TOP STORIES 16
BC Golf Excited To Announce Affiliation With LPGA Amateur Golf Association
18. Posting Of Scores During COVID-19 Lockdowns
30. BC's AJ Ewart Named To GCAA All-Freshman Team
Education Summit Helps Junior Golfers Find Their Way To The Top
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BC's Courses Cautiously Crowded
42. British Columbia Golf Resorts Relying On ?Staycation?Visits This Summer
Cont ent s MAY, 2020 08
Inside This Issue
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Image of the month
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Women'sGolf Day Gearing Up For June 2nd
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AGA-BC PublishesBest Practices Manual For BC Golf Operations Amidst COVID-19 BC Golf Excited To Announce Affiliation With LPGA Amateur Golf Association
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Video: 8 Weird Things Golfers Do
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BIG SKY GOLF CLUB - Be A Member At One Of BC's Premiere Golf Experiences
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BC's AJ Ewart Named To GCAA All-FreshmanTeam
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BC's CoursesCautiously Crowded
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European Tour Video: Shots Of The Year For 2020 - So Far
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How To Make A Portable Golf Putting Green For Less Than $1 A Square Ft. Education Summit Helps Junior GolfersFind Their Way To The Top
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Posting Of Scores During COVID-19 Lockdowns
British ColumbiaGolf Resorts Relying On ?Staycation?Visits This Summer
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SFU Men?s Golf Well Represented On All-GNACTeam
Golf Community Loses Longtime Contributor Barry Sharpe
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Video: European Tour - Worst Shots of The Year...So Far
Bald Eagle Golf Club Faces A Summer Of Uncertainty
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Parting shot
SFU Women?sGolf Dominates All-GNACFirst Team
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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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Click Here To View the 2020 British Columbia Golf Staff Corrie Wong, Manager, Membership corrie@britishcolumbiagolf.org (x202)
Kwadwo Frempong, Manager of Network Services Doug Hastie, Senior Manager of Field Op support@britishcolumbiagolf.org (x205) doug@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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FROM THE
EDITOR'S
DESK
BY BRYA N OUTRA M
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
BRYAN OUTRAM Edit or
In this month's issue of The Scorecard our cover story announces a new and exciting affiliation British Columbia Golf has with the LPGA Amateur Golf Association. The LPGA Amateurs, under the umbrella of the LPGA, offers opportunities and benefits to women from all skill levels.
pages 34, 40, 42 and 48.
BC Golf is hosting an introductory webinar on June 17th, featuring two very special guests, to announce the launch of 3 LPGA Amateurs 'Chapters' in British Columbia. To find out more, see the story on page 16.
Meanwhile, up on Burnaby Mtn., Simon Fraser University's golf coach, Matt Steinbach, has seen both his Women's and Men's squads receive recognition for their play in the GNAC, placing players on their respective all-conference teams, page 20 and page 24.
We are also very happy to welcome back Hall of Fame golf writer, Brad Ziemer, with his insightful columns and stories in and around the game. In this issue we feature no less than four articles from Mr. Ziemer, each looking at golf in 'the age of Covid-19' and how the game is both affected and adapting to the pandemic. Brad's stories are on PG 8 | M AY 2020
BC's top competitive amateurs were still able to make an impact on the college scene, prior to the official shutdown of competition in college & university. Coquitlam's AJ Ewart is proving to be a real force for the Barry University Men's Golf program, see page 30.
You'll also find some entertaining videos including two from the European Tour showing both their best (page 36) and worst shots of the year...so far (page 22). Lastly, our Parting Shot video features a trick shot by Nelson's Cameron Bibby-Fox and his younger brother Lachlan.
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Kane Gets The Call ?I am extremely humbled? - Lorie Kane
Charlottetown'sLorie Kane will be inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame aspart of the classof 2020-21 and will also receive the Oder of Sport award, Canada?shighest sporting honour. Kane wastwice named Canadian female athlete of the year ('97 & 2000) and in 2006 received the Order of Canada. She wasinducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 2016. Kane will also be a special guest on June 17th as part of the kick-off by BC Golf announcing their 3 new Chaptersin the LPGA Amateur Golf Association. PG 10 | MAY 2020
IMAGE CREDIT: JURGEN KAMINSKI (JAKAM PHOTOS)/ BC GOLF
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Gearing Up For A June 2nd Virt ual Celebrat ion This engaging virtual experience will be hosted on the WGD website and will include ways to engage through social media, videos, content and an online charity auction. Links to all of the WGD action can be found below. #W GDunit es Virt ual Women's Golf Day - June 2nd W hat t o Expect Click to Read the Full Story PG 12 | MAY 2020
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AGA-BC Publishes Associat ion Best Practices Manual For BC Golf Operations Amidst COVID-19
On March 26, 2020, the BC Government issued the following: ?The Provincial Health Officer has ordered some types of businesses to close. Any business or service that has not been ordered to close and is also not identified on the essential service list may stay open if they can adapt their services and workplace to the orders and recommendationsof the PHO.? With over 300 golf courses in all areas of the province, it is critical that all golf operations in British Columbia immediately align with COVID-19 orders, direction and safety protocols mandated by the Provincial Health Office (PHO) and regional health authorities. Where governments have not mandated the temporary closure of golf courses, such as in BC, golf operators choosing to open must take every health and safety precaution for their team members and customers. Please click HERE to view Allied Golf Association (AGA) Best Practices Manual For BC Golf Courses PG 14 | M AY 2020
Cov er St or y
IMAGES COURTESY: LPGA/ BC GOLF
Col l abor at ing For
women's Gol f BY BRITISH COLUM BIA GOLF
BC Golf Excit ed To Announce Affiliat ion W it h LPGA Amat eur Golf Associat ion June 17t h Recently, British Columbia Golf became one of the latest golf associations to affiliate with the LPGA Amateur Golf Association, with the creation of 3 'Chapters' in B.C., the Vancouver Island chapter, Lower Mainland/Fraser Valley chapter and the Okanagan/Kamloops/ Shuswap chapter. PG 16 | MAY 2020
The LPGA Amateurs focus on creating opportunities for women of all ages to become involved in and enjoy the game of golf. Here is the 'About Us' message as taken from their website: LPGA Amateur Golf Association? W ho We Are LPGA Amateur Golf CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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Association? is the women's golf community that provides opportunities for all women to: Connect - Learn - Play BelongÂŽ Connecting thousands of women through the game of golf, the LPGA Amateur Golf Association is part of the LPGA family which includes the LPGA Tour, Symetra Tour, LPGA Teaching and Club Professionals, LPGA*USGA Girls Golf, LPGA Teaching Academies, and LPGA Women?s Network. Our Mission Our mission is to provide a welcoming golf community for all women. The LPGA Amateur Golf Association? transcends geographic boundaries. With Chapters in over 110 cities (and growing) in the US and internationally, we bring together and connect women who share a PG 17 | MAY 2020
passion for golf. The LPGA Amateur Golf Association? hosts thousands of golf, social, and networking events annually as well as providing members with the opportunity to participate in major Association championships and events. BC Golf is very proud and excited to offer the unique benefits and access to instruction for women of all ages and skill levels when you become a member of the LPGA Amateurs. An official online webinar announcement is being made on Wednesday, June 17t h at 5:30pm, Pacific Time. This webinar will serve as a kick-off event for all three of our new LPGA Amateur Association chapters. Special guests include Lorie Kane and Michael Whan. Click to Read the Full Story
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Posting Of Scores During COVID-19 Lockdowns TO: All Member Clubs; All Member Club?s Handicap Commit t ees Posting of Scores during COVID-19 Lockdowns The information below provides guidance in response to questions received from golf course owners, administrators, tournament organizers and golfers. It is not the intended purpose of the below guidance to either encourage or discourage anyone from playing the game, but rather, in our role as administrators, to help golf course operators, committees and golfers better understand how the Rules of Golf and Rules of Handicapping apply to the various questions we have received. The questions received fit into four main topics. In each of the four topics below, the guidance provided serves both to directly answer the questions asked as well as cover additional considerations that might also serve useful. 1. Flagstick 2. Bunkersand bunker rakes 3. Scorecardsand scoring 4. Modificationsto the hole; not requiring that playershole out Please Click here t o learn t he full guidance. PG 18 | M AY 2020
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IMAGES COURTESY OFTW ITTER
BY JACOB HA LL
SFU M en?s Golf W ell Represent ed On All-GNAC Team
On Wednesday morning, t he Great Nort hwest At hlet ic Conference announced t heir 2019- 2020 Men's Golf All-GNAC t eam select ions, which included t hree SFU st udent -at hlet es, as well as Head Coach Mat t hew St einbach. PG 20 | MAY 2020
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Leading the way for SFU among All-GNAC selections was senior Scott Kerr. Kerr tied with Concordia senior Jaxson Daskalos with a 72.0 stroke average over 15 rounds, good enough for second lowest in the conference, finishing with six rounds of par or below and placing in the top-10 three times out of five events to earn his second first-team nod. Kerr also finished tied for first place at February's Cal State San Bernardino Coyote Classic with a score of 3-over-par 216, and earned medalist honors after winning a six-hole playoff to open the spring season in style at the CSUSB Coyote Classic. Also making the All-GNAC team was Aidan Goodfellow. Goodfellow was selected to the first team after earning PG 21 | MAY 2020
second-team honors as a freshman. He was fifth in the conference with a 72.3 stroke average and placed in the top-five at two events. Goodfellow's low round of 65 in the second round of the Concordia Invitational lifted him to a tie for third place with a score of 2-under-par 211 to pace SFU to a team title at the event. Rounding out the first-team player nominations was Isaac Lee. Lee earned his second selection to the first team after he finished sixth with a 72.4 stroke average, and had seven rounds of par or better. He carded a 68 in the second round and a 66 in the third
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Video: European Tour - Worst Shots of The Year ...So Far
Tour Pros are good, but they're only human. The worst shots of the year so far. Enjoy! PG 22 | MAY 2020
gol f BY SA M UEL ROW A N/ SFU ATHLETICS
SFU W omen?s Golf Dominat es All-GNAC First Team
On Friday, t he Great Nort hwest At hlet ic Conference announced it 's All-GNAC select ions for t he 2019-2020 golf season. Aft er a hist orically impressive campaign, Simon Fraser had five st udent at hlet es select ed t o t he All-GNAC first t eam, while Mat t hew St einbach was named coach of t he year. PG 24 | MAY 2020
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In addition to being named an All-GNAC first team selection, Emily Leung shared the GNAC player of the year award with Cammie Decker of Concordia University. Both were also recently named DII All-Americans. Leung finished in the top-10 in five out of the six events that she competed at and finished in the top-five on four occasions. She won October's Division II West Region Preview in Carlsbad, California, with a two-round score of 2-under-par 142 to pace the Clan to a tie for third place to close out the fall season. Her performance included a season-low round of 69 in the first round that, at the time, tied the GNAC single-round record. Leung was also the runner up at September's Dixie State Fall Invitational at 2-under-par PG 25 | MAY 2020
142. Freshman Claire Lovan also shared a major award, as she was named co-freshman of the year in the GNAC. Lovan finished fifth in the conference with a 76.4 stroke average over 10 rounds (2nd among freshman), placing in the top-10 three times, including an eighth-place finish at the True North Classic with a score of 9-over-par 153. Joining Emily Leung and Lovan on the All-GNAC first team were senior Jaya Rampuri, junior Estee Leung and freshman Frida Ehnebom. Rampuri earned her third
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Video: 8 Weird Things Golfers Do
Neil Tappin with the UK's Golf Monthly takes a look at 8 weird things golfers do, from putting gloves in back pockets to plumb-bobbing and strange swing rehearsals. Take a look at this list and see how many you do. To 'non-golfers' many of these things look truly strange, but there is often a logic behind the weird things golfers do. PG 26 | MAY 2020
PLACES
YOUCAN
BELONG BY JEFF SUTHERLA ND
Just a few minut es nort h of W hist ler is one of BC's best courses, a Cupp design t hat draws golfers from across t he province and around t he world.
BIG SKY GOLF CLUB Be A M ember At One Of BC's Premiere Golf Experiences
PG 28 | MAY 2020
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Big Sky Golf Club offers a dramatic natural setting at the base of 8,000?Mt. Currie in the Pemberton Valley. The 7,001 yard rolling links layout features bent grass fairways, tees, and greens plus Ravensdale sand bunkers to provide the finest in conditioning. It should come as no surprise that Big Sky has garnered the accolades that go along with a great design and a commitment to quality. Recent rankings for the facility include: - #4 among BC for public access courses by the 55,000 members of British Columbia Golf in 2019 - #29 in the country by Golf Digest for 2019-2020 - #10 in the country by the members of the PGA of Canada for 2019 - #11 in the country by PG 29 | MAY 2020
IMAGES COURTESY OF FACILITY
SCOREGolf for 2019 Just like the course, the practice facility here may be one of the best in the province. A double-ended grass-tee range allows for optimized teaching, warm-up and practice plus a five hole Par-3 course presents an excellent learning environment.
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INcol l ege BY HUNTER DUBOIS BA RRY U ATHLETIC COM M UNICATIONS
BC's AJ Ewart Named To GCAA All-Freshman Team
The Golf Coaches of Associat ion of America announced t he GCAA All-Freshman Team on Tuesday, Apr. 28, wit h t he Barry Buccaneer men's golf t eam's AJ Ewart of Coquit lam, Brit ish Columbia earning one of t he five spot s on t he prest igious t eam. PG 30 | M AY 2020
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COURTESY HUNTER DUBOIS / BARRY U ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
canadians
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The Buccaneers followed up a historic season in 2018-2019 with arguably an even more dominant run, winning a school record five-straight tournaments while holding down the No. 1 ranking in the nation before dropping to No. 2 right after the spring season was cut short. Ewart was ranked No. 27 in the Golfstat final rankings. He had a historic year for the Bucs, winning two tournaments and logging PG 32 | M AY 2020
four more top-12 finishes to lead the Bucs on their winning streak. Barry has had a decorated history as a golf program, highlighted by their three national championships in 2007, 2013, and 2014, all of which were captured under head coach Jimmy Stobs. Ewart joins former Buccaneer star, Surrey, British Columbia's Adam Svensson, as an All-Freshman Team selection.
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IMAGE COURTESY SWANESET/ TW ITTER
cov id- 19 BY BRA D ZIEM ER, BRITISH COLUM BIA GOLF
BC's Courses Caut iously Crowded
Golf courses have become a refuge of sort s for Brit ish Columbians seeking wide open spaces during t he COVID-19 crisis. In fact, getting a tee time has been almost as tough as finding toilet paper on store shelves was in the early days of the pandemic. Tee sheets at many B.C. golf courses have been filled from dawn to dusk with golfers following strict social distancing protocols as they go in search of birdies. ?I guess the best way to say it is all the tee times we are offering are spoken for, which is great,?says Hal Eremko, head professional of Burnaby Golf Services. PG 34 | MAY 2020
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?We have so many customers who are dying to get back with us and play. For every tee time we fill, we are probably annoying four other people right now. It really is too bad, but as things open up, hopefully that will alleviate itself a little bit.? One of the reasons things have been so busy is due to the fact that courses are offering fewer tee times per hour than they normally do to ensure social distancing. Some opened with tee-time intervals of 15 minutes, meaning they were sending off only four groups per hour. Burnaby?s two 18-hole layouts, Riverway and Burnaby Mountain, reopened May 1 with 15-minute tee times but quickly dropped to 12 minutes when it became apparent that traffic on the courses was moving smoothly. Both courses PG 35 | MAY 2020
normally operate with eight-minute tee-time intervals. ?Except for rainy days we pretty much have had each of our tee times spoken for from 6 a.m. until past 7 at night,?Eremko says. No one has had a busier spring than the three courses owned and operated by the West Coast Golf Group. While most courses in B.C. closed sometime in March, Hazelmere in Surrey, Belmont in Langley and Swaneset Bay in Pitt Meadows were among a handful that remained open. ?We developed our protocols starting with the raised cups and removing the bunker rakes and ball washers,?says Troy Peverley, vice-president of the West Coast Golf Group. Click to Read the Full Story
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European Tour Video: Shots Of The Year For 2020 (So Far)
The best shots of the year so far during the 2020 European Tour season. Enjoy! PG 36 | MAY 2020
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How To Make A Portable Golf Putting Green For Less Than $1 A Square Ft.
A perfect addition to any Game Room, Man Cave or Woman Cave. This video will show you how to build a flexible, portable putting green which can be easily reconfigured in seconds. Despite what may have been said in the video at around 1:07 minutes, the holes are 4.25 inches. PG 38 | MAY 2020
IMAGE CREDITS: GOLF CANADA/ BC GOLF
BCgOLF
LEARNING
onl ine BY BRA D ZIEM ER, BRITISH COLUM BIA GOLF
BC Golf Educat ion Summit Helps Junior Golfers Looking To Find Their Way To The Top Junior golfers in Brit ish Columbia aren?t just doing t heir school work on-line t hese days. They?ve also been firing up t heir lapt ops t he past mont h for a series of golf webinars. With tournament play and PG 40 | MAY 2020
group instruction on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, British Columbia Golf organized a series of 10 webinars aimed at elite junior golfers not only here in B.C. but across the country. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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?In-person instruction has been tough, so we are doing everything we can to help them out,?says Doug Hastie, manager of field operations/tournament director with British Columbia Golf. Called the BC Junior Golf Education Summit, the webinars covered topics like nutrition, fitness, rules, mental performance, college golf, tournament preparation and practice habits. They have been held twice a week since mid-April and Hastie has been happy with the response he has received from the Zoom sessions. ?It was better than I hoped,? Hastie says. ?We started out thinking if we get 50 kids that would be great and for the last five or six we had 180 to 190 PG 41 | MAY 2020
registered. It has been positive. I advertised it to other associations across the country so participation was split almost evenly between B.C. and the other parts of the country.? The 10th and final session of the spring webinars was held May 19th and featured three national team coaches. National Team Head Coach Derek Ingram, National Junior Team Coach Robert Ratcliffe and Jennifer Greggain, an assistant coach with Golf Canada, offered their insights on developing sound practice habits and
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Gol f in BC
Timet o Buy
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IMAGE COURTESY TRIPADVISOR.COM/ TRAVELLER PHOTO SUBMITTED BY NAVIGATOR664564 (AUG. 2016)
BY BRA D ZIEM ER, BRITISH COLUM BIA GOLF
Brit ish Columbia Golf Resort s Relying On ?St aycat ion?Visit s This Summer
Brit ish Columbia golf resort s t hat rely heavily on t ourist t raffic are hoping t he provincial government will soon give t he all-clear for non-essent ial t ravel. PG 42 | MAY 2020
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“It’s Sneaky Good” -Designer, David McLay Kidd
#16 Best U.S. Resort Courses of 2020 By Golf Week Stay & Play Packages Now Available for 2020 115 acres of pure golf, with panoramic vistas on every hole, and the beautiful Cascade Mountains and Columbia River meandering through the distance . No planes buzzing overhead, no traffic rattling in the background. Just you, your playing partners, and golf – the way it was meant to be played.
Gamble Sands is calling – all that’s left to do is answer! 509.436.8323. gamblesands.com. Brewster, WA
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?The golf course is in great shape, the bears are running around like crazy,?says Alan Kristmanson, the longtime general manager and director of golf at Whistler Golf Club. ?Everybody who is playing here is having a great time. We?re ready, for sure.?
in places like the Okanagan, Kootenays and Vancouver Island. Kristmanson and others are hoping the ban on non-essential travel might be lifted as soon as June 1st.
?About 45 per cent of our play comes from the Metro Vancouver area and the rest of B.C., with another 20 per cent from the U.S. and the remaining 20 per cent from the rest of the world,?Kristmanson says.
?When non-essential traffic gets lifted I think Whistler will be ready. I think the hotels are trying for June 1st to get ready. Some patios and stuff are opening up this weekend and obviously we have got the golf
?Whistler is currently not promoting or welcoming people to the resort,? Whistler Golf Club opened Kristmanson says. ?Neither is May 15th and has been getting Kelowna, neither is anyone. We lots of play from area residents. are supposed to be staying in But locals normally only our little bubbles, we?re not account for about 15 per cent supposed to be bombing of the club?s play each year. around everywhere.
With little if any international travel and the U.S. border closed until at least June 21st, it?s easy to see how important B.C. tourist traffic is going to be for Whistler courses and other golf destination resorts PG 44 | MAY 2020
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In memor iam
honour ing a gol f media st al war t
Golf Communit y Loses Longt ime Cont ribut or Barry Sharpe British Columbia Golf would like to extend our sincerest condolences to Anita Sharpe and the entire Sharpe family upon learning of the recent passing of Anita's husband Barry, on Sunday, March 29th. Barry Sharpe was an integral part of the golf media community for many years and a major contributor when it came to covering golf at all levels and those involved in and around the game. Please find below the words of Barry's wife Anita honouring her husband and his legacy. PG 46 | MAY 2020
Barry Sharpe 13 April, 1939 ? 29 March, 2020
On Sunday, March 29, 2020, Arthur Barry Sharpe, my best friend and loving husband for 40 years, passed away at the age of 80 in Chilliwack BC. He is survived by me, his wife, Anita Sharpe (nee Jenkins) and his son Scott Sharpe and 3 grandchildren, many brother and sister in-laws, nieces, and nephews. Barry is predeceased by his parents Arthur and Florence Sharpe and his son Todd Sharpe. Born April 13 ,1939 and being CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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raised in Leaside, Toronto, ON led to his love of hockey including skating on the ice-packed streets as his training ground. Studying at Appleby College in the hockey program developed his skills on ice as goalie and led serendipitously into his career as an accomplished news and sports radio broadcaster and journalist. He was heard in Toronto, Kingston, Brampton, Welland, Chatham, Windsor, Kitchener, Hamilton, St. Catherines, Niagara Falls in Ontario, and Vancouver B.C. His gift and passion to hear and relay stories lives on and is fondly remembered with his signature voice. Barry?s golf and golf news continued on the west coast as the news and sports radio announcer with CKNW. Between 1980 and 2015, Barry envisioned and produced the West Coast Golf News television series and BC Golf News website. At the end of PG 47 | MAY 2020
golf tournament?s, he could be found pressing through spectators to locate and interview the winner to get his ?scoop?, rushing home to publish the events before anyone else. His faithful walk with our Lord Jesus Christ transformed his life from 1995, built on Bible verses John 14:6-12 and John 3:16, led him to develop the Christian Athletes My Story, radio program with his co-producer, and continues to be heard today. He volunteered joyfully with Mission Fest Vancouver. Celebration of life will be scheduled in the future. Memorial information, in the meantime, is located on the website where comments, memories, and pictures can be shared: Woodlawn Mt.Cheam Funeral Home, In lieu of gifts and flowers please consider supporting a ?charity of your choice?in Barry?s memory.
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cov id- 19 BY BRA D ZIEM ER, BRITISH COLUM BIA GOLF
Bald Eagle Golf Club Faces A Summer Of Uncert aint y With his course stuck in the golfing equivalent of no-man?s land, Kyle German is finding it increasingly difficult to believe a season can be salvaged at Bald Eagle Golf Club. Golf courses have re-opened in both British Columbia and Washington state and by all accounts business is brisk. But at Bald Eagle, located PG 48 | MAY 2020
across the border in Point Roberts, there is no business at all. With the U.S.-Canadian border closed until at least June 21st due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bald Eagle remains shuttered. ?I would love to say I am fully confident the border will re-open June 21st, but I am really not super confident,? says German, the general CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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manager and head professional at Bald Eagle. ?It?s devastating, it?s heart-breaking, but I understand it. The Canadian and many provincial governments have all said they are in no hurry to re-open the border. They are going to do what feels right. It is unfortunate and there is a distinct possibility we could lose the summer.? Bald Eagle, formerly known as Point Roberts Golf Club, caters almost exclusively to Metro Vancouver golfers. After running into financial difficulty, the course was shut down in early 2017. New owners came to the rescue. They brought back original architect Wayne Carleton and spent big bucks to bring it back to life. The course re-opened in the summer of 2018 and under the leadership of German, who PG 49 | MAY 2020
Bald Eagle GC General Manager & Head Professional Kyle German-Image Courtesy Kyle German
also ran the course in its good years, it was regaining a foothold in the area?s competitive golf market. ?We had a pretty good year last year,?says German, a former Canadian PGA Club Professional champion. ?We got lots of great comments and people were starting to know about it again. The trust in the facility and in the condition of the course was there. And it?s funny, given how wet the winter was we actually felt like we were really ready for the spring. Click to Read the Full Story
shot
Now, That's Using Your Head
As part of the 'distraction' from the Covid-19 situation, BC Golf ran a trick-shot competition. We particularly like thisone from Nelson's15-year old Cameron Bibby-Fox and his 12-year old brother Lachlan. No, the ball isnot an actual golf ball. No injurieswere sustained. PG 50 | MAY 2020
IMAGE CREDIT: YOUTUBE
THE
par t ing
YOUR 2020
BRITISHCOLUMBIA GOLF STAFF Click On A Member's Photo To Email Them Directly
KRIS JONASSON
KWADWO FREMPONG
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
M ANAGER OF NETW ORK SERVICE (COURSE & SLOPE RATING)
DOUGHASTIE SENIOR M ANAGER OF FIELD OPERATIONS (RULES & COM PETITIONS)
BRYAN OUTRAM
DEBBIE PYNE
TYLER MCKAY
M ANAGING DIRECTOR OF PLAYER DEVELOPM ENT
ANDY FUNG DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & ADM INISTRATION
CORRIEWONG M ANAGER OF M EM BERSHIP
M ANAGER COM M UNICATIONS/ W EBSITE EDITOR
M ANAGER, GOLF PARTICIPATION
ELIZABETH DUNN PROGRAM ASSISTANT, PERFORM ANCE
> Click Here To View the 2019
British Columbia Golf Staff
THIS IS THE
ENDOFTHE MAGAZINE Remaining Pages Are Cont inuat ions Of Art icles St art ed Previously In The Magazine.
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BIG SKY GOLF CLUB- CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29
The Academy also has a lot to offer. From lessons to schools to Junior Golf Programs, their team of instructors headed by PGA of BC Head Golf Professional Corry Butler (shown top left on first page of article) can meet every need. But Big Sky is much more than just a golf course that garners kudos from players and 'rankers' alike. It is a great place to hang your hat as a member. From live music in Fescues Restaurant to outdoor movies nights, to paint ?n sip workshops, there | MAY 2020
is always something engaging going on. Says General Manager Michael MacNeil, "At Big Sky Golf Club, you?re not just considered a member of a golf club, but as a member of our family? our mission is to create an atmosphere that you, your family, guests and clients want to be a part of. Take advantage of all our perks and privileges and create the golf/life balance that you are looking for." To find out more, visit bigskygolf.ca
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Top Ten Reason s t o becom e a m em ber at Big Sk y Golf Clu b #1 Family Oriented, great junior Programs & fun for kids #2 Feels like a home away from home #3 Relaxing environment with great game improvement programs #4 Golf & Keep Fit! Great walking course #5 Dogs are part of the family; Bring your dog out for your round #6 PGA of Canada Professionals dedicated to improving your game and golfing experience #7 Peaceful & tranquil, a great place to unwind #8 Great member events to meet new people and have some fun #9 Fantastic restaurant & patio with amazing food #10 Our passionate, professional team is dedicated to making each of your experiences memorable
| MAY 2020
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round to finish tied for first at the Western Washington Invitational, but lost on the second playoff hole. Finally, in his third full season as head coach of the Simon Fraser golf program, Matthew Steinbach earned the Men's Golf Coach of the Year award for the second time. Under Steinbach's watch, SFU led the conference with a 288.6 scoring average over 15 rounds and finished the season ranked No. 16 in the Bushnell Golfweek Division II | MAY 2020
Coaches Poll. The team displayed incredible consistency over the course of the season, and placed in the top-five at four out of their five events, winning the Saint Martin's Invitational and October's Concordia Invitational, as well as finishing in second at the Western Washington Invitational. SFU was one of three teams to earn four All-Conference first team selections. Sophomore Ryan Stolys was also recognized as a second-team selection.
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first-team nod after she finished third in the conference with a 75.2 stroke average over 12 rounds and carded four rounds of par or below. The former All-American honourable mention placed in the top-10 four times and finished in the top-three on three occasions, opening the fall season with a win at the True North Classic with a score of even-par 144 as the Clan cruised to a 25-stroke victory. Estee Leung joins her sister on the first team after earning second-team honors last year. She finished with a 78.4 stroke average over eight rounds, finishing in the top-10 twice and in the | MAY 2020
top-five once, placing third at the True North Classic with a score of 4-over-par 148. Ehnebom finished seventh with a 77.5 stroke average over 12 rounds, turning in two rounds of par or better and finishing in the top-10 on two occasions. As a team, Simon Fraser led the conference with a 302.0 stroke average over 12 rounds, and finished the season ranked No. 14 in the WGCA Division II National Rankings. SFU placed in the top-three at five of its six tournaments, winning their home tournament, the True North Classic, in September, as well as the Concordia Invitational.
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tournament preparation. Ratcliffe focused his presentation on competition-week, offering suggestions on what junior golfers should and shouldn?t do during a tournament and the days preceding it. ?Now is the time to think, 'What can I take from what I've been doing in practice and turn it into more of an execution phase so I can get in a good position to play in a competition,'?Ratcliffe said. ?This assumes we have had our practice rounds, we are good to go and it is the night before the tournament and one of the things we like to have our junior team athletes do is complete a game plan. This is something they write down and these are keys to success. We basically ask the athletes if you are going to | MAY 2020
have a good day tomorrow what are the two or three things that you need to do. Former B.C. Amateur Champion Chris Crisologo Offered Some Sage Advice To The Young Golfers Watching & Listening Online ?It might be simple things like make sure I take enough club on par 3s or ensuring that I have a clear target in mind on each shot. Or it might be a technical key regarding a specific thing you've been working on. It might be something very simple like, don?t forget to drink lots of water on the golf course.? Ratcliffe also suggested junior golfers not rely on others to make sure they have everything they need in their golf bag, like water and snacks. ?This is my favourite line from this presentation -CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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it?s not your mom?s job,?he said. ?The reason I put that in there is that there are so many that I feel rely on their moms and dads and they are never really focusing on their own preparation.? Ingram spends much of his time at PGA TOUR events and top amateur tournaments and shared some of what he has learned watching many of the world?s top players. ?The best players are the most prepared and they have the best habits and the best routines,?Ingram said. ?I?d like to say it?s about some magic skill or potion or they are hitting it better. Truthfully, it is the boring prep work, it is being more organized, it?s being more professional, it?s having great habits and routines.? | MAY 2020
Ingram was joined by former B.C. Amateur champion Chris Crisologo of Richmond, who is now a member of Golf Canada?s Young Pro Squad. Crisologo, who is known for his prodigious length off the tee, emphasized the importance of doing serious prep work on the greens before a tournament. ?I think the top priority for me would be on the greens, figuring out the breaks,?Crisologo said. ?Knowing where to miss it around the green so you have an easier chance at an up-and-down. If you take advantage of the greens I feel you will have a good chance in a tournament.? And all the junior golfers listening are undoubtedly hoping one day soon they can again play some tournament golf.
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Nicklaus North GC And Green Lake In The Background Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf
going . . .but the big one is on June 1 to see if the non-essential travel ban gets lifted. That is really what it is about.? Nicklaus North, a Whistler course owned and operated by the GolfBC Group, opened its season on May 22nd. Andy Hedley, vice-president of operations with GolfBC, is also hoping that British Columbians will soon be given the all clear to travel within the province. ?Right now things are very uncertain,?Hedley says. | MAY 2020
?Obviously, with overseas travel not allowed our overseas groups and corporate groups that travel in from all over North America, Europe and Australasia have all cancelled. I don?t think we will see any overseas business this summer so we will be relying on local and regional play as the province starts opening up for business again.? In addition to Nicklaus North, GolfBC also owns and operates Olympic View in Victoria, Mayfair Lakes in Richmond and CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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the Okanagan Golf Club and Gallagher?s Canyon, both in Kelowna. ?We are hoping that with potentially fewer B.C. residents leaving Canada for vacations, that they may be staying here and will consider resort areas within the province to visit. "It?s still an unknown factor right now. We are really learning day by day on the business. Everything is so different. It is very difficult to predict what will happen. There is certainly some pent-up demand to get outside
and do some outdoor activities. We are seeing that in the short term. Whether that will last throughout the entire summer, we hope so.? Predator Ridge in Vernon is another B.C. course that relies heavily on tourist traffic. The 36-hole facility is currently only open to members, many of whom are homeowners at the resort. ?We have really taken a cautious and gradual approach,?says general manager Rod Cochrane. ?We are part of a community as well as a resort so we have a
Predator Ridge Golf Course In Vernon, B.C. - Image Courtesy Wikimedia/Credit Jack Borno | MAY 2020
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St. Eugene Golf Resort In Cranbrook - Image Courtesy Facility
responsibility to more than just the golfers and resort guests who are here on a given day.
is a key market for Predator Ridge as well as Calgary and Edmonton. ?We are going to be ?We are monitoring everything doing that when it is the right time,?Cochrane said. ?In many to make sure we are doing the ways here at Predator Ridge right thing. We are definitely we like to think we are a leader not going to be aggressively advertising and realistically our and in this particular case we expectation is going to be local. think the smartest course of action is to be a bit of a It is going to be staycations follower. We want to make from Kelowna.? sure we are not seen as Cochrane acknowledged that pushing it. Our primary goal could change if the province always is to be a desirable begins encouraging British place for people to live. Right Columbians to travel within the now, if we jammed our resort I province. The Vancouver area | MAY 2020
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don?t think that would make anyone feel comfortable about living here or considering to live here. We need people to come here and understand this is a safe environment.? St. Eugene Mission in Cranbrook opened for play on May 22nd and is one of the courses in the golf-rich Cranbrook-Kimberley corridor that rely heavily on significant tourist play. Head professional Cindy Soukoroff would welcome a promised push from the provincial government this summer to encourage British Columbians to spend their vacations at home and support the tourism-related businesses hit hard by the pandemic. ?For us something like that would definitely help,?Soukoroff says. ?For years our focus was on Alberta tourists and in my opinion we would not have been able to survive without them. ?The last few years our focus has turned a little bit more to | MAY 2020
B.C. and our involvement in the Vancouver Golf Expo was our way to introduce ourselves back to B.C.?But Soukoroff said the Alberta market will remain vital to her course and others in the East Kootenays and she hopes Albertans will be welcomed back to B.C. this summer. ?Calgary is kind of like our Vancouver?she says. St. Eugene is celebrating its 20th anniversary and much of the resort, which includes a hotel and casino, remains closed. ?We do have a fairly strong East Kootenay resident program as well which is obviously where our focus is at the moment,?Soukoroff says. ?Our hotel and the larger parts of the resort are not looking to open until, I would suspect, July at this point in time.?
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