Adam Helmer/ Golf Canada

As golf’s governing body in Canada, Golf Canada, in conjunction with the R&A and the United States Golf Association (USGA), today announced a new Local Rule which will come into effect January 1, 2017.

Along with the R&A and USGA, Golf Canada holds a unique position as the only other governing body that sits on the Joint Rules Committee.

Golf Canada will be implementing this Local Rule as part of their Standard Local Rules which will be formally ratified at our annual general meeting by the Rules and Amateur Status Committee.

The 2016 Winner Of The Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship, Colin Montgomerie, Advocated For Having The Event Return To Victoria Locale And He'll Get His Wish - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

Courtesy Golf Canada

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The Champions Tour announced today its 2017 tournament schedule, featuring 26 official tournaments and two “Challenge Season” events.

The 23-event regular season will again highlight the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs, which will be used to determine the season-long Charles Schwab Cup champion. The Tour will contest events in four countries and 18 states, with total prize money of $55.7 million (U.S).

Canada will once again have two Champions Tour stops. The Shaw Charity Classic will be played September 1-3 at Canyon Meadows G & Country Club in Calgary.

The Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship will be contested at Bear Mountain Resort in Victoria, B.C. from September 15 – 17.

Mackenzie Hughes (Claus Andersen/ Mackenzie PGA Tour Canada)

MEN’S TOP-10

One week after claiming the No. 1 ranking in Canada, Mackenzie Hughes remained in the top perch. The Golf Canada Young Pro squad member was the only one in the Top-10 to maintain his world standing as every other golfer lost ground in the rankings.

Syngenta Golf Ambassador Carin Koch & Syngenta Global Head of Lawn & Garden Jeff Cox Launched The New Report At The HSBC Golf Business Forum. (Photo/Syngenta)

CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom — Women account for just 24% of golfers worldwide, yet the number of prospective female players could add $35 billion to the global golf economy.

These are the findings of a groundbreaking global study into female golf participation commissioned by Syngenta and conducted by an independent international market research company.

The new report, ‘The Global Economic Value of Increased Female Participation in Golf,’ surveyed 14,000 people in eight markets in North America, Europe and Asia.

Scott Simmons, CEO Of Golf Canada, And Jeff Calderwood, CEO Of The National Golf Course Owners Association Canada, Advocate For Tax Fairness For The Golf Industry At Parliament Hill In Ottawa - Image Courtesy YouTube

OTTAWA – The National Allied Golf Associations (NAGA) paid a visit to Parliament Hill recently conducting their National Golf Day and meeting with Parliamentarians to discuss the business of golf in Canada.

“Golf is one of Canada’s most beloved sports with more people playing the game than any other sport,” said Scott Simmons, NAGA Chair and Golf Canada CEO. “There are an estimated 5.7 million Canadian golfers and there are 2,400 golf courses and practice ranges in Canada and the industry contributes more than $14 billion to the GDP per year.”

While golf continues to be a favourite pastime for Canadians, it’s important to note that the small businesses involved in the golf industry have felt the impact of the weak economy over the past several years.

Both participation rates and employment have significantly decreased. The outdated federal tax legislation ‎that places all golf businesses at an unfair competitive disadvantage can no longer be sustained.

BC's Amateur Golfers Hold The Top Spot In The Country's Rankings In Three Of Four Categories And Are Second In The Other. Clockwise Top L-R: Jared du Toit, Naomi Ko, A.J. Ewart And Mary Parsons

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Golf, at the competitive level, is all about the leaderboard. After all, that is ultimately how players are judged.

Right now, British Columbia amateur golfers are enjoying the view from the top. As we head down the 18th fairway and prepare to put a wrap on another year, it is not a stretch to say that 2016 has been a very good one for British Columbia Golf. No wonder Debbie Pyne is smiling.

Scott Simmons Will Be Stepping Down From His Position Of 10 Years Come February 2017 - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

By Scott Simmons, CEO Golf Canada

As the 2016 golf season comes to a close, I would like to thank you for supporting the game of golf through your membership with Golf Canada and your provincial golf association.

Cabot Links Golf Course In Nova Scotia - Image Courtesy Cabotlinks.com

Devon Evershed/ Golf Canada

OAKVILE, Ont. - Golf Canada’s Great Canadian East-West Contest came to an end October 31, 2016 with more than 7 million member-posted scores from 2016 counting towards entry for a “golf trip of a life-time.”

A random winner was drawn by Golf Canada’s membership team at Golf House on November 15th, with Bob Thompson from Sundre, Alta., being the lucky contestant.

Courtesy Golf Canada

OTTAWA – Today, the National Allied Golf Associations (NAGA) are on Parliament Hill conducting their National Golf Day and meeting with Parliamentarians to discuss the business of golf in Canada.

“Golf is one of Canada’s most beloved sports with more people playing the game than any other sport,” said Scott Simmons, NAGA Chair and Golf Canada CEO.

“There are an estimated 5.7 million Canadian golfers and there are 2,400 golf courses and practice ranges in Canada and the industry contributes more than $14 billion to the GDP per year.”

While golf continues to be a favourite pastime for Canadians, it’s important to note that the small businesses involved in the golf industry have felt the impact of the weak economy over the past several years.

Four BC Golfers Were Honoured Among 178 Amateurs Chosen Worldwide For Global Golf Post's Annual All-Amateur Teams: From L-R: Kimberley's Jared du Doit; Victoria's Kevin Carrigan; Port Alberni's Christina Proteau and Nanoose Bay's Shelly Stouffer - All Images Courtesy BC Golf

Terry Lenyk/ Golf Canada

Winter Park, Fla. - Global Golf Post today announced its men’s and women’s amateurs of the year for 2016, as well as its fourth annual All-Amateur teams for men and women.

Three-time British Seniors Amateur champion Chip Lutz was selected as the male Amateur of the Year, while UCLA senior Bronte Law was named the female Amateur of the Year. Lutz is an American, while Law is from England.

“Each fall, The Post labors to find the two players who epitomize the best of the amateur game: a man and woman whose legacy is an inspiration for others,” The Post’s Steve Eubanks wrote for the magazine’s Nov. 28 edition.

Megan Osland Is One Of Two BC Players From Kelowna, Along With Samantha Richdale, Who Will Tee It Up In The Final Stage Of LPGA Tour Q-School This Week - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

Golf Canada with files from the LPGA Tour

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. – The LPGA Tour will host the Final Stage of its Qualifying Tournament this week (November 30 – December 4), where nine Canadians will be among the 157 player-field competing for 20 full LPGA Tour cards and 25 partial cards.

The ladies will alternate over the first four rounds between the Jones and Hills courses at LPGA International. There will be a cut to the top 70 and ties after the fourth round. The final-round will be contested on the Hills course. Play will begin at 8 a.m. all five days.

Justin Shin From Maple Ridge Is The Latest Canadian To Play His Way Into The Final Round Of Web.com Tour Q-School - Image Credit (Golf Canada/Graig Abel)

Courtesy Golf Canada

Maple Ridge, B.C., product Justin Shin finished 9th on the PGA Tour China’s Order of Merit to become the latest Canadian to earn a spot in Web.com Tour’s third and final stage of qualifying in December.

The former Team Canada Amateur Squad member finished with a share of ninth this past weekend at PGA Tour China’s Buick Open, bringing his season earnings total to $362,118 through 13 events.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump Is No Stranger To The World Of Golf. But Can His Association With The Grand Game Be An Actual Benefit To The Rest Of The World? - Image source

by John Gordon/Golf Canada

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the first and, hopefully, annual World Leaders Golf Tournament Presented by Those Who Hope to Live to See Tomorrow.

The first tee is a sight to behold.

The contents of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s bag are reminiscent of that of Rodney Dangerfield’s in the movie Caddyshack, although his caddie certainly is of a different ethnic background than Dangerfield’s was in the movie.

Despite Trump’s best efforts, hundreds of spectators have managed to manoeuvre around the wall he had constructed around the golf course. Among them was Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto who just managed to make his tee time.

Craig Hocknull Is The 2016 PGA Club Pro Of Canada Champion - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

Chris Fry/ PGA of Canada

Craig Hocknull pulled away from the pack Thursday at Port Royal Golf Club in Bermuda, winning the PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada presented by Titleist & FootJoy.

Hocknull’s three-day total of 4-under, 209 (74-69-66) was five shots better than Brian Hadley, who held a slim one-stroke lead heading into Thursday’s finale. The PGA of Canada’s No. 1-ranked player Dave Levesque finished alone in third at 3-over for the championship with Victoria Golf Club's Lindsay Bernakevitch and Gordon Burns of Ontario rounding out the top five, finishing T4. 

Langley's Adam Cornelson Is One Of No Less Than 8 Canadians Who Will Tee It Up In The Final Stage Of Web.com Q-School Next Week - Image Courtesy PGA Tour Canada

A field of 150-plus aspiring Web.com Tour players is set to compete at Final Stage of the Web.com Tour Qualifying Tournament next month in Winter Garden, Florida, in hopes of securing strong Web.com Tour status for the 2017 season.

After spending the past three years at PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, the all-important Final Stage will relocate to the Orlando suburbs for this year's 72-hole event, with participants playing 36 holes each at Orange County National Golf Club's Crooked Cat and Panther Lake courses.

Kimberley, BC's Jared du Toit Remains In The Top 30 In The World Amateur Rankings And Is Still No. 1 In Canada - BC Golf Photo

Mackenzie Hughes was the story this week making a big jump up the world rankings thanks to his first win on the PGA TOUR.

BC players continue to occupy top spots in the country's rankings as well, led by Kimberley's Jared du Doit and Victoria's Naomi Ko.

After 10 Years At The Helm Of Golf Canada, CEO Scott Simmons Is Stepping Down - Image Courtesy Golf Canada Archives

Dan Pino/ Golf Canada

(Oakville, Ont.) – Golf Canada announced today that after 10 years at the helm, CEO Scott Simmons has made the decision to depart the organization in early February 2017.

Originally hired to lead Canada’s National Sport Federation for golf in the summer of 2007, Simmons will continue to lead the organization during the transition period and assist Golf Canada’s Board of Directors in the search for a successor as CEO.

Canada's Brooke Henderson Finished Up A Solid LPGA Season As The 3rd Leading Money-Winner Including 2 Victories And 15 Top-10 Results - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam photos)

courtesy Golf Canada

The the 2016 LPGA season wrapped up on the weekend and Canada’s Brooke Henderson ended the year with two wins, 15 top-10 finishes & $1,724,409 earned, which left her 3rd on the LPGA official money list.

Henderson discussed her 2016 in this interview with the LPGA’s Matt Haas.

Team Canada Young Pro Squad Member Mackenzie Hughes Is In Disbelief After The Last Man Fell In A Five Man Playoff Leaving Him With His First PGA TOUR Win - Image Courtesy YouTube

Courtesy Golf Canada

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. – Mackenzie Hughes holed an 18-foot par putt from off the green Monday morning to win the RSM Classic and become the first rookie in 20 years to go wire-to-wire for his first PGA TOUR victory.

The Team Canada Young Pro Squad member calmed his nerves and came up clutch in chilly conditions at Sea Island. He was the only player of the four remaining in the playoff who was never on the green at the par-3 17th hole until his ball was in the cup.

“I made the putt of my life right there,” Hughes said.

Dawn Coe-Jones Is Shown Here At The 2008 Canadian Women's Open At The Ottawa Hunt Club - Image Courtesy Ian Hutchinson

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Dawn Coe-Jones, a B.C. Junior Girls and Women’s Amateur champion who went on to win three times on the LPGA Tour, died early Saturday after a courageous battle with cancer. She was 56.