2019 Alberta Golfer Magazine: Digital Version
Alberta – A Golfers’ Paradise!
Golfers in Alberta have reason to be excited. After all, we’re talking about a golfers’ paradise.
Consider the total golf supply of 308 facilities—third most of any province—of which, 92 percent are publicly accessible. For those who prefer a private club experience, the province counts two dozen private golf courses and another 22 tied to real estate developments.
You also can’t talk about resort golf in Canada without featuring the 24 Alberta resort facilities, many set amongst or in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies. From iconic Stanley Thompson designs such as the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge and Fairmont Banff Springs to similarly spectacular layouts such as Silvertip Resort, Canmore, and Stewart Creek, beacons that help support a robust tourism industry.
Albertans are celebrating the long-awaited return of Kananaskis Country Golf Course in 2018, the 36-hole gem decimated by the 2013 floods that ravaged southern Alberta. Talk about Alberta resilience!
The impact of golf on tourism in Alberta is part of a larger economic impact which contributes an estimated $2.4B towards the province’s Gross Domestic Product. This includes some 43,000 jobs, $82.9M in property and other indirect taxes, and nearly $309M in federal and provincial income taxes.
Beyond the economic impact, Alberta is on the leading edge of accessibility. Consider the multitude of 9-hole facilities—121 spread across the province that are a gateway for avid players, casual participants and potential new enthusiasts to enjoy the game.
Alberta has welcomed eight new golf courses over the past decade, the most of any province. Another eight are currently in development, including the much anticipated Mickelson National Golf Club set in the community of Harmony, Alta, just outside of Calgary.
And speaking of Calgary, its 31 courses are the most of any city in Canada. Among those city-based courses is Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club, a wonderful member club that welcomes the legends of professional golf every August to what has quickly become a must-attend event—the Shaw Charity Classic.
I felt the enthusiasm around the Shaw Charity Classic first hand—a jewel on the PGA Champions Tour that welcomes golf greats such as Nick Faldo, Fred Couples, Colin Montgomery, Bernard Langer and Canadian Stephen Ames. I’m so impressed by the event’s charitable impact with nearly $20M raised for various causes over the past five years. It’s an incredible event that Albertans have really wrapped their arms around.
Since joining Golf Canada as CEO in July 2017, I’ve connected with golfers across the country. I visited with more than 150 member clubs across all 10 provinces over my first 100 days—a national listening tour that included round table discussions with almost all of our partners from the provincial golf associations and PGA of Canada professionals to our club owners and managers along with corporate partners and other constituents who share a vested stake in the game.
I wanted to explore the state of our game and fully understand what our stakeholders and partners expect from their relationship with Golf Canada. My first impression—the support for golf in this country is overwhelming and Canada continues to have this incredible appetite for this amazing sport. But just as important, Golf Canada needs to do more. We need to invest in the game and become more relevant to all our golfers.
In Alberta, that means building more meaningful relationships with the 308 golf facilities across the province. It also means working closely with our partners at Alberta Golf to better communicate with the golf clubs and deliver more value both to the clubs and golfers at large.
There’s real optimism around the game right now all across Canada. But there also needs to be more focus on bringing new enthusiasts to the game. Whether by growing club membership or engaging green fee golfers, efforts to address affordability, accessibility and inclusiveness are areas of focus for both Alberta Golf and Golf Canada.
It is encouraging to hear about progressive clubs rolling out innovative programming to bring down barriers to the game. Every club can look at their facility through fresh eyes and ask, “How can we lower the barriers at our club?”
Connecting with more of Alberta’s passionate golfer base isn’t just an opportunity, it’s a priority. After all, we’re talking about a golfer’s paradise.
Alberta – A Golfers’ Paradise!
This article was originally published in the 2018 edition of The Alberta Golfer Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.
Listen Up – Golf’s New Media

Podcast producers, from the eager to the established, say the same thing.
Golf fans deserve more.
They should know what makes their favorite players tick. They should be taken behind the scenes, inside the ropes.
They should get insight about the rivalries and friendships, the quips and put-downs – but, especially, the characters.
“People really want to hear the stories,” says Calgary’s Emmett Oh, who, with chum Vincent Martino, started a podcast called Over The Top. “Some people may want to hear how that 8-iron felt on Hole 6, but I really care about all these random stories.”
“A great way to put it – the 19th hole. You’re sitting there throwing stories around and hanging out.”
Oh and Martino, roommates during their time on the University of Houston golf team, are podcast newcomers. They pumped out four episodes in October 2017.
At the other end of the spectrum is No Laying Up, one of golf’s most popular podcasts, which has posted more than a hundred episodes, many featuring A-list stars.
No Laying Up co-founder Chris Solomon echoes Oh’s sentiment – the sport’s enthusiasts are hungry for content.
Podcasts are a solution.
“That was always our point of emphasis, ‘As a fan, what would I want to hear?'” says Solomon, on the phone from Dublin, Ohio. “We entertain. We’re not that worried about the business model of it.”
That appears to be taking care of itself.
Because podcasts, which can be streamed or downloaded, are flourishing.
According to one survey, 10 million Canadians listened to podcasts in the past year – in other words, 34 per cent of the adult population. The audience is expanding annually by 10 to 20 per cent.
Golf, explains Solomon, is only now catching up to this booming medium. And the sport, with its massive following, lends itself to all kinds of niches.
Physical conditioning and mental fine-tuning. History and architecture. Tips and technology.
Amateurs and professionals. Beginners and experts.
For keen ears, there is no end of variety. At a glance – The Fried Egg, Fore Play, Mindside, ShackHouse, 18 Strong, On the Mark, A Good Talk Spoiled – with dozens of others available.
“I just love hearing good interviews, good in-depth questions,” says Oh. “Right now, in the golf world, you have the Golf Channel and they just pound Brandel Chamblee down your throat for 24 hours. Like, constantly, right? They don’t have any comedic relief.”
“Podcasts are an escape for these players to go into an environment that’s not a press room – a place where they can talk about their hobbies, talk about their family, talk about their friends. Those kinds of podcasts are doing the best right now.”
Hard to argue.
No Laying Up, in 2017 alone, boasted seven digits’ worth of downloads. And it’s only growing. Solomon recently quit his day job to oversee the operation.
“It’s a crazy, weird, organic story of how it all started.”
In 2013, Solomon and three like-minded golf fanatics started using Twitter to offer wisecracks, in real time, during PGA Tour events. Their sense of humour struck a chord. Players began to follow them on Twitter, and, suddenly, Solomon & Co. had profile.
They discovered they could attract top pros for podcast sit-downs. (Justin Thomas was the first victim.)
“It’s evolved into a place where players have felt safe to come on and have a free-flowing conversation,” says Solomon. “We saw an opportunity to say, ‘Look, the way the media covers golf directly, through the press conferences, the players don’t really get to say what’s on their mind. It’s not really indicative of what fans are interested in.’ It had become this corporate mess of click-bait and trying to sell ads.”
As their podcast’s popularity soared, so did its credibility.
Meaning they could wrangle a who’s-who of guests, including Rory McIlroy. Solomon credits the two-part interview with the Irish superstar in September 2017 for their brand’s explosion – five times more downloads this past year than the first three years combined.
“People do get inspired – and should be inspired – that we were nobodies,” says Solomon. “We were just dudes that started a website and it got to be the No. 1 downloaded golf podcast probably in the world.”
None of which had been lost on Oh and Martino who dropped $70 on a microphone and a subscription to a podcast-posting website.
Over The Top was born.
The first episode featured Conrad Shindler. Topics included everything from college football to freak injuries to fast food.
“I have no idea what the end game is,” says Oh, who, last winter, began graduate studies in Houston. “We just wanted to start it for fun. And it’s been a whole lot of fun so far.”
Listen Up
This article was originally published in the 2018 edition of The Alberta Golfer Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.
My Golf Life, Golf Canada’s Score Centre

Unfortunately, it is apparent that the vast majority of golfers view Golf Canada’s Score Centre as the “Snore Centre.” But their narrow view of maintaining a current handicap is short-sighted, to their detriment.
Consider the numbers. Just over seven million scores were posted for handicap purposes in 2017. That’s impressive. Less impressive is the fact that they were all reported by the same 285,000 golfers.
To try to understand this disparity, let’s first dispose of the misconception that a “handicap” is something that only top-level competitive golfers are interested in. Everyone who plays the game should be tapping into the Score Centre, for a variety of reasons.
“A Golf Canada handicap factor allows you not only to compete on an equitable basis with anyone who may be a better golfer than you, or maybe not as good as you, but also gives you the ability to track your personal progress year over year,” says Taylor Stevenson, Golf Canada’s Manager of Member Services.
Stevenson, who oversees the Score Centre initiative, is incredulous that more golfers don’t understand how intrinsic tracking your scores is to your overall enjoyment of the game. Before he came on board at Golf Canada, he golfed but until he started maintaining a current handicap, he not only didn’t understand his progress but couldn’t compete fairly against better players.
“Once I started keeping an accurate handicap, I not only could see if I was getting better or worse, but I could play against friends who were better than me on a net basis, thanks to my handicap.”
Stevenson understands that that traditional “core” golfers, like those 285,000 who posted all those scores in 2017, will continue to do so. But, as a millennial at the age of 31, he also appreciates that it’s time to shake things up.
“Tracking your scores on Score Centre makes every game more enjoyable. You can track your progress, relive memories, share them with your friends. It’s a great way to engage with the game.”
He’s talking about a few of Score Centre’s attributes such as being awarded virtual “badges” for significant achievements (which can be linked to Twitter and Facebook), an “ultimate scorecard” which records your all-time best score per hole, tracking hole-by-hole performance and other statistics, and more. A mobile app allows golfers to instantly post their scores after completing a round.
In stark contrast to the traditional concept of a “handicap” for strictly competitive purposes, the new Score Centre approach has a wider purview, but the competitive aspect remains. The difference is that the competition is against yourself. You can set personal goals, compare your status with your golfing partners and celebrate milestones. Stevenson says, much like a Fit Bit tracks your fitness goals, Score Centre helps you monitor your golf progress.
“What golf really comes down to is you’re trying to do better than you did the last time you were out; it’s you against the golf course,” says Stevenson. “You want to improve, and to understand that, you have to keep track of your past performance.” He notes that the updated Score Centre allows golfers not only to look back at their performance for the current season, but for past years as well.
Stevenson says updates for 2018 include a more robust, reliable and stable platform for Score Centre that will further enhance the user experience.
If you enjoy golf, consider this a wake-up call. Golf Canada’s Score Centre is anything but a Snore Centre.
Perhaps call it your “Golf Centre.”
My Golf Life, Golf Canada’s Score Centre
This article was originally published in the 2018 edition of The Alberta Golfer Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.
Kananaskis 2.0

Kananaskis Country Golf is back on course! Q and A session with Kevin Smith and Kananaskis Country Golf Course Head Pro Bob Paley about the 2018 re-opening of the Alberta provincial gem that was destroyed in the 2013 flood. The Gary Browning led restoration of the 36-hole layout is complete. 18 holes open for play in May of 2018 and all 36 holes open in late summer 2018.
Q: What did you take away from the dozen or so sneak-a-peek events you had in the fall of 2017 where supporters of the restoration of the golf course got to play the restored Mount Lorrette course?
A: It was a celebration of golf, it was a celebration of this really special place, it was super rewarding for us to get a chance to see human beings out on the golf course again on golf carts enjoying the game of golf and really just celebrating.
Q: What was the feedback from people who had a chance to play the course?
A: We had high expectations going in and it exceeded every expectation that we had. So great to see the smiles on people’s faces when they got out there and just to see some of the reaction and the feedback that we got. The fact that the greens were as pure as they were and the golf course just felt more playable, it is a little bit more wide open and fun to play. Just everybody was blown away by the shape of the courses and the experience of the day and getting a chance to hear our story and that’s something that meant a great deal to us as well.
Q: During the sneak-a-peek you recounted a story just after the Evan Thomas River spilled it’s banks in 2013. You had called course superintendent Calvin McNeely and told him there’s a big problem here and the course could be shut down for a couple weeks. Could you have ever imagined it would be closed for five years?
A: No not at all. But there were some people who didn’t think it would happen (Golf Courses getting restored) at all, certainly nobody on our team, we believed it was going to happen but no I don’t think anyone thought it would take the amount of time that it did take but for a variety of different reasons it did. Bottom line is we got to the finish line and we can’t wait to get back being open with renovated facilities and two brand new golf courses and a new team and creating some unbelievable experiences for our guests and our team. I think it’s going to be super emotional just to see people and see smiles on people’s faces and just to have other human beings here with golf clothes on instead of vests, and to have their equipment and golf clubs and not jack hammers and excavators.
Q: Are Albertans being handed back two golf courses that are even better than before the flood?
A: Absolutely, it’s just a better version of itself. No matter the golf course whether it’s Augusta National, Pebble Beach or St. Andrews they all go through renovations and restorations and our course is no different to that. One of the silver linings to this whole project was to look at every hole with Gary Browning and our management team who have been out here for 30 years and just evaluating every shot on every hole and what could be done and all with the thought in mind that this was a restoration. Even if there were no design changes there were better grasses, better irrigation system, better drainage and on a number of holes there are improvements to the green structure. The courses are now more inclusive than it was before. The courses were built during a time that was pretty punitive, the harder the golf course the better and that’s something we really wanted to address. We’ve added two new tee boxes that are shorter than the previous ones so right now the yardage range is anywhere from 3,600 yards to 7,200 yards on one golf course so essentially the new tees cut the golf course in half so people who have never played before have an opportunity to come out and play a game of golf on a course that’s fitted for them and that’s super exciting for us.
Q: When and how can Albertans book tee times for the 2018 re-opening season.
A: Tee time bookings for individual bookings will start online on our website kananaskisgolf.com on Monday, March the 12th at 8am mountain standard time. And then Wednesday, March 14th at 8 am mountain standard time our phone bookings will be on our toll-free reservation line 1-877-591-2525. As for what we expect there seems to be a significant buzz about the re-opening of the golf courses and people wanting to see what’s been done to them and how they’ve changed. One of the challenges is that we’ll be opening 18-holes on May 10th, around June 1st to 27 holes and around August 1st to 36-holes so we’re not going to be a 36-hole complex right from the start so that’s going to minimize our inventory a little bit so just another reason to try and get your tee time bookings in a little bit early.
Q: How much more protected from future flooding are the golf courses now?
A: In March of 2016 there was a separate project running next to ours that was a river restoration project and what it did was fortify the river bank from the south end of the property, the Evan Thomas River that separates Mount Kidd RV Park and our golf course, all the way through to the north part of the property near the water treatment plant is and the 14th hole on Mount Lorette. The berms have been built up, big rip rap rock has been used to fortify and build up the berms that were in place before so those are higher which has given us some pretty cool looks on holes as well. So were confident we’re in a better spot than we were in before the flood, I don’t think anybody in this world would ever say you can mother nature proof or water proof anything but we’re certainly in a way, way stronger position than we were pre-flood.
Q: You’re a head pro but you live on the golf course and were part of the restoration team. I’ve seen you out here with the hard hat and construction vest on, what do you know now about restoring a golf course that you didn’t five years ago?
A: It’s mind blowing. When we were going through the whole process there were just so many revelations like seeing mounds on a fairway and thinking that just must have been what was there and not knowing it had a specific purpose as it relates to drainage or how greens are built and what an architect looks at and feels and how the process works. Blown away by the number of people that it takes to build a course and the pride that these people put into creating a golf course whether they are the designers, the on course workers, the contractors, it’s amazing. That was one of the many silver linings for all of us, not just myself, to learning what the construction process is all about and to have a hand in it creatively and seeing the changes that we think are going to be best out here. I know way more now than I probably ever should but I’ve been blessed to be a part of this whole thing.
Kananaskis 2.0
This article was originally published in the 2018 edition of The Alberta Golfer Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.
Looping on the Champions Tour

You can dress him up and take him out.
Plus the bonus of playing golf with Danny Sahl is he’ll show you the way.
Yup, the Sherwood Park product is pretty much a jack-of-all-trades golf guy.
Need a playing partner? He’s game.
How about a golf assistant? You got it.
A dude to carry your clubs? He’s your man.
A little advice on your swing, your game and your wardrobe? Check, check, check…
“I don’t think the dream is dead yet,” said the sharp-dressed Sahl, when asked if he still aspires to be a PGA Tour golfer. “The odds aren’t in your favour — you have to get lucky at the right time. I still think I’m good enough. But I’m 38, and I’ve got to think about the future, and right now…”
Well… right now, he’s letting all the other parts of his golf acumen pave — and pay — the way in life.
So Sahl’s a caddie these days for legendary golfer Vijay Singh.
‘The Big Fijian’ is the second superstar to put Sahl on his bag after Canadian Mike Weir used the Alberta shooter for parts of the last five years.
“I couldn’t pass it up,” said Sahl, who was carrying clubs for fellow Canuck clubber Corey Conners, a Web.com Tour swinger, when the offer to caddie for Singh came along. “So I decided I was going to try it and see what happens. We ended up finishing second in the first event (the Senior PGA Championship last May), so he kind of believed in me and we got along great. It’s been kind of a nice run so far.”
Singh, 54, has been splitting time between the PGA Tour and the PGA Tour Champions, double-dipping on two of the sport’s biggest stages.
That’s given Sahl plenty of work as a caddie — and a pretty good golf education to boot.
“I guess everything happens for a reason,” Sahl said. “Caddying for Vijay has changed a lot of things as far as making money and seeing different parts of the world (including golfing in the Fiji Open in Singh’s home country). I’m really fortunate to get this opportunity and happy with what’s been going on.
“And I still have the drive to play, so I’m trying to keep my game as sharp as I can,” continued Sahl, who’s found time in the past to try to Monday qualify for Web.com Tour events. “Working for Vijay, he’s known for his practice and his work ethic — he works hard — so just being around him really inspires me to do as much as I can with my game.
“I always travel with my golf clubs, so on the Wednesday of a tour week, him and I will find a premier golf course in the area we’re in and I get to play with him.”
And Sahl always does that in style.
He’s the guy you see on the links looking like a fashion plate, sporting the Italian brand Colmar — for whom he represents — often decked out in high socks, cool shoes and colorful clothing.
“I’ve always liked to be ahead of the curve,” said Sahl, who’s carried that chic look over to caddie duties.
“They say caddies aren’t supposed to dress too flashy to create attention, but it’s getting a little more lenient out there. Vijay doesn’t mind it, so I’m going to keep doing it.”
He’ll keep caddying too, unless something bigger — such as playing on the PGA Tour — comes along.
“I don’t know why they keep me around,” said Sahl with a chuckle. “I do know the game — I’ve had some success playing it. And I’m very good with people and how to manage them. I’m good to recognize when something isn’t going well to suggest something different. I have a really good eye for what a player is feeling and what he’s doing on the golf course.
“With Vijay, he knows I have good mental energy for him and we get along great. And I’m going to do whatever he wants me to do. And I enjoy being around him and being on the golf course and being in the game. So it’s a great fit for me. I think we’ve got a good team going.
“A guy in my shoes, when the professional golf ends, what do you do?” added Sahl, who’s quick to thank those who’ve always believed in him.
“I couldn’t imagine the money I’m making doing anything else. So I’m not going to pass up the money I make caddying.”
Looping on the Champions Tour
This article was originally published in the 2018 edition of The Alberta Golfer Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.
Tour Talk

Being a young golfer in Alberta is like being a kid in the candy store… so much to choose from to satisfy your craving.
Players have the luxury of choosing from the McLennan Ross Junior Golf Tour, the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour or the events run by the Canadian Junior Golf Association.
Each has its own schedule in Alberta, some are just one-day tournaments while others are two days, making for a busy summer of golf for some juniors.
This will be the 23rdyear of the McLennan Ross tour which operates strictly in Alberta.
“I didn’t see two decades coming, I didn’t see 25 tournaments and I didn’t see thousands of kids,” said Executive Director of the tour, Dunc Mills.
An entry level tournament experience for kids is how he describes the McLennan Ross but it’s also much more.
“We get lots of very good players playing. I mean you need to shoot par or better at most events to win but we tend to see more kids in that 10-15-year-old range. If they’re coming to their first McLennan Ross event, chances are it might even be their first tournament period and they grow from there.”
Trent Matson is the National Operations manager for the MJT which came to Alberta in 1999 and he says the tour covers the beginner who has never played the game, to those who are getting their first tournament experience and veteran players who are tour regulars.
He said about 85% of the players teeing it up in MJT events across Canada are the average player looking to get better.
MJT also has a 12 and under mini-tour which is competitive but provides a first experience atmosphere where parents can caddy for their child.
“It’s starting to gain a little more momentum over the last couple of years and we’re going to look to expand it a little bit more this year,” said Matson.
The CJGA has more than 100 stops from coast to coast since it’s beginnings in 1993. Thirteen of those are in Alberta and the tour is open to any player, as long as they fall within the age bracket of 12 to 18.
“We don’t have restrictions of handicap or anything like that,” said C.O.O. Brad Parkins. “They can shoot 110. The doors are open for them to get out and learn the game and play in that environment.”
He pointed to a CJGA alum who shot 164 in her first tournament and then two years later got her scores down low enough to earn a golf scholarship to a school in Florida.
Strong support from sponsors is a common thread for the longevity of these junior golf tours. Things don’t happen without that involvement which can range from cutting a cheque, donating vehicles to chipping in for prizes and lunch for the players.
There is a strong appreciation for those running these facilities which give up the time to host the tours. Mills says they understand the importance of keeping people coming into the game at the front end faster than they are leaving at the other end.
“We’ve seen some of our players actually get into, whether it’s Director of Golf positions or assistant positions at certain clubs and find that they had a great experience at the MJT and they have kept up and try to bring the tour to their facility’” said Matson.
Parkins says the CJGA typically focusses on the main city centres of a province but the question being asked is how to reach players in rural areas.
“Right now, we’re forcing them to travel and that’s another expense so how do we break down those barriers?”.
In the end, all three tours are giving these boys and girls the experience of golf, be as competitive as they want to be along with a chance to meet other young golfers.
“We don’t let them have their phones with them, so they can text each other. We want them to actually talk to each other on the course,” said Mills.
Parkins says the Linkster program has helped ease the fears of some parents who see the word “competitive” and shy away. The relaxed atmosphere makes for a more welcoming feeling for all levels of golfer.
All agree that each tour is about growing the game of golf in Canada.
“I would just like to see more kids playing the game and if we get to that point then I think everyone is successful,” he said.
It’s a win for the players, for the courses and for the future of the game. Just like candy, you can’t go wrong with whatever you choose.
Tour Talk
This article was originally published in the 2018 edition of The Alberta Golfer Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.
Albertans on Tour

Golf fans in Alberta love keeping track of what tracks the top players in this province will be on during the 2018 golf season. Whether it’s the Symetra Tour, Mackenzie Tour PGA TOUR Canada or the Web.Com tour, all the pros who grew up in this province have one goal in mind, win a tournament.
The two players who seem closest to doing that and knocking on the door to play on the best tour in the world are Calgary’s Ryan Yip and Jennifer Ha.
Yip, who now splits his time between Scottsdale, Arizona and Ohio is 33 years old and has full status on the Web.com tour. Jennifer is 23 years old, lives in Naples, Florida and is coming off her first full season on the LPGA Tour. Ha wasn’t able to keep her LPGA tour card and will play this season on the Symetra Tour, she says her experience on the LPGA Tour was unreal.
“It was crazy. So many great experiences, I got to meet so many of my heroes and it was unreal. I didn’t have the year that I was planning on having and I didn’t play that well but I had such a crazy learning experience. I’m really fortunate that I had that privilege, it was really cool. I had a little taste of what it was like and it totally put fuel to the fire and I really want to get back on there.”
A top 10 finish by season’s end on The Symetra Tour which starts in March in Florida will get Ha back to the LPGA Tour. “I’m hoping I’m one of those 10.”
And she says she’s much more mature now, with a little help from a veteran peer on the top tour in the world.
“I had a lot of help from Alena Sharp, she was amazing. She played practice rounds with me and took me out to dinner and made me feel super comfortable and that helped a lot. I feel a lot better now and lot more patient then when I first got on tour.”
As for Ryan Yip, he’s had full status on the Web.com Tour for half a decade now and says he’s never played better. A couple years ago he finally got a swing coach, a trainer, a chiropractor and is injury free.
“I feel like I’m playing the best golf in my life right now and it’s only a matter of time before I put four good rounds together and win out there and get my PGA Tour card.”
Yip says the Web.com Tour is the third best tour in the world behind the PGA Tour and the European Tour.
“It’s obvious. You see guys on the web get their tour card and within ten tournaments they’re winning on the PGA Tour. The competition is so high it basically produces a lot of PGA Tour winners. Always has, always will.”
And that’s Yip’s goal this year, to win on the Web.com Tour “A win plus one top 5 and you’ll take care of your PGA Tour card.”
Seeing fellow Canadian and Kent State grad Mackenzie Hughes already win on the PGA Tour has given Yip a lot of confidence that once he gets to the top tour, he can win there too.
Four other Albertans will be aiming to win tournaments on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada.
Jamie Sadlowski, James Love, Wil Bateman and Riley Fleming all have varying degrees of status on the Canadian circuit that has seen a huge rise in standard the past few years.
Sadlowski has the highest profile of these golfers considering he’s a former 2-time world long drive champion and has a personal best long drive of 475 yards. In 2016 the Edmonton native switched to stroke play golf and proved he has a bright future there too by winning a U.S. Open qualifier and making cuts on the Web.com Tour.
Sadlowski doesn’t have full status on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada but plans to go to Q School and if all goes well play a full slate in Canada this summer and maybe some Asian Tour events before then, he’s also hoping to get sponsor exemptions into PGA Tour events. Sadlowski, a Scottsdale, Arizona resident says he’s learning the differences between gripping and ripping it during his long drive career and the feel shots you need in stroke play golf.
“When you gotta flip a little 70 yard wedge in there over water to a back pin and you can’t hit it over and you can’t land it short it’s a very different feeling under the gun than standing on a tee and having six golf balls.”
Sadlowski’s goals are to have as good a chance as possible to move up to the Web.com tour.
“I would love one of those top 5 cards but I don’t think getting top 10 on the money is unrealistic and going to third stage of qualifying and not having to mess with the first couple stages is something that I’m chasing.”
James Love is 33 years old and lives full time in Denver, Colorado. The born and raised Calgarian has full status on the Mackenzie Tour after finishing in the top 60 in the order of merit a season ago. He and his wife had their first child, a daughter, in mid-January. Love is hoping being a father might give him a new perspective on the stress of trying to win golf tournaments.
“I haven’t won on the Mackenzie Tour in 7 years, the goal is always to get a win.”
24 year old Riley Fleming of Airdrie is also looking for a win on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada, but he’s not sure how many crack’s he’ll get. He’s entering his 5th season on the tour but doesn’t have full status and doesn’t think it’s worth the entry fee to go to qualifying school. Last year Fleming only played in 4 events but had a chance to win his home tournament, the ATB Financial Classic in Calgary, before finishing top 10, 4 strokes back. Fleming will go the route of Monday qualifiers this year on tour and hopes to play more events than last season.
“Hoping to play eight or nine events but I only got into four. This year I hope to play better in the first three qualifiers. I’d love to say I’m going to play 35 events around the world but it’s hard to do that, it’s so expensive.”
For any of these Alberta golfers getting a win on any tour this season would be money in the bank.
Albertans on Tour
This article was originally published in the 2018 edition of The Alberta Golfer Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.
Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail a tribute to Stanley Thompson

Even though the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is miles south of the 49th Parallel, there are hints of Canadiana spread out all over this world famous destination. And no, we don’t mean it’s littered with Maple Leaf flags and Tim Horton cups.
You see, the homage to Canada comes in the for of a tribute to the best known architect to ever come from the Great White North, Stanley Thompson.
Robert Trent Jones, Sr., the man responsible for the creation of this golf masterpiece was a disciple of Thompson’s. As such, it’s easy to see that the Canadian’s ideas, and philosophies on building outstanding golf courses with exceptional playability and sight lines, took root with the famed American designer.
As for the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail which celebrated its 25th Anniversary in 2017, it stretches through greater Alabama and boasts 26 different courses at 11 sites, running from Hampton Cove in the north down to Magnolia Grove in the southern part of the state. The Trail’s terrain varies widely ranging from the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in the north to the flatlands of the Gulf of Mexico in the south.
Following in his mentor’s footsteps, Jones was of the mind that a score of par should be a challenge to one’s game and skill, or as he put it, “not easy to come by.” At the same time, if that number escapes you, holes are set up so that a bogey isn’t all that hard to achieve.
Another key element of Jones’ teacher’s lessons are the visuals presented at the courses he built. Whether you’re looking from tee to green, or in the reverse direction, the lines are true and it’s easy to see the obstacles that lay in front of you, or those that you’ve managed to avoid on your way to the putting surface.
Interestingly enough, Jones wasn’t the first designer approached about constructing a golf trail through Alabama in hopes of encouraging tourism. Big names like Nicklaus and Palmer turned aside the chance to put their names on this iconic golfing paradise. Eventually Jones was lured out of retirement to create this ever-lasting legacy to his, and his mentor’s, name.
Since the inception of the Trail, tourism has boomed in Alabama, exactly what the visionaries hoped for when this idea was first teed up. It’s said that the state’s visitor numbers have risen sharply from 2 million a year to over 8 million now, thanks in large part to the Trail and its unique, fun, and gorgeous offerings. While the Trail wasn’t created to make money, the latest stats available suggest there are more than 500,000 rounds played on it each year, making for a huge economic spinoff not only for the courses but the area’s hotels, restaurants, craft breweries and businesses.
In constructing the Trail, Jones adhered to what Thompson preached: 1) unforgettable views; 2) natural features such as rivers, lakes, trees, good soil; and, 3) environment.
He also followed — at least for the most part — the best way to lay out a course as recommended by his Canadian mentor with an easy, aesthetic start with a long, strong finish.
While Thompson felt there shouldn’t be any par 3 holes before the 4th or 5th assignments of the day or after the 16th hole, Jones did step outside the parameters here, at on at least a couple of his designs. At The Shoals, The Schoolmaster has a beautiful little short hole up second on the scorecard while Fighting Joe wraps up its demands with par 3s on both nine and 18.
But when you look at what he created, not only for golfers but for the State of Alabama, Jones can certainly be forgiven for what his mentor may have considered small flaws!
Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail a tribute to Stanley Thompson
This article was originally published in the 2018 edition of The Alberta Golfer Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.
Alberta Golf Foundation Message
Scholarships alleviate the burden of school costs.
Which means students don’t have to hold down part-time jobs. Therefore, more hours can be devoted to studying and volunteering.
This is what happens in a perfect world.
This is what happens in Celine Copeland’s world.
Copeland – twice the recipient of a scholarship from the Alberta Golf Foundation – never fritters away the windfall.
The Calgarian funnels the money into her education – she’s completed two years of the public-relations program at Mount Royal University – and uses her spare time to help others.
For that freedom, for that financial boost, she thanks the AGF.
“It was really amazing to get that,” says Copeland. “It means a lot. It allowed me to focus more on school and maintain a 4.0 (grade-point average). It inspired me to give back to my community as well.
“Organizations like Alberta Golf, who are giving these scholarships, inspire me to one day do the same.”
In 2017 alone, the AGF doled out 36 scholarships – worth more than $55,000 – to Albertans pursuing post-secondary education.
“There’s no question that the primary role (of the foundation) is to raise funds for scholarships,” says Florin Bergh, a member of the AGF for more than 10 years. “The p.r. we get out of giving those kinds of funds to our youth … it’s a very good advertisement for Alberta Golf.”
For the bursaries, money is raised through individual and corporate donations, through endowments and casino nights in Edmonton.
Since being formed by the Alberta Golf Association in 1994, the AGF has awarded nearly 400 scholarships, totaling more than $600,000.
“That is something that we are extremely proud of,” says Jack Lane, Alberta Golf’s director of business development and communications. “Many of these students have gone on to have successful careers in various fields. If we were a small part of their journey and success, then the AGF has accomplished its goal.”
Deadline for applying for 2018 scholarships, which range from $500 to nearly $4,000, is July 31.
Recipients are announced a month later.
“I’ve only been in my role for two years, but the scholarship program is something I’ve known about for almost two decades – that’s how institutionalized it is,” says Phil Berube, Alberta Golf CEO and AGF executive director. “The golf community rallies around the foundation… it’s pretty well known and widespread. I’m super proud of what we’ve done.”
Feedback, no surprise, is positive and frequent, according to Bergh. “We get it by email, we get it by letter.”
Someone like Copeland also shows her gratitude by paying it forward.
At Mount Royal University, she helped establish Best Buddies. The 19-year-old is vice-president of the popular initiative.
“It’s about including people with disabilities,” explains Copeland. “We match up people with intellectual or mental disabilities with a university student within Mount Royal. Then they can build a friendship, they can meet weekly or monthly. It’s really a great program.”
This past summer she volunteered with Alberta Golf, which offered experience in her chosen field of public relations. She learned about social media and penned articles for the organization’s website.
Copeland also pitched in at She Swings, She Scores – a collaborative effort between Alberta Golf and Hockey Alberta to introduce girls to the game of golf – and at Jumpstart events.
On top of which, she lent time to the junior program at her home course, Willow Park Golf and Country Club.
“I’m really trying to encourage more girls to play,” says Copeland. “There’s not enough girls playing golf. That’s what I’m really passionate about.”
Since wrist surgery two years ago, Copeland herself has taken a break from tournament action. Soon, though, she hopes to return.
“Competitive golf is something I really miss,” she says. “I’m really looking forward to that. Golf is such a big part of my life.”
For the bursaries, however, there is no golf-playing criterion. Successful candidates are selected on the basis of financial need and academic standing, volunteer work and references.
Copeland intends to apply again.
“It’s been really nice to able to get these scholarships – I’m so happy,” she says. “The fact that the Alberta Golf Foundation is able to do that, to give back to so many students who are deserving… it’s really neat, for sure.”
She heard about the bursaries three years ago. Then she checked out the website – albertagolf.org – for more information.
“Just seeing the amount of people they’d given them to, then looking at the names and going, ‘Oh, I know them, I know them,'” says Copeland. “Everybody is so fortunate. Just being able to get a scholarship from Alberta Golf, everybody’s so thankful because it helps a lot.”
Alberta Golf Foundation Message
This article was originally published in the 2018 edition of The Alberta Golfer Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.