Another one of Saskatchewan’s top junior golfers has signed a commitment with a college golf squad in the United States.

Saskatoon resident Ben Staines will attend Mount Aloysius College in Cresson, Pennsylvania starting in the fall of 2025..

Staines has climbed the ranks of Saskatchewan junior men’s golf in the last couple years, the Riverside Country Club member was 58th in his first provincial championship in 2002, in 2023 Staines was 21st, last year he was 14th.

With one year of under-19 competition ahead and a future amateur career following university, Staines hopes some national opportunities arise as well.

He joined Golf Saskatchewan to speak about his start in golf, route to college, and future in the game.

As we get closer to spring, especially in the United States, college golf schedules are getting busier.

Last week Nipawin’s Cole Taylor was the lone player in action competing for Park University in Arizona. The Buccaneers started the season with a team win at the Sea Beggar hosted by Providence Baptist Invitational on Feb. 18 and 19. The team won the event by seven shots over the host school. Taylor tied for 14^th with rounds of 75 and 81 at the Angeles National Gold Club in Sunland, California.

The Bucs are in Lubbock, Texas on March 10 and 11 for the Wayland Baptist Invitational.

Yorkton’s Ella Kozak began her spring season with the Western Carlina Catamounts on Feb. 21 to 23 at the Reynolds Lake Oconee Invitational in Greensboro, Georgia. The 2024 Saskatchewan Junior champion shot 81, 85, and 75 to place 73^rd overall at the National Course.

The Catamounts were 13^th as team. Kozak and Western Carolina will be in Puerto Rico from March 4 – 6 for the Puerto Rica Classic at Palmas del Mar.

Will Danielson (pictured above) opened his last spring season with the Milsaps Majors in Houston, Texas at Gus Wortham Park Golf Course on Feb. 24 and 25. The Saskatoon product opened with a 1-over par, 72 in round one, he fired a 76 in round two and 79 in the final round to finish in a tie for 25^th. Milsaps placed seventh in the team competition.

Next up is a trip to Opelika, Alabama for the LTU Spring Break Invitational from March 12 to 14 at Grand National Golf Club.

Down in New Orleans, Louisianna on Feb. 24 and 25 Chase Pochylko and Nicholls University teed it up for the first time this spring. The Saskatoon-born player carded rounds of 74, 76, and 77, the Riverside Country Club member tied for 52^nd at English Turn in the ‘Big Easy.’

The Colonels tied for 11^th. Their next event is the HCU Colin Montgomerie Invitational starting March 3 at Sweetwater Country Club in Sugar Land, Texas.

Several more Saskatchewan student-athletes will start their seasons in the first week of March, by the middle of the month all schools will have had an event.

The NextGen Prairie Championship is coming to The Legends Golf Club in Warman this year, the first Golf Canada event ever hosted by the course.

Almost 120 players from five provinces, and 36 players from Saskatchewan are on the pending registration list, Golf Canada started taking entries on Feb. 19. The 54-hole championship runs from June 13 – 15. Legends General Manager and Davidson Matyczuk said the club is delighted to host the event.

“We are very excited to have been given the opportunity to host this Golf Canada event,” Matyczuk said. “We can’t wait to welcome everyone to Warman and the Legends Golf Club this June. It’s going to be a great event for both the juniors in our province as well as those traveling from other provinces to participate.”

The Legends is a par-72 championship caliber course that plays over 7,200 yards from the back tees. Matzczuk said the competitors are all talented players and will be tested by the course in various aspects.

“The players should expect to see a very strong field with the top juniors from Saskatchewan competing alongside some of the top junior golfers in Canada. The Legends has a history of identifying worthy champions as proven by the list of winners in previously held provincial championships. We expect the course will provide a fair but challenging test where their skills, course management, and mental toughness will all be required to be successful,” he added.

The NextGen Prairie Championship rotates between Saskatchewan and Manitoba each year. In 2023 Nipawin’s Evergreen Golf Course hosted the event over three days in June. Killarney, Man. product Cala Korman and Alberta resident Kye Fisher were the champions that year. Both players are now Division 1 collegiate players in the United States. Matyczuk, a longtime professional that has played around the world on several professional tours. He said events such as the NextGen Championship could be key in any junior golfer’s development.

“A win in any NextGen Championship has proven to be huge. It is often a turning point in a player’s development as well as opening new opportunities going forward. Events like this are a fantastic means for individuals to begin to validate their skills and building their own personal belief that they can compete amongst the best Canada. I’m hopeful that for many players (and specifically the Saskatchewan players) that this event might become a defining experience. For some it comes in the form of a win or earning an exemption into the Canadian championships, but even if it doesn’t, this event hopefully lights a spark and gives them the confidence to keep advancing towards their individual goals,” Matyczuk added.

The NextGen Prairie Championship will also be part of the Canada Summer Games qualifying process in Saskatchewan. Golf Saskatchewan will release the entire qualification process in March.

The college golf season is getting underway in the warmer states of the U.S.A.

Autumn Neiszner and the highly ranked Keiser University Seahawks team were in Jekyll Island, Ga. for the Coastal Georgia Winter Invitational on Feb. 10 and 11. The Regina product competed as an individual at the Jekyll Island Golf Course, she shot 82 and 80, good enough for a tie for 34th in the field of 76 players.

Neiszner’s team took the overall championship of the event. Next up for the Seahawks is the Babs Steffens Invitational hosted by Stetson University on Feb. 24 and 25 in DeBary, Flo.

Fellow Regina golfer Luke Cote and the Southern Arkansas University (SAU) Muleriders opened their spring season in Texas at the Golf Club of Houston on Feb. 10 and 11. The Royal Regina Golf Club member tied for 46th place after rounds of 73 and 78.

The Muleriders were 10th in the team competition. SAU travels to Edmond, Okla. on March 17 for the Oak Tree Invitational at Oak Tree Golf Club

Saskatoon product Carter Degelman got his spring season underway at Dominican University of California on Feb. 10 and 11. The Penguins placed 13th at the CSUSM Fujikura Invitational with Degelman at 68th. The Riverside Country Club player fired 80, 79, and 87 at Shadowridge Golf Club in Vista, Cal.

The Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout in Alameda, Cal. at Corica Park Golf Course on March 10 and 11 is next up for Dominican.

Dick DeRyk, who was president of Golf Saskatchewan following the amalgamation of the amateur women’s and men’s organizations in the province has been honoured by the City of Yorkton.

DeRyk served as the president of Golf Saskatchewan from 2000 to 2002. He has also been a key member of many golf events hosted by Deer Park Municipal Golf Course serving as either the chair or co-chair of many provincial and national events hosted by the club between 1986 and 2017.

The city of Yorkton celebrated their sixth edition of the annual Civic Recognition Awards prior to a council meeting on Jan. 27.

More details from Yorkton This Week can be found here -> Dick DeRyk chosen as Yorkton’s Civic Recognition Award winner – SaskToday.ca.

Championship schedule to include 12 National Amateur Championships presented by BDO, six NextGen Championships, the World Junior Girls Golf Championship and two Canadian Collegiate Invitationals in addition to Canada’s National Open Championships –
the RBC Canadian Open and CPKC Women’s Open

Golf Canada will also conduct qualifiers for several USGA Championships including Local and Final Qualifying for the U.S. Open as well as the U.S. Women’s Open, U.S. Men’s and Women’s Amateurs and U.S. Junior Girls and Boys Championships

February 6, 2025 – Golf Canada is pleased to announce its full 2025 championship schedule, which includes amateur and professional competitions in addition to various qualifiers hosted at golf facilities across Canada.

The 2025 schedule is headlined by Golf Canada’s two National Open Championships — the RBC Canadian Open, taking place at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley (North Course) in Caledon, Ont. June 4-8 and the CPKC Women’s Open, being held at the historic
Mississaugua Golf and Country Club in Mississauga, Ont., August 20-24.

Golf Canada’s 2025 competition calendar also includes 12 National Amateur Championships presented by BDO, six NextGen Championships, two Canadian Collegiate Invitationals and the World Junior Girls Golf Championship.

As the National Sport Federation and governing body of golf in Canada, Golf Canada conducts the country’s premier amateur and professional golf championships to support the development of the nation’s top talent through world-class competition.

“We are pleased to announce the full championship schedule for 2025 and look forward to hosting the top amateur athletes from across the country and around the world competing for our prestigious national championships,” said Mary Beth McKenna, Golf Canada Director, Amateur Championships and Rules. “On behalf of Golf Canada, I would like to thank our corporate partners, our host clubs across the country, our tournament staff and volunteers coast-to-coast who are essential in making these tournaments possible.”

The Canadian Junior Financial Assistance Program supported by Gary Cowan Heritage Fund and the Canadian Senior Golf Association will once again be available for juniors competing in the NextGen Championships and all National Junior Championships (Juniors and U15) who meet eligibility requirements. More details on the program for the 2025 season will be released later this month.

Golf Canada will also conduct several professional and amateur championship qualifiers including five regional qualifiers into the RBC Canadian Open as well as final qualifiers for both the RBC Canadian Open and CPKC Women’s Open.

Other notable qualifiers conducted for USGA Championships on the 2025 schedule include a U.S. Open Local and Final Qualifier, a U.S. Women’s Open Qualifier in addition to qualifiers for the U.S. Junior Amateur and Girls’ Junior Championships, U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship, and a local qualifier for the U.S. Men’s Amateur Final qualifier.

Golf Canada’s championship season kicks off May 1-4 with the NextGen Pacific Championship at Ledgeview Golf Club in Abbotsford, B.C., the home course of 2023 RBC Canadian Open champion, Nick Taylor. The season concludes with the inaugural playing of the women’s Canadian Collegiate Invitational at Beacon Hall Golf Club in Aurora, Ont., September 22-23.

To view Golf Canada’s 2025 Championship Schedule, including all host venues, registration requirements and volunteer opportunities visit, golfcanada.ca/competitions-calendar/.

2025 Amateur Championship Season at a Glance:

The second annual BDO National Golf League Finals will be held at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Caledon, Ont. on May 31 ahead of tournament week of the RBC Canadian Open. Fifty-two teams will compete in a four-ball net stableford format to crown the BDO National Golf League champions.

The Canadian University/College Championship, presented by BDO, will be held June 2-6 at Rivershore Golf Links in Kamloops, B.C. The championship includes both a team and individual component featuring Canada’s top university and college talent. The winning men’s and women’s team will qualify for their respective 2025 Canadian Collegiate Invitationals.

The 111th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, takes place July 21-25 at Riverside Country Club in Rothesay, N.B. The champion will earn an exemption into the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open, the 2025 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship and the 2026 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship.

The 120th Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, will be contested July 28-31 in Gatineau, Que. at The Royal Ottawa Golf Club and the Rivermead Golf Club. The champion will receive an exemption into the 2026 RBC Canadian Open, as well as an invitation to the 2025 U.S. Men’s Amateur Championship. The winner will also receive an exemption into final qualifying for the 2026 U.S. Open and into the 2026 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.

The Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO, will be played at The Dunes at Kamloops in Kamloops, B.C., August 4-7. The national championship for players with neurological, intellectual, sensory, and physical impairments, will be contested over 54-holes. Natasha Stasiuk of Oakville, Ont. is the four-time defending champion on the women’s side, while Chris Willis of Aurora, Ont. has won the men’s title the past two years.

The Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, will be held August 5-8 at Club de golf Lachute in Lachute, Que. The field is open to female amateurs aged 25-and-over. The winner will receive exemptions into the 2025 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur, 2026 Canadian Women’s Amateur and the 2026 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championships.

The Canadian Junior Boys Championship, presented by BDO, will be contested August 11-15 at Gowan Brae Golf & Country Club in Bathurst, N.B. The champion will receive an exemption into the 2025 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship and 2026 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.

The Canadian Junior Girls Championship, presented by BDO, will run August 12-16 at Club de golf Sainte-Marie in Sainte-Marie, Que. The winner will earn an exemption into the 2026 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, the 2026 U.S. Girls’ Junior Amateur Championship and the 2026 Canadian Junior Girls Championship (if eligible).

The Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, will be held August 18-22 at Seymour Golf & Country Club in North Vancouver, B.C. The field is open to male amateurs aged 25-and-over. The winner will receive exemptions into the 2025 U.S. Men’s Mid-Amateur, 2026 Canadian Men’s Amateur and the 2026 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championships.

The Canadian Women’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO, will take place August 25-28 at Nanaimo Golf Club in Nanaimo, B.C. The winner will receive an exemption into the 2025 U.S. Women’s Senior Amateur Championship as well as the 2026 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur, 2026 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship and the 2026 U.S. Women’s Senior Open. 

The second playing of the Canadian U15 Championship will be contested August 26-29 at Pitt Meadows Golf Club in Pitt Meadows, B.C. The boys and girls’ individual champions will earn exemptions into their respective 2026 Canadian Junior Championship, presented by BDO and an invitation into the 2025 NextGen Selection Camp.

The Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO, will be played at KenWo Golf Club in New Minas, N.S., September 8-12. The winner will earn exemptions into the 2025 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship, the 2026 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, 2026 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship and the 2026 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship.

The men’s Canadian Collegiate Invitational will return to Öviinbyrd Golf Club in MacTier, Ont. from September 13-16. The tournament will be once again co-hosted by Kent State University and Penn State University. The intercollegiate tournament will feature eleven NCAA Division I teams along with the winners from the 2025 Canadian University/College Championship. The individual champion will receive an exemption into the 2026 RBC Canadian Open and the top five will earn exemptions into the 2026 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship. The boys NextGen Selection Camp will run concurrently with the invitational.

The tenth playing of the World Junior Girls Golf Championship will take place at St. Catharines Golf & Country Club in St. Catharines, Ont., from September 15-20. Teams compete as three-member squads while also competing for an individual title. The Republic of Korea are the defending champions after beating Team Canada 1 through a tiebreaker. World no. 10 on WAGR, Soomin Oh, from the Republic of Korea won individual honours and will compete at the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open at Mississaugua Golf & Country Club this August. The 2025 individual champion will earn an exemption into the 2026 CPKC Women’s Open.

The 2025 Amateur Championship season concludes with the inaugural playing of the women’s Canadian Collegiate Invitational, being held at Beacon Hall Golf Club in Aurora, Ont., September 21-23. The tournament will be co-hosted by Kent State University and the University of Michigan. The intercollegiate tournament will feature 11 NCAA Division I teams along with the team champions from the 2025 Canadian University/College Championship. The individual winner will earn an exemption into the 2026 CPKC Women’s Open and the top five will earn exemptions into the 2026 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship. The girls NextGen Selection Camp will run concurrently with the Invitational.

2025 NextGen Championships

The NextGen Championships are a high-performance junior golf series. From May to July, six championships will take place across Canada where the region’s best junior golfers will compete to earn exemptions into their respective 2025 national junior championships. NextGen Championships provide junior players an opportunity to develop and showcase their skills at the highest level of tournament golf.

The 2025 NextGen Championship host clubs include: Ledgeview Golf Club (Abbotsford, B.C.), Black Bear Ridge (Belleville, Ont.), Trestle Creek Golf Resort (Entwistle, Alta.), The Legends Golf Club (Warman, Sask.), Rideau View Golf Club (Manotick, Ont.) and Oakfield Golf & Country Club (Enfield, N.S.).

2025 Registration Information

Registration for Golf Canada’s 2025 competitions will open on the following dates:

• NextGen Championships: Wednesday, February 19 at 12:00pm EST
• RBC Canadian Open Qualifying: Wednesday, February 26 at 12:00pm EST
• National Amateur Championships: Wednesday, March 5 at 12:00pm EST

The work of the “Fore” Women Hillcrest Ladies Committee in Moose Jaw was recognized by the city on Tuesday,

During the intermission of the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Moose Jaw Warriors game the group was honoured for the work they do providing scholarships to female athletes chasing post secondary options.

Hillcrest Golf Club General Manager Jasmine Cameron is very proud of the group and appreciates the recognition the group received.

“This group of fabulous ladies contribute countless hours of their time volunteering, organizing, supporting, and carrying out an annual golf fundraising event that has put over $50,000 worth of scholarships back into our community for young women continuing on with their post secondary studies while taking part in high level sport. I am one proud general manger to have the opportunity to work with such amazing members.”

PGA of Canada Professional Ryan Wells is returning to Cooke Municipal Golf Course.

He spent eight years at Cooke from 2012 to 2020 before taking the head professional role at Dunes Golf and Winter Club in Grande Prairie, Alta. in May of that year. After one season in northern Alberta, Wells returned to Saskatchewan taking over the head professional job at Elk Ridge Golf Resort. Cooke Municipal made the announcement on their Facebook and Instagram pages of Wells’ return Tuesday afternoon.

He said coming back to Prince Albert is exciting.

““Returning to Cooke Municipal feels like coming full circle, Wells said. Back to the course I know and love, and a place that has played a huge role in my growth and success in this industry. After gaining valuable experience, I’m excited to bring back what I’ve learned to Cooke Municipal and having my family, friends, and familiar faces right along makes this a very rewarding transition. I’m looking forward to the 2025 season.”

Avonlea golfer Hudson Heistad has committed to play collegiate golf in southern California.

The Long Creek Golf Club junior will attend Providence Christian College in Pasadena next fall and study Business.

Heistad spoke with Golf Saskatchewan about his start at the local 18-hole gem, the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour and his process of choosing a post-secondary golf opportunity.

Mike Masaro – Golf Canada

Last year, Canadian golf fans were treated to a truly momentous year in Canadian golf.

Highlighted by Nick Taylor cementing his place in Canadian sports history with his unforgettable 72-foot winning putt to become the first Canadian to win the RBC Canadian Open in 69 years. The silhouette of Taylor’s iconic putter toss now finds it’s permanent place as the tournament’s official logo.

While there is much to celebrate from this year’s on-course performances, milestones off the course deserve as much attention.

Year end is often time for pause and reflection on moments and experiences that helped to shape our past season. 2024 is no different, with much to reflect upon and celebrate that was simply, good for the game.

Golf, It’s Good For You – Ahead of World Health Day, Golf Canada launched a season-long campaign that highlights the many health benefits that the sport can provide. The campaign – Golf, It’s Good for You – focused on golf’s positive physical, mental and social benefits to significantly improve one’s quality of life.

All of the World Health Organization’s key criteria for health enhancing physical activity can be achieved through golf. It is an activity that incorporates strength, balance, endurance and cognitive challenges, and has also been shown to improve cardiovascular fitness, enhance mental agility and foster social connections. In recent studies, it’s even been found to combat over 40+ chronic diseases.

Along with the launch of the campaign a golf and health website along with enhancements to Golf Canada’s Mobile App were introduced. For more information on the many health benefits the game can provide, please click here.

Expansion of She Plays Golf Festivals and introduction of new Championship Series – She Plays Golf was first piloted in Calgary in 2023 and expanded to the Greater Vancouver Area and Greater Toronto Area in 2024 providing more programming and opportunities for women to try golf. She Plays Golf festivals feature inclusive programming for women and girls, addressing gaps in the participation pathway and introducing new women and girls to the game in a safe, fun and judgement-free environment.

Three week-long festivals featured 23 events at 18 golf facilities with over 800 women and girls engaged in She Plays Golf programming. Over 580 festival participants who were new to golf experienced activities led by close to 90 women coaches and volunteers.

In addition to the festivals, a new championship series was introduced featuring three enhanced 54-hole tournaments. The Peloton Glencoe Invitational, GOLFBC Group BC Women’s Open and the ORORO PGA Women’s Championship of Canada were part of the She Plays Golf Championship Series in 2024. In addition to prize money, the top two finishers at each event earned direct exemptions into the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open. Team Canada members Lauren Kim and Anna Huang (Peloton Glencoe Invitational), Ellie Szeryk and Brooke Rivers (GolfBC Group BC Women’s Open) and Michelle Xing and Katie Cranston (ORORO PGA Women’s Championship) earned exemptions.

Plans for She Plays Golf in 2025 will be announced in the new year, for more information, please click here.

First Tee – Canada fully operational coast-to-coast – 2024 officially marked First Tee – Canada programming being available in every province across the country. In addition to this significant advancement, First Tee – Canada achieved another milestone by surpassing 100,000 participants since its inception in 2021. This year alone, First Tee – Canada provided programming to over 84,500 participants at 386 facilities (golf facilities, schools and community centres) led by 239 coaches across Canada. Seventy per cent of programming was offered at no cost to participants and 74 per cent of partnered schools and community centres serve equity-deserving communities with 45 per cent of participants identifying as BIPOC and 41 per cent identifying as female.

The continued growth of First Tee – Canada reflects the sustained impact of corporate and champion donors driving the philanthropic excellence of the Golf Canada Foundation which experienced another banner year with more than $11.2 million in funds raised in support of the game of which $5.487 million was for First Tee – Canada.

Youth On Course will be fully national in 2025 – In 2024, over 32,900 rounds of golf at $5 or less were played with 5,382 unique participants marking significant increases for both. Youth On Course programming was available across nine provinces and 105 golf courses participated in the program that saw expansion to Manitoba and Saskatchewan. 2025 will see planned expansion into Quebec, making the program fully national.

Inaugural BDO National Golf League champions crowned – The BDO National Golf League was launched ahead of the 2023 season as a nationwide, season-long competition to enhance weekly recreational league experiences for men, women and junior golfers. The inaugural season saw 10,000 participants from 107 leagues from coast-to-coast. Scoring followed a 9-hole net stableford format that took place during a six-week period of a club’s league season. Within those six weeks, the best four scores were used to determine the individuals that would advance to the provincial championships for a chance to be one of 52 pairings that would compete for the league championship at Hamilton Golf and Country Club the weekend before the RBC Canadian Open.

Storyline twists occurred during the championship round thanks to inclement weather that halted play on two occasions, resulting in a re-formatting of play. To complete the championship, pairings played their respective nine holes, with the top teams from the back and front nine then meeting in a playoff for the championship.

Tim Charles and Peter Morse were crowned the inaugural champions of the BDO National Golf League following a playoff win over Reid Middleton and Brian Thorne. Morse drained a lengthy putt to claim the championship for the Nova Scotia duo.

Along with becoming the inaugural champions, Charles and Morse travelled to Royal Troon in Troon, Scotland to represent Canada in The R&A 9 Hole Challenge one-week prior to the 152nd Open Championship as part of winning the national championship. For more information on the league and how to get involved, click here.

Golf – the number one participation sport in Canada – This past year saw an increase in public playing members with a Golf Canada membership. This year also marks back-to-back years of 10 million+ scores being posted by Golf Canada members. Last year marked the first time that the 10 million milestone had been reached and Golf Canada members surpassed that number in 2024 with 10.6 million scores posted to the Golf Canada Score Centre! For more information on a Golf Canada membership, click here. For more information or to download Golf Canada’s Mobile App, click here.

Canadians competing with the world’s best – Canadians continued to find themselves on the world’s biggest stage as Nick Taylor, Corey Conners, Brooke Henderson and Alena Sharp wore the Maple Leaf at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Henderson and Sharp were competing in their third consecutive Olympic Games since golf was re-introduced at Rio 2016. In three games, Henderson has earned finishes of 7, T29 and T13. Conners earned the best men’s finish since golf returned with a T9 finish in Paris.

Canadian Golf Hall of Famer, Mike Weir was named Captain of the International Team for the 2024 Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal, Que. Joining Weir were Conners, Mackenzie Hughes and Taylor Pendrith who were Captain’s picks for the International Team. After a difficult opening day, the International Team responded by winning all five foursome matches on Friday to sit tied heading into the weekend. In the end, Team U.S.A. retained the title, winning 18.5 – 11.5 over Team International. Conners and Pendrith both earned two full points for their team during the biennial event. The 2026 Presidents Cup will take place at Medinah Country Club in Chicago, Ill.

Canadian golf fans set new records in Hamilton and Calgary – Canadian golf fans took in both National Open Championships in record numbers this past year. Over 209,000 fans combined attended the RBC Canadian Open and CPKC Women’s Open setting new attendance records for both tournaments.

The success of Canada’s National Open Championships was recognized by both the PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour in their season-ending tournament recognition awards. The RBC Canadian Open took home the PGA TOUR’s Best Marketing Initiative award for the logo and branding of the tournament changing to Nick Taylor’s iconic putter toss silhouette. Originally designed to be a one-year tribute, the change will now be permanent.

The CPKC Women’s Open was awarded the Gold Driver Award for Best Volunteer Appreciation. Volunteerism was a critical part of the success of the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open at Earl Grey Golf Club in Calgary, Alta. The tournament was conducted for the first time at Earl Grey and saw 1,300 dedicated volunteers, whose positions were filled ahead of schedule, help to deliver an exceptional experience in Calgary. To recognize the work of its volunteers, the tournament hosted a Volunteer Appreciation Day which included a complimentary breakfast, happy hour and gifts that were given to all volunteers to celebrate the 50th playing of Canada’s National Women’s Open.

Offering more tournaments and pathways for Canadian amateur golfers – This season saw the introduction of a new championship added to the amateur championship calendar with the debut of the Canadian U15 Championship. The tournament provided young players the opportunity to compete for a national championship while receiving information about the high-performance journey through an educational summit following play.

Golf Canada also introduced the inaugural Canadian Collegiate Invitational, bringing some of the best NCAA Division I Men’s teams north of the border. The event will expand to include a women’s competition in 2025.

In total, 12 national amateur championships, 16 qualifiers, six NextGen tournaments and two Team Canada NextGen selection camps provided Canadians with opportunities to compete coast-to-coast from the junior level all the way to the senior ranks. The season concluded with the World Junior Girls Golf Championship which showcased some of the brightest upcoming golfers from around the world.

Lisa Meldrum becomes the 86th inductee into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame – In keeping with the importance of celebrating Canadian golf excellence, Lisa Meldrum of Montreal, Que. was named the 86th member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in February.

Meldrum enjoyed an accomplished junior and amateur career, having won 12 championships between 1997 and 2003.

Her successful competitive run was highlighted by winning the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship three consecutive years in a row from 2001 to 2003. During that time SCOREGolf recognized her as the Best Female Amateur Golfer in Canada all three years. Prior to the Canadian Women’s Amateur three-peat, Meldrum won the 1998 Canadian Juvenile Girls Championship and the 2000 Canadian Junior Girls Championship, later earning SCOREGolf’s Best Female Junior Golfer recognition in 2000.

For more on Meldrum’s incredible career, please click here.

A new home for Canadian Golf – Phase one of construction on a new home for Canadian golf is well underway at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley. Originally announced in July 2022, the 26,000 sq. ft. facility will be the national headquarters of Golf Canada along with the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum. Elements of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame can already be found in the main clubhouse and locker rooms at TPC Toronto. Lockers and memorabilia highlighting Canadian golf legends and significant moments in both the RBC Canadian Open and CPKC Women’s Open history are now part of the fabric at TPC Toronto. The new facility will also be the national headquarters for First Tee – Canada and will include an 18-hole publicly accessible community putting green. To follow the progress and for more information on the new home for Canadian golf, please click here.

From the season’s opening drive to the final putt and the many volunteers, partners and stakeholders who support Canadian golf, there is much to celebrate and reflect upon that was simply, good for the game in 2024.