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S Y O B C B L O O O W H T C S R E Q K S PAS SURECOO S E R P Remember i ng& Honour i ngT wo BCGol f L egends T eei ngI t UpI n T hai l and Boar di n' I t I nMaui Hol i dayGi f t Gui de
Con t en t s 6
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Top Image: 1975 Stanley Cup Champion Reggie Leach Remembering And Honouring Two BC Golf Legends: Alvie Thompson and John Russell
DEC '17 40
Villa de Paz Golf Club... One Of The Valley's Great Values
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Bear Mountain For Champions Tour Return
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2017 Holiday Gift Ideas for Golfers
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Viva, Vallarta!
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Teeing It Up In Thailand
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Video: European Tour Fastest Hole Of Golf - Part 2
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Video: European Tour Stars Give Golf Students The Worst Lesson They Can
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Tobiano Changes Hands
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British Columbians Macdonald, Harlingten Survive Q-School Pressure-Cooker To Earn Web.com Tour Status For 2018
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BC?s Eugene Wong On The Comeback Trail With 3rd Place In Hong Kong
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Video: Think You Can Hit It Straight? How About 300 Yards Onto A Two-Yard Wide Fairway?
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Boardin' It In Maui Golf Course Style
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Freedom 55 Financial Open At Point Grey GC Running Exciting 'Scratch & Win' Contest
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Canada, USA & Mexico Team Championship Set For April 2018 In Puerto Vallarta, Mexico 2018 BC Sport Leadership Conference
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BC's Goodfellow And Anjarwalla Among Five To Sign With NCAA's SFU Golf Squads
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Shaughnessy Eyes 2023 Presidents Cup
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BC's Crown Isle To Once Again Host Mackenzie Tour -PGA TOUR Canada Qualifier
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The Parting Shot: 18th hole at Thana City Golf Club in Bangkok
British Columbia Golf
Staff
#116-7198 Vantage Way, Delta, BC V4G 1K7 Telephone: 604.279.2580 Toll Free: 1.888.833.2242
Kris Jonasson, Executive Director kris@britishcolumbiagolf.org (x204)
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Kwadwo Frempong, Manager of Network Services Susan White, Senior Manager of Field Op support@britishcolumbiagolf.org (x205) susan@britishcolumbiagolf.org (x203) Bryan Outram, Communications Manager, Website Debbie Pyne, Managing Dir. of Player editor bryan@britishcolumbiagolf.org (x207) Development debbie@britishcolumbiagolf.org (x206) Tyler McKay, Manager, Golf Participation Andy Fung, Dir. of Finance and Admin tyler@britishcolumbiagolf.org (x208) andy@britishcolumbiagolf.org (x201)
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THE
TOPIMAGE
IMAGE COURTESY BRYAN OUTRAM/ BRITISH COLUMBIA GOLF
Former NHL star and 1975 Stanl ey Cup Ch ampi on Reggi e Leach , ak a 'Th e Ri v erton Ri f l e' w as k now n best f or h i s ti me w i th th e Ph i l adel ph i a Fl yers. Leach , an Oj i bw e and member of Berens Ri v er Fi rst Nati on i n M ani toba, addressed th e assembl ed pl ayers and guests at th e BCA FN (BC A ssembl y Of Fi rst Nati ons) annual gol f tournament i n l ate September at Tobi ano GC j ust outsi de K aml oops. Note th e Stanl ey Cup ri ng on Leach 's ri gh t h and
FROMTHE
BY BRYAN OUTRAM
EDITOR'SDESK In si de Th i s Issue As we bring you the final issue of The Scorecard for 2017 we celebrate on two different fronts. On one hand we're extremely saddened by the loss of two of BC's finest gentlemen golfers, Alvie Th om pson and Joh n Ru ssell, who's careers we look back at and recognize on Page 10.
Q-School to secure status to start 2018 and further their PGA TOUR dreams. (Page 26) We have some very intriguing news on venerable local layout Sh au gh n essy G&CC as they pursue one of the biggest events in international golf, the Presidents Cup, for 2023. (Page 58)
We also have articles on warm weather golf destinations, including Thailand (Page 18) and Maui (Page 35). Be sure to check out the golf travel deals south of the 49th presented throughout the magazine. And before you go away, perhaps a But with all accomplished athletes one generation makes look at our Holiday Golfer 's Gift Guide might be in order. way for the next and in the case of Mr. Thompson and Mr. (Page 12) Russell, they would be proud Last but not least check out of two more British the Scratch & Win contest Columbians, St u ar t being held in advance of the M acdon ald and Sean n 2018 Freedom 55 Financial Har lin gt en, as they each Open at Poin t Gr ey GC on succeeded in getting through page 38 the contest closes the final stage of Web.com December 18th.
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IN
MEMORY
IMAGES COURTESY BC GOLF HOUSE
Rem em ber i n g An d Hon our i n g Tw o BC Gol f Legen ds: Al vi e Th om pson an d Joh n Russel l
Golf i n Br i t i sh Colum bi a has a ver y r i ch hi st or y an d our pr ovi n ce has had n o shor t age of out st an di n g player s over t he year s bot h at t he am at eur an d pr of essi on al level. Recently the golf community as a whole, and here in British Columbia in particular, has been saddened by the loss of a few of those legendary players with two of them leaving us very close together at the end of October and early in November.
Bri ti sh Col umbi a Gol f i ng Legends Joh n Russel l (L) A nd A l v i e Th ompson (R) Wi l l Be Remembered A l w ays For Both Th ei r Sk i l l A nd Grace I n Th e Game Of Gol f
As a tribute to those two fine gentlemen we?d like to present here an overview of the accomplishments and contributions to the game by Alvie Thompson and John Russell. Our game and our community are better for having had them here and being able to call them our own. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
11 CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
Born in Unity, Sask., in 1936, AlvieThompson became a Professional in 1957 and spent the majority of his career based in British Columbia. First working as an assistant at Marine Drive Golf Club in the late 1950s, Thompson moved on to postings in Ontario and Quebec before returning to Marine Drive as Head Professional in 1972 for a four-year stint. He then spent 18 years as Head Professional at McCleery Golf Club before retiring to the Sunshine Coast in 1994. Thompson was an accomplished player as well, amassing a stout amateur record including the 1962 CPGA Championship. Thompson?s legacy in BC continues through the many Golf Professionals who looked up to him early in their careers.
Our game and our communi ty are better f or h av i ng h ad th em h ere and bei ng abl e to cal l th em our ow n. Growing up in the Vancouver suburb of Kerrisdale, John Russell attended Magee High School and graduated as a Mechanical Engineer from UBC. A fifteen-time Point Grey G&CC club champion, John also played on 13 Willingdon Cup teams including two B.C. Amateur titles. Although Russell's career has many highlights, he felt the most impressive was; "I am most proud of the fact (that) at one time I held 10 course records including a 62 at Point Grey." John Russell will be sorely missed on the local golfing scene. He represented the best aspects of a golfing gentleman. Please click HERE for full story.
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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 ?
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$7.99 - $79.00 Skinsunscreen.com
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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.
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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.
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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
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. It was my friend?s first trip to Thailand and this review will be told mostly through his eyes. The two of us have each done the ?usual suspects? golf
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
IMAGE CREDIT BRYAN OUTRAM
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trips; Palm Springs, Arizona, Mexico and have enjoyed all those destinations. We both agree that you lose a day going and you lose a day coming back regardless of where you?re headed. Th e Buddh a M ountai n V i sta I s Part Of Th e Hori zon V i ew Found A t Ph oeni x While the flight was Gol d Gol f Course Just Outsi de Pattaya longer, it was no different Pattaya, 10 - 15 minutes travelling to Thailand. 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
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Ever dr eam ed of h avi n g a on e-on -on e l esson w i t h a gol f l egen d? 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
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: Eur opean Tour St ar s Gi ve Gol f St uden t s Th e FRINGE Wor st Lesson Th ey Can
the world's best. What a treat... Ahead of the Nedbank Golf Challenge, the seventh Rolex CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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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.
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
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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
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
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ACROSSBC
Tobi an o Ch an ges Han ds Tobi an o Golf Cour se n ear Kam loops has chan ged han ds. Mi chael Ter n i er , a par t ow n er of t he Tobi an o r eal est at e developm en t , has pur chased 100 per cen t of t he golf cour se. ?Owning both makes it much easier to integrate many of the operations, and the two will complement the long-term growth and success of each other,? Ternier said in a news release.
BY BRAD ZIEMER IMAGE CREDIT TOBIANO
FROM
He said he has no plans to make significant changes to the golf course operation, but acknowledged Tobiano?s challenging par five 8th hole could be tinkered with. Ternier said a top priority for the golf course will be the construction of a hotel to allow for stay-and-play packages. ?The process of determining the best location for our first hotel, the hotel branding, and the selection of an architect is already underway,? he said.
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FROM
BY BRAD ZIEMER
Br i t i sh Col um bi an s Macdon al d, Har l i n gt en Sur vi ve Q-Sch ool Pr essur e-Cook er To Ear n Web.com Tour St at us For 2018 The f our Can adi an s com pet i n g at w hat m an y con si der t o be golf ?s ult i m at e pr essur e-cooker all ear n ed passi n g gr ades at t he f i n al st age of t he Web.com Tour quali f yi n g school i n Ar i zon a. British Columbians Stuart Macdonald of Vancouver and Seann Harlingten of West CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
IMAGES COURTESY PGA TOUR MACKENZIE-TOUR CANADA
WEB.COM
BCer's Stuart M acdonal d (top) A nd Seann Harl i ngten (bottom) Both Surv i v ed Th e Pressure Of Q-Sch ool To Obtai n Sol i d Status On Th e Web.com Tour For 2018
27 CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
Vancouver joined Calgary?s Ryan Yip and Albin Choi of Toronto in earning solid playing status on the 2018 Web.com Tour. Macdonald, a 23-year-old rookie pro from Point Grey Golf & Country Club, birdied six of his final nine holes in Sunday?s final round to finish tied for 23rd at 16-under par. The top 45 and ties in the 144-player field earned Web.com Tour status for 2018. Harlingten, a 31-year-old PGA Tour Canada-Mackenzie Tour veteran who plays out of Capilano Golf & Country Club in West Vancouver, finished tied for 30th at 15-under. Yip was the low Canadian, tying for 10th spot at 18-under, while Choi tied for 23rd. The final stage of Q school was held at the 36-hole Whirlwind Golf Club in the Phoenix suburb of Chandler.
M acdonal d sai d Sunday?s f i nal round brough t w i th i t th e most pressure h e h as ev er f el t on th e course. Macdonald said Sunday?s final round brought with it the most pressure he has ever felt on the course. ?When we turned to the back nine that is when I really started to feel the pressure.? a relieved Macdonald said after his round. ?I don?t think I have ever felt more pressure on a golf course in my life. I was glad I was able to handle it.? Macdonald and Harlingten are each guaranteed the first eight starts on the 2018 Web.com Tour. The season starts Jan. 13 with back-to-back events in the Bahamas.
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INTERNATIONAL
RESULTS
BY LAURY LIVSEY
IMAGE CREDIT PGA TOUR-CHINA/ZHUANG LIU
BC?s Eugen e Won g On Th e Com eback Tr ai l Wi t h 3r d Pl ace In Hon g Kon g
North V ancouv er, BC's Eugene Wong M ade Good Use Of Hi s Recent Tri p To Hong K ong Wi th A Sol i d 3rd Pl ace Fi ni sh I n Th e Cl earw ater Bay Open
Van couver ?s Eugen e Won g has n ot had a m em or able last t w o season s on t he golf cour se. Playi n g pr i m ar i ly i n Chi n a i n 2017, Won g, t he Un i ver si t y of Or egon pr oduct , m i ssed t hr ee of f i ve cut s an d had a t i e f or 45t h at t he Bei ji n g Classi c f or hi s best f i n i sh. His 2016 wasn?t much better. Playing PGA TOUR-China a year ago, Wong had one top-10 and lost his playing privileges, finishing 66th on the Order of Merit. Things just got a little brighter for Wong recently at the Clearwater Bay Open. After shooting three consecutive even-par rounds of 70, Wong fired a 4-under 66 at Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club to finish third, two shots behind winner James Marchesani. Wong traveled here for this one event ? a tournament that allowed PGA TOUR-China to re-introduce itself after it didn?t conduct tournaments CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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in 2017. In a way, Wong used this tournament to remind people why he won the 2010 Jack Nicklaus Award as the NCAA?s top golfer among the numerous awards he received during his sterling collegiate career. ?I struggled throughout the year. But I?ve worked hard. I feel like [my game] is getting back to where I want it to be,? explained Wong. ?I?m moving in the right direction now. I played well. After September, I went back home and worked on my game,? Wong continued. ?I knew I was getting pretty close. I just needed to fix a few things here and there. This is a great course, and I like the environment here in Hong Kong.? Coming from way back after starting the day at even-par, Wong knew he had to go low if he harbored any hope of catching the leaders.
" I n a w ay, Wong used th i s tournament to remi nd peopl e w h y h e w on th e 2010 Jack Ni ck l aus A w ard as th e NCA A ?s top gol f er among th e numerous aw ards h e recei v ed duri ng h i s sterl i ng col l egi ate career." He proceeded to roll in 7 birdies on Sunday, including 4 in a row on his back 9 that put him in contention. His finish was important because not only did it give him needed confidence and approximately $19,500 CAD into his bank account, he also earned performance benefits. The top-3 finishers are all eligible for the first 3 events in 2018 on the Mackenzie Tour ? PGA TOUR Canada and the first 3 on PGA TOUR Latinoamerica.
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3-Ti me M aj or Ch ampi on On ce agai n t h e l ads Padrai g Harri ngton Gets f r om t h e Eur opean Tour Cl ose To Th e A cti on A s He h ave gi ven t h em sel ves a Li stens For Hi s Student To Emi t Th e Proper Grunt On ch al l en ge an d put i t out Hi s Sw i ng t h er e f or t h e r est of us TOUR and other professional t o m ar vel at . circuits "Are Good"....but do Now, we know these guys, like their counterparts on the PGA
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 ?
you think one of them could CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
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.
NEWS&
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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
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."
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BCGOLF
IMAGE COURTESY F55FO
EVENTS
Fr eedom 55 Fi n an ci al Open At Poi n t Gr ey GC Run n i n g Exci t i n g 'Scr at ch & Wi n ' Con t est The 2018 Fr eedom 55 Fi n an ci al Open w i ll laun ch t he Macken zi e Tour ? PGA TOUR Can ada season at Poi n t Gr ey Golf & Coun t r y Club i n Van couver t he w eek of May 28 t o Jun e 3r d.
Poi nt Grey Gol f & Country Cl ub Wi l l Once A gai n Host Future PGA TOUR Stars A t Th e 2018 M ack enzi e Tour - PGA TOUR Canada Freedom 55 Fi nanci al Open As part of this year 's lead-up festivities Freedom 55 is running an exciting 'Scratch & Win' contest that can get you rounds of golf at some great courses, tickets to Canucks' games and much more. Simply click on THIS LINK to learn more. You can play every CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
39 CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
day as well so be sure to visit the site often for your chance to win. Contest closes on Monday December 18th, 2017 at 11:59 PM PST! The 72-hole tournament will see 156 players from up to 20 countries begin their quest to earn status on the Web.com Tour, with the top five players on the Order of Merit as
M ack enzi e Tour tournaments h av e combi ned to rai se more th an $ 3.2 M i l l i on f or ch ari ty si nce 2013, i ncl udi ng more th an $ 1.0 M i l l i on i n each of th e past tw o seasons season?s end making the next step on the path to the PGA TOUR. For full story CLICK HERE
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
IMAGE CREDIT BRITISH COLUMBIA GOLF
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FROM
BY BRAD ZEIMER
THEPGA Bear Moun t ai n For Ch am pi on s Tour Ret ur n The PGA Cham pi on s ci r cui t w on ?t be m aki n g a t hi r d st op at Bear Moun t ai n i n 2018. The senior tour ?s 2018 schedule was released
recently and does not include the Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship, which had been held at the Victoria-area resort the past two Septembers. The tournament?s demise should not come as a surprise. This year ?s event, which was won by Jerry Kelly, was the only event on the PGA Tour Champions 2017 schedule that did not have TV coverage after the tournament sponsor CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
43 CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
failed to ante up for Golf Channel coverage. The only Canadian stop remaining on the PGA Tour Champions schedule is the
Shaw Charity Classic in Calgary. That event goes Aug. 31-Sept. 2 at Canyon Meadows Golf & Country Club.
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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
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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
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FRINGE
Vi deo: Eur opean Tour Fast est Hol e Of Gol f - Par t 2
You have t o love t he guys on t he Eur opean Tour an d t he f un t hey br i n g t o t he gam e as evi den ced by t he vi deos t hey put t oget her f or our en t er t ai n m en t . Not only do these videos show us the personalities of the players but they serve to also underline just how really talented all these players are even when they're just having fun. In this version of an attempt to lead their country to a new Guinness World Records (trademark) title for the Fastest Hole of Golf by a Team of Four, England's Ian Poulter,
France's Alex Levy and South Africa's George Coetzee captain their squads in a tremendously exciting, down to the last millisecond finish. Filmed at night in Turkey, the four-man teams have to contend with a hole measuring over 500 yards, a water hazard and a stopwatch. The result is closer than anyone could have predicted. Click video below IMAGE COURTESY EUROPEAN TOUR/YOUTUBE
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GOLFAROUND
THEWORLD Can ada, USA & Mexi co Team Ch am pi on sh i p Set For Apr i l 2018 In Puer t o Val l ar t a, Mexi co
For t hose w ho li ke t he i n t r i gue an d challen ge of i n t er n at i on al golf , w elcom e t o t he Can ada, USA & Mexi co Team Cham pi on shi p, w her e you can r epr esen t your st at e an d com pet e agai n st ot her st at es f r om t he t w o coun t r i es.
The Ryder Cup/Solheim Cup-styled event is set for April 27-29 in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, at Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta Resort. Just as cool are the two signature courses where the competition will take place. Architect supreme Jack Nicklaus designed the first course at Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta, and another architectural legend, Greg Norman, just unveiled the second course at the resort. Both will be in tip-top condition for the competition, according to tournament coordinators Brian Foster and Vito Berlingeri, who are putting together Team USA. ?For this first year, we?d like to get a team of about 20 players,? Foster said. ?But it?s a three-year commitment, so it will be an annual event. ?The goal is to eventually fill up CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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Wi nners From 2017 Ri v i era M aya
both courses, but over time I think we can do that.? The inaugural event will feature two-person teams from Arizona, Texas, Colorado and New York, and Mexico has seven states, so we expect that they also will probably be somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 teams, too.?
competing in foursomes (best ball), four ball (modified alternate shot) and a two-person scramble. Each state can enter as many two-person male or female teams that they wish. You can play with your buddy or bring your family. Each player must have a variable handicap index.
The three days of play will feature two- person teams
Competitors are encouraged to book for five days and four CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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nights with packages starting at $1,854 per player. For more information, visit www.uncseries.com. Or contact Foster at
bfoster@azgolf.org or (602) 909-7799. Click HERE to find out more about the Cancun area golf courses.
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SPORTCONFERENCE
NEWS
2018 BC Spor t Leader sh i p Con f er en ce Ar e you looki n g f or n ew w ays t o m ot i vat e your cor por at e or at hlet i c t eam ? Or maybe you're curious about high performances athlete's thoughts and experiences with leadership, both on and off the field of play? If you answered yes for either of these questions, the fourth annual BC Sport Leadership Conference is for you. BCSLC is an excellent opportunity to learn about leadership from athletes from all walks of life, as well as, network with other like-minded individuals.
Topics include: Peak Performance: Sustainable High Standards for Excellence Believe: Strategies & Practical Tips to build confidence in Athletes & Team Environments. The Necessity of Mental Well Being for Living a Meaningful Life Coaching the Modern Day Athlete The conference is scheduled for January 14, 2018 at the Sheraton Vancouver Airport ? 7551 Westminster Highway, Richmond, B.C. Register before Dec. 1, 2017 and save $25 dollars with the CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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early bird price of $125 dollars. And if you resister by Dec. 1st, you'll have your name put into a draw for an Outdoor Tech, Wireless Turtle Shell Speaker ($90 value). To learn more about the conference, Click h er e t o visit t h eir w ebsit e! REGISTER NOW! SPEAKERS
Nat alie Cook
Dr . Adr ien n e Leslie-Toogood
Jen n if er Bot t er ill
Cin dy Br ist ow
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ARIZONA
A Tucson Tr adi t i on 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. A very good golf course with reasonable rates. A traditional layout with generous fairways, it is characterized by small greens surrounded by ample chipping areas. With no homes lining its fairways, the course sits alone among the ironwoods, mesquites and saguaros of the Sonoran are very reasonable? as low Desert. The course is a short as $23 USD when walking. 10-minute drive from downtown Tucson. Rates here crook edtreegc.com
IMAGES CREDIT CROOKED TREE GC
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COLLEGEGOLF BC's Goodf el l ow An d An jar w al l a Am on g Fi ve To Si gn Wi t h NCAA's SFU Gol f Squads Mat t h ew St ei n bach has si gn ed f i ve st uden t -at hlet es dur i n g t he NCAA ear ly si gn i n g per i od i n hi s secon d r ecr ui t i n g class as head coach of t he Si m on Fr aser Un i ver si t y golf pr ogr am s. Sh ir in An jar w alla of Nanaimo is set to join the women?s golf program in September 2018, while Aidan Goodf ellow (Parksville), Sylvain Ru est (Winnipeg), Jor dan Bean (Canmore), and Isaac Lee (Seoul, South Korea) have signed their National Letters of Intent to compete for Canada?s NCAA men?s golf team next season. ?We have an CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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V ancouv er I sl anders A i dan Goodf el l ow (L) A nd Sh i ri n A nj arw al l a (R) A re Set To Joi n Th e Si mon Fraser Uni v ersi ty Gol f Program Nex t Season
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exceptional group of golfers joining our program and they will all have an immediate impact as all five players are coming with provincial, national, and international tournament experience,? said Steinbach. Knowing that these recruits are able to perform at the highest levels of junior golf, Steinbach says he has zero doubts that this will translate to success at the NCAA level. ?Signing elite level talent during the early signing period indicates to me that the academic reputation of SFU and the unique opportunity to compete in the NCAA while getting a Canadian education is attractive to the best and brightest student-athletes from across Canada,? said Steinbach. Shirin Anjarwalla will be joining the women?s team from Nanaimo, BC. With
" We h av e an ex cepti onal group of gol f ers j oi ni ng our program and th ey w i l l al l h av e an i mmedi ate i mpact as al l f i v e pl ayers are comi ng w i th prov i nci al , nati onal , and i nternati onal tournament MATTHEW ex peri ence." STEINBACH a strong tournament resume, she has individual victories at the 2014 BC Juvenile Championship and the 2016 Odlum Brown Classic Championship. Also coming from Vancouver Island is Aidan Goodfellow from Parksville, BC. He competed for Kwalikum Secondary in the high school Provincial ?AA? Championships when they won the title in 2016 as well as a 6th place finish at the Pacific Future Links. CLICK HERE for complete story.
BY BRAD ZEIMER
Sh augh n essy Ey es 2023 Pr esi den t s Cup Shaughn essy Golf & Coun t r y Club i s m aki n g a pi t ch t o br i n g t he Pr esi den t s Cup t o Van couver . ?Recently the Club has been asked to participate in a bid process which could see Shaughnessy host the Presidents Cup in 2023,? general manager Jason
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Sigurdson said in a recent note to members. ?We are in the preliminary steps of this process and are working closely with Golf Canada to fully research the extent of the opportunity. We expect that once we have more information, the Membership will be advised and all aspects of the opportunity can be discussed as we have done in the past when the club has considered hosting major golf events.? CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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Sigurdson said Shaughnessy has been working in conjunction with Golf Canada and its new chief executive officer Laurence Applebaum on a potential Presidents Cup bid. ?This is something they asked us to take a look at and I would say we are cautiously excited about the opportunity,? he said. Shaughnessy, a private club located on Southwest Marine Drive in Vancouver, played host to the Canadian Open in 2005 and 2011 and the course received positive reviews from players and the PGA TOUR. ?That is something that resonates well with the PGA TOUR, with the Presidents Cup being their property,? Sigurdson said. The Presidents Cup is a significantly bigger stage than the Canadian Open and one of the hurdles for Shaughnessy would be to convince the PGA TOUR that it has the space to hold the event. Shaughnessy?s footprint is not a large one and
whether it can find the space required outside the ropes to accommodate an event like the Presidents Cup is a big question. ?We have to have them come out and take a look and see if it is the right type of situation because it is so different than the Open,? Sigurdson said. The Presidents Cup made its debut in 1994 and the biennial event features 12-man International (excluding Europe) and United States teams in match play competition. Now held in odd-numbered years, the 2019 Presidents Cup will return for the 3rd time to Royal Melbourne GC in Australia in 2019. Quail Hollow GC in Charlotte, N.C., will play host to the event in 2021, while Harding Park in San Francisco has been named as the 2025 site. The 2023 site remains to be determined. For full story CLICK HERE
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ACROSSBC BC's Cr ow n Isl e To On ce Agai n Host Mack en zi e Tour -PGA TOUR Can ada Qual i f i er The Macken zi e Tour ? PGA TOUR Can ada Quali f yi n g Tour n am en t w i ll t ake place at f i ve separ at e si t es dur i n g t he spr i n g of 2018 as player s com pet e f or Macken zi e Tour m em ber shi p f or t he 2018 season .
Th e M ack enzi e Tour ? PGA TOUR Canada A nnounced Th ei r 2018 Qual i f yi ng Tournament Si tes I ncl udi ng V ancouv er I sl and's Crow n I sl e Resort Pete Dye?s Valley Course at TPC Sawgrass is included among three new sites for 2018 with British Columbia's Crown Isle Resort once more hosting the final Qualifying event from April 30th - May 4th. The five 72-hole, no-cut Qualifying Tournaments with CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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fields of 132 players each will take place on the following dates and locations:
Players will have an opportunity to qualify at one of the five sites, with official details on the number of membership cards and playing status to be announced at a later date.
Tour President Jeff Monday. ?We look forward to hosting players at each of these five outstanding venues next spring as they look to achieve their goals of making it to the PGA TOUR.?
?We?ve been fortunate to have so many players interested in qualifying to compete on the Mackenzie Tour over the last five years, and we felt that it was important to give as many players as possible the chance to qualify with five fields of 132 players,? said Mackenzie
Carlton Oaks, which has previously hosted PGA TOUR and Web.com Tour Q-School, returns as a host from 2016 and 2017 Mackenzie Tour qualifying along with Crown Isle, which annually hosts the season?s final Qualifying Tournament.
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PARTINGSHOT
Th e 18t h h ole at Th an a Cit y Golf Clu b in Ban g st r et ch on t h e Gr eg Nor m an -design ed golf cou w it h w at er all dow n t h e r igh t side an d an islan in t h e sh ape of a sh ar k it r epr esen t s an ext cou r ses f ou n d in
gkok , Th ailan d is t h e f in al of a 3 h ole f in ish in g u r se k n ow as 'Th e Sh ar k Bit e'. A 440-yar d par 4 d gr een t h at is par t ially pr ot ect ed by a bu n ker r em ely ch allen gin g en d t o on e of t h e gr eat n Sou t h east Asia.