140 of Canada’s top junior golfers to compete over 54 holes on stunning Lake Magog with exemptions into the Canadian Junior Boys and Girls Championships on the line.

Golf Canada’s 2023 championship season continues this week, at Club de golf Venise, in Magog, Que. with the NextGen Québec Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards.

The 54-hole stroke play competition is currently underway with championship rounds beginning on Tuesday, July 4. After the second round on Wednesday July 5th, there will be a cut where half of each division will make it through to Thursday’s final round.

The starting field will feature 140 male and female competitors – 103 Junior Boys and 37 Junior Girls – vying for a spot into their respective Canadian Junior Championship later this summer.

The top eight players in the Junior Boys division will earn exemptions into the 2023 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, August 14-17, at North Bay Golf and Country Club Ltd. in North Bay, Ont. The top eight players (including ties) in the Junior Girls division will earn exemptions into the 2023 Canadian Junior Girls Championship, July 24-27, at Hampton Golf Course in Hampton, N.B.

Established on a location with a stunning view of Lake Magog on one side and Mount Orford on the other, the Club de golf Venise was founded in 1977. Placed between two cities, the course offers two 18-hole courses with one in Sherbrooke and the other in Magog. The Magog course will deliver a test for NextGen competitors, while presenting views of both the clubs remarkable lake fronts. 

“As a young woman who just entered the golf industry, hosting the NextGen Championship here at Club de golf Venise means a lot to me,” said Coralie Beaucage, General Manager at Club de golf Venise. “Most importantly, I’m very proud to welcome all of these incredible athletes and very happy for them to experience the beauty of the Magog course.”

We all share a passion for golf, and I can’t wait to see and admire players from all around Canada having fun playing at Club de golf Venise, Beaucage added.” I look forward to hosting many more championships in collaboration with Golf Canada.”

To follow the live leaderboard of the NextGen Québec 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 Québec Championship, click here.

Myles Creighton is poised to take the next step of his career.

The product of Digby, N.S., is headed into the Bupa Tour Championship on Thursday atop the Totalplay Cup rankings, the points list for the Latinoamerica Tour.

Sitting at 1,094 points, 149 more than American Walker Lee, Creighton is in an ideal position to win the golf circuit’s overall title.

Creighton has already locked up a top-five spot on the tour and therefore has status on the second-tier Korn Ferry Tour next year, but to win it all will have even more benefits.

“To finish first would be awesome just in itself,” said Creighton from PGA Riviera Maya in Tulum, Mexico. “To finish first and then to have guaranteed entry into every Korn Ferry event next year is a huge bonus.

“Just to know you can make your schedule and to be able to play every event and not have to worry about it would just be a huge bonus.”

Creighton started the 13-tournament Latinoamerica season strong with a tie for third at the 116 Visa Argentina Open on Dec. 4 and backed that up with another T3 at the Termas de Rio Hondo Invitational on March 19.

His last three events have had particularly strong showings, however, with a tie for seventh at the Colombia Classic on May 28, a victory at the Inter Rapidisimo Golf Championship on June 4, and a tie for fourth at the Jalisco Open on June 25.

“In years past, I’ve been very consistent as well, I just have never gotten over the hump and gotten a win,” said Creighton, speaking on how just one shot can make the difference to a season. “The week before I won, I think I was 15th on the points list and finished tied for seventh but went to 16th on the points.

“Then the next week, I played very similar, I was just able to add a couple more shots and get the win. I went from moving back a spot to being first on the points list. That’s just how these tours can work.”

If Creighton does win the Latinoamerica Tour, he’ll be the last champion in the circuit’s history. It’s set to merge with the PGA Tour Canada to become the PGA Tour Americas in 2024.

That new third-tier tour will have a total of 16 events, six in Latin America, two in the United States and eight in Canada. It will be a feeder into the Korn Ferry Tour, just like the Latinoamerica Tour and the PGA Tour Canada .

“This is my third season playing down here and I’ve always thought that this tour suited my game,” said Creighton. “It’s a lot of different kinds of conditions and you have to be able to adapt and whatnot.

“It would be cool to be able to (be the final champion) after putting that much time and effort down here. It’d be cool to finish it off.”

PGA TOUR – Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., returns to the Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club where he tied for second last year. He’s ranked 120th on the FedEx Cup standings. Adam Svensson (38th) of Surrey, B.C., Adam Hadwin (51st) of Abbotsford, B.C., and Michael Gligic (203rd) of Burlington, Ont., are also in the field.

KORN FERRY TOUR – Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., is the lone Canadian entered in the Memorial Health Championship at Panther Creek Country Club in Springfield, Ill. Silverman is No. 3 on the second-tier tour’s points list after he tied for 11th at last week’s Compliance Solutions Championship.

PGA TOUR CANADA – Etienne Papineau of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., remains the top-ranked player on the PGA Tour Canada heading into this week’s ATB Classic at Northern Bear in Strathcona County, Alta. He’s ranked No. 1 in the Fortinet Cup standings after winning the Royal Beach Victoria Open on June 18 and tying for 37th at last week’s Elk Ridge Saskatchewan Open.

DP WORLD TOUR – Aaron Cockerill of Stony Mountain, Man., is in the field at the Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo. That event is being held at The Belfry, Sutton Coldfield, England. Cockerill is No. 37 on the European-based DP World Tour.

CHAMPIONS TOUR – Calgary’s Stephen Ames is second overall in the Champions Tour’s money list heading into the U.S. Senior Open Championship. Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., and Alan McLean of London, Ont., are also in the field. Weir is 32nd in the Schwab Cup rankings and McLean is No. 115.

A panel of judges has examined nearly 130 stories, photos, videos, and podcasts to identify the finest content created by members of the Golf Journalists Association of Canada (GJAC) in 2022. There was an astonishing variety of content produced across many platforms in 2022 in the world of Canadian golf journalism. The judges faced a difficult task but managed to identify the cream of the crop in eight categories: Column, Profile, Feature, Travel, DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), Photography (Action), Photography (Landscape), and Multimedia.

There were some notable highlights from this year’s award, including multiple stories focussing on the ways in which golf is thriving and changing and impacting a wide variety of communities (and vice versa), most notably in our inaugural recognition of work focussing on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Highlights of this year’s awards included multiple winners Jason Logan, Chris Fry, Adam Stanley, Lorne Rubenstein, and Guy Nicholson. Score Magazine, with 11 awards, was the most recognized outlet, while The Preferred Lie and ModGolf also took home multiple awards.

The full list of GJAC Award winners is below:

Travel
First place: Guy Nicholson for his story “At Waterton Lakes, the golf is elemental” published in Score Magazine         
Second place: Lorne Rubenstein for his story “A can’t miss corner of planet golf” published in Score Magazine
Third place: Jim Deeks for his story “Mr. Deeks Goes to Ireland” published in FairwaysGolf.ca
 
Profiles
First place: Curtis Gillespie for his story “Bateman’s Breakout Keyed by New Mentality” published in Score Magazine
Second place: Jason Logan for his story “Mackenzie Hughes: Tough Guy”published in Score Magazine
Third place: Tim Baines for his story “Blind Ambition” published in the Ottawa Sun
 
Photography – Action
First place: Chris Fry for the photo “The Pulpit Club Finds Success” published in the Toronto Star
Second place: The Preferred Lie for the photo “Fore Life” published in The Preferred Lie
Third place: Bernard Brault for the photo “The End for Lori” published by Golf Canada
 
Photography – Landscape
First place: Chris Fry for the photo “The 1927” published in Match Play Golf.
Second place: Chris Fry for the photo “The home hole at St George’s” published in Score Magazine
Third place: Brian Decker for the photo “18 at Dawn” published in Score Magazine
 
Multimedia
First Place: Jason Logan, Kody McWilliams, and Casey McWilliams for their production “2022 RBC PGA Scramble Avion Night Golf Challenge” which appeared on ScoreGolf.com
Second Place: The Preferred Lie for their Canadian Classics production “Cherry Hill Club, Walter Travis Weekend” which appeared on the Preferred Lie
Third Place: The Preferred Lie for their Canadian Classics production “St. George’s Golf and Country Club” which appeared on the Preferred Lie.
 
Features
First place: Jason Logan for his story “Caddying at Cabot” published in Score Magazine
Second place: Adam Stanley for his story “You’re not alone” published by the PGA of Canada
Third place: Adam Stanley for his story “Mike Weir relives 2007 Presidents Cup match against Tiger Woods” published by PGATOUR.com
 
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
First place: Colin Weston and ModGolf for their podcast “Steve Tooshkenig and Creating a Sustainable Golf Future” which appeared on ModGolf        
Second place: Gina Phillips for her story “Smashing all challenges” which was published in Score Magazine
Third place: Colin Weston and ModGolf for their podcast “Eileen Jurczak and Entrepreneurial Lessons Learned” which appeared on ModGolf           
 
Columns
First place: Guy Nicholson for his column “Will golf make good on its pandemic mulligan?” published in the Globe and Mail.
Second place: Jason Logan for his column “Tiger Woods is playing the Masters. You thought he wouldn’t” published in Score Magazine
Third place: Lorne Rubenstein for his column “Feeling grounded at Royal Dornoch” published in Score Magazine

This year’s judges were Jeff Brooke, Harvey Freedenberg, Meggan Gardner, Tim O’Connor, Terry Lenyk, Robert Thompson, Mike Johnny, Norm MacDonald, Chris Gallow, Murray Fraser, Scot Morison, and Sandra Thompson.

Talking about SUCCESS in capital letters is an understatement. Where was it? When was it? It was the celebration of the 150th anniversary of Royal Montreal held on Wednesday and Thursday.

Let’s just say that I have had some experiences with this kind of event. Although generally successful, this week’s event was particularly unique.

Instead of waiting for gifts, it was Royal Montreal, the birthplace of golf in America and a ten-time host of the Canadian Open, that offered its own by inviting visitors from near and far.

In addition to the 18 clubs in Quebec, another 35 clubs from Victoria to Halifax, including Calgary, Regina, Winnipeg, and Toronto, belong to the exclusive group of centenarians, including Royal Quebec, where it will be the 150th next summer.

A remarkable success led by Diane Drury, a 17-time club champion, and her team, including Shannon Lee Greenshields, Ed Ricard, and Peter Malo.

“In addition to being where it all started for golf throughout America, Royal Montreal deserves credit for always finding ways to improve,” rightly acknowledges Laurence Applebaum, CEO of Golf Canada, who was able to witness it firsthand as he made the trip.

A list of personalities as long as a par… 5

In attendance were Louise Patry and David McCarthy, the current presidents of Golf Quebec and Golf Canada, along with their predecessors Jacques Nols, Charlie Beaulieu, Michel Saint-Laurent, Marc Tremblay, and Marcel-Paul Raymond.

Including Golf Quebec Hall of Fame members, Debbie Savoy Morel, Lisa Meldrum, Steve Davies, Rémi Bouchard, Pierre Archambault, Marie-Thérèse Torti and Canadian Golf Hall of Fame members, Lorne Rubenstein, Graham Cooke (Golf Quebec Hall of Fame) and Mary Ann Hayward (Golf Quebec Hall of Fame) were present, with personal thanks to the organization.

It was a special moment and a special day celebrating a course that has been instrumental to the growth of golf in Canada for the past 150 years.

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.

Allan Reid, Bootleg Gap Golf, Hole #17

My playing partners were Eric Sundgaard, Leo Jansen and Cal Sawicki. The hole was playing about 120 yards with a slight breeze towards the tee box. I used a 9 iron, and we heard the ball strike the pin but unfortunately, the sun was in our eyes, and we were unable to see what happened to the ball until we got on the green. This is my first hole-in-one in about 49 years of playing golf. It was a great feeling to find the ball in the hole!

Alwyn Rees, Northern Bear Golf Course, Hole #8

It was on hole #8 which is 158 yards. It’s a par 3 and my club of choice was a pitching wedge.

Angela Welch, Woodstock Golf and Country Club, Hole #2

It was 140 yards. I used a 6 hybrid. It was my second hole-in-one!

Brent Kezama, Echo Ridge Golf Club, Hole #5

I was playing in the final men’s night, October 5, 2022, at Echo Ridge Golf Club. It was hole #5 with the back tees and a back right pin. I hit a small draw and watched the ball roll toward the hole and disappear. This green has a sharp drop off at the back. My playing partners said it rolled off the back, but I stated that if it did, it was directly behind the pin. Lo and behold, it was in the cup.

Brian Roberts, Gatineau Golf Club, Hole #16

I was playing a Father’s Day game with three friends, including fellow Golf Canada member Jim Sturrock. Hole #16 at Gatineau GC is 150 yards, and I used an 8 iron for a front pin position. The ball landed just on the green and tracked right into the hole!

Collin Babkirk, Talking Rock Golf Resort, Hole #8

The layout of the hole and pin placement did not allow me or our group to see the ball go in. I knew from the ball flight that it was going to be close, but I had no idea how close. As I approached the green, I did not see my ball so at that time I figured it rolled off the back of the green. At the back of the green there is a sharp drop off that leads to a pond. When I could not see it there I kind of knew that it was in the hole as it would not have reached the pond. So, it was a bit anticlimactic when I finally got to the hole and saw it laying in the cup. I let out a holler and told everyone the news. The group I was with Peter and Brenda Correy and Micheal Sturgeon play every Tuesday and Thursday and it was great sharing it with them. The hole was 181 yards that day. I used my Stealth 5 hybrid.

Craig Tomlinson, McCleery Public Golf Course, Hole #3

The hole-in-one occurred on Father’s Day, June 18th, 2023, on the third hole of McCleery Golf Course in Vancouver. The hole was 166 yards from the tee box to a forward flag that day. As it was an early morning round, I decided on a TaylorMade 4 hybrid. I was playing with seven other golfers that day making up two foursomes. In my group was Tony Tang, Peter Lee and Dick Eng. All these golfers are in a Sunday golf group collectively known as ‘The Golfaholics’. Very recently eight of the members of the Golfaholics (including myself) had returned from a golf trip to St. Andrews in Scotland where we played all the well-known courses that the town has to offer.

Crystal Chen, Mayfair Lakes Country Club, Hole #4

It’s a great experience that I got hole-in-one at hole 4 at Mayfair Lakes Country Club. That day was very windy and 117 yards against the wind. I chose the 7 iron, and I saw the ball was very close to the pin. I just thought it would be a birdie chance. Then, my partner told me the ball jumped into the hole. When I went to the green, I saw my ball in the hole. I was so excited and felt very lucky! It’s my second hole-in-one. My first was in 2019 at Bear Mountain Golf Course.

Daniel Abbott, Watson’s Glen Golf Club, Hole #13

Sunday June 18th, 2023, was a very special day that I’ll never forget. It was Father’s Day. Traditionally, my two older brothers Murray Michael and I, would take my dad out for a round of golf every Father’s Day. My eldest brother Murray was a passionate, avid golfer. Tragically he passed away in 2015. My older brother Michael and I have continued the tradition of golfing with our father every season on Father’s Day.

This season we played at Watson’s Glen and teed off at 11:20am. We had a perfect sunny day with minimal wind. I was playing from the blue tees and would be the first of our group to tee off every hole. From the blues, the score card said 155 yards. The flag was red and it was near the front of the green. I pulled out my favourite iron, my pitching wedge. I had a brief conversation in my head with my brother Murray. I asked him to help me do something memorable for dad and the group here. I hit a perfect swing and the ball flew high and right at the pin. The ball landed roughly four yards before the pin. One bounce and it rolled directly in the cup! Our fourth golfer Peter (Michael’s best friend) screamed that’s a hole-in-one! Michael and my dad were near the carts at the time and came running over screaming and jumping for joy. The course’s marshal happened to roll up on us as the commotion was taking place. He asked what was going on and we were mid-celebrating yelling hole-in-one! He drove his cart up to the green to confirm. As he approached the hole he looked down and gave us the big thumbs up.

Denise Cadieux, Camelot Golf and Country Club, Hole #11

I was very excited and happy to get my first hole-in-one. It was a very special day since it was my birthday and ladies’ day at Camelot. I used my “heaven” wood which is a 7 wood. The distance was 118 yards and it happened on the 11th hole. I was playing with my three friends Helen, Sandra and Pam.

Donna Butterworth-Popert, Granite Golf Club, Hole #7

I was playing with Granite members – Andrew Popert, Joanne Hart and Ian Morton. The yardage was 110 and I used an 8 iron.The 7th hole has a steep incline from front to back. I decided to take an extra club and lob the ball over the flag and use the slope to bring it back towards the hole. The plan worked as the ball landed about four feet past the pin. Gravity took over and after 20 seconds or so, the ball rolled into the hole. We weren’t sure at first and thought it might have rolled off the front edge of the green, which is visually blocked by a marshy area. We were pretty excited to see the result, a hole-in-one!

Ernie Chefero, Ballantrae Golf Club, Hole #6

This was my first ever hole-in-one! At 62 years old, it was a long time coming. Tim Smith, Brycin Morrison and Colton Wylie were playing alongside me. I used a knockdown 6 iron from 167 yards. It took one hop, hugged the flagpole a disappeared to our disbelief.

Errol Hartley, Glen Eagles Golf Course, Hole #5

It was my very first hole-in-one in over 30 years that I have played golf. I am 83 now. The hole-in-one was on the par 3 5th hole at Glen Eagles which is 110 yards. I used a 9 iron and it went in.

Frank Grigg, Cherry Hill Golf Club, Hole #16

It all started on June 23, 1965, at the Dorval Municipal Golf Club. My friend from school, Rick Martin, had invited me to join the club with him and we went out to play with his dad for the first time, right after school was over. The cost for a full season of golf was $25 and we could play 18 holes a day including weekends after 4pm. The golf course consisted of nine holes left from the Elmridge Club that had left town when taxes got too high. The city preserved the nine holes to protect the neighborhood from some of the noise from the airplanes taking off and landing right next door at the new Dorval International Airport that served all the Montreal area.

Fast forward 57 years and 11 months and 17 days later (but who’s counting?) and I finally got my first hole-in-one at Cherry Hill Golf Club in Ridgeway. I was playing with my spouse, Shirley Tom, and close friends Dave Ruttle and Victoria Matthews. When I hit the shot, it seemed that the ball bounced hard left and ran all the way off the green. Dave disagreed and thought that the ball had disappeared so quickly that it must have gone in the hole. Dave was right and I still have trouble wiping the grin off of my face. The only downside is that it took me exactly 100 strokes to play the other 17 holes. I think the hole-in-one was God’s way of telling me not to give up…yet!

Harold MacKinnon, Cambridge Golf Club, Hole #7

My playing partners were Gary Harney, Dan Steeves and Ralph Geimer.

Harvey Carroll, Wyndance Golf Club, Hole #17

It was on June 4^th at Wyndance on the 17^th hole. Playing from the blue tees it was 177 yards and I used my 7 iron (Mizuno JPX 923 Forged). I was playing with Steve Rapp, Robert Turnbull (club captain) and Gerard Chiasson.

Jagger Bitz, Dakota Dunes Golf Links, Hole #15

It was pretty exciting for sure! My buddy Dane Giesbrecht was golfing with me! I was playing the gold tees, and it was 152 yards. I used a pitching wedge.

Joe Chiuchiarelli, Hylands Golf Club, Hole #12

The yardage was 172 and the flag was yellow that day. I decided to use 5 wood. I had a hole-in-one back in 2002; Sunday, September 15 at the Champlain Golf Course. The yardage was around 170 and the club was a 5 metal wood. The yardage and 5 metal wood have been my lucky charms! Making a hole-in-one 20 years ago was always something I felt was a major achievement playing golf all these years, but to do it a second time is unbelievable.

John Cerisano, Brampton Golf Club, Hole #13

This was my third hole-in-one which occurred on June 9, 2023, at the 13th hole of Brampton Golf Club. It was 141 yards, and I used an 8 iron. It was truly a special day as it was my first round at Brampton for 2023 and I was playing with my wife Susan Allen and my good friends, Bill Chapman and Christiane Deschenes.

Karen Pywowarczuk, Thornhill Country Club, Hole #4

The Thornhill Club is such a great place that friends, staff and strangers alike were all genuinely happy and made sure to stop by with warm congratulations.

This is a round that almost didn’t happen. It was a bit drizzly, and rain was to come, so we hemmed and hawed about whether or not to go out. But, of course, like true golf women, we did. I was with my regular Sunday morning gang: Judy Manning, Doreen O’Neil and Andrea Aris. We did receive a good bit of rain on the first couple of holes, but things cleared up after that. I believe I was the first to tee off on hole #4. The scorecard had this as a 102-yard hole, but Superintendent extraordinaire Greg McFarlane always finds creative placements for the tee boxes and pins. I’m sure it was closer to 110 yards. It’s a pretty hole; you are hitting over a river on an angle, so you feel like at least 50 yards is water and you don’t want to overshoot the green as trouble lays back there. Nothing but an 8 iron for me since I wanted it to pop onto the green and stick. It was a pretty shot as it broke and went into the hole. It’s always nice to watch it go in.

Keith Hickman, Water Valley Golf & Country Club, Hole #13

On hole #13, which is 178 yards, I used my 4 hybrid to get a hole-in-one!

Linda Pirard, Oakfield Golf and Country Club, Hole #5

I had a hole-in-one on our #5 hole, a yardage of about 100 yards over water. I used my 8 iron, which is already one of my favourite clubs. I was playing with Denise Brown and two of the junior players from our course, who were of course, super excited.

I would also like to share with you a special tradition we have at Oakfield. When a player gets a hole-in-one, they are taken into the bar where we have a bell which we ring and announce our accomplishment. Then, we sign a book that is kept at the bar, and anyone who hears about your accomplishment can sign their name and the next time you order a drink the people who have signed pay for your drink. I think it says a lot about our club!

Margaret Crawley, Lambton Golf and Country Club, Hole #5

I was playing at Lambton GCC as part of our Quad Club Interclub matches. This involved Mississauga GCC, Islington GC, Lambton GCC and Toronto GC. There is a member from each club in each foursome. Each person plays a six hole match against each of the other three players. We were just starting our second set of matches when we arrived at the fifth hole at Lambton. It was a 108-yard par 3. I used my 6 iron. We watched it fade toward the hole and talked it into the hole, watching it roll towards the hole and then disappear! The other ladies in the group had never seen a hole-in-one before, so everyone was very excited. Of course, when we arrived back at the clubhouse and the bar was declared open, all of the other Interclub players were also excited!

That was actually my fourth hole-in-one. Interestingly, three of the shots occurred in match play. Last year, I had one on the third playoff hole of a two-ball match. Needless to say, we won the match!

Mark Attley, Royal County Down Golf Course, Hole #14

I was playing the 14th hole from the green tees on the championship course at Royal County Down. I was accompanied by Brad Boundy, Alistair Varley and Steve Pons (all Golf Canada members) along with our four caddies. The hole is a 195-yard par 3 on the card that plays downhill and was playing about 165 that day. I hit a 6 iron, got a lucky bounce and it went in!

Mark Bertling, Vespra Hills Golf Club, Hole #7

I got a hole-in-one on June 11th. It was at Vespra Hills Golf Club in Springwater. I was playing with three of my regulars, David Grimshaw, Rob Gordon and Mitch Eisen. The 7th hole of the Still Valley nine was set up with the flag in the middle and 117 yards. I hit a pitching wedge which landed a few feet in front of the pin and rolled straight in. I ended up shooting 74 that day.

In 2015, I played in a charity tournament for Junior Diabetes at the Shelburne Golf Club hosted by David Markle. It was the Monday after the Canadian Open that year and Nick Taylor was one of the professionals playing. I had bid on a Sandersons Farm Flag that Nick had signed. After the meal, he was gracious enough to join me in a photo. I have been a fan and have followed him ever since. The reason I will never forget this hole in one is because Nick Taylor and David Markle won the Canadian Open on the same day as my hole-in-one.

Neil Cerio, Guildford Golf and Country Club, Hole #17

On June 10 I was doing alright, a little bit of struggle on the front nine. I was five over and had a few bogies on the back nine. As my group and I walked up to the 17th hole, wind was blowing right to left with the pin on the back of the green, water in front of the tee box. My GPS read the distance as 156 yards to the flag. I was the third person to hit. When it was my turn, I had a 9 iron in my hands. I started my pre-swing routine and set up the ball aiming to the right of the green. The ball landed in front of the pin then one hop and it disappeared. I wasn’t too sure if it went in or rolled past the pin. Unfortunately, none of my group saw it either but I started to get so excited but still unsure. I told the group to walk ahead and check if there was a ball inside the cup and of course told them what ball I was playing. Their eyes lit up and they all gave me a thumbs up and said, “You aced it!” I was full of joy in that moment, one of the greatest feelings I have had on the golf course. That was my first time seeing an actual hole-in-one, and my first hole-in-one! I ended up shooting 79 on the day which was a great considering all the struggles I went through. I always have wished for a hole-in-one since I started playing golf but then it happens when it was least expected.

Oral Zihove, Sirocco Golf Club, Hole #14

I was playing with my three friends, Scott Dolanz, Jenny Hu and Stan Young. The distance was 148 yards, red flag over the water with a strong left to right wind. Scott hit first and could see the wind take his ball all the way from a good line towards the flag and into the bunker on the right of the green. My 9 iron is my 160-yard club but with that strong wind, I chose that over my normal pitching wedge. It hit the left side of the green, same as Scott, then the wind took it, but it bounced on the green and in. Amazing moment!

Pat Hess, Prescott Golf Club, Hole #9

It was amazing! I used my TaylorMade 5 hybrid for the 122-yard par 3 on hole #9. My playing partners were my husband Richard who saw my ball go in, my son Nicholas and a Prescott golf member.

Gilles Courchesne. They were all as excited as I was, it was fantastic. I’m sure they heard my excitement all over the golf course. I was still smiling on the last hole. My game had not been great to that point, and I told my son I needed to get the ball in the hole to be happy with my front nine.

Patty Case, Mabel Lake Golf and Country Club, Hole #6

I’m so excited and was even more excited when it first happened! I yelled and screamed and jumped up and down!

A group of us ladies have been going to Mabel Lake for a few years now and this was my second year. I missed last year because I got married, another exciting milestone! I was golfing with four of my friends – Clara Koehn, Lori Henderson and Carla Tetreau. We were doing our last nine holes for the week, and I was determined to get my ball on the sixth green. I took my time to line up my shot using my 3 wood and let go a nice looping shot. We watched the ball land on the green then it started rolling. Then we couldn’t see it anymore! Then I started yelling! I think the other ladies did too.

Reece Franczak, Jagare Ridge Golf Club, Hole #4

It was a pretty amazing experience. My co-workers and I all had the day off, so we decided to go for a nice relaxing morning round. The round was going pretty well and once we got up to the fourth hole, I hit my approach wedge into the 131-yard par 3. As soon as the ball got to the top of the arch, I lost it in in the sun and did not see where it landed. Once at the green, I was searching all around for the ball, becoming upset at the idea of dropping it when my friend said it was in the hole. I originally thought he was messing with me, but I saw the ball and started getting extremely hyped up. This hole-in-one helped me shoot one of my lowest rounds of the year and was a great memory I will keep with me. The head pro at the course made me a flag with the date and hole number on it to have another memento to remember the moment.

Robert Campbell, Greyhawk Golf Club, Hole #7

I played with Alex Chaiban, Jack Kilrea and Matisse Touchard. It was 157 yards, and I used a pitching wedge.

Rod Fredrickson, Cottonwood Golf Course, Hole #5

The hole was #5 and the distance was 128 yards. I used a 9 wood. I played with Walter Kaminski and Gord Bailey. It was my 5th hole-in-one, and I am 79 years old. I’m sad to say I didn’t see it fall but Gord Bailey did and told me.

Ryan Engel, Cottonwood Golf and Country Club, Hole #6

It was my third round of the year on hole #6 at Cottonwood Golf and Country Club. It was 148 yards, and I was using an 8 iron. I couldn’t see it go in because the flag was off to the left side of the green hidden by a small hill after the sand trap. But when we walked up and didn’t see it, we knew it must have gone in the hole. Very exciting!

Ryan Roe, Seymour Golf and Country Club, Hole #8

It was a two-man best ball match against Ray Stewart and Al Cross. My partner was Stu Ilott. I hit a 9 iron on the 170-yard 8th hole and hit it thin and yelled ‘Get lucky’, and it did!

Sela Ogada, Evergreen Golf Course, Hole #8

I checked the yardage with my rangefinder and found out that it was 110 yards, and luckily, I had a club just for that distance. At first, I was planning to club up in case I hit it poorly because even if I clubbed up it would still be on the green. But the front of the green looked a bit dry so I knew if I hit it a little short it would roll up there. I ended up deciding to hit my 110-yard club, but I aimed a little right of the pin because I had been missing it a bit to the left that day. I hit the shot, but it went straight where I was aiming. Then I just bent down to pick my tee up because I knew it was going to be on the green. But when I was picking my tee up, the other people in my group said, ‘get in the hole!’ and I looked at my ball. It was rolling and then I saw it fall into the hole! At first, I was so shocked, I couldn’t believe it. A lot of people that were watching were clapping, congratulating me and giving me high fives. When I got to the green my dad took pictures of me, and I didn’t use that ball for the rest of the round.

Steve Fleming, Pickering Glen Golf Club, Hole #2

I waited 40 years for my first hole-in-one! I play every Monday, Wednesday and Friday with Probus (Professional Business retirement group). We have about 20 golf members and we play various courses in our region. On Wednesday May 31st, we played Pickering Glen. My playing partner and witness was Colin Whitehead. Hole #2 had a back pin measuring 161 yards with my laser. I hit my 6 iron to approximately ten feet and the ball tracked right into the hole. Jumping for joy was an understatement!

Susan Brooks, Fort William Country Club, Hole #14

This was my second hole-in-one. The first came in 2000, so it’s been a while. This was hole #14 at Fort William Country Club, which is celebrating its 100^th anniversary this year, so that makes it extra special. Hole #14 is right at the base of a mountain, and it was a beautiful day, but the wind was gusting. The hole was 123 yards, and I had a 7 iron in my hand, but at the last second, I switched to my 6 iron, due to the wind. I was with my regular foursome, which included Kim Paterson, Gay Becotte and Laurie Ryan-Cooper.

Ted Van Welter, Cowichan Golf and Country Club, Hole #8

What a great experience at Cowichan Golf and Country Club!

Tim Stewart, Lookout Point Country Club, Hole #8

The 8^th hole at Lookout Point on June 10, 2023, was around 145 yards, 45 feet uphill to a blind green. It played into a stiff wind, and I used a 7 wood. I was playing with Gino “Bubba” Paolone, Carl Inacio and Bob Podio. When I hit the tee shot, I thought it was a little right, but the others thought it would be close to going in. Upon getting to the green I did not see the ball and went to the back of the green to see if the ball had gone into the rough over the green as that is what often happens often on this hole. Bob Podio went and investigated the hole and sure enough the ball had gone in. It was my sixth hole-in-one at Lookout Point and eighth overall. The other two were at the Cornwall Golf Club. What was even more special is that I now have aced all the par 3’s at Lookout Point.

Trevor Warke, Ardmore Golf Course, Hole #14

What a great feeling!

Toyota, Japan – The Team Canada Boys team finished as runners-up and the Girls team placed fifth in the 2023 Toyota Junior Golf World Cup at the Ishino Course, Chukyo Golf Club in Toyota, Japan.

The boys team entered the tournament as defending champions and despite a strong effort through all three rounds, the team came up just short of Team Japan. Japan finished the boys team event at a combined 34-under par, while Canada finished the tournament at 30-under par. Germany placed third after finishing at 20-under par. The boys team consisted of: Alex Zhang, Ethan Wilson, Cooper Humphreys and Eric Zhao. Individually, Wilson finished T5 at 9-under, Zhang finished T7 at 8-under, Humphreys finished T10 at 6-under and Zhao finished 23 at 2-over par.

The girls team finished in fifth and closed the tournament with a combined score of 9-under par. Japan completed the team double winning the girls division as well, finishing with a total score of 34-under. The United States, Korea Republic and, New Zealand rounded out the top four. The girls team featured: Vanessa Borovilos who finished T9 at 8-under, Yeji Kwon who finished 19 at 6-over par and Michelle Liu who finished T21 at 8-over.

For the full results from each round click here.

Golf’s leading performance analysis company’s new UpNext™ Player Development Program connects up-and-coming players with their professional-grade launch monitor technology.  

Foresight Sports, the leading developer of professional-grade launch monitors, has officially launched its UpNext™ Player Development Program. Designed specifically for top junior golfers, the UpNext™ Program connects the game’s best up-and-coming players with Foresight Sports’ industry-leading launch monitor technology at greatly reduced costs.     

According to Foresight Sports’ Director of Sales, Rick Cuellar, UpNext™ will be a groundbreaking program focused on making the company’s Tour-dominating technology more affordable for aspiring junior players and their parents.

“Players of every age that are passionate about performance know just how critical it is to understand the data aspect of their game. Through the UpNext™ Program, we’re finally able to make the technology this next generation of talented players needs more affordable. That by itself is a game-changer for the parents, the Junior Tours, and the players themselves that are looking to achieve success.”

To maximize the impact of its UpNext™ Player Development Program globally, and specifically within the Canadian region, Foresight Sports and Foresight Sports Canada have allocated a significant number of both its bestselling GC3 and Tour-dominating GCQuad launch monitors exclusively for the program, and will offer both at up to fifty percent off normal pricing. Qualifying program participants will receive the game-changing technology, as well as other exclusive benefits, in exchange for engaging in social media conversations about their game development.

Aaron Hardy, President of Foresight Sports Canada confirmed that UpNext™ are currently open for applications within the Canadian region. “We are hugely excited to be launching the UpNext™ Program to the huge numbers of talented and passionate junior players across our territory. Through this program we are excited to support the next generation of elite players, both amateur and aspiring professionals, to take their games to the next level with Foresight’s tour-proven launch monitors. With a limited number of GC3 and GCQuad units allocated for 2023, we welcome early applications from those interested in participating.”

Junior players interested in the UpNext™ Player Development Program can apply online at: https://lp.foresightsports.ca/upnext/

PGA of Canada members working with junior golfers are also invited to share the UpNext™ concept and information with their customers, teams, and players, ensuring they have the opportunity to apply for the 2023 program.  

For more information on Foresight Sports’ game-changing launch monitors, golf simulators and performance and entertainment software, visit the company’s website at shop.foresightsports.ca

Already the winningest player in Canadian golf history, Brooke Henderson wants more.

Henderson and fellow Canadian Maddie Szeryk have their sights set on bringing home a title when they tee off Thursday at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, which is the second major of the women’s golf season.

Henderson has 13 career wins, including the 2016 edition of the Women’s PGA Championship and last year’s Evian Championship.

“Your career is defined by how many majors you win or if you’re a major champion,” said Henderson from Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, N.J.

“I was really fortunate that I was able to get my first major victory when I was really young, so I avoided a lot of those questions of when I was going to win my first one.

“I’m looking forward to the next opportunity I have to be in contention and in those final groups because it’s such an amazing feeling, especially in a major where there’s more pressure and more eyes on you. It’s exciting to have that opportunity.”

Henderson has been a model of consistency at the majors since 2020, shooting the most rounds in the 60s of any LPGA Tour golfer at the premier tournaments. The 25-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont., said that it’s all about rising to the occasion.

“I love major championships,” said Henderson, who is 12th on the Race to CME Globe standings. “They’re very challenging and you have to play smart and when the opportunity is there, then you can play a little bit aggressive.

“I feel like that suits my game really well.”

Szeryk, from London, Ont., will play her second major of the season and third of her career. She missed the cut at the U.S. Women’s Open in 2017 when she was still an amateur, but tied for 18th at this year’s Chevron Championship.

The 26-year-old made the cut at her last four LPGA Tour events and is in the midst of her best-ever pro season ranked 63rd in the standings.

“I’m starting to feel more just at peace and at ease with it all and not super stressed,” said Szeryk, who’s in her sophomore LPGA Tour season. “Even my off weeks, I’m still making the cut.

“I’m not up top but I’m still making cuts and learning from it. That’s just been really exciting to see, I’m getting more comfortable out here and not as stressed out by everything.”

WORLDWIDE GOLF ASSOCIATION – Henderson was asked at Wednesday’s news conference about the LPGA Tour joining the as-yet-unnamed worldwide golf association involving the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour, and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

“There’s a lot of unknowns right now. I don’t think we know a lot out here on Tour,” she said. “But I hope if anything further is to happen that the LPGA would be part of the conversation.”

EPSON TOUR – Hamilton’s Alena Sharp sits ninth in the Epson Tour’s race for the card heading into this week’s Island Resort Championship in Harris, Mich. Selena Costabile of Thornhill, Ont., is 37th on the money list and Quebec City’s Sarah-Eve Rheaume is 134th. Those three will be joined at Sweetgrass Golf Club by Kate Johnston of Ayr, Ont.

PGA TOUR – Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., is the top Canadian in the field at this week’s Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn. He’s No. 32 in the FedEx Cup standings. No. 35 Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., No. 36 Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., and No. 119 Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., are also in the field.

KORN FERRY TOUR – Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., leads the Canadian contingent into the Compliance Solutions Championship in Norman, Okla. The fourth-ranked player on the second-tier tour will be joined at Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club by Edmonton’s Wil Bateman and Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C. They are 45th and 99th on the points list, respectively.

CHAMPIONS TOUR – Alan McLean, the club pro at Echo Valley Golf Club in London, Ont., is in the field at DICK’S Sporting Goods Open starting Friday at En-Joie Golf Club in Endicott, N.Y.

PGA TOUR CANADA – Etienne Papineau of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., is the top-ranked player overall on the third-tier PGA Tour Canada after he won last week’s Royal Beach Victoria Open. He’ll be back in action at the Elk Ridge Saskatchewan Open in Waskesiu Lake, Sask.

LATINOAMERICA TOUR – Myles Creighton of Digby, N.S., sits 16th on the Totalplay cup standings heading into the Jalisco Open GDL this week. Vancouver’s Stuart Macdonald is 17th and will also be in the field at Atlas Country club in Guadalajara, Mexico. Max Sekulic of Rycroft, Alta., Joey Savoie of La Prairie, Que., and Blair Bursey of Gander, N.L. will also play in the second-last event of the Latinoamerica Tour season.

DP WORLD TOUR – Aaron Cockerill of Stony Mountain, Man., is the lone Canadian at the BMW International Open at Golfclub Munchen Eichenried in Munich. He’s 35th on the Race to Dubai Rankings.

The world just turned its attention to Toronto for the PGA TOUR’s RBC Canadian Open. Meanwhile, First Tee – Canada is also taking a moment to reflect in honour of National Indigenous History Month and National Indigenous Peoples Day.  

This month serves as a reminder to acknowledge that we live, work, and play on the unceded traditional homelands of Indigenous communities, stand with those who are impacted by residential school systems and ongoing colonial structures and policies, and celebrate Indigenous cultures, traditions, and heritage together.  

Canada recognizes three groups of Indigenous peoples: First Nations, Inuit, and Métis, each with unique histories, languages, cultural practices, and spiritual beliefs. Nearly two million Canadians identify as Indigenous.

First Tee – Canada is made up of five chapters: First Tee – British Columbia, First Tee – Premier départ Quebec, First Tee – Atlantic, First Tee – Ontario, and First Tee – Prairies, with First Tee – Alberta launching later this year.  

Each chapter has unique and dynamic relationships with local Indigenous communities. 

BC has the greatest diversity of Indigenous cultures in Canada. First Tee – British Columbia opened its first program location, The Musqueam Golf and Learning Academy, on traditional Musqueam First Nation territory in 2021.  

Since then, it has expanded to over 53 program spaces and sold out every session this year. This summer, CPCK Women’s Open will be held at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club, which is also located on Musqueam traditional territory. During tournament week, First Tee – British Columbia will host youth clinics at Musqueam Golf and Learning Academy, offer behind-the-scenes tours of the event grounds for local community groups, and provide children with positive experiences through golf.

Being home to more than 200 First Nations, First Tee – British Columbia hopes to continue to strengthen its existing relationships with Indigenous communities, but also strives to expand its network and collaborate with additional Indigenous communities across the province. 

In Quebec, there are over 40 Indigenous communities across the province. First Tee – Premier départ Quebec currently collaborates with the Mohawk community of Kahnawake, the Cree community of Waskaganish, and the First Nation of Mashteuiatsh through First Tee golf course, school, and community programming.  

The Quebec team also works closely with the Club 24 Athletics Foundation, a nonprofit organization supporting young Indigenous leaders through sport and education.  

Last year, First Tee – Premier départ Quebec hosted programming for 18 Indigenous participants. The team hopes to more than double that number this year. 

In the Kahnawake First Nations reserve, there are seven golf courses in under 50 km. The community’s volunteer coaches are introducing as many children as possible to golf through First Tee, developing multisport athletes to open more doors in their futures.

First Tee – Premier départ Quebec has been able to provide most programming at no cost to participants, with an entirely Indigenous coaching staff.

Ontario is home to over 23 percent of all Indigenous peoples in Canada.

First Tee – Ontario currently works with Anishnabeg Outreach Kitchener and Fort Erie Native Friendship Centre to offer First Tee community programming at their locations throughout the summer and will provide an on-course fun day at nearby golf courses this summer, too. Ahkwesahsne Mohawk Board has also come on board and will offer First Tee school programming this fall.

Additionally, last week, First Tee – Ontario coaches supported Golf Ontario’s Indigenous Try Golf Day event held at Sandusk Golf Club and led First Tee programming for children who attended the event.

First Tee – Prairies and First Tee – Atlantic are in the beginning stages of building relationships with Indigenous communities within their provinces, but hope to launch programming soon, some even this summer.  

The continued focus for First Tee – Canada is to build out community hubs of accessible pathways for golf participation through community centres, schools, and golf courses, ensuring the sport of golf reflects the strengths of Canada’s diversity.

Each chapter is dedicated to building trusting and authentic relationships with community organizations, stakeholders, and volunteers in their provinces to provide support for equity-deserving groups, including Indigenous communities.  

Click here for learning resources about First Nations, Inuit, and Metis across Canada. Visit firstteecanada.ca to learn more about program efforts across the country. 

The debut of First Tee – Alberta makes First Tee – Canada operational in every province

June 20, 2023 – Golf Canada and Golf Canada Foundation are proud to announce that First Tee – Alberta will launch this year thanks to the continued progress of the Golf Canada Foundation Drive Campaign. To date, Drive has raised $15.7 million in cash and commitments to support First Tee across Canada.

With support from Alberta Golf, First Tee – Alberta will hire chapter staff, onboard golf facilities, community centres and schools, and build a supportive provincial network of donors, volunteers, and coaches. Alberta-based programming will begin in the fall.

First Tee – Canada provides accessible and inclusive youth development programming and life-enhancing experiences through golf, especially for children who may have otherwise not had the opportunity.

Golf Canada partnered with First Tee in 2020 to launch First Tee – Canada. Programming began in 2021 in British Columbia, Quebec, and Ontario, with the Atlantic and Prairies regions following in 2022.

Although the launch of First Tee – Alberta establishes a presence for the program in every province, this is only the beginning of First Tee – Canada’s efforts to provide accessible introductory golf environments and participation pathways to children from all backgrounds. First Tee – Canada will continue growing its network, onboarding more program locations, and enrolling more participants across the country in the coming years.

The focus for First Tee – Alberta, and fellow chapters across Canada is to build out community hubs made up of neighbouring community centres, schools, and golf courses offering youth programming with a focus to engage equity-deserving groups.

Golf Canada and Golf Canada Foundation are continuously pursuing gifts to deliver programming to more children across Canada. To date, First Tee – Canada has received nearly $16 million in donations to support the launch and growth of five chapters, the onboarding of 57 golf facilities, 41 community centres, and 110 schools, and the engagement of nearly 50,000 participants across the country.    

To learn how to support First Tee – Alberta’s launch and growth, please email Adam Hunter. To find a chapter near you, visit firstteecanada.ca.

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About First Tee – Canada

First Tee – Canada is a youth development program operating by Golf Canada since 2020. In partnership with First Tee, Golf Canada launched First Tee – Canada to provide inclusive and accessible life-enhancing opportunities to children through golf. First Tee – Canada continues to expand programming and positively impact youth at golf courses, schools, and community centres across the country. For more information and to learn how to support First Tee – Canada, visit firstteecanada.ca.

About Golf Canada Foundation

Golf Canada Foundation is the leading source for golf philanthropy in Canada, granting more than $4.5 million to golf programs in 2022, and $19 million invested in the sport since the Foundation’s inception in 1979. The Foundation’s mission is to support and promote programs that increase participation in golf by engaging players of all ages and abilities across Canada. For more information about what Golf Canada Foundation is doing to support golf in your community, visit us online at www.golfcanadafoundation.com

About Golf Canada

Golf Canada is the National Sports Federation and governing body for golf in Canada, representing more than 319,000 golfers and 1,435 member clubs across the country. A proud member of the Canadian Olympic Committee, Golf Canada’s vision is to be a world leader in golf and achieving the mission to increase Canadian participation and excellence For more information about what Golf Canada is doing to support golf in your community, visit www.golfcanada.ca.

Media Contact:
Madelyn Boelhouwer | Senior Coordinator, Marketing and Communications First Tee – Canada | Golf Canada | mboelhouwer@golfcanada.ca