AIRDRIE– The 2018 Alberta Senior Ladies Championship is set to begin Monday with fifty-three players competing for the provincial senior crown. The 54-hole stroke play tournament field is made up of competitors who are over the age of 50 as of the first day of the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship.

“Woodside is a terrific host for this year’s championship,” said Stephen Wigington, Alberta Golf’s Manager of Competitions and this week’s Tournament Director. “The course has a mission to ‘instigate the creation of insanely outrageous stories’ and we are confident that a memorable story will unfold during the 2018 edition of this championship.”

Wigington goes on to add that “the contingent of competitors is once again one of the strongest senior ladies fields in the country. We are looking forward to a display of great golf next week in Airdrie!”

KEY INFO

Dates: July 23-25

Course: Woodside Golf Course

Yards/Par: 5,490 yards/71

Field: 53

2017 Champion: Kim Carrington (@CarringtonKim)

2017 Super Senior Champion: Alison Murdoch

Format: 54 holes of stroke play

Social: #absrladies

LOOKING BACK

Kim Carrington completed her comeback from an injury after shining in the final round of the 2017 Alberta Senior Ladies’ Championship. With the pressure on, Carrington got better and better as the day went on. She became a two-time champion, surpassed a four-stroke deficient, with a clutch tournament low round of 73.

Carrington wasn’t the only one taking home a second trophy that week. Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member, Alison Murdoch, claimed back to back Alberta Super Senior (65+) titles.

Full story

2017 #ABSrLadies Champions ??? Low Overall Net = Barbara Flaman. Senior = #⃣1⃣ Kim Carrington. Super Senior (65+) = Alison Murdoch. @EPGCC pic.twitter.com/vJkbBQi5Aq

— Alberta Golf (@Alberta_Golf) August 3, 2017

HISTORY

The Alberta Senior Ladies Championship was first contested in 1964.

2010–Alison Murdoch

2011–Diane Williams

2012–Alison Murdoch

2013–Jackie Little

2014–Jackie Little

2015–Kim Carrington

2016–Lynn Kuehn

2017–Kim Carrington

Past Champions

NOTABLES

• Kim Carrington – Two-time Senior Ladies Champion (2015 and 2017)
• Alison Murdoch – Two-time Senior Ladies Champion (2010 and 2012)
• Jackie Little – Three-time Senior Ladies Champion (2009, 2013 and 2014)
• Barbara Flaman – 2018 Alberta Ladies Mid Master Champion

FAST FACTS

• There are three contests up for grabs this week. The Senior Championship for those aged 50 & over, the Super Senior for those aged 65 & over and an overall low net contest.
• A total of eight out of province competitors are teeing it up in the Alberta Senior, including a six member contingent from British Columbia.
• The top three competitors at weeks end will make up Team Alberta at the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur & Senior Championship at Lookout Point Country Club in Fonthill, Ontario – August 28-30th.

ABOUT THE COURSE

Woodside Golf Course opened for play in 1989, bringing the dream of it’s founder Otto Steiner to life. From the moment Otto saw this superb spread of land, he was determined to make his dream a reality. Enlisting renowned Canadian golf course architect William G. Robinson, together they thoughtfully shaped Woodside Golf Course through the rolling Alberta parkland and developed a quiet master-planned residential community around it.

More information on the Woodside Golf Course can be found here.

MEDIA

• First round pairings

• Championship Information

• Flickr Albums

AJ Armstrong of St. Albert goes wire-to-wire to win the 2018 Sun Life Financial Alberta Mens Amateur Championship at RedTail Landing Golf Club.

Armstrong, who plays out of the Windermere Golf & Country Club, shot rounds of 64, 67, 70 and 68 for a four day total of 269.

That 269 mark ties for the lowest 72-hole tally at the Alberta Amateur since Kris Wasylowich shot the same number in 2006 at the Red Deer G&CC.

The 21-year-old senior at Washington State University made more birdies (24) than any other competitor in the field, including a clutch birdie on the 72nd hole to seal the deal.

BREAKING: AJ Armstrong (@AJArmstrong67) of @WindyGCC birdies the 72nd hole to get to 19-under-par and finish two shots clear of Jesse Galvon.

AJ Armstrong is the 2018 @SunLifeCA #abmensam champion! ?

— Alberta Golf (@Alberta_Golf) July 19, 2018

Armstrong finished two shots clear of Cottonwood Golf & Country Club’s Jesse Galvon. Now 30-years-old Galvon started the day in second place and four shots back of Armstrong.

He quickly closed the gap by going out in five under par 31 and was tied with Armstrong at 17-under-par through 11 holes today. His final round 66 was tied for the low round of the day but was not enough to catch Armstrong.

This should be fun… ‼️

? Armstrong -16
? Galvon -16

Leaderboard at the turn: https://t.co/Jvs8RCtOgN pic.twitter.com/zqbbMsAHK6

— Alberta Golf (@Alberta_Golf) July 19, 2018

Armstrong is enjoying an impressive 2018 campaign. Earlier this season he finished as the low amateur at the 2018 SVR Alberta Open. He will look to carry the momentum to the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship to be contested August 6-9 at Duncan Meadows Golf Course & Pheasant Glen Golf Resort in Duncan & Qualicum Beach, British Columbia.

The top three competitors earned a prestigious spot on the 2018 Alberta Willingdon Cup Team that will compete at the Canadian Amateur. The Willingdon Cup squad is AJ Armstrong, Jesse Galvon and Patrick Murphy.

Special thanks to the RedTail Landing Golf Club, their membership, staff and volunteers for hosting the 2018 edition of the Alberta Amateur.

Congratulations to @AJArmstrong67 for winning the @SunLife @Alberta_Golf Men’s Amateur Championship @RedTailLanding Finishing -19 for the event. What a spectacular golf tournament. Thank you to all the competitors that played in this prestigious event. #abmensam #AlbertaGolf pic.twitter.com/iSXUnbxxmx

— RedTail Landing GC (@RedTailLanding) July 19, 2018

Final Results

As Laurence Applebaum marked his first year as Golf Canada’s CEO on July 10, it would have been easy to point to a couple of recent announcements as early anniversary presents.

On July 3, it was revealed that the RBC Canadian Open would vacate its logistically problematic date the week immediately after The Open Championship in July and shift to the week prior to the U.S. Open, taking place the first week of June starting next year.

On July 9, Canadian Pacific and Golf Canada announced that CP had extended its title sponsorship of the CP Women’s Open, the only LPGA Tour event in Canada, for five years through 2023. The announcement was made at Magna Golf Club, the opulent and outstanding facility in Aurora, Ont., which will host the 2019 CP Women’s Open.

Just as significant was the news that the event’s charity, CP Has Heart, has raised almost $6.5 million for heart health initiatives in just four years. CP’s sponsorship also supports Golf Canada’s National Team Program (Team Canada) and the Young Pro Program which aids emerging Canadian professionals as they transition to the PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour. CP is also the title sponsor of the CP Women’s Leadership Summit which will make its debut on Aug. 21 during the CP Women’s Open at Wascana Country Club in Regina.

But in an interview after the CP Women’s media conference at Magna, Applebaum was quick to deflect the credit for these notable accomplishments.

“We are extremely fortunate to have great partners like CP and RBC and so many others who support the game of golf in Canada. Without them and a supportive Board of Directors and our talented and hard-working team of staff and volunteers, I doubt very much would get accomplished at all, much less in a year.”

So giving credit where credit is due, it must be noted that the past 12 months have been, if not tumultuous, at least a “whirlwind,” according to Applebaum.

“One of the biggest highlights and I have to admit, one of the biggest surprises, was the reception I enjoyed from the golf community both within our borders and outside. I was overwhelmed by how much Canadians love their golf and also by how welcoming the global golf community, like the PGA Tour, the LPGA Tour, the USGA and the R&A, has been to a newcomer.”

Building relationships was a keystone of Applebaum’s priority list when he came on board to lead Golf Canada. He traversed the country, listening to golfers to determine how Golf Canada could become “more relevant,” in his words.

One of the positives he noted was the reaction to Golf Canada’s new membership model. The hope is to transition all member clubs to the Gold Level by the end of next year. The Gold Level comes with a laundry list of benefits from an official handicap factor to incident protection (up to $2,500 reimbursement for damaged, lost or stolen equipment, plus other unfortunate golf-related events), discounts on merchandise and event, tickets, and more).

“I had many golfers come up to me and say ‘I’ve been a Golf Canada member for a long time but I’ve never really seen the value. But now I do.’”

Another thing Applebaum noted during his travels was that the “Canadian golf community” is anything but. It’s fragmented, to say the least.

But the good news is that when he joined Golf Canada, work was well underway on the organization’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy (by a task force headed by current Golf Canada President Leslie Dunning. Published last winter, it is a leading-edge document that, says Applebaum, “shows that we welcome all of Canada’s almost six million golfers with open arms. It’s a great outreach initiative that we are determined to live up to.”

About the same time as the Diversity and Inclusivity Policy was released, Applebaum appeared at a media conference with PGA of Canada CEO Kevin Thistle to announce that the two national organizations have teamed up to combat and prevent abuse, bullying and harassment in golf by adopting Respect in Sport and Respect in the Workplace as part of a deepened commitment to the Responsible Coaching Movement.

Laurence Applebaum and PGA of Canada CEO Kevin Thistle signing the Responsible Coaching Movement for golf in Canada

After such a hectic yet rewarding first year, Applebaum might be excused if some of the memories are a touch hazy. But that’s not the case in at least one instance.

“It had to be at last year’s CP Women’s Open at Royal Ottawa,” he recalls as his face lights up with a smile. “To see Brooke Henderson make the cut on the number and then go out on Saturday and shoot a course-record 63, well, what a great moment for Canadian golfers! It’s something I’ll never forget.”

And with that, he stands up, shakes hands, and heads into Year Two.

OAKVILLE, Ont. — The 2018 Future Links, driven by Acura Junior Skills Challenge National Event will take place on Saturday, July 21 at Glen Abbey Golf Club, the host of the 2018 RBC Canadian Open.

Twenty-four golfers from three age groups will compete in the 10th edition of the Junior Skills National Event which returns to Glen Abbey Golf Club as a lead in event to Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship.

The participating juniors will compete in a four-part skills challenge (putting, chipping, driving and iron play) with one overall winner per age group and gender.

Golf Canada, in partnership with Acura and the PGA of Canada will host the national finals of the 2018 Future Links, driven by Acura Junior Skills Challenge on Saturday, July 21 at Glen Abbey Golf Club. The event is the culmination of more than 3000 Future Links, driven by Acura Junior Skills participants competing at 171 golf facilities across Canada. The field is comprised of 24 golfers from across Canada: five boys and girls in the 9-11 age group; four girls and boys in the 12-14 age group; and three boys and girls in the 15-18 division; all selected from the top of the Future Links, driven by Acura Junior Skills Challenge National Leaderboard.

FIELD

Girls 9-11
Lea Lemieux (Garson, Ont., Timberwolf Golf Academy )

Sophia Xu (King City, Ont., Kings Riding Golf Club)

Avery Cohen (New Glasgow, N.S., Brian Affleck Golf Academy)

Katherine Hao (Vancouver, B.C., Fraserview Golf Course)

Lindsay McGrath (Milton, Ont, Glencairn Golf Club)

Boys 9-11
Manav Bharani (Brampton, Ont., Turnberry Golf Club)

Colby Bent (New Glasgow, N.S., Brian Affleck Golf Academy)

Andre Zhu (King City, Ont., King Valley Golf Club)

Grady Cohen (New Glasgow, N.S., Brian Affleck Golf Academy)

Brayden Boge (Winnipeg, Man., Golf Mentor Academy)

Girls 12-14
Alissa Xu (King City, Ont., Kings Riding Golf Club)

Annabelle Chapleau (Mont Tremblant, Que., Club des Champions)

Jahnavi Bharani (Brampton, Ont., Turnberry Golf Club,)

Jean Craig (New Glasgow, N.S., Brian Affleck Golf Academy)

Boys 12-14
Cale Maclaughlin (New Glasgow, N.S., Brian Affleck Golf Academy)

Matis Lessard (Québec, Que., Académie de Golf Fred Colgan)

Brent Chapman (New Glasgow, N.S., Brian Affleck Golf Academy)

Nicholas Colton (Bathurst, N.B., Gowan Brae Golf Club)

Girls 15-18
Taylor Cormier (Corner Brook, N.L., Blomidon Golf and Country Club)

Camille Gagnon (Sainte-Julie, Que., Club de Golf la Vallée du Richelieu)

Chelsea Joseph (Lethbridge, Alta.; Lethbridge Country Club)

Boys 15-18
Owen Gauder (Thornhill, Ont., Bayview Golf and Country Club)

Gregoire Vincent (Québec, Que., Académie de golf Fred Colgan)

Jack Rain (Sudbury, Ont., Idylwylde Golf & Country Club)

The winners of the Future Links driven by Acura Skills Challenge National Event in the boys and girls 15-18 age groups will receive an exemption into their local Future Links driven by AcuraChampionship in 2019. All other attending participants of the Future Links driven by Acura Junior Skills National Event will receive prizing courtesy of Titleist Footjoy.

On Sunday, July 22, Future Links, driven by Acura Skills Challenge National Event participants will have the opportunity to play the famous Glen Abbey layout in an exciting match play format, outfitted by program sponsor Cobra Puma Golf. Following that, participants will be provided weekly grounds passes and have an opportunity to be involved in Monday’s Golf Canada Foundation Pro-Am and secure a spot in Wednesday’s Walk with a Pro event during the RBC Canadian Open Pro-Am.

For more information on the Future Links, driven by Acura Junior Skills National Event click here.

With the Rules Modernization Initiative set to take effect in January 2019, Golf Canada is in the midst of preparing resources and educational material for all golfers, member clubs and referees. Our Rules Education will begin in the fall of 2018 to prepare everyone for the changes for next year.

New for 2019, Golf Canada will be adopting the R&A’s Rules Education system. One of the main objectives of the Rules Modernization Initiative was to create consistency around the world in many facets of the Rules of Golf, including educating and training referees. The exams that Golf Canada will use and the designation by marks achieved will be consistent throughout the countries allied to the R&A, such as Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

While Golf Canada traditionally has employed a four-level system, the R&A’s Rules Education program consists of a three-tiered approach. In order to align the programs, Golf Canada’s current Levels 1 and 2 will be consolidated into just one level (the new Level 1). We will maintain separate programs for individuals to continue through our Rules Education Pathway at the provincial and national level, which will be the new Level 2 and Level 3.

The chart below compares the Levels from 2018 to what will be in place for 2019:

Level 1 provides an interesting and easy way to learn the basics of the Rules of Golf. This level will focus on Etiquette, the principle definitions and commonly encountered situations on the course. As part of the Level 1 program, students will be able to test their knowledge by taking the review questions at the end of each section before attempting the online Level 1 Exam.

Level 2 (Provincial) seminars will be conducted by provincial golf associations, and the curriculum will begin to look at the more important playing Rules in detail. Some of the complexities that are found in the Decisions book are introduced along while also implementing on-course demonstrations. Level 2 (Provincial) will be designed for individuals with an involvement in tournament administration, or a desire to have such an involvement.

Level 3 (National) will consist of a three-day seminar run by Golf Canada, also called Tournament Administrators and Referees School (TARS). It serves to give guidance and advice on running tournaments and refereeing by including sessions on course set-up, course marking, pace of play, suspension of play, and starting and recording.

AJ Armstrong kept his lead on moving day in the third round of the Sun Life Financial Alberta Mens Amateur Championship.

Armstrong made four birdies today and finished with a score of 70. This landed his third round score at 2 under par and moving into the final round Armstrong holds a combined score of 201 leading by five shots at 15 under par.

His fellow competitors Jesse Galvon at 11 under and both Carter Graf and Patrick Murphy at 10 under are battling to close the gap and win the coveted title of provincial champion.

Graf, Murphy and veteran Kevin Temple all shot 67 on moving day to sit within the top five.

Jesse Galvon of Calgary sits alone in second place and is the only player to have fired all three rounds in the sixties.

The top three competitors at the end of the championship will earn a lucrative spot on the 2018 Alberta Willingdon Cup Team that will compete at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship to be contested August 6-9 at Duncan Meadows Golf Course & Pheasant Glen Golf Resort in Duncan / Qualicum Beach, British Columbia. Alberta has 24 quota positions available into the championship.

Weather conditions today caused an hour and a half delay due to heavy rain deeming the course temporarily unplayable. After getting back on the course the temperature shot up to 26 degrees this afternoon without a rain cloud in sight.

59 players are moving into the final round of the championship with 18 players under par. Tomorrow’s lead group will consist of AJ Armstrong, Jesse Galvon, and Carter Graf.

AJ Armstrong carries a 4⃣ shot lead going into the final round of the @SunLife Alberta Men's Amateur Championship tomorrow!⛳️?️‍♂️

Check out the leaderboard ?️ ? https://t.co/Lhh4fsqpgY pic.twitter.com/NUkvbhPC4o

— Alberta Golf (@Alberta_Golf) July 19, 2018

Final Round Draw

Leaderboard

If you’re one of those who think a round of golf takes too long, here’s a suggestion — cut it in half. Rather than playing a full 18 holes, try nine holes. After all, that should take about half the time freeing up some time but also still allowing you to enjoy a golf outing.

A recent mandate of Alberta Golf has been to get more people playing more golf. To them it’s about getting out and playing no matter how many holes your round is comprised of. To help you play more in less time, we’ve tracked down some great 9-hole courses throughout Alberta in an effort to entice you to take up the shorter game.

A great place to start is at the oldest golf course west of Winnipeg, located in Fort McLeod. Teeing it up here is like stepping back in history as this little gem was first opened in 1890 by the North West Mounted Police. While the original design has been changed somewhat, it still harbors remnants of its past including a former buffalo wallow.

A second wonderful little layout, Living Stone Golf Course, is just outside Calgary. This beautiful foothills track is a fun play and for those who struggle getting out of bunkers, there’s some great news — there are no bunkers here!

Moving further north, a unique round is found in Daysland, where of all things, their little layout offers a beautiful island green. Built by the members, the hole is a delightful change from the typical small town prairie course. This test plays to only 120 yards, and the green is large, but if your aim is off you simply aren’t getting that ball back.

A short drive outside of Lloydminster, the Kitscoty Golf Club offers up a taste of the game from years past with its sand greens. If you’ve never putted on sand, find a course that offers that type of green simply to see where today’s superb putting surfaces came from.

North of Westlock, Hidden Valley is indeed a hidden 9-hole gem. Designed and sculpted by owner Tony Dirks, this pristine layout offers challenges you might expect only on bigger courses, including a couple of dramatic elevation changes going both up and downhill.

Another great short track is found near Teepee Creek where River Stone lets you arrive by land or water. If you take the latter route, a golf cart will pick your party up and transport you to the upper levels of the reclaimed gravel quarry. It offers dramatic elevation changes and ends with the huge par 5 9th hole at 658 yards.

And if nine holes isn’t quite enough, Pineridge Golf Resort west of Edmonton offers up a bonus of three extra holes, making it the only 12-hole course in Alberta, an idea long touted by none other than Jack Nicklaus.

So, if time is a constraint, play nine this year and savor the challenges, plus the time saved, during a shorter round of golf.

In a time crunch? Try 9 instead of 18 and relax

This article was originally published in the 2018 edition of The Alberta Golfer Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.

AJ Armstrong continued his strong play on day two of the Sun Life Financial Alberta Mens Amateur Championship.

He backed up his opening round 64 with a five-under-par 67 that included four birdies in a row on holes two through five, going out in 32 on the front nine.

Armstrong’s two day tally of 13-under-par has him in the lead by four shots.

AJ Armstrong opens up a 4⃣ shot lead on cut day at the @SunLifeCA Alberta Men's Amateur!?️‍♂️

Check out the round 2⃣ recap ? https://t.co/hymc2C0QPK pic.twitter.com/4f7b92z6UF

— Alberta Golf (@Alberta_Golf) July 18, 2018

After completion of his round, Armstrong said that “I started out thinking to play conservatively and tried to aim at the 150 yard stakes. From there I kept hitting it close and was able to make four birdies in a row starting on number two. After I made the turn I made a great par on 11 after hitting it in the hazard, bogeyed the next one and then was two under from there on the back for a 67.”

“The greens out here were rolling really well today and I’m looking forward to the next two days.”

On a day when temperatures soared to 31 degrees many players took advantage of the heat and went low on cut day at RedTail Landing Golf Club.

A total of 19 players are under par for the championship.

The cut to low 60 players and ties fell at seven-over-par with 62 players left to compete over the next two days.

Jacob Thomas of the Edmonton Country Club sits four shots back of Armstrong at nine-under-par. He remains bogey-free for the championship.

Terance Gough, who played with Thomas for the first two rounds as his marker said after the round that “Jacob’s short game is out of this world. Over the course of 18 holes today he made three 20 footers and made over 100 feet of putts. And I can’t even remember how many times he went up and down. It was phenomenal to watch and he was a great guy to play with.”

Jesse Galvon of Cottonwood Golf & Country Club played late in the day and shot back to back rounds of 68 to sit alone in third place.

Jack Wesche of Country Hills Golf Club tied for the low round of the day. He went bogey-free, making five birdies on the day for a solid 67 to sit in a tie for fourth.

62 players will advance to round three, after making the cut which fell at 151.

Round 3 Draw

Leaderboard

The Shaw Charity Classic is a family friendly event with several activities for the junior spectator! Visit the Junior Series.

The Junior Drive, Chip & Putt presented by West Island College is a youth development initiative providing a free opportunity for young golfers to showcase the three fundamental skills of golf.

Play like a legend and learn from the legends! On August 19, 2018, the Shaw Charity Classic will host the third annual Junior Drive, Chip & Putt Challenge presented by West Island College! Calgary juniors come out to compete and showcase their golf skills to win a chance to walk inside the ropes as an Honorary Observer during one of the championship rounds and to receive their trophies on the 18th green on Sunday from the 2018 Shaw Charity Classic Champion!

Divisions: Jr. Boys (ages 8-11), Sr. Boys (ages 12-15), Jr. Girls (ages 8-11), and Sr. Girls (ages 12-15).

Date: Sunday, August 19, 2018

Time: 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Location: Golf Canada Centre Calgary | 7100 15 St SE

Cost: Free to participate (includes a free bucket of balls to warm-up courtesy of Golf Canada Centre)

No registration is required for this event, you can drop in anytime between 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.

The four winning juniors will be presented with the following:

• Presentation of a trophy alongside the winner of the 2018 Shaw Charity Classic
• A once in a lifetime opportunity to go under the ropes with the legends of golf in an Honorary Observer spot
• One Champions Club ticket for a parent or guardian to attend the tournament with them (Juniors 17 and under are admitted free)

This is a provincial performance benchmaring event

The MEG Energy Junior Clinic is a free opportunity for juniors aged 5 to 17 to engage with golf on-site.

Calling all future golf stars! Visit the upper driving range to refine your skills with the pros in this interactive skill session! Watch PGA TOUR Champions professionals share their best tips and tricks for a great golf swing. Then, grab a club and try out a few shots of your own as local golf instructors help you learn the basics! All golf abilities and ages are welcome! A complimentary BBQ lunch will be served to all juniors.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP AND RECEIVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Date: Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Time: 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Where: Upper Driving Range, Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club

Parking Information: THERE IS NO PARKING ONSITE FOR THE JUNIOR CLINIC. Please park at St. Mary’s University (14500 Bannister Road SE) and take the Shaw Charity Classic shuttle to Canyon Meadows G&CC. Shuttles will be running continuously from 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. between Canyon Meadows G&CC and St. Mary’s. You will not need a parking pass to park at St. Mary’s. The shuttle is approximately a 10 minute bus ride, so no need to arrive at St. Mary’s before 12pm.

Junior clubs will be provided on-site, please do not bring your own clubs. No food or drinks will be permitted into the grounds.

For many golfers, tournaments are the highlight of the season. They allow players to forge friendships while testing their skills against great golfers from across the province, region or country. They are amazing weekends of golf and fun, but the hard work begins long before tee off. For months in advance, course committees consider everything from practice rounds to prize presentations to ensure the tournament runs smoothly.

“There are a lot of moving parts,” says Adam Helmer, Director of rules, competitions and amateur status for Golf Canada. “We have a staff member dedicated to securing future venues and we typically look three to five years out.”

Golf courses seeking consideration for a major event have to meet specific requirements to qualify. Courses need adequate clubhouse and banquet space, a suitable driving range for warm up and practice, the appropriate yardage for the category, a fitting course design and layout, proximity to amenities to support out-of-town competitors and, lastly, they need community and member support.

It is critical for club members to be on board with hosting an event. Members not only need to sacrifice their tee times for four or five days but they also must be willing to offer their time as volunteers as well.

“It’s a big ask of membership at a busy golf course like ours,” says Greig Burnie, executive golf professional and General Manager at Highwood Golf and Country Club, “but our membership embraces junior golf and we’re proud to host the 2018 Western Future Links tournament.”

Junior events are an easy sell. Members are eager to support young golfers and build junior golf at the grass-roots club level as well as nationally. That was one reason the Medicine Hat Golf and Country Club threw its hat into the ring to host a junior event and why around one-quarter of its membership has already jumped on board to volunteer for the Canadian Junior Boys championship in July.

“We have a strong six-person committee that is willing to put their time into the event and be on call 24/7 during that week, and staff who will essentially live at the golf course for those five days,” says Cam Jacques, General Manager of Medicine Hat Golf and Country Club.

These volunteers agree that it’s time well spent. Golfers who do well in these tournaments can earn a spot on the national golf team or attract scholarship attention from universities. That’s what it’s all about for clubs and members. While there can be a modest economic spinoff for the community and new golfers visiting the course, hosting is more about showcasing their facilities, getting wider exposure, and most importantly helping grow the game and supporting golfers.

In return, Golf Canada supports these courses as they plan their events. A tournament director guides the course committee and sub-committees through the process, offering information covering everything from volunteer expectations and responsibilities to food and beverage requirements to pin and tee placements. Golf Canada officials also visit the course a month prior to the event to help iron out any wrinkles and to ensure everything is ready for day one.

“They give you a binder that says what you need to do and gives you a timeline of what you need to accomplish when, from sponsorship to volunteers to training to course set up. If you stay up to date with that, you’ll do fine,” says Jacques.

Tim Garbutt, marketing professional with Linx Marketing, operates three events in the PGA Tour Canada’s Mackenzie Tour in much the same way as courses do the amateur events. He builds on the same six organizational pillars—volunteers, the host facility, sponsors, charity, the players, and the media—to ensure his tour stops are successful.

With $200,000 in prize money on the line and costs ranging from $500,000 to $750,000 at PGA events, sponsorship is crucial. Garbutt works six to 12 months in advance to secure the financial backing to cover costs as well as ensure there is a tidy sum for charity at the end. The tournaments also extend into the community, holding junior and women’s clinics and having professional players out supporting charity initiatives.

“We are really community focused. We try to engage as many people as possible, and not just to come out and watch golf,” says Garbutt. “The community in which we work is extremely important as is growing the game of golf.”

From smaller tournaments to week-long professional events, golf courses follow a similar playbook when hosting their events. It takes long days, hard work, dedicated volunteers and staff, and months of planning every step of the event from registration to celebrating the winners.  To support golf and golfers in their area, members agree it’s worth every second.

Alberta Plays Host

This article was originally published in the 2018 edition of The Alberta Golfer Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.