have a chance to play in otherwise.  Golf Canada is really supportive of their athletes and doing everything they can to get to them that next level,” she said.

Szeryk has had the chance to experience what the next level is like as she competed in a few LPGA tournaments already including the 2018 and 2023 CPKC Women’s Open and also the Ascendant LPGA tournament in October of 2023.

“The experience playing in LPGA tournaments.was so cool.  Overall, it was just a massive learning experience,” she said.

“You get to see these players are human and they also hit bad shots but they are just good at cleaning a few things up. It just gave me reassurance that I don’t need to be perfect and gave me a first-hand look at what I want to do next in my golf journey.”

According to Maddie Szeryk, being on Golf Canada’s National Team Program provides it’s athletes with the necessary resources and support to reach their full potential on the golf course.

“During my time with the National Team Program, I got to play in high level events and had a chance to test my game against the best amateurs in the world. I also got to play in a number of LPGA events,” said the third year LPGA pro. “The coaching and support has played a big role in getting me to where I am. Golf Canada has been awesome in support of my journey.”

The younger Szeryk sibling will graduate from SMU this spring and with the support of Golf Canada’s National Team Program, she is eager to follow in her sister’s footsteps and play the sport at the highest level.

“I would love to be able to compete in the Olympics and also play on the LPGA Tour one day but right now I’m just working on the process to get there; and I’m grateful to have Golf Canada supporting me on this journey,” she said.

“I think it’s good to have really big goals because it pushes you to work hard to achieve them.”

Inaugural BDO National Golf League champions will gain an exemption into The R&A 9 Hole Challenge at Royal Troon

Imagine walking the historic fairways of Royal Troon Golf Club; the same course where legends and global stars of the game have completed in pursuit of glory.

For one lucky Canadian pairing, that dream will become a reality as The R&A 9 Hole Challenge is set to take place on Friday, July 12, just days before the 152nd playing of The Open in Troon, Scotland.

The R&A 9 Hole Challenge is a 9-hole net Stableford scoring competition that features teams that have qualified in their home country and hold a registered handicap index. Players from England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Argentina, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand have previously competed. Canada along with Germany have been added for 2024. The full field competing in The R&A 9 Hole Challenge will be finalized in June.

Kevin Barker, Director – Golf Development: GB&I and Africa at The R&A, said, “Every year we are seeing more people compete in The R&A 9 Hole Challenge with its popularity spreading all over the world. We are pleased to welcome golfers from Canada into the Challenge this year for the first time.

“For people looking for an alternative option to 18-hole golf, it showcases that nine-hole golf can be played competitively by people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.

“For all golfers taking part, there is the incredible opportunity to compete on golf’s biggest stage ahead of The Open and I would encourage players to enter a qualifying competition at your local club to give you the chance to play at Royal Troon.”

As part of the BDO National Golf League Championship, the winning team will earn an exemption into The R&A 9 Hole Challenge and with it, become the first pairing from Canada to compete since the Challenge inception in 2016.

Fifty-two teams of two (104 golfers total) are 18-holes away from claiming the inaugural championship and with it a spot in The R&A 9 Hole Challenge. The BDO National Golf League Championship will be taking place on Saturday, May 25, just days before the start of the 2024 RBC Canadian Open at the historic Hamilton Golf and Country Club.

Last season, over 10,000 participants from 107 leagues from coast-to-cost began their journey of competing for Canada’s first league golf national championship.

“We are excited to have a Canadian team take part in The R&A’s 9 Hole Challenge for the first time and we extend a big thank you to our partners at The R&A for this incredible opportunity,” said Tim McLaughlin, chief marketing officer, Golf Canada. “The inaugural season of the BDO National League has been a success highlighted by the growing numbers of women and men playing, with the goal of competing for not only a national championship but a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that The R&A’s 9 Hole Challenge offers.”

The 146-year-old Royal Troon Golf Club will host its tenth Open Championship from July 14-21, 2024, and its first since 2016. The club also hosted the AIG Women’s Open on one occasion in 2020.

For more information on The R&A 9 Hole Challenge, please visit randa.org/en/nine-hole-challenge.

Want a chance to compete in The R&A 9 Hole Challenge? Registration is now open for the 2024 BDO National Golf League, and to sign-up or get more information, please visit nationalgolfleague.ca.

Sebastian Szirmak won’t be coming home to Toronto this summer for the best possible reason — he’ll be playing golf in Europe.

Szirmak won the Wipa’s Open in a three-way playoff on Sunday for his first victory on the Gira de Golf Professional Mexicana. That victory helps set him up on the Challenge Tour, the second-tier circuit for the European-based DP World Tour, by earning him valuable points on the Official World Golf Ranking and gaining experience at the professional level.

“This is likely going to be the first summer I don’t come back to play in Canada,” said Szirmak between practice rounds in Mexico. “It’s kind of exciting and kind of sad. 

“But to me, it really feels like I’m progressing in my career to not be playing mini tour stuff during the summer and be on a bigger tour with world rankings.”

Szirmak was tied with Venezuela’s Manuel Torres and Mexico’s Jose de Jesus Rodriguez at 15-under par after Sunday’s third round. He was the only one who parred the playoff on the 18th hole at the Los Tabachines Golf Club in Cuernavaca, Mexico to earn 300,000 Mexican pesos, the equivalent of about $24,000.

The 33-year-old said that he felt more confident heading into the playoff.

“My mentality kind of relaxes in the playoffs, because you don’t have to think about the results as much, it’s gonna be something good,” said Szirmak. “You just put your head down and put all your heart and soul into getting that best result possible.

“It’s sometimes easier in a head-to-head scenario, when you just have to beat the other guy, just hit a better shot than him all the way into the hole and hope that you’re one stroke lower than him at the end.”

Szirmak moved to Mexico to lower the financial overhead of playing that tour and immerse himself in the country’s culture.

“As a smaller tour, it’s really great for world ranking,” said Szirmak, who is already working with brands like Foresight Sports Canada, Primo Golf Apparel, G/FORE, and TaylorMade. “It’s really great for practising travelling and for me, when I had my PGA Tour Latinoamerica status, I really wanted to feel more comfortable in the Latin American culture so moving down to Mexico made sense.”

Playing on the Mexican Tour has also given Szirmak a second chance at reaching the DP World Tour. He missed out on earning a card on the top circuit in Europe by just one stroke at its Q School this past November.

“It was absolutely heartbreaking and it definitely took a while to get over since I was inside the number going through the back nine and it just slipped away for me,” said Szirmak, who missed the fourth-round cut at the DP World Tour’s final stage of qualifying on Nov. 13. “Unfortunately, missing that I did get Challenge Tour status, but I don’t get starts until their schedule returns to Europe, which is at the end of May. 

“So really, I’m using these Mexican Tour events to just see where my game is at, (…) really just trying to gear my game up for the Challenge Tour season for me to start and hopefully hit the ground running and take really good advantage of the starts I get.”

The Challenge Tour begins its European swing on May 9 with the Challenge de Espana at Real Club Sevilla Golf in Seville, Spain.

PGA TOUR — Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., is the highest-ranked of seven Canadians entering the field at The Players Championship this week. He’s No. 11 on the FedEx Cup standings heading into play at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. He’ll be joined by Adam Hadwin (25th) of Abbotsford, Corey Conners (52nd) of Listowel, Ont., Adam Svensson (62nd) of Surrey, B.C., Ben Silverman (79th) of Thornhill, Ont., Mackenzie Hughes (84th) of Dundas, Ont., and Taylor Pendrith (90th) of Richmond Hill, Ont.

EPSON TOUR — Selena Costabile of Thornhill, Ont., Kate Johnston of Ayr, Ont., and Brigitte Thibault of Rosemere, Que., are all in the field at this week’s IOA Golf Classic presented by LPT Realty at Alaqua Country Club in Longwood, Fla.

There’s a famous saying in golf that the journey to success is not a sprint but rather it’s a marathon. Having first dedicated herself to the sport at the age of eight those words of wisdom resonate with 22-year-old LPGA rookie Savannah Grewal.

Growing up in Mississauga, Ontario, young Savannah was first introduced to the sport by her mother Katarina at the age of six. She recalls her humble beginnings from her first golf lesson.

“I have a video from that lesson where I swung and missed on my first shot,” she said with a laugh. “But I remember it was a lot of fun.”

Grewal was also introduced to soccer, tennis, gymnastics, and ballet but she found her passion in the sport of golf.  So much so that at the age of eight she declared to her parents that her goal was to make it onto the LPGA one day.

Her parents were supportive of those ambitions but emphasized that achieving a goal like that wouldn’t happen overnight and would require a long-term dedication to continuous improvement.

The Canadian National Team Member remembers going to the golf course with her dad, Ashoak, and practising for hours upon hours.

“My goal use to be to hit 500 to a 1000 golf balls a day. So there were just countless hours on the golf course trying to get better,” she recalled.

“I loved the fact that golf wasn’t like any other sport. There are so many different aspects to work on.  You could work on your driving, pitching, your iron game, bunker game, putting, etc.”

Grewal recalls a strong result at a prestigious junior tournament that reaffirmed her belief that she was on the right path to success.

“I remember going to the U.S. Kids World Championship which was a big deal back then and not doing too good the first time and going back the following year and finishing top 15.  I think I was nine or 10 around that time and it was motivation that I was on the right track.”

Former LPGA Tour pro and National Team member Rebecca Lee-Bentham recalls her favourable first impression of Grewal.

“I think I was in my second year on (LPGA) Tour at the time and she must have been around 12 and her coached asked me to play a few holes with her. My first impression was that she and her dad had a similar drive to what my dad and I had growing up.”

That drive and dedication for success on the golf course required Grewal to make some sacrifices.

“The winters are cold in Canada so I used to go to Florida from January to April to train there,” recalled Grewal, who also missed her high school graduation because she was competing in a tournament.

She adds that it was difficult to see her friends on social media doing fun things while she was in a different country working on her game. But Grewal took comfort in having the full support of her family; and having clarity on why she was making that sacrifice.

“I was fortunate to have my grandparents with me and I always knew what my end goal was and knew it was just a stepping stone on that journey,” she said.

Her success as a junior would see her win the Drive, Chip and Putt tournament for the girls 14-15 category in 2017 at Augusta National. The following year in 2018 she won the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior tournament.

Grewal would go on to play collegiate golf for the Clemson Tigers.

“Playing at Clemson has been amazing. It has a family-oriented environment and it was great to win the ACC team championship last year,” she said.

“My teammates are some of my best friends and I have nice memories of hanging out post round as we would always go get dinner and then ice cream after.”

The Mississauga, Ont., native is also grateful to be part of the Canadian National Team Program.

“It’s great because we get the opportunity to compete in some of the biggest tournaments against the best in the world. And it’s always special to represent your country on a big stage.”

A special moment for Grewal and her family came last December when she realized her childhood dream and earned her LPGA Tour card after finishing in a tie for 10^th spot at the LPGA Q-Series.

The five foot four inch Grewal was playing her A game which saw her utilize her strong ball striking along with a consistent iron game; and that allowed her to hit a lot of greens.

“Overall, I felt I was really steady.  I hit some good shots, made some putts when I needed and didn’t get into any real trouble,” she noted.

While the six rounds of the LPGA Q-Series last December were very much like a marathon of sorts, Grewal paced herself perfectly and spoke about her emotions as she was about to cross the finish line in a tie for 10^th spot.

“I tried not to think about it, but walking onto 18 after hitting the green, I knew this was it I was going to get my LPGA Tour card and it kind of felt surreal,” she recalled.

“I blacked out a bit, it didn’t feel like I was living in reality.  It felt all the hard work put in was paying off.”

Grewal says achieving her childhood dream was that much sweeter knowing she is able to share that success with those closest to her.

“My grandma called me afterwards and cried. It was a special day and proud achievement for our entire family,” she said.

“My grandparents on my dad’s side immigrated to Canada from India and worked very hard to give their kids the best opportunities. Hearing their stories inspired me to work just as hard as a way to give respect back and be someone that they would be proud of,” Grewal added.

Having followed Grewal’s journey since their original meeting many years ago, Lee-Bentham is optimistic about the LPGA Tour rookie’s future.

“I’ve seen Savannah do some amazing things during her collegiate career and I’m excited for her new journey on the LPGA Tour,” Lee-Bentham said.

“Golf Canada has put a lot of effort over the years to help players like myself and the new generation of golfers. It just goes to show that success isn’t made overnight and it takes a whole team for one player to make it,” she added.

“Savannah has her whole family and country supporting her and I believe she is capable of greater things to come.”

Besides setting her sights on getting into the winner’s circle on the LPGA, the 22-year-old has ambitions of representing Canada one day at the Olympics.

One interesting fact is her brother, Jordan, plays table tennis for the Canadian National Table Tennis team, so her dream would be to both compete for Canada at the same Olympics. He was also her caddy recently at the Blue Bay tournament in China where she finished in a tie for fourth place.

The LPGA rookie knows the journey in this next chapter will require that same discipline and focus to pace herself to achieve long term success.

“Now is a whole new chapter in my career,” said Grewal.

“This rookie season, I just want to work hard and be as competitive as I can.  I want to stay steady, never get ahead of myself, just compete; and hopefully, I will be in contention.”

For Marlene Stewart Streit, golf, she says, is all about the friends you make along the way. 

Streit, Canada’s first lady of golf, turns 90 on March 9. Her list of golfing accomplishments is long and celebrated. But even as she reflects back on a career well played, she’s more excited about the life well lived. 

“Golf, to me, is the friends you make along the way and if you miss that you’ve really missed the boat. All the trophies are fine. But they just sit there and tarnish,” Streit says. “You talk about tournaments and it’s really the friends you make along the way.”

Streit began her golf career as a caddy when she was 12 at Lookout Point Golf Club in Fonthill, Ont. and played her first tournament when she was 15. It didn’t take her long to find plenty of success at the highest level in the amateur game. She won her first of 11 Canadian Women’s Amateur titles when she was just 17. 

“In those days we had a great field. That was a pretty big deal at 17. I didn’t even know what I was doing but I could chip and putt,” she says with a laugh. 

A few years later Streit would head across the pond to compete in the British Ladies Amateur. She was part of a Canadian squad that boarded a Douglas DC-3 airplane (“Heck, she says, “I’d never been further than Winnipeg!”) and flew to Newfoundland, Iceland, Ireland, and then onwards to London. 

Streit would win the British Ladies that year, in 1953. Ten years later she traveled to Australia and won the Australian Women’s Amateur. In 1956, she won the U.S. Women’s Amateur. To this day she is the only golfer in history to have won the Canadian, Australian, British, and U.S. Women’s Amateurs. 

In both 1951 and 1956 she won the Northern Star Award as Canada’s athlete of the year – to date the only golfer to win the award more than once. 

That was a “great honour,” she says, given that the race for Canada’s athlete of the year is between both men and women. But when she’d come home from tournaments – often victorious – her long-time coach Gordon McInnis would often say that, yes, she did great. But it was time to grab a shag bag and get ready for the next one. 

With a laugh, she remembers playing in the British Ladies in 1954 trying to defend her title. She thought at first 1953 would be her only opportunity to get there so she figured she better go out and “just win this tournament.” She did and returned the following year. Streit remembers getting to the semi-finals but (yes, 70 years later) recalls missing a short putt and missing out on the finals. That is “just about the only thing” she thinks about still from her tournament days, she says with a laugh.  

These days, Streit still plays often. She and JoAnne Carner (aka, “Big Momma”) are long-time pals and will tee it up in Florida together. Streit topped Carner at the U.S. Women’s Amateur in 1956 and still doesn’t let her live it down, although Carner says it was “just a warm-up” as she would go on to win five U.S. Women’s Amateurs herself. Streit loves watching the Canadians on the PGA Tour and Nick Taylor winning the RBC Canadian Open last summer “was amazing.” She loves Brooke Henderson too, of course. 

She has no regrets, either. 

Plenty of folks would wonder why she never turned professional and the simple answer, she says, is because she didn’t want to. Streit attended Rollins College, got married, and had two daughters – Darlene and Lynn. Her remarkable life included surviving a plane crash while at university. In an interview with the USGA in 2011, Streit recalled being thrown from an aisle seat to a window and spying a hole in the fuselage to scramble for a makeshift exit before she walked, shoeless and through snow, to a nearby farmhouse where the passengers received help. 

Streit ended up winning national titles for more than 50 years from the 1951 Canadian Women’s Amateur to the 2003 USGA Senior Women’s Amateur. It was a special run that cumulated in her being inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2004 – the only Canadian player to receive such an honor. It means a lot to her, she says, when you look at who else has been inducted. 

“I’ve had a great life. And I don’t have any regrets,” Streit says. “I did all the fun things you do in life. I had a great husband, I had a wonderful family, two beautiful daughters […] I don’t have any regrets. Why would I want to turn pro?

“My greatest joy as an amateur has been representing Canada.”

And it’s been special for Canada to have such a great representative like Marlene Stewart Streit.  

Happy 90th Birthday!

It’s not that Mike Weir wants the fans at Royal Montreal Golf Club to be hostile toward the United States team when the Presidents Cup comes to Canada, but he definitely doesn’t want the Americans to be comfortable. Weir, from Brights Grove, Ont., is the first Canadian to captain the International Team at the best-on-best men’s tournament. Beyond selecting the squad’s players he is responsible for the tournament’s design aesthetic and, maybe most important, he has to set the tone with fans.

“When the U.S. goes overseas to play, it’s a totally different atmosphere than when they’re playing at home and traditionally, in the Presidents Cup, there hasn’t been that much of a contrast and that is our challenge,” Weir said. “Letting them know that you need to get behind our guys and make them feel supported and through that is making the other side feel a little bit uncomfortable.”

Weir said Presidents Cup organizers are teaming up with the Montreal Canadiens and their owner Jeff Molson to promote a hockey-like atmosphere. 

“We don’t want it to be that over the top, but we want it to feel like the crowd is really, really with us,” he said.

The International Team’s only victory over the U.S. came at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia in 1998. It also earned a tie in 2003 at Fancourt Hotel and Country Club in George, South Africa, in 2003.

Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, N.C., hosted the biannual event in 2022, with the U.S. winning 17 1/2-12 1/2. Although thousands of American fans are expected to stream across the border in September when the 12-on-12 tournament is in Montreal, Weir hopes to make it truly feel like an away game and get a result like Australia 26 years ago.

“We’ve put a lot of thought into it and we continue amongst our team to talk about that home course, home country advantage,” said Weir. “We’re trying to engage a lot of the fans around the country with a lot of stuff that will be upcoming that we’re doing.

“We want the whole country to be involved and engaged. … We do want it to feel like it’s a home advantage for us.”

Royal Montreal hosted the Presidents Cup in 2007, when the United States beat the Internationals 19 1/2-14 1/2. Weir battled Tiger Woods in a climactic matchup that captured the imagination of many Canadian golf fans.

Weir said that, in its way, that experience was instructive in his current role as a non-playing captain.

“Tiger was playing and I think fans were excited to see him,” said Weir. “I felt like the fans were fantastic, but they were very cordial to the U.S. side.
“We want them to be a little bit louder and a little bit more raucous than the past.”

The 2022 edition of the Presidents Cup was the first time that more than one Canadian played in the event, with Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., earning his way on to the team as an automatic selection and Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., picked by captain Trevor Immelman of South Africa.

Weir, and the Canadians on the PGA Tour, are hoping to have even more of a maple flavour at Royal Montreal. The top six players on the U.S. and International rankings are automatically chosen, and then Weir and U.S. captain Jim Furyk get to pick their next six players.

Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., is currently fourth in the International Team rankings. Adam Hadwin, also from Abbotsford, is ninth and Conners in 12th, meaning they could be easy choices for Weir to add.

Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., and Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., are 16th and 17th respectively, making them possible reaches. Pendrith is 22nd.

“You’ve got to give credit to Golf Canada and their development program that they’ve put together,” Weir said of the number of eligible Canadians. “A lot of those guys grew up together, were in that junior program together, and the development program.

“They’ve continued to elevate their games and elevate their careers.”
There are no Canadians currently playing LIV Golf, the team-based circuit backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. Weir confirmed that LIV Golf players like Chile’s Joaquin Niemann will not be eligible to play in the Presidents Cup.

Weir held a dinner with approximately 15 of the possible players who could play for the International Team ahead of this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational. 

Taylor, Hadwin, Svensson, Conners and Hughes are all in the field at Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando, Fla., this week.

KORN FERRY TOUR — Edmonton’s Wil Bateman is the top-ranked Canadian on the second-tier Korn Ferry Tour. He’s ranked 12th heading into this week’s Astara Chile Classic at Prince of Wales Country Club in Santiago. There are six other Canadians in the field, including Etienne Papineau (28th) of St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Que., Myles Creighton (54th) of Digby, N.S., and Sudarshan Yellamaraju (105th) of Mississauga, Ont. Vancouver’s Stuart Macdonald, Jared du Toit of Kimberley, B.C., and Thomas Giroux of Georgetown, Ont., enter the tournament unranked.

CHAMPIONS TOUR — Calgary’s Stephen Ames, currently ranked second in the Schwab Cup standings, will be in the field at the Cologuard Classic at La Paloma Country Club in Tucson, Ariz. Weir, when he’s done with his responsibilities at Bay Hill, will also play at the Cologuard Classic when it tees off on Friday. Weir is 38th on the Schwab Cup list.
DP WORLD TOUR — Aaron Cockerill of Stony Mountain, Man., is in the opening group at the Jonsson Workwear Open 2024 at Glendower Golf Club in Dowerglen, Edenbale, South Africa. He’s 13th in the Race to Dubai Rankings.

LPGA TOUR — Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., and Savannah Grewal of Mississauga, Ont., are in the field at Blue Bay LPGA at Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course in China. Both are currently unranked on the Race to CME Globe standings.

EPSON TOUR — Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont., leads the Canadian contingent into the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic on Friday at the Country Club of Winter Haven in Winter Haven. She’ll be joined by Hamilton’s Alena Sharp, Selena Costabile of Thornhill, Ont., Kate Johnston of Ayr, Ont., and Brigitte Thibault of Rosemere, Que., in the first event on the 2024 tour’s calendar.

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.

Jeff Soltesz, El Rio Golf Club, Hole #7

I was playing in a weekly get together with friends from a condominium community in Fort Myers, Florida. We play El Rio in North Fort Myers every Thursday morning while us snowbirds are here in Southwest Florida. The same group of 16-24 people get shuffled about, so they try to have everyone play with everyone at least once. I cannot recall who precisely I was playing with that day, but I had three witnesses. 

The hole was #7. It was playing 162 yards into a strong headwind. I hit a 5 iron and watched it land a little front and to the left on the green then it rolled for about 30 feet into the cup. 

I’m on average what one would consider a bogey golfer…this was the second hole-in-one of my life. 

I did take note of the fact that I was playing a higher quality ball that day (Taylor Made TP5) that was gifted to me and things just felt different/better. I normally play a more budget friendly ball (Noodle) because I didn’t think I could feel the difference, but now I’m starting to think differently. We’ll see how things go from here. 

Stuart Dickinson, Penticton Golf & Country Club, Hole #16

It was a 9 iron from 137 yards, little baby draw and spun it back into the cup. My first hole-in-one. I played golf from 14-19 and then took it up again at 40 when I joined Fairview Mountain Golf Club.

Nicole Hunt, Yuma Golf & Country Club, Hole #12

I was playing with my husband. The hole is 145 yards to the middle and the flag was in the back so the yardage was closer to 150. I teed off with my driver. I could see I hit the green as was excited about that. As we are walking towards the green I could no longer see my ball and assumed I over drove the green. My husband started looking in the bunker in the left and I went off the green expecting to have to chip on. We couldn’t find my ball so I said to myself “no way”, I decided to go check the hole and there it was. I spend a lot of time on golf. We winter in Arizona and usually golf every day of the week except Saturdays.

The ball behind me in the picture is my husband’s ball. It’s my first hole-in-one.

Diana Kirkland, River Strand Golf & Country Club (Tributary/Estuary, Hole #5

I started golfing casually with my husband’s old set of golf clubs back in 1989 participating in friendly games and tournaments with our family and friends, I never played more than two or three rounds per year. In 2004 I was started playing in corporate events while working as a sales representative, again only an additional two or three rounds a season.

In 2016 I purchased my first set of golf clubs so that I could play regularly at our winter residence at River Strand Golf and Country Club in Bradenton, Florida. Upon my retirement in 2017, I joined the private golf club that my husband was a member at, York Downs Golf and Country Club in Unionville, Ontario and started playing regularly during the 2018 season.

When golfing I am typically very relaxed but a rather fast golfer, I rarely take a practice swing and cruise quickly up the fairways in order to hit my next shot. On the greens I am not very good at reading putts so I typically just aim for the center of the hole and hope for the best result.

Generally, I am a very positive person and have a very optimistic view on life. Over the years I joke with my family and friends that on every par three I am going to get a hole-in-one. Everyone would laugh or smirk and my husband would shake his head indicating that “sure you are good luck once again.”

At 4:15 pm on Monday, January 1, 2024, my wish came true while playing in a foursome with my husband, Stephen Kirkland and our friends, Laurie Gain and her husband Roger Kennedy. We were playing at the River Strand Golf and Country Club, on the Tributary course, on the fifth hole, from the gold tees at 128 yards to the hole. I teed up a water-logged green Titleist “Velocity” golf ball that I pulled from the bottom of my bag so as not to lose one of my better balls into the lake that ran up the entire right side of the hole. The club I used was a TaylorMade Aero Burner 4 Rescue.

I hit the ball in the air right down the middle to the elevated green and watched the ball climb up onto the front of the green and roll down into a depression that runs horizontally across the center of the green. The ball tracked to the right side of the green and then disappeared. Roger Kennedy then announced that he heard the ball hit the pin, my husband indicated that he did not hear anything so we were all intrigued to find out where the ball ended up. I started walking along the shoreline of the lake with my ball retriever looking for stray golf balls in the lake while my friend, Laurie Gain started walking quickly to the green, curious to discover the final resting place of my tee shot. Laurie arrived at the green and did not see a ball on the green so while walking briskly to the hole she pulled out her mobile phone so she could video my reaction if indeed the ball was in the hole. At this point in time, I picked up my pace and started sprinting to the green while dragging along my pull cart. Laurie peered into the hole and then she threw her hands in the air and screamed, “It’s in the hole.” Everyone stated yelling and screaming and jumping around in a circle hugging each other while whooping it up until I finally bent over and pulled the water-logged golf ball out from the hole. Exhilarating is all I can say.

We completed the round and headed back to the Clubhouse to report the event to the Pro-Shop staff and have a drink in the Grill Room to celebrate my achievement. Upon our arrival back to the clubhouse we were disappointed that the Pro-Shop had closed, the Grill Room was closed and the Clubhouse Dining Room was closed because it was New Year’s Day. We packed up our golf equipment and we all headed back to our home and celebrate with a shot of Screwball Peanut Butter Whiskey.

That night I woke up at 4:00 am in the morning and could not get back to sleep until I researched the odds of getting a hole-in-one. Apparently, the odds for getting a hole-in-one, according to Google are 12,500:1 for an amateur golfer and 2,500:1 for a professional golfer.

I guess that I am one of the lucky one’s!

François Lépinay, Avondale Golf Club, Hole #15 & #8

The poster that was put on the boards at Avondale for my two, yes two, holes-in-one in two consecutive days.

 

Mel Hennigar, Forty Niner Country Club, Hole #8

I was playing with two other members of the Forty Niner Golf Club, Tom Koester and Frank Balcom. New Year’s Day. It was 161 yards and I used a 6 hybrid (Taylormade Stealth). It was one of those shots that felt good right as soon as I hit it. We watched it land on the green and roll straight to the pin and drop. This is my second hole-in-one within six months. My third overall.

Wendy Larson, Golf Club at Terra Lago, Hole #6

My hole-in-one was on the par 3, sixth hole. About 100 yards. I used my 5 hybrid as I am not a long hitter. I hit the front of the green and the ball rolled to the left a few feet. I heard the ball hit the flag and thought I would have a short birdie putt. My husband Jim saw it roll in. I was also golfing with Michael, a gentleman that joined us.

Karen Anderson, The Links of Spruce Creek South, Hole #16

Back in 2008, I had two holes-in-one at our home course, along with an Eagle on our par 5 hole #10 at West Haven G&CC in London, Ontario. My husband also happened to have two holes-in-one that year and we were written up in Golf Ontario magazine. Quite a thrill. However, it’s been a long 16-year draught for me since then. On January 7th we played at my favourite course just outside of The Villages, FL. It’s the Links at Spruce Creek and my husband and I played with very good friends Nan and Chuck. I was having a killer round with three birdies and then came to the 16th par 3. It was 117 yards and I used my 7-wood. When the ball left my club, it felt so pure. We watched it travel up the elevated green, heard it rattle the pin and then watched it disappear in the hole! I then went on to have my personal best round EVER, with a 76. Definitely a day to remember for a long time.

Caroline Calderone, Lambton Golf & Country Club, Hole #8

Thursday, June 21, the start of Summer Solstice was super exciting at Lambton Golf Club! I am somewhat of a new golfer and member at Lambton since 2019. I have been taking lessons from Ann Carroll, one of Lambtons amazing golf pros, to help me improve my game for my ladies Valley league.

My friend, and Lambton member, Mary Fernandes were enjoying the gorgeous afternoon when I teed off on the 8th hole about 130 yards using my Taylor Made M2 driver. The sun made it difficult to see where my ball landed but Mary said wow I think it went in the hole. Of course I started laughing with a no chance disbelief but when I approached the green and could not find my ball, I looked in the cup and could not believe my eyes! I screamed with excitement and another golfer came running over to take pictures. A truly incredible moment I won’t forget!!

The funny part is afterwards I was sitting with my husband Michael and people were coming up to congratulate Mr. Calderone with big smiles I was able to correct them and say sorry it was Mrs. Calderone.

James Stuart Barkwill, Oshawa Golf & Curling Club, Hole #10

In August 2021, my 16-year-old son was lucky enough to have shot a hole-in-one at Oshawa Golf & Curling Club in Oshawa, Ontario.

Three women’s pairings among those set to compete for the inaugural
BDO National Golf League Championship as part of the
2024 RBC Canadian Open in Hamilton

The inaugural season of the BDO National Golf League welcomed over 1,500 women competitors in 2023, and three women-only pairings are among the fifty-two teams of two (104 golfers total) who qualified to compete at the historic Hamilton Golf and Country Club for the chance to be crowned the first ever BDO National Golf League champions.

The BDO National Golf League Championship takes place on Saturday, May 25, just days before the start of the 2024 RBC Canadian Open at the historic Hamilton Golf and Country Club layout.

Among those set to compete in the national final are Donna Manning and Deborah Delaney from the GlenDenning Golf Club in St. John’s, Nfld. The pair secured their spot after finishing atop the leaderboard in qualifying from their regional playoff at the Twin Rivers Golf Club at Terra Nova in Port Blandford, Nfld.

“We arrived at the regionals with no expectations, both of us were pretty nervous, and then realizing we were playing against mostly men. We ended up playing some of our best golf and as a result, captured that first spot.

“I feel very honoured to be representing GlenDenning Golf Club and Newfoundland. The staff at GlenDenning are very proud and excited for our accomplishment and wish us good luck in Hamilton. I’m beyond excited and I can’t wait for May. This event will be awesome and one of my proudest moments,” said Donna Manning.

Delaney echoed her teammate that a mix of excitement and nerves came about during qualification. Added incentive for Delaney was competing against her brother, who also advanced to the regional playoffs in Port Blandford, Nfld.

“Donna and I didn’t calculate our course handicaps for Terra Nova so we didn’t keep track of the Stableford points. We decided that we would just play our game as best we could and see how it all played out with no pressure. Fortunately, we played well and won the tournament. We are beyond excited to represent Newfoundland in Hamilton this coming May and hopefully play some fantastic golf.”

Across the country, Karen Cairns and Lynne Godfrey are one of three teams from the Harvest Golf Club in Kelowna, B.C. that qualified in the regional playoff.

“It will be terrific to share the experience and to meet other players from across the country, no matter the outcome,” said Cairns.

“We were stunned. We knew we played good ham and eggs but didn’t think we would tie for first place. We are so excited to attend,” added Godfrey.

La Belle Province will be represented by Martine Dusault and Sylvie Desroches from Le Maître de Mont-Tremblant in Mont-Tremblant, Que. who were among the eight teams to qualify from Quebec.

“Very proud to have qualified for this tournament. We’re the only women in Quebec. We can’t wait to play this magnificent golf course,” said Dusault.

“My teammate and I are very proud of our performance, being the only two women in Quebec to qualify for the final. We didn’t think we’d make it playing the men’s tees, so we played for fun! What a nice surprise! We’re very proud to represent our club, Le Maître de Mont-Tremblant! Thank you NGL!” added Desroches.

In addition to the national finals taking place at Hamilton Golf and Country Club in the leadup to the 2024 RBC Canadian Open, the winning team will receive an expenses-paid trip to represent Canada at The R&A 9 Hole Challenge at Royal Troon in Troon, Scotland, one-week prior to the 152^nd Open Championship. This will mark the first time that Canada will participate in the 9 Hole Challenge. For more information on the R&A 9 Hole Challenge, please visit randa.org/en/nine-hole-challenge.

The BDO National Golf League was launched by Golf Canada ahead of the 2023 season as a nationwide, season-long competition to enhance weekly recreational league experiences for men, women, and junior golfers. Scoring follows a 9-hole net stableford format that takes place during a six-week period of a club’s league season. Within those six weeks, the best four scores are used to determine the individuals that would advance to the next stage of the competition – the provincial championships. The BDO National Golf League points system is designed to level the playing field for players of all skill levels. The competition is about making golf fun as the first priority.

Registration is now open for the 2024 BDO National Golf League, to sign-up or for more information, please visit nationalgolfleague.ca.

According to the Canadian Women & Sport National Study, one in three girls will drop out of sports by adolescence – three times more likely than boys – and over 60 percent of adolescent girls are not participating in any kind of sport. Some of the most common barriers preventing girls from trying, and staying, in sports are low confidence, not feeling welcomed, and perceived lack of skill.

That is where First Tee – Canada steps in. 

First Tee is delivered in three settings—golf courses, schools, and community centres, with over 70 percent of programming offered at no cost to participants. The goal is to introduce children, especially those who may have otherwise not had the chance or interest, to golf, and through a life-skills-focused curriculum, foster the continued development of skills like confidence and perseverance.

First Tee – Canada has six chapters operating programming in every province. Since launching in 2021, over 80,000 Canadian youth have been introduced to golf through First Tee – Canada. In 2023, nearly 40 percent of participants identified as female and nearly 50 percent identified as BIPOC.

What sets First Tee apart from other junior golf programming is not its focus on building life and golf skills simultaneously, instead, it is the effort made in communities to provide accessible and inviting pathways to the sport for equity-deserving groups including girls, BIPOC communities, newcomers, and individuals with exceptionalities and disabilities.

First Tee staff are intentional when onboarding new program locations and forming relationships with community organizations that serve the surrounding communities.

“Our goal is to build a community hub of First Tee programming offered at a golf course and nearby schools and community centres,” said First Tee – Ontario Program Manger, Amaya Athill. “Most of the time, we are responsible for a child’s first time on a golf course. We partner with a community organization like Big Brothers Big Sisters or a school in an identified deserving area and host ‘try-golf’ events for children to create a positive association to the sport.”

In 2023, First Tee – Canada held nearly 200 chapter-led events including try-golf days or school field trips, some of which were all-girls events, including participants and coaches.

“These events are so important,” said Athill. “We are striving to ensure folks, especially those in underrepresented groups, feel golf is a sport for them. We found that hosting all-girls events helps break down barriers that would typically prevent girls from trying golf. It is an even playing field where most, if not all participants are trying golf for the first time, they are surrounded by positive female coaches and role models, and most importantly the focus is to just have fun.”

On the east coast, First Tee – Atlantic plans to host at least one all-girls event per Atlantic province this summer with all-female coaches and volunteers. Emily Nickerson, First Tee – Atlantic Program Coordinator is spearheading this chapter’s initiative.

She plans to collaborate with organizations to introduce golf and incorporate a workshop or activity outside of golf, too. For example, First Tee – Atlantic has partnered with She is Active New Brunswick, which will provide a confidence-building exercise for the participants during their event(s) in NB. Additionally, Nickerson’s goal for these events is to ensure the girls leave excited to try golf again. She hopes to provide more participation opportunities through First Tee programming or range passes to courses in their area, for example.

“Best case scenario, a few girls enjoy themselves so much they enroll in other First Tee programming, continuing to develop their skills and become golfers for life,” said Nickerson. “Or the girls learn something new about themselves, they meet a new friend, have a coach to look up to, or apply what they learned to another sport or at school. Any of that is still a win in my books. If we can make a positive impact on even one girl and encourage her to stick with golf or any sport, I’m happy.”

That is where First Tee – Canada stands out. It is a program led by staff, coaches and volunteers who understand the power of sports and believe that every child deserves the opportunity to try golf, to believe they fit in, and trust there is space for them in the sport.  

“This is more than a golf program,” said Nickerson. “It’s changing the future of golf. I hope one day, you won’t feel judged being a woman on the golf course. Judged for playing ‘too slow’, what you’re wearing, or how your swing looks ‘for a girl’. I hope through First Tee and our focus on female participation, we are paving the way for a more inclusive and comfortable environment for girls and women in golf.”