***This story was originally published in February of 2016

If you have ever played Turnberry or Royal Troon on Scotland’s Ayrshire coast and observed the uninhabited island of Ailsa Craig looming far out in the Firth of Clyde, you have witnessed a close connection between golf and curling. Those courses have played host to Open Championships and, for centuries, Ailsa Craig’s unique granite has been quarried to create most of the world’s curling stones.

But that connection is just geographical and coincidental.

The two sports have a much closer and multi-faceted relationship here in Canada. Thousands of recreational players enjoy both in their respective seasons. Some Canadians are not only among the best curlers in the world, but pretty good golfers as well.

The complementary seasonality of golf and curling in this country is obvious, says Bob Weeks, TSN’s expert on both sports, but the parallels don’t stop there. “If you’re a golfer in Canada and you don’t go south, curling is a great way to pass the winter. The cultures of both are very similar, very social. You can go and play with your pals and have a drink after in a club setting.”

If anyone understands the symmetry between golf and curling, it is Weeks. Thanks to a father who loved both sports, he has participated in both for most of his 55 years, not only as a player but as a journalist. “Right now, I am a 15 handicap from the blue tees at Weston Golf Club [his longtime home club in Toronto] and, to put it in golf terms, about a 7 in curling. I was always a better curler than golfer. I would say I was scratch at one point.” In fact, he competed in six provincial championships as well as on the pro circuit for a number of years.

Last year, he ended his 30-year tenure as the editorial director of SCOREGolf and his 25-year involvement with the Ontario Curling Report to take on his new responsibilities at TSN. He has written books on both sports.

One of those books was Hurry Hard: The Russ Howard Story. Howard may be the most recognizable name in Canadian curling, both as a champion and broadcaster, but few may know he was the head professional at Brooklea Golf and Country Club in Midland, Ont., for several years before moving to New Brunswick.

“Our dad owned the driving range across the road from Brooklea, so we spent literally days there picking balls, cleaning balls, hitting balls,” recalls his younger brother, Glenn, who has remained in the Midland area. “Golf was our first love and then Dad got us into curling.”

Good decision, Dad. Russ won two Briers, two World Curling Championships and a gold medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics as part of Brad Gushue’s rink. (“Gushue was a really good junior golfer and once attended a Golf Canada training camp with Brad Fritsch,” Weeks notes.) Glenn has won four World Curling Championships, four Briers and 15 Ontario provincial championships, including a record eight straight from 2006 to 2013.

Having been exposed to both sports for a lifetime, Glenn sees many similarities. The technical aspect, for one. “Dad was a stickler for technique, whether it was golf or curling. He said if you had the right fundamentals, you could always trust them when you were under pressure.

“And, of course, you have so much time to think between shots in both. They’re not reactionary sports like basketball or hockey or baseball. That’s what can get in your way in both—that six inches between your ears—and that’s what separates a good player from a great player.”

Another common theme is that, like Weeks and the Howards, just about every Canadian curling golfer—or golfing curler—says they were introduced to the sports by family.

Mike Harris is both an Olympic silver medallist in curling and a PGA of Canada member who has been the head pro at notable clubs including North Halton and Donalda in Ontario and Banff Springs in Alberta. Now 48, he has been playing both sports since he was nine, thanks to encouraging parents.

Currently unattached to a golf club, he is focusing on what he readily admits is his “first love”—curling—not only in competitions, but as a coach for the Scottish Curling Federation and as CBC’s curling analyst.

Perhaps because of his deep involvement over many years, Harris understands the challenges facing both sports. “There are undeniable demographic similarities in golf and curling. The question is how do you make them younger, more inclusive, more diverse?”

Weeks is blunt: “There’s a stigma that they are top-heavy with older white males. They have to push to become younger, widen their reach, look to the future.”

Morgan Court, consultant for the PGA of Canada, plays lead on Allison Flaxey’s rink from Listowel, Ont. A curler since age nine (introduced to the game by family, of course), she came to golf in her 20s.

She is well positioned to understand that changing family structures and dynamics, combined with more ethnic diversity, means those traditional family connections aren’t providing enough new golfers or curlers to revitalize the sports.

“Absolutely, there could be synergies between the two sports. Both have taken steps to get into schools, although golf is much farther ahead at this point. The PGA of Canada and Golf Canada are really pushing the new Long Term Player Development 2.0 program while curling has somewhat embraced it. And curling clubs don’t really have pros or instructors the way golf clubs do. So there is still lots of work to do.”

Harris and Weeks cite the addition in 1998 of curling as an Olympic sport as helping to elevate the sport’s profile in Canada and internationally. They surmise the same might happen to golf as it returns to the Olympics this summer for the first time since 1904.

Historically, the participation and popularity of curling and golf have ebbed and flowed according to socio-economic, cultural and other factors. In contrast to those earlier episodes, however, their respective governing bodies are developing strategies to help keep both viable and flourishing long-term.

One encouraging sign, a nod to a time-honoured sporting tradition, can be seen in some golf clubhouses and curling clubs these days. An Ontario-based company has begun marketing Triple Bogey and Hurry Hard brands of beer to those respective outlets.

Now that’s synergy.

Another end…

Several curlers, other than those mentioned above, are or have been involved in golf at a significant level. Here are a few examples.

According to Bob Weeks, “Alberta’s Kevin Martin skipped his team to a gold medal at the 2010 Olympics, and is part owner of a golf course in Palm Springs, Calif. It actually hosted a Canadian Tour event. Martin’s team had a sponsorship from Callaway for a while. Mark Dacey of Nova Scotia, a Brier winner, was the PGA of Canada pro at Fox Harb’r for a few years.”

Wayne Middaugh of Victoria Harbour, Ont., is a three-time world curling champion, a PGA of Canada member and the general manager at Port Carling Golf and Country Club. His wife, Sherry, is a past Ontario curling champion.

Greg Balsdon, who was on the 2013 Canadian Mixed Curling Championship winning team, is the curling manager and associate golf professional at Glendale Golf and Country Club in Hamilton.

When Russ Howard won his first provincial championship—the 1976 Ontario Colts for curlers with fewer than seven years of experience—his team included fellow Midland, Ont., resident Jim Clark. Clark, a Golf Canada volunteer for almost 30 years now, has been the RBC Canadian Open’s Tournament Chair a record eight times and chaired golf’s organizing committee at the 2015 Pan/Parapan Am Games.

Two-time world and Brier champ John Kawaja, born in Chandler, Que., spent three decades working for TaylorMade-adidas in Canada and the U.S. until he left his position as executive vice-president in 2015.

The mechanics and philosophy of handicapping are a mystery to the majority of golfers. A mystery vital to our enjoyment of the game and equitable competition with other golfers, but a mystery nonetheless.

To compound that, let’s get metaphysical.

We are all familiar with the centuries-old conundrum, “If a tree falls in the forest and there is no one there to hear it, does it make a sound?”

Substitute “unaccompanied rounds” for that hypothetical tree and that may help you understand the recent decision by the USGA and Golf Canada to disallow solo round scores for handicapping purposes.

On Jan. 22, Golf Canada announced it would follow the USGA’s lead in this contentious matter.

That announcement was not without its own controversy as it represented a reversal from an earlier declaration that, in contrast to the USGA, Golf Canada would allow solo rounds to be posted for handicap purposes. But that criticism, in retrospect, was short-sighted and did not take into account the long-term view of the future of the game globally.

“After careful consideration and additional discussion among our Board of Directors and Handicap Committee, Golf Canada will align with all handicap rules changes announced by the USGA at the end of last year,” Golf Canada said in a statement posted on its website. “This also includes the provision that applies to unaccompanied rounds. These changes are part of a bigger picture to unify the handicap rules, and support the possible formation of a World Handicap System, which we wholeheartedly endorse.”

Last May, John Paul Newport foretold this in the Wall Street Journal.

“The USGA is leading an effort to get the world’s six handicapping authorities on the same page. The U.S. handicap system, including the USGA’s course rating and Slope system, would be the basis for the proposed World Handicap System, but it would incorporate the best elements from the other handicapping schemes. This initiative is the final piece in a long-term push for unified golf governance around the world. In the last decade or so, the USGA and its governing partner, the R&A (which oversees the game everywhere but in the U.S., Mexico and Canada) have pretty much consolidated the game in three other areas: the playing rules of golf, equipment regulations and most recently the code of amateur status.”

Contrary to popular belief, the R&A does not oversee handicapping. In 1927, they handed that responsibility to the Council of National Golf Unions for golfers in Great Britain and Ireland. The European Golf Association controls handicapping on that continent. Corralling CONGU, the EGA and the other bodies into the fold remains a challenge for the USGA, but they are working hard to do so. It is an admirable goal for the eventual betterment of the game.

Many years ago, when I was working for the Royal Canadian Golf Association (now Golf Canada), I was involved in the conversion of our course rating system to the USGA’s revolutionary Slope system, the brainchild of Dean Knuth. It leveled the playing field, handicap-wise, for golfers across North America and has been adopted in more than 160 countries. Although some countries still maintain the antiquated and inequitable Standard Scratch Score system, the hope is that in the near future, the Slope concept will be accepted globally. Likewise, the new handicapping rules.

In my view, the USGA and Golf Canada should be applauded for seeking global consistency on handicapping and course rating. This will face significant challenges, but it will be a goal worth attaining, hopefully sooner than later.

Like the tiny percentage of golfers who play solo rounds, most of my outings are a few holes very early on a summer morning or at twilight. I carry half a set, play a couple of balls and do not strictly abide by the Rules of Golf. My anecdotal observation is that I am typical of my fellow solo golfers.

Keeping in mind that peer review is fundamental to posting scores, I don’t feel this decision by Golf Canada impugns my integrity. Neither do I subscribe to the popular theme that Golf Canada is kowtowing to our neighbour to the south.

I don’t post those unaccompanied scores.  Never have.

As a result, my figurative tree makes no sound when it falls, handicap-wise.

Truth be told, that makes my solitary outings more enjoyable. They are a secret between me and the game.

So, fellow soloist, please don’t lose sight of golf’s global forest for the sake of your solitary tree.

Related Links

• Golf Canada’s position on 2016 Handicap System changes
• Changes to Golf Canada’s Handicap System for 2016 released
• FAQ: Playing golf alone and peer review
• Reference document

There is no doubt Golf Canada is proud of the many accomplishments by Canadian golfers in 2015.

But the over-arching mandate of the association was succinctly summarized by Scott Simmons in his year-end message to members across the country.

“Golf Canada is committed to investing in the growth and overall health of the game,” said Simmons, the CEO of Golf Canada.

In 2015, perhaps more so than in any other previous year, Golf Canada demonstrated that long-term commitment through an initiative called “One Vision.”

As stated in Golf Canada’s message at its annual general meeting last February, One Vision (you can see the details here) aspires “to ensure golf maintains its status as the most popular sport in Canada.”

“One Vision is easier said than done,” said Simmons, “but it’s not about one organization doing all of this on its own. It’s about all of us aligning to protect the game we all care about. Starting several years ago, Golf Canada saw the necessity of an industry-wide strategic plan, essential not only under its mandate as golf’s designated National Sport Federation, but in its ever-evolving role as a guardian, a champion, of the game.

One Vision contains four pillars:

• Grow Participation: Engage more youth, promote societal benefits and develop a connection with more golfers, increase access for under-represented groups
• Ensure Excellence: Implement programming for high-performance juniors, Team Canada and emerging professionals; develop coaches and certified professionals; host best-in-class national and international championships
• Expand Capacity: Develop sustainable funding and fiscal responsibility; uphold and preserve rules, handicapping, course rating, amateur status, and the history of the game; provide opportunity and training for volunteers and staff
• Foster Interaction: Collaborate with provincial golf associations, facilities, the National Allied Golf Associations, government and international partners; increase capabilities in digital and interactive technology; strengthen communication and brand awareness.

Golf Canada President Paul McLean elaborates.

“We work collaboratively with our partners at the provincial golf associations as well as PGA of Canada professionals, club managers, superintendents, manufacturers and golf course owners to ensure the heath and sustainability of our sport. It’s important that all golfers from avid to novice can experience the tremendous health, economic, charitable, competitive and social benefits inherent in our sport. Welcoming new golfers, increasing rounds played and delivering quality golf experiences is a goal shared by the entire golf community.”

“We are all golf,” said Simmons. “If we are going to move the game continuously forward, we have to be aligned. When we are aligned on a common vision, we can accomplish great things and achieve maximum potential through synergy.”

That synergy was demonstrated in many ways in 2015, perhaps most obviously by the Long Term Player Development Program (LTPD) 2.0 revealed at February’s annual meeting. Launched in 2006, the latest iteration of LTPD, developed in partnership with the PGA of Canada, has been recognized worldwide for its innovation.

In addition to providing a solid sport development framework, LTPD clearly outlines the roles and responsibilities of every stakeholder including coaches, instructors, golfers, parents of golfers, facility owners and golf administrators. The goal is to create a player development blueprint to success that will serve Canadian golf for years to come.

In his year-end message, Simmons also provided some encouraging news for Golf Canada members on how their dues supported the vitality of the game.

• National Golf in Schools – 2,795 schools across Canada (2,501 elementary, 12 intermediate and 282 high schools)
• CN Future Links – Canada’s national junior golf program: 518 participating clubs in Canada. CN Future Links programming includes Learn to Play, mobile clinics, CN Future Links Championships, the Junior Skills Challenge, Girls Club, CN Future Links School Adoption Program, CN Future Links School Field Trip Program, PGA Junior League and Community Golf Coach.
• Golf Fore the Cure – 145 participating sites in Canada
• International, national, provincial and regional golf competitions
• Course and Slope Rating; Rules and Handicap seminars; coach training and certification
• Canada’s No. 1 website for golf – Golfcanada.ca – had more than 6.7 million views this year
• More than seven million rounds were posted the Golf Canada Score Centre by Golf Canada members

Also in 2015, recognizing the changing landscape of golf club membership, Golf Canada made a fundamental change to its membership model.

After extensive surveys and focus groups with golfers and facilities across Canada, a new structure is being rolled out across Canada. The three-tiered program is so innovative that it is being viewed with great interest by other national golf associations who are considering revamping their own membership methods.

“Seventy or 80 years ago, about 90 per cent of golfers in Canada belonged to a club,” said Karen Hewson, Golf Canada’s Managing Director, Membership and Heritage Services. “In recent years, that has reversed. Now, fewer than 10 per cent are club members.”

One inevitable result of this reversal is that only a small percentage of golfers feel connected to the game in a larger sense. They’re not part of that traditional club-based linkage, a situation that Golf Canada reacted to in a positive way.

“Everyone who loves golf should feel that they are an important part of its traditions and of its future,” said Hewson. “Things like Handicaps and Course Rating and Rules are, and will always be, integral to the game and Golf Canada’s role in it. But we are very aware that a very real priority is to build relationships with, communicating with, and educating everyone who plays the game, regardless of where they choose to play.”

Nowhere was that made more evident than by the launching of a creative, interactive campaign – Golf Canada Golf – which celebrated the game by inviting golfers to share the stories. The campaign was a collaborative effort among provincial and national golf association stakeholders.

“Among golfers, there’s always a story—memorable shots, a round with family, playing your favourite course, a golf trip with friends, witnessing first-hand the incredible skills of PGA TOUR or LPGA Tour players, or using the game to overcome personal adversity,” said Gavin Roth, Golf Canada’s Chief Commercial Officer.  “The campaign web site – GolfCanadaGolf.com – invites Canadians to share their own experiences as well as read or watch other compelling stories to remind us what makes the game great and ultimately encourage enthusiasts to play more golf.”

Innovative. Inclusive. Welcoming.

Not just with words, but with action, Golf Canada obviously is committed to reinforcing to Canadian golfers that we are all part of a community, not just for today, but for the future.

“Golf has a strong base with close to 5.7 million Canadians playing 60 million rounds annually at 2,346 facilities from coast to coast,” said Simmons. “Through our joint membership efforts with the provincial golf associations, we have a relationship with close to 310,000 golfers at 1,400 member clubs, so the opportunity to interact with a greater share of everyone who golfs is huge.

“The health of the game requires taking a customer-centric approach and searching for innovative ways to connect with golfers. Creating that meaningful engagement starts with introducing children through grassroots programming like Golf in Schools and CN Future Links. It continues at the club level through membership programs that welcome avid players and new enthusiasts.

“We also want golfers to feel inspired by the outstanding performances of our Canadian talents competing on the international stage. Golf’s return to the Olympics in 2016 for the first time since Canada won gold in 1904 will give Canadians another powerful reason to celebrate the game.”

2015 in Review – Part I: Canadian golf successes
2015 in Review – Part II: State of the game
2015 in Review – Part III: A focused vision

While it is undeniable that golf in Canada, like any other business in these unpredictable economic times, continues to face challenges, there were encouraging indicators in 2015 for cautious optimism.

In July, the Golf Facilities in Canada 2015 report was published by Golf Canada and the PGA of Canada in cooperation with the U.S. National Golf Foundation. The bottom line was that the game remains popular and accessible, with almost six million people playing at least one round annually. In total, almost 60 million rounds are played in Canada each year.

The report indicated that of the 2,346 golf facilities in Canada, more than 90 per cent are open to the public, putting to rest the misconception that the game is elitist and exclusionary. Those who worry about the length of time it takes to play will be interested to find out that nine-hole layouts account for close to 40 per cent of the country’s courses.

Golf, like any other business and recreational activity, is tied to economic factors and changing consumer behaviours. As such, it cycles periodically and unpredictably. In the past 10 years, 158 facilities across Canada have closed for various reasons. Since 2010, 29 courses have opened in six different provinces and 31 18-hole equivalent facilities are in various stages of development.

When the report was released, it also pointed out some inarguable facts about the vital role golf plays across Canada.

“The golf industry is worth more than $14.3-billion to the Canadian economy and represents more than one per cent of our nation’s total GDP,” the report summary stated. “The $5-billion in direct revenues generated by Canada’s 2,346 facilities are more than the revenues generated by all other participation sports and recreational facilities combined ($4.8-billion). The numbers reinforce the massive financial, charitable, and environmental impact that golf has in communities across Canada including hundreds of thousands of jobs, billions in taxes, and a major tourism driver both domestic and international. Canadian golf facilities are a channel for major charitable giving with close to 37,000 events at Canadian courses raising more than $533-million annually for worthwhile causes.”

And while it remains popular in the headline- and deadline-motivated mainstream media to question the current state of the game, those within the industry have a more comprehensive and long-term perspective.

“The evidence of golf’s popularity in Canada is not surprising to those aware of the sport’s economics, and the good stories don’t stop there,” said Elizabeth Di Chiara, Executive Director Canadian Society of Club Managers and President of the National Allied Golf Associations. “From environmental benefits to the charitable impact and tourism revenues, there are many reasons for the Canadian golf industry to be encouraged.”

In November, the National Golf Course Owners Association Canada released the first-ever Rounds Played and Weather Reporting data, which showed a 9.79-per-cent increase nationally in rounds played over 2014, with an average for 18-hole equivalent facilities of 25,199.

Rounds in Alberta were up 13.28 per cent, followed by Saskatchewan/Manitoba at 8.36, British Columbia at 6.45, Ontario at 5.95 and Quebec at 5.02.  The lone decrease was in Atlantic Canada, where rounds played were down 11.62 per cent.

“We started to track weather this year, rather than relying on anecdotal information,” said Nathalie Lavallee, the NGCOA’s Chief Operating Officer. “On a monthly basis, our members would input not only their rounds played, but they would post their specific ‘weather score’, on a scale from one to 10. We saw a lot of sixes and sevens, with the exception of Atlantic Canada, which suffered from a bad winter and spring from which it was difficult to recover.

“The better weather generally across the country, plus the improving economy, gives our industry increased optimism going into 2016.”

2015 in Review – Part I: Canadian golf successes
2015 in Review – Part II: State of the game
2015 in Review – Part III: A focused vision

‘Tis the time for celebration and for Canadian golf, 2015 certainly was a year to celebrate.

When David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., held the 54-hole lead at the RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey, we held our breath in the hope that he might be the first Canadian since Pat Fletcher in 1954 to win our national Open. Alas, it was not to be, as Australian Jason Day birdied the last three holes on Sunday to claim the title on his way to becoming the top-ranked player in the world.

While kudos go to Hearn, it was a teenager from Smiths Falls, Ont., who was the undisputed player to be celebrated this year.

In August, at the age of 17, Brooke Henderson became the first Canadian to win on the LPGA Tour since Lorie Kane in 2001. After registering multiple top-10 finishes, Henderson stormed to an eight-shot win at the Cambia Portland Classic which eventually qualified her for fulltime Tour status.

Women golfers continued to make their mark in 2015, with Casey Ward of Picton, Ont., being the medalist at the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur and Mary Ann Hayward of Aurora, Ont., doing the same at the U.S. Senior Amateur. Hayward, a member of the Canadian, Ontario and Quebec Golf Halls of Fame, retired this year from her post as manager of sport performance for the Golf Association of Ontario.

In November of 2014, Canada won our first Tailhade Cup in Buenos Aires, Argentina, crushing defending champions Spain by 19 strokes, thanks to stellar final rounds by Austin Connelly, a dual citizen who resides in Nova Scotia and Texas, and Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont. In 2015, the duo of Eric Banks and Tony Gil defied the odds by climbing back from a three-stroke deficit to keep the Tailhade Cup in Canada for a second consecutive year.

On the pro side, Danny King, playing out of Magna Golf Club in Aurora, Ont., solidified his reputation as one of the country’s all-time great playing pros by claiming the Titleist and FootJoy PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada crown in Arizona. The victory made King the first player to win three PGA of Canada national championships in the same calendar year, after having won the PGA Championship of Canada and teaming with Billy Walsh to capture the PGA team championship.

Eugene Wong of North Vancouver won the Ping An Bank Open in Beijing and Wil Bateman of Edmonton was victorious at the PGA TOUR Latinoamerica’s Abierto de Chile.

Much-deserved honours were bestowed on Canadians in 2015.

Canadian and World Golf Hall of Fame member Marlene Streit was invited to be a honourary member of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. Fellow Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Jocelyne Bourassa was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame.

Sadly, Canadian golf also said goodbye to some beloved characters.

On Nov. 18, Dan Halldorson was felled by a massive stroke at the age of 63. He won twice on the PGA Tour, had seven Canadian Tour victories, was the only Canadian to win two World Cup team titles (1980 with Jim Nelford and 1985 with Dave Barr) and was named Canada’s top male touring professional in 1981 and 1983. From 2005 to 2011, he served as deputy commissioner of the Canadian Tour. He was a member of the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame, the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame and the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. At the time of his death, he was the director of golf at Oak Island Resort in Virden, Man.

The month previous, sportswriter Arv Olson, one of Canada’s most prolific and dedicated supporters of the game, passed away at the age of 80. He chronicled the careers of the likes of Stan Leonard, Doug Roxburgh, Dawn Coe-Jones, Lisa Walters, Dave Barr, Richard Zokol and many others.

But, as the year concluded, there was some encouraging news.

Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., was the medalist at the Web.com Tour qualifying school in December. Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., Toronto’s Albin Choi and Benjamin Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., each finished one shot out of the top 10 and ties. Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., tied for 21st at four under and Calgary’s Ryan Yip, tied for 34th at three under.

All in all, a year to be wrapped up in a bow with great promise for 2016.

2015 in Review – Part I: Canadian Golf Successes
2015 in Review – Part II: State of the game
2015 in Review – Part III: A focused vision

For an industry recently inundated by gloomy short- and long-term forecasts, a welcome ray of sunshine has been delivered via just-released data from the National Golf Course Owners Association Canada.

Having weathered an inevitable market correction, there are signs the skies are clearing for the Canadian golf industry.

The NGCOA’s year-end Rounds Played and Weather Reporting data show a 9.79-per-cent increase nationally in rounds played over 2014, with an average for 18-hole equivalent facilities of 25,199.

Rounds played in Alberta were up 13.28 per cent, followed by Saskatchewan/Manitoba at 8.36, British Columbia at 6.45, Ontario at 5.95 and Quebec at 5.02.

The lone decrease was in Atlantic Canada, where rounds played were down 11.62 per cent. But there is an obvious explanation for that solitary cloud.

“We started to track weather this year, rather than relying on anecdotal information,” says Nathalie Lavallee, the NGCOA’s Chief Operating Officer. “On a monthly basis, our members would input not only their rounds played, but they would post their specific ‘weather score’, on a scale from one to 10. We saw a lot of sixes and sevens, with the exception of Atlantic Canada, which suffered from a bad winter and spring from which it was difficult to recover.”

Next week’s NGCOA national conference in Toronto will be “a celebration of a really good season,” says Lavallee.

“The better weather generally across the country, plus the improving economy, gives our industry increased optimism going into 2016.”

Nick Taylor is many things. Talented, genial, humourous, and, just maybe, ironic.

For a guy who, in his PGA TOUR profile, lists The Perks of Being a Wallflower as his favourite book, he is anything but a wallflower when it comes to golf.

As he tees it up Thursday as the defending champion at the Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Miss., the 27-year-old from Abbotsford, B.C., boasts a “beau of the ball” resume.

For 21 weeks in 2009, he was the world’s top-ranked amateur golfer. He qualified for the 2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black, where he made the cut, carding a 65 in the second round, the record for lowest by an amateur in that major’s history. The year before, he finished T2 individually at the World Amateur Team Championships, leading Canada to a ninth-place finish. This on the heels of winning the 2006 Canadian Junior and 2007 Canadian Amateur.

You can just imagine the widespread optimism when he turned pro in 2010. While the transition to pro stardom didn’t go quite as many had imagined, Taylor wasn’t perplexed.

“It has always been like that for me, making the transition,” he said in a recent interview with Golf Canada. “Whether it was from junior to amateur, or amateur to pro, or the Canadian Tour to the Web.com Tour and then the PGA Tour, it just takes me some time.” In fact, he didn’t get fulltime status on the PGA Tour until graduating from the Web.com Tour in 2015.

But once on the big tour, that pattern was demolished. In just his seventh PGA Tour start, Taylor rode a hot putter to victory at the Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Miss., shooting 66 on Sunday to come from four shots back for the win. In doing so, he became the first native-born Canadian to win on Tour since Mike Weir in 2007.

And then, back to reality.

“My game was up and down after that. Several times, I was in the top 10 going into the final round but made some silly mental mistakes on Sunday. But the more I get into that situation, the more comfortable I am, the more confidence I have that I can finish it off. I think, coming off the win, I had too many expectations, not enough patience, and tried to force things on Sunday.”

It wasn’t a bad year for Taylor, who was in the running for Tour rookie of the year based on his victory. He made just over a million bucks and finished 101^st on Tour. He is looking for more this year, and with good reason.

“It was so quick last year, from getting my card to winning. Overwhelming. But after having been here for a full year, with more friends and knowing the routine, the courses, where to stay, and so on, I feel much more comfortable.”

And, even several years down the road, Taylor recalls a particular situation that made him realize the “wallflower” role was not one he wanted.

“When I got back home from that World Amateur and heard all the talk about its magnitude, it made me realize what performing on a big stage was all about. Golf Canada was great to me as an amateur. So many team events, performance camps, and so on. It really made me realize what the future could hold.”

Historical footnotes:

1. Dan Halldorson, Manitoba-born like Taylor, won this tournament, an unofficial event then called the Deposit Guaranty Golf Classic, in 1986. Six years later, B.C.’s Richard Zokol claimed the trophy. It was “unofficial” because, back then, it was played the same week as The Masters. Even though the tournament now is played the same week as the World Golf Championships HSBC Champions in China, it is considered an official event. The win gave Taylor a two-year Tour exemption along with US$720,000. In 1986, Halldorson won $36,000, five per cent of what Taylor got. In 1992, Zokol cashed the $54,000 winner’s cheque.
2. Mike Weir was the last Canadian to successfully defend a title, winning the 2003 and 2004 Nissan Opens at Riviera.

Before the recent federal election, I bet most of you thought we of the “Millennial Generation” could care less about politics. You would have been wrong.

“Advance polling stations on some campuses attracted 70,000 students to cast a ballot, and one student representative believes that even though the student and youth vote has been traditionally low, they are plugged in to politics,” according to CBC News.

“The huge number of early student voters dispels this myth that we are apathetic or uninterested in politics,” said Rajean Hoilett, chairman of the Canadian Federation of Students in Ontario.

Why the upswing?

Someone actually made an effort to attract those of us belonging to Generation Y (born anywhere from the 1980s to the early 2000s). And, for the first time, a political party reached out via social media to engage us. Not surprisingly, that party now forms our new majority government.

I apologize for the lengthy political preamble, but there is a valuable lesson here for golf and for those who are entrusted with its future well-being. That is, those who think my generation could care less about golf. Again, you would be wrong.

The U.S. National Golf Foundation recently released a survey report called Golf and the Millennial Generation. It concluded that “Millennials have a much closer connection to golf than many people think. We also confirmed that the sport has significant, and realistic, potential to grow participation among this vital demographic. However, the research behind the report also tells us that golf requires a modernization of its brand to effectively, and materially, broaden its appeal among 18- to 34-year-olds.”

The NGF could have saved itself a lot of money had it just spoken to my friends and me.

Overall, we get the feeling that there is no place for us in golf in Canada. Many of those in charge of the game don’t seem to genuinely want to grow the game, even though they say they do.

We don’t want gimmicks like Foot Golf or 15-inch holes. We don’t want to wear our caps backwards or surf around on GolfBoards.

What we do want is for the golf industry to take us seriously. We don’t have a lot of money right now. What we do have is a love of the game. The money will come later but not building a relationship with us now will cost them big time in the years to come. If golf doesn’t welcome us now, and cater to our wants and needs, we will find other opportunities to spend our money and never come back to golf.

We don’t understand why the golf “industry” seems so resistant to change and to technology. Just about everyone these days, and my generation in particular, is online—a lot. We communicate digitally. We use apps for everything. We research online and then we purchase online. And, whenever possible, we make our golf decisions online.

The NGF report concurs. “Consider the project journey, from booking a tee time all the way through to the 19^th hole, from a Millennial’s perspective, and how that experience should be marketed.”

Simply put, to attract us, every physical aspect of a golf facility should be available virtually. Get online and develop useful apps so we can use our ever-present devices to book our times, post our scores, track our statistics, determine our yardage, order food on the course, find playing partners and leagues, and so much more.

The NGF report said Millennials comprise a quarter of current golfers and make up more than half of golf’s latent demand. Although that is a U.S. finding, we can assume it roughly applies to Canada.

It would be nice if golf made us feel welcome.

And it would be good for the game, too.

To learn more about the NGF’s report, Golf and the Millennial Generation, click here.

Editor’s Note: William Gordon is the son of veteran golf writer John Gordon. He is 28, belongs to a golf club in the Greater Toronto Area and works in the technology industry. You can follow him on Twitter @itsWillGordon.

If you’re reading this, you’re a golfer. If you’re a golfer, you have a story. More than just one, no doubt.

Sharing those stories with friends and family is one thing. But why not share your story with the world? Thanks to a new web site, www.GolfCanadaGolf.ca, you can do just that.

“Among golfers, there’s always a story—memorable shots, a round with family, playing your favourite course, a golf trip with friends, witnessing first-hand the incredible skills of PGA TOUR or LPGA Tour players, or using the game to overcome personal adversity,” says Golf Canada Golf spokesman Gavin Roth. “The Golf Canada Golf campaign invites Canadians to share their own experiences as well as read or watch other compelling stories to remind us what makes the game great.”

Many of your fellow golfers have taken advantage of the opportunity, including some well-known names like former National Hockey League star Wendel Clark. In his video on the site, Clark reminisces about how his grandfather in Kelvington, Sask., got him into the game. Despite the lack of left-handed clubs at the time (he started out with a two-way putter!), Clark fell in love with golf. After retiring from professional hockey, he devoted more time to the game, even headlining a major charity pro-am. Now, he has passed on his passion to his son.

Prior to her breakthrough LPGA victory, Brooke Henderson, the 17-year-old phenom from Smiths Falls, Ont., shared her story on GolfCanadaGolf.ca, as have fellow Canadian pros Alena Sharp and Andrew Jensen.

Roth, who is Golf Canada’s chief commercial officer, recounts a poignant personal moment. In “A Dream Pursued is a Dream Fulfilled,” Golf Canada CEO Scott Simmons pays tribute to his best friend, the late Rick Sovereign.

But GolfCanadaGolf.ca is not just a celebrity showcase. Not by a long shot.

As a matter of fact, once you visit the site, you become engrossed in how deeply golf affects those who play it, on and off the course. The titles of the video and written vignettes draw you in. “Golf Really Did Save My Life,” for example. How about the youngster who talks about picking up his first club in Grade 3 or the viral video of a two-year-old’s impressive swing? “Granny’s Got a Game” recounts how a grandmother made good on her promise to take up golf and beat her grandchildren!

Bad shots. Holes in one. Hijinks. All part of the fabric of golf written by people who love the game. GolfCanadaGolf.ca is golf’s equivalent of a family heirloom patchwork quilt, preserving memories.

Some stories are humourous, some are inspirational. Some are essays, some are tidbits. All are heartfelt and well worth sharing.

Bobby Jones once said, “Golf is the closest game to the game we call life.”

The stories shared on GolfCanadaGolf.ca prove beyond the shadow of a doubt the truth of that statement.

Why not share your story now?

(GolfCanadaGolf.ca also features a social media hub that curates stories using the hashtag #golfcanadagolf as well as resources for golfers looking to find a course, connect with a PGA of Canada professional or learn more about junior golf programs in their community.)

To read John Gordon’s story, The Man Who Started It All, click here.

Charles-Éric Bélanger has an enviable attitude towards golf.  “Golf is a passion for me and every ball I hit, every shot I make, brings a special feeling,” he says. “Through golf, I meet great people and friends everywhere.  I enjoy everything about it.  It’s a great game.  I love it.”

That’s a mature and balanced perspective for just about anyone; it is even more impressive when it comes from a 16-year-old, but not just any 16-year-old.

In August, Bélanger became the first Canadian Junior Boys’ champion from Quebec since 1976.  Since the tournament’s Juvenile Division was introduced in 1970, Bélanger is only the seventh champion to capture both the Junior and Juvenile titles in the same year and only the third to do so in his home province.  It wasn’t easy. He needed a one-hole playoff to thwart Maxwell Sear of Unionville, Ont., at Summerlea Golf & Country Club in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que. Raphaël Lapierre-Messier of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., and Henry Lee of Coquitlam, B.C., finished tied for third place.

“To win the national championship is something I am very proud of,” Bélanger said.  “It is a great honour for me.  It is a huge accomplishment and an objective I had in my junior career.”

Bélanger points to his father, Patrick, as his inspiration.  A member at Royal Quebec Golf Club, Patrick introduced his son to the club when the boy was eight and, a couple of years later, Charles-Éric says, “I started to feel the love for the game.  I started playing in some tournaments for fun and to experience competitive play when I was around 11-years-old.  My father never put any pressure on me, but he has been a great support.”

Bélanger attributes much of his progress to Académie de golf Fred Colgan, which is associated with his high school, Académie Saint- Louis in Quebec City.

While Bélanger’s immediate goal is to become part of Team Canada’s Development Squad, he hopes his golf eventually provides him with a scholarship to an NCAA university.  He is focused on getting a good education before making any decision on turning pro. “Like my father always said: ‘Work hard, enjoy yourself and have fun. Never forget to smile and that golf is a game’.”

With a parental attitude like that, it is no wonder Charles-Éric Bélanger is mature beyond his years.

Also in August, 18-year-old Michelle Kim finished off a terrific year by winning the Canadian Junior Girls’ Championship at Deer Park Golf Course in Yorkton, Sask.

The 18-year-old Team Canada Development Squad member’s third-round 69 propelled her ahead of the competition with a four-stroke lead through 54 holes; she went on to finish the championship at six-under-par 286.

“This is probably the biggest achievement that I’ve ever made,” said Kim, who now is a freshman at the University of Idaho.  “It feels amazing especially because it is my last junior tournament and I’ve worked really hard.”

Hannah Lee, a fellow Surrey, B.C., native, finished her final round at two-under-par to claim solo second at four-under for the championship. The 15-year-old won the national Juvenile title as a result.  Her opening-round 66 was a new competitive course record.  Rounding out the top three in the overall standings was Team Canada Development Squad member Naomi Ko, a 17-year-old from Victoria who is headed to North Carolina State.

“Michelle is quiet, but fierce,” says Ann Carroll, the women’s Development Squad’s head coach.  “Her strong suits are her mental game and short game.  She works for hours and hours on her putting and certainly puts in the hours on the range.”

That dedication and hard work paid off this season; in addition to the Canadian Junior, Kim also claimed the B.C. Junior and B.C. Amateur titles as well as the CJGA’s Western Canadian Junior Championship.