In early January, TaylorMade Golf released their new line of SIM2 metals woods to the market.

Manitoba Territory Sales and Marketing Manager Eric Johnson met with Golf Manitoba at the Gallagher Golf Studio at the Niakwa Country Club in Winnipeg to showcase the new Sim2 line of drivers. In the video below, Eric walks us through some of the technology behind the new Sim2 driver.

With the original SIM, the company focused on reshaping the driver to deliver speed and aerodynamics at the most critical stage of the swing – those milliseconds right before impact. Embracing the evolution of design, now TaylorMade has reinvented the way drivers are constructed with an increased focus on enhanced forgiveness while maintaining speed and optimal launch conditions.

For more information on the new Sim2 line of drivers, please click HERE.

About TaylorMade Golf

Headquartered in Carlsbad, California, TaylorMade Golf is a leading manufacturer of high performance golf equipment with industry-leading innovative products like SIM2 metalwoods, SIM2 irons, P Series 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, Tommy Fleetwood, Rickie Fowler, Matthew Wolff, Collin Morikawa, Harry Higgs, Nick Taylor, Michael Gligic, SH Park, Charley Hull, Maria Fassi and Sierra Brooks.

TaylorMade Golf Canada is the official equipment performance partner of Golf Manitoba.

Golf Manitoba, on behalf of its member club community, recently applied for was was approved for sport community funding under the federal Emergency Support Fund for Sport. Golf Manitoba is pleased to announce that $28,500 has been distributed to member clubs to help support operational challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Qualifying operational expenses covered by the fund include the following:

• Ongoing operational expenses (office rent, storage, insurance, accounting/legal, IT, communications, staffing that was not covered by any federal programs i.e. CEWS)
• COVID-19 related supplies (cleaning & protective equipment, signage)
• COVID-19 related staffing (increases due to return to play ratios, safety staff/volunteer monitors)
• Equipment expenses related to return to play guidelines

Golf Manitoba wishes to extend its sincere thanks to Sport Manitoba for their assistance with the application.

For more information on the Golf Manitoba/Canada club membership program, please visit our membership page.

LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. (Feb. 17, 2021) – The USGA announced today that Mike Whan will join the organization this summer as CEO, and will become the eighth top executive in USGA history.

Last month, Whan announced his intention to step down as LPGA Commissioner in 2021, after his organization completes a search for the next Commissioner. His transition follows an impressive 11 years at the helm of the LPGA, during which the organization experienced historic growth in virtually every aspect of the business.

As USGA CEO, Whan will be responsible for leading all aspects of the association’s operations, including its core functions, essential programs, and human and financial resources. He will also represent the USGA on a variety of national and international boards.

Laurence Applebaum and Mike Whan at 2019 CP Women’s Open

“Mike Whan is a proven, successful and transformative leader, not only in the golf industry but throughout his entire career,” said USGA President Stu Francis, who oversaw the CEO search process. “He has shown a unique ability to understand how the environment is changing in global golf and how to quickly and thoughtfully adapt an organization to meet those changes. Importantly, Mike is already a trusted peer for so many key stakeholders in the industry, and his existing relationships will not only help the USGA, but will also help advance the game.”

Whan started his career at the Procter & Gamble Company in 1987, where he rose to Director of Marketing for Oral Care before leaving to pursue a passion for sports. Whan’s sports business career began at Wilson Sporting Goods as a Vice President and General Manager in the golf division. He joined the TaylorMade Golf Company as Vice President of Marketing in 1995 and later served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing and Executive Vice President/General Manager for Taylormade-adidas Golf. In 2002, Whan became the President and CEO of Mission Hockey, a hockey equipment company.

Since joining the Ladies Professional Golf Association in 2010, Whan increased the number of tournaments on the LPGA Tour’s schedule to 34 from 24, increased purses from $41.4 million to $76.5 million, and grew television hours from 125 hours per season, to over 500 hours. Under his leadership, the LPGA became a truly global business – with players, tournaments, sponsors and fans coming from all over the world. Currently, the LPGA Tour is televised in over 170 countries each week. Whan’s leadership resulted in the expansion of the LPGA to now include both the Symetra Tour, the recently announced joint venture with the Ladies European Tour, as well as a nearly 50% increase in LPGA’s teaching division. Whan’s focus on growing the game for junior girls has led to a significant expansion of the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf Program, which had 5,000 members when he joined the organization to 90,000 girls now engaged in the program.“As someone who grew up loving this game, I have always had huge respect for the USGA and its role in leading our sport,” said Whan. “The game has given me so much throughout my life, both personally and professionally. I know I have a lot to learn, but I’m truly excited about this role, as it gives me the opportunity to not only give back to the game, but to also work hard to leave it stronger.”

Current USGA CEO Mike Davis, who joined the USGA in 1990 and became the Association’s seventh executive director in 2011 and first CEO in 2016, will depart later this year to team with Tom Fazio II in a new course design venture, Fazio & Davis Golf Design.

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Mike Whan for many years and I view him as a trusted, strategic leader who has a proven track record of building collaborative partnerships,” said Davis. “I know the USGA will be in great hands, and I look forward to partnering with Mike to ensure a smooth and successful transition for the USGA.”

The USGA and The R&A have announced proposals for significant changes to the Rules of Amateur Status that govern the game worldwide.

These proposals result from a modernization initiative that has identified a clear need to bring the Rules up to date to reflect today’s global amateur game and ensure that the Rules are easier to understand and apply.

The proposed Rules, along with explanations to key changes, have been posted on usga.org and randa.org and the organizations are now inviting feedback from golfers and stakeholders. Comments will be accepted through Friday, March 26, with the new Rules scheduled to be adopted on January 1, 2022.

A comprehensive review of the Rules of Amateur Status began in late 2017, focusing on three main goals: to ensure the Rules are in the best interests of the game, reflect the modern game, and are easily understood and applied.

This review reaffirmed amateur golf’s important position in the game and the value in maintaining amateur status Rules to safeguard all the ways golf is played and enjoyed.

The result is a set of Rules that redefine the distinction between amateur and professional golf and provide a condition of eligibility – amateur status – for amateurs who compete in golf competitions.

As part of the modernization effort, it is proposed that the new Rules will identify only three acts that will result in a golfer losing their amateur status:

• Accepting a prize in excess of the prize limit
• Accepting payment for giving instruction
• Accepting employment as a golf club professional or membership of an association of professional golfers

To achieve this simplified approach, the following key changes are proposed:

• Eliminating the distinction between cash prizes and other prizes.
• Using the prize limit as the only way an amateur can lose amateur status through their play (meaning that entering or playing a competition as a professional would not, of itself, result in the loss of amateur status).
• Removing restrictions from the Rules surrounding competitions such as long-drive events, putting competitions and skills competitions that are not played as part of a tee-to-hole competition; and
• Eliminating all sponsorship restrictions.

“Golf is unique in its broad appeal to both recreational and competitive golfers,” said Craig Winter, USGA Senior Director, Rules of Golf and Amateur Status. “We understand and value how important amateur status is, not only to those who compete at the highest level of the amateur game, but for the millions of golfers at every age and skill level who enjoy competitive events at their home courses. These updates should help simplify these Rules and ensure the health of the amateur game.”

Grant Moir, Director of Rules at The R&A, said, “The Rules of Amateur Status play an important role in protecting the integrity of our self-regulating sport but the code must continue to evolve. This is particularly so in relation to the modern elite amateur game, where many of the players need financial support to compete and develop to their full potential, and the proposed new Rules will give much greater scope for this.”

“Today marks another important step in the process to modernize the Rules of Amateur Status,” said Akash Patel, Rules and Competitions Manager at Golf Canada. “A great amount of work has gone into making the Rules easier to understand and apply for both the recreational and competitive golfer. We are confident that the proposed changes reflect the modern game and will help with our continued efforts to grow the game.”

The proposed new Rules are accompanied by an overview document and explanations that detail the rationale for why changes are being proposed and, in some instances, why they have stayed the same.

Get ready for the 2021 golf season by learning more about the Rules of Golf and the World Handicap System!

GENERAL RULES OF GOLF & HANDICAPPING EDUCATION

WEBINARS

• Tuesday, February 16 – Rules of Golf RULES 1 – 13
• Tuesday, March 16 – World Handicap System
• Tuesday, April 13 – Rules of Golf RULES 14 – 24

SELF-GUIDED LEARNING

Rules of Golf Level 1

Level 1 focuses on easy ways to learn the basics of the Rules of Golf with its main interest on Etiquette, the principle definitions and commonly encountered situations on the course. Level 1 is available online and students will be able to test their knowledge by taking the review questions at the end of each section before attempting the online Level 1 Exam. There is no cost to take the Level 1 course and certification.

Register for Level 1

World Handicap System

Visit our World Handicap System resources page at golfmb.ca. This page provides a number of digital, print and video resources to help the golfer to better under the World Handicap System. The resources are available at no cost.

RULES OF HANDICAPPING CERTIFICATION

As part of the Handicap License Agreement, Golf Canada requires that every member club and league have a Handicap Committee in place, and that one person (ideally the Chairperson of the Committee) has successfully completed a Handicapping certification seminar.

Since 2003, Golf Manitoba and Golf Canada have been providing member clubs with educational sessions relating to the handicap system.  These seminars provide and more in-depth look into Handicapping and will give attendees a thorough knowledge of the World Handicap System. The Handicap Seminars are beneficial for Handicap Committee members, Golf Professionals, Superintendents, General Managers, Club Members and others interested in learning more about Handicapping in general.

Participation in the Handicapping Seminar ensures that the individual is educated about the World Handicap System and can oversee and implement policies at their home club.  Once an individual has successfully completed the seminar their certification is valid for 4 years (with the individual and club), after which they must re-certify.

ONLINE RULES OF HANDICAPPING CERTIFICATION

Golf Canada is pleased to launch the Online Rules of Handicapping Certification — a series of videos will guide you through the Rules of Handicapping, providing the knowledge necessary to achieve certification and successfully oversee handicap duties at your club. Click here to access the Rules of Handicapping certification videos.

A short quiz will test your knowledge, and successful completion will provide you with certification.

*Please note that there is no cost to certify online.

2021 HANDICAP INFORMATION & CERTIFICATION WEBINARS

• Wednesday March 10, 2021 from 6:30pm-8:30pm (EST)
• Saturday March 20, 2021 from 9:00am- 11:00am (EST)
• Thursday, April 15, 2021 from 2:00pm- 4:00pm (EST)
• Wednesday, May 5, 2021 from 6:30pm – 8:30pm (EST)

Cost of each webinar is $35 + HST. For information and to register, please click HERE. When registering, please indicate you are a member of Golf Manitoba when it asks for the member club designation.

For more information on any of the above education and certification programs, please contact us at info@golfmb.ca or at 204.925.5730.

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 2021 season.

“TaylorMade Canada is excited to continue our partnership with Golf Manitoba in 2021,” 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 are pleased to announce that TaylorMade will continue as the official equipment performance partner for Golf Manitoba in 2021,” said Jared Ladobruk, Executive Director of Golf Manitoba. “TaylorMade continues to provide innovative ball and equipment solutions to help golfers of all skill level achieve their best and we are excited to again extend the benefits of this relationship to our competitors and provincial teams.”

Since 2018, TaylorMade Golf Canada has equipped all provincial teams with TaylorMade high-performance carry bags, TP5 balls and headwear.

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 SIM2 metalwoods, SIM2 irons, P Series 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, Tommy Fleetwood, Rickie Fowler, Matthew Wolff, Collin Morikawa, Harry Higgs, Nick Taylor, Michael Gligic, SH Park, Charley Hull, Maria Fassi and Sierra Brooks.

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.

For more information:

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

Golf Manitoba is pleased to announce its 2021 Championship schedule. The provincial amateur golf governing body will host 14 championships at member clubs from across Manitoba.

“We are very excited to announce our 2021 championship schedule,“ said Lisa Andersen, Director of Competitions for Golf Manitoba. “We have an excellent line up of venues from across the province and are very appreciative of the support we have received from those member clubs who committed to hosting this year.”

Of special note for 2021 will be the 100th awarding of the Manitoba Free Press trophy to this year’s men’s amateur champion.  “The Nott Autocorp Men’s Amateur Championship has an incredible history and we are pleased to bring this event back to the Neepawa Golf & Country Club,” said Golf Manitoba Executive Director, Jared Ladobruk.  “Neepawa is a fantastic venue and will provide an excellent test of golf for our men’s amateur field and we are very excited about the milestone we are recognizing for this championship.”

As with this past championship season, the health and safety of all involved will continue to be of paramount importance as COVID-19 protocols continue to adjust. “The safety of our member clubs, players, volunteers, and staff is our top priority,” explained Ladobruk. “We will continue to monitor the situation and adjust the season accordingly.”

The 2021 championship season will officially kick off with the Match Play Championship qualifier and matches being held at the Grand Pines Golf Club May 29 & 30 and June 5, 6, 12 & 13.

2021 Championship Schedule

• Match Play Championship – Grand Pines Golf Course (May 29-June 13)
• Women’s City & District & Junior Bantam Championships – Transcona Golf Club (June 26 & 27)
• Manitoba Junior Men’s & Women’s Championships – Shilo Country Club (July 5-7)
• Diamond Athletic Women’s Amateur and Men’s Mid-Amateur Championships – Niakwa Country Club (July 9-11)
• Nott Autocorp Men’s Amateur Championship – Neepawa Golf & Country Club (July 15-18)
• Senior Men’s & Women’s Championship – Steinbach Fly-In Golf Club (August 4-6)
• Ladies Interclub Championship – Larters at St. Andrews Golf & Country Club (August 27)
• Men’s Provincial Interclub Championship – Neepawa Golf & Country Club (August 28)
• Men’s Senior Interclub Championship – Minnedosa Golf & Country Club (September 1)

Also on the local golf calendar for 2021 is the Golf Canada junior NexGen Prairie Championship being held at the Quarry Oaks Golf Course from June 10-13 in Steinbach, Manitoba. Golf Canada’s NextGen program aims to support and develop Canada’s next wave of future Team Canada athletes.

More information on Golf Manitoba championships including dates, times, eligibility, how to register and host venue will be available in the coming weeks on the competitions schedule page at golfmb.ca. Entry for registration for most Golf Manitoba championships is set to open online on April 15, 2021.

Instagram/Twitter/Facebook

To stay informed on Golf Manitoba’s championship play, events, and additional updates, make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter, and like us on Facebook.

About Golf Manitoba

Golf Manitoba is provincial sport organization (PSO) for amateur golf in Manitoba. Its mission is to develop, promote, govern and service the sport of golf in Manitoba and Northwest Ontario for the benefit of all participants.

Like most of us, Ann Holmes is at home in Prince George, B.C., looking at a snow-covered landscape and wistfully thinking of the coming golf season.

Unlike most of us, she’s preparing daily for that first swing of the year. And, thanks to YouTube, she can make a virtual house call to help the rest of us do the same thing.

Early in the pandemic, in partnership with BC Golf, Holmes created a series of 11 Facebook Live videos intended to improve flexibility, mobility, strength and range of motion, all with a golf focus.

There’s no question she’s qualified. A PGA of Canada professional, she’s the golf coach at Prince George Golf and Curling Club and the former coach at the University of British Columbia. She’s got a Masters in Human Kinetics and is a certified personal trainer, among numerous other credentials. She, along with Tracie Albisser, also a certified exercise physiologist, operates the Active Health Solutions facility (www.activehealthsolutions.ca ) in Prince George.

“There are lots of online fitness resources but they are mostly for the elite golfer,” says Holmes. “These videos are aimed at the average golfer.”

A large proportion of those “average golfers” this winter are snowbirds and other seniors who, because of travel restrictions necessitated by the pandemic, are stuck north of the border. Holmes suggests they see this not as a disappointment but as an opportunity.

“Off-season training will help maintain the flexibility, endurance and strength you gained in your golf swing over the summer,” she explains. “Instead of taking the winter off, work on all of these fitness essentials for the sport you enjoy.

“The golf swing is a single-action, single-sided, ballistic movement and the goal is to create rotational power for distance. This can be hard on the body, especially the back and shoulders.  And when the golf swing is repeated over and over, injuries and issues can crop up.  Compounding the concern is that, as we age, we lose muscle mass, flexibility and endurance, which are all fundamental to the golf swing.”
Holmes says one of the most common issues for older golfers is that their posture becomes hunched, with a rounded lower back and an inability to rotate the pelvis into a proper spine angle at address. Her translation: “You need to stick out your behind instead of tucking it under.”

What all of that means, she says, “is that the rotation for the backswing is compromised and people swing with their arms instead of turning their shoulders. Ultimately,this causes a reduction in clubhead speed and weak shots that fade. This position also means that people tend to generate more shearing forces on their lumbar vertebrae (equaling pain in their lower back).

“And, finally, the rounded shoulders will reduce the space for the upper arm bone (the humerus) to move within the joint and people will start to complain of rotator cuff problems and injuries.”

One of her favourite catchphrases is “pre-hab.” Pre-hab is mobility and strength work done on an ongoing basis to address common weaknesses or muscle tension. “The body parts that are meant to be mobile, like your neck, hips, shoulders or thoracic vertebrae, should move with ease,” she says. “When these are tight, other parts will move to compensate during the swing.

“If you can prevent injuries or minor deficits before they become a problem, you will enjoy playing good golf and not lose any distance.”

Holmes’s folksy, friendly, cheerful and chatty “golf coach next door” approach requires no special equipment. A towel, key lanyard, wooden spoon, a thick book and a chair will do for starters. A golf club or similar is handy but not for swinging—just to help with extension. Each video is 30 to 40 minutes but, as she points out, “you can do these at your own pace and your own comfort level.”

Take it from me. The “pause” button comes in handy.

The R&A and the USGA have re-engaged with the golf industry on the Distance Insights project, which aims to help achieve a more sustainable long-term future for golf.

2 February 2021, St Andrews, Scotland and Liberty Corner, N.J., USA: The governing bodies are issuing specific Areas of Interest to help mitigate continuing distance increases and three proposed changes to the Equipment Rules to ensure their effectiveness in relation to distance limits.

The delivery of research topics related to hitting distances and golf’s sustainability was delayed in 2020 to allow the golf industry to focus on the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The Areas of Interest notice, sent yesterday to golf equipment manufacturers, follows the conclusions of the Distance Insights Report delivered last February. It is the first step of the established Equipment Rulemaking Procedures, which give the opportunity for golf’s stakeholders to provide research and perspectives on topics that might lead to equipment rules changes.

In addition, three proposals related to equipment standards were also sent to the manufacturers yesterday and have been published – two to modernise equipment testing protocols and the other to consider the adoption of a Model Local Rule that would provide flexibility for committees, if they so choose, to limit the maximum length for clubs other than putters from 48 to 46 inches. Notice and comment periods have begun immediately to invite feedback on each of the three proposals from golf industry stakeholders.

Research Topics/Areas of Interest
Download Here (Research due by 2 November 2021)
The Areas of Interest notice addresses two specific Areas of Interest:

• The potential use of a Local Rule that would specify the use of clubs and/or balls intended to result in shorter hitting distances. This would enable committees conducting competitions to stipulate whether such equipment should be used. It could be available at all levels of play and would also allow golfers playing outside of competition to choose for themselves.
• A review of the overall conformance specifications for both clubs and balls, including specifications that both directly and indirectly affect hitting distances. This review would consider whether any existing specifications should be adjusted or any new specifications created to help mitigate continuing distance increases. It would not consider revising the overall specifications to produce substantial reductions in hitting distances at all levels of the sport.  A list of club and ball specifications to be reviewed can be found in the official notice.

Stakeholders are invited to participate in the process by sharing any data or perspectives they might have on these topics by 2 November 2021.

The topics are purely areas for research. No solutions or decisions are being proposed at this stage. Any proposals for Rule changes that might result from this research will be communicated in accordance with the Equipment Rulemaking Procedures.

Proposed Equipment Standards changes 
Download Here

The R&A and the USGA are addressing the effectiveness of current equipment testing processes, protocols and standards with respect to distance limits. As a result, the governing bodies are seeking comment from equipment manufacturers on three proposed Equipment Standards changes, as follows:

Proposal 1: Club length – reduction to 46 inches available as Model Local Rule (MLR) (Original proposal delivered in 2016 and paused in 2017 due to the Distance Insights project). Comment period ends on 4 March 2021.

Proposal 2: Update on testing method for golf balls. Comment period ends on 2 August 2021.

Proposal 3: Change to testing tolerance – Characteristic Time. Comment period ends on 2 August 2021.
The 2020 Annual Driving Distance Report

The R&A and the USGA also today released the 2020 Annual Driving Distance Report. The full report can be found here.

The R&A and USGA comments

Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “We are now able to progress with the work on this critical topic and are beginning the next phase as expeditiously as possible. The research topics and the proposed changes we have announced will be the focus of our attention in the coming months and we look forward to gaining insights from the golf industry and fully understanding their perspectives on these key areas. We remain fully committed to conducting this hugely important exercise for the sport thoroughly, efficiently and collaboratively.”

Mike Davis, Chief Executive Officer of the USGA, said, “The research conducted through Distance Insights clearly shows that hitting distances have consistently increased through time and, if left unchecked, could threaten the long-term future of our game at every level and every golf course on which it is played. This is the first forward step in a journey and a responsibility the USGA and The R&A share with the worldwide golf community, to ensure that golf continues to thrive for the next hundred years and beyond.”

Updates Since February 2020

During the pause in distance-related research caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, The R&A and the USGA completed their regular review of equipment testing processes, protocols and standards to ensure their effectiveness in relation to distance limits.  The proposals detailed above are the outcome of this regular review of equipment testing processes, protocols and standards to ensure their effectiveness.

As such, these proposals were not conceived and are not intended to be solutions to the distance issues identified in the Distance Insights Report.

All notices related to golf equipment follow the Equipment Rulemaking Procedures adopted in 2011 by The R&A, the USGA and golf equipment manufacturers, which provide an open process of dialogue for all involved. The procedures can be reviewed here.

The Distance Insights Report released last year highlighted the impact of long-term hitting distance increases on some of golf’s essential elements, including changing the strategic challenge of the game, altering the variety of skills needed to be successful and risking courses becoming less challenging or obsolete. Further, the report states that the overall trend of golf courses becoming longer has adverse consequences that ultimately affect golfers at all levels of the game. The governing bodies are working with the key stakeholders in golf to address these issues in a way that brings the game together and which ensures it continues to thrive for many years to come.

Work is also currently being conducted to develop industry-wide recommendations and best management practices on course design, set-up and course conditions related to distance for all golf courses and golfers, as detailed among next steps in the Distance Insights conclusions document delivered last year.  The USGA is currently conducting field testing and research, with outcomes to be delivered throughout 2021.
For more information visit www.RandA.org and www.usga.org.

Novelist Paul Theroux once said: “Winter is a season of recovery and preparation.” He could never have imagined just how true those words would ring right now.

Not that we have much choice. Most of us, the sensible ones that is, are staying home because of the pandemic and the precautions imposed to prevent its spread. Kudos to us.

So what’s a golfer to do? We’re mired in a Canadian winter with travel south of the border restricted and limited opportunities to congregate at public golf simulators, ranges or other golf-related activities.

Don’t despair!

If you don’t have the space, budget or inclination to have a home simulator, there are myriad options to pass the time … “prepare” as Theroux suggested … until, hopefully, golf courses across Canada reopen in spring. Online instruction, social media, podcasts (what?) … even, dare I say, books and magazines … all not only can improve your game but boost your spirits as well.

READ

As an author myself, I may be biased but I enjoy turning the pages of a book or magazine. My special area of interest is course architecture so, after rereading the essentials yet again, I look for Canadian authors. Keith Cutten’s The Evolution of Golf Course Design is a fascinating deep dive into the broader question of not just how course design evolved but why. James Harris’s Stanley Thompson and Icons of Canada has no equal in its in-depth examination of Canada’s most iconic architect as a master of his craft and a man. Although not Canadian and actually intended for green committee members and club managers, many of whom (wrongly) think they are qualified for DIY projects on a multi-million-dollar course, Designs on a Better Golf Course (published by the American Society of Golf Course Architects) is a must-read for armchair architects as well as folks whose hobby is second-guessing their course’s superintendent. For pure “golf porn,” there are few better options than Catalogue 18, a luxurious magazine published in Toronto featuring awesome photography and text from around the world.

WATCH VIDEO TIPS

We were all thankful when the PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour returned to TV in January but if you need more than entertainment and climate envy, there are hundreds of videos on social media, many from PGA of Canada instructors. Derek Ingram, Team Canada’s Men’s Head Coach, posts indoor tips on Instagram. Women’s Head Coach Tristan Mullally offers helpful hints on Twitter. (Just between you and me, Ingram and Mullally are collaborating on an upcoming project that distills their extensive experience into instruction for folks like you and me. Stay tuned.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Derek Ingram (@dingramgolf)

PRACTICE

Once you’ve looked at those videos, you’ll want to practice, so order a putting mat and/or chipping net online. My Golf Spy picked the BirdieBall 4×14 as its best putting mat but the company has a variety of customizable products. Lots of other companies make comparable mats at various price points and in a full range of sizes. A chipping net is a compact and convenient way to hone your short game at a reasonable price. My choice would be the GoSports Chipster. It’s about $60, includes three nets of various sizes and can be used indoors with foam balls or outside with real golf balls.

CONNECT

Find some (virtual) friends with common interests. I’m a member of the Stanley Thompson Society and the Golf Historical Society of Canada. If you’re interested in the history of the game in this country and/or being a collector of anything golf, the GHSC is a fantastic resource.

FANTASY GOLF

Fantasy pools, such as PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf, can be a blast if you need some heated competition to warm you up during the winter. Or you can organize your own fantasy league using online resources and invite your friends and colleagues to participate.

VIDEO GAMES

You may not have access to that Golden Tee game down at the local pub but you can order the home edition if you’re addicted. More affordable options are video games such as the highly rated PGA TOUR 2K21. Golf nut Shawn Bell of Kelowna, B.C., has not only played the game since its first release several years ago but has actually designed a course for it. He says he enjoys the experience for many reasons including the fact that “it provides me with an outlet to spend time thinking about and playing the game I enjoy so much. There is also the ability to play with others live which is pretty cool. Played a round with an acquaintance in Ireland the other night. It was fun and a social interaction, playing golf, that would otherwise be impossible.”

PODCASTS

If, like me, you were late to the world of podcasts, a podcast is a conversation or discussion you can download to your personal device and listen to at your leisure. Makes for great company when you’re walking the dog or when you’re just hankering for the sound of someone else’s voice. (Although I do get some odd glances when I bark back at them when they don’t share my own—indisputably correct—opinion.) There are lots of terrific golf podcasts including some with great Canadian content that I subscribe to like Flagstick.com’s TeeTalk, Golf Talk Canada and Swing Thoughts with Tim O’Connor and “Humble” Howard Glassman.

And, remember, in the words of Ernest Hemingway,

“When spring came, even the false spring, there were no problems except where to be the happiest.”

That won’t be a problem for us golfers!