Westminster, Colorado's Jennifer Kupcho, The Defending Canadian Women's Amateur Champion Has A Two-Shot Lead After Round One - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

Vancouver’s Tiffany Kong And Naomi Ko Of Victoria The Low Canadians After First Round Of Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Jennifer Kupcho’s round started with a bogey after she shanked her wedge approach shot from the middle of the fairway. Things got a little better after that. Actually, much better.

The 21-year-old from Westminster, Colo., began defence of her Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship title with a record-setting seven-under 64 Tuesday at Marine Drive Golf Club.
“I actually shanked my approach shot on my first hole and made bogey,” a smiling Kupcho said after her round. “I just missed the putt for par. I birdied the next hole and it kind of went well from there.”

That is something of an understatement.

After that opening bogey on the par 4 10th hole -- her first of the day -- Kupcho went birdie, birdie, eagle, birdie, birdie, par, par, birdie to shoot a six-under 29 on her front nine.

British Columbia's Top Junior Girls Will Trying To Make It Four In A Row At The 2018 Canadian Junior Girls Championship At Beach Grove GC Next Week. Surrey's Susan Xiao (Inset) Was The 2017 Champion - Images Courtesy Beach Grove/Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer/British Columbia Golf

TSAWWASSEN, B.C. -- British Columbia has a little streak going at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship, one its players hope to extend at Beach Grove Golf Club.

The last three Canadian Junior Girls Championships have been won by B.C. players. Susan Xiao of Surrey won it last year, Naomi Ko of Victoria was the 2016 champion and Michelle Kim of Surrey captured the title in 2015. 

“This is home turf and the B.C. girls have to represent and do well and have some fun out here,” says Vancouver’s Tiffany Kong, one of a large number of strong B.C. players who will compete in this year’s championship, which goes July 31-Aug. 3 at Beach Grove.

Defending Champions Quebec Have Returned The Willingdon Cup (Right) Which Appeared Slightly Worse For Wear At A News Conference Hosted By Course Owner Ming Hui - Image Credit Bryan Outram / Courtesy BC Golf

Vancouver Island's Duncan Meadows Golf Course Will Challenge Canada's Best Amateurs Plus Players From 13 Other Countries Around The World In The 114th Canadian Men's Amateur Championship

By Jeff Sutherland/Inside Golf

Following on hosting a number of both provincial and national championships, the course located in the Cowichan Valley 50 km north of Victoria has recently undergone tweaking to test competitors August 6th to 9th. 

The layout has been gradually lengthened to more than 6800 yards with new tees added on three holes… most recently on the par three 16th that will make the signature hole play almost 200 yards. 

A visit to Duncan Meadows in late July showed a course that is going to present a test reminiscent of that seen at this year's Open Championship at Carnoustie. Balls will definitely be able to run.

The Last Three British Columbians To Win The Canadian Women's Amateur Championship From L-R: A.J. Eathorne, Tracey Lipp And Jessica Potter - Images Courtesy Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer/British Columbia Golf

The 105th playing of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship begins Tuesday at Marine Drive Golf Club inVancouver. As the last three British Columbia women to win the event, Jessica Potter, A.J. Eathorne and Tracey Lipp each has a little piece of the tournament’s rich history. British Columbia Golf's Brad Ziemer asked them to reminisce about the tournament and what winning it meant to them. We begin with the most recent British Columbian to win the event:

Jessica Potter captured the title in 2006 at Moncton Golf & Country Club in New Brunswick. To say that win came as a surprise to the then 20-year-old Potter would be an understatement.

The World's Best Women Amateur Golfers Will Be Vying For The Duchess of Connaught Gold Cup (Inset) At Vancouver's Venerable Marine Drive Golf Course Next Week - Images Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

VANCOUVER -- The women’s course record at Marine Drive Golf Club is 68 and chances are you may be familiar with the player who set that mark.

Here’s a hint: she’s Swedish and has 72 LPGA Tour wins. That’s right, Annika Sorenstam holds that record at Marine Drive, which way back in 1992 co-hosted the World Amateur Team  Championships in Vancouver where Sorenstam won the individual title.

Sorenstam’s record has stood for the last 26 years, but some think it could finally fall when an exceptionally strong field gathers for the 105th playing of the Canadian Women’s Amateur  Championship, which goes July 24-27 at Marine Drive.

Image Credit (Bernard Brault/ Golf Canada)

Courtesy Golf Canada

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The PGA TOUR today unveiled a revamped tournament schedule for next season, providing an exciting change for players and fans as they are able to engage in – and better follow – a cadence of events highlighted by significant championships every month and culminating with the FedExCup Playoffs in August.

Highlights from the new 46-tournament schedule:

Surrey, BC's Susan Xiao Was The 2017 Canadian Junior Girls Champion - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

With over 60 years of history and top calibre talent the Canadian Junior Girls Championship is coming to Beach Grove Golf Club in Tsawwassen, British Columbia from July 30th - August 3rd!

Come volunteer and watch some of the best junior players compete for the junior girls national title. The winner will earn an exemption into the 2019 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship!

For more information on the Canadian Junior Girls Championship, please click here.

The success of this national championship relies on dedicated volunteers looking to get involved in their community by supporting Canadian junior golf!

Brooke Henderson's Sister and Caddie, Brittany Henderson (R) Exchanges A Fist-Bump With CP President & CE) Keith Creel At The 2017 CP Women's Open - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

Courtesy Golf Canada

Canadian Pacific (CP), Golf Canada and the LPGA Tour officially announced today that CP has extended its title sponsorship of the CP Women’s Open for five years, beginning in 2019 through 2023. Terms of the partnership were not disclosed.

Since becoming title sponsor of the CP Women’s Open in November of 2013, CP has worked closely with Golf Canada to enhance Canada’s National Women’s Open Championship including the overall experience for players and fans. CP has also established a meaningful charitable legacy through CP Has Heart, which has raised nearly $6.5M for heart health initiatives in the event’s host communities.

For the first time in the history of the Canada Games, the MNP Canada Games Torch Relay travels from coast-to-coast across the nation and we need your help to spread the word!

The MNP Canada Games Torch Relay is a significant element of the Canada Games and has united communities across the nation for the past 51 years. It will officially start in Ottawa from the Centennial Flame on Parliament Hill in fall 2018 and will visit over 40 communities across Canada before arriving in Red Deer for the Opening Ceremony of the 2019 Games.

To nominate a torchbearer for the MNP Canada Games Torch Relay, click here.

Image Courtesy Golf & Health

At Health and Social Care Questions in the House of Commons, All-Party Parliamentary Golf Group Co-Chair, Craig Tracey MP, raised the benefits that golf delivers to participants, following research from the Golf and Health Project, supported by The R&A.

“As the Minister may be aware, I currently Co-Chair the All-Party Group on Golf, a sport sometimes unfairly labelled as a good walk spoiled.

“Would the Minister agree with me that there are many positive health benefits associated with participation in golf, especially for those people with long term conditions?”

The Minister responded “I certainly will, as somebody who used to work in the golf industry before coming to this place.

Golf Canada is offering 17 scholarships this year to assist aspiring young Canadian golfers. See the information below for details and either click on the Apply Now button in the poster or HERE to be taken to the scholarship page.

The 2018 Pheasant Glen Openis being held at the Pheasant Glen Golf Resort in Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island July 21st & 22nd and is offering its Male Amateur Champion a spot in this year's Canadian Men's Amateur, which is being co-hosted at Pheasant Glen along with Duncan Meadows GC from August 6th-9th.

The Pheasant Glen Open is offering divisions of competiton for both men, women and juniors alike.

The Divisions include: 

Mens: Male Amateur, Junior Boys, & Male Professionals

Ladies: Female Amateur, Junior Girls, & Female Professionals

Registration Fee - $165 - Includes Meal Both Days

Registration Deadline - July 14th

For complete details and how to enter please either click on or refer to the poster below. 

Margaret Todd Is Shown Here With Two Other BC Golf Legends, Doug Roxburgh And Alison Murdoch At Murdoch's 2013 Hall Of Fame Induction In Victoria - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

On the occasion of one of British Columbia's and indeed Canada's all-time great Amateur Golfers reaching a milestone birthday, British Columbia Golf, its staff and membership would all like to join in celebrating and congratulating Margaret Todd who turned the magical age of 100 on May 31st.

The Shot Clock Masters 2018 Cover Photo - Image Courtesy European Tour

In this week's edition of the Globalgolfpost.com, contributing writer Lewine Mair's column The Take, offers an eye-opening perspective on some of the European Tour's efforts at addressing slow play, a topic that has become a very hot issue in recent years. 

A major proponent of 'actions speak louder than words' Canada's Keith Pelley, the European Tour's Chief Executive, has put into action some new ideas to test the waters as far as effecting change in the way the game of golf has appeared to slow to a snail's pace. Case in point is the recently played Shot Clock Masters at the Diamond Country Club in Austria. 

Mair goes in depth in her story on not only the event itself but the overall reaction and possible ramifications of golf tournaments where players are timed in 50 seconds or less for each shot, depending on certain circumstances, with the threat of an immediate penalty hanging over them should they fail to pull the trigger in time. 

Read the complete story HERE.

Click HERE to see a video of Keith Pelley discussing the effects of this type of event. 

Duncan Meadows Golf Course Is Co-Hosting The 2018 Canadian Men's Amateur 

In advance of the Canadian Men's Amateur Championship being held this August 6th - 9th at Duncan Meadows Golf Club in Duncan and Pheasant Glen Golf Club in Qualicum Beach, Duncan Meadows is holding an Exemption Qualifier at their course on Saturday, June 23rd at 10 a.m.

This is in addition to the Golf Canada Qualifier taking place on Friday, August 3rd at Duncan Meadows. Information on that event can be found HERE.

For information on the June 23rd Exemption Qualifier at Duncan Meadows please refer to the poster below. 

The Fairmont Chateau Whistler And Arbutus Ridge In Victoria Are Among 30 Golf Courses Across Canada That Have Committed To Growing Milkweed As Part Of The Monarchs In The Rough Program Devoted To Increasing The Population Of Monarch Butterflies - Image Courtesy Pixabay

By SUSAN LAZARUK - Vancouver Sun

Numbers of the majestic monarch butterfly have been in a free fall and a plan hatched with the help of golf courses across North America, including two in B.C., is hoping to bring them flying back. The number of the summer visitors to flower gardens and wildflower fields has plummeted 90 per cent over the past 20 years, according to Audubon International.

“And it’s worse in the western population, where you are, where there’s been a 95 per cent drop in numbers,” said Marcus Gray of Audubon International.

The Fairmont Chateau Whistler and Victoria’s Arbutus Ridge golf courses are among the 30 courses across Canada and the 250 so far across the U.S. that have committed to growing the flowers on a half hectare of land on their courses.

CLICK HERE to read complete story in Vancouver Sun.

For only the second time, the World Deaf Golf Championships will be played in Ireland after the IDGU won the bidding process to host the championships in July 2014 at the Grand Traverse Resort, Michigan, USA.

The Championships will be held July 21st-28th,  2018at the Carton House Golf Club. The Men’s Individual/Team Championships will be playing on the Montgomerie Course while the Ladies’ & Senior’s Individual/Team Championships will be playing on the O’Meara Golf Course.

Team Canada will compete in the Men’s event, Senior Men’s event and Ladies’ event.

Golf Canada National Team Members Have Found A Good Home At Victoria's Bear Mountain Golf Resort - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

LANGFORD -- Golf Canada has gone all-in on player development and for that chief sport officer Jeff Thompson makes no apologies. Golf Canada, with the help of some key corporate sponsors, spends big bucks funding national amateur, developmental and young pro squads and Thompson gave a spirited defence of that strategy at a recent media event at Bear Mountain, the site of Golf Canada’s new national training facility.

“I get often asked why do we spend so much money on so few players and my answer is quite simple,” Thompson said. “Our philosophy from the very top of the organization is we believe in the power of creating champions, creating heroes. That inspires a nation to play our sport.”

BC Team Coach Matt Cella Works With Emma Yang In Advance Of The Canadian Junior Girls Championship July 31-Aug. 3 At Beach Grove Golf Club In Tsawwassen - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Debbie Pyne is determined to do everything she can to give British Columbia’s top players an edge when they play in this summer’s Canadian Junior Girls Championship. That event is not being held until July 31-Aug. 3 at Beach Grove Golf Club in Tsawwassen, but Pyne and her team of coaches from British Columbia Golf have been preparing for the championship for months.

Pyne, the managing director of player development with British Columbia Golf, has arranged for a select group of B.C’s top juniors to attend a series of camps designed to help them become intimately familiar with Beach Grove.

Golf Canada President Leslie Dunning With Distinguished Service Award Recipient Cam Cole - Image Credit Chuck Russell/Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer/British Columbia Golf (Special To Golf Canada)

Cam Cole seems to have this retirement thing down pat.

“I am playing way more than I ever have in my life,” he says over the phone between rounds at his new home course, The Harvest, in Kelowna. “I am probably playing three or four times a week. The game has not become less a part of my life after retirement. It has become even bigger. I am enjoying that.”

For many years, so many Canadians enjoyed Cole’s beautifully crafted columns from golf’s major championships. By his count, Cole covered 66 majors, along with seven Ryder Cups and six Presidents Cups, nine (RBC) Canadian Opens and several (CP) Canadian Women’s Opens before retiring in December 2016 after an exemplary 41-year career as one of this country’s top sportswriters.