2025 Host Club Spotlight: Leduc Golf & Country Club

photo of the golf course being spotlighted
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Leduc Golf & Country Club is a decorated golf course, having played host to a variety of competitive tournaments in the last 5 years. With the 2021 Canadian Junior Girls Championship, the 2024 NextGen Western Championship, and an Alberta Men’s Amateur qualifier in 2024, it has shown its ability to test the top players at every level. The course will add to its impressive event history with the playing of the 112th Alberta Women’s Amateur in 2025, as it’s slated for July 2 to July 4. 
 
The Women’s Amateur Championship is one of the oldest golf championships in the country, with its origins being traced back to 1907. With the original trophy still in play, the event has been a breeding ground for all of Alberta’s up and coming players with players like Jaclyn Lee and Jennifer Ha winning the event before moving on to the next step. There is no age limit for the event and no qualifying required, players only need to have a Handicap Index of 20.0 or lower. Included in this event however, are the Women’s Mid-Amateur and Women’s Mid-Master Championships. The Women’s Mid-Amateur is only open to competitors aged 25 and above as of the first day of the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur, and similarly the Women’s Mid-Master is open to those females who are aged 40 and above as of the first day of the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur. Registration has already opened for the event. As part of Alberta Golf’s commitment to growing the event, courses in the province have been contacted to try and drive registration with special invites going out to courses and their club champions. 
 
Leduc Golf & Country Club will host the Women’s Amateur for only the second time, the first being in 1993. The course offers an amazing walk for competitors but will surely challenge the players. With tree lined fairways and plenty of water features the course is commonly seen as deceiving as you stand on the tee. To navigate the course correctly and avoid the big numbers, players will have to think their way through the golf course, keeping the ball below the hole, and keeping the ball in the fairway off the tee. The course also boasts a family atmosphere with a supportive membership and plenty of feel-good stories, like the former junior member turned General manager, Rick Brown, or the back shop employee turned Head Professional, Jeremy Beirnes. With all the events at the course, the membership community continues to show their support through their commitment to volunteering. 
 
While all the events at Leduc have been a great success, the 112th edition of the Women’s Amateur is sure to boast a similar result. The players of all ages will come to the event ready to compete for the Women’s Amateur, Mid-Amateur, and Mid-Master Championships. Following play, the players will surely enjoy the club’s new clubhouse and one of the best patios in the Edmonton area. 

Women’s Amateur Registration

Long-Term Player Development Guides

Coach fist bumping his player

One of Alberta Golf’s key objectives with the High Performance Program is to identify and support players reach their developmental and competitive goals, while providing guidance in securing a post-secondary golf scholarship. The Program aims to achieve this through supporting athletes, coaches, parents, and facilities through a tiered identification program that provides developmental training opportunities, appropriate competition, parent support, and funding for players who qualify. 

As part of this objective, Alberta Golf has worked to create two important documents to help young players understand their growth within competitive golf, and help provide a roadmap for players or parents to follow when looking at performance standards and key development principles. These documents have been created using Golf Canada’s Long-Term Player Development Guide (LTPD) and has been structured to focus primarily on what Alberta’s competitive landscape has to offer. To see Golf Canada’s LTPD and all the resources available, head to the Player Development page.

Player Development Page

Junior Golf Developmental Roadmap

The Junior Golf Developmental Roadmap helps guide young golfers in finding the right playing opportunities based on their experience and skill level, while also providing a pathway for future growth in the game. The Junior Golf Developmental Roadmap comes complete with age ranges, objectives of each stage, key concepts, and resources for parents and players to understand where they are and the next steps. 

Junior Golf Developmental Roadmap

High Performance Competitive Roadmap

The High Performance Competitive Roadmap provides junior players with a guide from club-level events to competing and excelling at the national level, helping players navigate development opportunities and reach their full potential. This document has each LTPD stage referenced allowing parents or players to understand which stage they are in based on the Junior Golf Developmental Roadmap and what events they should be playing in. 

High Performance Competitive Roadmap

Alberta Golf is committed to helping juniors across the province achieve their competitive goals. These documents will help provide clarity for players and parents across the province on where they are now, what they need to do to improve, and where the next opportunity for growth is. 

2025 Alberta Golf Board of Directors elected. 2024 Annual Report released.

Alberta Golf (Calgary) The 2025 Annual General Meeting of the Voting Members of the Alberta Golf Association was held virtually on Thursday March 20.

2024 saw a strong year for golf in the province where Alberta Golf eclipsed 60,000 members, 30 High Performance athletes and 14 coaches received $55,000 in funding, while 2,200 golfers competed in Alberta Golf championships. 1,500 juniors played in our affordable McLennan Ross Alberta Junior Tour while we also cemented our relationship with title sponsor McLennan Ross LLP through the 2027 season. Participation in our grassroots Youth on Course program soared from 1,500 kids in 2023 to 3,000 in 2024, with subsidized rounds of $5 golf also doubling from 8,000 in 2023 to over 16,000 in 2024. We had more activations than ever in our recreational UpSwing brand that now has 4,000 golfers and 14 courses took advantage of our Upswing grant program. Our Hall of Fame and Volunteer initiatives also grew in 2024. Entry points in the game of golf for everyone has never been greater as we head into the 2025 season and beyond.

Subsequent to the AGM, the Board of Directors met and the following officers were named:

President: Brent Bailey

Vice President: Kendra Koss

Treasurer: Ross Nesbitt

Secretary: Chris Leach

Brent Bailey starts his third year as President after taking over from Mark Bamford in 2023 who provided Alberta Golf with two successful years of leadership, where a continued emphasis was placed on diversifying the Association’s many relationships and enhancing its governance structure.

FULL BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Brent BaileyWindermere Golf & Country Club (Edmonton)

Mark Bamford: Glendale Golf & Country Club (Edmonton)

Jennifer Biernaskie: Public Players Club (Calgary)

Kim Carrington: Cottonwood Golf & Country Club (De Winton)

Ken Knowles: Windermere Golf & Country Club (Edmonton)

Kendra Koss: Earl Grey Golf Club (Calgary)

Chris Leach: Valley Ridge Golf Club (Calgary)             

Lorraine Moster: Public Players Club (Edmonton)

VIEW THE 2024 ANNUAL REPORT HERE

VIEW THE 2024-2027 ALBERTA GOLF STRATEGIC PLAN HERE

Alberta Golf Volunteers

2024 Volunteer Wind-Up & Volunteer Of The Year Award

Jack and Chris Wilson, 2024 Alberta Golf Volunteers of the Year

Every year Alberta Golf runs two core services throughout the summer months: course rating and amateur golf championships. These two items have been some of Alberta Golf’s core offerings since its inception in 1912. The smooth operation and running of these two offerings come from the dedication and commitment of our 60 volunteers, as either course raters or referees.

After the dust has settled from another busy golf season, Alberta Golf runs its Volunteer Wind-Up, which is a thank you event for all our volunteers, who spend their summers in the field either lending their expertise of the rules of golf to our championship team, or leading a team of volunteers as they rate the courses in Alberta to ensure accurate handicap indexes for all players. As part of the Volunteer Wind-Up, the Volunteer Of The Year is named for Alberta Golf and their name is sent to Golf Canada to be considered for the national Volunteer Award.

On Monday September 23, the 2024 iteration of the Wind-Up took place out at the famous Banff Springs Golf Club. Volunteers from all over the province made their way out to the course for a day of fun, and the chance to meet the other volunteers at Alberta Golf. A buffet lunch was served, and a set of short presentations followed recapping the year from both the competitions and the handicap/course rating teams. After the presentations the 2024 Volunteer of The Year was named as Jack and Chris Wilson, a husband and wife that help lead the southern Course rating team out of the Lethbridge Country Club.

Jack and Chris have been volunteering with Alberta Golf as course raters since 2011 and have graduated from the newbies to the southern team leads and have rated every course in the province south of Strathmore! They even got the once-in-a-lifetime experience to travel to the Northwest Territories, which falls under the Alberta Golf umbrella, to rate four courses up north. After a short speech and award ceremony, it was time for golf!

As part of the appreciation event, all volunteers are given the opportunity to play golf at the hosting course!

Click here for photos from the event

 Chris and Jack’s Story

 Jack got into the course rating game after working at Paradise Canyon as a marshal where he found the enjoyment of being in the field. He got his wife involved and the two learned and worked their way up, quickly realizing that their superpower as a team was Jack’s love for being in the field, and Chris’s passion for learning the rules and procedures of course rating.

 Over 13 years, the pair have had plenty of highlights from their time as volunteers including introducing their friends to course rating! The two did have varying accounts on their favourite memory from their time, with Jack enjoying rating Crowsnest Pass Golf Club after their renovations were finished. Chris loved their experience and time rating the Northwest Territories courses this summer, to which Jack added that was high on his list of experiences with Alberta Golf.

 Looking to become a Volunteer?

 Alberta Golf is always on the lookout for more volunteers to add to our team of referees and course raters. If you’re looking for a new and exciting challenge in the world of golf, this might be the right opportunity for you!

For more information on our volunteer process, click here

For additional questions, please email stephen@albertagolf.org.

3 Champions Crowned at Alberta Interclub Championship at Kananaskis Country Golf Course

Alberta Golf (Kananaskis) – Alberta Golf wrapped up it’s Championship season Tuesday at Kananaskis Country Golf Course as 48 Men’s and Women’s teams represented their home club in the 2024 Alberta Interclub Championship. The day was warm and sunny and the scenery was an unbelievable backdrop to some stellar play across the 36 hole layout of Mount Lorette and Mount Kidd.

On the women’s side Country Hills Golf Club took the championship. Meaghan Leblanc, Victoria Tse, Joan Wilson and Patty Condon teamed up to post 8-under par and an impressive 13 stroke victory over Mickelson National Golf Club.

Patty Condon, Victoria Tse, Meaghan Leblanc, and Joan Wilson

The men’s division was very competitive.  Silver Springs Golf and Country Club fired 13-under par. Colin Ongyerth, Tanner Hicks, Andrew Reed and Nick Chomack teamed up for a 1-stroke victory over Sirocco Golf Club.

Colin Ongyerth, Andrew Reed, Nick Chomack and Tanner Hicks

Cara Smith, Daniela Pacheco, Rachel Paul and Mataya Hampson from Mickelson National Golf Club won the Ladies Low Net Championship at 15-under par. 

Mataya Hampson, Cara Smith, Daniela Pacheco and Rachel Paul 

FULL SCORING IN ALL DIVISIONS

David Schultz defends Alberta Men’s Super Senior Championship

Alberta Golf (Acheson) – It’s been quite the summer for David Schultz from Country Hills Golf Club. 4 weeks ago Schultz won the Alberta Men’s Senior Championship and this week at The Ranch Golf and Country Club he defended his title at the Alberta Men’s Super Senior Championship. After an opening round 6-over 77 in rainy conditions, Schultz posted a 2-under par 69 for a 2 stroke victory but it wasn’t easy. Norman Bradley from Kelowna Golf and Country Club had a 4-stroke lead over Schultz with 7 holes to play, over that stretch Schultz made clutch birdies at 13 and 15 while Bradley had a bogey at 14 and a triple-bogey at 15, that 6-shot swing turned the 4-shot deficit into a 2-stroke victory for Schultz.

David Schultz: 2024 Alberta Men’s Super Senior Champion

David Schultz: 2024 Alberta Men’s Senior Champion and Alberta Men’s Super Senior Champion

WATCH INTERVIEW WITH DAVID SCHULTZ

Gerald Stoddart from Priddis Greens Golf and Country Club shot the second best round of the week, a 1-under 70 in the final round to finish in 3rd place. 

Howard Broun won the 75 and over Diamond age division by beating his age, shooting a 4-over par 75.

Howard Broun: Diamon Champion for age 75 and over

FULL SCORING IN ALL DIVISIONS HERE

1st tee at The Ranch Golf and Country Club

Norman Bradley leads Alberta Men’s Super Senior Championship

Alberta Golf (Acheson) – Competitors battled through rainy conditions in round one of the Alberta Men’s Super Senior Championship on Wednesday at The Ranch Golf and Country Club just west of Edmonton. 2023 runner-up Norman Bradley from the Kelowna Golf and Country Club fired a 2-over par 73 with 3 birdies, 3 bogeys and a lone double bogey on the par 5 10th hole for the lead heading to the final round. 

Bradley has a one shot lead on Keith Newton from The Olds Golf Club. Newton posted 3-over par 74 with 3 birdies, 4 bogeys and a double bogey on the 16th hole.  

5 golfers are within 4 shots of the lead including 2023 Alberta Men’s Super Senior Champion David Schultz who recently won the 2024 Alberta Men’s Senior Championship in a playoff over Senan Foley at Highwood Golf. 

FULL SCORING IN ALL AGE DIVISIONS HERE

FINAL ROUND TEE TIMES HERE 

6 Champions crowned at Alberta U17, U15 and U13 Championship

Alberta Golf (Red Deer) – Sunny calm day at Alberta Springs Golf Resort in Red Deer for the final round of the Alberta U17, U15 & U13 Championship as 6 champions were crowned. 

In the U13 Boys’ division, Oscar Gosgnach from Royal Mayfair Golf Club shot rounds of 71 and 73 to shoot even par for the championship and a 5 stroke win.

Oscar Gosgnach, U13 Boys’ Champion

The U15 Boys’ Champion is Bennett Love from the Red Deer Golf and Country Club. Love had an eagle and 4 birdies on the front nine to turn in 30 and came from behind to take the title with an impressive 7-under 65. 

Bennett Love, U15 Boys’ Champion

In the U17 Boys’ competition, Patrick McLarty from Highwood Golf broke away from the pack on the back nine and posted a 6-under 66 for the title. 

Patrick McLarty, U17 Boys’ Champion

In the U13 Girls’ division, Camilla Ruesga-Rojas fired rounds of 84 and 79 to win by one stroke over Danika Horcica.

Camilla Ruesga-Rojas, U13 Girls’ Champion

Sela Ogada used a 5-under par 67 in the opening round to cruise to an 11-stroke victory in the U15 Girl’s division to take the title.  

Sela Ogada, U15 Girls’ Champion

In the U17 Girls’ division, Saylar May from Pine Hills Golf Club in Rocky Mountain House made a clutch par save on the 18th hole for a 1-stroke victory over Kali Yeske. 

Saylar May, U17 Girls’ Champion 

WATCH VIDEO INTERVIEWS WITH THE CHAMPIONS

FULL LEADERBOARD HERE IN ALL DIVISIONS

Alberta Golf U17, U15, U13 leaderboard heading to final round

Alberta Golf (Red Deer) – On Tuesday Alberta Golf will crown 6 champions at the U17, U15, U13 Championship. Here’s how things stand heading to the final round.

In the boy’s divisions, the U17 leader is Brae Rogalczyk from Olds Golf Club who had 8 birdies on his way to a 6-under par round of 66 and a 2-shot lead.

In the Boy’s U15 division, Jayden Arnold from Earl Grey Golf Club posted 5 birdies to a lone bogey for 4-under 68 and a 1 shot lead.

In the boy’s U13 division, Oscar Gosgnach from Royal Mayfair Golf Club built as 4-shot lead firing a 1 under 71 with 3 birdies and 2 bogeys.

In the girl’s divisions, Saylar May from Pine Hills Golf Club has a 4-shot lead after shooting 4 birdies and a lone bogey for 3-under 69.

In the girl’s U15 division, Sela Ogada from Sirocco Golf Club has built a 6-shot lead after an impressive 5-under 67 that included 8 birdies.

In the girl’s U13 division, Danika Horcica from the Edmonton Country Club has a 2 shot lead heading to the final round.

FULL SCORING IN ALL DIVISIONS HERE

 

Wes Heffernan wins 7th Alberta Open Title

Alberta Golf (Medicine Hat) – Wes Heffernan from Silver Springs Golf & Country Club started the final round of the Alberta Open Championship 2 shots behind leader Mitchell Fox from Speargrass Golf Course. Last week Fox got the best of Heffernan at the PGA of Alberta Assistants Championship but today Heffernan shot his 3rd straight 5-under 67 for a 2 shot win over Dillon Batsel. Batsel shot 6-under 66 on his home track Desert Blume Golf Club for a runner-up finish in front of friends and family. 2019 champion Andrew Harrison made a hard charge and was 8-under for the day on the 14th tee but struggled coming in and posted 4-under 68 and a 3rd place finish. Heffernan earned $8,250 for his win, Batsel $5,000 for sunner-up and Harrison $4,000 for 3rd place. 

Wes Heffernan: 2024 Alberta Champion

Michael Valk from the Desert Blume Golf Club played in the second to last group with Batsel and Jesse Galvon. Valk and Galvon are both amateurs and were battling for low amateur and a spot in next year’s Pacific Coast Invitational. Valk and Galvon traded leads all day long before a birdie on the 18th hole secured low amateur honours for Valk. 

Michael Valk: Low Amateur

Wes Heffernan and Michael Valk

WATCH INTERVIEWS WITH HEFFERNAN AND VALK

A huge thank you to Bill Bishop, Trevor Ellerman and the entire Desert Blume staff and volunteers for a great week in Medicine Hat.

Trevor Ellerman: Desert Blume Golf Club GM/Owner

FULL LEADERBOARD HERE