The Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour has concluded their season in Saskatchewan.

The tour stopped at Warman’s Legends Golf Club on Aug. 22 and 23 for the MJT/Golf Saskatchewan OOM Championship.

Regina’s Autumn Neiszner capped her season with a win in the 15-19 girls age group after shooting 150 (72. 78) over the two days. Neiszner edged Saskatoon’s Sarah Grieve by a shot to win the category. Symone Ripley, also of Saskatoon was third at 189 (97, 92).

Ella Kozak (above) found herself on the podium again, the Yorkton golfer shot 170 (83, 87) to win the under-15 girls division. Sarah Henderson of Saskatoon was second at 217 (114, 103) and T’Kayah Sim of St. Walburg placed third.

Cole Nagy (above) claimed the junior boy’s category and the overall championship with a 36-hole total of 145 (77, 68) on Sunday. Nagy, of Saskatoon was a stroke better than Regina’s Aidan Shanks and a pair of Alberta golfers who finished at 146. Zach Szakacs of Corman Park was fifth at 152 (75, 77).

Kindersley’s Cort Tunall (below) was in the hunt for the overall championship.

The 16-year-old carded rounds of 73 and 70 finishing just two strokes back of Nagy. Tunall did claim the juvenile boy’s division by four shots. Brett Leonard of Corman Park placed second at 147 (74, 73). Saskatoon’s Chase Pochylko and Guillermo Salazar of Waskesiu tied for third at 149.

Darien Herlick (above) of Weyburn found himself on top of the MJT podium again. The Weyburn Golf Club athlete won the bantam boy’s category with a score of 142 (72, 70). Herlick finished five shots ahead of Saskatoon’s Max Regier and nine strokes ahead of Warman’s Dane Giesbrecht.

In the peewee boy’s category Elias Haukeness (below) was the winner with a two-round score of 166 (86, 80). Cole Silverson of Regina was a shot back in second place. Saskatoon’s Lucas Sturgeon and Grady McDougall of Prince Albert tied for third place.

All the results can be seen here. The MJT has more details here.

This year has been a unique one – to say the least – but a big positive that’s come from the lengthy break from event-planning has seen Golf Canada accelerate meaningful initiatives that will benefit the future of the sport.

The Golf Canada Women in Coaching Program, launching this week, is one of those initiatives – an exciting partnership between Golf Canada and the PGA of Canada that will put the sport on the path to further balance between sexes at a high level, coaching-wise.

“Golf Canada has a vested interest in developing the coaching pool to fill the future pipeline of national team coaches – we want to ensure that in the future we have a coaching staff that better represents our players and the golfing community,” says Emily Phoenix, the manager of high performance sport at Golf Canada and one of the leaders of the Women in Coaching Program.

“There are PGA of Canada members out there who are female, that have invested in their own coaching skills and we want to provide some additional tools, along with our partners at the PGA of Canada, to further develop these existing coaches.”

In early 2019 Sport Canada approached all National Sport Organizations for programs or projects it wanted to do but maybe hadn’t had the funding to launch. The idea for the Women in Coaching Program fell under the Safe Sport and Gender Equity Fund while its inspiration came from Level Par, a comparable initiative in Ireland.

Hey @pgaofcanada LADIES!!! Check this out!👀⬇️ Love it!❤⛳ https://t.co/F6FQZkzXEQ

— Lisa Longball (@LisaLongball) August 17, 2020

Golf Canada applied for a wider collection of funding, so not only will it be doing a coach mentorship program, but there are some other exciting initiatives that Golf Canada has outlined either in the safe sport area or with gender equity that will span two years – 2020 and 2021 – says Phoenix.

The development of this particular program also relates well to Golf Canada’s commitment to the R&A’s Women in Golf charter.

In part, the R&A’s Women in Golf charter (of which Golf Canada is a signatory) intends “to inspire an industry-wide commitment to developing a more inclusive culture within golf around the world and enable more women and girls to flourish and maximize their potential at all levels of the sport.”

Tristan Mullally, the Women’s National Team Head Coach, will co-lead the program along with Phoenix. He says it’s huge any time you can support people who want to learn in both a functional program but also with financial aid.

“Good coaches will tell you they have to invest a lot of money in themselves,” said the PGA of Canada Class ‘A’ member.

Mullally also coaches the Women’s Young Pro Squad and led the Canadian Women’s Golf Team of Brooke Henderson and Alena Sharp at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Excited to be a part of this project and support aspiring coaches. Information and application details below #leveltheplayingfield https://t.co/brRulF0aB3

— Tristan Mullally (@tmullallygolf) August 17, 2020

He says although full-time coaching opportunities are limited, for both genders, this is a chance for Golf Canada to help level the playing field.

“There are many great female coaches across Canada but they tend to be a little more isolated and this was a way to bring expertise together,” he said. “This will bring together likeminded female coaches to build relationships and learn best practices from our national team program.”

As part of the mission of the program, Golf Canada will work closely with female PGA of Canada professionals interested in pursuing a career in coaching.

There will be four main elements to the program including lectures, hands-on training, project work, and a self-assessment. Each successful candidate will receive a $2,500 bursary from Golf Canada.

“The time is long overdue,” says Matt Allen, the chief innovation officer of the PGA of Canada, about this kind of program. “I think for us the rationale was really: we have a lot of female professionals who are doing great work and leading at the club level but we really saw an opportunity to grow the pool of high performance coaching in the country.”

The program launch aligns nicely with the continued growth of the DCM PGA Women’s Championship of Canada and the launch of the PGA of Canada’s Women’s PGA Cup in 2019, says Allen. A program like this, he says, helps with visibility and hopefully, growth of the game.

“There are lots of young, female golfers playing the game and picking up the game now. If they don’t see a high-profile female coach in our sport then they don’t see the pathway for them. If you don’t see it, you don’t believe it,” says Allen. “This is the time for us to say, ‘you know what, we’re putting a stake in the ground.’ These young girls who are starting to pick up the game today can have a viable career at the high performance level.”

PGA of Canada professionals interested in the Women in Coaching Program can click here to apply.

Applications will close on Monday, Sept. 7 at 5 p.m. ET

– Third annual business summit to inspire empowerment will be held online Tuesday, September 1, with complimentary admission –

– Panelists include CP Ambassadors Brooke Henderson and Lorie Kane; Olympians Marnie McBean and Perdita Felicien; as well as executive and educator, Candy Ho and CP executive Pam Arpin –

OAKVILLE, Ont. (Golf Canada) — Golf Canada in partnership with Canadian Pacific (CP) has announced the third annual CP Women’s Leadership Summit will take place virtually on Tuesday, September 1, 2020, with complimentary access.

The intent of the CP Women’s Leadership Summit is to bring together like-minded female business leaders for an opportunity to network, as well as inspire empowerment and philanthropy among women. This year’s Summit will feature four sessions, running from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. EDT, and will be hosted by TSN anchor Lindsay Hamilton.

The CP Women’s Leadership Summit will also help raise funds for the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, the primary charity partner of the 2021 CP Women’s Open, with online donations supporting the health and wellness of children at the BC Children’s Hospital.

The opening-session of the Summit will discuss leadership in sport and will be led by Canadian rower, Marnie McBean, a three-time Olympic gold medalist and Chef de Mission of the 2020 Canadian Olympic Team at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

The second session will be themed around leadership during uncertain times and will feature Candy Ho, CEO of The Cape on Bowen Community Development and a board member of Heart & Stroke Foundation of BC and Yukon along with Pam Arpin, Assistant Vice President, Customer and Corporate Services with Canadian Pacific who was named 2019 League of Railway Woman of the Year.

Perdita Felicien, a retired Canadian hurdler and world champion turned TV broadcaster and personality, will head up the third session touching on overcoming challenges and adversity.

The final session will touch on the growth and state of women’s golf and will feature emcee Lindsay Hamilton interviewing LPGA golfers and CP ambassadors Lorie Kane and Brooke Henderson.

Kane is a 4-time LPGA Tour winner who received the Order of Canada in 2006. She is an honoured member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame (2016) and was recently named as an inductee into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame (2020-2021).

Henderson, a 9-time LPGA Tour champion and winner of the 2018 CP Women’s Open, became the second youngest player in LPGA history to win a major championship at the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. She also represented Canada at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio where she finished T7.

“I am very excited to participate in the CP Women’s Leadership Summit to share, hear and learn from some amazing female leaders,” said Pam Arpin, Assistant Vice-President Customer and Corporate Services, Canadian Pacific. “This is also a great opportunity to raise funds for a commendable cause and help to leave a lasting legacy for the hospital, children and families who need it.”

For Golf Canada, hosting the CP Women’s Leadership Summit aligns with the organization’s commitment to developing a more inclusive culture in Canadian golf.

“The CP Women’s Leadership Summit is an important event to provide a forum to discuss meaningful topics that can offer change within sport and the workplace,” said Mary Beth McKenna, a member of Golf Canada’s championship management team. “Our speakers are true leaders, both in their respective industries and as women’s empowerment advocates. While we can’t gather in person this year due to circumstances around the pandemic, we are excited to bring speakers together virtually who will provide participants with an inspiring experience and wide array of perspectives.”

The CP Women’s Leadership Summit typically takes place in conjunction with CP Women’s Open tournament week. In late June, Golf Canada, CP and the LPGA jointly announced the 2020 CP Women’s Open would be postponed until 2021 due to continued travel and border restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2021 CP Women’s Open will be held August 23-29, at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver. Information about the 2021 CP Women’s Leadership Summit will be announced in the coming months.

More information about the CP Women’s Leadership Summit, is available online at www.cpwomensopen.com/wls. 

For the last half decade the Prairie Spirit Schools Foundation has hosted a fundraising golf tournament at The Legends in Warman. Due to COVID-19 the 2020 version of the event was cancelled but the organization and course has revamped the fundraising initiative for this year.

Foundation Fund Development Manager Kari Dean said the group didn’t want to lose the traction they’ve built over five years of the event despite the government guidelines of no mass start golf tournaments.

“We didn’t want to lose our momentum and try something different, there is no harm in trying something different,” Dean said to Golf Saskatchewan. “We are finding a different audience, maybe people are feeling a little guilty about spending money to golf, they aren’t serious or members, but they’d be comfortable giving back and giving to charity. The participants receive a welcome gift from Save-On-Foods and a golf voucher from The Legends.”

From June 1 to Sept. 30 you can purchase and participate in a ‘Golf For A Cause’ round at the Legends Golf Course in Warman at a date and tee-time that is chosen by you and support enriched learning opportunities for students in the Prairie Spirit School Division (PSSD). The cost is $125 per participant but you receive the Save-On Foods package as well as a voucher for 18 walking holes at The Legends on another date of your choosing, a $55 value. Dean said the proceeds then go back into the foundation’s programming.

“We don’t take away from what the division is doing because they do an excellent job,” she said. “What we do is the little extras, we do those little things that maybe couldn’t be done because the funds aren’t there. There is only so much money to go around. We do learning grants and special projects, things like that. Without our golf tournament it’s a little more difficult to manage our funds.”

The Foundation dispersed $35,000 last year across the PSSD and approximately $38,000 the year prior. Since 2017 the organization has contributed $136,000 to schools in Blaine Lake, Dalmeny, Delisle, Hepburn, Leask, Warman, Martensville, Duck Lake, Pike Lake and many of the learning initiatives encompassed schools and students in the entire PSSD. Dean said over the years their programming has built off other schools.

“When someone else sees a program in their school, they go hey, that’s a great idea, why don’t we apply for that? They start reaching out to other teachers about programs and ask how can we do that? The key is working with the division where the needs are and what we can do to help them,” Dean explained.

“We’re reaching a lot of students and giving them opportunities to try something a little different,” she added.

For more details on the Foundation’s ‘Golf for a Cause’ program visit the Foundation’s website.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida – PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan announced today that the Presidents Cup will return to The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal when the Presidents Cup shifts internationally in 2024. As host of the 2007 Presidents Cup, The Royal Montreal Golf Club will become the second international venue to host the Presidents Cup more than once, joining The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia.

The 2007 Presidents Cup at The Royal Montreal Golf Club saw two legendary captains lead their respective teams for the final time, with four-time captain Jack Nicklaus guiding the U.S. Team to victory over three-time captain Gary Player and the International Team by a score of 19 ½ – 14 ½. Despite falling short, the highlight for the week for International Team fans was a Sunday Singles victory by Mike Weir over World No. 1 Tiger Woods, with the Canadian being supported by a massive and supercharged gallery of spectators.

“The people of Canada are some of the most loyal and passionate sports fans in the world, and given the overwhelming success of the Presidents Cup in 2007, it was a natural next step for the event to return to The Royal Montreal in 2024,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “Our thanks go out to our global partners, Citi and Rolex, for making the Presidents Cup possible and to the leadership and membership of The Royal Montreal Golf Club, a venue that has already shown it can challenge and highlight the best players in the world. The Presidents Cup continues to grow and expand along with the global growth of our sport while leaving an indelible legacy of giving back throughout the world. I have no doubt that with the support of our fans, the corporate community and governments of Quebec and Canada and the City of Montreal, the Presidents Cup 2024 will continue to the positive trajectory of this event.”

As part of the news, Monahan announced a partnership between First Tee, Golf Canada and Golf Canada Foundation to launch First Tee – Canada. With plans to expand across the nation, the partnership will add First Tee’s youth development program to Golf Canada’s already impressive platform that reaches kids in schools and at golf facilities, helping to empower kids through a lifetime of new challenges and personal growth.

Founded in 1873, The Royal Montreal Golf Club is the oldest golf club in North America. Its Blue Course was designed by Dick Wilson and updated by Rees Jones in 2004 and 2005. In addition to hosting the Presidents Cup, The Royal Montreal has also held the RBC Canadian Open on 10 occasions, most recently in 2014.

“We are excited and more than pleased that we have been selected to host the Presidents Cup again, and we are thrilled that we will be welcoming the world’s best golfers to our club in 2024,” said Michael Richards, Chair of The Royal Montreal Golf Club’s bid committee. “Our club has experienced leadership and great members, and our goal is to make the 2024 Presidents Cup the best ever. With widespread support from leaders of the golf and business communities and from various levels of government and with the help of Tourisme Montreal, we are confident we will succeed.”

Graham DeLaet, Adam Hadwin and Mike Weir are the three Canadians who have competed in the Presidents Cup.

Weir, a five-time Presidents Cup participant, amassed a 13-9-2 record before spending the 2017 and 2019 Presidents Cup serving in the role of a captain’s assistant. Weir was famously drawn against Woods in his Sunday Singles match in 2007, which concluded with Weir winning the final two holes to capture the match, 1-up.

“I was very proud to be part of the Presidents Cup as a player in 2007, and to see it come back after being so well-supported the first time just speaks to how passionate we are in Canada about golf,” Weir said. “The fan turnout was tremendous, and as a Canadian I am very proud to have the Presidents Cup come back.”

Weir, the first Canadian to compete in the Presidents Cup, was later followed by DeLaet, who made his debut for Captain Nick Price in 2013. DeLaet, 31 years old at the time, delivered an inspiring 3-1-1 performance at Muirfield Village Golf Club, which included a Singles match victory over Jordan Spieth.

“I can only imagine the roars that will be heard around Royal Montreal, especially if a few Canadians are on the team,” DeLaet said. “Having the Presidents Cup is such a great way to grow the game in Canada and it’d be nice to see the International Team lift the Presidents Cup on Canadian soil.”

Hadwin became the third Canadian to participate in the Presidents Cup after qualifying for the 2017 International Team at Liberty National Golf Club. He then returned for the 2019 team thanks to one of four captain’s picks from Ernie Els, which he converted into a 1-1-1 record at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club.

“This is huge for Canadian golf,” Hadwin said. “The state of Canadian golf could not be better and I think it is such an appropriate time to bring it back into Canada. There’s a good chance that a few of us could end up representing the International Team there at Royal Montreal, so that adds to the excitement as well.

“I feel like we have some of the best golf fans in the world in Canada, and to bring a world-class event up to Canada is big for them and I know they’ll be excited to have it back.”

Also announced, Ryan Hart has been named as Executive Director of the 2024 Presidents Cup. Ryan has worked at the TOUR’s Headquarters for over 3 years, most recently as the Tournament Director of THE PLAYERS Championship. Raised in Winnipeg, Canada, Ryan returns home where he previously ran The Players Cup on Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada for seven years while leading a local marketing firm. Ryan will be returning to Canada to lead the TOUR’s efforts over the next four years.

Tournament dates for the 2024 Presidents Cup will be announced at later date.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]OAKVILLE, Ont. – Golf Canada and First Tee announced today a new partnership to launch First Tee –  Canada. First Tee’s Board Chairman, PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan, shared the news during a global announcement that Presidents Cup will return to Royal Montreal Golf Club in 2024.

Together, the partnership will bring First Tee’s youth development emphasis to strengthen Golf Canada’s junior golf activities – previously conducted under the Future Links brand – that reach kids in schools and at golf facilities. The innovative First Tee curriculum will focus on empowering young people to build their strength of character through the game of golf. Golf Canada will serve as the national headquarters of First Tee – Canada.

“Partnering with First Tee towards the 2021 launch of First Tee – Canada will provide Canadian youth and especially those in underrepresented groups access to affordable and meaningful character education programs through golf,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “Golf Canada and the PGA of Canada have developed a strong foundation for junior golf programming over the past twenty plus years through Future Links. We are excited going forward to partner with the globally recognized First Tee brand and work collaboratively with the Golf Canada Foundation to strengthen our youth development activities.”

“Golf Canada has made a significant impact on the growth of the sport in Canada through their multi-faceted junior golf initiatives and was a natural fit for us to partner with the launch of  First Tee – Canada,” said Greg McLaughlin, CEO, First Tee. “Together, we will bring the First Tee youth development program nationwide and build on Golf Canada’s impressive grassroots success with programming that reaches kids via nearly 600 golf facilities and 4,100 participating schools.”

The PGA of Canada will play a leading role in the training of coaches who will serve as mentors to the kids and teens in the program. Coaches will help bring the curriculum to life by introducing youth to fun and active experiences that help them build inner strength, self-confidence, and resilience that can carry to everything they do.

“We are proud that PGA of Canada professionals will play an important role in utilizing golf to teach First Tee core values of honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, judgement and courtesy,” said Kevin Thistle, CEO of PGA of Canada. “We look forward to supporting the development of youth and junior golfers through the coaching and mentorship of PGA of Canada professionals in alignment with the National Coaching Certification Program.”

First Tee – Canada will target to launch multiple chapters in 2021 with a growth strategy to establish First Tee chapters in markets across Canada through 2023. The inaugural First Tee – Canada chapter launching in 2021 will be located in Victoria, British Columbia at the Bear Mountain Golf & Tennis Resort Community which is also home to Golf Canada’s National Training Centre. This was made possible by the support of the Matthews and Kusumoto families. Dan Matthews is a global Trustee and a member of the Board of Governors of the First Tee and a member of the Board of Directors of the Golf Canada Foundation.  A First Tee chapter in Quebec will also be launched shortly thereafter, continuing the incredible legacy of past  Presidents Cups. With support from the Presidents Cup, First Tee has successfully launched global chapters in Australia (2019) and Korea (2015).

Through its deep network of donors and trustees, Golf Canada Foundation will be a critical partner in supporting the launch and advancement of First Tee – Canada through its fundraising and philanthropic efforts. Canada’s Provincial Golf Associations will also play a role in the advancement of First Tee – Canada as chapters begin to form in markets across Canada. In addition, Golf Canada will continue to work with the NGCOA Canada (National Golf Course Owner’s Association) and other key industry stakeholders towards a more inclusive golf experience for Canadian youth.

Since its inception in 1997, First Tee has impacted more than 15 million young people through its character-building programs on golf courses, in schools and at youth-serving locations.

The First Tee network has grown to over 150 chapters and more than 1,200 program locations across the United States as well as six international chapters—Australia, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Morocco and Canada—delivering programs that help young people build character and develop life skills through the game of golf. A First Tee chapter out of Vancouver is operating independently out of Vancouver, and previously out of Montreal, prior to the launch of First Tee – Canada.

To learn more about First Tee, visit thefirsttee.org.

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Estevan’s Jace Carlisle will remember his last competitive round of junior golf. Wrapping up his under-19 career on his home course, the TS&M Woodlawn, Carlisle came out on top of a three-player playoff to win the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour Re/Max Blue Chip Realty Classic on Friday.

Carlisle defeated Chase Gedak, also of Estevan and Saskatoon’s Josh Nagy in the second playoff hole to win the event with a score of 142 (69, 73). Gedak put up rounds of 72 and 70 while Nagy carded scores of 69 and 73. Estevan’s Jayden Dudas finished fourth at 148 (75, 73) in the junior boy’s division.

In the juvenile boy’s category it was 16-year-old Chase Pochylko (below) of Saskatoon picking up the win with a 36-hole score of 143 (70, 73).

Tommy Danielson of Saskatoon placed second two shots back at 145 (72, 73) and Alex Swinnerton, also of the Bridge City placed third at 149 (73, 76). Regina’s Will Blake placed fourth with a two-day score of 150 after a solid opening round score of 69.

Max Regier (above) is back on top of the bantam boy’s division after shooting rounds of 73 and 69 for a two-day total of 142, seven shots better than Weyburn’s Darien Herlick. Dane Giesbrecht placed third with a score of 152 (75, 77). The trio has been competing hard against each other all season long each tasting success on the MJT circuit or provincials in Swift Current.

Keaton Cote of Kindersley was in the hunt at 158 (80, 78).

Elias Haukeness (above) held off Jack Maharaj in the peewee boy’s division to win by a stroke. The Buena Vista golfer shot 162 (83, 79), just enough to edge Saskatoon’s Maharaj’s 163 (83, 80).

Lucas Sturgeon of Saskatoon was third at 170 (84, 86).

Sarah Grieve (above) continued her dominance of the 15 – 19 girls’ division winning for the third time in as many events the 17-year-old Saskatoon golfer entered.

Grieve shot 79, 74 for a two-day total of 153. Autumn Neiszner of Regina was second at 161 (80, 81) and Symone Ripley placed third at 181 (94, 87).

In the under-15 girl’s category T’Kayah Sim (below) was the winner at 268 with back-to-back 134’s.

The complete results can be seen here.

Next up on the MJT schedule in Saskatchewan is the OOM Championship at The Legends Golf Course in Warman on Aug. 22 and 23.

Mini-Tour

The MJT Mini-Tour was in action on Thursday, Aug. 6 in Estevan which included the tour’s first playoff hole. The MJT has all the details here.

The Mini-Tour will also stop in Warman on Aug. 23.

All photos courtesy Jeff Chambers.

The new Golf Canada app sets the stage for a greatly enhanced digital experience

Canada’s largest golf community is about to become more connected with the launch of the new Golf Canada app.

The user-friendly app launched Aug. 5 is now available to all golfers nationwide to record and track their scores, trace where they have played and provide detailed game statistics as a game improvement tool. The app is free to download and can be used by golfers at any level of skill.

“The app is designed to connect individual golfers and their friends with the more than the 1,400-member golf courses we have in Canada,” says Vanessa Morbi, Senior Director of Marketing at Golf Canada. “Among the many exciting features, golfers will be able to follow their favourite golf courses to stay connected and up to date. The app will also provide additional value to our member clubs as a platform to engage with golfers.”

All golfers will be able to enter their scores on the app as they play hole-by-hole or at the end of a round. They can track a variety of stats including driving accuracy, greens in regulation, putting strokes, sand saves and up & downs. Golfers will also be able to add friends, follow their favourite courses and track their scores throughout the round. As the app rolls out this summer, additional features will be added to enhance the user experience for Golf Canada members.

“We are proud to launch the new Golf Canada app with an enhanced user experience that anyone who plays golf in Canada can enjoy,” says Adam Helmer, Golf Canada’s Senior Director of Golf Services. “It has been developed with a fresh look and feel to allow app users to better understand their individual game and connect with other golfers and their favourite clubs across the country.”

With heath and safety being top of mind during COVID-19, the digital scorecard on your Smartphone replaces the need for a traditional scorecard and pencil. It may be a way of the future as many clubs across Canada have limited printed scorecard usage this year to reduce physical touchpoints at golf courses during the pandemic.

While enhancing the current benefits of being a Golf Canada member is a key component of the app, it has also been designed with the non-member, public player in mind to increase their engagement with the sport.

Golf Canada members will be able to enjoy a unique package of additional features that will be part of a three-stage rollout throughout the summer including, golf games like Wolf or Skins, as well as real-time Course GPS and Shot Tracer technology.

“What I think sets the new Golf Canada app apart from anything else in the marketplace is our ability to combine scoring, stats, Course GPS, Shot Tracer, and golf games, in one app. You won’t find that anywhere else in the world, so it truly is leading edge digital technology,” added Morbi.

Canada’s go-to golf app has been in development since the fall of 2019. It is a key component of Golf Canada’s digital marketing strategy designed to draw more people to the sport, improve the in-game experience and increase membership. It has also been developed in consultation with the provincial golf associations across Canada to ensure a grassroots connection.

The Golf Canada app has been designed in partnership with Mirego, a Quebec City-based company that is an expert in the app development space. It replaces the original Golf Canada app, a member-only app that featured handicapping and scoring as its primary function. Member profiles and previous scoring is being transferred to the new app, so there will be no loss of information for long-time members.

“Apps are commonplace today—all of us have our favourite apps and the majority of golfers bring a Smartphone to the golf course,” Morbi says. “We’re hoping golfers will fall in love with all of the great features of the new app and have a lot of fun with it. It will give us an opportunity to connect with more golfers and create a deeper connection to the sport they love.”

The app is available for download for both IOS and Android operating systems from both the App Store and Google Play at no cost.

An annual Golf Canada membership sells for $49.95. The benefits of being a Golf Canada member include handicapping, incident protection, personalized equipment labels, discounts on tickets for the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open savings from partners like Avis, Hilton and RBC, and some of the soon to be released features on the new app.

Golf Canada member features

Golf Canada members will enjoy a suite of additional features in the app as part of a three-stage rollout throughout the summer including golf games like Wolf or Skins, real-time course GPS and Shot Tracer technology.

• Click here to download and install the app from the App Store
• Click here to download and install the app from Google Play

Danny Klughart is the winner of the 99th Men’s Northern Amateur Golf tournament at Cooke Municipal Golf Course.

After an intense final round of match play between Klughart and Greg Swenson that went 18-holes Klughart came out victorious.

The three-day tournament featured 104 players and it all came down to the final round between the two that teed off at 1:30 p.m. on Monday

“I played pretty well,” Klughart told paNOW. “I putted pretty well this week. The qualifying round I didn’t get off to the best of starts, I wasn’t hitting the ball overly well.

“Once we got into the match play I played pretty good the whole time. I mean it was a lot more difficult out there this afternoon once the wind picked up so it made it a lot more challenging,” he added.

Klughart said even though it was a tight match it’s not hard for him to keep calm and stay in the moment.

“I’ve been in that situation a lot even just last weekend I was in that position I unfortunately let that one slip away last Friday but I find it pretty easy to control my emotions,” Klughart explained. Last week he won the Mid-Am in Warman but just failed to clinch the Men’s Amateur title by one stroke.

Klughart added he and Swenson have played this tournament quite a few times but neither have won it all until today.

“To finally get one it feels pretty good,” he said. “Two years ago, I lost in the finals to Cory Sawchuk, so didn’t play last year and to get the win this year feels pretty good.”

“And this is the last Cooke tourney I haven’t won so it’s good, got them all now.”

Even though it wasn’t the result he hoped for Swenson was happy with his game all weekend.

“Everyone knew how well Danny’s been playing over the past two years. He’s definitely the top player in the province right now, so I was happy I got my shot at him,” Swenson said. “In the end I came up a little short but I’m just happy the match went to 18 and it was lots of fun.”

He added he and Klughart have been friends for quite a few years and they’ve always wanted to play each other in tournament action.

“This is the first time we got to play, and it was very special it got to be in the final. I mean we were both playing for our first Northern win and I’m happy for the kid he played well.”

As the two went through the full 18 holes Monday afternoon numerous people followed along in golf carts to watch them faceoff for the ultimate prize.

“It seemed like there was 100 people out there and I think we both kind of had our little moments where we felt the pressure but in the end we both played pretty solid and it was a lot of fun,” Swenson said.

Story written by Ian Gustafson and printed with permission from paNOW and Jim Pattison Broadcast Group

Golf Canada and the Golf Canada Foundation have joined together to launch the COVID-19 GOLF RELIEF FUND, to support golf courses in helping employees and golfers stay safe while also thanking front-line workers through encouraging additional play and welcoming juniors to further experience the game.

During the pandemic, golf has experienced a booming resurgence, emerging as one of the safest recreational activities for Canadians to enjoy and highlighting the physical and mental benefits that the sport provides.

Developed in consultation with key stakeholders, the RELIEF FUND will focus on two primary areas:

1) SAFETY: To help maintain the momentum of golf, the RELIEF FUND will subsidize non-medical PPE (personal protective equipment) for golf course employees, as well as sanitization, hygiene, and protective material expenses.

2) FUN: To thank front-line workers and help juniors increase social interactions and outdoor activity during the pandemic, the RELIEF FUND will subsidize rounds for both groups to enjoy playing golf.

“We find ourselves in a very surprising but special moment for golf and we wanted to show appreciation to the courses providing a safe golf experience and to all Canadians who are coming out and playing. We also wanted to thank our incredible front-line workers who are leading us through unprecedented adversity,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “We are sensitive to the ongoing pandemic and amongst the crushing impact, golf has been a bright spot. This has also been a difficult year for so many kids who have had their summers disrupted and we wanted to support our member clubs in providing youth a healthy outlet through golf.”

Golf Canada member clubs who apply for the RELIEF FUND will be eligible for subsidies up to a maximum of $1,000 per club, with applications opening on August 12 on a first-come, first-served basis.

The RELIEF FUND will launch to the public July 28, across Golf Canada’s digital network, throughout Golf Canada member clubs, Ascend Fundraising Solutions’ marketing platforms, and the Provincial Golf Associations.

In addition to welcoming donations to support the RELIEF FUND, golfers and golf fans across the country will be able to support by participating in a four-week digital sweepstakes campaign featuring significant prizing across Canada and the U.S. in 2021.

“We have taken the challenge of the pandemic to pivot our donation efforts as a rallying point for the Canadian golf community,” said Martin Barnard, CEO of the Golf Canada Foundation. “Golf has always been a driver for significant charitable giving and the cancellation of so many fundraising events through the pandemic has been difficult. Partners and donors have embraced the idea of a golf specific relief fund that supports front-line workers and juniors, and also helps to keep industry employees safe throughout the season.”

The Grand prize includes a VIP hospitality experience at the 2021 RBC Canadian Open at St. Georges Golf and Country Club. The early-bird prize package to be drawn on August 12 features a spectacular stay-and-play experience at Cabot Links and Cliffs. Tickets for the sweepstakes can be purchased at www.golfcanadasweeps.com and will be available for sale until August 27.

Currently at close to $350,000 before launching to the public, the RELIEF FUND is proudly and graciously supported by the R&A, PGA TOUR, USGA, PGA of Canada, Bear Mountain Resort, Cabot Cape Breton, and TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley.

Team Canada alumni and PGA TOUR winner Adam Hadwin has personally supported the RELIEF FUND, as part of his effort to give back once the RBC Canadian Open had been cancelled.

RBC Ambassador and three-time PGA TOUR winner Ryan Palmer also has donated to the RELIEF FUND through a fundraising challenge specifically created to help the charities of tournaments that were cancelled due to the pandemic.

Donations to the RELIEF FUND will be accepted throughout the golf season and more contributions will be announced over the course of the campaign as partners and donors join in supporting the cause.