Golf Canada – Golf Canada will tee it up in 2021 to conduct national amateur championships and is working with public health authorities in host communities to finalize operational protocols so that the competitions may proceed safely.

Following a 2020 season that saw the cancellation of all Golf Canada competitions due to the pandemic, the 2021 scheduled will feature nine National Amateur Championships, eight NextGen Championships for junior-aged golfers, and several USGA qualifiers which will be hosted at member clubs across Canada.

“We are taking a measured but optimistic approach to conducting our 2021 championship season and we are excited to welcome the athletes back to our competitions,” said Golf Canada Chief Sport Officer Kevin Blue. “Golf Canada will continue to prioritize the safety of players, volunteers, host club and tournament staff, and host communities and will work with regional health authorities and our host clubs to get our national amateur competitions back on the tee. We also want to thank our roster of host clubs and volunteer committees for giving back to the game and joining us in this journey.”

CLICK HERE TO SEE GOLF CANADA’S 2021 CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

Operational protocols for each competition will align with local and provincial health and safety guidelines that have allowed golf courses to open for regular play. Should public health guidelines or interprovincial travel restrictions warrant, Golf Canada will make modifications to the competition schedule including a change to the size and composition of tournament fields or an outright event cancellation should circumstances dictate.

National Amateur Championship registration will open on Wednesday, April 7 at 12 p.m. EDT (10 a.m. Sask time) while registration for all NextGen Championships will open on Monday, March 29 at 12 p.m. EDT.

Applications will be open to any Golf Canada members who meet the eligibility criteria.  Given the current federal travel restrictions in place, Golf Canada will not be accepting registration from foreign residents for our championships at this time.  More information on the application procedure will be available on each championship information page.

Please visit www.golfcanada.ca/competitions-calendar/ to register for Golf Canada competitions.

Golf Canada will also resume calculation of the NextGen National Junior Order of Merit to identify and give recognition to top-performing junior girls and boys across Canada who have achieved success during the 2021 season. The 2021 NextGen National Junior Order of Merit schedule can be viewed here and consists of Canadian events from the period January 1 to August 15, 2021 with a maximum of five (5) counting events for a player’s ranking.

With continued COVID-19 limitations and international travel restrictions, Golf Canada will not track a National Amateur Order of Merit in 2021. Golf Canada is carefully following the impact of the pandemic on international travel and competition and how those factors might impact the Team Canada Selection criteria for 2021/22, which are currently under review and can be accessed here once published.

Golf Canada – Golf Canada will tee it up in 2021 to conduct national amateur championships and is working with public health authorities in host communities to finalize operational protocols so that the competitions may proceed safely.

Following a 2020 season that saw the cancellation of all Golf Canada competitions due to the pandemic, the 2021 scheduled will feature nine National Amateur Championships, eight NextGen Championships for junior-aged golfers, and several USGA qualifiers which will be hosted at member clubs across Canada.

“We are taking a measured but optimistic approach to conducting our 2021 championship season and we are excited to welcome the athletes back to our competitions,” said Golf Canada Chief Sport Officer Kevin Blue. “Golf Canada will continue to prioritize the safety of players, volunteers, host club and tournament staff, and host communities and will work with regional health authorities and our host clubs to get our national amateur competitions back on the tee. We also want to thank our roster of host clubs and volunteer committees for giving back to the game and joining us in this journey.”

CLICK HERE TO SEE GOLF CANADA’S 2021 CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

Operational protocols for each competition will align with local and provincial health and safety guidelines that have allowed golf courses to open for regular play. Should public health guidelines or interprovincial travel restrictions warrant, Golf Canada will make modifications to the competition schedule including a change to the size and composition of tournament fields or an outright event cancellation should circumstances dictate.

National Amateur Championship registration will open on Wednesday, April 7 at 12 p.m. EDT (10 a.m. Sask time) while registration for all NextGen Championships will open on Monday, March 29 at 12 p.m. EDT.

Applications will be open to any Golf Canada members who meet the eligibility criteria.  Given the current federal travel restrictions in place, Golf Canada will not be accepting registration from foreign residents for our championships at this time.  More information on the application procedure will be available on each championship information page.

Please visit www.golfcanada.ca/competitions-calendar/ to register for Golf Canada competitions.

Golf Canada will also resume calculation of the NextGen National Junior Order of Merit to identify and give recognition to top-performing junior girls and boys across Canada who have achieved success during the 2021 season. The 2021 NextGen National Junior Order of Merit schedule can be viewed here and consists of Canadian events from the period January 1 to August 15, 2021 with a maximum of five (5) counting events for a player’s ranking.

With continued COVID-19 limitations and international travel restrictions, Golf Canada will not track a National Amateur Order of Merit in 2021. Golf Canada is carefully following the impact of the pandemic on international travel and competition and how those factors might impact the Team Canada Selection criteria for 2021/22, which are currently under review and can be accessed here once published.

Alex Schmidt is continuing to turn heads in the college golf world.

The Regina junior at Lewis-Clark State College earned her second straight third-place finish for the Warriors at the LC State Invite on Tuesday. Schmidt, a member and employee at the Royal Regina Golf Club in the summers carded rounds of 80 and 76, three shots back of teammate Lauren Hamm, the 36-hole event winner.

Schmidt’s score of 156 helped Lewis-State win the team competition in Idaho at the Lewiston Golf and Country Club.

She will look to keep her strong season going at the Bushnell Invitational in Eugene, Oregon on April 12 and 13.

Saskatoon’s Josh Nagy was back on the college course for the first time in 2021 playing as an individual in the Carpetbagger at Worthington Manor Golf Club in Urbana, Maryland.

Nagy, a sophomore at Robert Morris University just outside Pittsburgh shot a first-round score of 79 followed by a second-round card showing of 75. Nagy said it was great to get back on the course in a competitive event.

“It felt really good to be out on the course, I was in Arizona for Christmas and didn’t go home so I was able to work on my game every day until I came back,” he explained on Tuesday afternoon. It was good to get out and see the ball really fly again.”

The 75 Nagy navigated during the second day of the tournament was his collegiate career low out of three events. He ended tied for 30^th in the 62-player field. He said he hopes the confidence and momentum will continue into his next start.

“The course was incredibly difficult, so I was very pleased with how I played and am looking forward to continuing to get better at each tournament,” he said.

The Colonials next scheduled tournament is April 2 and 3 in Fayetteville, Pennsylvania at the Penn National Golf Club for the Fairleigh Dickinson Invitational.

Six other Saskatchewan student athletes will be back in action on March 29 and 30 across the United States including Kade Johnson, Roman Timmerman, Ty Campbell, Connor Scissons, Jacob Kydd, and TJ Baker.

Courtesy Golf Canada – Canadians needing a social outlet and a sense of recreational normalcy during the uncertainty of the pandemic in 2020 turned to golf in a major way. Now Golf Canada, with the support of industry partners, will build on the excitement, increased interest, and elevated levels of play with a national golfer retention campaign to welcome new and returning players back to the golf course in 2021.

The campaign – GOLF IS CALLING – is a Canada-wide marketing initiative to speak to new, younger golfers as well as the community of avid players, each uniquely drawn to the game whether it be for exercise, the social experience or the challenge of the sport.

The golfer retention campaign is being led in partnership with Golf Canada’s Industry Advisory Council, a group of industry professionals that includes course owners, operators, general managers, PGA of Canada professionals, superintendents, and other stakeholders in the game.

For Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum, golf’s emergence through the pandemic as a safe, social, and inclusive activity during an extremely challenging period was a silver lining for a sport enjoyed by nearly 6M Canadians annually.

“For so many Canadians who needed an outlet to play, be social and feel a sense of normal, golf was there for us,” said Applebaum.

“Golf is a sport of invitation, where we bring others along to experience and enjoy the game for a lifetime. GOLF IS CALLING is also a return invitation to the avid players and new enthusiasts who enjoyed the game in record numbers this past year. It is also an outreach and welcome to young and diverse audiences and a powerful confirmation that our sport offers the healthy attributes, safe environment, and industry capacity of nearly 2,300 facilities to support physical, social, and mental well-being in a meaningful way.”

GOLF IS CALLING features a vibrant and new look for golf. The campaign messaging and creative was informed by deep market research as well as creative trends from across industries and broader sport to reflect an industry-wide effort to promote golf participation. This season long, national marketing campaign features a fresh and inviting energy as the calling for Canadians to play more golf.

“As marketers and sport leaders, we look for moments to connect with golfers, and this past year has offered an unparalleled signature moment for the golf community to influence and entrench behaviours that will benefit our sport for the long run,” said Golf Canada Chief Marketing Officer Vanessa Morbi. “With more than 700 customizable assets that golf facilities and industry partners can leverage in their marketing efforts, this is a special moment to rally the full weight and collective voice of our sport to inspire more play in 2021.”

The suite of tools is available to golf courses and industry stakeholders to share in national roll-out of the golfer retention campaign. The bilingual campaign will be presented as SORTEZ, GOLFEZ across all French language assets and Golf Canada will support the campaign with a paid media buy executed across social and digital channels.

In conjunction with the campaign, Golf Canada has also relaunched its website as a portal to enhance the golfer experience and support tee-time booking through a national course look-up tool. This feature can be found on www.golfcanada.ca and will connect golfers with facilities across the country.

Despite a season suspended in most parts of Canada through early May, data from the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) of Canada reported a 18.9% increase in total rounds played across the country in 2020. Golf Canada members as well as public players who track an official handicap index experienced a significant lift in play, posting a record 7.8M scores to the Golf Canada Score Centre, a 7% lift over the prior year with monthly score posting records set from June through October.

Canadian levels of engagement in the sport mirrored strong growth metrics across North America as new and avid players invested in tee times as well as memberships, equipment, league play, junior golf, and instruction.

As Canadian golf facilities continue to manage the impact of the pandemic on non-golf revenues, the game is thriving as a safe and healthy recreational option that drives significant economic, employment, tourism, environmental and charity benefits to communities across Canada.

Supported by comprehensive healthy and safety protocols enacted by the golf community as well as adjustments made to the golf course experience, the sport is well positioned with momentum.

“Creating a national campaign that speaks to golfers of varying abilities and connection to the game is no easy feat, and we continue to be extremely sensitive to the disastrous impact of the pandemic which has taken a significant emotional, economic and mental toll,” added Shawn Evans, President and CEO of GolfNorth Properties who is also Chair of the Golf Industry Advisory Council. “At the same time, we see the opportunity in golf’s emergence through the pandemic to present our sport in a fresh way to new audiences with a visceral consumer experience that will be noticed.”

Alex Schmidt is continuing to turn heads in the college golf world.

The Regina junior at Lewis-Clark State College earned her second straight third-place finish for the Warriors at the LC State Invite on Tuesday. Schmidt, a member and employee at the Royal Regina Golf Club in the summers carded rounds of 80 and 76, three shots back of teammate Lauren Hamm, the 36-hole event winner.

Schmidt’s score of 156 helped Lewis-State win the team competition in Idaho at the Lewiston Golf and Country Club.

She will look to keep her strong season going at the Bushnell Invitational in Eugene, Oregon on April 12 and 13.

Saskatoon’s Josh Nagy was back on the college course for the first time in 2021 playing as an individual in the Carpetbagger at Worthington Manor Golf Club in Urbana, Maryland.

Nagy, a sophomore at Robert Morris University just outside Pittsburgh shot a first-round score of 79 followed by a second-round card showing of 75. Nagy said it was great to get back on the course in a competitive event.

“It felt really good to be out on the course, I was in Arizona for Christmas and didn’t go home so I was able to work on my game every day until I came back,” he explained on Tuesday afternoon. It was good to get out and see the ball really fly again.”

The 75 Nagy navigated during the second day of the tournament was his collegiate career low out of three events. He ended tied for 30^th in the 62-player field. He said he hopes the confidence and momentum will continue into his next start.

“The course was incredibly difficult, so I was very pleased with how I played and am looking forward to continuing to get better at each tournament,” he said.

The Colonials next scheduled tournament is April 2 and 3 in Fayetteville, Pennsylvania at the Penn National Golf Club for the Fairleigh Dickinson Invitational.

Six other Saskatchewan student athletes will be back in action on March 29 and 30 across the United States including Kade Johnson, Roman Timmerman, Ty Campbell, Connor Scissons, Jacob Kydd, and TJ Baker.

Courtesy Golf Canada – Canadians needing a social outlet and a sense of recreational normalcy during the uncertainty of the pandemic in 2020 turned to golf in a major way. Now Golf Canada, with the support of industry partners, will build on the excitement, increased interest, and elevated levels of play with a national golfer retention campaign to welcome new and returning players back to the golf course in 2021.

The campaign – GOLF IS CALLING – is a Canada-wide marketing initiative to speak to new, younger golfers as well as the community of avid players, each uniquely drawn to the game whether it be for exercise, the social experience or the challenge of the sport.

The golfer retention campaign is being led in partnership with Golf Canada’s Industry Advisory Council, a group of industry professionals that includes course owners, operators, general managers, PGA of Canada professionals, superintendents, and other stakeholders in the game.

For Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum, golf’s emergence through the pandemic as a safe, social, and inclusive activity during an extremely challenging period was a silver lining for a sport enjoyed by nearly 6M Canadians annually.

“For so many Canadians who needed an outlet to play, be social and feel a sense of normal, golf was there for us,” said Applebaum.

“Golf is a sport of invitation, where we bring others along to experience and enjoy the game for a lifetime. GOLF IS CALLING is also a return invitation to the avid players and new enthusiasts who enjoyed the game in record numbers this past year. It is also an outreach and welcome to young and diverse audiences and a powerful confirmation that our sport offers the healthy attributes, safe environment, and industry capacity of nearly 2,300 facilities to support physical, social, and mental well-being in a meaningful way.”

GOLF IS CALLING features a vibrant and new look for golf. The campaign messaging and creative was informed by deep market research as well as creative trends from across industries and broader sport to reflect an industry-wide effort to promote golf participation. This season long, national marketing campaign features a fresh and inviting energy as the calling for Canadians to play more golf.

“As marketers and sport leaders, we look for moments to connect with golfers, and this past year has offered an unparalleled signature moment for the golf community to influence and entrench behaviours that will benefit our sport for the long run,” said Golf Canada Chief Marketing Officer Vanessa Morbi. “With more than 700 customizable assets that golf facilities and industry partners can leverage in their marketing efforts, this is a special moment to rally the full weight and collective voice of our sport to inspire more play in 2021.”

The suite of tools is available to golf courses and industry stakeholders to share in national roll-out of the golfer retention campaign. The bilingual campaign will be presented as SORTEZ, GOLFEZ across all French language assets and Golf Canada will support the campaign with a paid media buy executed across social and digital channels.

In conjunction with the campaign, Golf Canada has also relaunched its website as a portal to enhance the golfer experience and support tee-time booking through a national course look-up tool. This feature can be found on www.golfcanada.ca and will connect golfers with facilities across the country.

Despite a season suspended in most parts of Canada through early May, data from the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) of Canada reported a 18.9% increase in total rounds played across the country in 2020. Golf Canada members as well as public players who track an official handicap index experienced a significant lift in play, posting a record 7.8M scores to the Golf Canada Score Centre, a 7% lift over the prior year with monthly score posting records set from June through October.

Canadian levels of engagement in the sport mirrored strong growth metrics across North America as new and avid players invested in tee times as well as memberships, equipment, league play, junior golf, and instruction.

As Canadian golf facilities continue to manage the impact of the pandemic on non-golf revenues, the game is thriving as a safe and healthy recreational option that drives significant economic, employment, tourism, environmental and charity benefits to communities across Canada.

Supported by comprehensive healthy and safety protocols enacted by the golf community as well as adjustments made to the golf course experience, the sport is well positioned with momentum.

“Creating a national campaign that speaks to golfers of varying abilities and connection to the game is no easy feat, and we continue to be extremely sensitive to the disastrous impact of the pandemic which has taken a significant emotional, economic and mental toll,” added Shawn Evans, President and CEO of GolfNorth Properties who is also Chair of the Golf Industry Advisory Council. “At the same time, we see the opportunity in golf’s emergence through the pandemic to present our sport in a fresh way to new audiences with a visceral consumer experience that will be noticed.”

Matt Bean was born in Calgary and called Alberta home for the majority of his life but the five years he did spend in Saskatoon were crucial for his golf development.

Bean, 22, started swing clubs in Canmore as a youngster but it wasn’t until he joined the junior program at Wildwood Golf Course that his game started to develop.

Bean’s family moved back to Canmore ahead of grade 12 but he was still able to earn a scholarship at Minot State and play for four years. He’s now trying to earn a spot on the McKenzie Tour. He recently sat down with Golf Saskatchewan to discuss his start in the game and where he hopes it takes him.

There is also a GoFundMe account set up to help offset the costs of trying to launch his career.

Matt Bean was born in Calgary and called Alberta home for the majority of his life but the five years he did spend in Saskatoon were crucial for his golf development.

Bean, 22, started swing clubs in Canmore as a youngster but it wasn’t until he joined the junior program at Wildwood Golf Course that his game started to develop.

Bean’s family moved back to Canmore ahead of grade 12 but he was still able to earn a scholarship at Minot State and play for four years. He’s now trying to earn a spot on the McKenzie Tour. He recently sat down with Golf Saskatchewan to discuss his start in the game and where he hopes it takes him.

There is also a GoFundMe account set up to help offset the costs of trying to launch his career.

The Mixed Championship plans to return to the Golf Saskatchewan schedule this year.

After being cancelled last season due to the COVID-19 pandemic the provincial amateur governing association announced Friday that the event will be played at Candle Lake Golf Resort on Aug. 28 and 29. Steve Ryde, the manager of sport and championships said Don Ludwig and the entire ownership group at Candle Lake was fantastic to work with in deciding to host the event.

“Candle Lake was supposed to host the 22^nd Mixed Championship last year, however with a customary shotgun start, encouraged gathering and a banquet part of the event’s program running it last year would have been irresponsible,” Ryde said. “Don and the entire crew worked around the cancellation last year and are excited to welcome the event this year.”

The provincial guidelines updated March 9 say shotgun starts are still prohibited. Golf Saskatchewan is going to begin planning for the co-ed team event using a tee time format for the two rounds but is prepared to adjust.

Golf Saskatchewan is in discussions with the province’s Business Response Team (BRT) hoping to see an updated version of the golf course/restaurant/retail sectors ahead of a quickly approaching season.

More details will be announced with updated guidelines. For now, Ryde said it is exciting to be planning for the golf season and having the mixed back on the schedule is good news.

“The mixed, in normal years is one of our larger events and most enjoyed. Couples from across Saskatchewan, some friends, others married, or partners make a holiday of the event and have been playing for years. We felt as an organization it was important to get the mixed back on track and Candle Lake is one of the most beautiful resorts in the province to restore the annual event,” he said.

A decision on the 50th Rosebowl is still pending as Golf Saskatchewan continues to work with potential host Katepwa Beach Golf Club.

***Golf Saskatchewan has released the 2021 individual championship schedule. All events are pending provincial health guidelines.

The Mixed Championship plans to return to the Golf Saskatchewan schedule this year.

After being cancelled last season due to the COVID-19 pandemic the provincial amateur governing association announced Friday that the event will be played at Candle Lake Golf Resort on Aug. 28 and 29. Steve Ryde, the manager of sport and championships said Don Ludwig and the entire ownership group at Candle Lake was fantastic to work with in deciding to host the event.

“Candle Lake was supposed to host the 22^nd Mixed Championship last year, however with a customary shotgun start, encouraged gathering and a banquet part of the event’s program running it last year would have been irresponsible,” Ryde said. “Don and the entire crew worked around the cancellation last year and are excited to welcome the event this year.”

The provincial guidelines updated March 9 say shotgun starts are still prohibited. Golf Saskatchewan is going to begin planning for the co-ed team event using a tee time format for the two rounds but is prepared to adjust.

Golf Saskatchewan is in discussions with the province’s Business Response Team (BRT) hoping to see an updated version of the golf course/restaurant/retail sectors ahead of a quickly approaching season.

More details will be announced with updated guidelines. For now, Ryde said it is exciting to be planning for the golf season and having the mixed back on the schedule is good news.

“The mixed, in normal years is one of our larger events and most enjoyed. Couples from across Saskatchewan, some friends, others married, or partners make a holiday of the event and have been playing for years. We felt as an organization it was important to get the mixed back on track and Candle Lake is one of the most beautiful resorts in the province to restore the annual event,” he said.

A decision on the 50th Rosebowl is still pending as Golf Saskatchewan continues to work with potential host Katepwa Beach Golf Club.

***Golf Saskatchewan has released the 2021 individual championship schedule. All events are pending provincial health guidelines.