October 22, 2020 – The Golf Manitoba Amateur Golfer of the Year Award Selection Committee is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2020 Male and Female Amateur Golfers of the Year awards.

The female Amateur Golfer of the Year nominees for 2020 are: Rhonda Orr (Southwood Golf & Country Club), Bobbi Uhl (Shilo Country Club), Veronica Vetesnik (Kingswood Golf & Country Club), and Crystal Zamzow (Swan River Golf & Country Club).

From left to right: Rhonda Orr, Bobbi Uhl, Veronica Vetesnik, and Crystal Zamzow

Rhonda Orr of the Southwood Golf & Country Club had a T5th in the City & District Championship and a win at the 2020 Senior Women’s Championship. Impressive was not only her 9-shot victory at the Senior Championship but also that the win was her 7th title in the last 8 years.

Bobbi Uhl started the summer competitive season with an impressive win at the Golf Manitoba Women’s Match Play Championship that was contested at the St. Charles Country Club. Uhl took the title with a 5 and 4 victory defeating defending champion Hannah Diamond in the finals. The win was her first in the event after two straight runner-up finishes in both 2019 and 2018. She then followed her Match Play victory with a runner-up finish in the Diamond Athletic Women’s Amateur Championship where she missed tying top spot by a single shot.

Veronica Vetesnik started her season by making it to the first round matches in the Women’s Match Play Championship. She took that momentum forward to capture the 2020 Diamond Athletic Women’s Amateur Championship that was held at the Bel Acres Golf & Country Club. It was Vetesnik’s first amateur title and against the strongest female field in provincial championship amateur golf.

At only 14 years of age, Crystal Zamzow had an impressive 2020 season. Zamsow’s season included a 2nd place finish in the Junior Women’s Bantam Championship, 10th in the Diamond Athletic Women’s Amateur and a win at the Junior Women’s Championship played at the Selkirk Golf & Country Club. Zamzow also added two Maple Leaf Junior Tour 1st place finishes to her 2020 competitive season resume.

Three female golfers also received honourable mention for their performance in 2020 and include Cala Korman, Golf Manitoba Public Player (2020 Junior Women’s Bantam Champion, 3rd in the Manitoba Junior and 7th in the Women’s Amateur), Charmaine Mackid of Breezy Bend Country Club (T2nd in the City & District Championship and 5th in the Women’s Amateur), and Marissa Naylor of Pine Ridge (T2nd in the City & District Championship and 4th in the Women’s Amateur).

The male Amateur Golfer of the Year nominees for 2020 are: Austin Dobrescu (Shilo Country Club), Braxton Kuntz (Breezy Bend Country Club), Neel Soni (St. Charles Country Club) and Marco Trstenjak (Elmhurst Golf & Country Club).

From left to right: Austin Dobrescu, Braxton Kuntz, Neel Soni, and Marco Trstenjak

Austin Dobrescu of the Shilo Country Club started his summer championship season by successfully defending his Match Play Championship title with a win at St. Charles Country Club. The victory propelled Dobrescu into another strong showing at the Nott Autocorp Men’s Amateur where he finished tied for 4th.

Braxton Kuntz of the Breezy Bend Country Club had a successful start to his year making it to the quarter-final matches in the Match Play Championship. He followed that performance with a 2nd place finish in the Manitoba Junior Men’s Championship missing out on top spot by a single shot. He then followed with a 4th place at the Nott Autocorp Men’s Amateur where he led after 54-holes. In addition to his Golf Manitoba championship season, Kuntz added two wins on the Maple Leaf Junior Tour where he posted a six round scoring average of 70.6. In recognition of his strong performance this past summer, Kuntz was invited to participate in the 2020 Golf Canada National Junior Squad Selection Camp that was held October 14-18, 2020 at the Bear Mountain Golf Resort in Victoria, B.C.

Neel Soni of the St. Charles Country Club finished his junior competitive career by winning the 2020 Junior Men’s Championship. Soni took the lead in the 54-hole event after round one and never looked back posting rounds of 68-70-70 enroute to his first junior championship title. Soni continued his strong play later that week at the Nott Autocorp Men’s Amateur Championship where he posted a four-day total of 289 to finish alone in 2nd and just three shots back of the winner. By right of his play with an impressive 71.0 scoring in both the junior and amateur championships, Soni would have qualified to represent Manitoba on both the junior men’s and men’s amateur interprovincial teams had the 2020 national season not been canceled due to the pandemic.

Marco Trstenjak of the Elmhurst Golf & Country Club started his competitive season making with medalist honours in the Match Play Qualifier and then to the round of 16 in the Match Play Championship. At his next event, the Nott Autocorp Men’s Amateur Championship, Trstenjak played steady over the 72-hole event to finish at 2-under par 286 and good for a three-shot victory and his first amateur title. Just a few weeks later at the Elmhurst Invitational, Trstenjak, on his home course, posted an even par score of 141 for the win in the 36-hole event.

Four golfers also received honourable mention for their play in 2020 and include 2019 Male Amateur Golfer of the Year Colwyn Abgrall of Southwood (3rd in the Nott Autocorp Men’s Amateur and T12th in the Elmhurst Invitational), Eric Johnson of Breezy Bend (T2nd in the Diamond Athletic Mid-Amateur and T6th in the Nott Autocorp Amateur), Allan McDonald of Breezy Bend Country Club (Won Diamond Athletic Mid-Amateur and T8th Nott Autocorp Amateur), and Justin McDonald also of Breezy Bend (T2nd Diamond Athletic Mid-Amateur and T6th Nott Autocorp Amateur).

Unfortunately and due to current indoor gathering restrictions, the annual Golf Manitoba Awards Reception has been cancelled. This year’s announcement for the 2020 Manitoba Male and Female Golfers of the Year award will be made online on the Golf Manitoba website at golfmb.ca and on the official Golf Manitoba Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages on Wednesday, November 4, 2020.

About the Golf Manitoba Amateur Golfer of the Year Award – The Manitoba Amateur Golfer of the Year award recognizes outstanding performance by Manitoba golfers in all levels of competition with the first award presented in 1975. In 2015, the award was re-established to include both a male and female category.

About Golf Manitoba – Golf Manitoba is the governing body for golf in the province of Manitoba and North West Ontario. Its mission is to develop, promote, govern and service the sport of golf in Manitoba and North West Ontario for the benefit of all participants.

For more information:

Jared Ladobruk
Executive Director
Golf Manitoba
204-925-5729
jared@golfmb.ca

The governing body of amateur golf in Manitoba will host its Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, October 28, 2020. Due to the current restrictions on indoor gatherings that have been imposed by the province of Manitoba, this year’s meeting will be held via web conference call. The time of the meeting and instructions on how to attend the meeting will be forwarded to all member clubs shortly.

All member clubs are entitled to one vote at the Annual General Meeting. For information on your club’s voting delegate, please contact your club’s general manager or contact Jared Ladobruk, Executive Director of Golf Manitoba at 204.925.5729 or at jared@golfmb.ca.

Also due to current indoor gathering restrictions, the annual Golf Manitoba Awards Reception has been cancelled. This year’s recognition and award winners, including the 2020 Manitoba Male and Female Golfers of the Year and our volunteer Distinguished Service Award, will be announced digitally on the Golf Manitoba website at golfmb.ca and on the official Golf Manitoba Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages on Wednesday, November 4, 2020.

Below is a list of how Canadian golfers fared across the major professional tours the week prior.

PGA TOUR

Hudson Swafford squandered a four shot lead but rallied with a birdie on the 17th hole and a par putt on the final hole for a one stroke victory at the Corales Puntacana Club and Resort Championship.Tyler McCumber, who sank a 25-foot birdie putt on the 18th to move into a temporary tie for the lead before Swafford sank his birdie, finished second. Mackenzie Hughes, who was one shot off the lead with three holes to play, bogeyed the final hole to finish third.  …David Hearn was just two shots off the lead after the opening round …Despite missing the cut Graham DeLaet’s second round 64 was the lowest of the day and the lowest round he has shot on the PGA Tour since July 2017.

NEXT EVENT: Sanderson Farms Championship (Oct. 1)
CANADIANS ENTERED:  Corey Conners, Michael Gligic, David Hearn, Roger Sloan, Nick Taylor

KORN FERRY TOUR

Jared Wolfe survived a windy final round to hang on for a one stroke victory over Taylor Pendrith at the Wichita Open. Wolfe seized control with an eagle on the par-5 14th hole, only to drop shots on each of the next two holes before finishing up with two pars. It was his second win of the year on the Korn Ferry Tour, and one more will earn him an automatic promotion to the PGA Tour. Pendrith, who held the clubhouse lead after a career-best round of 62 on Friday, had a chance to tie and force a playoff with 15-footer for birdie on the final hole but had to settle for par. His runner-up result was his fourth second-place finish of the season and moved him to second on the Korn Ferry Tour points list. …Adam Svensson made up eight places in the final round for his fourth straight top 30 result. …Stuart Macdonald’s opening round 66 was the lowest of his career on the Korn Ferry Tour and left him just three shots off the lead

NEXT EVENT: Savannah Golf Championship (Oct. 1)
CANADIANS ENTERED: Stuart Macdonald, Taylor Pendrith, Ben Silverman, Adam Svensson

EUROPEAN TOUR

John Catlin birdied three of his last four holes for a come-from-behind two-stroke victory at the Irish Open. It was the second win in three weeks on the European Tour for the 29-year-old who until this year had only won on the Asian Tour. Catlin is the first American to win the Irish Open since Hubert Green in 1977. Aaron Rai could have forced a playoff with a birdie on the final hole. Instead he finished with a bogey. … Aaron Cockerill is second on Tour in driving accuracy

NEXT EVENT: Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open (Oct. 1)
CANADIANS ENTERED: Aaron Cockerill (alternate)

SYMETRA TOUR

Laura Wearn holed a 12-foot birdie putt on the final hole to force a playoff before making par on the first extra hole to beat Haylee Harford in the IOA Golf Classic. Wearn won for the third time on the Symetra Tour. …Maude-Aimee Leblanc was making her first start since announcing her retirement from golf last October. Her second round 66 was just one stroke off the low round of the day. …Samantha Richdale made her first weekend cut in six tournaments

NEXT EVENT: Symetra Classic (Oct. 1)
CANADIANS ENTERED: Maude-Aimee Leblanc, Brittany Marchand, Samantha Richdale, Maddie Szeryk

LPGA TOUR

NEXT EVENT: Shoprite LPGA Classic (Oct. 1)
CANADIANS ENTERED:  Brooke Henderson, Jaclyn Lee, Alana Sharp, Maddie Szeryk (alternate)

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS

NEXT EVENT: SAS Championship (Oct. 9)
CANADIANS ENTERED: TBA

An international research study backed by The R&A has found new evidence to suggest golf can provide significant health benefits to older participants in the form of improved muscle strength and balance.

Muscle strength and balance exercises form an important part of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended guidelines to tackle physical inactivity in older people about which little was previously known for golf.

The Strength and Balance Study, carried out with two sample groups over two years by Professor Maria Stokes OBE at the University of Southampton and Dr George Salem at the University of Southern California (USC), has indicated that older golfers have and develop strength and balance benefits.

Underlining the sport’s capability to improve the physical health of participants, the evidence suggests golf can improve quality of life through muscle strengthening, improved balance, aerobic exercise (equivalent to gym-based work or yoga) and social interaction.

The Southampton group involved 152 individuals aged 65-79 and over 80 and set out to demonstrate the physical and psychosocial benefits associated with playing recreational golf regularly by comparing physical measures between older golfers and sedentary non-golfers.

A study at the USC was undertaken to see if non-golfers developed these benefits while undertaking a 10-week instructional golf training programme. The USC group involved 15 individuals aged 63 (+/- 5 years) at a municipal course in the greater Los Angeles area, which also examined the feasibility, safety and adherence of the programme for senior non-golfers.

The combined findings show that:

• Participants in the golf training programme improved their muscular strength, power, endurance, balance, flexibility and walking performance
• Golfers under the age of 80 had better strength and balance than sedentary non-golfers of similar ages
• Golfers had better dynamic balance and static balance than non-golfers
• Strength of limb muscles and balance were better in golfers than non-golfers e.g. indicative through gripping and swinging a club, walking, squatting
• The golf training programme was feasible and effective; novice golfers were able to play 9 holes of golf by the 10th week and completed 282 of 300 (94%) total training sessions
• The physical demands recorded during a golf round were equivalent or greater than the demands for other common activities e.g. gym work or yoga
• Participants benefited from green space, social interaction and walking over hilly terrain
• The programme was safe; there were no golf-related injuries or adverse events

Ahead of the study being peer reviewed to validate findings and future presentations made to the academic world, Professor Maria Stokes said, “The findings indicate that golf is associated with health benefits related to better muscle strength and balance.

“This suggests golf may meet World Health Organization recommendations for older people, which would potentially qualify golf for social prescription and exercise referral schemes among policy makers to help manage health conditions.”

Dr George Salem added, “Our findings suggest that golf should be considered when prescribing exercise for older adults because it appears to be safe, feasible and an adherent form of exercise for a better, healthier quality of life.

“Moreover, as golf is an exercise activity that includes strengthening, power, balance, endurance and cognitive challenges, it satisfies the recommended physical activity guidelines of the World Health Organization, the American College of Sports Medicine and UK guidelines.”

Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “These findings should encourage policy makers and healthcare professionals to consider recommending playing golf to older people as part of encouraging them to adopt a more active lifestyle, as well as tackling physical inactivity to reduce healthcare costs.

“We are seeing more and more evidence that golf can provide significant physical and mental health benefits for participants as a moderate intensity activity and so we will continue to advocate these in all of our work with golfers, national federations and associations, healthcare professionals and policy makers.”

Since 2016, The R&A and its partners, including the World Golf Foundation (WGF), the United States Golf Association (USGA) and the European Tour, have sought to: raise awareness of the health benefits of golf to encourage interest in participation by people of all ages and abilities; improve the sport’s image; and increase advocacy for golf by government agencies and public health bodies.

The Golf & Health Project, supported by The R&A and the other WGF partners, continues to strive to achieve these aims by producing and publishing high quality science that evidences golf’s physical and mental health benefits to target existing golfers, non-golfers, golf bodies and policy makers in government and health.

Dr Roger Hawkes, Executive Director at the Golf & Health Project, added, “The evidence from this study is indicative that golf helps strength and balance, with no previous research to highlight this to the golf industry until now. The overall findings and benefits should be of great value for golfers and non-golfers going forward.”

The R&A has also published today a new golf and health report to help further educate golfers, non-golfers, national federations and policy makers on the physical and mental health benefits of the sport.

Highlighting The R&A’s work and the endeavours of others in this sphere since 2016, the 28-page document provides a comprehensive overview of golf as a health-enhancing activity for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds, with the Strength and Balance Study featured.

The R&A Golf and Health Report (2016-20) can be viewed here.

The Invictus Games, held in Toronto in September 2017, included a golf event hosted by St. George’s Golf Club where spectators were treated to outstanding performances by the athletes. Those of us fortunate enough to attend the event could not help but imagine the opportunities of engaging more people with disabilities in golf.

“This was the most memorable and inspirational event we have been a part of,” said Jason Clarke, CCM, who was general manager at St. George’s during the Games.

“St. George’s has a long history of recognizing the contributions made by Canadian service men and women, so hosting the Invictus Games was a natural fit for us,” said Clarke. “This was the first time that golf was included as an official sport of the Invictus Games and the first time they were hosted [in] Canada. We were determined to make Canada proud and give the athletes the ‘St. George’s experience.’ It was inspiring to see so many of our members volunteering for the games, including most of the caddies.

“We had the honour of hosting two Invictus athletes who utilized the Paramobile adaptive golf cart; it is a game changer! These three-wheeled vehicles can enter and exit a sand bunker, drive on a green and even navigate over a 10-inch curb. The Paramobile cart assists the athlete to standing position. This is a sensation that these golfers never thought they would experience again. It is difficult not to get emotional witnessing this achievement.”

Making your club more welcoming and accessible

Jan Bel Jan, of Jan Bel Jan Golf Course Design, is president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects and an advocate for golfers with a disability.

“People with disabilities are people first. Each of us knows someone who has difficulty with access, due to a congenital condition or because they have lost some ability because of illness, injury or age,” said Bel Jan. “The opportunity to enjoy golf provides wonderful social, recreational and healthful experiences for everyone. A welcoming and accessible golf facility can benefit economically through increased food and beverage, pro-shop sales and fees, as well as from the satisfaction of providing a valuable service.”

Obstacles can present barriers to people with disabilities in many aspects of their lives. Bel Jan believes the biggest obstacle may be that we are not comfortable in knowing how to treat people with disabilities. It is essential that everyone at a golf facility be trained to be aware of a person with a disability and to feel comfortable assisting them. When in doubt, Bel Jan encourages using common customer courtesy. Because degrees of impairments vary, she suggests asking people with a disability if they need help before attempting to assist them, and then asking how you may assist. For formal training, Bel Jan has found that coaching done by people who have disabilities can be helpful.

“The opportunity to enjoy golf provides wonderful social, recreational and healthful experiences for everyone. A welcoming and accessible golf facility can benefit economically through increased food and beverage, pro-shop sales and fees, as well as from the satisfaction of providing a valuable service.” – Jan Bel Jan, Jan Bel Jan Golf Course Design

The range of disabilities is very broad and, while there are laws and codes to address building accessibility, foresighted golf facility operators can learn how to better accommodate golfers with a disability. Proper signage that directs patrons to the facility’s goods and services is beneficial to everyone. Golf course operators should ensure easy access to at least one teeing area per hole. Creating additional tees, in a safe and accessible place, can meet this need. If readily achievable (with not much difficulty or expense), unobstructed golf cart access should be provided to all areas to be reached by the golfer. Golf cart paths should provide a modest slope for motorized vehicles, including for regular and single rider golf carts.

Ropes and GPS limits on carts can be barriers for those who need to get closer to the green for safety or for ease of access. Both can be adjusted – ropes can be lowered and replaced, and GPS units can be programmed for a specific cart. Red cart flags permit closer proximity to tees and greens and can help to improve access and speed of play. Consider making a map of accessible routes that may include accessible tees, areas of the course to be avoided and bunkers that may be difficult to access or egress.

Another consideration on the course is providing accessible washrooms. If permanent facilities are not available, accessible port-a-potties can meet the need. Also, consider the heights and locations of water and other materials around the course. Where there are steep slopes or difficult-to-access bunkers, the facility can establish the use of the “Modified Rules of Golf for Players with Disabilities” developed by the R&A and USGA. These Modified Rules permit a safe drop area away from the slope or outside the bunker, as well as other accommodations. When course renovations are undertaken, it is important to consider how to make the facility barrier-free.

Should a golf club or practice range want to encourage people with a disability to enjoy the game, inviting adult or children’s groups for clinics may inspire new golfers. Become familiar with programs in your area for people with disabilities. A golf facility could also establish a relationship with a rehabilitation hospital as part of their community outreach. Golf can aid significantly in recovery through an outdoor experience, with a helpful focus on hand-eye coordination, improved balance, strength and flexibility as well as sense of purpose. All of these contribute to the wellbeing of the person with the disability as well as to family, friends and companions.

Finally, Bel Jan recommends that golf facilities audit themselves for accessibility, programs and training. They should include information on their website to promote their accessibility, as well noting any instruction, clinics or programs that may interest people with disabilities and their families.

“An ‘invitation’ is always a great way to make people feel welcome to your course,” said Bel Jan.

Golf for people who are visually impaired

Glenn Babcock is the president of the Ontario Visually Impaired Golfers Association, serves as a director on the board of Blind Golf Canada and sits on the Human Resources Committee of Golf Canada. Babcock was born with his visual impairment. His father was a golf professional, so Babcock grew up around golf courses and had the benefit of learning to golf from a young age.

He says that some golfers are born blind or visually impaired, while others have lost their sight due to injury or illness, or simply as they age. For those who have lost their sight, being able to continue an activity that they enjoy is important to their physical, social and emotional wellbeing.

There are many golfers whose vision loss requires them to seek assistance to play the game. Their “guide” may be a fellow golfer, a non-golfing friend or a family member committed to helping them enjoy the game. The guide helps the golfer get safely around the course, lines them up for each shot and provides information on distances and obstacles and, of course, the guide must also find the ball!

Staff at golf courses should understand this partnership of golfer and guide. Starters and marshals should be made aware of the presence of a “walker.” Groups may be slower, as it takes more time to set up a golfer who is blind or visually impaired. Babcock recommends asking the golfer about their speed of play and how much time they need for setup with their guide and then adjust the group size if necessary.

Some courses have recognized the challenges in arranging a game and offer incentives to encourage blind and visually impaired people to play. Two-for-one rates for the golfer and their guide, even if the guide is playing, are offered by some. Others offer a discount and one club even offers a complimentary nine-hole round for two golfers, and their guides, each week on Monday afternoons.

Golf for people with missing limbs or limited mobility

Kristian Hammerback is the president of the Canadian Amputee Golf Association and is a member of Golf Canada’s Amateur Competitions Committee. As a golfer who was born missing a limb, golf provided him with a childhood activity he could participate in with his friends. He believes that it is important to provide golfing opportunities for people who are missing limbs or with reduced mobility and that it can be instrumental in getting back into life after an injury or illness.

Golfers with missing limbs or limited mobility may have challenges getting around the course and getting to the ball. They don’t like to play long rounds or slow play down for other golfers. Using carts or “solo rider” units, providing red flags and being lenient with cart rules will help to speed their play.

Hammerback, who has helped organize several tournaments for amputee golfers, has found that golf courses are always very helpful and “bend over backwards” to give the competitors a great experience. He encourages golf courses to promote golf participation for all, get involved with organizations for people with disabilities to offer golf clinics and partner with local rehabilitation facilities to provide golf opportunities as part of the recovery process.

Golf for people who are deaf or hard of hearing

Alain Turpin, the executive director of the Canadian Deaf Sports Association, says that the biggest challenge is communicating with deaf and hard of hearing golfers.

“Sometimes, it is difficult for pro-shop employees to communicate with deaf golfers who speak poorly or can’t speak and use language signs,” he said.

He recommends speaking face-to-face with deaf or hard of hearing golfers and writing simple messages on a sheet of paper to communicate.

When golfers who are deaf or hard of hearing take part in a sanctioned competition, it is important for the host committee to reserve a sign language interpreter. It makes a big difference for the deaf golfer to feel included and equal. As well, creating awareness for fellow competitors, competition officials and facility staff of the importance of face-to-face and written communication is essential.

Golf for military veterans who are ill or injured

Joe Kiraly, the outreach and communications manager for Soldier On, a program of the Canadian Armed Forces Transition Group, attests to the impact that golf brings to the recoveries of veterans.

“Golf has been a surprising addition to my life following an injury resulting in physical limitations and loss of personal identity,” said Kiraly. “I saw how golf helped others and decided to try it myself.”

The Soldier On golf program, one of its most robust initiatives, is championed by Michael Feyko, who works at Royal Oaks Golf Club in New Brunswick. Feyko is a PGA of Canada teaching professional and a former soldier who used golf as an integral part of his own recovery from injury. The program began as a grassroots initiative to support Armed Forces personnel suffering loss of ability, loss of identity or loss of career and was found to help improve mental and physical health.

Kiraly reports golf clubs being very welcoming to ill and injured men and women. Many veterans who have experienced

sensory or mobility loss, or who have been suffering emotionally, have found golf to be an important component of their healing. With the support of the golf community, the Soldier On golf program is continuing to grow across the country, with three week-long camps planned in 2020.

Golf is for everyone

While you may not have the opportunity to host the Invictus Games, you can make your club welcoming and accessible to all golfers and potential golfers. We all know people with a disability. Providing them the chance to learn the game or continue an activity they enjoy following the loss of ability is tremendously beneficial to them, their families and your club!

This article originally appeared in the Spring 2020 issue of Club Manager Quarterly, a publication of The Canadian Society of Club Managers (CSCM), and is reprinted with their permission. The original article can be found online here.

Leslie Dunning is the past president of Golf Canada. She believes golf is for everyone and that inclusion is key to growing the game. She is a member of Earl Grey and Bigwin Island Golf Clubs.

Winnipeg, MB – Breezy Bend Country Club’s Braxton Kuntz has been selected to attend Golf Canada’s National Junior Squad Selection Camp to take place at Bear Mountain Golf Resort in Victoria, BC from October 14-18th 2020.

Golf Canada coaching staff will be conducting the selection camp whereby athletes are invited to attend and compete for spots on the Squads through a series of objective testing protocols assessing skill and a 54-hole head-to-head tournament. Following the camp, Golf Canada’s selection committee will use the results from the camp assessments along with supplementary information to select the teams.

Kuntz’s invite comes after a solid 2020 campaign that included a 2nd place finish in the Manitoba Junior Men’s Provincial Championship, a T6th in the Manitoba Men’s Amateur Championship and a win and two 2nd place finishes in three Maple Leaf Junior Tour events where he posted a six round scoring average of 70.3. Kuntz is one of just thirteen junior boys and fourteen junior girls from across the country who have been invited to participate in the national team camp.

The intention of the Team Canada program is to provide the best possible support and services to athletes and assist them in attaining their goals. Each player receives a personalized program tailored towards his or her needs and in turn each team member is expected to be fully committed to the program with the goal of becoming one of the top ranked amateur golfers worldwide.

Team Canada players, lead by PGA of Canada head coach Robert Ratcliffe, will receive a full program inclusive of training (technical, physical, mental), competition coaching, sport science support, training camps, centralization support, in addition to uniform and equipment support. The program also includes athlete participation in major amateur competitions including the Pacific Junior Team Championship, Toyota World Junior Qualifier and Final, Glencoe Invitational, the Canadian Amateur and Junior Championships and the World Junior Girls Championship.

More information on the Team Canada golf program is available at golfcanada.ca/team-canada.

This golf season will be one for the books.

But despite unprecedented schedules, navigating a global pandemic and extreme heat in the country’s two biggest provinces, golf’s superintendents were there as they’ve always been – solving problems and giving golfers an opportunity to play the sport they love.

That’s why International “Thank a Golf Course Superintendent Day” means even more in 2020.

On September 23, the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association, in concert with other global superintendent groups, will recognize those who keep the game going and enjoyable. All together the global groups represent more than 31,000 golf course management professionals. Look for a commercial to run on the Golf Channel and other media outlets, along with social media content.

Golfers and others are encouraged to join in the conversation online using the hashtag:  #ThankASuper.

“Supers aren’t just people who grow grass. They’re an integral part of a team at any golf course,” says Kathryn Wood, chief operating officer of the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association.

Just as most superintendents were gearing up for their season, that’s when COVID-19 really spread aggressively worldwide, with sports leagues – including the PGA TOUR – pressing pause. Luckily superintendents were able to maintain an essential, minimal level of maintenance at golf courses (British Columbia was different insofar as courses were not mandated to close).

Wood says she has been so impressed by the resilient, smart, group across the country.

“Looking back, there have been challenges presented for every person in the pandemic, but golf course supers are pretty ingenious, proactive and flexible and can come through any type of challenge pretty well,” says Wood. “They are very flexible and able to deal with the different challenges they’re faced with.”

At Cutten Fields in Guelph, Ont., head superintendent Bill Green tells a story of adaptability – a key for 2020, more than ever, he says.

He says he had one-person work for him this year – Ashton DeBello, a second-year chemistry student – who last summer worked in the halfway house at the club. Her bosses loved her and wanted to her back in 2020. But when the course opened, there was no halfway house due to COVID-19. She joined Green’s team – along with a chef and a clubhouse maintenance worker, who pivoted gigs to help keep the course in top shape – where DeBello learned construction skills.

Now? She’s operating an excavator, installing drainage and building bunkers.

“It’s brought the entire club, staff-wise, closer,” says Green about having people from other parts of the club’s business see what it takes for superintendents to get their jobs done. “Even if it’s just a few people, they understand what we’re doing on the golf course a little more. The members know my staff. Usually we’re in the trees and no one sees us.

“I think anybody in any business or any walk of life… everybody has had to adjust and change their life in many ways in a lot of cases and we’re no different.”

In Manitoba, Darren Kalyniuk is president of the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association and the superintendent at St. Boniface Golf Club. He, like Green, says the staffing and budget issues were the biggest challenges they had to face in 2020.

Still, superintendents did what they always do – persevere.

“A lot of superintendents put on their rally caps and really did whatever they had to do with limited resources to get the courses back up and running properly,” says Kalyniuk.

“Everyone was asked to work with limited staff because there were so many uncertainties with revenues at the beginning and it put a little bit of a challenge on the courses and supers to do more with less.”

Doing more with less has been demanded of so many across Canada. Combine that with the increased safety measures installed at workplaces, and you’ve got a challenging season – not to mention there were record-breaking numbers of people coming out and playing golf, too.

But David Hunter, the superintendent at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley’s Hoot and North Courses says he’s seen his staff embrace the challenge.

“We’ve been really excited to provide great course conditions for the whole season,” says Hunter. “It’s been a banner year for our staff and we’re incredibly proud of this group of people.”

As Canadian golfers, we should all be incredibly proud of superintendents from coast to coast.

And to them, on September 23 and every day, we say thank you.

Golf is both thrilling and maddening, a way to have a singular escape or meet with friends, and a game for a lifetime that can be played by both the health-conscious and those who take it as an opportunity to raise a Steamwhistle and crush a hot dog.

But, when you’re looking for something even more for your next 18 holes, we’ve got you covered with an explainer of some fun games you could play with your group.

Games played on the course can be as simple as a match against a friend or family member all the way to a complicated tracker of accomplishments (or lack thereof) resulting in, perhaps, a couple of loonies passed between hands.

While the new Golf Canada app is perfect for posting scores using regular stroke play, we know that not everyone takes to the course to play nine or 18 holes counting all his or her shots. Playing games in a group is way to spice up your usual round. Even for the most experienced golf group, there may be something new below that you’ve never tried!

Read on to learn more about some of our favourites.

1. Alternate Shot

Otherwise known as ‘foursomes’ this is a completely different kind of golf that North Americans usually only see on TV during the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup. Trying this out with your friends will a) make you understand why the best players in the world struggle with it and b) maybe make you try to find some new friends, depending on where your partner leaves you to hit from.

Alternate shot is, well, that. One player hits then the next player hits from where she or he ended up. It could also be modified to where each twosome hits a drive, you pick the best one, and you alternate shots from there to the hole.

Must play with four golfers.

2. Six-Six-Six

This is a simple match-play format that allows you to play with everyone else in your group and not just a single partner for the duration of the round.

The 18 holes are divided up into three six-hole matches and you can use any scoring format you choose. Even if you get defeated soundly in one of your matches, you have two others to try to redeem yourself.

Must play with four golfers. If you are riding in carts, the usual format is ‘carts’ (those in the same cart), ‘drivers’ (those who are driving), and ‘opposites’ (a driver and a passenger).  

3. Wolf 

A points-based game, this one takes a little planning and some concentration (perhaps try to find an accountant to play with?) but it’s a dramatic one that makes for some great stories by the time the day is done.

There is a ton of other ways to track points and add bonuses to your Wolf game, but here are the basics:

• The order of play is determined on the first tee. The ‘Wolf’ always tees off last. The order in which golfers tee off, regardless of score, rotates every four holes so each player becomes the Wolf on a continual basis.
• Once each player hits his or her tee shot, the Wolf decides to either take a partner (based on the locations of the tee shots) or go as the ‘Lone Wolf’ and try to beat the other three players on his or her own ball.
  • Variation: You could also be the ‘Blind Wolf’ and declare, before any of the tee shots are hit, that you are going to go at it alone
• Points are collected as follows
  • Wolf and partner win the hole: two points
  • Non-Wolf partners win the hole: three points
  • Lone Wolf wins: four points
  • Lone Wolf defeated by any player: The other three get one point

Must play with four golfers.

4. Bingo, Bango, Bongo

Another fun one that doesn’t need to involve four players, and it’s perfect for golfers who have a higher handicap but still want to get in on the action during a round. It’s another game of points but one that’s wrapped in being ‘first’ to do something.

The first player to hit his or her shot onto the green gets a point (Bingo!), the player whose ball is closest to the pin when all balls are on the green gets a point (Bango!), and the first person to hole out gets a point (Bongo!).

At the end of the round whomever has the most points wins.

Can be played with two, three, or four golfers. 

5. Vegas

Another team game, this one can get out of hand if you’re applying a monetary value to each point – but it’s a unique twist on a usual ‘scoring’ game.

Teams are decided on the first tee and scores are not added, but combined. If Player A makes a 4 and Player B makes a 5 then their score is 45. If Player C makes a 5 and Player D makes a 7, their score is 57 and Team AB wins the hole by 12 points.

The lower score always goes to the front of the combined score.

Must play with four golfers. 

6. Best Ball

A Best Ball match is just that, and can be combined to any number of other team matchups on the course. Teams of two play straight up, but as the name suggests, the ‘best’ score on the hole counts as the team score.

‘Best Ball’ is not to be confused with a ‘Scramble’ (very popular for family or corporate tournaments) where all four members of a team hit a tee shot and they continue on to hole out by choosing the ‘best ball’ out of the bunch every time.

Must play with four golfers.

7. Skins

Golfers apply points (or dollar amounts) to each hole and the lowest score wins the pot.

If any two golfers tie the hole then the point or dollar amount carries over to the following hole. Things can add up quick and make the holes later in the round even more exciting!

Can play with two, three, or four golfers.

8. Stableford

Another opportunity for the higher handicap golfers to earn points against their lower-handicap friends, the Stableford system of scoring is so popular even the PGA Tour uses it for one of their events.

Points are applied to scores and the higher the better, in this instance.

For example: Three points for an eagle, two points for a birdie, one point for a par, no points for a bogey, and minus-1 point for a double-bogey or worse is a good way to start.

Can play with two, three, or four golfers. 

9. Nassau

Playing a Nassau is the most popular of golf games and the one with the most variations, too.

At its simplest, a Nassau is broken out in to three games: low front-nine score, low back-nine score, and low 18-hole score. Dollar amounts or points are applied to each match. Say you were going to play a $5 Nassau, the most you can lose is $15. If you win all three, you win $45 ($15 from the other three players).

A popular move when playing Nassau’s is to ‘press’ (basically double-or-nothing on the original bet), which you could do if you were down a few strokes and wanted to try for a late-round charge.

Fun add-ons, called ‘junk’ can be added to the original Nassau game.

Hit it in the water but still made par? You could add a ‘Fishy’ to your Nassau. Knocked it off a tree but still made par? Congratulations, you made a ‘Barky.’ Chipped in? Well done, you earned a ‘Chippie.’

Golf is a fun enough game as it stands, but over 18 holes and with the same group round after round, there is no shortage of little games you can bring to the course the next time you tee it up.

With the health and safety risks around COVID-19, and the inability to deliver a “phenomenal” event, the Niagara 2021 Canada Summer Games have been postponed until 2022.

The Canada Games Council (CGC) and Niagara Host Society announced the decision Wednesday after consultations with the Niagara Region in southern Ontario, and the provincial and federal governments.

“Like everyone else in sports events and the world generally we’ve all been watching how the pandemic unfolds, and following all the updates, trying to do our contingency planning and assess what impact it would have for us,” said Dan Wilcock, the CGC’s president and CEO.

“The Canada Games is a very large event . . . A lot of preparation goes into it. And we’ve been staying in close contact with all our all our various stakeholders trying to assess what a Games looks like in the context of the pandemic.”

Originally scheduled for August of 2021 in the Niagara Region, the Games have been rescheduled to the summer of 2022.

Held every two years, alternating between summer and winter, the Canada Games are the country’s marquee multi-sports event for up-and-coming athletes, with more than 5,000 competitors and 4,000 volunteers expected to participate in the Niagara version.

The Canada Games have eligibility rules such as age limits that are different for each sport. No decisions have been made on whether those eligibility rules will change to reflect the postponement.

Some sports have managed to return in Canada. The NHL reconvened in “bubbles” in Edmonton and Toronto, with the conference finals and Stanley Cup final being held in the Alberta capital. Canada’s three MLS teams are playing in their home cities, with the majority of matches in front of no fans.

The Canadian Elite Basketball League condensed its season into a two-week tournament in St. Catharines, Ont., with no fans. And the Canadian Premier League is playing out its soccer season in Charlottetown.

But none of those events drew the number of athletes the Canada Games does.

Wilcock said the numerous options including bubbles were analyzed, but the health and safety risks were too high.

“The Games brings together athletes and spectators from hundreds of communities across the country,” he said. “So, we’re not just focused on the health of participants and spectators in Niagara at the time of the Games, but also the hundreds of communities that people will return to across the country.”

Athletes are under different COVID-19 restrictions depending on municipal and provincial governments, so an athlete in one province or territory might not have the same access to training facilities as someone in another. Wilcock said being able to provide a fair Games for all competitors was important.

Also, Wilcock said hosting next summer wouldn’t ensure an “extraordinary Games experience.”

“And that’s certainly what the host society has promised to the Niagara region and the country,” he said. “The pandemic would significantly hinder our ability to stage the Games in the way they were envisaged, things like opening ceremonies, mass gatherings, etc. . . . looking questionable.

“So I think by postponing to the summer 2022, we can address both those things, we can better protect the health and safety of participants, but also deliver a phenomenal Games experience for all.”

If there’s a silver lining, Wilcock said, it’s that a later start date means additional time to for full testing of new facilities at Canada Games Park and the Henley Rowing Centre. Canada Games Park, at Brock University in St. Catharines, will include a sport and ability centre, arenas, gyms and an outdoor facility with a track, athletic field and beach volleyball courts.

No dates have been set for the 2022 Games in Niagara.

The Canada Games were first held in 1967 in Quebec City, and since then have seen more than 75,000 athletes compete, including Sidney Crosby, Steve Nash, Hayley Wickenheiser, Catriona Le May Doan, Martin Brodeur, and Lennox Lewis.

Red Deer, Alta., hosted the last Canada Winter Games in 2019, while Winnipeg was the site of the 2017 Canada Summer Games.

In late July, Golf Canada and the Golf Canada Foundation joined together to launch the COVID-19 GOLF RELIEF FUND, an initiative aimed at supporting golf courses in helping employees and golfers stay safe while also thanking front-line workers through encouraging additional play and welcoming juniors to further experience the game.

As part of the RELIEF FUND, golfers and golf fans across the country were able to participate in a digital sweepstakes campaign featuring significant prizing across Canada and the U.S. in 2021.

Golf Canada and the Golf Canada Foundation would like to thank everyone who participated in the sweepstakes and supported the COVID-19 Golf Relief Fund thus far.

We are excited to announce and congratulate our sweepstakes prize winners below:

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We are not done yet… You can still help by getting behind the COVID-19 Golf Relief Fund!

Donations to the RELIEF FUND will be accepted throughout the season.

Click here to learn more about the COVID-19 Golf Relief Fund

Despite the challenges of the pandemic in the communities where we live, work and play, golf has seen a strong increase in rounds played across the country. Interest in the game and the golf experience among avid players, new enthusiasts, and juniors has been encouraging with golf’s re-emergence through COVID-19. Golf is well positioned for continued success moving forward and as the season begins to wind down, take a moment to be proud of the industry’s collective efforts to keep golfers and course staff safe in 2020.