WINNIPEG, MB – The coaching staff for golf for the 2020 Manitoba Summer games met on Monday, March 9 for a learning and development session in preparation for the Dauphin 2020 Manitoba Games powered by Manitoba Hydro.  This was the first meeting for the coaching staff that included a coaching development session lead by PGA of Canada professional, head coach of the 2020 men’s Canadian Olympic golf team and PGA Tour coach, Derek Ingram. Also in attendance was three-time PGA of Canada Manitoba Zone Coach of the Year and Golf Manitoba Director of Player Development, Garth Goodbrandson.

This will be the 5th year that golf will be included in the provincial multi-sport games event with the first participation taking place in 2004. The City of Dauphin will be hosting over 1500 athletes at the 2020 Manitoba Games from August 9 – 15, 2020 with golf athletes competing on the gorgeous Gilbert Plains Golf & Country Club.

Regional coaching staff for golf include current and former members of the PGA of Canada and include Dave Scinocca (West), Dean North (South), Ryan MacKenzie (East), Greg Hesom (Winnipeg) and Bri-ann Tokariwski (Winnipeg). For more information on the 2020 coaching staff, please click HERE >>.

Golf Canada is pleased to announce its 2020 Future Links Junior Skills Challenge program schedule, which now includes 10 Provincial Qualifiers hosted at member clubs across Canada and will conclude with the 12^th edition of the Future Links Junior Skills Challenge National Event at Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club in Vancouver, BC on August 29-30.

Important Dates for 2020:

• Facility Events:

July 19, 2019 – June 22, 2020 at local Future Links facilities

• Local Provincial Qualifier:

July 5, 2020 at St. Charles Country Club

• National Event:

August 29-30, 2020 at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver, BC

To become an official Future Links Junior Skills Challenge site, a facility must register with Future Links – providing access to program materials and online login information. Offered to golf facilities across Canada at no cost, the objective of the program is to develop key golf skills, while serving as an important introduction to competition.

Following registration, facilities can host a Junior Skills Challenge event at a date of their choosing (not required to report to Golf Canada). Once the event has been completed, players scores are entered to the National Leaderboard by the site coordinators. Participants can track their results to see how they measure up to other players in their age category across their own province or across Canada. The four age categories are 8 and under, 9 to 11, 12 to 14 and 15 to 18 years old. Future Links facilities will host Junior Skills Challenge events between July 19, 2019 and June 22, 2020.

Beginning in 2020, the program structure includes the addition of another level of qualifying events, at the provincial level. On Monday, June 22, 2020 at 12:00pm ET, Golf Canada will select the top four (4) ranked players in each province, in each age and gender category and invite them to compete in their respective Future Links Junior Skills Challenge Provincial Qualifiers. Each province will host a Provincial Qualifier between July 3, 2020 and July 20, 2020 and report scores to Golf Canada thereafter.

Following the Provincial Qualifiers, the top four competitors, in each age and gender category, with the highest scores nationally will be invited to compete in the 2020 Future Links Junior Skills Challenge National Event, hosted by Golf Canada. The National Event will take place on August 29-30, 2020 at the Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club in Vancouver, BC.

For more information and to renew your registration or to register your facility, please visit or log-in at https://futurelinks.golfcanada.ca/

The 2020 Manitoba Games are coming to Dauphin. Want a chance to represent your region in the sport of golf?

The City of Dauphin will be hosting over 1500 athletes at the 2020 Manitoba Games powered by Manitoba Hydro from August 9 – 15, 2020, and once again Golf will be teeing it up. Golf athletes will be competing on the gorgeous Gilbert Plains Golf & Country Club from August 9 – 11.

TaylorMade Canada has agreed to extend its partnership with Golf Manitoba as the association’s official performance partner.  Under the agreement, TaylorMade Canada will continue as the sole provider of performance equipment for Golf Manitoba for the 2020 season.

“TaylorMade Canada is excited to extend this partnership with Golf Manitoba,” said Eric Johnson, Territory Sales Manager for Manitoba and Ontario, Lake Head. “Our partnerships with many of the provincial golf associations around the country like Golf Manitoba is something we are very proud of here at TaylorMade Golf Canada,” said TaylorMade Golf Canada GM David Bradley. “We are so excited about continuing our partnership this year and supporting amateur and junior golf in the province of Manitoba.”

“We have been fortunate to have had a successful partnership with TaylorMade Canada over the past two seasons,” said Jared Ladobruk, Executive Director of Golf Manitoba. “And we are looking forward to continuing this relationship for another year. TaylorMade is well recognized as one of the premier ball and equipment manufacturers in golf and we are thrilled to extend the benefits of this relationship to our competitors and provincial teams.”

In 2018 and 2019, TaylorMade Canada equipped all provincial teams with TaylorMade high-performance carry bags, TP5 balls and headwear. Additionally, Golf Manitoba competitors received TP5 balls when playing in events.

About TaylorMade Golf Company

Headquartered in Carlsbad, California, TaylorMade Golf is a leading manufacturer of high performance golf equipment with industry-leading innovative products like SIM metalwoods, SIM irons, TP5/TP5X golf balls and Spider putters. A major force on the PGA TOUR, TaylorMade has an unrivaled athlete portfolio that includes Tiger Woods, Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Jason Day, Jon Rahm, Rickie Fowler, Matthew Wolff and Collin Morikawa.

Follow TaylorMade Canada at taylormadegolf.ca

About Golf Manitoba

Golf Manitoba is recognized by Sport Manitoba as the Provincial Sport Organization and governing body of amateur for golf in the province. 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.

Follow Golf Manitoba at golfmb.ca

For more information:

Jared Ladobruk
Executive Director
Golf Manitoba
204.925.5729
jared@golfmb.ca

Golf Manitoba is pleased to release its 2020 Championship schedule.

The provincial amateur golf governing body will host 11 championships at 11 different clubs across the province. Golfers who tee it up in Golf Manitoba competitions in 2020 will get a chance to compete at some of the province’s top facilities.

“We are very excited to release our championship schedule for 2020,“ said Jared Ladobruk, Executive Director for Golf Manitoba. “When planning our event calendar, we were fortunate to have so many quality facilities willing to host a Golf Manitoba championship and we are extremely appreciative of their commitment to support our events. Consequently, our participants will be able to experience and test their game on many of our provinces top golf courses.”

The 2020 championship season will officially kick off with the Match Play Championship with the qualifying matches being held May 23 & 24 at the Winkler Golf Club. The championship matches will then move to the St. Charles Country Club from May 30 to June 7.

2020 Championship Schedule

Match Play Championship – Winkler Golf Club / St. Charles Country Club (May 23-June 7)

Women’s City & District & Junior Bantam Championships – Portage Golf Club (June 27 & 28)

Diamond Athletic Women’s Amateur and Men’s Mid-Amateur Championships – Bel Acres Golf & Country Club (July 6-8)

Manitoba Junior Men’s & Women’s Championship – Selkirk Golf & Country Club (July 12-14)

Nott Autocorp Men’s Amateur Championship – Minnewasta Golf & Country Club / Glendale Golf & Country Club (July 16-19)

Senior Men’s & Women’s Championship – Steinbach Fly-In Golf Club (July 27-29)

Ladies Interclub Championship – Carman Golf & Curling Club (August 27)

Men’s Provincial Interclub Championship – Neepawa Golf & Country Club (August 28)

Men’s Senior Interclub Championship – Grand Pines Golf Club (September 1)

Other events on the local golf calendar for 2020 include the Golf Canada junior Future Links driven by Acura Prairie Championship June 12-14 at Quarry Oaks Golf Course in Steinbach, Manitoba and also the Manitoba Summer Games that will run August 9-11 at the Gilbert Plains Country Club in Gilbert Plains, Manitoba.

Entry for registration for most Golf Manitoba championships opens on April 1, 2020. For more information on the events including dates, times, eligibility, host venue and more, please visit our competitions schedule page at golfmb.ca.

Since 2003, Golf Manitoba and Golf Canada have been providing member clubs with educational sessions relating to the handicap system.  These seminars are being offered as part of the copyright agreement between Golf Canada and the United States Golf Association (USGA) to try and maintain a consistent manner in which the handicap system is utilized. To date, approximately 400+ participants have attended these seminars.

While the frigid January temperatures would suggest otherwise, golf season has officially begun for the 2020 Golf Manitoba Junior Development Teams.

Seventeen U18 boys and ten U18 girls started their training at the Golf Dome in early January and will continue to do so until the end of March. The program includes weekly practice sessions where the athletes will work on skills development under the guidance of Golf Manitoba’s Director of Player Development and 2019 PGA of Manitoba Coach of the Year, Garth Goodbrandson. Also helping with the program is Elmhurst Golf & Country Club Assistant Professional Bri-Ann Tokariwski along with players from the University of Manitoba Men’s Golf team.

Upon completion of the winter program, the teams will start their green grass season with a two-day development camp in early May and then move into club season where the teams will compete in the men’s Mundie Putter and women’s Nassau leagues.

For more information on the Golf Manitoba Junior Development Teams, contact Garth Goodbrandson at garth@golfmb.ca.

Golf Manitoba is saddened to have learned that Eric Henke, formally of Rapid City, Manitoba passed away in Minnedosa, Manitoba on December 20, 2019 at the age of 68 years. 

Eric was a volunteer rules referee with Golf Manitoba since 2008. Over the past 11 years, Eric officiated at numerous provincial and national level amateur golf championships.  In the spring of 2019, he completed his Level 3 certification, the highest level of referee certification offered through Golf Canada.

In order to increase his knowledge of the rules, Eric attended a number of Golf Canada and USGA golf rules seminars, at his own expense, in Canada and the U.S.  Invariably his exam marks were amongst the highest, if not the highest, in a class composed of senior golf referees. In the words of one of the top USGA referees: “Eric REALLY knew the rules.”

Eric also was very helpful in sharing his knowledge and understanding of the rules with his fellow officials . He thoroughly enjoyed volunteering his time and expertise and he will be missed both as a colleague and a friend.

If you wish to leave a note on a tribute wall in memory of Eric, you may do so here >> https://www.whitesfh.ca/notices/Eric-Henke

Golf Manitoba is excited to announce that the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation has again committed to support junior golf programming and the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame in 2020.

The Foundation has agreed to make a $70,000 donation with the proceeds to benefit grassroots and high-performance junior golf programs, the University of Manitoba Bisons Golf program and the annual induction ceremony conducted by the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame and Museum.

In 2019, the Foundation made a $60,000 donation with the proceeds also targeted to the above mentioned programs.

In 2018, the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation was established with a mandate to support junior golf in the province of Manitoba. The Foundation will eventually commit a total of $3 million dollars to an endowment that will aid in supporting the development of new generations of golfers through grassroots golf initiatives and high-performance programming.

“We are delighted that the Foundation has again provided us with a tremendous opportunity for the coming year” said Ken Warwick, President of Golf Manitoba. “With the donation, we will look to continue with the momentum from 2019 and further expand our ability to grow the sport and support our high-performing athletes.”

In 2019, the donation made an immediate impact in the grow-sport programming offered by Golf Manitoba. A significant portion of the proceeds were directed to the Golf in Schools program where over 9,800 early years students were introduced to the golf through clinics conducted at over 40 schools across Manitoba. Additionally, the donation provided enhanced funding to Golf Manitoba inter-provincial junior teams with 18 juniors representing Manitoba in national championships and inter-provincial competitions.

In addition to the above, Golf Manitoba provided funding to external junior golf programs including the Boys and Girls Club program at Bridges Golf Club, the PGA of Canada Manitoba Zone Future Pros program and junior development programs provided by Golf Mentor.  Again for 2020, existing junior golf programs will be able to apply for funding which will be evaluated by Golf Manitoba to determine eligibility with further announcements to follow.

Additionally, proceeds from the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation donation will provide support to the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame which recognizes and celebrates those who have made extraordinary contributions in the Manitoba golf community as well as nationally and internationally. A goal of the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame is to make known the achievements of its Honoured Members and Teams to serve as inspiration to future generations which is consistent with the goals of the Alex and Peggy Colonello Foundation to support junior golf. The 2020 induction ceremony is scheduled to take place in late September.

The donation from the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation will again be made through the Manitoba Fund within the Golf Canada Foundation, a fund dedicated to providing development opportunities for juniors in the province of Manitoba.

About Alex & Peggy Colonello:

Peggy Colonello served as president of the Manitoba Ladies’ Golf Association in 1974 – 76 and was an active participant at her home course, the Elmhurst Golf & Country Club, where she and husband Alex had been members since the 1940s.

Peggy also served a two-year term as president of the Canadian Ladies’ Golf Association from 1982-83. During her time on the national executive, Peggy attended World and Commonwealth championships in Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Columbia, Britain and Switzerland, including the various Canadian events in which she participated. Peggy was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 1994 and was an inaugural inductee into the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame on September 29, 2003.

Alex Colonello first moved to Winnipeg in 1941 where, in 1949, Bay Bronze Company asked him to start a machinery division for them. Alex eventually bought control of the company in 1973 becoming President until his retirement in 1996. In 1998, Alex purchased the golf accessory line from Bayco Industries to form Bayco Golf Inc. Alex Colonello passed away in 2013 at the age of 93.

About Golf Manitoba: Golf Manitoba is recognized by Sport Manitoba as the Provincial Sport Organization and governing body of amateur for golf in the province. 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.

About Golf Canada Foundation:  Founded in 1979 with the purpose to raise and grant funds for the advancement of golf in Canada. As a registered Canadian Amateur Association, the Foundation delivers this mandate by awarding scholarships to Canadian student golfers and distributing grants to support initiatives that fall into five key areas:

• Junior Golf
• Collegiate Golf
• Women’s Golf
• High Performance Golf
• Heritage

In 2019, the Foundation granted $1.5 million to programs nationwide which brings our total to more than $8.9 million since 2012, and $10.3 million invested in the sport since the Foundation’s inception.

In January 2020, the new Rules of Handicapping will be introduced in Canada.

#1. Handicap Index calculation is changing.
Your number will be based off your 8 best scores out of the past 20. For most golfers, the change will be minor, but you may see that your Handicap Index is different in January, despite not having played!

Learn more >>

#2. Your course handicap will change.
Slope Rating and now Course Rating and Par will be used to determine your Course Handicap, allowing you to play from different sets of tees without any adjustment.

Learn more >>

#3. Net Double Bogey will replace Equitable Stroke Control (ESC).
The maximum hole score for handicap purposes will be limited to Net Double Bogey (Par + 2 + any handicap strokes you received).

Learn more >>

#4. Safeguards have been added to protect your Handicap Index.
The system will account for abnormal playing conditions, limit extreme upward movement of a Handicap Index, and reduce a Handicap Index when an exceptional score is posted.

Learn more >>

To ensure you’re ready to starting entering scores under the new World Handicap System, Golf Canada/Manitoba will be providing a number of educational tools and resources including an opportunity to attend both online and in-person seminars. Stay tuned for upcoming seminar dates, times and locations.

For more information on the World Handicap System, please visit golfcanada.ca/handicapping