Golf Canada Senior Manager of Handicap & Course Rating Shaun Hall takes us behind closed doors at Niakwa Country Club while hosting a two day seminar for Golf Manitoba staff and volunteers.

Golf Canada and PUMA Canada are proud to announce a long-term extension of their existing partnership with Golf Canada’s National Team Program.

The new four-year agreement sees PUMA continue as the Official Apparel and Headwear partner of Golf Canada’s National Team Program (Team Canada men’s and women’s teams and Team Canada – NextGen boy’s and girl’s teams). Team Canada players, coaches and support staff will continue to exclusively wear PUMA’s premium golf apparel and headwear when representing Team Canada.

The extension also confirms that the athletes and coaches named to Team Canada will wear PUMA’s Golf apparel and headwear as part of the field-of-play uniform for all domestic (Golf Canada amateur championships) and international events including the World Junior Girls Golf Championship, World Amateur Team Championship, Pan American Games and the 2028 Olympic games in Los Angeles.

“We are very happy to extend our partnership with PUMA and to ensure our Team Canada athletes and staff continue to be outfitted by the iconic brand,” Mark Palmer, Chief Commercial Officer, Golf Canada. “PUMA shares our vision for being a world leader in the game of golf and investing in the growth of our sport in Canada.”

The extension builds on a strong relationship between PUMA Canada and Golf Canada that was first announced in November 2021. The partnership ensured all members of the Team Canada program were outfitted with PUMA Golf apparel and headwear.

“We are proud to extend our partnership with Golf Canada and set the stage for even greater success ahead,” said Dwayne Boecker, Vice President of COBRA PUMA GOLF. “The strong values and commitment we share in promoting golf and supporting the country’s next generation of great players and coaches are an excellent fit for our global brand. We look forward to continuing to outfit Team Canada and delivering high-performance products that empower athletes to reach their full potential on and off the course.”

Team Canada athletes, coaches and support staff will continue to wear official PUMA Golf apparel and headwear this season through to the end of 2028. For more information on the Team Canada High Performance Program, including athlete and coaches bios please click here. 

For more on PUMA Golf or to view the extensive collection for men and women and purchase items, click here.

Calling all local golfers! The BDO National Golf League (NGL), Golf Canada’s nation-wide league, in partnership with Golf Manitoba, has officially arrived to add a whole lot more awesome to your game. If you’re a recreational player in Manitoba or Northwestern Ontario – league regular or weekend warrior – the BDO NGL is a chance to join the fun, no matter your skill level!

The BDO NGL regular season is a net Stableford points competition that’s built seamlessly into the recreational golfers’ experience. To participate, simply be a Golf Manitoba/Golf Canada member (easy to join if not already a member!) and pay a $30 entry fee for the season. Golfers will continue to play normal weekend rounds at any Golf Manitoba/Canada member club on the following dates:

• June 7-8 & 21-22

• July 5-6 & 19-20

• August 9-10 & 23-24

You can play up to six rounds of 9 holes of which your best four scores will count. This is your pathway to the Provincial Championship held in late September.

The ultimate prize? Successful teams from the 2025 provincial qualifier will earn exclusive merchandise and an all-expenses-paid trip to the BDO National Golf League Championship. Played at the host site of 2026 RBC Canadian Open and just days before the event, fifty-two two-player teams will go head-to-head over 18 holes in a best ball net Stableford format. This is a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience as participants will play the course like the pros, with ropes and structures in place, walking the same fairways as some of the world’s top PGA TOUR players.

Register now for the NGL

If that isn’t already enough, the winning pair from the 2025 BDO National Golf League Championship receives an all expenses paid trip to compete in the R&A 9-Hole Challenge! Each year the R&A 9-Hole Challenge is contested the week before The Open Championship at the host course.

In addition to enhancing your recreational golfing experience, participation in the BDO National Golf League supports First Tee – Prairies, a youth development program striving to bring accessible and inclusive pathways to golf participation at schools, community centres, and golf courses across the country.

The mission of the First Tee – Prairies, is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, promote life-enhancing values and healthy choices through the game of golf. In collaboration with the PGA of Canada, First Tee – Prairies instills character development as a fundamental element of Golf Canada’s junior golf program. Learn more about the First Tee at firstteeprairies.ca.

For more information about the BDO National Golf League in Manitoba and Northwest Ontario, please visit golfmb.ca or by email at info@golfmb.ca.

The Playing Conditions Calculation (PCC) is one of the many tools that make the World Handicap System more dynamic and equitable. While largely invisible to the casual golfer, it plays a crucial role behind the scenes, ensuring your handicap truly reflects your ability—not just the luck of the weather. 

The PCC is a statistical adjustment designed to account for unusual playing conditions. But what exactly is the PCC, and how does it work?

What is the PCC?

The Playing Conditions Calculation is a daily statistical analysis conducted based on golfers’ scores to reflect how much easier or harder the course played on a specific day. It recognizes that factors like weather, course conditions and course setup can influence scoring, and changes the players’ Score Differentials accordingly to reflect that the course played differently from how the Course & Slope Ratings were determined.

How Does the PCC Work? The PCC is automatically calculated in the Golf Canada Score Centre at the end of each day using all the scores posted at a given course. It analyzes how players performed relative to their expected performance based on their handicaps and the Course & Slope Ratings.

Here’s a breakdown of how it functions:

• It is applied automatically— the only thing that golfers need to do is post their score before midnight!
• The system gathers all scores posted to the course (for all sets of tees) on a given day.
• A minimum of 8 acceptable scores (by golfers with a Handicap Index of 36.0 or less) must be posted for the day.
• It calculates how those scores compare to what would normally be expected.
• If a statistically significant difference is observed (suggesting the course played much harder or easier), a PCC value is determined and included in the Score Differential calculation for that day.
• The adjustment can range from -1.0 to +3.0 strokes.
  • A minus PCC value (-1.0) indicates that the course played easier than normal

A positive PCC value (+1.0, +2.0, + 3.0) indicates that the course played more difficult than normal.

If a PCC value is determined, it is factored into the Score Differential calculation.  When a PCC value applies, you will see a hat (“^”) beside the Score Differential in your Golf Canada Scoring Record.  For a detailed explanation of how a Score Differential is calculated, you can also click on the value under the “Diff” column.

Why Is the PCC Important?

The goal of the PCC is to recognize that playing conditions impact the relative quality of a score.  Without this adjustment, scores recorded in especially tough conditions could unfairly inflate a player’s handicap, while scores in ideal conditions could deflate it.

For example:  A score of 85 made in challenging conditions might be a better demonstration of ability compared to a score of 85 made in good conditions.

Golf Manitoba, in association with Golf Canada, is pleased to welcome Heron Landing Golf Course as our newest member club.

Located just north of Fort Frances, Ontario, five minutes off Highway #11, this 18 hole course can be played from four sets of tee boxes ranging from 4,589 to 7,136 yards.

Heron Landing Golf Course features a driving range, chipping green and putting green. A fully licensed clubhouse and restaurant can host fundraisers, weddings and corporate gatherings. The proshop is available in the clubhouse for all your golfing needs.

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

To reserve a tee time or for more information, call the proshop at (807) 274-5678.

Golf Manitoba, in association with Golf Canada, is pleased to welcome Oakwood Golf Course as our newest member club.

Located 20 minutes east of Winnipeg along Highway #1, this 18 hole course can be played from three sets of tee boxes ranging from 5,211 to 6,073 yards.

Oakwood Golf Course features a driving range, chipping green and putting green. A fully licensed clubhouse and restaurant welcomes the opportunity to host fundraising golf tournaments and corporate gatherings. The proshop is available in the clubhouse for all your golfing needs.

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

To reserve a tee time or for more information, call the proshop at (204) 422-8045.

An Active Season is the period of time when acceptable scores from Golf Manitoba / Canada member courses should be submitted for handicap purposes.

The Rules of Handicapping stipulates that every player is responsible for submitting all acceptable scores into one’s scoring record for rounds played on courses during the active season.

It is the responsibility of authorized provincial golf association to declare active and inactive seasons, with area clubs and players required to observe these dates for score posting purposes. To make this process easier, the Golf Canada Score Centre automatically considers the active season of the course being played when a score is posted and whether it should be included in calculating a player’s Handicap Index.

In Canada, the active season in each province is as follows:

BC =     Mar.1 – Nov.15
AB =     Mar.1 – Oct.31
SK =     Apr.15 – Oct.31
MB =    Apr.15 – Oct.31
ON =    Apr.15 – Oct.31
QC =    Apr.15 – Oct.31
NS =     Apr.15 – Oct.31
NB =     May.1 – Oct.31
PE =     Apr.16 – Nov.14
NL =     Apr.1 – Nov. 30

Scores made at a golf course in an area observing an active season must be posted for handicap purposes, even if the golf club where the player is a member is observing an inactive season. The club’s Handicap Committee must make it possible for a player to post these away scores at the beginning of the active season.

It’s important to note that if you are travelling to other countries or regions, you should confirm their active seasons to ensure all acceptable scores are posted. Your home club needs all acceptable scores (even if played during a Canadian “off-season”) to ensure that your Handicap Index is accurate and reflects your demonstrated ability.

For example, if a player belonging to a golf club in Manitoba plays golf in Florida (which observes a year-round active season) during January, any score(s) made in Florida are acceptable and must be submitted to the player’s scoring record. If the player is also a member of a golf club in Florida and Manitoba, it is important to remember that all acceptable scores must be posted to each scoring record. 

The Golf Canada Score Centre has tools available to link Canadian and USGA accounts, so that a score posted to one account is automatically transferred to the other.  For more information, or to set up this link, please contact members@golfcanada.ca or phone 1-800-263-0009 X399.

For a detailed list of active and inactive schedule in the United States, click here.

For more information on handicapping, click here.

FOR AN OFFICIAL HANDICAP INDEX, BECOME A GOLF MANITOBA / CANADA MEMBER HERE.

Despite being one of the best Canadian golfers on the PGA Tour, Taylor Pendrith didn’t really grow up dreaming of playing in the Masters.

Instead, his goal was to play in Major League Baseball or the NHL.

Pendrith, who was the MVP of his high school baseball team in Richmond Hill, Ont., and also played junior A hockey, will make his Augusta National Golf Club debut on Thursday. 

“Honestly, even the first few years in college playing college golf, I didn’t really know I was going to play professionally,” Pendrith told reporters on Tuesday. “So obviously I watched the Masters tournament and followed golf, but never really thought I would be here until probably the last year of college.

“Once I got my PGA Tour card it became more of a reality that, ‘hey, if I do play well I could get here.’”

Pendrith played at Kent State University before turning pro in 2014, working his way up from the PGA Tour Canada to the Korn Ferry Tour and finally the PGA Tour. The 33-year-old qualified for the Masters, the first major of the men’s golf season, when he won the CJ Cup Byron Nelson on May 5.

“I had been a couple times as a spectator and it will be a really special week,” said Pendrith. “It’s already been such a cool week, and to have all my family and friends here, it’s awesome.”

Pendrith will be joined at Augusta by Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., and Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont.

Conners and Pendrith played together at Kent State and were the best men at each other’s weddings. They’ve gone on to play together on Golf Canada’s national team and were twice members of the International Team at the Presidents Cup.

“(Pendrith) looked great out there,” said Conners after the four Canadians practised together. “It was awesome to share that experience with him. 

“Tried to tell him a few of the things that I learned over the years. But I think this golf course is great for him.”

Conners is the highest ranked Canadian on the FedEx Cup standings, sitting sixth heading into the Masters. He’s played in the tournament seven times, finishing in the top 10 in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

“I think there is an added comfort level knowing you had some good rounds out here, knowing what it takes to play well,” said Conners, who is also 33. “I think that’s definitely huge here compared to some of the weeks.

“Obviously, it’s the biggest golf tournament in the world. Just fun to be here any time, but definitely having had some decent results, there is lots of positives I can draw from.”

Taylor is 16th on the FedEx Cup rankings and Pendrith is 39th. 

The 54-year-old Weir primarily plays on the Champions Tour and is therefore unranked on the PGA Tour, but automatically qualifies for the Masters as the 2003 champion. Weir is still the only Canadian man to win a major.

Taylor, 36, has won on the PGA Tour five times, including three playoffs. He thinks a major win could be close for him.

“I know I’m not far off, it’s just getting through that barrier of probably the belief standpoint and then I’ve played well enough at a vast majority of golf courses that there’s no reason I can’t compete out here,” said Taylor, who will be competing at the Masters for a third time. “So getting that belief is definitely probably the next step and then from there I can shoot some good scores.”

Golf Manitoba, in association with Golf Canada, is pleased to welcome Shooters Family Golf Centre as our newest member club.

Located along Main Street in Winnipeg, this executive18 hole par 57 golf course can be played from three sets of tee boxes ranging from 2,076 to 2,879 yards.

Shooters Family Golf Centre also features a 100 stall driving range, mini golf course, putting green and a full service restaurant for all guests to enjoy.

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

To reserve a tee time or for more information, call the proshop at (204) 339-2326 or go online www.shootersgolf.ca.

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

Located in southwest Manitoba, this 18 hole course can be played from four sets of tee boxes ranging from 3,942 to 6,180 yards.

Killarney Lakeside Golf Club features a driving range, chipping green and putting green. The fully licensed clubhouse and restaurant is available to host fundraisers, weddings and corporate gatherings.

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

To reserve a tee time or for more information, call the proshop at (204) 523-8277 or click here for their website.