In an effort to raise needed funds to help support the administration and implementation of provincial and national programming, and to provide assistance for to those individuals who earned the opportunity to represent their province at either a National or Regional competition, 2019 saw the continuation of both the Golf NB Membership Raffle and the NB Provincial Team Funding Draw.

2020 Golf NB Membership Raffle

Supported by its partner facilities and TaylorMade Golf Canada Ltd., the Golf NB Membership Raffle was introduced in 2018 to raise needed funds to help support the administration and implementation of provincial and national programming.

Through the purchase of a raffle ticket, participants were entered for a chance to win a variety of prizes including $1,500 towards a golf membership at one of Golf NB’s 46 partner facilities, rounds of golf at New Brunswick golf courses, Golf NB 2 For 1 Cards and TaylorMade golf balls, among other prizes.

Additionally, eligible participants were also entered for a chance to win a full refund of their entry fee into select 2019 Golf NB Events & Championships.

The winners of the 2020 NB Provincial Team Funding Draw were selected as part of Argus Audiology Golf NB’s Annual Awards Banquet & Silent Auction held on Saturday October 26^th, 20189at the Crowne Plaza Fredericton Lord Beaverbook Hotel in Fredericton, NB.

• Grand Prize Winner – Wayne Hickey (Ticket #: 016)
  $1,500 towards a 2020 Golf Membership

• 2^nd Prize – Pat Horncastle (Ticket #: 039)
  Golf Package Including:
  Algonquin Golf Course – 2 Green Fees & 1 Power Cart
  Hampton Golf Club – 4 Green Fees
  Rockwood Park Golf Course – 4 Green Fees & 2 Power Carts
  The Riverside Country Club – 4 Green Fees & 2 Power Carts

• 3^rd Prize – Paula Napke-Flanagan (Ticket #: 093)
  Golf Package Including:
  Aroostook Valley Country Club – 4 Green Fees & 2 Power Carts
  Fraser Edmundston Golf Club – 4 Green Fees & 2 Power Carts
  Grand Falls Golf Club – 4 Green Fees & 2 Power Carts
  Covered Bridge Golf & Country Club – 4 Green Fees

• 4^th Prize – Nonita Furlotte (Ticket #: 110)
  Golf Package Including:
  Le Club de Golf de St-Ignace – 4 Green Fees & 2 Power Carts
  Mountain Wood Golf Club – 4 Green Fees
  Petitcodiac Valley Golf & Country Club – 4 Green Fees & 2 Power Carts
• 5^th Prize – Pat Garagan (Ticket #: 025)
  Golf Package Including:
  Memramcook Golf Club – 2 Green Fees & 1 Power Cart
  Petitcodiac Valley Golf & Country Club – 2 Green Fees & 1 Power Cart
  Pine Needles Golf & Country Club – 2 Green Fees & 1 Power Cart
  Old Mill Pond Golf & Country Club – 2 Green Fees & 1 Power Cart

• 6^th Prize – Frank O’Donnell (Ticket #: 133)
  12 TaylorMade TP5 Golf Balls
• 7^th Prize – Gary Melanson (Ticket #: 011)
  12 TaylorMade TP5 Golf Balls

• 8^th Prize – Bob Maher (Ticket #: 019)
  12 TaylorMade TP5 Golf Balls

• 9^th Prize – Brian Duplessis (Ticket #: 122)
  2020 Golf NB 2 For 1 Card

• 10^th Prize – Phyllis Roy (Ticket #: 031)
  2020 Golf NB 2 For 1 Card

Supplementary Draws

• 2019 Rules of Golf Package (3 Books)
  • Jack Jacobs (Ticket #: 002)
• adidas Golf Shoes
  • Garry Jenkins (Ticket #: 054)
• David Feherty Off Tour (2 Tickets) – July 19, 2019
  • Bob Maher (Ticket #: 019)

Supplementary Draws for Tournament Entry Fees

• NB Men’s Four Ball, presented by TaylorMade –
  • Darren Ritchie (Ticket #: 033)
• NB Ladies Four Ball
  • Barbara Henderson (Ticket #: 064)
• Argus Audiology NB Ladies Provincials
  • Claire Roy (Ticket #: 098)
• RBC Dominion Securities NB Amateur
  • Gary Melanson (Ticket #: 011)
• Argus Audiology NB Mid-Master Championship
  • Marc Cossaboom (Ticket #: 109)
• Argus Audiology NB Senior Championship
  • Bob Gray (Ticket #: 027)
• NB Family Classic & Adult Junior, presented by TaylorMade
  • Brian Duplessis (Ticket #: 122)

Provincial Team Funding Draw

Supported by TaylorMade, the NB Provincial Team Funding Draw provided those individuals who earned the opportunity to represent their province at either a National or Regional competition the opportunity to offset their travel costs through the sale of raffle tickets, on three distinct TaylorMade prize packages, with all proceeds staying with the individual who sold the ticket

The winners of the 2019 NB Provincial Team Funding Draw were selected as part of the Argus Audiology Golf NB’s Annual Awards Banquet & Silent Auction held on Saturday October 26^th, 20189at the Crowne Plaza Fredericton Lord Beaverbook Hotel in Fredericton, NB.

• Winner– Darren Deering
  1st Prize – TaylorMade M6 Golf Package including woods, irons & bag

• Winner – Donavan Mallaley
  2^nd Prize – M5 Driver

• Winner – Chantel Leger
  3rd Prize – Two TaylorMade Wedges & 12 TaylorMade TP5 Golf Balls

Golf NB would like to thank its partner facilities and TaylorMade for their continued support of golf in the Province of New Brunswick and we look forward to working with all our exceptional partners again in 2020 and beyond.

NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. – It was announced today that the Canadian Golf Industry Show (CGIS) will take place the week of November 9, 2020 in Vancouver, B.C. The CGIS will feature The Canadian Golf Course Management Conference, presented by the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association (CGSA); The Golf Business Canada Conference, presented by National Golf Course Owners Association Canada (NGCOA Canada) and the Tee Talks National Teaching and Coaching Conference, presented by the PGA of Canada alongside supporting partners; Golf Canada, BCGSA, NGCOA Canada BC Chapter and PGA of BC.

The event will see the individual conferences of the presenting partners coincide at the same location at the same time. The selected location for the conference events is the Sheraton Wall Centre Hotel. This location will allow each individual conference to take place under one roof. The trade show that is an integral part of each event will see exhibitors from all sectors including turf, business and the pro-shop. This approach is a great benefit to the delegates and broadens the marketing value for suppliers. The show is branded as the Canadian Golf Industry Show and will take place at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

“CGSA is very excited about this partnership. Our positions as owner/operators, superintendents and golf professionals compliment each other in our workplaces, so bringing our associations together is a natural fit. There is much to learn from each other and bringing the whole industry together is paramount in a day and age when we’re all so easily separated. We’ve been looking at this opportunity for some time, so to be able to see it come together for the betterment of golf business in Canada is exciting” said CGSA President, Greg Austin.

“The NGCOA Canada is honoured to be partnering with the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association and the PGA of Canada for the inaugural Canadian Golf Industry Show in Vancouver” said Lesley McMahon, President of NGCOA Canada. “This kind of collaboration is what the NGCOA Canada is all about and bringing together these three events under the same roof alongside a shared trade show will benefit the entire industry.”

“We’re excited to congregate in Vancouver for this ground-breaking event that will undoubtedly be a game-changer for golf in Canada. Bringing together the business leaders across the various sectors of our industry under one roof aligns perfectly with our vision of increased collaboration to continue to grow the game and business of golf in Canada” said PGA of Canada President, Mark Paterson.

Watch for additional information on the Canadian Golf Industry Show to be released in the coming months.

LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. and ST ANDREWS, Scotland – The USGA and The R&A today announced the World Amateur Golf Ranking ® (WAGR ®) will be determined by a new system called the Power Method beginning with the first update in January 2020.

The Power Method aims to better reflect the current performance of golfers by placing greater emphasis on current form and results by improving the algorithms used to determine the WAGR.

In the new structure, every event in the world will earn a Power based on the strength of its starting field which will then determine the total number of ranking points on offer to the field. This will extend to a maximum of 1000 for amateur events with players also able to gain ranking points from playing in professional tournaments.

The Power Method can be applied to all competitive events: amateur, professional, stroke play, match play, and can also cater to formats the previous system would not accommodate, such as Stableford.

Ranking points will be allocated to players based on their overall finishing position in the tournament rather than on the previous round-based allocation.

“We are thrilled to introduce the Power Method which will significantly improve the World Amateur Golf Ranking,” said Jeff Holzschuh, Chairman of the WAGR Committee. “We have listened to feedback about WAGR since its inception and we believe this change addresses many of the challenges within the previous system.”

Professor Steve Otto, Director of Equipment Standards and Chief Technology Officer for The R&A, commented, “The simplicity and elegance of the revised WAGR system will be of great benefit to competitive players at every level.

“It will be easier for players to become ranked under the Power Method but with the system recognizing current form and rewarding recent top results it will be tougher to remain ranked compared to the previous system.

“The Power Method will make WAGR a true indication of the ranking of the world’s best and leading amateur golfers.”

To ensure WAGR is truly representative of the current competitive environment, event aging will also be introduced as part of the Power Method to best reflect and reward players’ current form. Points from events within the most recent 52 weeks of a player’s record will count at full value. From there, event points will reduce proportionately, approximately two percent, per week before their removal after 104 weeks.

The divisors under the Power Method will also become event based versus the previous round-based divisor scheme. Like the points, divisors will also be aged after 52 weeks. The new minimum divisors will be seven for women and eight for men. Due to the aging of points and divisors under the Power Method, unlike the previous system, minimum divisors will be the same for newly ranked and long-established players.

“We are grateful to our colleagues at The R&A for their work in developing this effort and their partnership in bringing it to life,” said John Bodenhamer, USGA Senior Managing Director, Championships.

“As we have begun to discuss the upcoming changes to WAGR with various constituents, we have received great feedback and believe this will be very warmly received by players and event organizers.”

WINTER PARK, Fla. – Global Golf Post today announced its seventh annual All-Amateur teams for men and women.

This annual effort is intended to recognize individual performance during the past 12 months for men and women amateurs, mid-amateurs, and senior amateurs.

All told, 179 players from 26 nations are honoured. And among all those players, two stood out as The Post’s Amateurs of the Year – Standford University graduate Brandon Wu and Oregon’s senior Lara Tennant.

Five Canadians were honoured in the 2019 list:

Men’s Mid-Amateur

• Garrett Rank (Elmira, Ont.) – First team
• Joey Savoie (La Prairie, Que.) – First team

Women’s Mid-Amateur

• Andrea Kosa (Calgary, Alta.) – Second team

Women’s Senior

• Mary-Ann Hayward (St. Thomas, Ont.) – First team
• Judith Kyrinis (Thornhill, Ont.) – First team

Among the 179 players, there were three golfers to have won Canadian national championships in 2019:

• Gene Elliot (West Des Mointes, Ia.) – 2019 Canadian Men’s Senior | First team
• Joseph Deraney (Belden, Miss.) – 2019 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur | First team
• Atthaya Thirikul (Thailand) – 2019 World Junior Girls Championship medallist | First team

Click here for the full list.

OAKVILLE, ONT. – Golf Canada is pleased to announce the names of the 18 athletes, male and female, who have been selected to represent Team Canada as part of the 2020 National Amateur and Junior Squads.

Nine athletes will compete for Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad, consisting of five players on the men’s squad and four on the women’s squad.

Team Canada’s 2020 Squad members have competed and achieved impressive results at regional, national and international competitions, including medals at the Pan-Am Games, NCAA Tournament wins and victories at prestigious amateur competitions.

“Golf Canada is thrilled to welcome an outstanding roster of elite athletes to represent Team Canada in 2020—they are truly deserving as evidenced by their strong performances this past season,” said Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s chief sport officer.

“The athletes selected represent a mix of returning team members as well as talented up and coming athletes who have come through provincial or regional high-performance programs. Each of them will be fantastic ambassadors representing Canada on the global golf stage.”

The following athletes have been selected to Team Canada’s 2020 Amateur Squad:

Men’s Amateur Squad

Étienne Papineau | St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Qué. – Club de golf Pinegrove

Cougar Collins | Caledon, Ont. – TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley

Sam Meek | Peterborough, Ont. – Public Player

Brendan MacDougall* | Calgary, Alta. – Glencoe Golf and Country Club

Noah Steele | Kingston, Ont. – Cataraqui Golf and Country Club

Women’s Amateur Squad

Brigitte Thibault* | Rosemère, Qué. – Club de golf de Rosemère

Mary Parsons | Delta, BC – Mayfair Lakes Golf Club

Sarah-Ève Rhéaume | Québec, Qué. – Club de golf Royal Québec

Noémie Paré | Victoriaville, Qué. – Club de golf de Victoriaville

Click here to read full player bios.

The National Junior Squad—a U19 program—also features nine athletes (four women and five men).

From February through early June, the nine-member Junior Squad will practice out of Golf Canada’s National Training Centre at Bear Mountain Golf Resort in Victoria—the third year that the program has provided centralized training, accommodation and education for athletes during the second semester of their high school year. Team members will be immersed in a focused centre of excellence, surrounded by world-class technical coaching staff and experts in the areas of mental performance, physiotherapy, biomechanics and nutrition.

The following athletes have been selected to Team Canada’s 2020 Junior Squad:

Junior Boys Squad

Laurent Desmarchais* | Longueuil, Qué. – Club de golf de la Vallée du Richelieu

Jace Minni | Delta, BC – Beach Grove Golf Club

JP Parr | St-Célestin, Qué. – Club de golf Ki-8-eb Golf

Bennett Ruby | Waterloo, Ont. – Westmount Golf and Country Club

Malik Dao | Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Qué. – Summerlea Golf and Country Club

Junior Girls Squad

Emily Zhu* | Richmond Hill, Ont. – National Pines Golf Club

Angela Arora | Surrey, BC – Beach Grove Golf Club

Angel (Mu Chen) Lin | Surrey, BC – Morgan Creek Golf Club

Monet Chun* | Richmond Hill, Ont. – Summit Golf Club

*Denotes 2019 National Team returning members

Click here to read full player bios.

 Team Canada Coaching Staff Announced

Golf Canada is pleased to announce the 2020 Team Canada coaching staff that will support both the National Amateur and Junior Squads.

On the men’s side, Derek Ingram of Winnipeg, Man. returns as Men’s Amateur Squad Head Coach. Robert Ratcliffe of Comox, B.C. will lead the Junior Boy’s Squad.

On the women’s side, Tristan Mullally of Dundas, Ont., returns as Women’s Amateur Squad Head Coach. Matt Wilson, from Newmarket, Ont., will oversee the Junior Girls’ Squads.

Wilson, who doubles as Golf Canada’s director of next generation performance, will resume leadership of the Junior Squad centralized program at Bear Mountain, alongside Ratcliffe.

.@coreconn spent seven years with #TeamCanada before going on to win on the #PGATOUR ?? pic.twitter.com/U5HBO6YCPM

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) November 18, 2019

The Men’s and Women’s Amateur Squads will each be adding an assistant coach to support the high-performance needs of the program and athletes. Candidates will be chosen in January.

“Derek and Tristan have had tremendous success with Team Canada athletes and the evolution of our national team program will see Robert and Matt continue in their significant role of leading the centralized training program at Bear Mountain,” added Thompson. “We look forward to expanding our roster of coaches and building on the success of Team Canada to help more of our elite level golfers realize their fullest potential.”

Mullally, Ingram, Ratcliffe and Wilson are all Class “A” professionals with the PGA of Canada.

Golf Canada expects to announce the selection of the 2020 Team Canada Young Pro Squad in December.

Calgary, Alta. – Golf Canada has announced that it has transferred the property lease and sold the operation and assets of the Golf Canada Calgary Golf Centre to Golfuture YYC.

With their purchase of the facility, Golfuture YYC will license the Golf Canada name and intellectual property on a short-term basis, continuing to operate all facets of the operation with future plans to enhance the facility. All existing staff at the Calgary Golf Centre will remain with the operation under new employment or contract with Golfuture YYC.

Golf Canada’s decision to divest the Calgary Centre from its asset portfolio followed an annual review of the facility for alignment within Golf Canada’s strategic plan.

“Our facility strategy has evolved significantly since the original acquisition of the lease in 2002 and despite strong year over year financial yields, it was clear that owning and operating the Calgary Golf Centre was no longer a strategic fit for the organization moving forward,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “Golfuture YYC has an exciting vision for the continued expansion of the facility as a meaningful hub for accessible golf in the city and we look forward to seeing the property continue to evolve with their strong local ownership.”

Golf Canada originally acquired the lease and operations of the Golf Canada Calgary Centre in 2002. A popular destination for golf activity in the city, the Calgary Golf Centre was a hub for junior, recreational and high-performance golf in Alberta, being certified as one of the inaugural National Junior Golf Development Centres. The facility also contributed to the growth of the Golf Canada brand in one of the country’s major markets.

The year-round Calgary Golf Centre located in the heart of the city is one of the city’s most utilized practice facilities. Situated adjacent to the Bow River on 42 acres of leased land, the facility features a double-ended two-tier heated driving range (54 hitting stalls) for all-season use; a par-3, 9-hole golf course; a miniature putting course; robust junior golf programming; a clubhouse and pro shop with entertainment facilities; all-season golf simulators; a custom fitting operation (leased to tenant Ted & Dave Custom Golf); and a training academy with six certified PGA of Canada professionals.

In addition to present operations, Golfuture YYC will upgrade some of the existing infrastructure to explore its new golf concept. The Golfuture concept combines modern radar tracking technology with innovative driving range design to emulate the experience of playing a traditional golf course, including full swing shots and putting.

“We are excited to carry on the business of Golf Canada Calgary Centre while adding the innovation and excitement of Golfuture” said Golfuture YYC President Art Korpach.

Golf Canada’s Asset Purchase Agreement with Golfuture YYC followed pitches from, and discussions with, a number of prospective parties following a targeted go-to-market strategy when the facility was put up for sale.

MELBOURNE, Victoria, Australia – Ernie Els has selected British Columbia’s Adam Hadwin as one of his final four picks for the International Team at next month’s Presidents Cup, the captain announced today via teleconference. Hadwin joins Jason Day of Australia, Joaquin Niemann of Chile and Sungjae Im of South Korea as the final international representatives.

The Presidents Cup returns to Melbourne, Australia and The Royal Melbourne Golf Club for the third time, December 9-15, when the International Team will take on the U.S. Team led by Captain Tiger Woods.

Hadwin will make his second consecutive Presidents Cup appearance and first as a captain’s pick. The 31-year-old finished with five top-10 finishes during the 2018-19 PGA TOUR season but made his best case for a captain’s pick after finishing runner-up in his first start of the 2019-20 season at the Safeway Open. That was followed up with a T4 at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

“With this Presidents Cup approaching and me starting to play some good golf again, I was just hungry for a second chance,” Hadwin said. “That’s not how I would like my contribution to The Presidents Cup to be remembered and I’m looking forward to having a second chance down at Royal Melbourne, a part of an incredible International Team, and hopefully we can right some of the wrongs that we’ve had in the past and do Captain Els proud.”

The Abbotsford, British Columbia, native is just one of three Canadians to compete in the Presidents Cup, joining 2019 captain’s assistant Mike Weir and Graham DeLaet.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

BIG congrats to Canada’s @ahadwingolf on earning a captain’s selection to the #PresidentsCup International Team. Play well, Adam! ??? #TeamRBC

A post shared by RBC Canadian Open (@rbccanadianopen) on Nov 6, 2019 at 5:13pm PST

Hadwin finished with a 0-2-1 record in his Presidents Cup debut at Liberty National.

The International Team has 22 previous Presidents Cup appearances amongst its members with six players making their Presidents Cup debuts, which matches the second-most first-timers in team history (7, 2013).

Hideki Matsuyama, Adam Scott, Louis Oosthuizen, Marc Leishman, Abraham Ancer, Haotong Li, Cameron Smith and C.T. Pan round out the rest of the international team. Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., was strongly considered by Els to join the team but just missed the final cut.

“Between (Hadwin) and Corey Conners, it was a very, very tight race,” said Els. “One of the difficult calls I had to make was to Corey. He was very gracious and he wished us good luck heading into these matches.

“But Adam, I love his game. He’s just very solid all around. There’s not really any weakness there.”

Conners missed the cut at the Sanderson Farms Championship but then tied for 13th at the Safeway Open, tied for 12th at the CJ Cup at Nine Bridges, tied for sixth at the ZOZO Championship and tied for 20th at the World Golf Championship-HSBC Champions. He’s ranked 55th in the world _ one spot below Niemann _ and 24th on the FedExCup rankings.

Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Brooks Koepka, Matt Kuchar, Xander Schauffele, Webb Simpson, Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Cantlay will represent the United States. Tiger Woods will announce his four captain’s picks _ potentially including himself _ on Thursday.

Captain Els will lead the youngest International Team in Presidents Cup history, with the average age of his 12 players totaling just over 29 years old. This is the fourth consecutive International Team that has been younger than the previous team.

Let’s get it! ??#PresidentsCup https://t.co/UeKUYkoBKe

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) November 7, 2019

Canadians in the Presidents Cup

LIBERTY CORNER, N.J., and ST. ANDREWS, Scotland (Nov. 4, 2019) – The World Handicap System (WHS) is ready to be launched in January 2020 and will provide golfers with a unified and more inclusive handicapping system for the first time.

Though many countries are planning to adopt the new system in January, the system will go live in other parts of the world throughout the year to accommodate different implementation plans and variations in the golf calendar.

Developed by the USGA and The R&A in close coordination with existing handicapping authorities, the WHS will provide all golfers with a consistent measure of playing ability, with handicaps calculated in the same way wherever they are in the world.

A key objective of the initiative was to develop a modern system, enabling as many golfers as possible to obtain and maintain a Handicap Index. Golfers will be able to transport their Handicap Index globally and compete or play a casual round with players from other regions on a fair basis. It will also indicate the score a golfer is reasonably capable of achieving the next time they go out to play.

The table lists the estimated implementation timeframes for a selection of countries:

The WHS has two main components – the Rules of Handicapping and the Course Rating System. The Rules of Handicapping are encompassed within seven Rules to inform administrators and golfers on how an official Handicap Index is calculated and administered, with some flexibility given to national associations based on how the sport is played and enjoyed in their region. The Course Rating System, based on the USGA Course Rating System first adopted nearly 50 years ago and already adopted on nearly every continent, sets out a consistent method of determining a course’s difficulty. Together, these components become the foundational elements in determining a golfer’s Handicap Index.

“When the golf community works together, everyone benefits,” said Mike Davis, CEO of the USGA.  “We have seen the benefit that handicapping has provided for decades, providing greater enjoyment for all who play. To have a single set of Rules of Handicapping for the game will connect golfers from country to country, and we are excited to bring the best of all worlds together through this initiative.

“It is one of the many ways we are investing in golf’s future, to strengthen and foster growth of the entire game for years to come.”

Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “The game of golf is transforming to meet the needs of the modern-day golfer; modernizing the Rules this year was an important step forward in that regard and the World Handicap System will be another.

“Our hope is that the launch of the WHS will be a catalyst for change; signalling the start of a new era of golfer engagement, being inclusive by embracing all golfers, whatever their level of ability, and broadening its appeal to a much wider audience.”

“Change also means opportunity and, managed appropriately, this can only be good for the game. It does mean there will be a period of adjustment, as we saw with the new Rules, but once it beds in golfers and golf clubs will benefit in many ways from the new system.”

In preparation for the launch of the WHS, more than 3,000 golf courses have been rated for the first time and an extensive education program has been delivered. By the end of 2019, more than 90 National Associations will have attended an educational seminar and a robust library of resources is hosted on WHS.com to support regional education.

Rules of Handicapping books are being produced and will be translated and delivered through national associations.

In addition, the USGA and The R&A have developed a series of golfer-focused materials, including videos, infographics and posters, which can be used by national associations and shared with golf clubs for the benefit of golfers.

This includes a promotional video which can be seen here featuring Annika Sorenstam, Gary Player and voices of recreational golfers from around the world to encourage as many golfers as possible to obtain and maintain a handicap.

The materials explain the system’s key features, including:

• Flexibility in formats of play, allowing both competitive and recreational rounds to count for handicap purposes and ensuring that a Handicap Index reflects demonstrated ability
• A minimal number of scores needed to obtain a new handicap; with the number of scores needed to obtain a new handicap being 54 holes from any combination of 18-hole and 9-hole rounds (with some discretion available for national or regional associations)
• An average-based calculation of a handicap, taken from the best eight out of the last 20 scores and factoring in memory of demonstrated ability for better responsiveness/control
• A calculation that considers the impact that abnormal course and weather conditions might have on a player’s performance each day
• Timely handicap revisions
• A limit of Net Double Bogey on the maximum hole score (for handicapping purposes only)
• A maximum handicap limit of 54.0, regardless of gender, to encourage more golfers to measure and track their performance to increase their enjoyment of the game
• The formation of a World Handicap System was first conceived in 2011 between the USGA and The R&A in an effort to engage more golfers in the game and promote equity, no matter where golf is played. The effort unites six existing handicapping systems into one, while embracing the many ways the game is played across cultures.

Beginning in 2020, the new WHS will be governed by the USGA and The R&A and administered by national and regional golf associations around the world.

The existing six handicapping authorities, Golf Australia, the Council of National Golf Unions (CONGU) in Great Britain and Ireland, the European Golf Association (EGA), the South African Golf Association (SAGA), the Argentine Golf Association (AAG) and the USGA, represent approximately 15 million golfers in 80 countries who currently maintain a golf handicap.

As an extension of their support of the Rules of Golf worldwide, Rolex has made a commitment to support the USGA’s and The R&A’s efforts to implement the World Handicap System.

Saskatchewan winters are long, for avid golfers the season seems to last forever.

The long offseason can not only bring people down mentally, becoming “stagnant” over the cold, dark days can also affect your physical health, and your golf game. With a degree in Sport and Exercise Science and a Level 3 Certified Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) professional, Tanner White is hired by clients in Regina and southern Saskatchewan to work on their bodies, and game. He said starting a winter fitness program shouldn’t have you diving right in.

“You need to start slow,” White told Golf Saskatchewan. “If someone does have an injury or an ailment let’s first figure that out, what’s causing that? Once that’s covered we can look at how do we get stronger? More powerful, more speed?”

White said no one knows your own body and golf game better than yourself. You need to identify what part of your body needs to be stretched more or more mobile. He added many clients start shaking the winter blues by simply walking on the treadmill just to get their body moving. White does guide his clients or anybody working out to begin slow and as you elevate your program you need an end purpose.

“Having structure is important to keep individuals accountable for what they are trying to do,” he explained. “You need to understand what each individual is capable of doing and what their body is capable of handling and what their goal is. What is the main intention you are looking to get out of your program? Let’s build it around that.”

For golf, building your body is unique. White said not many sports incorporate the opposite side of your dominant hand needing to be stronger due to the core motion of a golf swing. Naturally our bodies are stronger on our dominant sides. White said you need to find a balance if you hope to elevate your game and swing.

“It is important over the off-season that you have a focus on getting your body as equally as strong and mobile as both sides as you can. The body will then be more efficient when it’s equal,” he added.

There are many benefits to having a winter program, the most sought-after result is hopefully less rust at the start of the season and potentially lower scores. Additional side effects will include better overall health and being less prone to an injury.

“Injuries come from one or multiple muscles are over stimulated and opposed to the other side and that’s what’s causing injuries. That’s why a well-balanced strength training program is very important. That’s what is ultimately going to help minimize injuries,” he explained.

The next phase of your winter conditioning program should be keeping it fun and interesting. Golf is a game that prides itself on never being the same. Courses are different, weather is never identical, lies will be different for every stroke keeping the sport fresh. White said that’s important in your program as well to keep your mind fresh and engaged.

“There’s some individuals that will say do the same workout plan for five years, you lose that mental drive,” White proclaimed. “That’s why getting on some type of program is important for people. It keeps you structured and keeps you motivated for what you need to do.”

White is a firm believer in keeping workouts fresh. At 1621 Club where he’s a trainer he will alter the focus area of the body every few weeks for group workouts. He said that keeps the attendees engaged, and they don’t get bored with the same workout for months or years on end.

White works with clients of all ages, and all sporting backgrounds in Regina at the 1621 Club. He is also a member of the PGA of Canada so there is a golf focus and he can provide top-notch training for anyone looking to get better, improve their health or get stronger. In the end he said golf has many factors we can’t control such as weather, the course, or other players. He said you need to look after the limitations you can control, and your game will be better for it.

“What is your nutrition like? You have full control of that, make sure that’s in line. Hydration, you have full control of that, make sure that’s in line. Exercise, you have full control of that, make sure that’s in line. Then we have the mental side of things which you have full control of as well. If more golfers took care of all those items those other variables on the golf course are less impactful. Take control of your life and improve on those variables,” he concluded.

Golf Saskatchewan reached out to several golfers, of all skill level who have made a serious commitment to working on their body and game over the winter months. Tony B. (the subjects preferred to not use their last names) said he doesn’t need to use the first few rounds to shake off the “rust.”

“It has made me feel far less rusty in terms of physical abilities in the early parts of the golf season whereas in previous years, it had taken a few rounds to get the golf muscles back in shape. This way, I feel more prepared and able to play golf with an improved physical ability at an earlier time in our short season. I would also argue that with consistently doing some work on mobility and rotation, my swing has become much more consistent and dare I say powerful with less effort or strain,” Tony said.

Jason G. is a former collegiate golfer. It’s been 15 years since he played on the college level, but he said going back to working over the winter on his game has helped him get back to that level.

“Over the last two years I have found greater consistency in my golf game and just completed the 2019 season with my game being the best it is has been since graduating from playing collegiate golf back in 2005. I did not practice any more or harder on the golf swing or game specifically, so I have to attribute some or most of the improvement to my game to the overall mobility and strength I have developed working with golf specific training,” Jason explained.