The 14th edition of the Junior Skills Challenge National Event wrapped up today in Vancouver after 24 of the top Canadian junior golfers showcased their skills in one of Golf Canada’s signature junior events. The event took place at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club which will also play host to the CPKC Women’s Open from August 24-27th.

The National Event culminates a year-long program consisting of over 100 qualifying events across Canada and 2,000 participants. 

In partnership with the PGA of Canada and Cobra-Puma Golf, participants went head-to-head in putting, chipping, and driving competitions:

Putting: each competitor received one putt from each distance of 5, 10, and 20 feet with points awarded for holing the putt and proximity to the hole.

Chipping: each competitor received three shots for chipping with points awarded on distance of the chip from the target.

Driving: each competitor received three drives with points awarded for distance and aim of the drive.  

The winners for each division of the Junior Skills Challenge National Event received a brand-new driver courtesy of Cobra-Puma Golf.

Below are the winners in each of the age groups: 

Girls 9 to 11: 

Four participants competed including Sadie Blazeiko, Jordyn Butler, Chloe Lam, and Avery McGuire.

Blazeiko of Winnipeg, MB took home the title with a score of 175 (60 points from driving, 25 points from chipping, 80 points from putting).

Boys 12 to 14: 

Carson Chapman, Cedrick Hamelin, Siddharth Kaja, and Clayton Michel participated.

Kaja of Mississauga, ON captured the title with a final score of 215, with the most impressive chipping scores of the day (70 points from driving, 55 points from chipping, 90 points from putting).

Chapman finished second with 185 points (75 points from driving, 20 points from chipping, 90 points from putting).

Boys 8 and under:  

Four participants competed including Albert Cui, Eliott Forest, Clifton McLeod, and Waris Wirring.

McLeod of Calgary, AB captured the title with a score of 165 (55 points from driving, 20 points from chipping, and 90 points from putting).

Girls 8 and under: 

Four participants competed including Sophie Dai, Ophelie Duguay, Eisla Kim, and Brooke Sundquist.

Dai of Calgary, AB dominated in her division, earning first place with a final score of 140 (45 points from driving, 25 points from chipping, and 70 points from putting).

Boys 9 to 11: 

Competing in the division included Patrik Geary, Damian Gonzalez, Carter Sam, and Jagger Shi.  

It was a close competition, but Gonzalez of Oakville, ON pulled away with a final score of 150 (50 points from driving, 20 points from chipping, 70 points from putting).

Girls 12 to 14: 

Aliyah Hull, Tatum Lohnes, Mila Snook, and Hannah Thomas participated.

Hull of Chestermere, AB was a stand-out competitor with an impressive final score of 215, with the best driving score of the day across all age groups in both male and female divisions (100 points from driving, 45 points from chipping, and 70 points from putting).

For more information on the Junior Skills Challenge National Event, click here.

with files courtesy Golf Canada

A field of 48 will tee off Monday morning at Glendale Golf & Country Club looking to earn a birth into the 2023 CentrePort Canada Railpark Manitoba Open.

Of the 48, six are homegrown talents hoping to be one of the top eight qualifiers to play at Southwood Golf & Country Club starting Thursday.

The six Manitobans include:

Charlie Boyechko
Austin Dobrescu
Travis Fredborg
Ryan McMillan
Jose Mekish-Lacquette
Zach Sackett

A premier field of top-level golfers aged 25-and-over will gather on Monday to open the 36th playing of the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship at Algonquin Golf Resort in St. Andrews, N.B.

The Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship is a 72-hole stroke play event, with a 36-hole cut to the low 70 players and ties. In the event of a tie at the end of four rounds, there will be a hole-by-hole playoff. The championship was first contested in 1987 and includes an inter-provincial competition held over the first 36 holes. The Mid-Amateur division will run concurrently with the Mid-Master division for players 40 and older.

Golf Manitoba members taking part in this year’s championship feature:

Delwyn Doerksen (Oakview Golf & Country Club)
Drew Jones (Shilo Country Club)
Cameron Duncan (Oak Island Golf)
Tyler Hall (Pine Ridge Golf Club)
Adam Guenther (Elmhurst Golf & Country Club)
Chase Beach-Ducharme (Pine Ridge Golf Club)
Curtis Markusson (St. Charles Country Club)
David White (St. Charles Country Club)
Lyle Mackenzie (Niakwa Country Club)
Michael Coutts (Southwood Golf & Country Club)
Troy Kehler (Elmhurst Golf & Country Club)
Wade Wetelainen (Eagles Landing Golf & Curling Club)

For Monday’s opening round tee times, click here.

For the opening round leaderboard, click here.

The field of 156 amateur golfers will navigate the picturesque seaside course looking to etch their name onto the Presidents Cup. Situated in the charming costal town of St. Andrews, The Algonquin Golf Course is an iconic establishment in New Brunswick and is part of one of Canada’s most enchanting destinations, The Algonquin Resort.

“Golf Canada is excited to welcome this talented group of Mid-amateur players to The Algonquin Golf Course for the 2023 edition of this great championship,” said Golf Canada’s Tournament Director, Sam Meek. “This year’s field consists of numerous past champions, as well as several of the top mid-amateur golfers in Canada and the United States. The town of St. Andrews and golf fans in the region can look forward to a great week of golf.”

Founded in 1894, The Algonquin boasts a rich and captivating history. Renovated during the 1920s by the renowned Donald Ross and more recently under the attention of Rod Whitman, a prominent figure amongst Canada’s esteemed designers. Each of Whitman’s Canadian designs fall in the top 10 in Canada on SCOREGolf’s Biennial course rankings list.

“The Algonquin Golf Course and its members who are the Algonquin Golf Club are excited to welcome competitors to the Canadian Mid-Amateur Championship. This is a terrific opportunity for us to showcase our excellent course which is described locally as the Pebble Beach of the East,” said Andrew Cook, Host Tournament Chair for the event and Past President of Golf Canada and Golf New Brunswick. “We have over 60 volunteers lined up to assist with the operation of the tournament. We think the competitors will find the course challenging but also fun, and even if the golf game is not perfect, the spectacular views of the Bay of Fundy will more than compensate.”

Charles Fitzsimmons of London, Ont., has won the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship in back-to-back years in 2021 and 2022 and placed third at the 2019 championship. He returns this year looking to defend his title in search of a three-peat.

Other notables in the field are Joseph Deraney of Belden, Miss., champion of the 2018 and 2019 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship and Phil Arci of Woodbridge Ont., who finished as the runner-up at the 118th Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship that took place at The Pulpit Club last week.

Previous winners of the championship include one of Canada’s top-ranked men’s amateur golfers, Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont., who won the event three years in a row from 2014-2016; Graham Cooke who won it seven times between 1987 and 2002; and Stu Hamilton who won it on four separate occasions between 1990 and 1994.

In addition to the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur title, the 2023 champion will receive an exemption into the 2023 U.S. Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship and the 2024 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.

with files courtesy Golf Canada

If you scroll through a golfer’s smartphone, you’ll undoubtedly find a myriad of golf course images and swing videos. Most golfers enjoy capturing their golf experiences with their smartphone and sharing them with their friends via their favourite social networks – and now the Golf Canada Mobile App can be one of them.

The most recent version of Golf Canada’s Mobile App includes several enhancements that help golfers stay connected off the course, including a new friending system. The new version of the mobile app will also enable golfers to post images and videos to document, log and share great moments from their rounds.

Once you become friends with another Golf Canada Mobile App user, you’ll be able to follow their golfing experiences seeing their scores, photos and videos on your new in-app home screen feed. This home screen feed will also feature relevant news and stories from Canadian Golf. You’ll have the ability to like or comment on updates and also have the option to be notified of their updates via email or app push notifications.

“We recognize that many Canadians journeys with the game of golf are inherently social, this exciting update to the Golf Canada Mobile App, will enable golfers across the country to stay connected with their friends in a new and engaging way,” said Golf Canada Chief Marketing Officer Tim McLaughlin. “Whether it’s photos from a bucket-list course, a new career-low score, or telling your friends you’re headed out on a sunny Friday afternoon for a round, those conversations can all happen right within the Golf Canada Mobile App. We aim to create the largest golf centric social network in Canada.”

Golf Canada’s Mobile App is free for everyone, with an enhanced version available for Golf Canada members.

There are plenty of exciting features that already exist in the app. A major redesign and rebuild in 2020 introduced several enhancements including course GPS, enhanced stats tracking, game modes and Apple Watch compatibility. In 2022, live event features were added for patrons attending Golf Canada’s national golf championships – the RBC Canadian Open and CPKC Women’s Open.

Golf Canada also hopes the new features will encourage more Canadians to get outside, play golf and share their experiences. Research recently conducted by Golf Canada shows that while the No. 1 reason Canadians play golf was for physical activity, No. 2 is for socializing.

Golf Canada first launched its mobile app in 2013 as a member-only app that featured handicapping and scoring as its primary function.

The mobile app is a key component of Golf Canada’s digital marketing strategy designed to draw more people to the sport, improve the in-game experience and increase membership. It has also been developed in consultation with the provincial golf associations across Canada to ensure a grassroots connection.

“You are likely already talking with your golf buddies in a group chat, so Golf Canada wanted to help make it so you can add media and post in a place where everyone is alerted,” added McLaughlin. “This new friend functionality will give golfers even more reason to spend time engaging with what is already the #1 golf app in Canada.”

Golf Canada will continue to work on adding even more exciting updates in 2024. For now, the new update will let golfers from coast-to-coast share their photos, updates and start conversations with all those who love golf just as much as they do.  

The Golf Canada Mobile App is available for download for both IOS and Android operating systems from both the App Store and Google Play at no cost.

Learn more about these new enhancements.

A look at Kildonan Park Golf Course with City of Winnipeg Golf Operations Coordinator Dave Comaskey.

For more details on Kildonan Park Golf Course, click here.

Alex Zhang shot a final round of 74 to win the 2023 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, presented by BDO at the North Bay Golf and Country Club in North Bay, Ont. on Thursday.

Zhang took a one-shot lead into the final round and that’s how it would end as he becomes the 11th player in tournament history to win both the Silver Cup (Junior Championship) and the Jack Bailey Trophy (Juvenile Championship), and the first player to win both since Christopher Vandette in 2018.

He joins Jim Rutledge, Jeff Makahon, Rob McMillan, Jesse Collinson, Dustin Risdon, Gord Scutt, Rafael Lee, Mitch Sutton, Charles-Éric Bélanger and Vandette as those who have won both championships.

Grady Chuback (Team Manitoba / St. Charles Country Club) shot a one over par 73 to finish tied for 37th on the leaderboard at +12, 300. Chuback’s round featured four birdies – on the first, 10th, 11th and 16th holes.

Ryan Orchard (Carman Golf & Curling Club) carded a final round 80 to end play at +23, 311.

With the victory, Zhang has earned an exemption into the 2024 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship as well as the 2024 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship.

Zhang will also be awarded a cheque of $1,200. To align with the modernized Rules of Amateur Status, players at the Canadian Junior Boys Championship, competed for a purse of $8,000 CAD. Along with Zhang, the top-10 finishers earned prize money.

Jake Houston of Baie-D’Urfe, Que. and James Lee of Whistler, B.C. both finished at 1-under to earn silver medalist honours in the Junior Championship. Lee also earned solo silver medalist honours in the Juvenile Championship and Matthew Javier of North York, Ont. took home bronze medalist honours finishing at even par.

For the final standings of the 2023 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, presented by BDO, please click here.

• copy courtesy Golf Canada

Grady Chuback (Team Manitoba / St. Charles Country Club) made two birdies in his opening six holes while carding a six over par 78 during today’s third round of the Canadian Junior Boys Championship in North Bay, Ontario.

Through 54 holes, Chuback is T56 on the leaderboard at +11, 227.

Ryan Orchard (Carman Golf & Curling Club) is four strokes back of Chuback in 70th place at +15, 231 following a seven over par 79 today.

For the third round leaderboard, click here.

For the final round tee times, click here.

Terence Rafferty (Team Manitoba / Southwood Golf & Country Club) had Manitoba’s low round of the day carding a two over par 74 during today’s second round of the Canadian Junior Boys Championship in North Bay, Ontario.

Ryan Orchard (Carman Golf & Curling Club) shot a 77 while both Grady Chuback (Team Manitoba / St. Charles Country Club) and Zostrianos Gross (Shilo Country Club) had an 80.

Chuback (+5, 149) and Orchard (+8, 152) made the cut to play the final two rounds.

Chuback, Orchard and Rafferty represented Manitoba in the 36 hole Inter-Provincial Team Competition and finished fourth overall at seven over par.

For the second round leaderboard, click here.

For the third round tee times, click here.

Golf Manitoba, in association with Golf Canada, is pleased to welcome to the Russell Golf Club as our newest member club.

Located east of Russell along Highway #45, this 3,200 yard 9 hole course can be played from various sets of tee boxes with 10 greens available.

“Our course is a very family friendly course” said Executive Board Member Kevin Boucher. “What’s unique about our place is the 8th hole has two greens to shoot at so when you play your second nine holes it gives you a different look.”

The Russell Golf Club also features a driving range, putting green and a full menu in their restaurant.

As an official Golf Manitoba / Canada member club, all rounds played at the Russell Golf Club are acceptable for handicap purposes and may be recorded toward establishing or maintaining an official Golf Canada Handicap Index.

For more information, call the proshop at (204) 773-2969.

Grady Chuback (Team Manitoba / St. Charles Country Club) is Manitoba’s top performer today in the opening round of the 2023 Canadian Junior Boys Championship.

After bogeying his opening hole, Chuback made four birdies and 13 pars en route to a three under par 69 at The North Bay Golf and Country Club in North Bay, Ontario.

Also representing Manitoba:

Ryan Orchard (Carman Golf & Curling Club) +3, 75
Zostrianos Gross (Shilo Country Club) +7, 79
Terence Rafferty (Team Manitoba / Southwood Golf & Country Club) +13, 85

Chuback, Orchard and Rafferty are representing Manitoba during the 36 hole Inter-Provincial Team Competition. Chuback and Orchard have combined to place our province second on the leaderboard, just one stroke back of first place Ontario.

For the opening round leaderboard, click here.

For the second round tee times, click here.