th, Premier Blaine Higgs announced that golf courses will be included in the first phase of business reactivation in New Brunswick.  In his statement, Premier Higgs confirmed that golf courses would be able to resume operations at their discretion under specified restrictions as provided by the Province of New Brunswick and the office of the Chief Medical Officer.

• CLICK HERE for the latest COVID-19 Update from the Province of New Brunswick
• CLICK HERE for a full “Guidance Document of General Public Health Measures During COVID-19 Recovery” as per from the Province of New Brunswick
  • CLIQUEZ ICI pour le “Document d’orientation des mesures générales de santé publique pendant la récupération de COVID-19” complet, selon la province du Nouveau-Brunswick

While we are pleased that our sport is part of the initial services to be re-opened in Phase 1 of the provinces’ plan, the re-opening of services remains a fluid situation with a number of details yet to come. Golf NB is currently in consultation with the Province of New Brunswick, our member clubs, and partner associations to ensure the health and safety of players and staff remains a top priority as golf courses in our province open in the upcoming weeks. Please stay connected to our social media channels and website for more information regarding the opening of golf courses for the 2020 season.  ]]>

“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.

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Click here to view Golf Canada’s COVID-19 Resource Page.

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After feeling the sting of defeat the first time around, Looks like @TigerWoods is bringing a ringer to The Match (#PeytonManning).

I’m bringing a ? @TomBrady – Ready to hit ?’s? https://t.co/ilaqS05QQs — Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) April 22, 2020 Turner said all donations and fundraising from “The Match: Champions for Charity” would benefit relief efforts for the COVID-19 pandemic. The event will be televised on TNT, with social and digital content leading up and during the event available through Bleacher Report and House of Highlights. The first match over Thanksgiving weekend in November 2018 was supposed to be pay-per-view, except that technical difficulties allowed everyone to watch. It lacked some of wild bets both players had teased, and the trash talking was forced at times. Mickelson ended up winning the $9 million winner-take-all purse in a wedge contest under the lights when the matched ended in a tie. Live golf was last seen on television March 12, the first round of The Players Championship as developments with the new coronavirus accelerated at such a rate that sports began shutting down. The PGA Tour first decided not to have fans at the TPC Sawgrass, then cancelled its premier event, and then began cancelling or postponing all tournaments across each of its tours. Woods was not at The Players. The defending Masters champion has not played since he finished last in his Genesis Invitational at Riviera on Feb. 16. Saying his back did not feel ready, Woods chose not to play the Mexico Championship, the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship. Woods and Manning have played together in pro-ams on the PGA Tour. The Palm Beach Post has reported that Brady, who recently signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has joined fabled Seminole Golf Club in south Florida.]]>

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.”

 

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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.

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For more information, visit www.rbccanadianopen.com.]]>

Province of New Brunswick – State of Emergency On March 19, 2020 the Province of New Brunswick declared the State of Emergency and ordered the closure, or modification, of a great number of industries in the province.  On April 16, 2020, Premier Blaine Higgs extended New Brunswick’s State of Emergency for an additional two week period, through April 30, 2020 and noted that the “order will be reassessed after two weeks and will be extended as needed.”

• CLICK HERE for the full media release.

For the time being, as per Section 5 of the Province of New Brunswick’s Declaration of a State of Emergency and Revised Mandatory Order issued March 25, 2020, all Golf Courses are to remain closed until further notice; Renewed and Revised Mandatory Order (COVID-19) Section 5)  All swimming pools, spas, saunas, dance studios, rinks and arenas, tennis courts, soccer and baseball fields, climbing walls, escape rooms, ski hills, golf courses, arcades, amusement centers, pool halls, bowling alleys, casinos, cinemas, libraries, museums, zoos, aquaria, barbers, hairstylists, esthetics service providers, pet groomers, sugar bush operations (public-admitting portions), and theatres or other live performance venues are prohibited from admitting patrons. As mandated by the Province of New Brunswick – individuals are prohibited from playing golf on public or private golf courses during the Declaration of a State of Emergency and Revised Mandatory Order,  until New Brunswick golf courses are given permission to open. Golf NB shares in the disappointment of those affected by the current State of Emergency in the Province and thank all for their understanding during this extraordinary time.]]>

Golf Manager will work diligently to create an enjoyable atmosphere and a memorable experience for all members, players and customers. The  Golf Manager will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the golf course. In this role, the Golf Manager will also develop business development strategies to maximize revenue and profitability while ensuring exceptional customer service. Specifically, areas of responsibility for the role include Golf Course Management, Facilities Management, Employee Management, Customer Service, Business Development and Vendor Management. Additional job information and an outline of responsibilities can be obtained by emailing:  wgcc@nb.aibn.com Deadline for applications:  Thursday, April 23, 2020]]>

golf fashion ahead of his time, a colourful character known as much for the 20 times he won on the PGA TOUR as the majors that got away. Sanders died Sunday morning in Houston, the PGA Tour confirmed through a text from Sanders’ ex-wife, Scotty. He was 86. Sanders was still an amateur when he won his first PGA Tour event in 1956 at the RBC Canadian Open in a playoff against Dow Finsterwald, and his best year was in 1961 when he won five times and finished third on the PGA Tour money list. But he is best known for four runner-up finishes in the majors, the most memorable at St. Andrews in the 1970 British Open. He only needed par on the final hole of the Old Course to beat Jack Nicklaus, and Sanders was 3 feet away. He jabbed at the putt and missed it, and Nicklaus beat him the next day in a playoff. “If I was a master of the English language, I don’t think I could find the adjectives to describe how I felt when I missed that short one,” Sanders said after the playoff, where Nicklaus beat him by one shot. “But that’s golf, and that’s the fascination of the game.”

Sanders also finished one shot behind Nicklaus in the 1966 British Open at Muirfield. He had a one-shot lead going into the final round of the 1961 U.S. Open at Oakland Hills and finished one behind Gene Littler, and he finished one shot behind Bob Rosburg in the 1959 PGA Championship at Minneapolis Golf Club. The loss to Nicklaus took its place with other near-misses in golf, such as Scott Hoch at the 1989 Masters. Sanders once cited Walter Hagen saying no one ever remembers who finishes second. “But they still ask me if I ever think about that putt I missed to win the 1970 Open at St. Andrews,” he said. “I tell them sometimes it doesn’t cross my mind for a full five minutes.” But there was never any mistaking Sanders, known as the “Peacock of the Fairways” for his Easter-egg collection of colours he wore on the golf course, even after he was done competing. “The two most frequent questions on tour were, `What did Arnold Palmer shoot?’ and `What’s Doug Sanders wearing?”’ Sanders told Golf Digest in 2007. Tommy Bolt once said of Sanders, “The man looks like a jukebox with feet.” Also overlooked were his 20 victories on the PGA Tour, the last of which was the 1972 Kemper Open by one shot over Lee Trevino. He won at some of the bigger spots on tour, such as Colonial, the Western Open and Doral. When he won the RBC Canadian Open in 1956, it was 29 more years before another amateur – Scott Verplank – won on the PGA Tour. Sanders played in one Ryder Cup, in 1967 in Houston, with Ben Hogan captain of what is regarded one of the best U.S. teams from that era of the matches. He was born in Cedartown, Georgia, and played college golf at Florida. Sanders stayed active after no longer competing, sponsoring the Doug Sanders Celebrity Classic for six years and a junior golf championship in Houston.]]>

Golf NB Spring Board of Directors Meeting – April 25, 2020 – POSTPONED Golf NB has made POSTPONED the 2020 Golf NB Spring Board of Directors Meeting, originally scheduled for Saturday, April 25, 2020, until such time as there is more clarity surrounding the 2020 golf season in New Brunswick. Golf NB will continue to, provide regular updates via Newsletter, social media and our website in an effort to keep our partners and members informed during this fluid and fast-moving situation.   2020 Golf NB Events & Championships Golf NB is announcing its decision to cancel the events listed below.

• NB Men’s Four Ball, presented by Taylormade May 23-24, 2020 Algonquin Golf Course, St. Andrews-by-the-Sea, NB
• NB Ladies Four Ball June 14, 2020 Gowan Brae Golf & Country Club, Bathurst, NB
• Past Presidents’ Cup Inter-Club Challenge September 19-20, 2020 Lakeside Golf & Country Club, Lakeville, NB

The decision to cancel these events was not taken lightly, but given unprecedented times, Golf NB believes it is the best course of action. The safety and well-being of its championship competitors, tournament staff and volunteers along with the host club’s members and staff are paramount to Golf NB. Golf NB shares in the disappointment of those affected and thank all for their understanding during this extraordinary time. All Event & Championship protocols, as published on March 17, 2020 will remain in effect, until further notice, for all other 2020 Golf NB Events & Championships;

• Golf New Brunswick (Golf NB) will make decisions regarding individual events and championships a minimum of 3 weeks in advance of the championship.Golf NB strongly recommends that competitors enter any events scheduled in which they intend to play this season. In the event Golf NB cancels the event or the competitor needs to withdraw, entry fees will be 100% refunded.

• Golf NB will require 25% of the maximum field as outlined in the Tournament Information Page for each event. If Golf NB cancels the event as a result of insufficient registrations, entry fees will be 100% refunded. 

• Championships will be cancelled not postponed.

A complete list of Golf NB Events and Championships is available by clicking here.   Golf NB Office Closure The Golf NB office will be closed to the public through May 3, 2020.  The situation will be re-evaluated as of April 30, 2020 for further action. While the Golf NB offices will be closed to the public, Golf NB continues to plan for the 2020 golf season and staff will remain available to provide support and answer any questions via normal communication methods. Golf New Brunswick E-Mail: info@golfnb.ca Phone: 506-451-1324 Golf NB would like to thank you for your patience, support, and understanding and we wish each of you and families and friends all the best in these difficult times. Please direct any questions by email to: Tyson Flinn               tflinn@golfnb.ca Luke Lacey               llacey@golfnb.ca  ]]>

The Golf NB 2020 Spring Madness Bracket Challenge started on March 24th, 2020 with 44 NB Golf Courses set to go head-to-head in a single-elimination knockout bracket challenge, based purely on public votes. This year’s challenge had it all, we witnessed David versus Goliath match-ups, last-minute finishes, local community support, and multiple storybook underdog upsets. After over 50,000 public votes throughout our first five rounds, we were left with our Championship Final Match-Up:

 Covered Bridge Golf & Country Club vs. Memramcook Valley Golf Course

After 48 hours of online voting, there could only be one course left standing. With over 2,000 votes, we are proud to crown Covered Bridge Golf & Country Club our 2020 Spring Madness Bracket Challenge Champions. Located in Hartland, New Brunswick; home of the Longest Covered Bridge in the World. This 18-hole, 6,609-yard championship course first opened for play in 1993 and proudly hosted the 2019 Canadian Junior Boys Championship. The course overlooks the beautiful Saint John River Valley with some of the most picturesque scenery in Atlantic Canada. Golf NB would like to thank all of our member facilities and public voters who participated in this friendly interactive competition. We look forward to the 2021 Spring Madness Bracket Challenge and have high hopes we will all be returning to the game of golf and our local courses in the near future. We all need to be #Golftimistic   ]]>