As we settle into 2026 and enjoy an unseasonably early taste of spring across the province, Alberta Golf is pleased to share several key initiatives and upcoming developments for the year ahead. Below is an overview of what members and stakeholders can expect in the coming season.

High-Performance Support

Each year, Alberta Golf announces its identified High-Performance players ahead of the holiday season. The primary objective of the High-Performance Program is to support these athletes in achieving their developmental and competitive goals, while also providing guidance throughout the post-secondary scholarship process.

In 2026, Alberta Golf is advancing this objective by launching work on a new pilot program designed to equip athletes with comprehensive tools to support these ambitions. This initiative is being developed in collaboration with Golf Recruitment Portal, an organization founded by former NCAA Division I golfers who bring firsthand experience navigating the recruitment process.

MORE INFO ON Golf Recruitment Portal

The pilot project will focus on creating a centralized platform where Alberta golfers can:

• Build personalized athlete profiles accessible to college coaches
• Access an extensive database of coaches’ contact information
• Develop and showcase highlight videos

Additional details will be shared directly with eligible High-Performance athletes, with a broader program rollout planned in future years following evaluation of the pilot.

UpSwing Continues Its Upward Momentum

For more than a century, one of Alberta Golf’s core business priorities has been the delivery of high-level provincial championships. However, the majority of Alberta golfers are recreational players. In fact, approximately 675,000 golfers fall into this category, making it the province’s largest market segment. UpSwing was created with these golfers in mind.

Launched in 2021 as a series of recreational events, UpSwing has experienced significant growth over the past five years. This momentum is expected to continue in 2026, with the platform expanding beyond recreational events.

For event organizers, UpSwing is undergoing enhancements to function as a comprehensive ticketing and registration system, making it accessible to a wider range of event operators. UpSwing will also continue its strong commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion through its DEI Grant Program. Over the past two years, this program has distributed more than $37,000 in funding to support 40 inclusive golf initiatives, with continued investment planned for the upcoming season.

In addition, UpSwing Activation programs will remain a priority, offering golf courses and event operators engaging and innovative on-course activities.

For players, flagship UpSwing events at Banff Springs, Stewart Creek, Crowsnest Pass, Sundre (Ladies Event), Canmore, and Silvertip will all return in 2026. Registration for these events opens on April 1.

Competition Updates

Provincial championships remain central to Alberta Golf’s mission, providing players with the opportunity to test their skills against top competition across the province. In 2026, pace of play will once again be emphasized through the continued use of the Tag Marshal system.

The Men’s Mid-Master Championship will see notable changes, with the introduction of two qualifying events. This adjustment is intended to alleviate the pressure created by the previous open registration model, which regularly saw more than 200 golfers register on April 1. Exemptions for the championship will remain unchanged, with invitations issued in early March. Host venues for both the championship and qualifiers will be announced at a later date.

Following the successful introduction of a female division at the Alberta Open in 2025, the championship will once again feature both male and female competitors in 2026, reinforcing its status as a true provincial Open. Alberta Golf will invest additional resources into the event to further elevate its premier championship experience. Efforts to grow female participation on both the amateur and professional sides will continue. Further announcements will be shared through Alberta Golf’s social channels in the coming months.

Registration for all championships and qualifiers opens on April 1 at 9:00 a.m. The current championship schedule is available below.

Championship Calendar

Women’s Programming Exploration

As part of Alberta Golf’s continued commitment to growing women’s participation, efforts in 2026 will extend beyond high-performance programming. Significant work will be undertaken to expand women’s golf initiatives, including:

• Aligning with Golf Canada’s She Plays Golf brand
• Exploring new event concepts tailored to women in business and college alumni communities
• Supporting existing female-only programs through the UpSwing platform

The Women’s Amateur Championship at The Hamptons Golf Club in Calgary will also be a focal point, as Alberta Golf explores new strategies to enhance value, enjoyment, and participation.

Off-Course Golf Expands Nationwide

In alignment with Golf Canada’s newly launched national off-course golf strategy, Alberta Golf is proud to support and engage with the growing off-course golf community across the province.

Alberta Golf and Golf Canada recognize and endorse all forms of golf and encourage Canadians to experience the sport year-round through off-course opportunities. These include golf simulators, driving ranges, short-game facilities, mini golf, virtual reality golf, and golf-themed video games. By complementing traditional on-course play, off-course golf creates accessible pathways for new participants and supports lifelong engagement with the sport.

Just Swing Press Release

Alberta’s Next Generation

Maintaining golf’s position as the number one participation sport in Alberta requires continued investment in the next generation of players.

The McLennan Ross Alberta Junior Tour continues to grow annually, with no signs of slowing in 2026. The upcoming season will feature more than 25 tour stops, including the return of River Bend to the schedule. Educational showcases for new junior golfers, the Level 1 Rules Program, and the Tour Championship at Wolf Creek will further strengthen the tour’s success. Registration opens on April 1 at 12:00 p.m., with the full schedule to be released next month.

Beyond the Junior Tour, Alberta Golf remains committed to expanding the Youth on Course program, allowing juniors to play for just $5. Alberta Golf will also continue to align with First Tee programming across the province, ensuring strong grassroots development and increased access to the game for young golfers.

Youth On Course

Mclennan Ross Alberta Junior Tour

Level 2 Rules Seminar

At the start of every season, Alberta Golf puts on a Level 2 Rules Seminar for those who decide to take their rules education to the next level. This year, the Level 2 will be held at Willow Park Golf & Country Club on March 20,21, and 22. More details including how to register, what requirements, and what to expect can be found at the link below.

Referee Pathway

Alberta Golf looks forward to an exciting and impactful 2026 season and thanks its members, partners, and volunteers for their continued support.

CPKC Women’s Open Comes Back to Alberta

The best female players in the world are coming back to Alberta, as the CPKC will be held at the Royal Mayfair Golf Club in Edmonton. The CPKC Women’s Open is Golf Canada’s flagship female event and the only Canadian stop on the LPGA Tour. Just recently it was announced that the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton was named the 2026 charity partner of the event.

2026 Stollery Children’s Hospital Announcement

Information for the event including tickets, volunteering, can all be found at the link below.

CPKC Homepage

With the arrival of the New Year, the golf season is just a few months away, and shortly thereafter, the 2026 Championship season will be underway. From players to watch and potential repeat champions to new events and compelling milestones, we have you covered with the 2026 Championships: Stories to Watch.

Chasing History

As attention turns to 2026, several notable players will have more than just another title at stake.
Brett Jones made history last year with his victory at Paradise Canyon, becoming just the 15th player to win back-to-back Amateur Championships and cementing his place among the province’s greats. In 2026, Jones will pursue a rare three-peat in the province’s oldest championship. A victory would place him on an even more exclusive list alongside Bob Wylie, Henry Martell, and Munroe Hunter—the only players to have accomplished this feat.

Sydney Bisgrove faces a tall challenge in 2026 following an impressive 2025 season. After a narrow miss at the Women’s Amateur, she captured the inaugural Alberta Open Women’s Championship. In 2026, she will have the opportunity to complete her trophy collection by winning the Women’s Amateur and becoming the first player to hold both the Women’s Amateur and Women’s Alberta Open titles simultaneously. Dubbed the “Sydney Slam,” the achievement would make her the first female to do so and only the second person overall, joining Henry Martell, to hold both Amateur and Open titles at the same time.

Wes Heffernan experienced a minor setback in his pursuit of history at the Alberta Open in 2025, but redemption could be on the horizon in 2026 as the championship heads to Priddis Greens. Heffernan currently sits at seven Alberta Open victories—just two shy of the record set by Stan Leonard in 1955. Could 2026 be the year he moves one step closer?

The Alberta Open

The 90th edition of the Alberta Open will build on the momentum of last season’s successful championship. The introduction of a Women’s division proved to be a major success, with more than 20 players testing their skills against the province’s top female professionals and amateurs. Alberta Golf will continue to focus on growing this division in 2026, including an increased purse for female professionals to attract additional talent. With Priddis Greens set to host on August 11 to 13, participation is expected to rise across all divisions.

A New Era In The Seniors

The 2025 Women’s Senior Championship appeared to signal a changing of the guard. Daniela Pacheco captured her first Women’s Senior title and followed it with a remarkable season that included a Mickelson National Club Championship win and a top-20 finish at the Canadian Women’s Senior. As the 2026 championship approaches, she will undoubtedly enter as the favourite.

The 2025 season also marked the return of Gisselle Willimus to competitive golf. Gisselle was a prominent figure before her departure from the game. Any rust was quickly shaken off, as she secured a spot on the interprovincial team in her first year back.
Adding further intrigue, the 2026 Canadian Women’s Senior Championship will be hosted in Alberta at Pine Hills Golf Club. With the national championship being held in the West, new faces are expected to emerge in July as players look to earn their place in the field.

Men’s Mid-Master Makeover

One of the province’s most popular championships over the past five years is undergoing a format update. Beginning this year, the Men’s Mid-Master Championship (for players aged 40+) will feature both a North and South qualifier in the spring, with players required to earn their way into the championship. The existing exemption criteria will remain the same with exemptions being sent out in early March. This change will ensure that the strongest fields are assembled while eliminating the annual rush to register on April 1.

Men’s Mid-Amateur: 40th Anniversary

The Men’s Mid-Amateur (for players aged 25+) has long been a staple on the provincial calendar, and in its 40th year, the championship will return to Wolf Creek for a special celebration. “The Wolf” hosted the inaugural Men’s Mid-Amateur in 1986, where Alberta Golf Hall of Famer Ken Tamke claimed the first title.

In 2026, Neil Thomas will be aiming for his third consecutive Mid-Amateur victory. Should he succeed, he would become the first player to achieve a three-peat in the event’s history—no small task against the demanding layout of Wolf Creek.

The Overachieving U19’s

The U19 Championship once again promises excitement, but one junior in particular has the opportunity to continue an exceptional run. Saylar May completed the Junior Crown by winning the U15 Girls, U17 Girls, and U19 Girls Championships over a three-year span. In 2026, she has the chance to close out her junior career on a high note by successfully defending her U19 title.
Should she do so, the only remaining championships missing from her trophy case would be the Women’s Amateur and the Alberta Open Women’s Championship. Regardless of what lies ahead, her junior career already stands among the best seen in the province since the emergence of players such as Katy Rutherford and Kim Qually.
 

The 2026 Championship Schedule is nearing completion and registration has been set for April 1st at 9am.

2026 Championship Schedule

The final event in the 2025 Alberta Golf Championship season kicks off tomorrow at McCall Lake Golf Course in Calgary, as the third instalment of the All Abilities Championship gets underway!

The Alberta All Abilities Championship is in its third year of operation and this year has become the finale to the championship season. The event is open to any golfer that has a player pass through the European Disabled Golf Association and is an official WR4GD ranking event. The event provides players with disabilities a place to compete and come together to celebrate. The decision to add this event in 2023 followed the move made by many major associations including Golf Canada, the USGA, Golf Ontario, and Golf Manitoba. Alberta is the 4th province to offer this kind of event for its players. There is both a gross competition and a net competition for the players, and as it continues to grow there is the potential of having separate competitions for each category of disability.

EDGA HOmePAGE

In 2024, Bob MacDermott was victorious winning the event up in Sherwood Park. He’s surely a player to watch this year as he tries to defend the title. Returning to the field this year is 2023 Champion, Kiefer Jones, who is 34th in the WR4GD rankings. Kiefer, a Calgarian, at one point was also the #1 ranked blind golfer in the world. He’ll look to repeat his success this year as the event returns to McCall Lake. Another player to watch this week would be Josh Engel, who recently won Gold a the Special Olympics Summer Games earlier this year.

World #1 – Kiefer Jones Interview

McCall Lake has proven to be a terrific host for this event in the past and the City of Calgary has become a leader in accessibility in the game of golf. McCall Lake has been the home of a number of free junior adaptive golf lessons for golfers with disabilities. In addition to this, McCall Lake partnered with the Alberta Sports and Recreation Association for the Blind in 2023 to offer additional junior adaptive golf camps to their members. Shaganappi Point also has their own assisted mobility device for golfers who are looking to get into the game.

New this year for the All Abilities, Alberta Golf is pleased to be hosting an adaptive golf clinic at the McCall Lake driving range on September 9th, led by PGA of Alberta professionals.

For the full preview of the 2025 Alberta All Abilities Championship, click the link below to head to the Alberta Golf Yearbook.

2025 All Abilities PReview

For tee times and results from the event, click the link below for the Golf Genius page.

2025 All Abilities Golf Genius Page

Alberta Golf (Kananaskis) – Alberta Golf continued it’s Championship season Tuesday at Kananaskis Country Golf Course as 46 Men’s and Women’s teams represented their home club in the 2025 Alberta Interclub Championship. The day was hot and sunny and the mountains provided an unbelievable backdrop to some great play across the 36 hole layout of Mount Lorette and Mount Kidd.

On the women’s side Country Hills Golf Club defended their title with the team of Meaghan Leblanc, Victoria Tse, Joan Wilson and Amanada Chan posting 7-under par for the victory.

The men’s division was as competitive as ever with 5 teams within 1 stroke of the title.  The Winston Golf Club fired 10-under par for the narrow victory. Great playing by Garett Johnson, Shane Abel, Trevor Martensson and Christian Chivilo

The Innisfail Golf Club consisting of Erin Kirkness, Marg Williscroft, Elayne Shiffner and Michelle Spivik teamed up for a 16-under par total to win the Low Net Championship.

FULL SCORING IN ALL DIVISIONS

Alberta Golf (Chestermere) – 2 hot sunny days at Lakeside Golf Club just east of Calgary for the Alberta U15 and U13 Championship. In the Boys U15 Championship Bennett Love from the Red Deer Golf & Country Club posted a final round 70 for a 3-stroke victory a defended his U15 title from a year ago at Alberta Springs Golf Resort.

In the Girls U15 Championship Danika Horcica from The Edmonton Country Club fired a final round 73 to take the title.

In the Boys U13 Championship, Oscar Gosgnach from the Royal Mayfair Golf Club defended his title shooting a 3-under par 68.

In the Girls U13 Championship Olivia Van Kesteren won while playing in her first ever competitive championship.

WATCH VIDEO INTERVIEWS WITH ALL THE CHAMPIONS

Thank you to Lakeside Golf Club Head Professional Tyler Willner and all the staff and volunteers at the club for hosting the championship.

The new U15 & U13 Championship gets underway tomorrow at Lakeside Golf Club in Chestermere! This is the first year the event will be separate from the U17 players and the change has proven to work with a boost in registration up to 70 players.

The U15 & U13 Championship brings together the top young players in the province. The now separate championship acts as a great bridge between the McLennan Ross Alberta Junior Tour with many of the players there making the jump to our provincial championship schedule. The event has separate divisions for Boys and Girls in both the U13 and U15 divisions. Bennett Love will be a player to watch as he hopes to reclaim the U15 title, as does Oscar Gosgnach in the U13 division. Camilla Ruesga-Rojas will look to take another step in her junior career as she looks to claim the U15 Championship after her U13 victory in 2024. Mia Ha looks to be the favourite in the U13 Girls’ division, as she claimed the 2025 McLennan Ross Alberta Junior Tour U13 Division and Season Point Race at the Tour Championship just last week.

Lakeside Golf Club has stepped up as host for this event and has proven to be a terrific fit. Tyler Willner, the clubs head professional, has done a tremendous job growing the courses junior program from 40 players to 150. The course also played host to a McLennan Ross Alberta Junior Tour event earlier in the season. The course also offers a fair test to the field with an open layout, but is not just decided by players who can bomb the ball of the tee.

To read more about the event and hear what this event means from our past champions, click the button below to check out the U15 & U13 Championship spread in our Alberta Golf Yearbook.

U15 & U13 Championship Article

To find out what time everyone starts tomorrow, click the button below to check out the pairings for the event.

U15 & U13 Pairings

Alberta Golf (Magrath) – Hot conditions with wind gusts at the challenging Magrath Golf Club for the final round of the 2025 Alberta Super Senior Championship. 2-time defending champion David Schultz made a late charge with birdies on 16 and 17 to momentarily tie the lead with Norman Bradley, but Bradley made a birdie on 16, a great lag putt par on 17 and a clutch 4 foot par save on 18 for a 1-stroke victory and his first ever Alberta Golf crown.

WATCH VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH CHAMPION NORMAN BRADLEY

Tom Dixon won the 65-69 flight, Ronald Mercier took the 70-74 age category and Eric Brodie fired a round of 76 to take the aged 75 and over Diamond Division title.

Magrath Golf Club was founded in 1925 and is celebrating it’s 100th anniversary. Head Professional and Director of Golf Glen DesRoche was a great host this week and was on course following the final round action.

Superintendent Jordy Sautner had the course in fantastic shape with the competitors complimenting the fairways and true greens.

WATCH DRONE FOOTAGE OF MAGRATH GOLF CLUB

The Championship season continues to wind down with Magrath Golf Club set to host the 2025 Men’s Super Senior Championship!

The Men’s Super Senior Championship is for male players aged 65+ and was originally a part of the Men’s Senior Championship. In 2023, the event was separated to be its own event and the Diamond Division for players aged 75+ was also created. The event has seen incredible buy-in from players across the province boasting 260 players over its first three years. The field for 2025 includes past Senior Champions, past Super Senior Champions, Alberta Golf legends, and newcomers to the championship.

Players To Watch

With such a stacked field, there are plenty of names with the ability to win. The 2023 and 2024 champion, David Schultz, is a name that many players would be familiar with as an Alberta Golf Hall of Famer, and he’s had a busy season playing the Men’s Amateur, Men’s Mid-Amateur, and Men’s Senior Championship. Defending Diamond Division Champion, Howard Broun, will look to continue his streak and claim the title again this season. Floyd Kilgore is a local legend in Northern Alberta and looks to get back to his winning ways this year. Kelly Risling is a former Super Senior Champion who could also find himself up on the leaderboard.

The Host Club

Magrath Golf Club is just south of Lethbridge and is known as “The Hidden Gem of The South”. The course rings true to this nickname as anyone lucky enough to play it would agree. The speedy and undulating greens will make a great test for the players. The course winds through a valley in Southern Alberta, and each hole offers a different test off the tee, whether it’s distance, precision, or managing the trouble, this course has it all. Magrath has hosted Alberta Golf events in the past, most recently the 2025 Alberta-Montana Ryder Cup in early August. The course is also celebrating its 100th year of operation, joining an elite list of clubs to hit this milestone.

For more about the course and our defending champions, click the link below to read the full article from the Alberta Golf Yearbook.

Super Senior Yearbook Article

To find out where your favourite players are on the leaderboard or when they tee off, click the button below for Round 1 Pairings.

Round 1 Pairings

Alberta Golf (Red Deer) – Alberta Springs Golf Resort a great host for the 2025 Alberta U17 Championships. In the Girls’ U17 Championship Saylar May from Pine Hills in Rocky Mountain House posted a final round 1-under 71 and a commanding 11-stroke victory. May adds the U17 crown to the U19 Championship she won at Water Valley earlier this summer.

On the boys side, Chase Strang from Pinebrook Golf and Country Club fired a 2-under final round of 70 with 3 birdies and a lone bogey for a comeback 2-stroke victory over James Howie who made birdies on the 16th and 17th holes to makes things interesting. A clutch birdie by Strang on the par 5 18th hole secured the win.

WATCH VIDEO INTERVIEWS WITH SAYLAR MAY AND CHASE STRANG

Thanks to Al Norlin and his entire staff at Alberta Springs Golf Resort for hosting a great championship.

The U17 Championship is next up in the Alberta Golf Championship Schedule and will be played at a familiar host club to many of the competitors, Alberta Springs Golf Resort.

The U17 Championship has long been a staple in the Alberta Golf championship calendar, but has undergone changes throughout its history including a name changes and even format changes to include the U15 and U13 categories. In 2025, it again underwent a change and this year it will just be the U17 competitors taking on the ‘Springs’ in Red Deer. This change was made to help the young players get another WAGR ranking event in the provincial championship schedule. The change allows for a better test for the players with a more appropriate yardage and separates the U15 and U13’s into their own space.

The event’s 106 golfers have plenty of potential winners on both the Boys’ and Girls’ side of things. The Girls’ side sees the defending U17 and U19 Champion, Saylar May, return for one final time to defend her title. Sela Ogada, the defending U15 champion will look to take another step and win the U17 this year. The field also has the defending U13 champion, Camilla Ruesga-Rojas, and a few Alberta-Montana Ryder Cup Team Members who successfully defended their title two weeks ago. On the Boys’ side, Bennett Love who won the U15 in 2024 will look to win at the next level after a successful showing at the Alberta Open. Benson White will also look to build off his Low Amateur victory at the Open last week and add the U17 to his resume.

Alberta Springs has been a terrific host in the last few years and this marks the 6th year hosting the U17 Championship. With plenty of twists and turns and tree lined holes, the course will demand the best from all of these players.

For the full preview and to hear from the 2024 U17 Champions, click the button below to read the 2025 Alberta Golf Yearbook!

2025 Alberta Golf Yearbook Article

Click the button below to find out when your favourite players are teeing off for Rounds 1 & 2!

2025 U17 Championship Pairings