Golf Canada remembers Grace McCann
It is with great sadness that Golf Canada mourns the passing of Grace McCann, a past president (2000-2001) of the former Canadian Ladies Golf Association (CLGA).
McCann, an enthusiastic promoter of women’s golf and past member of Pointe West Golf Club in Amherstburg, Ont., passed away peacefully on January 16, 2020 at 85 years of age. She was also an avid curler, swimmer and skier.
Read McCann’s full obituary here.
Request for feedback on the 2019 Modernized Rules of Golf
The 2019 season marked the first year under the modernized Rules of Golf. While the Rules have typically been revised every four years, this was the first fundamental review since 1984, with the purpose of ensuring the Rules of Golf fit the needs of today’s game and the way it is played around the world.
The R&A, in partnership with Golf Canada, are requesting feedback in relation to the Player’s Edition of the Rules of Golf and The R&A’s Rules of Golf app. The information that is provided by Canadian golfers through this survey will provide Golf’s governing bodies with important feedback that will be used to improve the Rules of Golf publications in the future.
The survey will take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete, and will remain open until Friday, February 14th.
How your handicap is calculated under golf’s new World Handicap System
The World Handicap System will ensure handicaps are calculated consistently around the world.
Click here for more information.
Looking back at a remarkable 2019 in Canadian golf
As the decade drew to a close, 2019 marked yet another significant year for Canadian golf milestones on and off the course and around the world. These are just some of the headlines. Details on these stories and many others are available under News on the Golf Canada website.
January
A sweeping revision and updating of the Rules of Golf comes into effect as of Jan. 1.
The Golf Journalists Association of Canada names Brooke Henderson, Adam Hadwin, Garrett Rank and Jaclyn Lee as their picks for 2018 players of the year.
Golf Canada names the 2019 Team Canada Young Pro Squad: Brittany Marchand, Anne-Catherine Tanguay, Maddie Szeryk, Augusta James, Jennifer Ha, Jaclyn Lee, Jared du Toit, Hugo Bernard, Taylor Pendrith and Stuart Macdonald.
Chris Crisologo of Richmond, B.C., successfully defends his South American Amateur title in Chile.
Rod Spittle, an outstanding amateur and pro golfer, and celebrated U.S. collegiate coach Herb Page are named as the 2019 honourees to the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.
February
Michael Gligic of Burlington, Ont., wins the Korn Ferry Tour’s Panama Championship.
March
Youth on Course, the non-profit organization providing young people with subsidized golf, college scholarships, caddie programs and paid internships in partnership with Golf Canada and Alberta Golf, announces a pilot project in the province of Alberta.
Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum kicks off the organization’s annual meeting with a presentation on Golf Canada’s new Strategic Plan 2019-2022, focused on advancing the sport and driving Golf Canada’s vision to be a world leader in golf. The AGM concluded with Charlie Beaulieu of Lorraine, Que., being elected as president, succeeding Leslie Dunning. Three gentlemen received Golf Canada’s Distinguished Service Award: Raymond Gaudet, Jean-Claude Gagne and Daniel Caza.
April
Brooke Henderson ties the all-time Canadian record for pro victories (eight) with her win at the LPGA Tour’s Lotte Championship.
Golf Canada and the RBC Canadian Open announce a five-year Youth Initiative to make the RBC Canadian Open more junior-accessible than ever before.
Team Canada’s Brigitte Thibault goes wire-to-wire to win the NCAA’s Mountain West Conference at Mission Hills in California.
Brigitte Thibault represents Canada in the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
Nicole Gal of Oakville, Ont., wins the girls’ 14-15 age division at the Drive, Chip and Putt championship at Augusta National.
Golf Canada celebrates 70 adoptions of Golf in Schools sites during its annual Adopt a School Week.
The RBC Canadian Open and Tourism Hamilton partner to launch the Hamilton Fare Way, bringing several of the city’s pre-eminent restaurants to deliver a unique culinary experience to fans.
Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., claims his first PGA TOUR title at the Valero Texas Open after qualifying for the event on the Monday of tournament week.
May
The University of British Columbia wins both the men’s and women’s team titles at the Canadian University/College Championship at FireRock Golf Club in Komoka, Ont.
Canadians from coast-to-coast celebrate National Golf Day on May 1. The day brought further attention to the game of golf and its significant community impact within not only Canada, but across North America.
Golf Canada and Audi Canada announce a multi-year integrated partnership that will see the luxury automotive brand become the exclusive Premier Automotive Partner for Canada’s national Open championships as well as the Official Automotive Partner of Golf Canada’s National Team Program.
Golf Canada names St. George’s Golf & Country Club in Toronto, Ont., as host club of the 2020 and 2024 RBC Canadian Open alongside co-host Islington Golf Club.
Drew Nesbitt of Barrie, Ont., wins the PGA Tour Latinoamerica’s Abierto Mexicano de Golf tournament.
Tristan Renaud of Sudbury, Ont., and Angela Arora of Surrey, B.C., win their respective divisions at the Future Links driven by Acura Ontario Championship at Tangle Creek Golf and Country Club in Thornton.
Judith Kyrinis of Thornhill, Ont., shares low-amateur honours with American Sally Krueger at the U.S. Senior Women’s Open.
Lauren Kim of Surrey, B.C., and Michael Crisologo of Richmond, B.C., win their respective divisions at the Future Links driven by Acura Pacific Championship at Pitt Meadows Golf Club in B.C.
Richard Jung of Toronto, a former Team Canada member, wins the PGA TOUR Series-China Beijing Championship.
June
Alberta’s Dustin Risdon wins the PGA Championship of Canada at Whistle Bear Golf Club in Cambridge, Ont.
Brooke Henderson wins the CVS Health Charity Classic in Rhode Island with teammates Keegan Bradley and Billy Andrade.
Brooke Henderson collects her ninth LPGA Tour title at the Meijer LPGA Classic in Michigan. With the win, the 21-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont., broke a tie with Sandra Post for the Canadian record for wins on the LPGA Tour and moved ahead of George Knudson and Mike Weir on the PGA TOUR.
Josh Nagy and Hyeji Yang win their respective divisions at the Future Links driven by Acura Prairie Championship at Deer Park Municipal Golf Course in Yorkton, Sask.
Eric (Joohyung) Byun of Richmond Hill, Ont., and Brooke Rivers of Brampton, Ont., win their respective divisions at the Future Links driven by Acura Quebec Championship at Club de golf Les Boises de Joly.
Rory McIlroy wins the RBC Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf and Country Club with a record-setting 22-under 258 total for four rounds, aided by a final-round 61.
Florida Georgia Line and The Glorious Sons headline new RBCxMusic Concert Series at the RBC Canadian Open, helping draw record crowds.
The RBC Canadian Open featured one of its strongest fields, including World No. 1 Brooks Koepka, World No. 2 Dustin Johnson, World No. 4 Rory McIlroy and World No. 6 Justin Thomas. Twenty Canadians teed it up at Hamilton.
Rod Spittle and Herb Page join the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame during the induction ceremony at RBC Hall of Fame Day during the RBC Canadian Open.
The RBC Canadian Open was added to the British Open Qualifying Series— Canadian Adam Hadwin and RBC Ambassador Graeme McDowell earned exemptions in 2019.
Calgarians Annabelle Ackroyd and Tommy McKenzie win their respective divisions at the Future Links driven by Acura Western Championship at Wolf Creek Golf Resort in Ponoka, Alta.
July
Brianna Navarrosa of San Diego, Calif., shot 4 under 68, overcoming a four-stroke deficit to capture the 106th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship held at Red Deer Golf & Country Club on Friday.
After almost 43 years of commitment and dedication to Golf Canada, Bill Paul steps down from his role as Chief Championship Officer.
Isabellla Ferguson of Ottawa and Malik Dao of Notre-Dame-de-I’lle-Perrot, Que., win their respective divisions in the Future Links driven by Acura Atlantic Championship at Covered Bridge Golf and Country Club in New Brunswick.
Michael Gligic of Burlington, Ont., locks up his PGA TOUR card for the 2019-2020 season, the first of his career, by finishing in the top 25 on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Margaret (Sutcliffe) Todd, a pioneer of Canadian women’s golf and a member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, passes away at the age of 101.
Brooke Henderson wins the ESPY Award for the best female golfer of 2019, having won her ninth LPGA Tour title this year, making her the winningest Canadian pro golfer of all time.
August
Jin Young Ko sets a tournament record en route to winning the CP Women’s Open at Magna Golf Club in Aurora, Ont. Brooke Henderson tied for third as the top Canadian.
Title sponsor Canadian Pacific announces a record $2.5 million raised for the SickKids Foundation as a result of several fundraising efforts under the CP Has Heart program.
Canadian Michelle Liu, 12, earns berth into 2019 CP Women’s Open through the Canadian Women’s Amateur.
The second annual CP Women’s Leadership Summit took place the Tuesday of CP Women’s Open tournament week and featured keynote speaker Roberta Bowman (Chief Brand and Communications Officer for LPGA) as well as a new athlete panel.
Golf Canada announces Vancouver’s Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club as host of the 2020 CP Women’s Open.
Canada took home the bronze medal in mixed team event at Pan Am Games—the first ever for Canada. The team was made up of Mary Parsons (Delta, B.C.), Brigitte Thibault (Rosemère, Que.), Joey Savoie (La Prairie, Que.) and Austin Connelly (Lake Doucette, N.S.).
Joseph Deraney of Belden, Miss., successfully defends his Canadian Mid-Amateur title at Summit Golf Club in Richmond Hill, Ont.
Golf Canada and Levelwear announce an extension of their official apparel partnership through 2022.
Judith Kyrinis of Thornhill, Ont., wins the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship at Osoyoos Golf Club in B.C.
Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., finishes T7 at the BMW Championship to earn full PGA TOUR playing privileges for 2019-2020, including a spot in all four majors and the World Golf Championships.
Golf Canada names the winners of the Future Links driven by Acura Junior Skills Challenge National Event: Liam McLaren, Ari Tur, Noah Turner, Claira Frizzell, Gabe Bugden, Alissa Xu, Emile Journault and Keighan Decoff.
Christopher Vandette of Beaconsfield, Que., wins the Canadian Junior Boys Championship at Covered Bridge Golf and Country Club in New Brunswick. Luke DelGobbo of Fonthill, Ont., won the Juvenile title.
Jim Rutledge of Victoria wins his sixth PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada title.
William Buhl of Fairhope, Ala., wins the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship at Glen Arbour Golf Course in Nova Scotia.
Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont., a full-time NHL referee and Team Canada alumnus, wins the Western Amateur in Michigan, the first mid-amateur to do so since 1997.
Emily Zhu of Richmond Hill, Ont., wins the Canadian Junior Girls Championship at Lethbridge Country Club in Alberta. She also won the Juvenile title for the second straight year.
September
Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand successfully defends her World Junior Girls Championship title at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont.
Rory McIlroy, champion of the 2019 RBC Canadian Open, was named PGA TOUR Player of the Year.
Luna Lu of Burnaby, B.C., and Ashton McCulloch of Kingston, Ont., win their divisions at the BC Future Links driven by Acura Fall Series at Crown Isle Golf Resort.
Erin Kim of Toronto and Jean-Philippe Parr of Saint-Celestin, Que., claim their respective titles at the Quebec Future Links driven by Acura Fall Series at Lachute Golf Club.
Wes Heffernan of Calgary wins the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley.
Team Canada Young Pro Squad member Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., wins the Canada Life Canadian Player of the Year title on the Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada for the second time in four years.
New Zealand captures the Astor Trophy, hosted at Royal Colwood Golf Club in Victoria, B.C. The women’s event is a five-country competition played every four years since 1959.
Gene Elliott of West Des Moines, Ind., wins the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship at Cedar Brae Golf Club in Toronto. Alberta—Ken Griffith, Brian Laubman and Frank Dornick—wins the provincial team title.
Gord Nixon is named the inaugural recipient of the Legacy Award for exceptional contribution to the sport of golf in Canada by the Golf Canada Foundation in partnership with Golf Canada.
The Canadian golf industry mourns the passing of longtime golf industry stalwart Ian Webb after a brave battle with cancer.
David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., performs well at the Korn Ferry Tour’s season-ending championship, earning him status for the 2019-2020 PGA TOUR season.
Wes Short Jr. of Austin, Texas, wins the PGA TOUR Champions Shaw Charity Classic in Calgary.
October
Brooke Henderson wins the inaugural People’s Choice Award from Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.
Maude-Aimee LeBlanc of Sherbrooke, Que., retires from professional golf at the age of 30.
James Beebe of Priddis Greens Golf and Country Club in Alberta is named the superintendent of the year by the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association and Bayer Environmental Science.
The Golf Management Institute of Canada celebrates its 20th anniversary.
The team from The Carman Golf and Curling Club in Manitoba wins the RBC PGA Scramble National Final at Cabot Links in Nova Scotia.
Justin Shin of Maple Ridge, B.C., wins his second career PGA TOUR Series-China title.
Graham DeLaet attempts his return to the PGA TOUR at the Houston Open after more than two years off due to injury.
November
Aaron Cockerill of Stony Mountain, Man., finishes seventh at the European Tour qualifying school, earning him a partial exemption into nest season’s Euro Tour events.
Her fellow LPGA players vote to award Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., the Tour’s Founders Award given to the player “whose behaviour and deeds best exemplify the spirit, ideals and values of the LPGA.”
Hilton announces a new multi-year integrated partnership with Golf Canada as the official hotel partner for the organization and its members.
Alena Sharp of Brantford, Ont., is named to the LPGA’s Board as a Player Director.
Golf Canada names the 18 athletes who will represent Team Canada on the 2020 National Amateur and Junior Squads. Men’s Amateur: Étienne Papineau, Cougar Collins, Sam Meek, Brendan MacDougall, Noah Steele. Women’s Amateur: Brigitte Thibault, Mary Parsons, Sarah-Eve Rhéaume, Noemie Paré. Junior Boys: Laurent Desmarchais, Jace Minni, JP Parr, Bennett Ruby, Malik Dao. Junior Girls: Emily Zhu, Angela Arora, Angel (Mu Chen) Lin, Monet Chun.
Jin Young Ko, champion of the 2019 CP Women’s Open, was named the LPGA Rolex Player of the Year.
Golf Canada sells Golf Canada Calgary Golf Centre to Golfuture YYC.
December
Golf Canada announces the winners of its 2019 National Orders of Merit. On the amateur side, Julien Sale of Gatineau, Que., was the top male followed by Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont. Brigitte Thibault of Rosemere, Que., earned top spot in the women’s Order of Merit with Mary Parsons of Delta, B.C., finishing second. Christopher Vandette of Beaconsfield, Que., was the top-ranked junior boy in Canada, followed by Victoria’s Jeevan Sihota. Celeste Dao of Notre-Dame-de-I’lle-Perrot, Que., led the junior girls’ ranking. Emily Zhu of Richmond Hill, Ont., was second.
Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru announces it raised more than $380,000 for breast cancer research in 2019 at 175 events across Canada.
The Shaw Charity Classic announces donations by Canadians during the PGA TOUR Champions event in Calgary raised a record $14,071,188 for 200 youth-based charities across Alberta.
The LPGA presents the CP Women’s Open, held at Magna Golf Club in Aurora, Ont., with two Gold Driver Awards for delivering best-in-class elements—Best Community and Charity Engagement and Best Sponsor Activation—among all LPGA Tour events.
The RBC Canadian Open, held at Hamilton Golf & Country Club in Hamilton, Ont., was named a finalist for Tournament of the Year—among all PGA TOUR events.
Adam Hadwin represents Canada at the Presidents Cup, finishing 1-1-1.
Canadian Kurtis Barkley finishes runner-up at the All Abilities Championship held in conjunction with the Australian Open.
Jim Fraser passes away on Dec. 9, shortly after the Golf Canada Foundation and the Canadian Seniors Golf Association unveiled a golf scholarship named in honour of the long-time golf supporter who, among other honours, was a member of the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame. Mr. Fraser was a highly respected volunteer and then employee with Golf Canada over a career of more than 40 years.
2019 marks a real celebration for Canadian golf
It’s not accurate to say Corey Conners’ dreams came true in 2019.
“I don’t think my dreams were quite that high,” the Canadian golfer said.
After starting the year without full status on the PGA Tour, Conners played a piecemeal schedule before Monday qualifying for the Valero Texas Open in April. The native of Listowel, Ont., would go on to win that event and earn the final spot in the Masters the next week.
Conners earned more than US$2.9 million this season, one of the highlights of an impressive year in Canadian golf.
Among the top moments for men: Michael Gligic of Burlington, Ont., winning on the Korn Ferry Tour to earn a PGA Tour card for the first time; Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., winning twice on the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada to earn a promotion to the Korn Ferry Tour, Richard Jung of Toronto and Justin Shin of Maple Ridge, B.C. winning on PGA Tour China; and Drew Nesbitt of Toronto winning on PGA Tour Latinoamerica.
Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., also represented the International team at the Presidents Cup earlier this month in Australia. At 49th in the world, Hadwin ended the year as Canada’s top-ranked male golfer and will earn a spot in the Masters in 2020.
On the amateur circuit, full-time NHL referee Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont., won the 117th playing of the Western Amateur, while Brigitte Thibault of Rosemere, Que., won a collegiate event and participated in the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., had the best season of any Canadian. She notched two wins this year and had 13 top-10 finishes, the most on the LPGA Tour.
Henderson’s second win came in June when she was just 21. It was the ninth of her LPGA Tour career, making her the winningest Canadian of all time on the PGA or LPGA Tour.
“To become the all-time winningest Canadian golfer on both the LPGA and PGA Tour is amazing,” said Henderson. “This was a great year for many Canadian golfers. It’s fun to be part of this trend and I’m excited to see it continue and get better in 2020.”
Laurence Applebaum, the CEO of Golf Canada, declared 2019 as a year of “real celebration.”
“I couldn’t be more proud of 2019 as we look back and say it was a year we were celebrating golf and we were championing some of the best players in the world,” said Applebaum.
Applebaum points to the success of the RBC Canadian Open in Hamilton and CP Women’s Open in Aurora, Ont.
The two national championships had more than 175,000 people in attendance combined, a record for the organization.
Both events were also finalists for ‘Tournament of the Year’ by their respective tours at their year-end award ceremonies.
“We played at two epic tracks in 2019 and had world-class champions,” said Applebaum.
Both the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour’s 2019 players of the year – Rory McIlroy and Jin-Young Ko, respectively – won in Canada.
“In 2020 we’re going from strength to strength in St. George’s (in Toronto for the men) and Shaughnessy (in Vancouver for the women), two of the greatest golf courses and clubs in our country,” Applebaum said.
While the individual successes of Canadians were undeniable in 2019, the pipelines will be a little emptier in 2020.
Henderson and Alena Sharp of Hamilton will be the only full-time Canadians playing on the LPGA Tour next year after the retirement of Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., and the long-term injury to Anne-Catherine Tanguay of Quebec City. Jaclyn Lee of Calgary will have partial status, playing under a medical exemption due to a severe wrist injury sustained in the summer.
Pendrith, meanwhile, is the only Canadian who earned promotion to the Korn Ferry Tour. Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., and Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C. did not regain PGA Tour status for this season so they will start have to start the season on Korn Ferry Tour. Svensson has a full card, while Silverman has conditional status.
Pendrith and Conners – who live together in Florida – are convinced 2019 will not be a one-off.
A year ago they both were wondering what the next 12 months would look like, without any real answers.
“I was just trying to figure out what mini-tour event I was going to play next,” said Pendrith. “Now, it’s exciting. Every week on whatever tour, there’s going to be a Canadian in the mix.”
Conners is in the upper tier of the PGA Tour after finishing in the top 30 of the FedEx Cup standings in 2019, but he still gets as much joy as anyone in following what his countrymen and women are doing.
“It’s really fun to watch Brooke (Henderson) and be part of the group, but it’s also really motivating to continue to rack up wins,” said Conners. “It’s an exciting future for Canadian golf. There’s going to be more and more memorable moments.”
Golf Canada mourns the passing of Jim Fraser
Golf Canada is mourning the passing of one of the sport’s long-time supporters, Jim Fraser, who passed away peacefully in his home December 5th, 2019 after a courageous fight with ALS.
Fraser, who was born in Montreal, was a member at Toronto Golf Club in Mississauga, Ont., and Beaconsfield Golf Club in Montreal. He held several positions as a volunteer and then an employee of the Royal Canadian Golf Association (now Golf Canada) over a career spanning nearly 40 years.
He volunteered with the Association as a governor for a decade prior to becoming a full-time staff member in 1993. During his tenure with the National Sport Federation, he served various Director roles with portfolios that included Rules, Handicapping and Amateur Status; Player Development and Junior Golf; Member Programs; Handicap and Course Rating; and Amateur Competitions. Following retirement, he remained active as a volunteer in a rules capacity and later supporting the library archives of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum.
For his dedicated work towards bettering golf, Fraser received several recognitions, most notably being inducted into the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame, receiving Distinguished Service Awards from Golf Canada and the International Association of Golf Administrators, being named a Patron of the Canadian Seniors Golf Association and most recently with the establishment of the Jim Fraser Scholarship through Golf Canada and the Canadian Seniors Golf Association (CSGA).
Fraser is survived by his wife Lynne, daughters (Patty, Karen and Gillian) and grandchildren (Alex, Kayla, Sophie and Grace).
Friends can pay their respects at Kopriva Taylor Funeral Home, 64 Lakeshore Road West, Oakville, on Thursday, December 12th from 2:00 – 4:00 and 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Fraser’s funeral will be held in St. Jude’s Anglican Church, 160 William Street, Oakville, on Friday, December 13th at 11:00 a.m.
The family asks that any donations in memory of Jim be made to the ALS Society of Canada or to the Jim Fraser Scholarship through the Golf Canada Foundation.
Hilton named Official Hotel Partner of Golf Canada
OAKVILLE, Ont. – Today, Hilton (NYSE: HLT) announced a new multi-year integrated partnership with Golf Canada as the official hotel partner for the National Sport Federation and its members.
Hilton is proud to support Canada’s legendary National Open Golf Championships – the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open. As a result of the partnership, Hilton is now also the official hotel partner for Golf Canada’s National Team Program, Canadian Amateur Golf Championships and the World Junior Girls Championship.
As part of the partnership, Golf Canada members receive access to an array of travel benefits through Hilton including exclusive discounts and special offers.
“We are thrilled to partner with Golf Canada and their world-class golf programs, national team and championships,” said Andrew Flack, vice president, regional marketing & eCommerce Americas, Hilton. “Canada offers golf enthusiasts some of the most pristine courses in the world and we look forward to welcoming golfers from all over the destination with our signature Hilton hospitality.”
“Hilton is deeply engaged, and we are pleased to integrate their commitment to Canadian golf across so many pillars of our organization,” said Laurence Applebaum, CEO of Golf Canada. “Hilton represents the highest quality in hospitality with premium offerings for both serious and recreational golfers. Our robust partnership has a touchpoint with so many levels of Canadian golf and its exciting for our members across Canada to begin accessing a meaningful suite of travel and lifestyle benefits.”
Golf Canada sells Calgary Golf Centre to Golfuture YYC
Calgary, Alta. – Golf Canada has announced that it has transferred the property lease and sold the operation and assets of the Golf Canada Calgary Golf Centre to Golfuture YYC.
With their purchase of the facility, Golfuture YYC will license the Golf Canada name and intellectual property on a short-term basis, continuing to operate all facets of the operation with future plans to enhance the facility. All existing staff at the Calgary Golf Centre will remain with the operation under new employment or contract with Golfuture YYC.
Golf Canada’s decision to divest the Calgary Centre from its asset portfolio followed an annual review of the facility for alignment within Golf Canada’s strategic plan.
“Our facility strategy has evolved significantly since the original acquisition of the lease in 2002 and despite strong year over year financial yields, it was clear that owning and operating the Calgary Golf Centre was no longer a strategic fit for the organization moving forward,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “Golfuture YYC has an exciting vision for the continued expansion of the facility as a meaningful hub for accessible golf in the city and we look forward to seeing the property continue to evolve with their strong local ownership.”
Golf Canada originally acquired the lease and operations of the Golf Canada Calgary Centre in 2002. A popular destination for golf activity in the city, the Calgary Golf Centre was a hub for junior, recreational and high-performance golf in Alberta, being certified as one of the inaugural National Junior Golf Development Centres. The facility also contributed to the growth of the Golf Canada brand in one of the country’s major markets.
The year-round Calgary Golf Centre located in the heart of the city is one of the city’s most utilized practice facilities. Situated adjacent to the Bow River on 42 acres of leased land, the facility features a double-ended two-tier heated driving range (54 hitting stalls) for all-season use; a par-3, 9-hole golf course; a miniature putting course; robust junior golf programming; a clubhouse and pro shop with entertainment facilities; all-season golf simulators; a custom fitting operation (leased to tenant Ted & Dave Custom Golf); and a training academy with six certified PGA of Canada professionals.
In addition to present operations, Golfuture YYC will upgrade some of the existing infrastructure to explore its new golf concept. The Golfuture concept combines modern radar tracking technology with innovative driving range design to emulate the experience of playing a traditional golf course, including full swing shots and putting.
“We are excited to carry on the business of Golf Canada Calgary Centre while adding the innovation and excitement of Golfuture” said Golfuture YYC President Art Korpach.
Golf Canada’s Asset Purchase Agreement with Golfuture YYC followed pitches from, and discussions with, a number of prospective parties following a targeted go-to-market strategy when the facility was put up for sale.
Survey: Economic impact of golf in Canada
Whether you’re a club member, an avid public player or a new enthusiast to the game, spending on the sport of golf drives massive benefit to communities across Canada.
The impact of golf on the Canadian economy is enormous—an economic impact in excess of $14B is only part of the story. Golf courses and the industry at large account for hundreds of thousands of jobs. Canadians and international visitors plan golf vacations to communities that market themselves as golf destinations and resorts offer golf packages that result in millions of tourism dollars. Tens of thousands of charitable causes use golf as the platform to general $500M annually for worthwhile causes. The golf industry—including more than 5M golfers, nearly 2,300 facilities and local retailers plus countless superintendents, PGA of Canada professionals and industry stakeholders—play a vital role in the continued growth and health of the sport.
Understanding the full scope of Canadian golf including the economic, employment, environmental, tourism and charitable impact of the game in communities from coast to coast is critical. Evaluating that impact is why We Are Golf, a coalition of Canadian golf associations, are inviting Canadians to participate in the latest iteration of the Canadian Golf Economic Impact Study.
CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE SURVEY
The survey, which takes approximately 12-15 minutes to complete, will generate incredible insights, spending trends and meaningful data towards understanding the current impact of golf in Canada.
As part of the survey, We Are Golf wants to know how much you have or expect to spend on golf and golf related activities or purchases. From green fees and equipment to trips or other golf related spending, the confidential information and insights you share will help estimate the economic impact of golf in your community.
The Canadian Golf Economic Impact Study will be carried out by Group ATN Consulting and your privacy as well as any personal or proprietary information shared will be protected in strict confidence. Results of the Canadian Golf Economic Impact Study will be reported in early 2020 and the information gathered will only be used to report aggregate results both at the national and provincial level.
We Are Golf includes Golf Canada, the National Golf Course Owners Association Canada, the PGA of Canada, the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association and the Canadian Society of Club Managers. The results of the Canadian Golf Economic Impact Study will be shared across the Canadian golf community and used to advocate the benefits of our sport.
Thank you for your participation in the Canadian Golf Economic Impact Study.
Golf Canada Foundation names Gord Nixon as 2019 Legacy Award recipient
TORONTO (September 12, 2019) –Golf Canada Foundation in partnership with Golf Canada are proud to announce that Gord Nixon has been named the 2019 recipient of the Legacy Award for exceptional contribution to the sport of golf in Canada. The award was presented to Nixon, the inaugural recipient, at Golf Canada Foundation’s signature annual donor event, the Trustee Cup on Monday, September 9.
A truly transformative leader in golf as former chief executive for RBC, Nixon led the resurgence of the RBC Canadian Open and an unprecedented investment in the sport across North America. More than $20 million was donated to charity through the RBC Canadian Open as well as the RBC Heritage during his tenure. RBC’s investment in the game also helped drive growth in Golf Canada’s National Team Program and was the catalyst for Team RBC—a roster of global ambassadors including Canadian and international stars on the PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour.
“It was through Gord’s leadership that RBC set the groundwork to become the most invested corporate supporter of Canadian golf and it is deserving that his vision and commitment to the game be recognized with as our inaugural recipient of the Legacy Award,” said Golf Canada Foundation CEO Martin Barnard. “It is special individuals like Gord, either as corporate leaders or philanthropic champions, that have truly made an impact through their investment in the game.”
Held at Nixon’s home course, Rosedale Golf Club in Toronto, Nixon was joined by PGA TOUR star and RBC Ambassador Graeme McDowell, along with more than 100 Foundation donors and 25 amateur and professional golfers representing Team Canada and all levels of the professional game including the Mackenzie Tour/PGA Tour Canada, Symetra Tour, Korn Ferry Tour, and PGA TOUR. The event raised more than $600,000 to support grassroots programs and develop the next generation of Canadian players.
Recipients of the Legacy Award, as selected by Golf Canada Foundation, are to be housed within the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum as “Golf Canada Foundation Legacy Honourees” ─ a separate distinction from those individuals inducted as “Honoured Members of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame” who are elected by the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame Selection Committee.
The 2019 Trustee Cup at Rosedale was the third iteration of Golf Canada Foundation’s signature fundraising event which was previously held at Calgary Golf and Country Club in 2018 and Memphremagog Golf Club in 2017.