OAKVILLE, ONT. (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada is pleased to announce its 2020 championship schedule which includes 29 amateur and professional competitions hosted at member clubs across Canada. The 2020 schedule is headlined by Golf Canada’s premier professional championships – the RBC Canadian Open from June 8-14 at St. George’s Golf & Country Club in Toronto, Ont. (in partnership with Islington Golf Club), and the CP Women’s Open at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver, B.C., from Aug. 31 – Sept 6. The competition calendar includes eight National Amateur Championships, eight NextGen junior competitions (formerly Future Links Championships) and the World Junior Girls Championship. Golf Canada conducts the country’s premier amateur and professional golf championships as part of its mandate to promote the sport and support the development of the nation’s top talent through world-class competition. In 2020, Golf Canada will celebrate its 125^th anniversary with activities and celebrations planned throughout the championship season.

 

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?2020 CHAMPIONSHIPS ? We’re proud to announce our 29 amateur and professional #golf competitions held in 2020 at some of #Canada’s top member clubs across #Canada ??

A post shared by Golf Canada (@thegolfcanada) on Feb 12, 2020 at 10:22am PST

“Competing in a national championship is an incredible accomplishment for each of the more than 3,000 talented Canadian and international golfers who take part in our competitions,” said Golf Canada’s CEO, Laurence Applebaum. “The depth of talent, engagement among thousands of volunteers, the quality of our host venues and the committed support of corporate partners who have aligned their respected brands with our properties have been core to 125 years of excellence in conducting golf competitions. We are excited to welcome the next wave of Canadian golf champions.” Golf Canada’s championship season kicks off May 12 with the U.S. Open Local Qualifier at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Caledon, Ont. and concludes in October with the 7^th edition of the World Junior Girls Championship at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont.

To view Golf Canada’s 2020 championship schedule including all host venues, registration requirements and volunteer opportunities please click here.

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The Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship will be celebrating its 125th anniversary at The Glencoe Golf & Country Club in Calgary, Alta., from Aug. 3-6. A field of 264 players will be cut to the low 70 players and ties after 36 holes. The champion will receive an exemption into the 2021 RBC Canadian Open, as well as an exemption into the 2020 U.S. Amateur Championship. Additionally, the winner will receive an exemption into local qualifying for the 2021 U.S. Open, and if applicable, the U.S. Junior, U.S. Mid-Amateur or U.S. Senior Amateur Championships. The 2020 event marks the first time the championship will host the 264-player field on the same property (Forest & Meadows courses) since the field expanded in 2010. The inaugural Canadian Men’s Amateur was held in 1895 – the year of Golf Canada’s founding – and has been conducted every year since (excluding times of war between 1915-1918 and 1940-1945). The 107th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship takes place July 21-24 at one of Golf Canada’s founding clubs, The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Île Brizard, Qué. The  champion will earn an exemption into the 2020 CP Women’s Open, as well as an exemption into the 2020 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship. Additionally, the winner will receive exemptions into the U.S. Girls’ Junior, U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur and U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championships, if applicable. Rivershore Estates & Golf Links will host the 82nd Canadian Junior Boys Championship from Aug. 10-13 in Kamloops, B.C. The winner will earn an exemption into the 2021 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship. The 66th Canadian Junior Girls Championship will take place July 28-31 at Club de golf de Lorette in Loretteville, Qué. with the winner earning an exemption into the 2021 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship. The 18th Canadian University/College Championship will be held May 25-28 at Club de Golf Les Quatre Domaines in Mirabel, Qué. The national championship features both a team and individual component featuring Canada’s top university and college talent. The Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur will be held Aug. 18-21 at Riverside Country Club in Rothesay, N.B., with the champion earning entry into the 2021 RBC Canadian Open. The Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship will be held Aug. 25-27 at the Golf Château-Bromont in Bromont, Que. The winner will earn an exemption into the 2020 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship and 2021 U.S Senior Women’s Open. Pheasant Glen Golf Resort located in Qualicum Beach, B.C., will host the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship from Sept. 15-18, with the winner earning an exemption into the 2021 U.S. Senior Amateur. The NextGen Championships (formerly known as the Future Links, driven by Acura Junior Championships) round out Golf Canada’s schedule with eight regional junior competitions. The series will run from May through September in conjunction with the respective Provincial Golf Associations. The Future Links Junior Skills Challenge National Event will be held on Aug. 29 at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver. Twenty-four of the nation’s top-scoring juniors compete for the title of their respective age group (8 and under, 9-11, 12-14, 15-18). An accomplished field of international competitors will take to Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont., from Sept 28 – Oct. 3, for the seventh annual World Junior Girls Championship.  The event will welcome 26 countries playing as three-member squads competing for both a team and individual title. New for 2020, the individual champion will earn an exemption into the 2021 CP Women’s Open. The Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru National Event will be held at Islington Golf Club in Toronto on Sept. 21. The one-day event is a celebration of the success of all Golf Fore the Cure events held nationwide during the 2020 season. To date, the fundraising efforts of thousands of golfers have totaled more than $6.8 million for breast cancer research since the program’s inception in 2003.]]>

Rule 3-2b. Hole-in-One Prizes An amateur golfer may accept a prize in excess of the limit in Rule 3-2a, including a cash prize, for making a hole-in-one during a round of golf on a golf course. An amateur golfer may also accept a prize in excess of the limit in Rule 3-2a, including a cash prize, for making a hole-in-one during contests held outside a round of golf, including multiple-entry contests and contests conducted other than on a golf course (e.g., on a driving range, golf simulator or putting green) provided in all cases that the length of the shot is at least 50 yards.]]>

Even the dating web site eHarmony recognizes that, listing “15 reasons to date a golfer.” Among them, “golfers strive for emotional balance,” “they know how to make conversation,” “golfers understand they must forget mistakes and move on,” and “committed golfers are in it for the long haul.” Finally, these relationship experts point out, “you’ll be spending countless hours together in pristine park-like settings. Not a bad way to nurture romance.” They might have mentioned etiquette, balance, equity and all those other fundamental values in the game. As well, the rules would be worth mentioning. Not the new Modernized Rules of Golf, although those certainly have their place in the actual playing of the game.

If you want golf to help forge and strengthen a romantic bond, you would be well advised to follow these guidelines which I have learned (often the hard way, particularly No. 1) over three decades of golfing with my beloved.

1. If you’re not asked, then shut the hell up. If your partner is having an off day, fight the misguided impulse to offer your well-intentioned but worthless opinion. First, you most likely don’t have the foggiest idea of how to rectify the situation. Second, even though they love you, they now are so frustrated that you are only exacerbating the eventual meltdown. And they have easy access to a selection of deadly metal implements. If you are going to follow only one rule, make it this one.
2. Take a golf vacation together. Sitting on the beach is all fine and good, but getting out on the course and sharing some conversation and laughs is far better.
3. Nine and dine. Whether it’s an organized weekly couples’ league or just an impromptu outing for just the two of you, nine holes followed by a leisurely dinner and drinks is a wonderful way to unwind and catch up.
4. Don’t take it too seriously. Sure, you want to play your best but the object of the exercise is to enjoy each other’s company.
5. Include family. If you’re lucky enough to have kids or grandkids, invite them to play a few holes with you. Or maybe it’s your brother and sister-in-law or other relatives you love but don’t get to see often enough. Golf is a great excuse to reinforce those family ties.

I speak from experience, as I mentioned earlier. My wife took up golf after I did and fell for it as hard, or maybe harder, than she fell for me. We’ve done all things listed above, from golf vacations to couples’ nights to including family.

And while the pure meaning of Valentine’s Day is focussed on your one and only, and my wife and I have spent many delightful hours golfing together, I can tell you that one of my everlasting memories is the sight of our son and his grandfather golfing together. That’s something else I truly love.]]>

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – Nick Taylor had more trouble with the wind than he did with Phil Mickelson. The Canadian managed both just fine Sunday and won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am for his second career victory. With the gallery eager to see Mickelson add a record sixth victory at Pebble Beach, Taylor, from Abbotsford, B.C., showed plenty of moxie in building a five-shot lead at the turn and then holding on when 40 mph gusts blasted the Monterey Peninsula. He closed with a 2-under 70 for a four-shot victory over Kevin Streelman (68). Mickelson, who closed within two shots with four holes to play, shot 74 and finished alone in third. He has won, been runner-up twice and finished third in his last four starts at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Taylor won in his fourth start as a PGA Tour rookie at the 2015 Sanderson Farms Championship in Mississippi, at the time an opposite-field event that didn’t feature any of the top players. He went 146 starts on the PGA Tour until his next victory, and it was a big one.

That winning putt to become the first Canadian champion at the @attproam ???? pic.twitter.com/TRX0ZlCtFe

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) February 10, 2020

The victory gets him into the Masters for the first time, along with the PGA Championship up the coast at Harding Park in May. In his sixth year on tour, Taylor has played only two majors as a pro. “That was amazing,” Taylor said. “I believed I could do it because I’ve done it before. But to do it in that fashion, playing with Phil, gives me a lot of confidence going forward.” Taylor started the final round with a one-shot lead over Mickelson, and they were tied after Lefty got up-and-down from a bunker on the par-5 second. Seven holes later, Taylor had a five-shot lead. He holed a 15-foot birdie putt on the fourth, a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-3 fifth, and then he holed a bunker shot for eagle on the par-5 sixth hole, the kind of short-game shot everyone expected out of Mickelson.

 

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WIRE TO WIRE! ?⁣ ⁣ Double-tap to congratulate #Canada’s @nicktaylorgolf on capturing his 2nd career win on the #PGATOUR ???? ⁣ ⁣ Taylor wins the AT&T Pro Am by 4 strokes with a final round score of 70. With the win, he’ll become the 4th Canadian in the field at the 2020 Masters⁣ ⁣ He’s also the first Canadian to win the @attproam ????

A post shared by Golf Canada (@thegolfcanada) on Feb 9, 2020 at 3:27pm PST

And then it got ugly for Mickelson. He went over the green at No. 8 and played an aggressive chip that rolled by the flag, down the slope and back into the fairway. He pitched the next one too far and made double bogey, and then made bogey on the ninth as Taylor holed a 7-foot birdie to go five shots ahead. Thanks to the wind, it wasn’t quite over. Five holes later, Mickelson had cut the lead to two despite having only one birdie putt, a tap-in on No. 10. Taylor ran into tree trouble off the tee at No. 11, flew the green into a back bunker on No. 12 and then took double bogey on the par-5 14th hole when he found a bunker off the tee, could only advance it about 100 yards and took five to reach the green. The wind was blowing so hard at that point that Taylor’s cap blew off his head and he had to chase it down the fairway before hitting his third shot from 227 yards away. Mickelson, however, missed his chances to capitalize on Taylor’s mistakes. He came up short of the 11th green from just under 100 yards with Taylor in trouble. He didn’t hit a green in regulation after his tap-in birdie on the 10th until his tee shot on the par-3 17th that settled 40 feet away. Taylor seized control by chipping in for birdie on the 15th for a three-shot lead, and the knockout punch was his tee shot to 6 feet below the hole for birdie on the 17th.

 

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Signed Sealed Delivered! ???? ⁣ ⁣ #TeamRBC’s @nicktaylorgolf completes the wire-to-wire victory for his second career win on the #PGATOUR

A post shared by RBC Canadian Open (@rbccanadianopen) on Feb 9, 2020 at 3:27pm PST

He finished at 19-under 268, earning a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour. Mickelson wasn’t the only player who struggled. Dustin Johnson shot a 78. Matt Every, in the third-to-last group, shot 80. Jason Day closed with a 75. The best round and best finish belonged to Jordan Spieth, who chipped in to save par on his final hole for a 67. It was the low round of the day and enabled Spieth to finish in a tie for ninth. That narrowly moves him back into the top 50 and makes him eligible for a World Golf Championship in Mexico City in two weeks. Streelman also leaves with a trophy. He teamed with Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald to easily win the pro-am for the second time in three years.]]>

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As the Provincial Golf Association and governing body of golf in New Brunswick, Golf NB conducts the province’s to amateur golf championships as part of its mandate to promote the sport and support the game of golf in the province. Golf NB’s Championship Season at a Glance… The 2020 competition calendar includes six team events and eight individual stroke play events including; NB Men’s Four Ball, presented by TaylorMade May 23 & 24, 2020 – Algonquin Golf Course Golf NB will once again kick of the competitive golf season with the 39^th playing of the NB Men’s Four Ball at the beautiful and historic Algonquin Golf Course.  Hosting both Amateur Men’s and Senior Men’s divisions in 2020, the NB Men’s Four Ball will once again provide the perfect starting point to New Brunswick’s competitive golf season, at one of the provinces most challenging and picturesque venues. Entry into the 2020 NB Men’s Four Ball includes two competitive rounds, a tee gift, a meal and the opportunity for prizes in both gross and net flights. NB Ladies Four Ball June 14, 2020 – Gowan Brae Golf & Country Club The Gowan Brae Golf & Country Club will play host to NB Ladies Four Ball for the ninth time in the event’s 14-year history.  Tied to Gowan Brae’s annual Ladies Scramble two-person scramble, the 2020 NB Ladies Four Ball is a perfect way for the golfing women of New Brunswick to spend time with friends while enjoying one of the province’s top championship courses. Entry into the 2020 NB Ladies Four Ball includes one competitive round, lunch and the opportunity for both gross and net prizing. East Coast Junior Championship June 23 & 24, 2020 – Covered Bridge Golf & Country Club Following a successful 2019 golf season that that saw the Covered Bridge Golf & Country Club host East Coast Junior Championship, the Future Links, driven by Acura Atlantic Championship and the Canadian Junior Boys Championship, the Covered Bridge Golf & Country Club will once again open its doors to some of eastern Canada’s top junior golfers during the 22^nd playing of the East Coast Junior Championship.  With 1,000 Golf Canada Order of Merit Points up for grabs and past champions like Charles-Eric Bélanger, Valerie Tanguay, Anne-Chatherine Tanguay, Maude-Amiee LeBlanc, Ron Harvey Jr. and Brodie Flanders, the East Coast Junior Championship has been Atlantic Canada’s premier junior championship since its inception. Entry into the 2020 NB East Coast Junior Championship includes one practice round, two competitive rounds, a tee gift, lunch and championships in the Junior Boys, Bantam Boys and Junior Girls categories. NB Pee Wee & Junior Championships June 30 to July 2, 2020 – Hampton Golf Club For the third consecutive year, the Hampton Golf Club in Hampton, NB will play host to the season’s first major, the NB Pee Wee & Junior Championships.  “We are very proud to be hosting this event again in 2020”, said Craig Mills, General Manager of the Hampton Golf Club.  With eight championships up for grabs, Boys & Girls Pee Wee, Bantam, Juvenile and Junior titles, as well as positions on the Team NB, there will be lots to play for on the 6,509 yard, Graham Cooke layout, that has recently been named the host venue for the 2022 Canadian Junior Girls Championship. Entry into the 2020 NB Pee Wee & Junior Championships includes one practice round, three competitive rounds, a tee gift and a meal for competitors. [caption id="attachment_10397" align="alignright" width="370"]

Leanne Richardson – 2019 Argus Audiology NB Ladies Amateur, Mid-Amateur & Senior Champion[/caption] NB Ladies Provincial Championships July 5 to 7, 2020 – Lakeside Golf & Country Club The Lakeside Golf & Country Club, in Lakeville, NB will challenge New Brunswick’s to female golfers, as it plays host to the 85^th playing of the NB Ladies Provincial Championships from July 5^th to 7^th.  With Leanne Richardson set to defend three of the four trophies on the line (the NB Ladies Amateur, NB Ladies Mid-Amateur and NB Ladies Senior) and Kathy Grebenc looking to hold on to her NB Ladies Super Senior crown, the 54-hole event is sure to see another exciting finish. Entry into the 2020 NB Ladies Provincial Championships includes one practice round, three competitive rounds, a tee gift and a banquet for competitors. RBC Dominion Securities NB Men`s Amateur Championship July 10 to 12, 2020 – Royal Oaks Golf Club In conjunction with its 20<sup>th</sup> anniversary, the Royal Oaks Golf Club will play host to the RBC Dominion Securities NB Men’s Amateur Championship for the second time, and first since 2011 when the Moncton Golf & Country Club’s Mathieu Gingras claimed his second of three RBC Dominion Securities NB Men’s Amateur title in a thrilling 9-hole playoff over Stephen Boudreau.  “We are excited to be able to bring the RBC Dominion Securities NB Men’s Amateur Championship back to the Royal Oaks Golf Club, and we look forward to another exciting event in 2020”, said Gary Melanson, Golf NB Tournament Chair.  Having been reduced from 72 to 54-holes the 2020 version of the NB Men’s Amateur Championship will be contested over three days in the heart of the province’s competitive golfing market. In addition to the NB Men’s Amateur Championship, eligible players will also compete for the 2020 NB Mid-Amateur crown and five positions on Team NB, three positions on the NB Men`s Amateur Team and two positions on the NB Mid-Amateur Team.  With the final Mid-Amateur Team position, as well as the first alternate positions, being awarded at the Argus Audiology NB Mid-Master Championship to be held later in July. Entry into the 2020 RBC Dominion Securities NB Men’s Amateur Championship includes one practice round, three competitive rounds, a tee gift and the opportunity for prizing based on a minimum of four divisions. [caption id="attachment_10587" align="alignright" width="370"]

L to R: Ralph Michaud & Sonny Phillips – 2019 Argus Audiology NB Senior & NB Super Senior Champions[/caption] NB Senior Men`s Championship & NB Mid-Master Championship July 20 to 22, 2020 – Miramichi Golf & Country Club The Miramichi Golf & Country Club, in Miramichi, NB, plays host to the 44<sup>th</sup> NB Senior Men`s Championship and the 2020 NB Mid-Master Championship from July 20^th to 22^nd. The two events will be run concurrently, as separate events, over the same three-day period and will carry a maximum field of 144 players over all.  In addition to the NB Men’s Senior & Super-Senior Championship and the NB Mid-Master Championship, eligible players will also compete for four positions on Team NB, three positions on the NB Men`s Senior Team and one positions on the NB Mid-Amateur Team. Entry into the 2020 NB Men’s Senior & Mid-Master Championships includes one practice round, three competitive rounds, a meal, a tee gift and the opportunity for prizing based on divisions. NB Family Classic, presented by TaylorMade Date: August 10, 2020 – Venue: Country Meadows Golf Club The 41^st playing of the NB Family Classic, presented by TaylorMade will take place at a yet to be determined venue and date. This 18-hole event uses a Pinehurst Scoring method where partners both drive on each hole and then each play a 2nd shot with the other’s ball.  After the 2nd shots, a choice is made regarding the ball with which the hole will be completed, playing alternate shots from there until the ball is holed out.  This unique event provides opportunities for the entire family with six different division; Father/Son, Mother/Son, Father/Daughter, Mother/Daughter, Adult/Junior (Male) and Adult/Junior (Female). Entry into the 2020 NB Family Classic includes one competitive round, a meal and a tee gift. [caption id="attachment_10827" align="alignright" width="370"]

L to R: Don Connolly (The Riverside Country Club), Craig & Ethan Mills (2019 Jim Connolly “Little Swingers” Champions and Pam Connolly[/caption] Jim Connolly “Little Swingers” Date: August 10, 2020 – Venue: Country Meadows Golf Club In its 4^th year, the Jim Connolly “Little Swingers” is open to two player teams made up of one youngster between the ages of 5 and 10 and one adult.  The Jim Connolly “Little Swingers” combines a 45-minute instructional clinic with 9 holes of golf using the Pinehurst Scoring method.  Named for the late Jim Connolly, the Golf Professional Emeritus of The Riverside Country Club, the date for the Jim Connolly “Little Swingers” has yet to be determined but will be posted on golfnb.ca once it is available. Entry into the 2020 Jim Connolly “Little Swingers” includes a pre-event clinic, 9 holes of golf, a meal and a tee gift. . ServiceMaster NB Golf Fore The Cure August 19, 2020 – Petitcodiac Valley Golf & Country Club The Petitcodiac Valley Golf & Country Club, in Petitcodiac, NB, will host the 20^th playing of the ServiceMaster NB Golf Fore the Cure on August 19, 2020.  Having raised nearly $640,000 for breast cancer research in the province of New Brunswick since its inception, this four-player scramble has become one of the more unique and fun way to give back to the community while spending an enjoyable afternoon with friends and family. The theme of the 2020 ServiceMaster NB Golf Fore the Cure will be “COVERS FOR CANCER”.  Raffle tickets will be sold on queen-sized quilts, lap quilts, golf seat covers etc.  In addition, the “Surprise a Friend” gifts will be used again along with the Pink Ball Competition will be another fun test of players golfing skills. Teams for the 2020 ServiceMaster NB Golf Fore the Cure must be made up of two players with a handicap index of 20.0 or lower and two players with a handicap index of 20.1 or higher, and with the winning team earning their way to Golf Canada’s National Golf Fore The Cure event, there the spirit of giving back is matched only by the spirit of friendly competition. Entry into the 2020 ServiceMaster NB Golf Fore The Cure includes one competitive round and a meal for each team member. [caption id="attachment_11090" align="alignright" width="370"]

Team NB – 2019 Atlantic Golf Championships Team Champions[/caption] Atlantic Golf Championships September 19 & 20, 2020 – Mill River Resort (PEI) The 2020 Atlantic Golf Championships will return to Prince Edward Island (PEI), as the Mill River Resort in gets set to host the 7^th playing of the Atlantic Golf Championships on September 19 & 20, 2020, where some of the region’s to amateur golfers will gather to compete over 36 holes for both individual and team titles in this unique invitation only event. The 2020 Atlantic Golf Championships will see male and female golfers in amateur (under 40) Mid-Master (male 40-54 & female 40-49), Senior (male 55+ and female 50+) and Super-Senior divisions (one male and one female over 65) competing for both provincial teams and individual titles.  With individuals being invited to participate based on their 2019 performances in Golf NB’s three adult Player of the Year Challenges, Team NB will set out in search of it’s 4^th consecutive Atlantic Golf Championship team title. Entry into the 2020 Atlantic Golf Championships includes one practice round, two competitive rounds, a players’ banquet, and the opportunity to earn an exemption into the 2021 Canadian Championships. . Past Presidents’ Cup Inter-Club Challenge September 19 & 20, 2020 – Lakeside Golf & Country Club The Lakeside Golf & Country Club will play host to the 21^st playing of the Past Presidents’ Cup Inter-Club Challenge.  The yearlong competition saw 14 clubs enter 16-player teams (divided into five different handicap flights) in search of the 2019 crown.  Each round of the competition consists of a home and home series between the clubs, with each team fielding 8 sets of two player teams who compete in a “Hole by Hole” match play format with the team winning the most total holes advancing to the next round.  The final matches will be hosted at the Lakeside Golf & Country Club on September 19^th and 20^th in 2020. “The Past Presidents’ Cup Inter-Club Challenge is one of Golf NB’s most inclusive events”, said Tyson Flinn, Executive Director of Golf NB.  “With players ranging in handicap indexes from 0.0 to 20.0+, the Past Presidents’ Cup provides a truly unique form of comradery and competition that is unmatched in any other event.” Entry into the 2020 Past Presidents’ Cup Inter-Club Challenge is open to all Golf NB partner facilities. [caption id="attachment_11153" align="alignright" width="370"]

Team North – 2019 Estabrooks Cup Champions[/caption] Estabrooks Cup October 3 & 4, 2020 – Gowan Brae Golf & Country Club The North and South will renew their rivalry at the Gowan Brae Golf & Country Club for the 23^rd playing of the Estabrooks Cup on October 3^rd & 4^th.  The 2020 Estabrooks Cup will again pit the best golfers, in the Amateur Men, Senior Men and Ladies divisions, in the province against each other in this best on best “Ryder Cup” style competition. The Estabrooks Cup has seen many changes over the years, but 2020 will again see the makeup of each team include 2 Amateur Men, 8 Senior Men and 8 Ladies, for 18 player teams, which will include two “Playing Captains”, one male and one female, from each side. Entry into the 2020 Estabrooks Cup is by invitation only with players being selected from the TaylorMade NB Men’s Player of the Year, the MCT Insurance NB Senior Men’s Player of the Year and the Royale NB Ladies Player of the Year Challenges.   Golf New Brunswick (Golf NB), a not for profit organization founded in 1934, is the official governing body for amateur golf in New Brunswick.  In January of 2006, the New Brunswick Golf Association (NBGA) officially merged with the New Brunswick Ladies Golf Association (NBLGA), resulting in one united governing body for amateur golf in the province.  Programs offered by Golf NB to its 6,800 members include: provincial championships, rules of golf education, course rating and handicap services, junior golf development programs and member club marketing initiatives.]]>

Golf Hall of Fame member finished second at last weekend’s Morocco Champions, rocketing to fourth on the Charles Schwab Cup standings after his first tournament of the season. In his fifth year on the senior circuit, Ames says he’s learned the importance of being adaptable.

“I think it’s the fact that our bodies change as we progress as human beings,” Ames said from Florida. “At a younger age, we’re a little more supple, so we’ve got a lot more flexibility and as you get older things change in that respect.

“Some of us sometimes go through playing golf with pain. So they make they make adjustments in their swing for that pain that they’ve had.” American Brett Quigley won the Morocco Champions at 15-under 201, a shot better than Ames. The 55-year-old Ames says that taking more than two months off between the 2019 and 2020 seasons was beneficial for his game. He also started working with Montreal-based golf coach Shauheen Nakhjavani, exchanging videos by email.

 

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@stephenamespga puts in a great week with a runner-up finish on the @pgatourchampions – he’s your #GolfCanada player of the week! ? Swipe for more results ↔️ #golf #golfcanadaleaderboard #teamtitleist #golfstagram

A post shared by Golf Canada (@thegolfcanada) on Feb 3, 2020 at 10:56am PST

“If you want to continue being competitive, especially at this age, you have to be in the gym and working out and doing all those things. So that’s what I’m doing,” Ames said. “I’m just sticking to that same routine. I love the guys that are out here but they don’t go to the gym and it shows because they don’t hit it as far. “They’ve got a bigger midsection, all those kind of things. So the adjustments in the swing change because your body has changed.” Ames joined the Champions Tour in 2015 and won the 2017 Mistubishi Electric Classic. His career high Schwab Cup rank is 13th, but this season he hopes to stay in the top 10 all year. “I’d like to win a couple times and would love for one to be a major. That’d be nice,” Ames said. “It’s a long year. Certain courses are for certain horses. That golf course last week was nice. There are certain courses and certain events that I do really enjoy playing and there’s some that I have to learn to adjust to, obviously.” The next Champions Tour event is the Chubb Classic at Lely Resort in Naples, Fla., starting Feb. 14. Ames tied for sixth at the event last year, two shots behind winner Miguel Angel Jimenez.]]>

except play golf. But if you’re serious about hitting the first tee next spring in mid-season form, there are many ways to do that: Eating healthier, getting or staying in shape, improving your swing, practicing your putting and short game and more. No matter where you live across the country, there are experts in all of these areas. Golf Canada reached out to a few to get you started on the right track. Have a look at these along with the many other opportunities offered online and do more than just dream about next season.

Whether you have an indoor facility with nets or a dome or are limited to your basement or garage, you can use the off-season to ensure your game stays sharp or maybe even improve!

1. The Joy of Flex-ibility

Strength training is usually the first thing people think of for exercises to improve their swing.  However, improved flexibility allows you the range of motion needed to fully implement any power gains you get from that added strength. Here are some exercises I recommend to improve your flexibility. Straight Leg Hang with Flat Back Stand with your feet no more than shoulder-width apart. Keep your back perfectly flat and bend forward as far as possible. The benefit is an increased range of motion through the hamstrings, allowing your hips to tilt forward more easily to help achieve a proper golf stance. I would suggest two repetitions, holding each for 30 to 60 seconds. Torso Twist Against Wall Stand up straight facing away from a wall. Turn to the left, placing your right hand on the wall and pushing your torso around. After holding the stretch, repeat, turning to the right. The benefit is an increased range of motion around the torso, allowing more rotation in the wind-up and follow-through of the golf swing. I would suggest holding for 30 to 60 seconds in each direction, twice. Shoulder Stretch Against Wall Place your hands on a wall at eye level. Bend over at the hips, pushing your chest and head down toward base of wall. This stretch increases the range of motion in the shoulder joint, resulting in less restriction throughout the swing. I would suggest two repetitions, switching which foot is leading each time, holding each stretch for at least 30 seconds. Standing Chest Stretch Against Wall Stand perpendicular to a wall. Press your hand closest to wall at shoulder height with your fingers facing back. Use small steps to turn your chest away from the wall until a stretch is felt through the chest and arm. This increases the shoulder joint’s range of motion, improving range of motion through the golf swing. I would suggest repeating twice on each side of the body, maintaining the stretch for 30 to 60 seconds. Calf Stretch Against Wall Place the toes of one foot up against the wall. Push the heel of that foot into the floor with the other foot slightly behind. Push yourself forward into the wall until you feel your calf muscle stretch. This exercise gives you more range of motion through the ankle which improves your balance and stance. I would suggest two repetitions on each leg, with at least a 30-second hold. Kneeling Hip Stretch Kneel on a mat. Push your hips forward. Drop down towards the mat until you feel a stretch through the front of your legs with your knees on mat. The benefit is increased flexibility in the front of your hips, allowing a more complete follow-through with the golf swing. I would suggest repeating twice on each leg, holding for 30 to 60 seconds.

Bio: Phil Kavanagh ventured into the golf industry in 1983 as a back-shop attendant at Indian Wells Golf Club in Ontario. He moved up to first assistant at Trafalgar Golf and Country Club, followed by four years as first assistant at Burlington Golf and Country Club. Phil’s first Head Professional position was at Dundas Valley Golf and Curling Club from 1997 to 2001. In 2002, he became the seventh Head Professional in the 84-year history of Islington Golf Club. In 2020 and 2024, Islington Golf Club will play co-host to the RBC Canadian Open.

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2. Start in the right direction

We all want to shoot lower scores but we sometimes direct our limited practice time towards areas of our game that provide little return. You must have a plan for your practice session so you can make better use of your time and see improvement along the way.  A good practice session can be divided into technical work, skill development, a challenge, and then reflection. Putting is a multiple-piece puzzle so let’s take a look at just two important pieces—alignment and start direction— you can practise at home or at the course. Start Direction: It is important to get the ball started on or as close to your start line as you can.  Combine that with good distance control and more putts will end up in the bottom of the cup.  The putter face has the most influence on the golf ball’s initial direction. Let’s do a personal assessment of the direction you start the ball. Take two coffee cups or water glasses, a length of string and some tape.  Tape each end of the string to the top of each cup and spread the cups 10 feet away from each other on a flat smooth carpet.  Place one ball between the cups, under the string and about two feet from one cup.  (Stick a small piece of masking tape to the floor behind the ball so you know where to place the ball each time.)  Then take another ball and place it under the string two feet in front of the first ball. Now take two batteries and stand them up on either side of the second ball with just a little space between each side of the ball and take the ball away. Now you can begin the test! Move the one cup that is closest to the balls off to the side and hit 10 putts from the masking tape mark on the floor, between the two batteries and toward the far cup.  Go through your normal routine for each putt and once you complete the 10 putts, ask yourself how many putts went between the batteries without touching them, how many putts hit the left battery and how many hit the right battery? Let’s take a closer look at how you align the putter and get set up. A great tool is a metal yardstick. Place the cup with the string back into place and place the yardstick under the string.  Using the string be sure that the yardstick is pointing in the direction of the far cup.  Remove the string again and place a golf ball in the small hole in the end of the yardstick.  Place your putter behind the ball and line up the putter face with the straight edge of the yardstick.  Take your grip and stance.  Look down at the putter face, then down the yardstick and towards the hole. How does this alignment feel?  Repeat this setup process a few times to see if you can get comfortable with how this has you aligned.  Now practise hitting putts down the yardstick. If you can roll the ball down the length of the stick and towards the hole without it falling off the sides you are properly delivering the face of the putter at impact. Repeat this process, aligning the putter face, grip and stance for every attempt.  This practice is to help you properly align the face at setup, learning visually how this alignment feels and then rolling a putt in the desired direction. Challenge: Now that you have had some practice on your alignment and starting the ball on line, take away the yardstick and the string and hit 10 putts going through your full routine and see how many putts you hit between the batteries and that hit the cup. Your goal is to try to beat or tie your record every time you do the challenge before you finish your practice session. Reflection: Write down some notes, answering the following questions: What did I do well? What could have been better?  What will I work on next time?

Bio: Adam Werbicki grew up in Stony Plain, Alta., and has worked at the Derrick Golf & Winter Club in Edmonton since 2007. He has been named to the US Kids Top 50 Instructors and was the 2011 PGA of Canada Junior Leader of the Year and the 2015 PGA of Canada Teacher of the Year.

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3. Improve your impact through the ball

Equipment needed: Elastic resistance tubing with handles, alignment stick, something stable to hook the elastic about waist height Purpose: To understand and feel the transition sequence to and through impact as well as the routing of the club head before impact. The lower body pulls the upper body. Your weight goes onto your forward foot first, followed by an unwinding body motion from the ground up. Your arms get back in front of your body with a flat front wrist at impact.

Below plane: The alignment stick in yellow represents the golf club and follows under and behind the elastic (picture 1) all the way to impact position (ball position inside front foot). The upper part of the stick touches the front side (left for right-handed golfer) of the body with the back arm bent, front arm extended and wrist flat (picture 2). If the stick does not touch your side, you will miss the release of the club head through the ball and leave the club face open. Over Plane: This is a major fault! The hands and arms start first from the top of backswing. The club head travels over the plane (the elastic) which causes a pull and/or cut shot where the weight of the body falls back.

The is a great exercise to make you feel the proper trajectory of the golf club before the striking zone and through the impact area.

Bio: Denise Lavigne has been teaching and coaching golf for more than 25 years. A member of the Coaching Association of Canada, she is director of instruction at Golf Le Mirage and Pinegrove Country Club in Quebec as well as at Quail Ridge Country Club in Boynton Beach, Fla., in the winter.

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4. Want to hit the ball farther?

I have seen very good results with players wanting to increase their distance through more club head speed. Although I’m not generally one to endorse products, I believe using SuperSpeed Golf’s product over the winter is both the easiest and quickest method.  www.superspeedgolf.com. Simply follow the simple workout protocol of three times per week and see the yardage gains.  Added bonus: the protocol (workouts) can help improve swing technique without you even being aware!

5. Pitch into a laundry basket

I love this winter drill for players to improve contact, land angle of the ball and visualization.  Simply use your sand wedge and from a tight lie (e.g., short carpet), chip balls into a laundry basket from three, five and seven yards away in the air.  No windows behind the baskets may be another great tip!

 

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Bio: Derek Ingram is Team Canada’s national coach, He is the head coach for the national amateur and Young Pro teams and is a two-time recipient of the PGA of Canada’s Teacher of the Year award.

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6. Throwing Darts ?

When I want to emphasize to golfers the need to elevate their ability to focus, I often reference Phil Taylor, world-champion dart player. I’ll have them watch YouTube videos of some of his perfect games and take note of his incredible ability to focus. His laser-like stare at his target is the same every time. While focus is not really measurable with TrackMan technology or even slow-motion video, it is possible to look at the pupils of an athlete and make a determination as to whether their visual focus is “narrow,”’ which is ideal in a target-oriented game like golf—and darts. The benefits of learning and improving your play in darts are many and several are certainly transferable to golf. Self Control/Self Awareness/Proprioception Proprioception is defined as the perception or awareness of the position and movement of the body. Gaining a sense of body control while focusing on the dartboard will heighten your awareness of your body’s position and its movements. While the movement of throwing a dart has much less velocity than swinging a club, there is still a requirement of balance and coordination which is improved upon through a discipline of controlled body movements. Focus/Decision Making/Confidence Just like there is an immediate respect factor among golfers if someone mentions they are a single-digit handicap, there is the same level of admiration towards an elite dart player.  Getting better at darts requires discipline in developing a physical routine in getting yourself ready physically before each throw. This is complemented by a mental routine which involves making tactical decisions as to what is the next target on the board, focusing on that target and then reacting to that target. Getting better at darts is not an easy task and it requires the same traits and dedication if you want to get better at golf.  With practice, you can gain competence and understand what you are trying to do. With experience, you can grow your confidence and self esteem, knowing that it wasn’t easy and you earned it. Chances are if you can learn how to “double in and double out” with regularity playing darts, you’ll have improved upon some of the skills and traits necessary in avoiding those “doubles” on the course next spring.

Bio: As the director of golf at Rideau View Golf Club in Manotick, Ont., along with assisting golfers of all abilities to improve their game, Matt Robinson says he is most proud of being presented with the Order of the Good Bear by the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Foundation for which he has raised more than $500,000 through his fundraising efforts.

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7. It’s as easy as 1-2-3

Another off-season is upon us, and you’re probably deciding what you should do differently this winter to produce different results for the summer. The first two tactics that come to mind are improving your overall strength and conditioning as well as your technique. Get in the gym and grab your PGA pro to get some swing technique work under your belt. If there are technical flaws occurring, this would be the best time to address them and to make the necessary changes.

As we enter into the New Year and create off-season goals targeted towards our golf game, it also creates a great opportunity for us to reflect and reframe our habits that directly impact your game. The reality is that we all have bad habits but here I will highlight three goods habits you can integrate into your off-season program. Commit now to a higher level of discipline with your mental game for 2020. Objective post-shot routine We are quick to criticize what we did on a particular golf shot instead of identifying all the things that went well. Make your first two thoughts after a shot solely on objective data; Where did it hit the clubface and where did it land relative to where you planned? This objective analysis habit delays the emotional reaction and gives your mind time to organize everything that’s just happened. For an athletic motion as complex as a golf swing, we need to incorporate breathing. Start with a simple breath before you swing and a breath in the finish as a basic template. Build on this and gain control over your breathing in your golf game. Commitment Phrase You’ll never know if you’ve made the right choice or made a great swing until it happens, so practise your commitment phrase. It should be confident but also accepting. “I’ve got this!” or “Let’s goooo!” (thanks, Bianca!), are great examples. Match this phrase to your personality. Make it your own!

Bio: With almost three decades of experience successfully playing and teaching the game, Todd Halpen is the director of instruction at the Golf Canada Calgary Centre.

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8. Do the hard work now

The No. 1 request from my students is: “Can you teach me to hit the ball farther?” The answer to that question requires further knowledge of the student: Is the student maintaining or improving core and overall strength? Is the student maintaining or improving mobility? These discussions with my students during the golf season resulted in the development of an off-season golf-specific program that focuses on strength and mobility training and then skill work. My indoor golf space has four hitting areas with a computer simulator and an area for strength and conditioning work.

As a PGA of Canada golf instructor and a CrossFit and functional movement trainer, I developed multiple strength and conditioning programs suited for each student. Accessing golf skills and instituting drills to improve those skills is the basis of the off-season training offered at my indoor space. Improvements in a student’s ability to hit the ball farther and make more consistent contact come as a result of adherence to a program that includes work on strength, conditioning, mobility and skill. My motto is to do the hard work at a time of year when there is no access to the golf course so that the student can focus on playing golf, scoring and having fun when the golf season arrives. I am proud that our indoor facility offers 10-week clinics for junior girls and boys in the winter. Our focus is on skill work, simulated games, mobility and coordination drills. After the winter session, juniors can transition to outdoor lessons, leagues and on-course games.

Bio: Mary-Pat Quilty is the director of golf at Settlers’ Ghost Golf Club in Craighurst, Ont., and a past winner of the PGA of Ontario Championship. After competing on the Symetra, Canadian, Asian and Australian tours, she became a PGA of Canada member and has twice been named the PGA of Ontario’s Teacher of the Year.

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9. Keep on pitching

Assuming you’re able to access a sports dome during the off-season, take advantage of the opportunity to hone your short game and improve your scoring when spring arrives.

Setup: Using your sand wedge, place the ball in the middle of your stance with your feet slightly closer together than shoulder width. Then feel your weight shift a little towards the target, making the weight 60-40 on your front side. Motion: Feeling tension-free in your arms and hands, take the club back with your arms and shoulders until the club is parallel to the ground. The big key for the takeaway is to maintain your 60-40 balance. Don’t allow your weight to shift to your back foot and maintain the width with your arms, not with your wrists. From this position, simply focus on rotating your chest so you finish with your chest on top of your front foot. Finish Position: You should be completely facing your target (chest and belt), feel that you have moved 90 per cent of your weight to your front foot and your arms and hands are pointing the club at your target. A good key to focus on with the finish is to make sure the club head finished below your hands and the toe of the club is straight up to the sky. Key thought: You should feel that you are hitting this shot with the movement of your larger muscles (shoulders/chest/hips) and not with your hands. Experiment with distance control by making longer and shorter swings with the same motion, never adding speed with your hands. A longer swing equals longer shot.

Bio: Jamie Moran is the director of golf and head professional of Belvedere Golf Club in Charlottetown. He was the 2019 Atlantic PGA of Canada Teacher of the Year and has received multiple nominations for junior leader of the year, coach of the year and teacher of the year.

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10. Taking care of your golf body

The off-season is the time to make changes to your swing, take care of any aches, pains or limitations in your body and work on fitness and strength so that you can crush the upcoming season. Here are a few tips that I have found beneficial over the years for the different age groups of golfers. When in doubt, find a local sport health-care provider and fitness trainer to assess where you can focus your off-season training.

Junior Golfer: Be active in all sorts of sports and activities. Build your athletic abilities that include hand-eye coordination, balance, changing of direction, and rotation. This will help you improve your body awareness and challenge muscle groups and activation patterns that are different from the repetitiveness of golf. Remember to have fun! Amateur Golfer: Focus on recovery and building your base: your core and mobility. Many of Team Canada athletes play a heavy schedule over the summer months and then head to university to play more events along with regular team workouts. Having the base to control lifting techniques and prevent injury is very important. Recovery includes various types of exercise, mindfulness, consistent sleep and good nutrition and hydration. Mid-Amateur Golfer: Life gets busy as you get older but make your fitness, flexibility and stability a priority. Taking breaks from poor posture while we sit at work is an easy habit to get into. Another thing to focus on is any injuries or aches that interfered with your previous season that limited quality of play, practice, or adapting to new swing skill. Senior Golfer: Focus on flexibility and strength. Regular exercise that is variable just like the junior golfer is very important. Balance, hand-eye coordination, stop-starts and changing direction can improve your body’s ability to create the swing you want and maintain the power to crush it.

Bio: Andrea Kosa has been the physiotherapist for Golf Canada’s women’s teams since 2013. She is a competitive golfer who competed in the Canadian Mid-Amateur and was a quarter-finalist in the 2019 USGA Mid-Amateur. She is accredited by the Titleist Performance Institute at the Medical Professional Level 3.

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11. Get hip!

The two main physical areas to focus on over the winter are thoracic mobility and hip stability. Thoracic Mobility We need the thoracic/trunk area of your body to be able to rotate ideally at least 60 to 70 degrees in comparison to your pelvis and be symmetrical, i.e., be able to rotate the same both right (backswing for right-handed players) and left (downswing). If there is stiffness here, a common swing fault is to be steep in your backswing or, even worse, to have a very inconsistent swing plane. A great way to improve this mobility is to get a foam roller. Place it on the ground and lay on it perpendicular to your spine with your knees bent and your hands supporting your head and neck. In this position, first roll gently back and forth from your shoulder blades to the middle of your trunk for a minute. Follow this by keeping the roller still between your shoulder blades and pivot over the roller five times.

Hip Stability The most important area of the body to be stable during the golf swing is the hips and pelvis. If we are physically weak here it often leads to swing faults such as swaying and sliding. To strengthen this area, grab an exercise band and sit on a table. Loop the band around your feet and place your hands either side of the leg you want to strengthen. Keeping the other leg still, rotate the leg you are strengthening as far away from the stationary leg until you can’t go any further, hopefully at least 45 degrees. Hold this position before slowly returning the rotating leg to the start position. Complete three sets of as many repetitions as you can with 30 seconds rest between each set.

Bio: Greg Redman is Team Canada’s head physiotherapist and strength coach who has had success with several Olympic champions and medalists. He competed nationally in canoe/kayak and has completed eight marathons and Ironman Canada.

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12. Take it to the mat

Unfortunately, if you’re stuck in Canada for the winter, most of your practice is going to be hitting shots from a mat with less than a full flight. Under these circumstances, there are two things I think are super important to keep in mind. Careful when using mats Mats are super forgiving on “heavy” shots or shots where you connect with the ground first. When you hit this shot from grass, you get immediate feedback and can react appropriately on the next shot. However, off a mat, the club will bounce off the mat and the ball will react pretty much like it would for a shot that is cleanly contacted. I like products like the one in the accompanying photo from Eyeline Golf that you can place behind the golf ball to provide feedback on the low point of your swing.

The low point of your swing should be at or ahead of the golf ball for all of your iron shots and this product gives you immediate feedback. Hitting shots heavy all winter off mats is a recipe for disaster. You can also place a piece of masking tape behind the golf ball to give you feedback on the low point of your swing as an alternative. Your shorter irons are going to have steeper angles of attack on the golf course. So when you are hitting off mats, you are causing more wear and tear on your wrists and elbows. So try to limit the amount of full shots you hit off a mat to your 8-iron and higher. (Pitches are great, though, as it helps promote a shallower swing path) Practice your max When hitting shots indoors, we tend to be focusing on our mechanics and our contact. That’s great but most of the time, you are not swinging at “game speed.” So try to end your session with at least 10 shots that are at or very near your maximum output.

Bio: Ralph Bauer has coached competitors at all four men’s majors, the Olympics, the World Cup, every PGA TOUR event, and has worked with multiple major champions. His amateur players have won 25 Ontario provincial championships and in 19 of the last 20 years, he has had a student make Team Canada.

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usga.org/distanceinsights or randa.org/distanceinsights. To facilitate input from manufacturers and other stakeholders in the golf community, specific topics of further research will be identified and published within 45 days. It is expected that this important step in gathering input could take approximately nine months to one year.

Key findings of the project include

• There is a 100-year trend of hitting distance increases in golf, as well as a corresponding increase in the length of golf courses, across the game globally the USGA and The R&A believe this continuing cycle is detrimental to the game’s long-term future.

• The inherent strategic challenge presented by many golf courses can be compromised, especially when those courses have not or cannot become long enough to keep up with increases in the hitting distances of the golfers who play from their longest tees. This can lead to a risk of many courses becoming less challenging, or obsolete.

• Increased hitting distance can begin to undermine the core principle that the challenge of golf is about needing to demonstrate a broad range of skills to be successful.

• If courses continue to lengthen, it is at odds with growing societal concerns about the use of water, chemicals and other resources.

• Longer distances and courses, longer tees and longer times to play are taking golf in the wrong direction and are not necessary for a challenging, enjoyable and sustainable game.

• A concern has been identified that many recreational golfers are playing from longer tees than is necessary relative to their hitting distances, and, in particular that the forward tees on many golf courses are very long for many of the golfers who play from them.

“This is not about the last few years or the next few years but rather about the long-term future of the game,” said Mike Davis, chief executive officer of the USGA. “This report clearly shows a consistent increase in hitting distance and golf course lengths over the last 100-plus years. These increases have had a profound impact on costs to build, modify and operate golf courses and they have impacted golfers at all levels. We believe this problem will continue unless this cycle is brought to an end. With collaboration from the entire golf community, we have an opportunity to stem this tide and help ensure golf remains sustainable and enjoyable for generations to come.” Martin Slumbers, chief executive of The R&A, said, “We believe we have reached a pivotal moment in golf. The publication of this report is highly significant. The impact of long-term hitting distance increases on some of golf’s essential elements are now clear – including changing the strategic challenge of the sport, altering the balance of skills needed to be successful and risking courses being less challenging or obsolete. Our objective as governing bodies is to work with the key stakeholders in golf to address this issue in a way that brings the sport together and which ensures it continues to thrive for many years to come.” No solutions have been determined as yet. The USGA and The R&A will now enter the next phase of their work by assessing potential solutions that can help end the cycle of increased distance. It is expected that the main topic for research and assessment will be potential changes in the Equipment Rules, along with further inquiry into the effects of course design, conditions and setup on hitting distance. With this background in mind, a broad review of both clubs and balls will be conducted to understand and assess a full range of options for addressing these issues relating to hitting distance. Without limiting the scope of topics that may be considered, this review is expected to include the following:

• The review of overall conformance specifications for both clubs and balls, including specifications that both directly and indirectly affect hitting distances. It is not currently intended to consider revising overall equipment specifications in a way that would produce substantial reductions in hitting distances at all levels of the game.

• The assessment of the potential use of a Local Rule option specifying the use of reduced-distance equipment. Such an option could be available as a choice at all levels of play for competitions, courses and individual players.

• Guidance on the availability of short enough forward tees and the appropriate tee-to-hole playing distances for golfers of all levels.

• Several other topics including equipment testing processes, potential guidance on how design, agronomy and setup can affect hitting distance, and others.

All research and any work regarding potential changes to Equipment Standards in golf are guided by the Equipment Rulemaking Procedures, which were agreed upon and published by the USGA and The R&A in 2011 to ensure a transparent and collaborative process among key stakeholders in the game. These procedures can be found here: Equipment Rulemaking Procedures.]]>

MARRAKECH, Morocco – Brett Quigley won the Morocco Champions in his second PGA Tour Champions start, saving par on the final two holes Saturday to hold off Calgary’s Stephen Ames by a stroke. The 50-year-old Quigley won a PGA Tour-sanctioned event for the first time since taking the 2001 Arkansas Classic for his second victory on what is now the Korn Ferry Tour. “It’s been so long since I won a tournament,” Quigley said. “Just incredible. It’s weird, I had a peace all week, I was pretty comfortable all week. I wouldn’t say I was nervous until the last hole here on my second putt, but just felt comfortable and just felt comfortable here in Marrakesh.” Quigley got into the field for the senior tour’s first African event as one of the top 10 available players from the PGA Tour’s career money list. He had five runner-up finishes in 408 starts on the PGA Tour, earning more than $11 million. Three strokes behind Ames entering the day, Quigley shot his second straight 6-under 66 to finish at 15-under 201 at Samanah Golf Club. Ames, the leader after each of the first two days, had a 70. Ames birdied the par-5 16th and par-3 17th to pull within one, with Quigley saving par on 17 with a 5-footer. Ames got up-and-down for par from off the right side of the green on the par-4 18th, making a 7-foot putt, and Quigley ran in a 6-footer for the victory. “I was able to get myself back into the hunt, make it a little bit more exciting coming down at the end there and I think that’s good for me inside,” Ames said. “I didn’t give up, I kept trying, I grinded the round out. I still got 70 out of it even though I had four bogeys today. At the end of the day I didn’t win, but I finished second. It’s a good start to the year for me. I’m very happy.” Quigley, the nephew of 11-time PGA Tour Champions winner Dana Quigley, tied for 64th in Calgary, Alberta, in September in his first senior tournament. The Rhode Island player made a PGA Tour start last year and played seven Korn Ferry Tour events. “I think it helped not having been playing too much the last few years,” Quigley said. “I had a lot of years off. I had a leg problem, I had three fractured vertebrae, so I’ve been home for almost seven years raising girls. I think a different perspective.” Quigley saved par on the par-4 13th with a 20-footer to maintain a one-stroke lead over Ames, then made a 40-footer for birdie from the front of the green on the par-3 14th, with the ball banging into flag stick and falling in. Ames bogeyed the hole to give Quigley a three-stroke lead. Both players bogeyed the par-4 15th. Quigley played a six-hole stretch on the front nine in 5 under – making an eagle on the par-5 fifth and three birdies – and also birdied the par-4 11th. “Got off to a good start. Then it’s funny,” Quigley said, “I missed a short one on eight for birdie and then I started thinking about score, thinking about the tournament, just kind of got a little bit in my own way. Somehow hit some good shots coming in and made some big putts.” Doug Barron (68) and Scott Parel (69) tied for third at 11 under. Bernhard Langer (71), Woody Austin (66) and Jose Maria Olazabal (71) were 10 under.]]>

Vancouver, January 31, 2020 – Canadian Pacific (CP) and Golf Canada announced today that BC Children’s Hospital Foundation has been chosen as the primary charity partner for the 2020 CP Women’s Open. Fundraising initiatives will occur leading up to the tournament and a month-long public match campaign starts February 1st, in recognition of Congenital Heart Defects Awareness Month. “The CP Women’s Open is an amazing opportunity to draw attention to the important work being done by doctors to mend the hearts of the future,” said Keith Creel, President and CEO of CP. “Partnering with BC Children’s Hospital Foundation again is a natural fit and progression from our first partnership in 2015. I look forward to seeing the lasting legacy this brings to the hospital, children and families who need it.” Funds raised through the CP Women’s Open partnership will support the Children’s Heart Centre at BC Children’s Hospital. Funds will be used to purchase a new fleet of the latest generation cardiac ultrasound machines, advance the cardiac research program and help to train the next generation of medical superstars. “We are delighted to be chosen as the charity partner for the 2020 CP Women’s Open and are honoured to be the first charity to partner with CP for a second time,” said Teri Nicholas, President and CEO of BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. “Funds raised through this partnership will continue to take children’s health care in our province to the next level, giving new hope to kids and families when they need it most.” “CP’s generosity will not only support the daily work of the clinical care team, it will enable us to substantially expand our research capacity,” said Dr. Shubhayan Sanatani, head, division of cardiology at BC Children’s Hospital. “This infusion of high-quality personnel into our scientific programs will create additional opportunities to pursue new solutions for children’s heart health. We are very grateful to have a partner like CP by our side as we work to solve tomorrow’s problems today.” The month-long public match campaign beginning February 1 until the end of February will match online donations to BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. In addition to matching all one-time donations, CP will also match the total of the first year of contributions for all new monthly donations. With the match in place, the Foundation is hoping to acquire 100 new monthly donors by the end of the month. Visit bcchf.ca/heart for more information. CP is proud to also announce the CP Women’s Open community charity partner is Royal Inland Hospital Foundation in Kamloops, an important terminal in the CP network and home to nearly 200 employees. CP will contribute $250,000 to fundraising efforts in support of cardiac care at Royal Inland Hospital. “We are so proud to witness first-hand the incredible work CP does through CP Has Heart and the meaningful impact made in the lives of countless Canadians,” said Lawrence Applebaum, CEO of Golf Canada. “Excitement for the CP Women’s Open continues to grow in the Vancouver area and I’m very much looking forward to a tournament week highlighted by world-class golf and charitable giving in support of BC Children’s Hospital Foundation.” The 2020 CP Women’s Open will feature the stars of the LPGA Tour at Vancouver’s Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club from August 31 – September 6.]]>