Canadian professional golfers came together to send a video message expressing their gratitude to frontline workers for their courage and sacrifice.

 

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Big thanks to the frontline workers for your courage and sacrifice during this difficult time ❤️ ⁣ ⁣ ? @bobweekstsn

A post shared by Golf Canada (@thegolfcanada) on Apr 23, 2020 at 7:24pm PDT

Due to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, We Are Golf (The National Allied Golf Associations/NAGA) has postponed National Golf Day in Canada, originally scheduled for Tuesday, May 12, 2020.

The postponement of National Golf Day in Canada includes the We Are Golf government advocacy visit to Parliament Hill in Ottawa—an event aimed at raising awareness among government decision makers on the many positive impacts of the golf industry. An alternate date has not been selected at this time.

We appreciate that all government officials are directing their full attention and resources to support the health and safety of Canadians during this unprecedented health crisis. When the time is right, the Canadian golf industry will be ready to share the significant economic, health, employment, tourism and charitable impact of golf in communities from coast to coast.

We Are Golf is committed to ensuring the health and safety of our members, golfers, staff, volunteers and industry stakeholders as well as every Canadian in the communities where we live, work and play.

Wendy Sentner has been elected President of the Nova Scotia Golf Association for the 2020-2021 season. The election took place on Tuesday, April 28, 2020 at the Nova Scotia Golf Association (NSGA) Annual General Meeting.

Ms. Sentner is the first Public Player to serve as President of the NSGA.

Wendy joined the NSGA Board in 2018 and has served as 2nd Vice President and 1st Vice President, as well as Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee. Wendy championed the initiative to bring the inaugural NSGA Atlantic University/College Championship to fruition in September of 2019.

The following new board members where also elected during the Annual General Meeting

Karla Wilms – Director 

Karla is a member of River Hills Golf and Country Club in Clyde River, NS, and is an active both as a volunteer and a competitor. She has served on numerous volunteer committees from Ladies Division President to Tournament Director.

Over the past 25 years, she has worked for the Nova Scotia Community College, and is currently the Academic Chair and Site Manager for the Shelburne Campus. She has served on numerous community boards including the Community Business Development Corporation, Barrington and Shelburne Chamber of Commerce and the Nova Scotia Stick Curling Association. Karla has a Bachelor of Arts from Acadia and Bachelor of Education from Dalhousie.

Karla has won the River Hills Club Championship a record 32 times and has represented Nova Scotia three times as a member of the Women’s Amateur Team.

Karla lives in Clyde River with husband Dan.

Alix Digout – Director 

Born and raised in Halifax, Alix is an Associate Lawyer within MDW Law’s personal injury law practice; A ten-lawyer firm run by an all-female partnership in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

After graduating from Saint Mary’s in 2010 with a B.A, Alix moved to London, England to complete her Law Degree. Where she used her time abroad to gain a global perspective and to interact with individuals from all walks of life.

Outside of the office Alix is a massive sports fan, and grew up playing competitive soccer and curling. She has now turned her sights on “perfecting” her golf game. Despite being a lifelong golf fan and avid viewer, Alix only began her golfing journey within the last five years (still humbly learning the game, but with enthusiasm).

Sean is a member of Ashburn Golf Club in Halifax N.S, and is an active competitor during the summer months, and is no stranger to the NSGA. In 2019 Sean won the NSGA Men’s 4-Ball, and the MCT Men’s MID-Amateur in 2016 and 2019. Over the years, he has represented Nova Scotia at numerous National Championships, including the 2019 Canadian Men’s Amateur at Glen Arbour, N.S.

• President – Wendy Sentner, Public Player
• Vice President – David Bolton, Ken-Wo
• 2nd Vice President – Geoff Baker, Ashburn
• Past President – David Acker, Ken Wo
• VP Finance – Sean Stuart, Ashburn
• Director – Jim Ogilvie, Hartlen Point
• Director – Bill MacMillan, Hartlen Point
• Director – Rob Collins, Clare
• Director – Ernie Muise, Clare
• Director – Cathy Beaton, Antigonish
• Director – Bruce Smith, Ashburn
• Director – Karla Wilms, River Hills
• Director – Alix Digout, NSPPC
• Director – Kent Rodgers, Brightwood

April 24, 2020

During these challenging times in Atlantic Canada, golf associations have come together to pool resources and expertise in order to clearly define a safe path for the golf industry as we navigate through the current challenges that we face. 

The Atlantic Allied Golf Associations applaud the work of our health officials, our essential workers and various Government Agencies and Health Authorities for their active roles in ensuring the continued safety of our citizens, our communities, our provinces and our nation.

With no immediate end to the current health crisis on the horizon and the impacts on our citizens, businesses and communities mounting daily, we appreciate the challenges government officials are facing when deciding on the movement of people and the operation of businesses.

With the start to the Atlantic Canadian golf season just around the corner, the Atlantic Allied Golf Associations are working closely with our golf courses and our national and international partners to ensure that the health and safety of our facility staff and the general public is our top priority. 

There is a great deal of information readily available from multiple jurisdictions however the specific governmental and health requirements vary greatly from region to region, province to province and country to country. We are currently compiling relevant best practices and are consulting with various provincial governments and health authorities to identify key benchmarks and health and safety guidelines. These will be distributed to our partner facilities once they are identified and properly vetted so that they meet the appropriate requirements from the Government of Canada, our specific provinces and the various municipalities in our provinces.

We are all anxious to get the golf season up and running but we understand the dilemmas that our government and health officials face, especially when determining whether to allow some businesses to operate and the financial impacts these decisions will have on our communities moving forward. 

It is our goal that golf can be one of the businesses allowed to open during the first wave of openings given its ability to include guidelines for our clubs to follow that will allow for safe operation while offering an opportunity for the physical and mental well-being of our citizens.

The Atlantic Allied Golf Associations will continue to respect and support the positions of the federal and provincial Governments and the Chief Medical Officers of Health as we look forward to the time when the golf industry can help our communities heal by playing its part in providing a safe and responsible recreational opportunity for our citizens while also getting individuals back to work.

We will continue to work together with our partner facilities to prepare for the 2020 season and ensure that, once golf courses are allowed to safely open, clubs in Atlantic Canada are organized and well prepared to operate with the health and safety of players and staff members as a top priority. 

Sincerely,

Atlantic Allied Golf Associations

Lindon Garron – Executive Director, PGA Atlantic

Jim Thompson – Regional Director, Atlantic Chapter National Golf Course Owners Association of Canada
Jim Nix – Executive Director, Atlantic Golf Superintendents Association

Tyson Flinn – Executive Director, Golf New Brunswick

David Campbell – Executive Director, Nova Scotia Golf Association

Sean Joyce – Representative, Prince Edward Island Golf Association

Greg Hillier – Executive Director, Golf Newfoundland Labrador

Jeffrey Hutt – Regional Director, Atlantic Canada, Golf Canada

 – Golf Canada and RBC will now pivot all efforts towards planning for a celebrated return of the RBC Canadian Open in 2021 – 

TORONTO – With continued public health concerns as well as international travel and government restrictions due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the PGA TOUR, in consultation with Golf Canada and RBC, has made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 RBC Canadian Open.

The event was scheduled for June 8-14 at St. George’s Golf and Country Club with Islington Golf Club as the official practice facility. The cancellation of the 2020 RBC Canadian Open also includes the RBCxMusic Concert Series which was scheduled to take place June 12-13 at Richview Collegiate Institute, featuring headline performances by The Chainsmokers and Keith Urban.

“The RBC Canadian Open has always been a rallying point for Canadian golf and while we share in the crushing disappointment with our fans, players, volunteers and many event partners, our primary responsibility is the safety of our people and our communities,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “It is now our full intention to push forward together with RBC, the PGA TOUR, the City of Toronto and our host clubs with the goal to bring the 2021 RBC Canadian Open to St. George’s Golf and Country Club with Islington Golf Club as the official practice facility.”

“Our foremost consideration is the health and safety of everyone in our community, including the players, spectators, our staff and volunteers, the media and the thousands of supporters who contribute to the success of our event,” said Mary DePaoli, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, RBC. “The international travel restrictions, required quarantine measures and government mandates were critical factors that contributed to the decision to cancel our event this year. We have no doubt that the incredible momentum we’ve built together with our partners will make the 2021 RBC Canadian Open a world-class experience.”

Golf Canada and RBC would like to thank golf fans across the nation for their understanding and in particular, our  many corporate partners, ticket and hospitality purchasers, as well as the countless volunteers for their continued support through this unprecedented time.

Golf Canada, the PGA TOUR and RBC have continued to monitor the guidelines provided by federal, provincial and municipal government health authorities in order to prevent the spread of the virus within our communities. With this decision, Golf Canada and RBC will now turn their focus towards the 2021 RBC Canadian Open.

Dating back to its inception in 1904, the cancellation of the 2020 RBC Canadian Open marks only the seventh time that Canada’s National Open Championship has not been conducted, including wartime cancellations from 1915-18 as well as 1943-44.

All corporate hospitality buyers will be contacted by their Golf Canada sales representative over the coming days to plan forward for 2021 and individual ticket purchases made via Ticketmaster will be automatically refunded within the next 30 days. The same refund policy applies for RBC clients who purchased RBCxMusic Tickets.

For more information, visit www.rbccanadianopen.com.

April 15, 2020

To All NSGA Members:

The NSGA continues to support the public safety guidelines and recommendations of the provincial Government, the Provincial Health Authority, Health Canada, and the World Health Organization. We would like to thank all the front line workers who continue to battle against this deadly pandemic.

Over the past month the NSGA has been working closely with our member clubs and Allied Golf Associations, including the PGA Atlantic, Atlantic Superintendents, NGCOA, Golf Canada and the Provincial Golf Associations. We are collaborating to develop best practices to ensure that golf will be prepared when the time is right. It is important for golfers to remain patient and respect the recommendations from the Nova Scotia Department of Health.

Golf Canada’s COVID-19 Resource Page

Golf Canada is committed to fostering a safe sport environment. Through this difficult and unprecedented crisis, that commitment includes the health and well-being of golfers as well as every Canadian in the communities where we live and play. Our thoughts are with those personally affected by the virus including their families, our most vulnerable citizens and the incredible health care workers who are facing the pandemic on the front lines.

Our industry is fortunate to have a wide-ranging support network of provincial, national and international partners bringing together their expertise to help Canadian golf navigate through the uncertainty of COVID-19.

Collaboration and information sharing are critical during this challenging time and Golf Canada has created the resource page below with helpful links to support our member clubs, golfers and our many industry partners coming together during this crisis. The resource page will be updated regularly as information and updates become available.

Please visit https://golfcanada.ca/covid-19 for more information.

NSGA Men’s 4-Ball Registration Opens

Registration for the NSGA Men’s Four-ball, hosted by Hartlen Point Forces Golf Club, is now open. This season, all competitors will receive a welcome gift from Taylormade upon checking in before your first round at the registration desk.

New this year for all amateur events, competitors will have a chance to win a new car from our Hole in one sponsor Halifax Jaguar Land Rover.

Click here to register. If you have any questions please contact Bryce at bryce@nsga.ns.ca.

For all other provincial championships registration will now open on May 1. We will be collecting competitors payment information at the time of registration, as per usual. All competitors will then be put into “eligibility pending,” until we are certain the championship is happening.

A notice to competitors will be circulated a minimum of 21-days prior to the event, on the status of the championship. Please note: credit card payments will not be processed until the event is confirmed, and not until the 21-days prior.

BC Golf Junior Education Webinar Series

Join BC Golf for this April and May, as Golf, Fitness, Nutrition and Mental Performance professionals share their expertise with all BC Junior Golfers for the first BC Junior Golf Education Summit via online webinars.

The 2020 Summit will bring together leaders in junior golf development to discuss the pillars of performance along the competitive pathway, centered around this year’s theme of “Resilience and Adaptability.”

The 2020 BC Junior Golf Education Summit is an amazing opportunity for competitive juniors of all ages and ability to come together to learn from some of the best coaches in Canada on how to succeed along the path to becoming the best possible golfer you can be. There has never been an online event that has brought together such a qualified group of presenters who are truly passionate about golf.

Click here to Register  All webinars are FREE of charge!

Schedule:

All webinars will be approximately 45 to 60 min and start at 4:00 p.m. PST (8:00 pm AST)

• Thu, April 16th  – College Golf – the right school for you
• Tues, April 21st  – Adapting Your Fitness Routine
• Thur, April 23rd  – Rules and How to Benefit Part 1
• Tues, April 28th  – Self Awareness and Attentional Control
• Thur, April 30th  – Emotional Control and Stress Management
• Wed, May 5th   – Your Mental Skill Toolkit
• Fri, May 7th   – Rules and How to Benefit Part 2
• Wed, May 12th  – Versatility and Tactics
• Fri, May 14th  – Building your foundation – Nutrition, Hydration, Recovery
• Wed, May 19th  – Being Adaptable and Resilient during Competition

NSGA Player Handicap Webinars

Beginning in May, the NSGA will be hosting player focused World Handicap System Webinars. If you are interested in attending one of these webinar, please contact Anne (anne@nsga.ns.ca).

NSGA Virtual Coffee House

Every Wednesday from 11am-12pm the NSGA will be hosting a Virtual Coffee House. It will be an open forum for members to ask questions on championships, handicapping, rules, or to just chat about golf with people who love the game. To join us in the Virtual Coffee Room, please click here on Wednesday’s at 11am. All are welcome.

Join us for this April and May, as Golf, Fitness, Nutrition and Mental Performance professionals share their expertise with all BC Junior Golfers for the first BC Junior Golf Education Summit via online webinars.

The 2020 Summit will bring together leaders in junior golf development to discuss the pillars of performance along the competitive pathway, centered around this year’s theme of “Resilience and Adaptability.”

The 2020 BC Junior Golf Education Summit is an amazing opportunity for competitive juniors of all ages and ability to come together to learn from some of the best coaches in Canada on how to succeed along the path to becoming the best possible golfer you can be. There has never been an online event that has brought together such a qualified group of presenters who are truly passionate about golf.

Click here to Register  All Webinars are free of charge!

Schedule:

All webinars will be approximately 45 to 60 min and start at 4:00 p.m. PST (8:00 pm AST)

• Thu, April 16th  – College Golf – the right school for you
• Tues, April 21st  – Adapting Your Fitness Routine
• Thur, April 23rd  – Rules and How to Benefit Part 1
• Tues, April 28th  – Self Awareness and Attentional Control
• Thur, April 30th  – Emotional Control and Stress Management
• Wed, May 5th   – Your Mental Skill Toolkit
• Fri, May 7th   – Rules and How to Benefit Part 2
• Wed, May 12th  – Versatility and Tactics
• Fri, May 14th  – Building your foundation – Nutrition, Hydration, Recovery
• Wed, May 19th  – Being Adaptable and Resilient during Competition

For more information on each webinar, and speaker bios, please see below.

 

CLICK HERE FOR COVID-19 RULES OF GOLF AND RULES OF HANDICAPPING FAQs

The COVID-19 global pandemic is an unprecedented and difficult time for Canadians and Golf Canada stands with our entire golf community during this unprecedented time.

We all love the game for the escape it provides and its positive impact on our physical, social and mental well-being. We look forward to better and healthier days and when the time is right for Canadians to return to recreational normalcy, clubs and courses will be ready to welcome golfers back to the tee.

We continue to urge golfers to follow the guidelines from health and governmental officials to keep you and those around you safe, and to minimize any possible exposure to coronavirus. This is especially true on a golf course, where golfers, workers and operators should heighten their level of awareness on exposure to surfaces like flagsticks, golf balls, bunker rakes, tees, carts and scorecards. We all need to do our part to respect expert advice and make the right decisions to protect each other.

It is not the intended purpose of the below guidance to either encourage or discourage anyone from playing the game, but rather, in our governance role, to help golf course operators, committees and golfers better understand how the Rules of Golf and Rules of Handicapping apply to the various questions received by the governing bodies.

The Modernized Rules of Golf were drafted to offer each Committee the flexibility to make decisions as to how golf is played at their course or in competition and the Committee Procedures section of the Official Guide to the Rules of Golf (available online here) offers a significant amount of guidance and recommendations on how to address circumstances unique to each course or competition.

This flexibility will prove to be very helpful as Committees look to address many of the challenges they are facing within the current environment. While the Committee Procedures section is a tremendous resource and has much to offer, many of the current questions were not originally contemplated under the Rules of Golf and therefore there is no history or guidance provided. To better address the questions that have come about because of these unique circumstances and the related challenges, additional guidance can be accessed by clicking here. This will continue to be updated as additional questions are received.

As active seasons start to open across the country, we would like to discuss impacts on Handicapping.  From the perspective of the Rules of Handicapping, the most frequent questions received are primarily related to the acceptability of scores for posting to a player’s scoring record. In particular, to modifying the hole and not requiring the player to “hole out” as required under the Rules of Golf. These are founded in a desire to minimize the possibility of exposing golfers to coronavirus and have included leaving the hole liner raised above the putting surface or placing various objects into the hole so the ball can be more easily removed. In these specific cases, ensuring guidance from health and governmental officials is being followed, a temporary measure is in place in Canada to accept scores played under these conditions for handicap purposes using the most likely score guidelines (Rule 3.3, Rules of Handicapping), even though the player has not holed out.

Please remember that this temporary measure is now in effect within Canada until advised otherwise by Golf Canada.

For more information and detailed guidance, please contact your Provincial Golf Association or Golf Canada.

To All Golf Canada Members and Member Clubs,

Along with the rest of the globe, Canada is dealing with a debilitating health crisis with COVID-19.

Golf Canada is committed to fostering a safe sport environment. Together with our partners at the Provincial Golf Associations, that commitment includes the health and well-being of golfers as well as every Canadian in the communities where we live and play.

I think constantly about those personally affected by the virus including their families, our most vulnerable citizens and the incredible health care workers confronting the pandemic on the front lines. I worry about the impact to the golf community—owners, operators, PGA of Canada professionals, club managers, superintendents, industry stakeholders, fans and supporters of our championships and every Canadian golf enthusiast that just wants to get out and play. I also applaud the superintendents and their teams, who are taking the strictest precautions to maintain our essential golf properties during this crisis.  

Golf Canada fully supports the recommendations and guidelines of Health Canada, the World Health Organization and regional public health experts to prevent the community spread of COVID-19. Currently, most provinces have enacted complete suspensions on all recreational activities and gatherings, including golf facilities. Many clubs throughout Canada have, on their own initiative, instituted temporary suspensions of operations for the wellness of their staff, their golfers and their community at large. I know that those not yet mandated to close are taking every precaution and I respect the pressure felt by those with that immense responsibility.  

Golf Canada continues to evaluate all aspects of our business and take measures to protect  our athletes, staff, coaches, partners and volunteers. Severe cost controls and risk mitigation protocols have been enacted and we are in constant consultation with provincial, national and international experts along with our member clubs to gather the information we need to make informed and responsible decisions through the crisis.  

You will find a toolkit of information here in our COVID-19 Resource Page, which we hope will serve as a  reference for everything that can be done today and, in the future, when it is safe to return to golf. I am incredibly proud of the work done by our team, our partners and global stakeholders to put this compendium of information together for all golfers.

This is a turbulent moment and Golf Canada is committed to supporting the golf community through these challenges to the best of our ability. I am encouraged to see the resiliency of our industry—people and facilities engaging to share ideas and best practices, further professional development and provide levity and support for each other through this difficult period.

When the time is right for Canadians to return to recreational normalcy, golf will be well positioned to emerge and thrive, with possible attributes recommended by the appropriate authorities including physical distancing, exaggerated tee-times, personal protective equipment, and the many precautionary health measures that club operators will have in place. I also know that when that recovery comes, courses will be ready to safely welcome golfers back to the tee. Golf will bring us closer together.

For now, as we all make our way through a time of unprecedented uncertainty, let’s commit to what is in our control—to take every precaution to ensure our physical and mental health; to protect our families, staff, volunteers and golfers; and to rally as a community to keep each other safe.
—
Laurence Applebaum
Chief Executive Officer
Golf Canada