2026 Women’s Senior Host Club Spotlight: The Ranch Golf & Country Club
The Alberta Women’s Senior Championship is largely seen as the most consistent group of competitors, as every year the championship brings together many of the same golfers every year. The women always show up for three days of competition, but most importantly the camaraderie. The group cheers each other on, stay for food after each round as they wait for other players to finish, and are always excited for the next year. This year the group will be treated to a trip up north from July 29-31 to The Ranch Golf & Country Club, one of Alberta’s premier tournament facilities.
The Ranch Golf & Country Club is a top level facility within the province, famed for its commitment to player experience. The course has hosted multiple Canadian Tour events in its time, but most recently hosted the 2024 Alberta Men’s Super Senior Championship and before that hosted the 2019 Alberta Women’s Amateur. The Ranch features a full-length, par-71 course that will challenge and delight even the most experienced golfer. In 2021, Score Magazine ranked The Ranch Golf and Country Club #1 Best Value Public Golf Course in Edmonton,
and #2 in Alberta. Designed by Western Golf Projects to offer the golfer variety, the course features traditional challenges that test your skills with mature natural forest, ponds, and stone creek beds. For a little taste of Scotland, the architect has interwoven numerous links style holes.
As the course still lays under the recent snowfall that hit most parts of Alberta, the competitors are surely still gearing up for the event. In 2025, Daniela Pacheco won her first Alberta championship with an impressive final day score of 71 to rocket up the leaderboard. Alberta Golf Hall of Fame Jackie Little won the Super Senior Championship in 2025, continuing to add to her trophy case, while Ena Spalding won the Diamond Division for the second time in three years. This year, those same names will look to repeat their success but there will be a long list of players looking to play the role of spoiler. Kim Carrington returned to the event after a long stint of injuries, now with a year under her belt the killer instinct is undoubtedly back. Gisselle Willimus returned to competitive golf after an extended period away. Other favourites include the consistent Lynn Kuehn, Lisa Hall, Connie Evans, two-time champion Celina Lam, and plenty more. The eventual winner will have to navigate a tough test at The Ranch with so much variety to the course players will need to stay on their toes.
2025 Women’s Senior Championship Leaderboard
Lynn Kuehn, Daniela Pacheco, and Gisselle Willimus
The Women’s Senior Championship is for females aged 50+ as of the first day of the Canadian Women’s Senior. The event also has the Super Senior Championship, for players aged 60+, and the Diamond Division for those aged 70+. The event also places the competitors into flights based on their Handicap Index, ensuring players are competing with and against similar skill levels ensuring an enjoyable experience. As mentioned, this event is much bigger than just a trophy. The energy at the Women’s Senior Championship is always one of excitement and happiness with everyone seeing old friends after long cold winters. The event is open to any females with a Handicap Index of 30.0, with registration opening on April 1st at 9am.
2026 U19 Championship Host Club Spotlight: The Coyote
The Alberta U19 Championship is an event perpetually circled on junior golfers’ calendars—a true proving ground for Alberta’s emerging talent looking to put both competitors and potential post-secondary programs on notice. Beyond identifying the province’s best, the championship offers athletes a chance to reinvent themselves each year, returning after a long winter of practice and improvement. There is perhaps no better venue for such an event than a familiar favourite undergoing its own transformation. Welcome to The Coyote Golf Club, formerly known as Coyote Creek Golf Club, host of the 2026 Alberta U19 Championship.
The Coyote Golf Club is one of Alberta’s most scenic courses, tucked away in Central Alberta in the town of Sundre. Sundre itself is no stranger to hidden gems, with Sundre Golf Club also calling the community home. The Coyote is a championship layout designed by renowned architect Gary Browning, whose portfolio includes Stewart Creek, Copper Point, and the redesign of Pinebrook Golf & Country Club. The course offers an accessible layout for golfers of all skill levels while presenting elite players with a memorable test filled with both challenge and reward. Coyote GC is also well versed in hosting provincial championships, most recently serving as host of an Alberta Mid-Amateur qualifier, and previously the 2023 Alberta Women’s Senior Championship, which was won by Celina Lam in rainy conditions. While the course competed under a different name at the time, juniors in 2026 will be tasked with navigating the same demanding challenges.
The U19 Championship has often seen favourites rise to the occasion. Recent examples include Saylar May’s victory following her 2024 U17 Championship win, and Tobias Buffam’s 2025 triumph after knocking on the door in 2023. Heading into 2026, Saylar May once again stands as the clear favourite on the girls’ side. After capturing two championships in 2025 and earning a spot at Golf Canada’s Selection Camp, she enters highly regarded. Other contenders include Alessandra Sundquist, who made her first interprovincial team appearance last year; Sela Ogada, the 2024 U15 Girls’ Champion; and Danika Horcica, who will look to continue adding to her growing trophy case.
The championship is also known for unexpected breakthroughs, and 2026 features a group of hungry juniors quietly compiling impressive resumes. Chase Strang brings a string of strong finishes, including a 2025 U17 Championship. Bennett Love is a two-time U15 Boys’ Champion with a third-place finish at the Canadian U15 Championship, while Jayden Arnold continues to build momentum with consistent year-over-year performances. Most notably, Benson White may be poised for the biggest leap. Following an impressive summer, he capped off 2025 with a historic showing at the Alberta Open, becoming the youngest player ever to win Low Amateur, and will represent Alberta at the Pacific Coast Amateur in July.
The U19 Championship is open to both boys and girls who are under the age of 19 as of August 1st each year. The event does not require qualifying, with eligibility set at a Handicap Index of 25.0 or lower for boys and 30.0 or lower for girls. With registration opening April 1 and the championship scheduled for July 14–16, there remains ample time for both players and the course to prepare. Will a new name rise to the top at The Coyote, or will a familiar face fend off the challenges of a Central Alberta favourite?
2026 Men’s Senior Host Club Spotlight: Trestle Creek Golf Resort
The 2026 Alberta Men’s Senior Championship is returning to a very familiar host from the last few years and one that has gained some national attention – Trestle Creek Golf Resort. The Alberta Men’s Senior Championship is a popular event on the schedule and one that has become increasingly competitive. The event is open to males aged 55+ as of the first day of the Canadian Men’s Senior. The event has three regional qualifiers that non-exempt players must register for and compete to make the event.
The Men’s Senior Championship is known for its social environment with many of the players looking forward to the event to see all their friends after long winters apart. Despite this, the event is still ripe with competition for the championship and most importantly, the interprovincial team. The Men’s Senior Interprovincial team has been on an impressive run of success at the Canadian Championship over the last 20 years, with nine interprovincial team wins, a runner-up finishes last year, a third-place finish, and a pair of 4th places. With names like Floyd Kilgore, Howard Broun, Brian Laubman, Grant Oh, Senan Foley, and Alberta Golf Hall of Famers like Frank Van Dornick and David Schultz, there’s no surprise the event is tough to win. Last year, saw David Schultz and Kevin Temple duel it out for the championship. Temple found a way to win the event, his first title since his Mid-Amateur and Mid-Master victories in 2015. He’ll look to defend his title against old foes like Brian Laubman, David Schultz, and Senan Foley.
Friends Before Foes: The Culture Of the Men’s Senior Championship
The 2026 champion will have to play well for three days in August and that will be no easy feat at a golf course that is well known to this group of competitors. Trestle Creek has become a renowned host in Alberta. Having hosted the Alberta Open in 2019, the Men’s Mid-Master Championship in 2024, and a Golf Canada NextGen Championship in 2025. The course has proven it’s abilities to host all ages. The course offers 27 holes and a 9-hole par 3 track, built by Brad Dupuis of Dupuis International Design. The courses rolling hills, water hazards, and the extreme undulating greens will present challenges for all players as hitting the right spots on both tee shots and approaches will be key. Putting will also come to the forefront as players will have to ensure they’re not turning routine two putts into a dreaded three putt or much worse.
Trestle Creek Golf Resort Website
As we approach the 2026 championship season and all the snow birds come home, preparation will ramp up for the seniors in Alberta as the coveted Men’s Senior Championship will again be up for grabs. The 2026 winner will have their name etched among some of the greats in our province and join a cherished tradition of competition and camaraderie.
2026 Men’s Mid-Amateur Host Club Spotlight: Wolf Creek Golf Resort
The Alberta Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2026—an ironic milestone given that the event was originally established for male golfers aged 40 and over, prior to the creation of the Mid-Master Championship. Today, the Men’s Mid-Amateur is open to the province’s top male players aged 25 and older as of the first day of the national championship. Fittingly, the provincial championship will return in 2026 to the course that hosted the inaugural event in 1986: Wolf Creek.
The first championship was won by Alberta Golf Hall of Famer Ken Tamke, and over the years the event has been captured by many of the province’s standout players, including Frank Van Dornick, Floyd Kilgore, Senan Foley, David Schultz, and numerous others. In more recent editions, Edmonton Country Club’s Neil Thomas has claimed back-to-back titles and will be seeking to become the first player to win three consecutive Alberta Men’s Mid-Amateur Championships. Among the challengers is Alex Cartwright, who recently relocated to Calgary and earned a spot on Alberta’s interprovincial team in his first year in the province. A Canmore native, Cartwright previously spent five years competing on the University of Victoria golf team. Michael Valk, a member of the 2025 interprovincial team, will also be in pursuit of his first Mid-Amateur title as one of the newer competitors in the field. Meanwhile, established regulars such as Galvon, Markiw, DenBraber, Werre, Lefaivre, and Hollman will no doubt look to play spoiler to the emerging contenders.
Whoever ultimately prevails in 2026 will be tested not only by the field, but by the venue itself. Known to many Albertans as “The Wolf,” Wolf Creek presents a formidable challenge regardless of which course hosts the championship, a decision yet to be confirmed. The Old Course, the original Rod Whitman design, is described on the club’s website as “a pure inland links course winding in and out of the Wolf Creek bed.” Tour-tested and strategically demanding, it places a premium on creativity, precision, and thoughtful shot-making. Across the road, the Links Course represents an evolution of classic design principles. With wider fairways and striking natural beauty, the course is carved through expansive natural sand dunes and features rolling contours that reward both power and finesse.
Wolf Creek has long been a premier championship venue in Alberta, hosting a wide range of prestigious events. It served for many years as the home of the Alberta Open during its Canadian Tour era, has welcomed multiple Golf Canada events including NextGen tournaments, and has hosted the McLennan Ross Alberta Junior Tour Championship. Most recently, Wolf Creek earned widespread praise from competitors after hosting the Alberta Men’s Senior Championship.
Regardless of the course selection or the final field, the 2026 Alberta Men’s Mid-Amateur champion will need to outduel a deep roster of talent and successfully tame the teeth of the Wolf over three demanding days, from July 21–23. In doing so, the winner will not only join the distinguished list of past champions of one of Alberta’s most popular events, but also secure a lasting place in the history of one of the province’s finest golf courses.
2026 Championships: The Stories To Watch
With the arrival of the New Year, the golf season is just a few months away, and shortly thereafter, the 2026 Championship season will be underway. From players to watch and potential repeat champions to new events and compelling milestones, we have you covered with the 2026 Championships: Stories to Watch.
Chasing History
As attention turns to 2026, several notable players will have more than just another title at stake.
Brett Jones made history last year with his victory at Paradise Canyon, becoming just the 15th player to win back-to-back Amateur Championships and cementing his place among the province’s greats. In 2026, Jones will pursue a rare three-peat in the province’s oldest championship. A victory would place him on an even more exclusive list alongside Bob Wylie, Henry Martell, and Munroe Hunter—the only players to have accomplished this feat.
Sydney Bisgrove faces a tall challenge in 2026 following an impressive 2025 season. After a narrow miss at the Women’s Amateur, she captured the inaugural Alberta Open Women’s Championship. In 2026, she will have the opportunity to complete her trophy collection by winning the Women’s Amateur and becoming the first player to hold both the Women’s Amateur and Women’s Alberta Open titles simultaneously. Dubbed the “Sydney Slam,” the achievement would make her the first female to do so and only the second person overall, joining Henry Martell, to hold both Amateur and Open titles at the same time.
Wes Heffernan experienced a minor setback in his pursuit of history at the Alberta Open in 2025, but redemption could be on the horizon in 2026 as the championship heads to Priddis Greens. Heffernan currently sits at seven Alberta Open victories—just two shy of the record set by Stan Leonard in 1955. Could 2026 be the year he moves one step closer?
The Alberta Open
The 90th edition of the Alberta Open will build on the momentum of last season’s successful championship. The introduction of a Women’s division proved to be a major success, with more than 20 players testing their skills against the province’s top female professionals and amateurs. Alberta Golf will continue to focus on growing this division in 2026, including an increased purse for female professionals to attract additional talent. With Priddis Greens set to host on August 11 to 13, participation is expected to rise across all divisions.
A New Era In The Seniors
The 2025 Women’s Senior Championship appeared to signal a changing of the guard. Daniela Pacheco captured her first Women’s Senior title and followed it with a remarkable season that included a Mickelson National Club Championship win and a top-20 finish at the Canadian Women’s Senior. As the 2026 championship approaches, she will undoubtedly enter as the favourite.
The 2025 season also marked the return of Gisselle Willimus to competitive golf. Gisselle was a prominent figure before her departure from the game. Any rust was quickly shaken off, as she secured a spot on the interprovincial team in her first year back.
Adding further intrigue, the 2026 Canadian Women’s Senior Championship will be hosted in Alberta at Pine Hills Golf Club. With the national championship being held in the West, new faces are expected to emerge in July as players look to earn their place in the field.
Men’s Mid-Master Makeover
One of the province’s most popular championships over the past five years is undergoing a format update. Beginning this year, the Men’s Mid-Master Championship (for players aged 40+) will feature both a North and South qualifier in the spring, with players required to earn their way into the championship. The existing exemption criteria will remain the same with exemptions being sent out in early March. This change will ensure that the strongest fields are assembled while eliminating the annual rush to register on April 1.
Men’s Mid-Amateur: 40th Anniversary
The Men’s Mid-Amateur (for players aged 25+) has long been a staple on the provincial calendar, and in its 40th year, the championship will return to Wolf Creek for a special celebration. “The Wolf” hosted the inaugural Men’s Mid-Amateur in 1986, where Alberta Golf Hall of Famer Ken Tamke claimed the first title.
In 2026, Neil Thomas will be aiming for his third consecutive Mid-Amateur victory. Should he succeed, he would become the first player to achieve a three-peat in the event’s history—no small task against the demanding layout of Wolf Creek.
The Overachieving U19’s
The U19 Championship once again promises excitement, but one junior in particular has the opportunity to continue an exceptional run. Saylar May completed the Junior Crown by winning the U15 Girls, U17 Girls, and U19 Girls Championships over a three-year span. In 2026, she has the chance to close out her junior career on a high note by successfully defending her U19 title.
Should she do so, the only remaining championships missing from her trophy case would be the Women’s Amateur and the Alberta Open Women’s Championship. Regardless of what lies ahead, her junior career already stands among the best seen in the province since the emergence of players such as Katy Rutherford and Kim Qually.
The 2026 Championship Schedule is nearing completion and registration has been set for April 1st at 9am.
2 Champions crowned at 2025 All Abilities Championship
Alberta Golf (Calgary) – The 2025 Alberta All Abilities Championship wrapped up it’s championship season at McCall Lake Golf Course in Calgary, as a record number 29 participants played in the 2025 Alberta All Abilities Championship. The two day championship had perfect weather as players competed for the Gross and Net division championships.
The Gross division title was won by Kiefer Jones of Blind Golf Alberta. The day saw a battle between Jones and Grant Lee come down to the back 9. Kiefer came into the final day with a one shot lead after a 67 on the first day. After losing his lead on the front, Kiefer reclaimed it with birdies on 14 and 15, and successfully defended Lee the rest of the way. Kiefer won the event previously when it was held at McCall in 2023.
The Net division title was won by Emma Bittorf, who also won the Net title in 2023. After a slow first day, Emma shot a personal best, 73, which resulted in 48 Net Stableford points to jump up the leaderboard and claim the victory. Rachel Adamis, who plays many of the McLennan Ross Alberta Junior Tour events also shot a personal best to come in second in the net division. Randall Mackus in his first visit to the Alberta All Abilities finished third in the Net division.
All Abilities Full Leaderboard
With this, the 2025 Championship season has come to a close! With any luck, the fall golf season will be a long one once again for players across the province. The winter will provide players a break and a reset before turning their attention and preparation to 2026!
2025 Alberta All Abilities Championship Preview
The final event in the 2025 Alberta Golf Championship season kicks off tomorrow at McCall Lake Golf Course in Calgary, as the third instalment of the All Abilities Championship gets underway!
The Alberta All Abilities Championship is in its third year of operation and this year has become the finale to the championship season. The event is open to any golfer that has a player pass through the European Disabled Golf Association and is an official WR4GD ranking event. The event provides players with disabilities a place to compete and come together to celebrate. The decision to add this event in 2023 followed the move made by many major associations including Golf Canada, the USGA, Golf Ontario, and Golf Manitoba. Alberta is the 4th province to offer this kind of event for its players. There is both a gross competition and a net competition for the players, and as it continues to grow there is the potential of having separate competitions for each category of disability.
In 2024, Bob MacDermott was victorious winning the event up in Sherwood Park. He’s surely a player to watch this year as he tries to defend the title. Returning to the field this year is 2023 Champion, Kiefer Jones, who is 34th in the WR4GD rankings. Kiefer, a Calgarian, at one point was also the #1 ranked blind golfer in the world. He’ll look to repeat his success this year as the event returns to McCall Lake. Another player to watch this week would be Josh Engel, who recently won Gold a the Special Olympics Summer Games earlier this year.
World #1 – Kiefer Jones Interview
McCall Lake has proven to be a terrific host for this event in the past and the City of Calgary has become a leader in accessibility in the game of golf. McCall Lake has been the home of a number of free junior adaptive golf lessons for golfers with disabilities. In addition to this, McCall Lake partnered with the Alberta Sports and Recreation Association for the Blind in 2023 to offer additional junior adaptive golf camps to their members. Shaganappi Point also has their own assisted mobility device for golfers who are looking to get into the game.
New this year for the All Abilities, Alberta Golf is pleased to be hosting an adaptive golf clinic at the McCall Lake driving range on September 9th, led by PGA of Alberta professionals.
For the full preview of the 2025 Alberta All Abilities Championship, click the link below to head to the Alberta Golf Yearbook.
For tee times and results from the event, click the link below for the Golf Genius page.
3 Champions Crowned at the 2025 Alberta Interclub Championship
Alberta Golf (Kananaskis) – Alberta Golf continued it’s Championship season Tuesday at Kananaskis Country Golf Course as 46 Men’s and Women’s teams represented their home club in the 2025 Alberta Interclub Championship. The day was hot and sunny and the mountains provided an unbelievable backdrop to some great play across the 36 hole layout of Mount Lorette and Mount Kidd.
On the women’s side Country Hills Golf Club defended their title with the team of Meaghan Leblanc, Victoria Tse, Joan Wilson and Amanada Chan posting 7-under par for the victory.
The men’s division was as competitive as ever with 5 teams within 1 stroke of the title. The Winston Golf Club fired 10-under par for the narrow victory. Great playing by Garett Johnson, Shane Abel, Trevor Martensson and Christian Chivilo
The Innisfail Golf Club consisting of Erin Kirkness, Marg Williscroft, Elayne Shiffner and Michelle Spivik teamed up for a 16-under par total to win the Low Net Championship.
4 Champions Crowned at the Alberta U15 and U13 Championship
Alberta Golf (Chestermere) – 2 hot sunny days at Lakeside Golf Club just east of Calgary for the Alberta U15 and U13 Championship. In the Boys U15 Championship Bennett Love from the Red Deer Golf & Country Club posted a final round 70 for a 3-stroke victory a defended his U15 title from a year ago at Alberta Springs Golf Resort.
In the Girls U15 Championship Danika Horcica from The Edmonton Country Club fired a final round 73 to take the title.
In the Boys U13 Championship, Oscar Gosgnach from the Royal Mayfair Golf Club defended his title shooting a 3-under par 68.
In the Girls U13 Championship Olivia Van Kesteren won while playing in her first ever competitive championship.
WATCH VIDEO INTERVIEWS WITH ALL THE CHAMPIONS
Thank you to Lakeside Golf Club Head Professional Tyler Willner and all the staff and volunteers at the club for hosting the championship.
2025 Alberta U15 & U13 Championship Preview
The new U15 & U13 Championship gets underway tomorrow at Lakeside Golf Club in Chestermere! This is the first year the event will be separate from the U17 players and the change has proven to work with a boost in registration up to 70 players.
The U15 & U13 Championship brings together the top young players in the province. The now separate championship acts as a great bridge between the McLennan Ross Alberta Junior Tour with many of the players there making the jump to our provincial championship schedule. The event has separate divisions for Boys and Girls in both the U13 and U15 divisions. Bennett Love will be a player to watch as he hopes to reclaim the U15 title, as does Oscar Gosgnach in the U13 division. Camilla Ruesga-Rojas will look to take another step in her junior career as she looks to claim the U15 Championship after her U13 victory in 2024. Mia Ha looks to be the favourite in the U13 Girls’ division, as she claimed the 2025 McLennan Ross Alberta Junior Tour U13 Division and Season Point Race at the Tour Championship just last week.
Lakeside Golf Club has stepped up as host for this event and has proven to be a terrific fit. Tyler Willner, the clubs head professional, has done a tremendous job growing the courses junior program from 40 players to 150. The course also played host to a McLennan Ross Alberta Junior Tour event earlier in the season. The course also offers a fair test to the field with an open layout, but is not just decided by players who can bomb the ball of the tee.
To read more about the event and hear what this event means from our past champions, click the button below to check out the U15 & U13 Championship spread in our Alberta Golf Yearbook.
U15 & U13 Championship Article
To find out what time everyone starts tomorrow, click the button below to check out the pairings for the event.