MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — Subaru Canada, Inc. (SCI), together with Golf Canada, are thrilled to announce the extension of their long-standing partnership, through the 2022 Canadian golf season. SCI will continue as presenting sponsor of Golf Fore the Cure.

The Golf Fore the Cure program was created by Golf Canada, together with the Canadian Cancer Society and the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation. It drives women’s participation in the game of golf through fundraising and awareness to support the fight against breast cancer. The program focuses on using the sheer power of women playing golf in a non-competitive environment to make a difference. Last year, one hundred and seventy-six Golf Fore the Cure events took place at golf facilities across Canada, raising over $390,000 for breast cancer research. In 2020, Golf Canada looks forward to growing that and further contributing to over $6.8 million raised since the program’s inception.

“Subaru Canada has supported women’s golf in this country in a major way and we are pleased to extend their commitment as presenting sponsor of Golf Fore the Cure,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “Golf Fore the Cure has helped to drive women’s participation in the game while raising money and awareness for a meaningful cause close to Canadian hearts—breast cancer research.”

Subaru Canada has been a proud presenting sponsor of Golf Fore the Cure since 2005 and is proud to help grow the game of golf in Canada, standing alongside thousands of compassionate women to help make a difference in the fight against breast cancer. SCI is just as passionate about keeping their customers happy and safe for long or short drives as they are about their customers’ well being outside of their Subaru vehicles. The announcement continues to signify a commitment to promoting healthy, active lifestyles through various sponsorships from coast to coast.

“As presenting sponsor, Subaru Canada will continue to offer the support needed to drive the program forward,” said SCI president, chairman and CEO Yasushi Enami. It’s an extremely important initiative and we are proud to be involved with such a great cause – the fight against breast cancer.”

For more information on Golf Fore the Cure visit golfcanada.ca/golfforethecure. For more information on Subaru Canada, Inc., visit www.subaru.ca.

Changes are coming to the format of the Saskatchewan Men’s Amateur Golf Championship slated for the Legends Golf Course in July.

For the previous two years the men’s amateur and mid-amateur events were played together over three days and 54 holes. Beginning in 2020, the amateur will become a 72-hole championship. The mid-amateur, for players 25 years old and over, will continue to be played over three rounds. Golf Saskatchewan Manager of Sport and Championships Steve Ryde said the province’s top men’s players wanted changes to the event.

“Reading some of the feedback from the questionnaires the players filled out there was a big demand for a four-day championship for the men’s am title and we felt the same way,” Ryde explained. “We wanted to keep the two events together, we find we get the best field in the province. Not everybody has four weeks of holidays to burn up, so we felt it was best to keep them together.”

The tournament will run from July 21 – 24. The mid-amateur champion will be crowned after the round on July 23. The top-18 players and ties will continue to the fourth round and compete for the 109^th amateur crown. Ryde said the organization hopes to witness an extra day of thrilling golf involving the best amateurs in Saskatchewan.

“We’re hoping to witness is an exciting day, it’s going to be a great championship. I hope it’s close and there are a bunch of guys vying for the title. The Legends is a difficult challenge and it could come down to the 72^nd hole of the event,” Ryde said.

Under the current format, which includes the championships at Dakota Dunes Golf Links and The Saskatoon Golf and Country Club the results have varied. Kade Johnson was the amateur champion two years ago while Mike Herperger won the mid-am. Last year Danny Klughart won both events. Ryde said speaking to competitors around Saskatoon, including a multi-winner of the am, the alteration could be popular.

“I run into a lot of players that play in the event, I have thrown the extra day cut idea at them and they think it’s a great idea,” Ryde said. “I think it’s going to be a great adjustment; people hopefully have that week booked off anyways so hopefully one more day doesn’t make or break their decision to play.”

Klughart is also a member of the Golf Saskatchewan board of directors. He brings thoughts from both the player’s side and the organizations. He said there are several positives to making the changes.

“Last year it wasn’t really fair for me to win both championships in one playoff,” the Prince Albert product admitted. “We’re trying to accommodate people to only to take one week off work, but we still want to treat it as two different championships, and this is the only way we can do it. The am is the one everybody wants to win; it is the most prestigious. By having it the same length of the national championships it brings that prestige back.”

Registration for the championships, and the official opening of the golf season in Saskatchewan is April 15.

Visit our competition page for more dates and details.

Long-time Golf Saskatchewan volunteer Richard Smith has been honoured by the nation’s governing body of the sport at the amateur level.

Originally announced by Golf Canada on Feb. 21, Smith was officially recognized on Feb. 28 at the Golf Canada annual general meeting in Mississauga, Ont. The Katepwa Beach resident has been involved with Golf Saskatchewan for 20 years and Golf Canada for another 10. Smith has been involved in several areas of the game including course rating, scoring, starting, the executive, and others. Always humble, Smith didn’t take too much credit to the award.

“We volunteer because we love what we do,” he said.

Golf Saskatchewan Executive Director Brian Lee has worked alongside Smith for almost the entire 20 years of Smith’s tenure assisting the organization across all areas. Lee said Smith has provided countless hours and knowledge throughout his experience with Golf Saskatchewan.

“When you talk about Richard Smith you have an individual who has given almost 20 years of his life assisting the game of golf in the province,” Lee said. “He is one of those individuals you wish associations could make more of. His dedication to policies, bylaws, and other matters for our organization are up to speed, whether it is his countless hours towards course rating and ensuring all the courses have been rated with adequate teams and spearheading that; or becoming president. He’s just been a tremendous asset to our association. On behalf of our organization and all our member clubs, congratulations Richard, you are well deserving of this award.”

Most recently Smith has been a guiding light during the release of the new World Handicap System working with multi international golf groups to roll the extensive program out earlier this year. Golf Canada President Charlie Beaulieu thanked Smith for his work at the awards banquet in Ontario.

“This has been a huge undertaking by the international golf community and Richard has played an important role. Richard’s commitment to handicapping and course rating has been felt across the country,” Beaulieu said.

Smith was recognized alongside long-time golf journalist Ian Hutchinson.

The Golf Canada Distinguished Service Award has been handed out since 1993.

(Left to right;) Smith, Beaulieu, and Hutchinson

Mississauga, Ont. (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada’s 2020 Annual Meeting culminated on Saturday, February 29 with the re-election of Charlie Beaulieu of Lorraine, Qué., to serve a second term as the National Sport Federation’s President.

Beaulieu will continue to lead Golf Canada’s Board of Directors with Liz Hoffman of Thornhill, Ont., remaining in the position of 1st Vice-President and Dale Jackson of Victoria continuing in the role of 2nd Vice-President.

Based on the report of Golf Canada’s Nominating Committee, Beaulieu, Hoffman and Jackson will be joined on Golf Canada’s 2020 Board of Directors by Rob MacDonald of Winnipeg, Man., Susan MacKinnon of Calgary, David McCarthy of Toronto, Adam Daifallah of Montreal, Jean Stone-Seguin of Ottawa and Patrick Kelly of Vancouver. Paul Beaudry of Calgary and Alison Chisholm of Miramichi, N.B. have also joined the Board as Directors at Large.

Annual Report & Financial Statements

Click here to read Golf Canada’s 2019 Annual Report, which includes a recap of the past season, as well as the organization’s 2019 Financial Statements, which were released during Golf Canada’s Annual General Meeting.

Bill MacMillan selected as Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year

Bill MacMillan of Eastern Passage, N.S., was named the 2019 recipient of the Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year Award. MacMillan has been a golf tournament official and major contributor to Handicap and Course Rating for more than three decades. This marks the 14th year in which the association has honoured volunteers for their efforts and commitment to grow the game in their community. Going forward, the citation has been renamed the Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year Award in honour of Toronto native Bruce Mitchell who in 2017-18, became the first Canada to serve as Captain of the R&A. Click here for more on Volunteer of the Year honouree Bill MacMillan.

Richard Smith and Ian Hutchinson honoured as Recipients of Golf Canada’s Distinguished Service Award

This year’s recipients are a pair of long-time contributors to the sport of golf – volunteer Richard Smith of Regina, Sask. and golf journalist Ian Hutchinson of Newmarket, Ont. Created in 1993, Golf Canada’s Distinguished Service Award has been presented annually to recognize individuals for their outstanding contributions to the game of golf in Canada. Click here for more information on the 2020 Distinguished Service Award honourees.

Golf Canada’s 2020 Annual Meeting took place February 28-29 at the Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel and Suites in Mississauga, Ont. It was conducted in partnership with Golf Ontario, who scheduled their respective Annual General Meeting activities to take place in conjunction.

Residence
Regina

Home club
Joanne Goulet Golf Course

Handicap
12.7

Rounds per year
40 +

Left/Right
Right

Years with Golf Saskatchewan
15

Service
Rules Official, Course Rating, Past-President (2010 during transition to Golf Sask. from Sask. Golf Association)

Favourite player
Justin Rose

Favourite golf quote
“The most important shot in golf is the next one” – Ben Hogan

How did you get involved with Golf Saskatchewan?

The Golf Association was something we knew of in Tisdale, but nobody really did much around it. I was on the board of the Tisdale Golf Club and decided I would attend an annual general meeting just to see what was going on. That was the early 2000’s, I liked what I saw, and I just continued with it. It was something that was needed, something I believed in and something I followed. Past president Lynne Lacroix was there, I grew up with her, we graduated together, we had some conversations after the fact and that’s what got my feet in the door.”

What do you like about volunteering?

“I think friendships and comradery. I’ve met a lot of people through the game in Canada that I actually still stay in touch with. Not as much as I’d like to, but we still do. That and watching the game grow and watching our juniors. Being able to be indirectly part of some of those legacies and being part of some of the things that we did in the past that have led to where we are today. I think those are the memorable things and that I am proud of the most.”

What would you say to others about volunteering, not only for Golf Saskatchewan but any organization?

If you are thinking there is a need for a change or you think you want to know more then there is no reason why you shouldn’t be involved as a volunteer. You don’t have to be active on a day-to-day basis but if you are curious attend a meeting, get some information, be curious and see what it’s all about. It’s a surprise, and certainly was a surprise to me with some of the stuff. Things I never realized that we would or could do and all of a sudden I am finding out more information which really helped making a decision to stay involved as a volunteer. Reach out, ask questions, go to a meeting, find out what it’s all about and try it. The worst thing that can happen is you don’t like it and you back away, that’s the worst that can happen.”

TORONTO — RBC and Golf Canada have announced the return of the RBCxMusic Concert Series at the 2020 RBC Canadian Open, featuring headlining performances by Grammy Award-winning artist/producer duo, The Chainsmokers, and four-time Grammy Award winner, Keith Urban. Building on the success of the inaugural event in 2019 with our partners at Golf Canada, which saw sold out performances from headliners Florida Georgia Line and The Glorious Sons, the RBC Canadian Open will once again offer an unforgettable experience for golf and music fans of all ages. The concerts will take place near the iconic St. George’s Golf and Country Club on the football field of Toronto’s Richview Collegiate Institute and will feature performances on both the Friday and Saturday evenings of tournament week – June 12 and 13, 2020. Canadians will have the opportunity to see The Chainsmokers live in concert at the RBC Canadian Open on June 12, 2020. “Performing in Canada is always a good time,” says The Chainsmokers’ Alex Pall. The Chainsmokers’ Drew Taggart adds, “Nothing says summer like golf and outdoor concerts, and we can’t wait to kick off the season with our friends up north.” In addition, Keith Urban will close the Concert Series with a headlining performance on June 13, 2020. “We are thrilled to announce the return of the RBCxMusic Concert Series, with artist and producer duo The Chainsmokers and the reigning ACM Entertainer of The Year, Keith Urban,” said Mary DePaoli, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, RBC. “Last year we set our sights on attracting new, younger fans to the sport of golf and creating a fresh, unforgettable fan experience, resulting in our most successful RBC Canadian Open to date. We can’t wait to build on that incredible momentum at this year’s tournament.” “We are so excited that RBC will continue to integrate the RBCxMusic platform with world-class golf through their incredible support of the RBC Canadian Open,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “Adding the Concert Series to the RBC Canadian Open has been an iconic enhancement to our tournament, and the perfect kick-off to summer.” In addition to can’t-miss music performances, fans can expect exciting spectator experiences, including a dedicated food and beverage area – the Fare Way, and the return of The Rink, awarded 2018 best-in-class element by the PGA TOUR. Exclusively for RBC clients and new for 2020, an allotment of RBCxMusic Tickets are now available for purchase on Ticketmaster. Following the purchase of every RBCxMusic Ticket, RBC clients will receive a $10 Concert Cashcode, redeemable towards a future concert ticket purchase. RBCxMusic Tickets are only available for Friday, June 12 and Saturday, June 13 of the RBC Canadian Open. Tickets are available to the general public for purchase at RBCCanadianOpen.com. Tickets for Friday and Saturday are $96.05 (plus service charges). The event is General Admission / All Ages. Tickets are all-inclusive: your tournament day pass is your concert ticket.

Mississauga, Ont. – Golf Canada’s 2020 Annual Meeting is set for this week (February 28-29) at the Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel and Suites in Mississauga, Ont.

The event brings together Golf Canada’s Board of Directors, staff and volunteers as well as representatives from Canada’s provincial golf associations and other stakeholders. The group will assemble for select meetings and presentations in preparation for the upcoming golf season.

Golf Canada’s 2020 Annual Meeting will be conducted in partnership with Golf Ontario, who have scheduled their respective Annual General Meeting activities to take place in conjunction.

CEO Laurence Applebaum will officially kick-off the Annual Meeting on Friday, February 28 at 4:00pm with an update on Golf Canada’s Strategic Plan (2019-2022) to increase Canadian participation and excellence in golf.

On Friday, February 28, Golf Canada will also celebrate outstanding contributions to the game of golf in Canada with the presentation of its 2019 Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year Award to William (Bill) MacMillan of East Passage, N.S. as well as Golf Canada’s Distinguished Service Award(s) to long-time volunteer Richard Smith of Regina, Sask. and golf journalist Ian Hutchinson of Newmarket, Ont. Canadian Olympic Committee CEO and General Secretary David Shoemaker will be the guest speaker at the celebration dinner.

Golf Canada’s Annual Meeting will culminate with the appointment of Charlie Beaulieu of Lorraine, Que., to serve a second term as President of the National Sport Federation. The formal appointment of Beaulieu along with the release of the association’s 2019 Financial Statements will take place during Golf Canada’s official Annual General Meeting on Saturday, February 29 at 2:30pm ET.

A full schedule of activities and presentations taking place during Golf Canada’s Annual Meeting is available here.

A pair of Saskatchewan golfers have gotten their spring collegiate seasons off to strong starts.

Saskatoon’s Marc Sweeney and his University of Southern Carolina Beaufort teammates were in Florida for the Champions Gate Spring Invite on Feb. 17 – 18. Sweeney shot six-over, 222 through three rounds tying for 10^th place overall. Sweeney improved his rounds each trip around the track carding scores of 76, 74, and 72 on the 7,075-yard course.

The Sand Sharks placed third overall as a team.

Kindersley’s Brody Istace is in his second year at Columbia International University. The Rams hosted the CIU Invitational on Feb. 24 – 25 at the Columbia Country Club.

Istace finished tied for 15^th with score of 17-over, 161 in the 36-hole tournament. The 39-player field dealt with rain both days making the 6,848-yard course longer than normal according to Rams coach Tucker MacDonald.

The team placed first overall winning the event by ten shots.

The dozen Saskatchewan golfers playing college in the United States will begin a heavier schedule in March.

Spiritwood Golf Course has hired a local woman with extended sports facility and business management experience ahead of the 2020 season.

Making the announcement on Facebook, the course has hired Glennalda Saam as their new clubhouse manager. Saam is the facility manager at the Spiritwood Recreation Centre in the fall and winter and brings a wealth of knowledge in organizing sports activities and working in the sports industry. Bevra Fee is president and one of the owners of Spiritwood Golf Course. She said Saam has all the tools the ownership group was looking for in hiring a new clubhouse manager.

“Glennalda is highly organized and adept at planning, carrying out, and promoting events. Her background also includes managing one of the largest breeding stock operations for Fast Genetics, so she is experienced is supervising staff and dealing with people – both in HR and in an industry setting. She has a wealth of experience compiling and interpreting data, so we feel confident that she will help our bottom line by finding efficiencies and maximizing profits,” Fee told Golf Saskatchewan.

Saam is well-known in Spiritwood according to Fee. She is raising her family in the community and is heavily involved in the town of approximately 1,000 people.

“She is a friendly and outgoing, helpful person who has held various committee and board positions. We know that our reputation is going to be strengthened with her representing us in the clubhouse,” Fee added.

Fee said Saam’s first duties will include contacting their members, both past and present to gain an understanding of what their needs are that will hopefully help bring growth to the course. The ownership group is hoping Saam’s event planning prowess will help bring more tournaments and youth programming to the course’s portfolio this season.

Spiritwood’s course is expanding to include an RV park and campground. The ownership group said plans are moving along and interest is picking up. Some sites have been reserved already. Fee said the group expects interest to pick up once the season arrives. The adjacent campground is only a portion of big things planned for the course that Saam will lead.

“The priorities we set include targeted youth programming and skills development, a signature charity tournament, a cash tournament and a broader offering of food options in the clubhouse,” Fee explained. “We will continue with offering lessons with a golf pro several times this summer, and many of our annual tournaments will be back for 2020. A fresh and increased marketing plan will see much more interaction via social media, as well as more print media that is intended to reach a broader audience via pan-Saskatchewan publications. These initiatives will be led by Glennalda, and her enthusiasm will be converted into renewed engagement with clients.”

The Willows Golf and Country Club will go into the new decade with Ron Erikson as their general manager.

Erikson began his career in Saskatoon at the Greenbryre Country Club under the tutelage of Peter and Sherrill Semko. Erikson credits his career success to what he learned from the Semko’s at the Greenbryre Club.

Erikson’s career has taken him to several of the top-end courses in Saskatchewan and Saskatoon. He was general manager at the Saskatoon Golf and Country Club when the club underwent their extensive clubhouse design and construction. From there Erikson took the position of executive director at the Riverside Country Club. He was also part of Riverside’s clubhouse and commissioning project. Erikson was hired by Arne Petersen to lead Elk Ridge Resort as the chief executive officer during the transformation from the operations of a seasonal golf and RV park to a full four-season resort. Erikson then went on to work for Whitecap Dakota and was hands on during the development of Dakota Dunes Golf Links.

Erikson left the golf industry for a time managing in the residential and commercial construction industry. He said his golf and construction management experience is a good fit for The Willows and the course’s future.

“This opportunity’s draw for me is based with the  connection and a working relationship with the ownership developer group and with being involved with the capable team at The Willows to operationally deliver a project together that will be very unique and desirable on both a land development and amenity basis. It is an exceptionally exciting time to be involved with The Willows at this point in it’s history,” Erikson told Golf Saskatchewan via email.

Changes are coming to the 27-hole course including a proposal to remove nine holes and construct a third residential development in south Saskatoon. Nothing has publicly been finalized for the development overseen by Dream Unlimited. Erikson said he’s excited to be involved at this point.

“The long-term vision is presently being determined by our ownership group,” Erikson explained. “My short-term vision is to continue operating out of our present golf course and clubhouse facilities and to continue our existing business model. The Willows has a fine history of delivering exceptional experiences in both golf operations and hospitality and the goals for 2020 are to keep tracking and improving with our deliveries for our customers and members.”

Golf Saskatchewan will return to The Willows in 2020 for the provincial women’s amateur championship in July. Synergy 8 will also use the course for their popular Drive for Kids tournament that attracts well over 200 golfers. Erikson said he’s looking forward to working with both groups during the events.

“The Willows has a proud history of hosting city, provincial and national golf events. The 2020 women’s amateur will be the next opportunity to showcase our facilities here and have our dedicated and capable team provide hospitality, a challenge to the players and to be able to create more great memories for the event that have served to put the provincial women’s amateur championship at the pinnacle for women’s golf competitions. The Willows is very fortunate to be the host venue again in 2020 for one of the Synergy 8 Community Builders’ fundraising initiatives. This is a dedicated group of leaders who truly care about their community and who provide relevant and meaningful actions partnering to enhance the quality of community experience and to elevate the benefits that our community provides,” Erikson said.

He takes over for Wayne Fairbairn who has relocated to Calgary.