April 1 Registration Opens: FAQ’s and Need To Know’s
With only a month remaining before registration opens for all Alberta Golf events, here’s some important items to know ahead of time to make sure you don’t miss out this season!
Alberta Golf Championships and Qualifiers – April 1 @ 9am
Registration will open on April 1st at 9am for all events. All participants need an active Golf Canada membership with a Handicap Index. If you’re entering an event that is age based, please ensure your birthdate is listed in your account and is accurate. Players can register through the Alberta Golf website for each event or can do it directly from the Golf Canada app by clicking on the Competitions tab in the drop-down menu.
Some things to be aware for the 2026 Championship season:
- The Men’s Mid-Master Championship will now have two regional qualifiers prior to the championship. Exemptions have already been sent out for those who are exempt from last year.
- Those who qualify for a championship will have their qualifier registration fee rolled into the championship fee, leaving them with a smaller fee to play in the event. All participants at qualifiers will also get a $25 Food and Beverage Gift Card
- All participants at qualifiers will also get a $25 Food and Beverage Gift Card
Common Issues and How To Fix Them
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Inactive Golf Canada Account
If you’re a member at a golf course or facility, reach out to them directly to get your Golf Canada account reactivated. If you’re a Public Player, you can renew your membership yourself by logging into your account.
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Age/Date of Birth Issues
This likely means your birthdate is incorrect in your account. You can edit this in your account by logging on to your account on a computer and clicking Account Settings from the drop-down menu. You can also get your course or facility to fix this for you.
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Handicap Index
If you have scores from last year, you can enter them into your Golf Canada account and change the date so they’re from last year. You only need 54 holes worth of scores to get a Handicap Index, and they can be any combination of 9-hole or 18-hole scores.
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Credit Card Issues
Golf Genius uses a pending registration model, so when a player registers, they are put on this pending list. When on the pending list, multiple charges will show up but one charge is the card authorization and the other is a refund for that authorization. Your card will not be charged until you’re confirmed in the event. Once you’ve been confirmed, the charge will go through on your credit card and the other charges will be removed in 5-10 business days. You will not be charged if you’re on the waiting list!
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Eligibility
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Registration Error Messages
A common problem is registering on tablets or phones. The Golf Genius system works best if you register using a computer. This can explain many problems and we highly recommend registering using a computer to avoid additional pressure or issues.
McLennan Ross Alberta Junior Tour – April 1 @ 12pm
Registration for the #1 competitive onboarding junior tour in the province will open on April 1st at 12pm. Players can register as a member of Golf Canada or as a non-member. The Tour is open to all junior golfers who are younger than the age of 19 as of August 1, 2026. We have separate age divisions for U11, U13, U15, U17, and U19 on both the male and female sides.
If you’re looking for more information on the Tour, the schedule, policies and procedures, or just want to learn more click the link below.
McLennan Ross Alberta Junior tour
Common Issues and How To Fix Them
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Age Requirements
Each age division represents the age you’re under, so U13 means you’re under the age of 13 as of August 1st. For non-members it’s very important to register for the correct age division, so if your child is turning 13 on July 31st, they should be registered in the U15 division for all tour stops. If you’re registering as a member of Golf Canada, please make sure your Date of Birth is correct in your account.
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Email & Preferred Emails
Lots of junior’s Golf Canada accounts have email addresses that may not get checked and this can cause confusion and frustration with parents and the players. When you register, please either edit the account to have your preferred email address listed or when you register please add in your preferred or parent email address to ensure no communications are missed this summer!
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Registering More Than One Player
If you plan to register more than one player, please use a different email or a different login for each registration. Golf Genius does not support duplicate email addresses for different registrations.
UpSwing by Alberta Golf – April 1 @ 7am
Registration for Alberta’s premier recreational events will open on April 1st at 7am. UpSwing events are open to all players, and there is no age or handicap requirements, it’s all about fun! You only need to be an UpSwing member to play. To create your account visit the UpSwing website link below.
Sign Up For An UpSwing Account
Frequently Asked Questions
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Is this a tournament?
No, UpSwing is focused on providing fun golf experiences for the golfers who prefer a relaxing round on the links. Keeping score is not mandatory, but there may be some fun challenges that you can take part in during the round…
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Can I book a group of two players and request to play with friends?
Yes! UpSwing is all about having fun, if you have a pairing request you would like to make, please send them to info@upswinggolf.ca after you register.
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What do I need to register for an event?
You just need an UpSwing account, no handicap index, no Golf Canada membership, just a free UpSwing membership!
2025 Host Club Spotlight: Lacombe Golf & Country Club
In 2025, there are plenty of courses celebrating milestones, but none are bigger than the 100-year anniversary being celebrated by Lacombe Golf & Country Club. As part of this celebration, Alberta Golf is pleased to announce them as the host of the 2025 Men’s Mid-Master Championship.
The Men’s Mid-Master Championship started in 2015 but separated into its own event in 2020 and has become one of Alberta Golf’s most popular events. In 2023, the event format was changed from a two-day to a three-day competition. Last year, Trestle Creek Golf Resort played host to the event, which saw Chris Thayer win the event, beating Brian Laubman by 6 strokes. The Men’s Mid-Master Championship is open to male players aged 40 and above, as of the first day of the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship.
Lacombe Golf & Country Club is one of the top courses in central Alberta, but has only hosted the U19 Girls Championship, first in 1989 won by Brenda Wigord, and then in 2004 which was won by Susan Nam. Lacombe’s storied history began in the early 1900’s with golfers bashing balls around sheep pastures. In 1914, these golfers moved to the McCauley sheep pasture, which is the current site of LGCC. After the First World War, a club was formed with a permanent nine-hole course established. In March 1925, Lacombe Golf & Country Club became a registered joint stock company. It wasn’t until 1958 when the second nine holes were approved and in 1960 the 18-hole track was officially opened. The next 65 years saw the course and clubhouse continually improve and is now set to host the 2025 Men’s Mid-Master Championship.
Weston Gillett, head professional at Lacombe Golf & Country Club, is excited to have Alberta Golf as part of their celebrations, and so are the members with many of them showing interest in playing in the event already. “The club’s history is one of great pride for our members with many of them being here a long time and making this place their second home” remarked Weston. In addition to the Mid-Master Championship, the course has lots planned at the course and within the community this summer to celebrate.
“We have plans to host a public only community day where we will be hosting a shotgun to outside players only with a green fee of $19.25 to showcase our facility to our great community of Lacombe and Central AB. We will also be hosting the following weekend a gala and golf day for our members to commemorate our anniversary. Last summer we participated in the Lacombe Days Parade to bring awareness of our 100-year anniversary and plan to participate this year as well. We have a committee that has been working very hard on all these projects as well as funding towards a centennial project that is still to be determined. Also, we are currently just starting an extensive renovation to our restaurant and lounge that will be completed towards the start of the golf season that is in line with our celebrations!” – Weston Gillett
Registration for the 2025 Men’s Mid-Master opens on April 1st and Lacombe Golf & Country Club patiently awaits to write another chapter in their history books with the 2025 Men’s Mid-Master Championship on the horizon.
2025 Host Club Spotlight: Sundre Golf Club
Sundre Golf Club, a hidden gem in Central Alberta will once again play host to the Alberta Best Ball Championship in 2025. The Best Ball Championship will be played on May 19th this year. With two successful years in the books, this event has become a fan favourite as a great way to open the season and get an early competitive round under players’ belts. In 2023, the field was only 100 players, and in 2024 registration grew to a full filed event of 120 with a great mix of players of different ages.
The format will remain the same to years previous, with players competing as a two-person team and each player playing their own ball. The team will then take the better score of the two balls played on each hole. The upside of this format early in the season allows for a partner to pick up their ball and not finish the hole if they don’t intend to use that ball on the scorecard. The two-person team can be any gender or any age, with males and females playing from different tees. Additionally, there is a net and gross division that teams are competing in.
In 2024, the gross division was decided by a sudden-death playoff in the rain between Team McKinlay and Team Graf, with Carter and Logan Graf of the Red Deer Golf & Country Club emerging victorious. The net division was won by Matt Clark and Tyler Kirk of the Leduc Golf & Country Club.
Sundre Golf Club is a great partner of Alberta Golf, and along with hosting the Best Ball recently hosted the rain shortened Alberta Open in 2022 which was won by Ethan Choi, and low professional honours going to Stefan Cox. The course offers a variety of unique challenges with exquisite water features, speedy greens, and tree-lined fairways. This, combined with their wide range yardages lends itself to nearly any championship Alberta Golf has to offer.
Scott Shouldice, Director of Golf at Sundre Golf Club, has hosted plenty of events in his time at Sundre including a U.S. Women’s Amateur Qualifier and in 2025 will have a Canadian Open qualifier. The reviews of the course are always positive, and he’s seen how versatile the course can be in terms of hosting with its central location, difficult tee shots, undulating greens, and the pace of play. The Best Ball is no different in his eyes.
“For hosting the best ball championship, I believe the reason our course is perfect for this event is the layout of the course. As I said earlier, it is a very challenging course, and any mistakes punish you severely. With a best ball format though, even if one player makes a mistake and is out of the hole, the other player can bail them out. If both players don’t make a mistake on the same hole, then they will score well.” – Scott Shouldice
Registration opens for all 2025 events on April 1st and Alberta Golf looks forward to another successful championship season.