Golf Canada Launches Season-Long Campaign That Highlights
The Many Health Benefits of The Sport

New Golf and Health campaign website along with Golf Canada mobile app enhancements to focus on the sport’s positive physical, mental, and social benefits for participants.

Golf Canada is highlighting the physical, mental, and social benefits that the sport can provide on Canadians through its brand-new Golf and Health campaign.

The campaign – Golf, It’s Good for You – launches this weekend leading into World Health Day April 7. All of the World Health Organization’s key criteria for health enhancing physical activity can be achieved through the sport of golf and Golf Canada is prioritizing communicating health as part of its strategic plan.

“We are proud to launch this campaign ahead of World Health Day to showcase the breadth and depth of mental, physical and social health benefits that the game of golf can provide for all participants,” said Tim McLaughlin, chief marketing officer with Golf Canada. “The campaign brings awareness to what Canadians think they know about golf with the many known health benefits they might not be aware of. We launched a website resource with the latest clinical research focused on golf and health. We are also working with golf clubs across the country to share this impact with golfers who are enjoying the game in record numbers. We have also made it easier for Canadians to track their health progress through new health tracking features and enhancements to our Golf Canada Mobile App.”

The Golf and Health campaign focuses on three key pillars: mental, physical, and social.

The mental benefits of golf include enhanced overall well-being, improved brain health, and helping to reduce the risk of dementia. Golf can also assist to boost confidence, promote increased focus and concentration, and help to reduce anxiety, stress, and depression. Being out on the golf course can also help to slow down stress response and induces a feeling of calm.

As published in The R&A Golf and Health Report, and in addition to the mental benefits, the physical benefits of golf are undeniable. Research has shown that playing golf regularly can add five years to your life highlighted by the physical exercise, mental stimulation, and time spent outdoors while playing. As a physical activity that can be enjoyed for a lifetime, golf can also help to prevent or lessen the impact of over 40 different chronic illnesses including diabetes, cancer, along with heart attacks and stroke.

Golf is viewed as a moderately demanding form of exercise and is a great way to contribute to daily step goals. The average golfer walks 5,000 steps in a 9-hole round which is the equivalent of three to five kilometres. With nearly 2,300 golf courses in Canada including both public and private facilities, the sport is highly accessible and significant strides have been made in accessible technology to make the game more inclusive for the differently abled people of all ages.

The inherent social nature of the game is also an important factor in helping increase social well-being and is a great way to bond with old friends and meet new ones. It is a sport that welcomes families and partners to be active together and is also an effective way to network and build business relationships.

Operating as small businesses in communities across Canada, golf courses provide players of all ages and skill levels the opportunity to enjoy the game. Golf Canada is collaborating with the Provincial Associations to provide information and assets on the Golf and Health campaign to club operators across the country.

Golf Canada has launched a new website that highlights the benefits of the game including helpful resource information and articles – please visit health.golfcanada.ca to find out more.

The Golf Canada Mobile App continues to be the all-in-one place to track progress and connect with colleagues and friends. In support of the Golf and Health campaign, the app is providing significant health tracking enhancements to the golfer experience. In addition to tracking scores and stats, users can now gain valuable personal insights into how each round positively affects their health. New health stat features include number of steps, distance walked, stand time, calories burned, elevation gained and heart rate. Users will also be able to view health statistics over different periods of time all of which is private and secure within their profile. For more information on the Golf Canada Mobile App, please click here. To download on Apple devices click here, to download on Google Play devices, click here.

“Golf brings people together and has an incredible impact on our personal heath and well being,” added McLaughlin. “Whether through physical activity over a lifetime, mental health improvements or the wonderful social experience shared by family and friends, now is a great moment for the Golf and Health campaign to inspire golfers and new enthusiasts to consider the incredible impact that our sport is having on Canadians.”

The Golf, It’s Good for You campaign will run season long and be featured at Golf Canada championships and events including Canada’s National Open Championships – the RBC Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf and Country Club in Ancaster, Ont. and the CPKC Women’s Open at Earl Grey Golf Club Calgary, Alta.

Golf Manitoba announced today the official opening of a state-of-the-art indoor golf performance centre located in the Sport Manitoba building, 145 Pacific Avenue in Winnipeg. The Golf Manitoba Performance Centre features two golf simulators powered by Foresight Sports and a 160-square foot putting green to provide training and coaching opportunities that will assist in growing its player development program.

“The opening of this indoor training facility moves the needle for our player development program,” said Golf Manitoba Executive Director Jared Ladobruk. “We recognized a unique opportunity to add efficiencies and improvements by integrating both golf specific and athlete training in one central location. In addition to that, the Foresight technology provides our coaches with new options and more flexibility that will allow them to assess and train our athletes 12 months of the year.”

In addition to golf specific training, Team Manitoba athletes will continue to access strength and conditioning and nutrition services provided by Sport Manitoba Performance and mental performance services by Attollo Mental Health & Performance.

“With the addition of this high-performance training centre, Golf Manitoba has taken an important step toward helping our association achieve its strategic player development goals,” added Golf Manitoba President Sue Wright-Cassan. “We are now better aligned and equipped to contribute to Golf Canada’s enhanced national player development program that was announced in February of 2022.”

“Sport Manitoba is thrilled to house this new indoor golf training centre,” said Janet McMahon, President & CEO of Sport Manitoba. “The goal of our facility has always been to provide athletic and recreation opportunities to Manitobans, and with this addition, Golf Manitoba will be able to further enhance player development throughout all four seasons.”

The Golf Manitoba Performance Centre was made possible by funding and support from the 2017 Canada Summer Games Legacy Fund, Sport Manitoba, the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation, and a private donation from Don & Sandi Janzen.

About Golf Manitoba

Golf Manitoba is the Provincial Sports Organization and governing body for golf in Manitoba and Northwest Ontario representing over 10,000 golfers and 87 member clubs. A proud partner of Golf Canada and Sport Manitoba, Golf Manitoba’s mission is to develop, promote, govern and service the game of golf for the benefit of all participants.

About Team Manitoba

The Team Manitoba program provides enhanced training, development, and competitive opportunities for both aspiring and accomplished junior female and male athletes from the Golf Manitoba region.

The program encompasses fitness, sports psychology, nutrition, technique, equipment management and regional, multi-sport, and national level competition.

Golf Canada Chief Sport Officer Kevin Blue will be leaving the organization as he has accepted the role of General Secretary and CEO of Canada Soccer.

“We are extremely appreciative of what Kevin has achieved for Golf Canada in advancing the sport and our mission during his tenure as Chief Sport Officer and we wish him incredibly well,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “Kevin has been a transformational leader for Golf Canada and made fundamental progress to many of our sport priorities, most notably with the High-Performance program and across junior grassroots initiatives, championships, safe sport, and fundraising. His energy and contributions to Canadian golf have been exceptional and he is well positioned as a dynamic sports executive to be successful in this new chapter leading Canada Soccer.”

Since returning to Canada in January of 2021, Blue was a driving force to Golf Canada’s vision and impact on Canadian golf. He was instrumental in many of the areas of Golf Canada’s strategic priorities and helped drive several initiatives including First Tee – Canada, National Golf League (NGL), She Plays Golf, Junior Golf Facility Awards, and the evolution of Golf Canada’s Amateur Championships. 

A strong proponent of municipal and accessible golf, Blue played a key role in Golf Canada’s attention to diversity, equity, inclusion, and safe sport. He also had a significant impact with the Golf Canada Foundation, helping to recruit, build and collaborate with critical program donors.

Plus, enhanced sharable scorecard graphic now available.

Accessing the Official R&A Rules of Golf has become easier as Golf Canada has integrated them into its popular Golf Canada Mobile App.

This inclusion allows golfers of all levels and abilities to quickly reference the Official Rules of Golf and find answers to common situations that emerge on the course through the Player’s Rule Finder.

With nearly 30 diagrams and over 50 how-to videos, golfers will reduce confusion and uncertainty by learning the ins-and-outs of the game directly from the R&A. Along with the USGA, the R&A has been golf’s leading governing body responsible for the rules of the game.

“The integration into the Golf Canada Mobile App allows more straightforward access to the rules of golf,” said Mary Beth McKenna, Director, Amateur Championships and Rules, Golf Canada.

“Golfers will be able to determine the specific rule-related situations they encounter on the course more easily through the Player’s Rules Finder interface. In addition to the rules of golf, there are resources on committee procedures and the Rules of Amateur Status, amongst other helpful tools. To provide access to even more Canadian golfers, the app is available in both English and French,” added McKenna.

With more than 300,000 Canadian golfers using the Golf Canada Mobile App on an annual basis to post scores, find courses from coast-to-coast, build scorecards, discover course maps, and specific GPS distances, the inclusion of the Rules of Golf will allow Canadian golfers to access first-hand situational knowledge by applying golf’s official rules during their round.

To view the Rules of Golf on the Golf Canada Mobile App, select “More” then scroll down and click on “Rules of golf”.

Also included in the latest version of the Golf Canada Mobile App is an enhanced scorecard graphic. This feature builds on the August 2023 app feature release aimed to help golfers stay connected off the course, highlighted by the ability for golfers to post images and videos to document their rounds.

Increase the fun, shoot lower scores, impress your group by flashing your newfound golf knowledge and share your scorecards.

Join Canada’s largest golf community by downloading the Golf Canada App today. It’s free and available in the App Store and Google Play.

Golf Canada is pleased to announce that the Canadian Junior Financial Assistance Program will expand the number of grants available for the 2024 season. The expansion of the program will reduce the financial burden of participating in championships across Canada for more eligible players and their families.

Initiated in 2022, the Canadian Junior Financial Assistance Program supports junior golfers and their families with need-based financial aid to help offset expenses associated with traveling and competing in national golf championships and NextGen championships. The program is funded by Golf Canada in partnership with the Canadian Seniors’ Golf Association and the Gary Cowan Heritage Fund.

The amount of funds and number of grants available to the Canadian Junior Financial Assistance Program have increased in two years – growth that is reflective of a broader commitment to provide more affordable access to competitions for junior golfers.

“We are excited to announce that the Canadian Junior Financial Assistance Program has increased for 2024 which allows us to accommodate more junior golfers and help to bring down their costs,” said Kevin Blue, chief sport officer, Golf Canada. “We’d like to thank our generous donors who care about junior golf affordability for their continued support with this program.”

The full breakdown of the maximum number of grants that will be awarded along with the criteria in which eligible participants can seek financial assistance can be found at golfcanada.ca/financial-assistance-program/.

The Canadian Junior Financial Assistance Program will be available to eligible participants and their families for the following competitions:

• All six NextGen Championships
• Canadian Junior Girls Championship, presented by BDO
• Canadian Junior Boys Championship, presented by BDO
• Canadian U15 Championship, presented by BDO

Applications will be reviewed and accepted beginning thirty (30) days prior to the respective championship. An approval letter will be sent to the participant that has submitted a successful application outlining next steps before the championship begins. Accepted applicants must compete in their respective championship to receive the approved funds through the Canadian Junior Financial Assistance Program.

19 professional athletes join the previously announced 16 amateur golfers to complete Team Canada roster for upcoming season

Emerging Professional Players of the Year Award, presented by Andrew Cook announced

Golf Canada is pleased to announce the names of 19 professional athletes that will be part of the 2024 men’s and women’s Team Canada squads.

The Team Canada program supports a group of experienced amateur golfers who are on the path towards professional golf along with a group of young professional golfers who are building their careers as touring pros. Teams are selected based on results from the previous calendar year. The professional players will join the 12 women and four men previously selected to Team Canada as amateurs in the fall.

With players choosing to turn professional at different points in the season, an athlete’s involvement in the Team Canada program including financial support continues during their transition from amateur to professional golf. 

“We are proud to announce the professional athletes that will be part of Team Canada for 2024. We have now completed our full roster of professional and amateur players for the upcoming season and look forward to supporting their development and journeys to the LPGA and PGA TOUR,” said Emily Phoenix, high performance director, Golf Canada. “I would like to extend our sincere thanks to our generous donors through the Golf Canada Foundation along with our corporate partners for their support of our athletes’ development within the Team Canada program. Their continued contributions are crucial in helping more Canadians excel at the highest levels of our sport.”

The men’s professional team features 15 returning players for the upcoming season which will supplement the four amateur players selected earlier in the fall. Three-time winner in 2023, Étienne Papineau enters his seventh season on the team. Papineau earned his Korn Ferry Tour card for 2024 by finishing as the top Canadian and fourth overall in the Fortinet Cup standings on the PGA TOUR Canada (now PGA TOUR Americas). In addition, Papineau earned a T4 finish at the 2023 Pan American (Pan Am) Games in Santiago, Chile. Myles Creighton returns for a third year, having won on the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica (now PGA TOUR Americas) last June and earned his Korn Ferry Tour card for 2024 by finishing second in the season point standings. Joining them on the Korn Ferry Tour is Sudarshan Yellamaraju who earned his card after finishing T14 during the final stage of PGA TOUR Q-School last December. Stuart Macdonald and Jared du Toit will also compete on the Korn Ferry Tour this season. Macdonald was also victorious last season, winning the Commissionaires Ottawa Open in July.

The women’s professional team features returning players: Brigitte Thibault, Maddie Szeryk, Selena Costabile and Maude-Aimee Leblanc who was previously on the team in 2022. These professionals will join the 12 previously selected Team Canada members from the amateur selection process in the fall. Szeryk returns for her 10th season as a member of Team Canada. She made 22 starts on the LPGA Tour last season and re-earned her LPGA Tour membership for 2024 through the LPGA Q-Series in December. Leblanc returns for her seventh season with Team Canada. Last season, she competed on the LPGA Tour making seven starts but missed the second half of the year due to injury. Joining Szeryk and Leblanc on the LPGA is Savannah Grewal who was previously selected to Team Canada as an amateur and has turned pro following an excellent Q-school showing. Costabile enters her third season as a Team Canada member having competed on the Epson Tour last season. Thibault earned her first professional win at the Kathy Whitworth Championship last October.

Team Canada – Women

(In addition to the 12 players selected during the amateur selection process in the fall)

NAME	AGE	HOMETOWN	TURNED PRO	YEARS IN PROGRAM
Brigitte Thibault	25	Rosemère, Que.	2022	6
Maddie Szeryk	28	London, Ont.	2018	10
Maude-Aimée Leblanc	34	Sherbrooke, Que.	2011	7
Selena Costabile	26	Thornhill, Ont.	2018	3

Team Canada – Men

(In addition to the four players selected during the amateur selection process in the fall)

NAME	AGE	HOMETOWN	TURNED PRO	YEARS IN PROGRAM
A.J. Ewart	24	Coquitlam, B.C.	2023	5
Brendan MacDougall	26	Calgary, Alta.	2022	6
Chris Crisologo	27	Richmond, B.C.	2019	7
Étienne Papineau	27	St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Que.	2022	7
Johnny Travale	23	Hamilton, Ont.	2023	5
Jared du Toit	28	Kimberley, B.C.	2017	9
Jeevan Sihota	19	Victoria, B.C.	2022	4
Joey Savoie	29	La Prairie, Que.	2020	7
Matthew Anderson	23	Mississauga, Ont.	2023	4
Max Sekulic	24	Rycroft, Alta.	2022	4
Myles Creighton	28	Digby, N.S.	2018	3
Noah Steele	26	Kingston, Ont.	2021	5
Stuart Macdonald	29	Vancouver, B.C.	2017	9
Sudarshan Yellamaraju	22	Mississauga, Ont.	2021	2
Thomas Giroux	24	Georgetown, Ont.	2022	2

As previously announced, the coaching staff for the men’s and women’s Team Canada squads will return in full for the 2024 season. Team Canada – Women will again be coached by Stollery Family Women’s Head Coach Salimah Mussani (Vancouver, B.C.) and Associate Coach Jennifer Greggain (Vancouver, B.C.). Team Canada – Men will be coached by Head Coach Derek Ingram (Winnipeg, Man.) and Assistant Coaches Louis Melanson (Moncton, N.B.) and Benoit Lemieux (Montréal, Que.).

For full Team Canada bios and additional information, please click here.

For the Team Canada – NextGen and Team Canada amateur squad announcement, please click here.

Golf Canada’s player development program provides individualized training and competition support to athletes on their journey to the LPGA and PGA TOUR. National team coaches work with athletes and their personal support teams to develop annual training plans and identify areas where impact can be made to help athletes improve in all areas of their game. Athletes are also supported by a comprehensive sport science team that includes mental performance, physical conditioning, and mental health supports. The players are brought together regularly for training camps where they receive support from national team coaches and sport science staff, and train with their peers. Team Canada members also receive access to a training hub in Phoenix, Ariz. where they can train and live during the winter months.

Team Canada is proudly supported by RBC, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), Titleist, FootJoy, Hilton, Puma, Foresight, Golf Canada Foundation and Sport Canada.

EMERGING PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS OF THE YEAR AWARD

The Golf Canada Foundation is also proud to announce Savannah Grewal, Myles Creighton, and Étienne Papineau as the recipients of the Emerging Professional Players of the Year Award, presented by Andrew Cook. In 2020, Andrew Cook, a proud trustee of the Golf Canada Foundation, and past president of Golf Canada, established a $20,000 annual fund to recognize a top male and top female emerging Canadian professional golfer. Past recipients include current PGA TOUR member Taylor Pendrith, Korn Ferry Tour members Wil Bateman and Stuart Macdonald, and LPGA Tour members Maude-Aimee Leblanc and Maddie Szeryk.

“We are pleased to name Savannah, Myles and Étienne as the Emerging Professional Players of the Year,” said Martin Barnard, CEO of the Golf Canada Foundation. “The journey to the highest levels of professional golf requires significant resources, and we are incredibly grateful to Andrew Cook for his continued support.”

Grewal made her professional debut at LPGA Q-Series in December 2023 where she went on to secure full LPGA status for the 2024 season. A recent graduate of Clemson University, Grewal was first-team All-ACC for her accomplishments on the golf course and in the classroom. Grewal had a strong finish to her 2023 season, earning co-medalist honors at the Cougar Classic and tying for first at LPGA Q-school Stage I. 

Papineau and Creighton share the award following successful seasons that led both to secure Korn Ferry Tour status for the 2024 season. Creighton notched one victory on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica and finished second in the season-long points standings. Papineau secured a win on PGA TOUR Canada and finished fourth overall in the points standings.Go

Oakville, Ont. – Golf Canada members posted a record number of scores in 2023, with over 10 million being recorded, breaking the previous high of 9.2 million set in 2022. 

On December 12, 2023, the 10 millionth score in 2023 was recorded. The round was placed at Boca Raton Golf and Racquet Club in Florida, United States by Jocelyn.

The provinces of Ontario and British Columbia accounted for just over half of all scores recorded in 2023 while the month of July saw the most rounds played at almost 2 million.

Province	Scores Recorded
British Columbia	20%
Alberta	17%
Saskatchewan	2.5%
Manitoba	2.5%
Ontario	33%
Quebec	17%
New Brunswick	3%
Nova Scotia	4%
Prince Edward Island	0.5%
Newfoundland and Labrador	0.5%

The first known recorded online round was played on June 23, 2005, at Bear Mountain Golf and Country Club in Victoria, B.C. Most of the early scores were posted in offline systems that were eventually imported in batches as the clubs migrated to the online system. Uplands Golf Club in Victoria, B.C. was one of the first courses to adopt the online version of Score Centre with 85 of the first 100 scores recorded were played at that course.

The COVID-19 pandemic saw a boom in the sport of golf with a large increase in participation since 2019. Between 2019 and 2023, almost 45 million scores were recorded. This can be attributed to the numerous health benefits associated with the sport including, relieving stress, improving your mental health, weight loss, reducing the chance of developing heart disease and increased interaction with friends and family.

“Golf Canada is thrilled to see the sport of golf continuing the momentum and success it experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have seen increased levels in membership and more people spending time out on the golf course. With that, we have reached this incredible milestone of 10 million scores being posted this year,” said Ryan Logan, Director of Memberships, Golf Canada.

As the sport continues to grow in popularity, we look forward to beating this milestone in 2024. Not a member? Join Golf Canada’s largest golf community.

Jeri Lafleche (Clear Lake Golf Course) shot a 1-over par 73 in her final round at the Golf Canada NextGen Fall Series West Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards hosted at The Hills at Portal Golf Club in Surrey, B.C.

Lafleche finished the 54 hole event at 8-over par 224 (76-75-73), eight strokes back of Clara Ding of British Columbia, who won the championship at even par 216. Ding’s final round was a 5-under par 67.

For the final leaderboard, click here.

Carrie Julie knows Sawmill Golf Course won’t be around in 30 years if she and her husband, Jeremy – the owner-operator pair at the course near St. Catharines – don’t put in a grow-the-game effort now.

“That’s simply what it comes down to,” she says.

Sawmill was one of the inaugural winners of Golf Canada’s National Facility Award for Junior Golf in 2022 (awarded “to a facility that provides exceptional access and membership opportunities for junior golfers”) and Julie knows that drumming up even more interest in the game amongst youngsters starts with one thing leading to another – opportunity to access.

NATIONAL FACILITY AWARDS FOR JUNIOR GOLF

There is a myriad of junior programs at Sawmill, she explains, including a golf-and-hockey camp that targets that hockey-playing group if kids and gets them interested in golf (“The retention has been off the charts”) and Try Golf Days, supported by Stephen Ames, that happen on Saturdays. Three hundred and fifty-two kids tried golf this year.

The club also made a pact with its members that the only tournaments it will host are for juniors.

When Julie and Sawmill won the Junior Golf Opportunity Award last year, she said she accepted it on behalf of the 300-or-so members. They step up. They know the importance of this program. She often turns away volunteers for junior tournaments because she has just too much interest.

The club made this choice, and she knows it was the right one.

“We certainly haven’t made the commitment to juniors for pats on the back, but I have to tell you, it was a really nice honour in the inaugural year to win the award,” Julie says. “It really cemented we’re doing the right things for the right reasons.”

Through the start of the COVID-19 pandemic golf saw a boom unlike any other in recent history in Canada. Tiger-Mania couldn’t hold a candle to how many people started to play golf, picked golf up again, or played more golf than they ever had before. It resulted in the popularity of the sport in Canada being as high as it ever had been. A lot of courses, however, needed to make a choice they were never faced with before on junior golf because of the demand for tee times. Could they still give up a tee-time for $20 for a youngster if they had a line of adults waiting to pay $100+ for the same time?

“We’re super empathetic about some of the unintended challenges that a participation spike creates,” Golf Canada chief sport officer Kevin Blue says. “But at the same time, we’re trying to think about the health of our sport over the next 30, 40, or 50 years and clearly junior golf is a part of that.”

Blue has spoken at length about his time growing up as a non-family sponsored junior member at the Bayview Country Club, which, he says, allowed him to develop as a golfer significantly. A non-family sponsored junior program allows junior golfers to play and practice at a private club for a reasonable annual fee without their parents having to join. While many clubs across Canada continue to have programs like this, some have scaled back access for juniors due to increased demand for tee times. Blue suggested that all private clubs in Canada should consider adding a limited number of non-family sponsored juniors – for example, two girls and two boys – to help some tournament-playing youngsters have access to quality facilities.

“They pay a reasonable annual fee for being there […] and the club rallies behind these players,” Blue says. “A casualty (due to golf’s increased popularity through the COVID-19 pandemic) in some instances has been these non-family sponsored junior programs. Or at least shrinking them. We understand the influences involved and why these choices are made. But at the same time, that’s had a direct impact on (junior) opportunities to be able to train and practice and develop.”

Nick Taylor, the three-time PGA Tour winner and – of course – the reigning RBC Canadian Open champion, was one of those youngsters able to take advantage of an affordable junior program. Growing up in Abbotsford, B.C. (about an hour outside of Vancouver) Taylor recalls his parents paying about $220 to have full access to the course (minus, he thinks, sometimes on the weekend) where he would be at the course every day from sun up to sun down.  

“It was the greatest babysitter,” Taylor says with a laugh.

Now as a father of two, he reflects on the opportunity afforded to him by this junior-golf program and those are the two key things he hopes other clubs across the country will be able to offer – accessible, affordable golf for kids.

With Taylor’s win at the RBC Canadian Open now four months in the rear-view mirror, he’s been able to reflect on his position in Canadian golf as someone who can inspire the next generation, like Mike Weir did to him after Weir’s 2003 Masters triumph.

Taylor has his own charity golf tournament each year at home in B.C. and this year there was the Nick Taylor Junior Golf Day, with 94 young golfers asking questions and watching Taylor hit balls. Monies from his charity event went right back into the community.

“It’s obviously very important […] to maybe be that person to get some more kids in the game and get them determined to be as best as they can be,” Taylor says.

Taylor had affordable access to a course that was supportive of kids learning the game and becoming the next generation of golfers in this country. Julie, at Sawmill, is committed to having a place like that.

There are plenty of other great examples across the country providing a safe space for kids to learn – and love – golf. But there’s still even more room to grow.

“I often say to my peers, ‘go on and copy and paste our program. It would be an honour,’” Julie says. “It’s who our club is.”

————-

On Oct. 2, 2023, Blue took part in a Golf Journalists Association of Canada (GJAC) Virtual Summit with the topic being Courses Supporting Junior Golf.

The series is part of an ongoing GJAC series intended to help membership stay connected, as well as to generate discussion and opportunities around important issues in the game.

Panelists for this Summit included Blue, as well as Nick Taylor, 2023 RBC Canadian Open Champion and Carrie Julie, Owner/Operator, Sawmill Golf Club. The Summit was moderated by Dan Pino, Golf Canada’s Senior Director of Communications. You can watch it below.

Jeri Lafleche (Clear Lake Golf Course) is Golf Manitoba’s lone representative this week as the Golf Canada NextGen Fall Series West Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards tees off today at The Hills at Portal Golf Club in Surrey, B.C.

The starting field will feature – 72 Junior Boys and 27 Junior Girls competing for three spots each into their respective Canadian Junior Championships next summer.

For the Junior Girls leaderboard featuring Lafleche, click here.

“The NextGen Fall Series West Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards promises to be a great tournament and provides players another opportunity to compete on the national stage in the fall,” said Golf Canada Tournament Director, Daniel Suppa. “Golf Canada is thrilled to welcome the field to The Hills at Portal Golf Club for our final NextGen series event of the season.”

Practice rounds are scheduled for Wednesday, October 4, before the official The 54-hole tournament concludes Saturday.

The Hills at Portal Golf Club was established in 1928 and was formerly known as Peace Portal. The golf course is regarded as one of the top public courses in the country. The Hills saw a change in ownership in October 2021 with new owners, Joe Haley and Randy Bishop. Since then, the course has undergone numerous changes that have improved playing conditions and have created a more challenging course for players. Off course renovations included a completely renovated clubhouse and restaurant.

This week’s tournament marks the final stop on the NextGen Series schedule for the 2023 season. The NextGen Fall Series West Championship is one of Golf Canada’s eight regional junior championships presented in partnership with JOURNIE Rewards. Rosie Bee Kim of Edmonton and Matthew Wilson of Nanaimo, B.C. won their respective divisions in the 2022 NextGen Fall Series West Championship.

– with copy courtesy Golf Canada