OAKVILLE, Ont. – Golf Canada is pleased to announce the names of the 29 athletes, male and female, who have been selected to represent Team Canada as part of the 2021 National Amateur and Junior Squads.

Fifteen athletes will compete on Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad, consisting of eight players on the men’s squad and seven on the women’s squad.

The announcement marks a significant increase in roster size, adding six athletes to the previous year’s team. The roster expansion is due in large part to a restructuring of team resources in addition to increased funding support from the Golf Canada Foundation’s network of Trustee partners.

“We are very pleased to extend the reach of the Team Canada program to support more of the country’s top athletes,” said Derek Ingram, Head Coach of the National Men’s Squads. “The new program structure allows our coaching staff to focus more resources on training and sport science with each athlete’s individual results used to determine their respective competitive schedule.”

Team Canada’s 2021 Squad members have all 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. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all athletes from the 2020 Squad were able to return in 2021, provided they met team eligibility criteria.

“We are very excited with the athletes selected – they represent a mix of returning team members as well as talented up-and-coming athletes,” said Tristan Mullally, Head Coach of the National Women’s Squads. “It is a new chapter for amateur golf in Canada and we have a tremendous group of ambassadors representing our country.”

The following athletes have been selected to Team Canada’s 2021 Amateur Squad:

WOMEN’S AMATEUR SQUAD

Taylor Kehoe | Strathroy, Ont. – West Haven Golf & Country Club
Alisha Lau | Richmond, B.C. – Marine Drive Golf Club
Noémie Paré | Victoriaville, Qué. – Club de golf de Victoriaville
Mary Parsons | Delta, B.C. – Mayfair Lakes Golf Club
Sarah-Ève Rhéaume | Québec, Qué. – Club de golf Royal Québec
Brigitte Thibault | Rosemère, Qué. – Club de golf de Rosemère
Brooke Rivers | Brampton, Ont. – Brampton Golf Club

MEN’S AMATEUR SQUAD

Matthew Anderson | Mississauga, Ont. – Credit Valley Golf & Country Club
Cougar Collins | Caledon, Ont. – TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley
Laurent Desmarchais | Longueuil, Qué. – Club de golf de la Vallée du Richelieu Noah Steele | Kingston, Ont. – Cataraqui Golf & Country Club
Henry Lee | Coquitlam, B.C. – Public Player
Brendan MacDougall | Calgary, Alta. – Glencoe Golf and Country Club
Étienne Papineau | St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Qué. – Club de golf Pinegrove
Johnny Travale | Hamilton, Ont. – Glendale Golf & Country Club

Click here to read full player bios.

National Junior Squads

The National Junior Squad—a U19 program—features fourteen athletes (seven girls and seven boys).

In September, Golf Canada hosted a selection camp at Bear Mountain Resort in Victoria, B.C., to evaluate Canada’s top juniors. In partnership with the Provincial Golf Associations, all golfers were run through a series of testing modules followed by a 54-hole competition.

From March through early June, the Junior Squad will practice out of Golf Canada’s National Training Centre at Bear Mountain—the fourth year that the program has provided centralized training, accommodation and education for athletes during the second semester of their 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 2021 Junior Squad:

JUNIOR GIRLS SQUAD

Angela Arora | Surrey, B.C. – Beach Grove Golf Club
Katie Cranston | Oakville, Ont. – Oakville Golf Club
Nicole Gal | Oakville, Ont. – Oakville Golf Club
Jennifer Gu | West Vancouver, B.C. – Seymour Golf & Country Club
Lauren Kim | Surrey, B.C. –  Morgan Creek Golf Club
Michelle Liu | Vancouver, B.C. – Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club
Emily Zhu | Richmond Hill, Ont. – National Pines Golf Club

JUNIOR BOYS SQUAD

Willy Bishop | Victoria, B.C. – Victoria Golf Club
Félix Bouchard | Otterburn Park, Que. –  Club de golf de la Vallée du Richelieu
Malik Dao | Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Qué. – Summerlea Golf & Country Club
Ashton McCulloch | Kingston, Ont. – Cataraqui Golf & Country Club
Owen Mullen | Shortts Lake, N.S. – Truro Golf Club
JP Parr | St-Célestin, Qué. – Club de golf Ki-8-eb Golf
Hunter Thomson | Calgary, Alta. – Glencoe Golf & Country Club

Click here to read full player bios.

Team Canada Coaching Staff Announced 

Golf Canada is pleased to announce the 2021 Team Canada coaching staff that will support both the National Amateur and Junior Squads.

For the amateur squads, Derek Ingram of Winnipeg returns as men’s head coach with support from assistant coach Andrew Parr of London, Ont. On the women’s side, Tristan Mullally of Dundas, Ont., returns as head coach.

On the junior side, Robert Ratcliffe of Comox, B.C., will lead the centralized Junior Squads at the National Training Centre in Bear Mountain for the fourth year. He will receive support from newly named coach Jennifer Greggain, also of Comox, B.C.

Players will have access to Team Canada’s sport science staff, which includes physiotherapist Greg Redman and Psychologist Dr. Adrienne Leslie-Toogood supporting the men’s team with physiotherapist Andrea Kosa and mental performance consultant Christie Gialloreto supporting the women. The Junior Squads will continue to receive sport science support from the Canadian Sport Institute Pacific in the areas of strength & conditioning, physiotherapy, mental performance, and nutrition.

“Team Canada has shown tremendous success and the coaching staff is well-positioned to lead the increased roster of athletes along with the centralized training program at Bear Mountain,” said Laurence Applebaum, Golf Canada Chief Executive Officer. “Along with every area of the business, we will continue to monitor the impact of COVID-19 to ensure the health and well-being of the athletes and coaches. We now look ahead to helping shape the bright futures of Canada’s top up-and-coming athletes looking to follow in the footsteps of graduates such as Brooke Henderson, Corey Conners and Mackenzie Hughes.”

Mullally, Ingram, Ratcliffe, Greggain and Parr are all PGA of Canada members.

Golf Canada will announce the selection of the 2021 Team Canada Young Pro Squad in January.

WAYNE, Penn. – Golf Genius Software, the leading worldwide provider of tournament management solutions, announced today that Golf Canada and Canada’s Provincial Golf Associations will begin using Golf Genius Tournament Management to manage their golf competitions beginning in 2021.

Golf Genius will provide Golf Canada-branded versions of its TM Club, TM Club Premium and TM Association cloud-based services to the Canadian golf market. Golf Canada and the Provincial Golf Associations will join a number of other national golf associations and tours in using the TM Association solution, which is purpose-built to meet the specialized needs of national and regional golf associations.

Golf clubs and other golf facilities across Canada will also be able to utilize the Golf Canada versions of the TM Club at preferred rates and TM Club Premium services. Golf Genius will provide single sign-on support to club administrators through the Golf Canada Score Centre and will integrate with the World Handicap System (WHS) services provided through the Golf Canada Score Centre. Golf Genius will also provide French language versions of its TM services as part of its agreement with Golf Canada.

Mike Zisman, Co-CEO of Golf Genius Software, commented: “We have committed substantial resources to build a significant presence in the Canadian market, including our recent acquisition of two respected Canadian software providers. Our new relationship with Golf Canada will not only enable us to serve the tournament management needs of Golf Canada and the Provincial Associations, it will also help us more rapidly expand our customer base in the club and facility market. We are honored to have been selected by Golf Canada for this critical relationship.”

Adam Helmer, Senior Director of Golf Services at Golf Canada, added, “We conducted a rigorous process to select a tournament management solution which included an RFP last year and the evaluation of several prospective vendors. Golf Genius presented the most robust product, and most importantly, can meet the needs of Golf Canada, our Provincial Golf Associations and over 1,400 of our member golf facilities in Canada with one integrated solution.”

In 2020, Golf Genius has also announced national association agreements with England Golf, the Singapore Golf Association and Golf NSW serving New South Wales in Australia.

The Canadian golf industry generated $18.2B in economic benefits across our nation in 2019, according to a recent economic analysis conducted by Group ATN Consulting Inc. on behalf of the National Allied Golf Associations (We Are Golf).

According to The Economic Impact of Golf in Canada (2019), the Canadian golf industry employs the equivalent of nearly 249,000 people through direct and spin-off effects and contributed to $10.6B in household income. The industry also contributed $4.5B in government tax revenue ($1.8B federal and $2.1B provincial) used to support a variety of programs for all Canadians.

Based on nationwide surveys completed by golfers and golf course operators in 10 provinces and three territories along with multiple industry data sources, The Economic Impact of Golf in Canada (2019) is a follow up to previous comprehensive and independent assessment studies (2014, 2009) of the economic impact of the golf industry in Canada. The $18.2B economic impact of golf represents a 14% increase in contribution to Canada’s GDP between 2013 and 2019.

“The Economic Impact of Golf in Canada (2019) further reinforces the enormous financial, employment, charitable, tourism and positive environmental impact that the sport and the business of golf are affecting across Canada,” said Laurence Applebaum, Chair of We Are Golf and CEO of Golf Canada. “This third iteration of the study provides the golf industry with a powerful snapshot of the scale and magnitude that our sport has on the Canadian economy and within the communities where we live, work and play.”

The study presents economic insights for each of the 10 provinces and three territories from coast to coast. Also captured in the report are comparisons to international economic insights from select countries and regions including the United States, European Union, and Australia.

The Economic Impact of Golf in Canada (2019) was conducted on behalf of We Are Golf by Group ATN Consulting Inc., a world leader in economic development and analysis for communities, regions, and industries. Group ATN previously conducted the 2014 and 2009 Canadian Golf Economic Impact Studies (based on 2013 and 2008 data respectively) which have allowed the Canadian golf industry to benchmark the game’s economic impact over five-year periods.

“Every industry has its own unique circumstances to allow for, and the ability to repeat the same application of our model for Canadian golf is a significant advantage,” said Tom McGuire, Principal with Group ATN Consulting. “Beyond consistency, we have also been able to further improve certain aspects based upon learnings from the prior studies we did for the National Allied Golf Associations (We Are Golf).”

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF GOLF IN CANADA (2019)

The game of golf accounts for an estimated $18.2B of Canada’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which is up 14% from the $15.9B reported in 2014*. Included within the 2019 economic impact:

• The golf industry directly employed nearly 150,000 full-time, full-year equivalent positions, representing many more individuals who are employed in the sector. This number grows to approximately 249,000 when accounting for direct, indirect, and induced employment.

• The golf industry directly contributed $4.8B in household income, rising to $10.6B when considering the combined direct, indirect, and induced impacts.

• The golf industry generated $4.5B in government tax revenue; including $1.8B in federal tax revenue and $2.1B in provincial tax revenue.

• Conservatively, course operators invested $727M industry-wide on capital expenditures.

*Note that 2014 figures are adjusted by the consumer price index and reported as current dollars.

Additional Insights from The Economic Impact of Golf in Canada (2019)

• Employment – The golf industry is a significant job provider for youth with 48% of its workforce identified as students.

• Travel – Canadians along with international visitors contributed to $8.6B in golf-related travel nationwide. Canadians made approximately 4.8M trips involving golf, including 3.0M in their home province and 1.8M outside their home province and abroad.

• Golfer Spending – golfers in Canada spent approximately $19.3B on items such as green fees, memberships, lessons, equipment, travel, hospitality, events, and other golf-related expenditures.

• Canadian Course Operators – a total of 2,283 facilities were estimated to be operating in 2019, accounting for 2,043 courses (18-hole equivalent); course operators collectively spent approximately $3.8B in course expenditures.

• Land management – Golf course operations manage between 155,000 and 175,000 hectares, including 30,000 to 35,000 hectares of wildlife and wetland area.

• Charitable Impact – The golf industry generated an estimated $330M in charitable impact through more than 51,000 tournaments and events.

• Golf Participation – Canadian golfers played an estimated 57.0M rounds in 2019.

Although released in 2020, The Economic Impact of Golf in Canada (2019) does not factor in the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Canadian golf industry.

“Establishing a baseline for the economic impact of our sport measured against pre-2020 Covid-19 spending is an important benchmark consideration for the integrity and continuity of the study,” added Applebaum. “Based on what we learned through the 2020 season, the safety of golf through this pandemic and the potential for a lift in participation and spending on the game, we are optimistic in looking ahead.”

An executive summary along with a complete report outlining the results of The Economic Impact of Golf in Canada (2019) is available by clicking here or by visiting any of the We Are Golf partner websites.

Two of Nova Scotia’s top junior golfers have been selected to take part in Golf Canada’s National Junior Squad Selection Camp this week at Bear Mountain Resort in Victoria, B.C.

Truro Golf Club member, and University of Notre Dame recruit, Owen Mullen and fifteen-year-old Abbey Baker of Ashburn Golf Club will go head-to-head against the best of their peers from across the country to try and earn a spot on Team Canada for the 2021-2022 season.

Golf Canada stated: Due to the effect of COVID-19 on the 2020 competitive season, the process of selection for the 2021 Squads based on previously posted Selection Criteria is not feasible. As a result, Golf Canada coaching staff will be conducting a Selection Camp whereby athletes are invited to attend and compete for spots on the Squads through a series of objective testing protocols assessing skill and a 54-hole head-to-head tournament.

Following the Camp, Golf Canada’s selection committee will use the results from the Camp assessments, along with supplementary information (2019/2020 results), to select the additional players.

The Camp will take place from October 14-18, 2020. Best of luck to both athletes! All of Nova Scotia is rooting for you!

2021 Junior Team Selection Camp
Player Invitations
(in alphabetical order)

As the 2020 competitive season has come to a close, the NSGA is pleased to announce the winners of the 2020 NSGA Player of the Year Awards.

The Player of the Year (POY) is a ranking system awards points to players based on tournament results. It is designed to promote golf development through competition and celebrate the individual achievements of golfers in Nova Scotia.

For more information the on the NSGA Player of the Year format and points system, please click here.

The NSGA is pleased to announce the 2020 NSGA Player of the Year award winners:

Juvenile Girls (U17) – Abbey Baker, Ashburn Golf Club

 Abbey Baker had a stellar 2020 season and managed to sweep the Junior Girls Player of the Year series in the process. She played in nine POY events and earned a whopping 10910 points overall. Baker took home the 2020 NSGA and PEIGA Junior Girls Provincial Championships, along with the PEIGA Women’s Amateur Championship. She also took top spot that the Antigonish Provincial Prep Tournament, the Oakfield Golf & Country Club Junior Invitational, and the MCT at Ken-Wo Golf Club. Baker also competed in the Ontario Junior Girls Championship, where she placed 16th overall.

Juvenile Boys (U17) – Owen Canavan, Oakfield Golf & Country Club 

Over the course of the competitive season, Owen Canavan played in seven NSGA Player of the Year events, placing top 10 in four of those events. He won the Oakfield Golf & Country Club Junior Club Championship, placed T5 at the MJT at Ken-Wo Golf Club, and a finished 9th place at the Antigonish Provincial Prep and the NSGA Junior Boys Provincial Championship. This is Canavan’s second Player of the Year award, after winning the HRM Zone Junior award last season.

Bantam Girls (U15) – Olivia Seaman, Ken-Wo Golf Club

Olivia Seaman of Ken-Wo Golf Club has claimed the first ever NSGA Bantam Girls Player of the Year award. This past season Seaman took home the NSGA Bantam Girls Provincial title, and finished 7th overall. She also won the DQ Junior Invitational (Bantam) at Truro Golf Club, and placed 2nd at the MJT Bantam at Ken-Wo Golf Club, and the MJT Bantam Atlantic Championship at Fox Harb’r.

Bantam Boys (U15) – Simon Mullen, Truro Golf Club 

Simon Mullen has earned his first NSGA Bantam Boys Player of the Year award this season. The younger brother to Owen Mullen, won nearly every Bantam tournament he played in, including the NSGA Bantam Provincial Championship, the MJT Bantam at Ken-Wo Golf Club, and MJT Bantam Atlantic Championship at Fox Harb’r. Mullen also took home 2nd place at the DQ Junior Invitational at Truro Golf Club.

Amateur Player of the Year Winners

Amateur Female – Cristal Romero, Grandview Golf & Country Club

The short competitive season did not stop Cristal Romero from taking home the 2020 Women’s Amateur Player of the Year Award. The Grandview Golf & Country Club member placed 2nd in the NSGA Women’s Amateur, and the Oakfield Ladies Invitational respectively. This is Romero’s first Player of the Year award.

Amateur Male – David Williamson, Ashburn Golf Club

David Williamson, of Ashburn Golf Club, has earned his first Men’s Player of the Year title this season. Williamson claimed two 2nd place finishes this season at the MCT Men’s Amateur and the MCT MID-Amateur Championship. He also took home 2nd place at the Ashburn Men’s Club Championship.

Senior Player of the Year Winners

Senior Female – Debbie Arsenault, Grandview Golf & Country Club

Debbie Arsenault is no stranger to the NSGA Player of the Year Awards, and winning this years Women’s Senior Award marks her third title. The Grandview member won the Women’s POY back in 2017 and 2019. Over the competitive season, Arsenault won the 2020 NSGA Women’s Senior Championship, placed 2nd at the Grandview Ladies Club Championship, and T11th at the Oakfield Ladies Invitational.

Senior Male – Rob Collins, Clare Golf & Country Club

Rob Collins dominated the Senior Men’s Player of the Year this season, playing in seven Player of the Year events this season. Collins took home top spot at the 2019 Snowball, 2019 Jack Frost and the 2020 Clare Men’s Club Championship. He also finished 2nd in the 2020 NSGA Men’s Senior Championship, T9 at the NSGA Men’s Amateur, and T10 at the NSGA Men’s MID Amateur.

Congratulations to all 2020 winners on a successful tournament season!

The typical Yarmouth wind picked up for round two of the NSGA Men’s Four-Ball Championship. The Yarmouth Links truly tested the skills of some of the top competitors in the province.

Nick Coates and Anthony LeBlanc went wire-to-wire to claim their first NSGA Men’s Four-Ball Championship. The Clare Golf & Country Club members finished today’s round at six-under-par (66); carding one eagle, six birdies, and two bogeys for the day. Coates and LeBlanc finished the tournament at fifteen-under-par (129).

Four teams finished tied for second place, finishing two shots back at thirteen-under-par (131). The team of Shawn Johnson and David Fader of Hartlen Point Forces Golf Club took home second place (by retrogression), while Marc Lombard and Stephane LeBlanc of Clare Golf & Country Club finished in third.

Yarmouth Links’ members took advantage of their home course knowledge and cleaned up the prizes for division two. The team of Garth Nickerson and Faren Surette claimed top spot (by retrogressions) after carding a 2-under-par (70), for a two day total of 2-under-par (142). While Jamie Comeau and Josh Berry finished in second place.

NSPPC players Matt Wood and Shayne Pottie came in third place, only three shots back, with a two-day total of one-over-par (145).

For the complete results of the 2020 Men’s Four-Ball Championship, please CLICK HERE.

Yarmouth, N.S. – It was a calm and sunny day for the first round of the NSGA Men’s Four-Ball Championship, as 84 competitors took on one of oldest golf courses in Canada, Yarmouth Links.

Competitors to take advantage of the rare conditions, as numerous teams finished round one in the red.

Nick Coates and Anthony LeBlanc of Clare Golf & Country Club lead the field after firing a stellar 9-under-par (63). The pair carded one eagle, eight birdies, and one bogey for the day.

Currently tied for second place, and only two shots back at 7-under-par (65), are teammates Owen Mullen and Patrick Jackson, both of Truro Golf Club; and Morgan Penny and Derek Boudreau of Yarmouth Links. Both teams carded nine birdies and two bogeys for the round.

Three shots back, and tied for third place are 2011 Champions Marc Lombard and Stephane LeBlanc of Clare Golf & Country Club, as well as Craig Hollett and Robert Helmkay of Grandview Golf & Country Club. The two teams sit at 6-under-par (66).

James Wade of Avon Valley Golf & Country Club and Patrick Atwell of Eden Golf & Country Club lead the way in division two. The pair carded four birdies and three bogeys to finish the round 1-under-par (71).

Tied for second place are two teams from Yarmouth Links. Teammates Jamie Comeau & Josh Berry, and Garth Nickerson & Faren Surette all sit one shot back at even-par (72).

Tomorrows round begins at 8:00am.

We would like to thank Jaguar Land Rover Halifax for sponsoring the hole in one at this event. Unfortunately, no one was lucky enough to take home the Land Rover.

For round 1 complete results, please CLICK HERE.

For round 2 draw, please CLICK HERE.

Registration for the Atlantic Virtual Coach Conference is now OPEN! The FREE virtual conference is intended for all coaches hosted by the Canadian Sport Center Atlantic, in partnership with Sport Nova Scotia, the Government of Nova Scotia, Coach NB, Coach NL, and Coaching PEI.

The online webinars will be held in the evenings from 7-9pm from September 21-24, 2020. Each evening there will be three sessions on a variety of topics. Each session will be 25-30 minutes long, followed by 5 minute Q&A. The theme of the Coaching Conference is Safe Sport: Diversity & Inclusion. You can register for one, or all three sessions per evening.

Spaces are limited, so register ASAP!

Sessions include:

• A Two Eyes Seeing Approach to Coaching: Indigenous knowledge & western systems
• Coaching Athletes with ADHD
• Male Coaching Female Programs
• Participant Centered Sport Experience: LGBTQ2+
• Commit to Kids: Creating safer sport for youth athletes
• Concussions
• Enforcing Gender Equity in Sport
• The True Sport Coach
• Parasport
• Team Building & Cultuer
• Mentorship 101
• Mental Health and Coach Burnout

Click here to register now!

For more information on the Canadian Sport Center Atlantic, click here.

For more professional development opportunities by the Sport Center Atlantic, click here.

August 31, 2020 Halifax, NS

Dormie Workshop, a local golf accessories business, is hosting the first Play Yellow golf fundraiser in Canada to support the IWK Health Centre. The two-day charity tournament will take place at the world- famous Cabot Cape Breton on September 25 – 26. The event will be open to members of Golf Canada and has a fundraising goal of $35,000.

The Play Yellow initiative was founded by Jack and Barbara Nicklaus in 2019 as a way to support Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and works in partnership with the PGA Tour. Their goal is to raise $100 million for children’s hospitals across the United States and Canada through fundraising and sponsorship opportunities.

“We believe it is our responsibility to support those in our community and what better way than to look out for future generations. That’s why we have partnered with Play Yellow in support of the IWK Health Centre,” said Jeff Bishop, a PGA Canada professional and co-founder of Dormie Workshop.

The inaugural tournament will be facilitated by the Nova Scotia Golf Association and will be played by golfers residing within the Atlantic bubble. The event is a two-man best ball format with a maximum of 24 teams.

The entry fee for this event is $750 per player and a minimum of $750 per player in additional fundraising that will directly support the Play Yellow initiative & the IWK Health Center. These fees will include two rounds of golf on Cabot Links & Cabot Cliffs, accommodations, player meals, and a gift bag upon check in.

Over the weekend, participants are encouraged to wear yellow, and will compete for several prizes; highlighted by a Land Rover to the first player to make a hole- in-one provided by Jaguar Land Rover Halifax. Prizes will also be available for individual fundraising performances as this is the cornerstone of this event.

The NSGA and Cabot Links will be taking COVID-19 safety precautions to ensure guests and members are following Nova Scotia Health Authority guidelines while at the tournament.

For more information and the registration link please visit:

LEARN MORE

About Dormie Workshop

Dormie Workshop is a locally-owned business created by PGA Canada Members and brothers Jeff and Todd with the intention of bringing fellow golfers handmade leather golf accessories. Dormie Workshop represents a passion for design and individuality, combined with functionality and practicality. To learn more about Dormie Workshop, visit dormieworkshop.com or call them directly at 1(902)880- 1893.

For more information, please contact:

Jason Thorpe- (p)902-225-6050

Email:jason.thorpe@iwk.nshealth.ca