PGA Of Alberta Golf Report - December Issue

Vol .3•#5 Dec,2017

DOMI NATES

2017PGA of CanadaAwar ds

T OP35: ORDE R OFME RI T MONE Y L E ADE RS PGAOF AL BE RT A 2017 AWARD WI NNE RS BOARDI N'I T I NMAUI ,GOL F COURS ES T YL E DOUBL EAWARDWI NNE RS T AYS GOL FBUS YYE ARROUND

Top St or i es Order Of M eri t

Teei ng I t Up I n Th ai l and

23

10

PGA of Alberta 2017 Award Winners

26

The Top 35: Money Leaders

28

Heffernan Credits A Loss And Again Having Fun To His Success This Year

30

Boardin' It In Maui: Golf Course Style

36

2017 Holiday Gift Ideas for Golfers

43

Con t en t s Regu lar Con t en t

DEC 2017 50

McGarry Named Alberta PGA?s Golf Professional Of The Year

56

Booking Times For Restored Kananaskis Country Courses Have Been Set Food On Golf Courses Changing With The Times

8

Top Image: Happy Holidays!

10

Villa de Paz Golf Club... One Of The Valley's Great Values

19

Video: European Tour Stars Give Golf Students The Worst Lesson They Can

58

24

Viva, Vallarta

60

News & Notes

28

Heffernan Credits A Loss And Again Having Fun To His Success This Year

62

Golf Summerlin

30

34

Boardin' It In Maui, Golf Course Style Boulder City?s Twosome

PGA Aw ar ds 10

14

PGA of Alberta 2017 Award Winners PGA Of Alberta Members Garner Lion's Share At 2017 PGA Of Canada Awards

36

2017 Holiday Gift Ideas for Golfers

40

Cammidge Says ?Goodbye?To Golf Industry ? At Least For Now

22

The Top 35: Order of Merit

44

Teeing It Up In Thailand

26

The Top 35: Money List

47

Handicapping: Active Season In Alberta

54

Double Award Winner Stays Golf Busy Year-Round

THE

TOPIMAGE

HA PPY HOLI DA YS f rom ev eryone at th e PGA Of A l berta!

Images Courtesy Pinterest

10

NEWSFROMTHE

PGAOFALBERTA PGA of Al ber t a 2017

VIA PRESS RELEASE

AWARD WINNERS

Con gr at ulat i on s t o our 2017 Aw ar d Wi n n er s.

CLUB PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR McGarry, Greg (Glendale G&CC)

ASSISTANT PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR - CLASS A Thompson, Sean (Calgary G&CC)

ASSISTANT PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR - CFM Murray, Sean (Bearspaw CC)

COACH OF THE YEAR Horton, Paul (Heritage Pointe GA)

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TEACHER OF THE YEAR Anderson, Ryan (Glencoe G&CC)

JUNIOR LEADER OF THE YEAR Wilkowich, Kim (River ?s Edge GC)

SALES REP OF THE YEAR Carrington, Kim - G&G Golf & Tournament Sports

M ERCHANDISER OF THE YEAR PRIVATE Bearspaw CC

M ERCHANDISER OF THE YEAR PUBLIC Paradise Canyon GR

COMPILED BY IG EDITORS

ARIZONA

Vi l l a de Paz Gol f Cl ub... On e Of Th e Val l ey 's Gr eat Val ues

IMAGES CREDIT CROOKED TREE GC

NEWS&

DEALSFROM

V oted th e best, i nex pensi v e 18 h ol es i n th e ?V al l ey of th e Sun? as f eatured by th e A ri zona Republ i c new spaper, V i l l a de Paz Gol f Cl ub i s A ri zona?s best gol f i ng v al ue.

The course was built in the early 1970?s and is one of the oldest 18-hole facilities on the west side of Phoenix. A traditional, parkland-style layout, Villa de Paz is a challenge to even the most experienced players. New here are Golfboards now available for rent for $25 per round

v i l l adepazgol f .com

NEWSFROMTHE

PGAOFALBERTA

It w as a bi g day f or t he Alber t a PGA w hen m em ber s t ook f our of t he n i n e 2017 PGA of Can ada Nat i on al aw ar ds.

M er ch an diser of t h e Year - Pr ivat e Bearspaw Country Club, Alberta

Bearspaw was a big winner with Sean Murray garnering the Moe Norman Candidate for Membership of the Year honours while Mike Matuch became the Pat Fletcher Retailer of the Year.

Calgary Golf & Country Club?s Sean

Thompson earned the prestigious Stan Leonard Class ?A? Professional of the Year while Paul Horton from Heritage Pointe Golf Academy was the Ben Kern Coach of the Year

?This year ?s PGA of Canada national award winners are wonderful golf professionals and on behalf of the national board of directors?and the association?s 3,700 members, I?m

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

proud to congratulate them today on their achievements,? said PGA of Canada president Steve Wood.

M oe Nor m an Can didat e f or M em ber sh ip of t h e Year Sean Murray, Bearspaw Country Club

They will join their fellow national award winners and two new PGA of Canada Hall of Fame inductees at the association?s annual PGA of Canada Night on Thursday, Jan. 25 at the PGA

St an Leon ar d Class ?A? Pr of ession al of t h e Year Sean Thompson, Calgary Golf & Country Club, Alberta

Merchandise Show in Orlando, Fla.

Mike Matuch, Bearspaw Country Club, Alberta

Aw ar d Recipien t s Fr om Alber t a

Award Recipients From The Rest of the Country

Pat Fletcher Retailer of the Year

Ben Ker n Coach of t h e Year Paul Horton, Heritage Pointe Golf Academy, Alberta

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Murray Tucker Golf Professional of the Year Andrew Steep, Southwood Golf & Country Club, Manitoba

Jack McLaughin Junior Leader of the Year Kevin Haime, Kevin Haime Golf Centre, Ontario Mike Weir Player of the Year

George Knudson Teacher of the Year

Pierre-Alexandre Bedard, Club de Golf Cap Rouge, Québec

Matthew Robinson, Rideau View Golf & Country Club, Ontario

Congratulations to @SeanMurrayPGA @sthompsongolf @PaulHortonGolf and @GolfBearspaw for winning @pgaofcanada national awards!

Tex Noble Professional Development Award Jason Schneider, Wildwood Golf Course, Saskatchewan

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3-Ti me M aj or Ch ampi on Ever dr eam ed of havi n g a Padrai g Harri ngton Gets on e-on -on e lesson w i t h a Cl ose To Th e A cti on A s He golf legen d?

Li stens For Hi s Student To How would Padraig Harrington, Martin Kaymer, Ian Poulter or Lee Westwood work for you? Expert tuition, unparalleled knowledge and priceless experience imparted in person to you by some of

IMAGE COURTESY EUROPEAN TOUR/YOUTUBE

FROMTHE Vi deo: Eur opean Tour St ar s Gi ve Gol f St uden t s Th e FRINGE Wor st Lesson Th ey Can

Emi t Th e Proper Grunt On Hi s Sw i ng the world's best.

What a treat...

Ahead of the Nedbank Golf Challenge, the seventh Rolex CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

20 CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Series event of the year and the penultimate week of the 2017 Race to Dubai, some lucky fans were given exactly that opportunity at Sun City.

The only problem?

The players were under strict instructions to do one thing ? give the worst golf lessons they possibly could.

Further to our belief that the European Tour players have more fun, watch this video where four Ryder Cup stars prank real fans by giving the worst golf lessons they can.

22

NEWSFROMTHE

Hef f er n an , Wes, Golf Canada Centre 149.00 Points

PGAOFALBERTA

Th e Top 35: Or der of Mer i t

#1

Ran k/ Pr of essi on al

Faci li t y

MacComb, David

Blackhawk GC

144.00

LeBouthillier, Tyler

Lynx Ridge GC

141.00

Gibson, Craig

Sirocco GC

139.00

Whitecotton, Keith

The Quarry

136.00

Bruce, Adam

Glendale G&CC

131.00

Risdon, Dustin

National Golf Academy

130.00

Locke, Eric

Priddis Greens G&CC

130.00

Belbin, Mike

Royal Mayfair GC

128.00

Fukushima, Kent

Affiliate

125.00

Smith, Scott

Over all Poi n t s

124.00

Stoski, Justin

Lethbridge CC

123.00

Cantera, Dallas

Cardiff G&CC

111.00

Cox, Stefan

Pinebrook G&CC

110.00

Black, Kevin

Redwood Meadows

110.00

Borsa, Scott

Devon GC

95.00

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Ran k/ Pr of essi on al

Faci li t y

Over all Poi n t s

Batsel, Dillon

Connaught GC

94.00

Stiles, Scott

Inglewood G&CC

91.00

Fleming, Josh

GolfTEC Beacon Heights

91.00

Gillett, Weston

Drayton Valley GC

91.00

Pistorius, Albert

Pinebrook G&CC

90.00

Thompson, Sean

Calgary G&CC

89.00

Robb, Randy

Edge Golf School

88.00

Kruger, Blaine

Stony Plain GC

86.00

Vold, Kolby

Wolf Creek GR

83.00

Cuthbertson, Jeff

Stony Plain GC

83.00

Adams, Corbin

Jagare Ridge GC

76.00

Mah, Matthew

Mill Woods GC

70.00

Barros, Kylie

Glendale G&CC

69.00

Broderson, Kevin

Lacombe G&CC

68.00

McArthur, Craig

Blackhawk GC

68.00

Anderson, Scott

River Bend G&RA

66.00

Stanier, Jason

Inglewood G&CC

66.00

Murphy, Gage

Cardiff G&CC

65.00

Jenkinson, Garett

Golf Performance Canada

64.00

Burgeson, Brett

Country Hills GC

63.00

Vander Mey, Nicholas

Windermere G&CC

62.00

Komick, Tyler

Ranch G&CC (The)

61.00

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GETAWAY

BY JOE PASSOV

Vi va, Val l ar t a!

Mexi co?s Paci f i c Coast i s just i f i ably f am ous f or i t s super b beaches, i t s n at i ve jun gle an d i t s w or ld-r en ow n ed n at i on al bever age, t equi la, 95 per cen t of w hi ch i s pr oduced i n t he r egi on al st at e of Jali sco.

Puerto V al l arta Si zzl es Wi th Sand, Surf , M ayan Rui ns, A nd A w esome Gol f Courses!

IMAGE CREDIT VIDANTA NUEVO VALLARTA RESORT

WARMWEATHER

golfers, while the state directly to the north, Nayarit, also has emerged as a compelling draw, with a resort-rich coastal stretch known as Riviera Nayarit. Superb championship golf tracts have peppered the Today, Jalisco and its legendary Puerto Vallarta landscape over resort area, Puerto Vallarta, the past two decades, but the have achieved world- class status, especially among CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

25 CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

most buzz-worthy layout of all is the brand new Greg Norman- designed spread at the Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta Resort in Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit, 20 miles north of the Puerto Vallarta Airport.

Cl i ck I mage A bov e To Fi nd Out How You Can Pl ay I n A Great Tournament On Th ese Courses

Punta M i ta Paci f i co Gol f Course Interestingly, that new Norman tract will be part of the host course rotation next year for the Arizona Golf Association?s 2018 Canada, USA & Mexico

Team Championship at Vidanta Nuevo, which takes place April 27-29.

For full story CLICK HERE

26

NEWSFROMTHE

PGAOFALBERTA

Th e Top 35: Mon ey Li st

Risdon , Du st in , National Golf Academy @ McCall Lake $7,630.00

#1

Ran k/ Pr of essi on al

Faci li t y

Heffernan, Wes

Golf Canada Centre

Smith, Scott

Over all Poi n t s $7,531.00 $7,395.00

Bruce, Adam

Glendale G&CC

$7,270.00

Gibson, Craig

Sirocco GC

$7,247.00

Whitecotton, Keith

The Quarry

$7,165.00

Kruger, Blaine

Stony Plain GC

$6,254.50

McArthur, Craig

Blackhawk GC

$6,195.00

MacComb, David

Blackhawk GC

$6,128.00

Broderson, Kevin

Lacombe G&CC

$5,545.00

Pistorius, Albert

Pinebrook G&CC

$5,388.00

LeBouthillier, Tyler

Lynx Ridge GC

$4,626.00

Gillett, Weston

Drayton Valley GC

$4,438.00

McGarry, Greg

Glendale G&CC

$4,320.00

Maher, Jeremy

Valley Ridge GC

$4,282.00

Kirkness, Samuel

Priddis Greens G&CC

$4,278.00

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Ran k/ Pr of essi on al

Faci li t y

Over all Poi n t s

Stanier, Jason

Inglewood G&CC

$4,256.00

Locke, Eric

Priddis Greens G&CC

$4,241.00

Fukushima, Kent

Affiliate

$4,200.00

Burgeson, Brett

Country Hills GC

$4,180.00

Cantera, Dallas

Cardiff G&CC

$4,076.00

Belbin, Mike

Royal Mayfair GC

$3,715.00

Komick, Tyler

Ranch G&CC (The)

$3,665.00

Lavallee, Jeremy

Royal Mayfair GC

$3,638.00

Tomlinson, Dale

Winston GC (The)

$3,582.00

Batsel, Dillon

Connaught GC

$3,001.00

Black, Kevin

Redwood Meadows G&CC

$2,980.00

Adams, Corbin

Jagare Ridge GC

$2,911.38

Thompson, Sean

Calgary G&CC

$2,769.00

Henzie, Dave

Nanton GC

$2,628.00

Busetto, Joseph

Riverside GC

$2,598.00

Anderson, Scott

River Bend G&RA

$2,597.00

Walter, Murray

Redwood Meadows

$2,552.00

Stoski, Justin

Lethbridge CC

$2,517.00

Cox, Stefan

Pinebrook G&CC

$2,509.00

Timms, Kasey

Highlands GC

$2,445.00

Vander Mey, Nicholas

Nicholas Windermere G&C

$2,438.00

Murphy, Gage

Cardiff G&CC

$2,434.66

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NEWSFROMTHE

PGAof ALBERTA

BY GORD MONTGOMERY

Hef f er n an Havi n g Fun Agai n Leads To Success If ever t her e w as an adage t hat m ay be out of w hack at t i m es, i t ?s ?Those t hat can ?t , t each.? Wes Hef f er n an i s pr oof posi t i ve of t hat .

Heffernan put that old cliche´ to bed this past year as he was

named the PGA of Alberta?s Player of the Year. This award is separate from the Order of Merit and the winner is decided upon by a selection committee that looks at tournament scoring averages, money earnings and competition levels.

During the 2017 season, Heffernan played in eight PGA of Alberta events, finishing second on the earnings list to 2016 POY winner Dustin Risdon by $9, with $7,531.00.

Heffernan, who recorded a scoring average of 70.25 was first on the Order of Merit standings with 149, five more than David Macomb from Blackhawk. He was also named to the Cobra Puma Golf Assistants?Team.

Now in his second year as a CFM as an instructor at the

Wes Hef f ernan Credi ts M uch Of Hi s Success I n 2017 To Si mpl y Hav i ng Fun On IMAGE COURTESY GORD MONTGOMERY Th e Gol f Course A gai n

29 CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Golf Canada Centre in Calgary, Heffernan said it is somewhat difficult to teach all day and then go play high-level golf without a lot of practice. ?A short answer is, definitely.

For someone who used to play on tour, where all you do is practice and play, it?s been a big change. This year, I played less than 10 times which is very low for me. I?ve always practiced but I like to play my way into tournament shape.

That?s been the hardest part, developing a way to get ready for tournaments other than just hitting a few balls here and there.?

One thing he has found from playing less is that he?s now looks forward to competing more than ever. ?Because I?ve played a lot less the last few years, I?ve been more excited, happy to go out and play. That trumps anything, any rust,? he noted, pointing to his great

?I n th e PGA (of A l berta) ev ents, PGA Canada ev ents, i t?s a l ot more f un and w h en you?re h av i ng f un, i t?s a l ot easi er to pl ay w el l .?

- WES HEFFERNAN

finish at the Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada event in Calgary where he finished 2nd. Another key to his recent success is teeing it up with friends, even though they are competing. ?In the PGA (of Alberta) events, PGA Canada events, it?s a lot more fun and when you?re having fun, it?s a lot easier to play well.? ?There are a lot of good players in Alberta and always have been. It means I?m still playing very well and it shows that I have consistency, I guess. I think the reason is I had a lot of fun this year."

Click h er e f or f u ll st or y

GOLF Boar di n ' It In Maui

Gol f Cour se St y l e

BY JEFF SUTHERLA ND

Th e tw o courses at K a'anapal i may def i ne l ai d back M aui resort gol f but i f you real l y w ant to h ang l oose, h angi ng ten w i th one of th ei r gol f boards can't be beat.

IMAGE CREDITPLAYING PARTNER SHAREE

BUCKETLIST

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

Golf Boar ds ar e poppi n g up at m an y cour ses but som ehow i t seem s a n ear per f ect f i t w hen you ar e t eei n g i t up on ei t her of t he RTJ Sr . Ka'aan apali Resor t desi gn s locat ed just a m i d-i r on f r om t he adjacen t hot els.

Car vi n g bi g sw eepi n g t ur n s as you cr ui se dow n t he f ai r w ays just seem s t o m ake t he i dea of headi n g out i n t he r eal sur f n ot t hat bi g a st r et ch.

Traversing curbed cart paths can be a little tricky at first but as staff member Kevin Martin says, "Give it a couple of holes and you'll be a pro."

The real fun is slaloming down the fairways on these virtually un-tippable units.

And just like Kevin predicted, by the time you hit the third hole you are purposely missing the fairways so you can use the palm trees lining the holes as slalom posts. (editor's note: you do have to sign a waiver, so don't cut it too close :).

If you are trying golf 's answer to skate/surf boards for the first time, make sure to arrive five to ten minutes early. They will hook you up with a tablet to watch a five minute video that walks you through the ABC's and then take you outside for a quick on-course lesson.

For more information, visit k aan apaligolf cou r ses.com

" Gi v e i t a coupl e of h ol es and you'l l be a pro."

NEWS&

34

DEALSFROM

COMPILED BY IG EDITORS

NEVADA Boul der Ci t y ?s Tw osom e

Boul der Ci ty i n south ern Nev ada i s h ome to tw o w el l regarded courses.

The Boulder City Golf Course is by far the most affordable golf course in Southern Nevada, and has been that way since 1936. It was voted "Best Bargain Course in Southern Nevada" three years in a row

by Vegas Golfer Magazine, and presented with the Vegas Golfer Fairway Award.

Non-residents can play here

for around $50. The other course in the area is the Boulder Creek Golf Club, a 27-hole world class golf facility with green fees in the $70 $100 range. There can be some deals where you can combine rounds at both for one price.

boul dercreek gc.com

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HOLIDAYGOLF

GIFTS

2017 Hol i day Gi f t Ideas f or Gol f er s

The Holi day Season i s upon us, so I've put t oget her som e i deas f or pr oduct s t hat w ould m ake gr eat gi f t s f or golf er s. I've i n cluded sever al pr oduct s r an gi n g i n pr i ce f r om $7.99 t o $1,995.

BY DR. BARRY LOTZ/ INSIDE GOLF

SKIN Su n scr een ?

Gar sen Golf Qu ad Tou r Pr ot o Gr ips

$7.99 - $79.00 Skinsunscreen.com

Garsengolf.com

IN Sunscreen? is formulated specifically for golfers and their environment and trusted by hundreds of Tour Players

Non-tapered $28.95 and Full taper $24.95 Garsen grips are fast gaining popularity with 10 wins on the PGA Tour.

37

Galvin Gr een Sh ir t s $120.00 VENTIL8 Men's Shirt (L) $485.00 Women's Jacket (R) GalvinGreen.com

Ber m u da San ds Sh ir t s $78.00 Men's Polo (L) $73.00 Women's Polo (R) bermudasand sapparel.com

PUM A Golf $75.00 Evoknit seamless men's golf polo (L) $63.95 Women's EVOKNIT Golf Sweater (R) Cobragolf.com

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Sk yCaddieÂŽ LINX GT - Gam e Tr ack in g Edit ion $349.95 skygolf.com Golf ?s first rangefinder and shot tracking watch with a synchronized mobile app.

It combines golf ?s most accurate GPS with golf ?s most vivid rangefinder GPS app and performance tracking in one light, powerful watch.

coLLo? Appar el UPF 50+ M en?s Golf Sh ir t s $71.00 to $84.00 Colloapparel.com All coLLo shirts feature certified UPF 50+ sun blocking, moisture wicking, four-way coLLoStretch recycled fabrics and a patent pending collar design that is extra high

In di Golf St in gRay Wedges $159.99 Indigolfclubs.com Designed as a premium solution for the recreational golfer, StingRay wedges feature large open square grooves that increase spin by 50% on a full swing.

39

Foot Joy Sh oes $209.99 (D.N.A. Helix) $239.99 (D.N.A. Helix BOA) Footjoy.com New Balan ce $85.00 - $190.00 A Free Pair of New Balance Sandals With Purchase of Any New Balance Golf Shoes Newbalance.com

Sk yTr ak Per son al Lau n ch M on it or $1,995.00 (Financing is available) SkyTrak is a revolutionary development in launch monitor technology, offering a complete practice, play and entertainment system for golf at home.

Save $300 on SkyTrak with Special Savings Codes Nov. 15 thru Dec. 31, 2017.

Look for codes on: Twitter @SkyTrakGolf Facebook @SkyTrakGolf or www.skytrakgolf.com

NEWSFROMTHE

PGAof ALBERTA GORD MONTGOMERY

Cam m i dge Say s ?Goodby e?To Gol f In dust r y ? At Least For Now As Gr an t Cam m i dge w alks i n t o an un declar ed i m m edi at e f ut ur e he can look back at a car eer i n t he golf i n dust r y f ull of r em ar kable legaci es.

Cammidge, the longtime PGA of Canada General Manager of the Edmonton Petroleum Golf & Country Club, has tendered his resignation papers effective Dec. 31 of this year.

His 13-year tenure at the

IMAGE COURTESY EDMONTON PETROLEUM G CC

40

private club followed a 16 year stint as both a CPGA assistant pro and the head professional for 12 years at the community-owned Stony Plain Golf Course where he likely introduced well over 1,500 kids to the sport. A member of the PGA of Canada for 30 years, he won over 30 tournaments in Canada and the U.S.; was a 5-time member of the Alberta CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

42 CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

PGA Team vs B.C. in their version of the Ryder Cup; was a Canadian Open Qualifier Western Zone Winner in1991 and made the cut in 10+ Canadian Tour events. He was honoured as the PGA of Alberta's Junior Leader of the Year four times and was also chosen as one of the National Post?s Top 50 Canadian Golf Instructors in 2005.

Cammidge's long range plans with his wife Cheryl, include the possibility of moving to Vancouver Island, ?...to be close to skiing, fishing, golf.?

However, that won?t take place just yet. For now he's staying mum about where he?s going or what he?s going to do aside from some recreational hockey, continuing on with his volunteer work with KidSport Parkland and maybe trying to Monday qualify for a Champions Tour event or two.

The one thing that isn?t an

Duri ng h i s tenure i n Stony h e l i k el y i ntroduced w el l ov er 1,500 k i ds to th e sport. unknown is his outstanding career in the golf industry.

Click h er e f or f u ll st or y

About the Writer Gord Montgomery is a retired sports editor of two weekly newspapers in the Edmonton area and is a member of the Golf Journalists Association of Canada. He is now in his 10th year of writing for Inside Golf.

He can be reached at noraltagolf@gmail.com. He?s also on Twitter at @gordinsidegolf and on Instagram at gordinsidegolf2.

GOLFINGAROUND

THEWORLD

Teei n g It Up In

IMAGE CREDIT GOLFASIAN/THAI CC

BY IAN FABIAN

Th ose of you w h o?v e f ol l ow ed gol f ov er th e past decade or so h av e been w i tness to th e ?Worl d Pl ayer? ph enomenon. Gol f ers f rom North A meri ca trav el l i ng to Europe and A si a w i th regul ari ty; A ustral i an pl ayers trav el l i ng to th e U.S. and Europe and pl ayers f rom A si a trav el l i ng to North A meri ca and Europe.

Th ai l an d

Th e Femal e Caddi es I n Th ai l and Trul y A dd To Th e Ex peri ence Wi th Th ei r A ttenti on To Detai l , K now l edge, Work Eth i c A nd Of ten Great Sense Of Humour. Her Sh i rt Says Her Name I s Joy A nd Sh e Certai nl y Was. K i nd Of M ak es 'Fl uf f ' Cow an Pal e I n Compari son A s A Caddi e, Don?t You Th i nk ?

With that in mind, perhaps it?s time you broadened your horizons as far as golf destinations go and emulated some of the world class players that we watch on TV. My friend and I recently decided to do just that. We

packed up our clubs and headed to southeast Asia, specifically - Thailand.

The two of us have each done the ?usual suspects? golf trips; Palm Springs, Arizona, Mexico and have enjoyed all those destinations. We both

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

IMAGE CREDIT BRYAN OUTRAM

45

agree that you lose a day going and you lose a day coming back regardless of where you?re headed.

While the flight out of Vancouver International (YVR) was longer than Th e Buddh a M ountai n V i sta I s Part Of those destinations, it Th e Hori zon V i ew Found A t Ph oeni x was no different traveling Gol d Gol f Course Just Outsi de Pattaya to Thailand as far as Pattaya, 10 - 15 minutes spending a day each way. before our scheduled pick-up We booked our golf excursion time and we always arrived at through Golfasian and I?ve the course with plenty of time honestly never had a more to warm-up. All in all, as long stress-free golf experience. We as one uses a modicum of were initially asked for a ?wish common sense, this southeast list? of courses we might want Asian country is a safe and to play. As I had been to friendly place that offers a Thailand and played golf there multitude of things to before, I made up the list. All experience. The next time of the courses on our ?wish you?re planning to escape the list? were there along with winter doldrums, we highly several others of similar recommend that you take the quality. All of our tee-times ?world? rather than ?local? view and transportation were and expand your horizons; you looked after. Our driver won?t regret it. Click HERE for showed up at our hotel, complete story. whether in Bangkok or

FROM

GOLFCANADA

Han di cappi n g: Act i ve Season In Al ber t a For m an y of us t r yi n g t o squeeze i n t he last f ew r oun ds of t he season , or f or t hose plan n i n g on headi n g sout h t hi s w i n t er , i t ?s i m por t an t t o n ot e t he ?act i ve season ? i n t he r egi on , pr ovi n ce or coun t r y you?r e playi n g i n .

Golf Canada?s Handicap System

IMAGE COURTESY GOLF CANADA

47

stipulates every player is responsible for returning all acceptable scores into one?s scoring record from rounds played on courses observing their active season, which is part of the golf season when courses have acceptable playing conditions.

Ultimately, it is the responsibility of authorized provincial golf association to declare active and inactive periods, and it is the responsibility of the area club and golfers to observe these dates for posting purposes.

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Each year, provincial associations analyze numerous factors to determine their active seasons. This ensures consistency of when scores would be posted by the majority of golfers to help keep Handicap Factors accurate.

Scores made at any golf course observing an inactive season are not acceptable for handicap purposes. The rationale behind this is that posting scores during inactive seasons (periods of poor course conditions) could artificially increase a player ?s Handicap Factor.

Scores made at a golf course in an area observing an active season must be posted for handicap purposes, even if the golf club from which the player receives a Handicap Factor is observing an inactive season.

The club?s Handicap Committee must make it possible for a player to post these away scores at the beginning of the active season.

For example, if a player belonging to a golf club in Ontario plays golf in Florida during January, any scores made in Florida are acceptable and must be returned to the player ?s Ontario golf club. If the player is also a member of a golf club in Florida, scores must be posted to the player ?s Florida club.

In Canada, the active season in each province is as follows: BC = M ar ch 1 ? Novem ber 15 AB = M ar ch 1 ? Oct ober 31 SK = Apr il 15 ? Oct ober 31 M B = Apr il 15 ? Oct ober 31 ON = Apr il 15 ? Oct ober 31 QC = Apr il 15 ? Oct ober 31 NS = Apr il 15 ? Oct ober 31 NB = M ay 1 ? Oct ober 31 PE = Apr il 16 ? Novem ber 14 NL = Apr il 1 ? Novem ber 30 It?s also important to note that if you are travelling to other countries, you should determine their active seasons to prevent CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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posting unacceptable scores.

Your home club needs all acceptable scores from the ?off-season? as well to ensure your Handicap Factor is accurate once recalculated at the beginning of the season.

For a detailed list of active and inactive schedule in the United States, click h er e.

For m or e in f or m at ion on h an dicappin g, CLICK HERE

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NEWSFROMTHE

BY GORD MONTGOMERY

PGAof ALBERTA

IMAGE COURTESY PGA OF ALBERTA

McGar r y Nam ed Al ber t a PGA?s Gol f Pr of essi on al Of Th e Year

For Gr eg McGar r y, t he Head Pr o at t he Glen dale Golf & CC i n Edm on t on , aw ar ds ar en ?t an yt hi n g n ew . Af t er all, he?s w on som e pr et t y bi g on es dur i n g hi s 23 year s i n t he busi n ess.

Then again, the latest honour bestowed upon him as the 2017 PGA of Alberta?s Club Professional of the Year has a special feeling to it. McGarry, like many other winners of this particular award, said this wasn?t the first year he was one of the finalists, but it was the first time his name was called out at the awards dinner. ?I was trying to count,? he said when asked how many times he?s been in the running for the award. ?I've been nominated, I think, the last four or five years. Four for sure and this time, I was lucky enough to win." McGarry noted there are a number of things that come into play to be nominated for an award like this. And not only that, it?s a real battle when it comes to the final choice being made. ?Even the selection committee, trying to choose from all the nominees, then the short list CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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and then trying to pick (the winner), you could probably close your eyes as every one of the finalists was worthy of the award. ?Then there are a lot of good players at the Glendale so I have to keep up my playing ability and teaching ability to deliver those services to the members. I wouldn?t say they demand, but they encourage all the pros here to play,? which includes Adam Bruce who won this year ?s PGA Championship and Kylie Barros, who captured the Ladies Alberta PGA Championship. ?It?s nice to be recognized by your peers and in the end, that?s what the award is, my association recognizing me.

Every year, we?re looking for the best practices (used) by other clubs or when we travel

" ... th ere are a l ot of good pl ayers at th e Gl endal e so I h av e to k eep up my pl ayi ng abi l i ty and teach i ng abi l i ty to del i v er th ose serv i ces to th e memb ers. and see new things, all our staff is open to things like that."

McGarry was more than happy to share this with his staff as fittingly enough, Bruce and Barros both received awards for their play on the same night, so it was smiles all around at the Glendale table.

From here it?s on to the National level where his name is up against the other top club professionals from each province as having been the best in the business in 2017.

Click h er e f or f u ll st or y

52

On ce agai n t he lads f r om t he Eur opean Tour have gi ven t hem selves a challen ge an d put i t out t her e f or t he r est of us t o m ar vel at .

Now, we know these guys, like their counterparts on the PGA

3-Ti me M aj or Ch ampi on Padrai g Harri ngton Gets Cl ose To Th e A cti on A s He Li stens For Hi s Student To Emi t Th e Proper Grunt On Hi s Sw i ng

IMAGE COURTESY EUROPEAN TOUR/YOUTUBE

FROMTHE Vi deo: Th i n k You Can Hi t It FRINGE St r ai gh t ? How About 300 Yar ds On t o A Tw o-Yar d Wi de Fai r w ay ?

TOUR and other professional circuits "Are Good"....but do you think one of them could CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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land a ball some 300 yards away and keep it on the fairway...that's only 2 yards wide?

It is said that the widest fairway in golf is the first hole of the Old Course at St Andrews. But what is the narrowest? Might it be somewhere like Valderrama, perhaps Golf Club Milano, or possibly Crans-sur-Sierre?

Not even close.

Armed with just their drivers,

Nicolas Colsaerts, Ross Fisher, Richie Ramsay and Søren Kjeldsen went into the Dubai desert for a test of driving like no other.

Filmed on location at the Al Qudra Cycle track ahead of the Race to Dubai finale at the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates, the eighth Rolex Series event in 2017, the four European Tour pros went into the Dubai desert for a test of driving like no other.

54

PGAof ALBERTA

NEWS

IMAGE COURTESY OF PGA OF ALBERTA

BY GORD MONTGOMERY

Doubl e Aw ar d Wi n n er St ay s Gol f Busy Year -Roun d

SeanThompson Sean Thom pson , f r om t he Calgar y Golf & CC, ear n ed t he r espect of t he PGA of Alber t a f or hi s w or k habi t s an d busi n ess en t husi asm as he w alked aw ay w i t h t w o hon our s f r om t hi s year ?s aw ar d cer em on y, held i n Oct ober i n Edm on t on .

He was named the Assistant Professional of the Year (Class A) as well as being named the winner of the Professional Development Award. In a phone interview, Thompson noted it took him a while to land the two titles but now that he has them, he?s going to keep working to improve to CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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better serve his clientele. ?I?ve been up for it (Assistant Professional title) the last couple of years so it was nice to be recognized in that regard, finally,? he said with a

small chuckle. "I view the Professional Development award as particularly valuable because it?s recognizing people that further themselves the most."

Click h er e f or f u ll st or y

FROMTHE

ROCKIES

Book i n g Ti m es For Rest or ed Kan an ask i s Coun t r y Cour ses Have Been Set OK, f olks. Set your alar m clocks because t he t i m e an d dat e ever yon e?s been w ai t i n g f or have been an n oun ced.

The Kananaskis Country Golf Course has set their online and

BY GORD MONTGOMERY

IMAGE COURTESY GORD MONTGOMERY

56

Starti ng I n M arch Of 2018, Gol f ers Can Begi n Book i ng Tee Ti mes A t One Of Th e Best M ountai n Courses A nyw h ere, M t.

Lorette I n K ananask i s Country, A s Th e 36-Hol e Faci l i ty Resumes Operati on A f ter Bei ng Cl osed For Four Years Due To A M assi v e Fl ood I n 2013. phone booking times for the upcoming season, marking the new beginning for one of Alberta?s best known, and loved, golfing playpens.

General Manager Darren Robinson said in a press release that as of 8 a.m. (MST) on CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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Monday, March 12, 2018 people can begin booking tee times at the Mt. Lorette course at www.kananaskisgolf.com.

Or, if you prefer to wait a couple of days and make your reservation by phone, you can do so beginning Wednesday, March 16. The toll free number for this service is 1-877-591-2525 with the hours of operation between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. ?The past four years have provided this facility the opportunity to make many positive changes and updates some very important things have remained exactly the same,? the GM said in his release. ?This includes our team?s commitment to continue being Alberta?s golf course. Just as it was when we first opened in July of 1983, our unwavering intention still holds true to create an incredible experience for all our players at a value

We bel i ev e our regul ar green f ee rate prov i des a tremendous v al ue f or our guests f rom outsi de th e prov i nce and w e are al so v ery ex ci ted about th e i ncredi bl e rate th at our A l berta resi dent green f ee gi v es to our supporters w h o l i v e i n our great prov i nce!

DARREN ROBINSON

proposition second to none. We believe our regular green fee rate provides a tremendous value for our guests from outside the province and we are also very excited about the incredible rate that our Alberta resident green fee gives to our supporters who live in our great province!?

The course will reopen to the public in May of 2018 with green fees set at the pre-flood rate of only $78 for Alberta residents and $98 for non-residents.

Click h er e f or f u ll st or y

58

GOLFINDUSTRY

TRENDS

BY GORD MONTGOMERY

Food On Gol f Cour ses Ch an gi n g Wi t h Th e Ti m es As t he spor t of golf con t i n ues t o chan ge, w i t h ever yt hi n g f r om clubs t o balls t o clot hi n g un der goi n g con t i n ual m et am or phosi s, t her e?s also an ot her par t of t he gam e t r an si t i on i n g w i t h t he t i m es ? f ood.

In the past, the halfway house at your local layout used to offer staples like chocolate bars, pop and the good ol?hot dog to sate appetites. But in today?s world players are looking for something more dynamic, more healthy, in

Dav e Stew art I s Pl eased To Be I ntroduci ng Heal th y Snack Food To Gol f Courses A cross Th e Country Wi th Gol f Nutz what they seek out in way of nutrition and energy.

One of those new products to start hitting the between-nine snack shelves is Golf Nutz, a product that was on display at the PGA of Alberta?s Buying Show and an idea that is gaining in popularity.

That?s the word coming from Dave Stewart, the president of Hathaway Stewart Golf, who CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

59 CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

was seeking courses willing to put their money where their clientele?s mouths are. ?Snacking is a mega-trend across a lot of different

categories,? he explained about why he feels his energy mix is a good choice outside of the usual grab-and-go food ideas offered at most golf courses.

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60

PGAOFALBERTA

VIA PGA OF ALBERTA

NEWS&NOTES M embers On Th e M ov e...

Follow your favourite PGA of Alberta Golf Professional using our Members on the Move feature updated between October 1 and May 1 each year.

Decem ber 2017 Cr yst al Sh apk a (CFM) has moved from the Highwood G&CC to the Priddis Greens Dan War w ar u k (Class A Professional) has transferred to the PGA of BC. Novem ber 2017 Kayde Cassidy (CFM) has moved from the Valley Ridge GC to the Springbank Links.

Cr aig Dale has completed the Core Competencies of the PACE Program and has obtained Class ?A? status.

Jam ie Dr iscoll (Head Professional) has moved from the Coal Creek GR to the

Whitecourt G&CC. Tr avis Gou lar d (CFM) has moved from the Trestle Creek GR. Cody Han cock has completed the Core Competencies of the PACE Program and has obtained Class ?A? status.

Joel Hasselm an has completed the Core Competencies of the PACE Program and has obtained Class ?A? status.

Wib Lam b has been granted Life designation with the PGA of Canada.

San dy M acdon ald has been granted Life designation with the PGA of Canada.

Dan M cIn t osh has completed the Core Competencies of the PACE Program and has obtained Class ?A? status.

Cam er on M u ir h ead (Class A Professional) has transferred from the PGA of BC to Cherry CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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Hill Coffee Bill Pen n y has been granted Life designation with the PGA of Canada.

Scot t Sm it h (Class A Professional) has moved from the Bearspaw CC. Car son Wallace has completed the Core Competencies of the PACE Program and has obtained Class ?A? status.

Oct ober 2017 Keat on Allr ed (River Ridge G&CC) has passed the Playing Ability Test and completed the application requirements.

Bob Davidch u k (Class A Professional) has moved from The Canal at Delacour.

Ryan Dou cet t e (Class A Professional) has moved to adidas Golf.

M ar c Em slie (Class A Professional) has moved from the Turner Valley GC.

Taylor Ir vin has completed the Core Competencies of the PACE Program and has obtained Class ?A? status.

M at t Kom ada (Class A Professional) has moved from the Hinton GC. M ich ael Pik e (Fort McMurray GC) has passed the Playing Ability Test and completed the application requirements.

J.D. Sch eller has been named Head Professional at Turner Valley GC. Cr yst al Sh apk a (Highwood G&CC) has passed the Playing Ability Test and completed the application requirements.

David Tan t on (Class A Professional) has moved from the Willow Park G&CC. Dan War w ar u k (Class A Professional) has moved from the Highwood G&CC.

NEVADA

Gol f Sum m er l i n

Located mere mi nutes f rom th e acti on of dow ntow n Las V egas i s Sun Ci ty Summerl i n.

Nestled against the Spring Mountain Range, at an altitude of 3,000 feet this community boasts three Billy Casper/Greg Nash designs. Together, this trifecta offers a broad variety of golf experiences for players of all skill levels. Highland Falls

COMPILED BY IG EDITORS

IMAGES CREDIT GOLF SUMMERLIN

NEWS&

DEALSFROM

is a two-time winner of the Las Vegas Review-Journal Best of Las Vegas award for the incredible views it has. Palm Valley features a traditional layout over a mildly rolling terrain, with only minor elevation changes. The bunkering here is strategically placed both in the fairways CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

63

and around the greens which are large in design and mildly undulating.

here that has enough value that it is definitely worth getting even if you will only be here for a few days.

Eagle Crest is a challenging executive course designed for those on a time-sensitive schedule and allows golfers to play a full 18-hole round in under three hours. Made up of six par four holes and 12 par threes, this course also has Golf Summerlin's lowest rates, making the rounds approachable to any budget.

Cards can be purchased for $20 and benefits include specially reduced rates; two free rounds of golf after your 8th paid round; free bucket of range balls with each paid loyalty round; 14-day advanced reservations with zero restrictions and you can bring up to three guests at the posted NV resident rate.

They have a loyalty program

gol f summerl i n.com

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THE

PARTINGSHOTS

CONGRATS AGAIN TO ALL OF OUR 2017 PGA AWARD WINNERS!

HARD TO BELIEVE IT'S THE HOLIDAY SEASON AND JUST A FEW MONTHS TO THE GOLF SHOWS AND THE START OF THE 2018 SEASON!

IMAGE CREDIT JURGEN KAMINSKI