Prior to Premier Scott Moe’s announcement that golf courses would open in Saskatchewan May 15, the golf community was on pins and needles regarding the 2020 season. During the downtime of March and April, the three people behind the Drive the Green podcast got the golf masses talking, and voting.

Through Twitter and Instagram, the trio created a 32-course bracket based on north and south courses and pitted them up against each other for 24 hours with the public voting the winners through. Thousands of votes and hundreds of comments and barbs later, Waskesiu Golf Course in Prince Albert National Park came out on top outlasting Golf Kenosee after nearly 1,500 votes on the two social media platforms. Waskesiu General Manager Tyler Baker admitted he was following along and thanked the membership for the participation.

“We had a lot staff and members following, it was good,” Baker said. “We were getting a lot of updates, a lot of retweets, a lot phone calls actually to remind people to vote. It was really good to see our membership and clientele to get close knit and move us through the bracket. It was a fun event.”

Waskesiu was the second seeded course in the north bracket behind Saskatoon’s Riverside Country Club. Waskesiu defeated Deer Park Municipal Golf Course, Holiday Park, Cooke Municipal Golf Course, and the Evergreen Golf Course to reach the final against the south champion. Baker said Waskesiu has the natural landscape and a legendary design to make the course stand out.

“Being a Stanley Thompson design, carved through the trees, such a different setting than the rest in the province. Every hole is different. Thompson didn’t move any dirt, he just cut trees and go play the way you are meant to,” he said.

Waskesiu, along with its neighbour, Elk Ridge Golf and Resort are popular across the country and see visitors from coast to coast. Getting their names on lists of marquee tracks isn’t new, but Baker still appreciates the time the Drive the Green managers and voters took to provide some positive publicity.

“Everybody is pretty happy to see Waskesiu come through in the bracket,” Baker added. “It was a fun month to follow along and I look forward to maybe doing something with them next year. It was definitely some good promotion material.”

For Golf Kenosee in the south, you could call the Moose Mountain Provincial Park course a Cinderella story. The course was the 13^th seeded club of 16. The 2018 Saskatchewan Senior Men’s Championship host site rolled through Katepwa Beach Golf Club and its friendly foe White Bear Lake Golf Course in the opening two rounds. Kenosee then out drove number one ranked Deer Valley Golf and Resort before taking down the historical Royal Regina Golf Club to reach southern supremacy. General Manager Brent Lothian said the passionate membership of their course allowed them to reach the final vote.

“There is a real sense of community here. Everyone is willing to come out and help with jobs that need to be done around the course. They really feel it’s their course, they take great pride in it,” Lothian said.

Both finalists provided a foursome pass to their clubs to a lucky voter, the winner was Sean Stefan. Jeremy Blais won a $100 gift card from PLYR Golf and a Drive the Green t-shirt.

Overall the campaign received over 15,000 votes.

(A view from Golf Kenosee’s popular first hole.)

Golf courses will be allowed to open for play on May 15.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe made the announcement on Thursday during part of the province’s plan to “re-open” following shutdowns brought on by COVID-19.

On March 26, courses were named as “non-allowable” businesses and told to close. No courses were open to play but several across Saskatchewan closed their year-round restaurants or banquet services due to the spread of the virus. Moe said during the announcement the government is trying to find balance of health and safety.

“We have to find the middle ground that continues to keep our case numbers low and keep Saskatchewan people safe while at the same time allowing for businesses to reopen and Saskatchewan people to get back to work,” Moe said.

Every province across Canada had shut down golf except British Columbia. Courses could use their own discretion. The clubs were allowing play with conditions regarding social distancing and other measures, the same will be for Saskatchewan.

Courses will need to adhere to these mandates:

• Physical distancing
• One person to a cart (walking encouraged)
• Raised cups with flags in
• No walk-ons, all players must have tee times
• Tee times 20 minutes apart
• Rakes and ball washers removed
• Public washrooms will be closed
• Driving ranges and putting greens closed
• Locker rooms closed

The Government of Saskatchewan has their five phase plan laid out here and distributed a “Re-Open Plan.” More golf course guidelines can be found on page 35.

Courses will need to keep their restaurants closed for seating, curbside pickup will be allowed. Eating and licensed establishments such as clubhouses are included in phase 3 of the reopen plan but no date was given. Public gatherings are still restricted to under 10.

Golf Saskatchewan, as part of the allied golf associations, has been working with the government (Canadian Society of Club Managers – Saskatchewan Branch, National Golf Course Owners Association Canada – Prairie Chapter, Professional Golfers Association of Canada – Saskatchewan Zone, and Saskatchewan Turfgrass Association) with the hopes of reopening the sport of golf safely during the pandemic. Golf Saskatchewan executive director Brian Lee said he’s pleased the announcement, but safety is still top priority for the people of the province.

“We are pleased with the outcome of today’s announcements. The Government of Saskatchewan’s Business Response Team was great to work with during the lead up to the announcement today. The allied golf associations look forward to working with the Government of Saskatchewan in the days ahead to ensure the health and safety of all the stakeholders and participants as our sport reopens, under the COVID-19 procedures and guidelines,” Lee stated.

Golf Saskatchewan’s provincial championship schedule has not been modified as of today, but will review our procedures and rules for our events in the coming days and weeks. The start of the official season was April 15, scoring for the new World Handicap System will begin when courses open.

Parks and campgrounds will be open on June 1.

Chase Porter has been golfing in Saskatoon most of his life and met Travis Jenkins through junior events, the two are still close. More on that connection later.

While working at The Willows Golf Club in the Bridge City, Porter and a co-worker thought the golf world needed a more casual look, especially away from the course, from the idea PLYR Golf was developed in 2015. A small line of t-shirts, hoodies, and hats to tee the line off. Five years later Porter said the initial support in Saskatchewan has allowed PLYR to spread nationwide.

“Two years in I probably would have thought we’d be bigger than we are today, if that makes sense,” he explained to Golf Saskatchewan. “Now you see how much work goes in behind the scenes, it’s a lot of work. We’re in about 75 courses across Canada. We went 10 courses in year one, 25 in year two, 50 in year three, you just think you’re going to keep doubling every year, maybe it’s realistic but it didn’t work out that way for us. I’m really happy with where we are at right now, local support in Saskatchewan is awesome.”

The brand is seen across courses in the province worn by mainly amateur players. Local golfers that play in college in the United States showcase PLYR when they aren’t suited up in school colours for tournaments. Symetra Tour player Anna Young is arguably Porter’s most famous advertiser. Young sported a PLYR hat for a week at the CP Women’s Open in Regina in August of 2018, Porter said his goal is to get more professionals wearing their logo. Overall the future is bright for his growing market.

“I do have to keep busy and make money other ways, but this is more than fulltime right now. I definitely work more hours than I should, but it is my passion. I see it for the foreseeable future being my career. I have some exciting stuff coming up and I’m excited,” Porter said.

One of the newest lines is the ‘Aly Jenkins Collection.’

As mentioned, Porter played more golf with Travis who is the younger brother of Scott Jenkins. Aly was Scott’s wife who tragically passed away in October of 2019 while giving birth to the couple’s third child. Aly was an avid golfer and competitive curler on the Sherry Anderson team. Porter said he couldn’t be happier that Scott approached him to help raise some money for a cause close to their hearts and keep Aly’s legacy thriving.

“It was 100 percent Scott’s idea, I am very glad he approached me with this, I’m happy to support his family anyway I can,” he said. “It is a terrible tragedy that did shock the golf world and especially the curling world. I knew Scott way better than I knew Aly, but every time I saw Aly at the course she was wearing a PLYR hat. When Scott did approach me about coming out with some items and it was a no-brainer.”

Aly; “a great mother and friend”

Scott met Aly playing junior golf in Saskatchewan. He said she had a “personality that stayed with a person forever.”

That was evident following her tragic passing. Support poured in for Scott and their three children including a tribute at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Moose Jaw.

“The Scotties in Moose Jaw and Curling Canada put on an amazing tribute for Aly and our family and treated all of us amazing,” he said. “That week was full of every emotion possible a person could feel. Had lots of laughs mixed in with lots of tears. Everyone at the event were so sincere and shared so many kind words with our family.”

Jenkins was chipping around ideas of how to keep Aly’s memory alive three months after her passing. He said he looked back on a photo of Aly in the hospital while giving birth to their second child. She was wearing a PLYR had and “a lightbulb” went off. He began conversing with Porter about creating the clothing line and in about a week the first order was placed. The stock was gone in days.

All the proceeds from the sale of the line that for now includes women’s and men’s golf shirts, a hat, hoody, and t-shirt are being directed to The Sandra Schmirler Foundation. Jenkins said the cause is very close to their hearts.

“What the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) did to save Sydney’s life was truly remarkable, everyone in that hospital are miracle workers,” Jenkins said. “The machines in the NICU are incredible and seeing them work first hand blew me away. Sydney had no brain function and her lungs were not working and for her to leave Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in nine days perfectly healthy speaks to the kind of work everyone there does. I got the chance to meet Sandra’s kids and husband at the Scotties and they are truly remarkable people. I couldn’t think of a better foundation to support as they are saving lives daily with the machines there are buying for the hospitals.”

Both Jenkins and Porter have ideas to expand the line to casual curling wear as well. They hope to release that in the fall. You can order from the current line up to April 30. More items will be released in October.

Jenkins said he’s still overwhelmed by the support shown not only in Saskatchewan, but across the globe.

“I really want to thank everyone across the world for the kind messages and support to our family. I have been blown by the curling community, fans, and media for wrapping our family up and giving us so much love and helping in anyway possible. I am still receiving books and gift cards and letters for the kids in the mail from families I have never met. I wish there was a way I could thank each one of you individually,” he added.

Residence:
Porcupine Plain

Home club:
Greenhills Golf Resort (Rose Valley)

Handicap Factor/Index:
14

Right/Left:
Right

Rounds per year:
50 plus

Favourite player:
Brooke Henderson

Favourite golf quote:
“I’d sooner have a good hit with a poor ball as a bad hit with a good ball”

Years with Golf Saskatchewan:
Six

Area(s) of Service:
Course Rating

How did you get involved with Golf Saskatchewan?
I got into course rating through Byron Harvie when he rated Greenhills Golf Resort.”

What do you like about volunteering?
The camaraderie. I’ve met lots of nice people.”

What would you say to someone on the fence about volunteering with Golf Saskatchewan or any organization?
“Give it a try you might be pleasantly surprised.”

The board of directors for the Weyburn Golf Club have hired an experienced course manager from Texas to oversee their operations.

Dru Bolen started working in the golf industry when he was 14 years old in his hometown of Dallas. He climbed the ladder in the industry but in 2009 he was the victim of mass golf course layoffs. Bolen fell back on teaching high school math but worked towards a master’s degree in business and finance. He was able to use that to get into management and was part of the team overlooking three Dallas area courses.

Bolen’s wife is from Regina and the couple have wanted to move back to Canada while their two boys were young. The Bolen’s have been living in the Saskatchewan capital for about a year but now have relocated to Weyburn following the hiring. He said the position is a perfect fit for him and his family.

“We were living with family, I had applied to work in proshops in Regina, it didn’t matter me. I just wanted to stay in golf more than anything and my wife was good with that,” he told Golf Saskatchewan. “This came open so it’s perfect. Everything is in storage since July, so we were open to moving anywhere. This is perfect to get out of the family’s house, have our own space again and for me to learn a lot of different things.”

Bolen is at the course now getting prepared to open when the provincial government declares courses can do so. He said it’s “weird” not being open now as he’s accustomed to Texas weather and lengthier golf seasons. He said that he will have to adapt to the much shorter playing time. One thing he won’t have to learn is who Graham DeLaet is. Bolen has been with his wife for a decade and has spend plenty of time in the province so he’s familiar with the PGA Tour pro’s career.

“It’s awesome, I actually followed him around the Byron Nelson in 2015,” Bolen said. “My wife is from here, so I knew of him and we always went to the Nelson, so we followed him around. I got one of his golf balls and an autographed Koozie. I have never met him other than him giving me that, but it is really cool. This whole town has been unbelievable. I’ve never been around a place that loves their golf course and is so passionate.”

Like all course managers across Saskatchewan and the nation, Bolen is eagerly awaiting a government decision regarding opening courses. He said he’s excited to get to work once the green light is given.

“Things are going to be very different regarding the building and operations. I look forward to hopefully keeping the staff, I know some are gone and I really wish I had more staff to train in my past life to keep people in the business. That’s kind of what makes me sad about this is the number of people leaving the business that are good people because there just won’t be enough jobs for them. If we can protect the people in this town and that are at this course now and keep them in golf from a staff perspective, that’s one of my main goals,” he said.

Bolen takes over the job from Brett Berkner.

You can hear more from Bolen below.

The governing body of amateur golf in Saskatchewan hosted their annual general meeting Saturday via web conference. Originally the meeting was going to be held at the Saskatoon Golf and Country Club, but due to COVID-19 Golf Saskatchewan resorted to a very successful online version with over 80 participants.

Outgoing treasurer, and nearly decade-long board member Todd Bergstresser presented the financial picture of the organization that was passed unanimously by the board of directors and voting delegates.

Following the audited report attendees heard from six candidates running for three available positions on the executive. At the time Vice-President Don Kunkel and Danny Klughart were seeking re-election, Dru Bolen, Elanne Krainyk, Clinton Schmaltz and Teddy Wiens were hoping to receive a position on the board. Both Kunkel and Klughart were voted back in, Krainyk is the elected newcomer. The board sits at nine members including outgoing President, Delbert Betnar. The Regina resident spoke about his two-year tenure leading the organization.

“It’s been a very enjoyable two years,” the Joanne Goulet Golf Course member said after the meeting. “We’ve had some ups and downs; we’ve had some great highs with the CP Women’s Open and some of our tournament events have gone off very well. The only bad part has been the last two months, this COVID-19 thing is going to be a lot of work. I think it’s going to be a tough year if not two, but I think we have the right mix with board members and team members at Golf Saskatchewan that we can ride this wave through and help our members out.”

Betnar stays on as past president. He will be joined by newly elected vice president, Larry Wagman (Regina), Jasmine Cameron (Moose Jaw), Kevin Duchscherer (Nipawin), Ben Findlay (Regina), and Diana Kerr (Regina) on the board. Klughart (Prince Albert) steps in for Bergstresser as the organization’s treasurer. Betnar’s tenure was calm and steady at the helm of the organization. He said he’s confident that will continue despite the current uncertainty of the season.

“With getting the team together that we have now has made everyone’s job easier. I have seen the group work very well over the past two years to make Golf Saskatchewan a positive organization,” Betner said.

Kunkel takes over president’s role

Yorkton’s Don Kunkel was voted in as the new president of the organization that includes over 200 member clubs. Kunkel joined the Golf Saskatchewan board seven years ago following a long tenure giving back to hockey in Saskatoon. He said golf has always had a special place in his life and the appointment is meaningful.

“It’s pretty humbling,” he said. “It’s good to give back, I am as passionate about golf, maybe more so than hockey. They got to me first in hockey, they got the first 25 years of my life after I quit playing,” he said.

Kunkel added that the start of his tenure is off to a demanding start.

“The next couple of years are going to be really challenging. This COVID-19 is going to be challenging for not only when do we get to golf, but golf courses themselves will be challenged with members, how to operate and what levels we operate at and things like that,” he said.

When Kunkel says “we operate at” he is referring to himself and his colleagues in the industry. Kunkel owns The Owl’s Nest at Deer Park Municipal Golf Course in Yorkton. Kunkel provided reassurance going forward that golf will continue to be strong in Saskatchewan.

“We have some quality people and we’ve had quality people my entire tenure. Todd did an outstanding job and I know Danny is up to the task. It’s always good to have people with a financial background. There is a lot of depth, not only on the board but also from the past president. I think we’re in a good spot,” Kunkel said.

During the meeting Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum, Golf Canada President Charlie Beaulieu, and Golf Canada Regional Director of Membership for Western Canada Blair Armitage all spoke and took part providing greetings from across the nation.

Future of the season

Leading up to the meeting, the burning question for clubs, operators, and players is can courses open when the weather permits?

Kirk Westgard is the assistant deputy minister for economic development within the ministry of trade and export development. He’s now the head of the Government of Saskatchewan’s Business Response Team put in place on March 23. Westgard has been working with Golf Saskatchewan and the allied golf associations over the past couple weeks collaborating on a potential decision on golf after the sport was deemed non-essential in late March. Westgard also spoke at the meeting and took questions from attendees. He did provide an optimistic outlook as Saskatchewan has had success fighting COVID-19 over the past two weeks.

“As we continue to move forward and start looking at get back and how do we rebound out of this pandemic and this survival phase that we’re in into a recovery phase and start opening up business. For the time being landscaping and maintenance is allowed. We’re waiting on government to hopefully announce soon that golf will be allowed to be played in Saskatchewan. I have no doubt in the near future that golf will be back in operation in this province,” Westgard said before opening the meeting to questions.

Golf Saskatchewan will be posting the recorded version of the meeting on their YouTube page for anyone interested.

Dear Members,

On behalf of the Saskatchewan Allied Association (Canadian Society of Club Managers, Golf Saskatchewan, National Golf Course Owners Association Canada, PGA of Canada, Saskatchewan Zone and Saskatchewan Turfgrass Association), we wanted to send you a note to update you on the work we are doing together on behalf of the golf industry in Saskatchewan.

As you are well aware, golf in Saskatchewan has been deemed a non-essential business service within the current Public Health Order which means that all courses must remain closed at this time. Golf courses can however continue to employ staff to maintain the course ensuring that the staff follow social distancing practices and all other safety protocols as directed by the Chief Provincial Public Health Officer.

As the Province of Saskatchewan develops their action plan for economic recovery, the Saskatchewan Allied Golf Association has extended their support towards this task. In addition to the health and safety of our communities, we understand the importance of restarting the economy as well as ensuring the mental health of people moving forward through the recovery phase and we believe that golf is uniquely positioned to help support that mission.

Fortunately, golf courses are very well positioned to adhere to all physical distancing, sanitation and safety protocols established by the Chief Provincial Public Health Officer so it is for these reasons that we have submitted our request to government that golf courses be among the first industries for approval to open once the COVID-19 health management allows for Provincial economic recovery strategies to proceed.

We have also developed golf course Safety Best Practices that further support the safety commitment of the golf industry. These have also been provided to government. To access the Safety Best Practices click here and for Golf Saskatchewan’s COVID-19 resources page click here.

Overall, golf in Saskatchewan generates $446 million in gross domestic product, more than all other participation sports. That includes millions of dollars in charitable funds raised each year, once again more than all other sports and our 204 golf courses and driving ranges employ over 17,000 Saskatchewan residents. As you can see, we are an important part of the government’s economic recovery plan once government feels they can safely begin to expand the list of businesses allowed to be open.

We will continue to work on your behalf and keep you updated as this issue develops.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions.

Stay well and yours in golf,
Brian Lee
Executive Director
Golf Saskatchewan

TORONTO – The 2020 RBC Canadian Open, one of the jewels of the country’s sports calendar, has been cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The PGA Tour announced the cancellation of the tournament on Thursday as part of its revamped 2020 schedule. The four-day competition was scheduled to begin June 11 at St. George’s Golf and Country Club in Toronto.

Golf Canada and its partners are now in negotiations to use the same venue for the 2021 edition of Canada’s men’s golf championship.

“Overwhelming disappointment for our fans and disappointment for golf in Canada because the RBC Canadian Open has been such a celebration and such a high point for so many of us,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “We’ve been dealing with the scenarios and the prospect of this for some time but the obstacles were just so numerous and from so many directions.”

The Canadian Open, first contested in 1904, is the third-oldest continuously running tournament on the PGA Tour behind the British Open and the U.S. Open.

It’s the first time the tournament has been cancelled since 1944, when it missed a second straight year due to the Second World War. It was also scrapped from 1915-18 because of the First World War.

“We were set to celebrate our 125th anniversary for Golf Canada,” said Applebaum. “When you think about other reasons why it was cancelled, for the World Wars, it’s similar.

“Right now we’re under a federal quarantine act, and both a provincial and city state of emergency. It’s a global pandemic.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

The @PGAtour has confirmed the @rbccanadianopen isn’t part of the schedule for 2020 and is officially cancelled. Hopefully things return to normal soon! ? 7th tee, 2nd round of RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club in 2017. #stayinside #staysafe #canadianopen

A post shared by Mike Weir (@mweirsy) on Apr 16, 2020 at 9:05am PDT

The Canadian Open is the latest major annual late spring or summer sporting event in Canada to be wiped out or postponed because of COVID-19. The Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal and the Queen’s Plate in Toronto will not run on their scheduled June dates, while the Rogers Cup women’s tennis tournament in Montreal, scheduled for August, will not be held in 2020.

The CP Women’s Open is still on the LPGA Tour schedule. It’s slated for Sept. 3-6 at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver.

Although the Canadian Open has been cancelled, the PGA Tour hopes to resume play this summer.

It laid out an ambitious plan to resume its season Thursday, starting at Colonial on June 11-14 in a televised event with no fans in attendance.

Under the PGA Tour’s new plan RBC, the Canadian Open’s title sponsor, would have its other event the RBC Heritage played without fans in late June.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Our letter to Golf Canada, PGA Tour and RBC about the cancellation of the 2020 RBC Canadian Open. We are sad but we understand and hope that you can all come up with some ideas so that Canadian juniors dont miss out for a whole year. Please listen to our whole letter. ??⛳⛳?????? @pgatour @thegolfcanada @rbc @stgeorgesgcc @rbccanadianopen @djohnsonpga @mattkuchargolf @graeme_mcdowell @palmerpga @webbsimpson @paultesori @brandtsnedeker @ahadwingolf @coreyconners @grahamdelaet @mgligicgolf @machughesgolf @nicktaylorgolf @rogersloan87 @adam_stanley1 @robgavarkovs

A post shared by Elliana and Emilia Buhagiar (@416golfgirls) on Apr 16, 2020 at 9:16am PDT

“It is a bittersweet day for us as the sponsor of two tournaments. In a perfect world, both tournaments would be proceeding, ”said Mary DePaoli, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of RBC.

“We held out hope all the way, to the end, but the international travel restrictions, the quarantine measures that we’re all familiar with, and government mandates at so many levels were critical factors because we have to ensure the safety and the health of anyone participating in our tournaments.”

A cancellation seemed increasingly likely in recent weeks as the pandemic worsened. Three regional qualification tournaments set for mid-May were cancelled last month.

Also, the City of Toronto had cancelled its permits for all public gatherings up until June 30.

The edict didn’t apply to sporting events held on private property – like MLB’s Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre, the NBA’s Raptors and NHL’s Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena, or the Canadian Open itself at St. George’s in the city’s west end.

However, city co-operation would have been necessary for parking and transit. The city’s edict also cancelled a two-night concert series planned for tournament week as The Chainsmokers and Keith Urban were going to perform at nearby Richview Collegiate Institute.

Although Golf Canada and RBC are already planning the 2021 Canadian Open, DePaoli says the fate of the concert series is still to be determined.

“We will make a decision on the inclusion of a concert series once we understand government mandates around physical distancing,” she said. “Our decision will start with what is permitted and what will society accept by way of gatherings.”

How this cancellation will affect the tournament’s long-term schedule is not yet known, although St. George’s was tentatively scheduled to host the Canadian Open again in 2024.

Applebaum says he’s especially disappointed for the PGA Tour’s Canadian golfers who enjoy the added support of playing on home soil.

“Obviously it’s not an easy decision and there’s very valid reasons for things getting cancelled or postponed,” said golfer Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., before the Canadian Open was officially cancelled. “It’s an event that I’ve been looking forward to all year, really.

“It’s so much fun to play in front of the Canadian fans, the support’s incredible at the RBC Canadian Open.”

 – Golf Canada and RBC will now pivot all efforts towards planning for a celebrated return of the RBC Canadian Open in 2021 – 

TORONTO – With continued public health concerns as well as international travel and government restrictions due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the PGA TOUR, in consultation with Golf Canada and RBC, has made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 RBC Canadian Open.

The event was scheduled for June 8-14 at St. George’s Golf and Country Club with Islington Golf Club as the official practice facility. The cancellation of the 2020 RBC Canadian Open also includes the RBCxMusic Concert Series which was scheduled to take place June 12-13 at Richview Collegiate Institute, featuring headline performances by The Chainsmokers and Keith Urban.

“The RBC Canadian Open has always been a rallying point for Canadian golf and while we share in the crushing disappointment with our fans, players, volunteers and many event partners, our primary responsibility is the safety of our people and our communities,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “It is now our full intention to push forward together with RBC, the PGA TOUR, the City of Toronto and our host clubs with the goal to bring the 2021 RBC Canadian Open to St. George’s Golf and Country Club with Islington Golf Club as the official practice facility.”

“Our foremost consideration is the health and safety of everyone in our community, including the players, spectators, our staff and volunteers, the media and the thousands of supporters who contribute to the success of our event,” said Mary DePaoli, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, RBC. “The international travel restrictions, required quarantine measures and government mandates were critical factors that contributed to the decision to cancel our event this year. We have no doubt that the incredible momentum we’ve built together with our partners will make the 2021 RBC Canadian Open a world-class experience.”

Golf Canada and RBC would like to thank golf fans across the nation for their understanding and in particular, our  many corporate partners, ticket and hospitality purchasers, as well as the countless volunteers for their continued support through this unprecedented time.

Golf Canada, the PGA TOUR and RBC have continued to monitor the guidelines provided by federal, provincial and municipal government health authorities in order to prevent the spread of the virus within our communities. With this decision, Golf Canada and RBC will now turn their focus towards the 2021 RBC Canadian Open.

Dating back to its inception in 1904, the cancellation of the 2020 RBC Canadian Open marks only the seventh time that Canada’s National Open Championship has not been conducted, including wartime cancellations from 1915-18 as well as 1943-44.

All corporate hospitality buyers will be contacted by their Golf Canada sales representative over the coming days to plan forward for 2021 and individual ticket purchases made via Ticketmaster will be automatically refunded within the next 30 days. The same refund policy applies for RBC clients who purchased RBCxMusic Tickets.

For more information, visit www.rbccanadianopen.com.

Residence:
Moose Jaw

Home club:
Hillcrest

Handicap Factor/Index:
3

Right/Left:
Right

Rounds per year:
“About 125 a year.”

Favourites player:
“My favorite golfer is Fred Couples for his great smooth swing and calm attitude on the course. I followed the careers of Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods for their huge achievements in the game.”

Favourite golf quotes:
“The best quotes (30 plus) come from a book by Dr. Bob Rotella called “Golf is not a Game of Perfect“. He has counseled many professional players. This book has been my golf bible.”

• “A person with great dreams can achieve great things”
• “Attitude makes a good putter”
• “The quality of a golfer’s practice is more important than the quantity” 

Years with Golf Saskatchewan:
18

Area(s) of Service:
Course rating

How did you get involved with Golf Saskatchewan?
“I began in 1998 attending the annual general meeting as Hillcrest Club Captain and met several people who were involved as volunteers. I was invited to join the course rating group the following year.”

What do you like about volunteering?
“I found the job of course rating to be fun and challenging. It also expanded my circle of friends in golf. Volunteering has been my way of giving back to the game that has been a large part of my sporting life.”

Accomplishments:

• Saskatchewan Senior Men’s Championships for the past 18 years
• Three-time provincial senior men’s champion (2009,2010,2015)
• 2019 Super Senior (closed) and the Legends champion