What’s Coming In 2026: Everything Planned For Alberta Golf
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
2024 Youth on Course participation doubles in Alberta
Alberta Golf – 2024 was another successful golf season in Alberta with packed tee sheets and full tournaments. One of the biggest areas of growth can be seen in the amount of youth discovering the game, and a big reason is the Youth on Course program run by Alberta Golf. Youth on Course was established in 2006 at the Northern California Golf Association to break down financial barriers, offer life-changing opportunities through golf and bring diversity to the game. The concept is simple, if you’re aged 18 and under and you join Alberta Golf you can access 24 courses in the province (and over 2,000 golf courses across the United States, Canada and Australia) and play your rounds for $5 or less.
Alberta was the first province to bring the program to Canada in 2019 and a modest 1,000 rounds were played by youth in Alberta. In 2023 over 8,000 rounds were played by 1,400 kids while 2024 saw that number soar to over 16,000 rounds played by 3,000 kids. In the past year alone the number of youth using the program and the amount of golf they play has literally doubled! Some of these kids will eventually try our “learn to compete” McLennan Ross Alberta Junior Tour and follow the pathway to compete in our provincial championships while others will just keep enjoying recreational golf, but either way, by getting affordable access to the game many of these kids will be hooked for life.
24 courses were part of the program in Alberta in 2024 with the City of Calgary seeing the most action, accounting for 4 of the top 5 busiest courses.
Paul Hemstreet is the Volunteer Coordinator for Golf Course Operations for the City of Calgary and says the amount of kids enjoying the game on city courses has been inspiring.
“The City of Calgary Golf Courses are so proud of the impact Youth on Course has had at our facilities,” Hemstreet said. “Our management, staff and patrons have enjoyed seeing the affordable access that the program has provided kids of all skill levels. We are thrilled to continue growing the game of golf with our youth in Calgary and Alberta.”
Youth on Course is now expanding across Canada, there are over 100 participating golf courses offering Youth on Course in Canada and there are plans to grow that number next year with the expansion into Quebec, making the program operational in every province. Michael Lowe is the VP of Programs for Youth on Course in the United States and says he’s proud of how Alberta has paved the way for the program to expand across Canada.
“Witnessing Youth on Course continue to grow in Alberta is inspiring,” Lowe admitted. “Many thanks to Alberta Golf and the community of course partners who work together to ensure golf, and all of the opportunities it provides, are accessible for all.”
Youth on Course is a subsidy program and Youth on Course Alberta is the charity partner of the ATB Classic at Northern Bear Golf Course on PGA Tour Americas. In the past 2 years Youth on Course Alberta and the ATB Classic have fundraised over $100,000 to help keep the program viable for years to come in Alberta.
Alberta’s roster of courses for 2025 will be announced in the spring in what should be another successful season for Youth on Course across the province.
LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUTH ON COURSE ALBERTA HERE
