Golf New Brunswick (Golf NB) is excited to share the following job opportunity with one of our Partner Facilities.

Moncton Golf Club is currently seeking the services of a Director of Golf. The successful candidate will report directly to the General Manager and will be responsible for members and guests by leading and managing the golf operation with respect to membership and golfer enjoyment, engagement, events, retail, member services, and game development initiatives. The Director of Golf is required to think at a strategic level, continuously developing and reviewing all aspects of the golf operation.

Moncton Golf Club is a semi-private 100-year-old club, located in beautiful Riverview, New Brunswick, this 18-hole golf course overlooks downtown Moncton. Throughout its history, the Club has hosted several National and Provincial events

Please CLICK HERE for the Job Description.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 28, 2022.

APPLICATIONS
Interested professionals, please forward your resume, in confidence.

Email: kathy@monctongolfclub.nb.ca

Golf New Brunswick (Golf NB) is excited to share the following job opportunity

The New Brunswick Golf Association (Golf NB) is seeking a Summer Tournament Coordinator to help manage Golf NB’s Provincial Championships.

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Summer Tournament Coordinator is responsible for the logistics and preparations for all Golf NB Provincial Championships and assisting, on-site, in the execution of provincial championships.

Please CLICK HERE for a full Job Posting

APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 4th, 2022

APPLICATIONS
Interested individuals, please forward your resume and cover letter, in confidence to Golf NB Executive Director, Luke Lacey.

Email: info@golfnb.ca

Thank you to all that apply; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Golf Canada is pleased to announce its 2022 championship schedule, which includes amateur and professional competitions in addition to various qualifiers hosted at golf facilities across Canada.

The 2022 schedule is headlined by Golf Canada’s signature professional championships — the RBC Canadian Open, June 6-12, at St. George’s Golf & Country Club with host practice facility, Islington Golf Club in Toronto, Ont., and the CP Women’s Open, to be conducted August 22-28 at Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont.

Golf Canada’s 2022 competition calendar includes nine National Amateur Championships presented by BDO, eight NextGen Championships fueled by JOURNIE Rewards, and the World Junior Girls Golf Championship presented by Sargent Farms. Interprovincial team competitions played concurrently over the first 36 holes at select national championships will return in 2022.

As the National Sport Federation and governing body of golf in Canada, Golf Canada conducts the country’s premier amateur and professional golf championships  to support the development of the nation’s top talent through world-class competition.

“Golf Canada is incredibly proud to return to a full championship schedule in 2022 and welcome more than 3,000 talented Canadian and international athletes to our national championships,” said Golf Canada’s CEO, Laurence Applebaum. “Together with our host clubs, corporate partners, and volunteers that help drive the success of our events, there is incredible momentum in our sport as we look ahead to the 2022 season.”

Golf Canada’s championship season kicks off on May 13 in Nanaimo, B.C. with the NextGen Pacific Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards at Nanaimo Golf Club, and concludes in October with the World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by Sargent Farms at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont.

To view Golf Canada’s 2022 championship schedule, including all host venues, registration requirements and volunteer opportunities, please click here.

Championship Season at a Glance…

The 18th playing of the Canadian University/College Championship, presented by BDO will be held June 1-4 at Golf Château Bromont. The championship includes both a team and individual component featuring Canada’s top university and college talent.

The 108th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO takes place July 19-22 at Westmount Golf & Country Club in Kitchener, Ont. with the champion earning an exemption into the 2022 CP Women’s Open, as well as an exemption into the 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship. The winner also receives exemptions into the 2023 U.S. Girls’ Junior, 2022 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur and 2023 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championships, if applicable.

The 67th Canadian Junior Girls Championship, presented by BDO will be contested July 26-29 at The Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont. where the winner will earn an exemption into the 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship and the 2023 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship.

The 117th playing of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO will be contested August 1-4 at Point Grey Golf & Country Club in Vancouver, B.C and Seymour Golf & Country Club in North Vancouver, B.C. A maximum field of 264 players will be cut to the low 70 players and ties after 36 holes, with the final two rounds contested at Point Grey. The champion will receive an exemption into the 2023 RBC Canadian Open, as well as an invitation to the 2022 U.S. Amateur Championship. The winner will also receive an exemption from local qualifying for the 2023 U.S. Open, and if applicable, will earn an exemption into the 2022 U.S. Mid-Amateur, 2022 U.S. Senior Amateur or 2023 U.S. Junior Amateur Championships.

The 83rd playing of the Canadian Junior Boys Championship, presented by BDO will be contested August 7-10 at Rivershore Golf Links in Kamloops, B.C. with the winner earning an exemption into the 2023 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship and 2023 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship.

The Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, presented by BDO will be held August 23-26 at The Thornhill Club in Thornhill, Ont., while the club is  celebrating its 100^th anniversary this season.

The Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship, presented by BDO will be held August 30 – September 1, at Breezy Bend Country Club in Headingley, M.B. with the Senior champion earning an exemption into the 2023 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship and 2023 U.S. Senior Women’s Open.

As part its centennial anniversary, Red Deer Golf & Country Club in Red Deer, Alta. will host the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO from September 6-9, with the champion earning an exemption into the 2023 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship.

The second playing of the Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO, a national championship for players with neurological, intellectual, sensory, and physical impairments, will be held September 13-14 at Essex Golf & Country Club in Windsor, Ont.

The NextGen Championships, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards is a high-performance junior golf series which totals eight competitions. From May to July, six championships will take place across Canada where the region’s best junior golfers will compete to earn exemptions into their respective 2022 national championships. NextGen Championships provide junior players an opportunity to develop and showcase their skills at the highest level of tournament golf.  The 2022 NextGen Championship host clubs include Nanaimo Golf Club (Nanaimo, B.C.), Oak Bay Golf Club (Port Severn, Ont.), Pine Hills Golf Club (Rocky Mountain House, Alta.), Quarry Oaks (Steinbach, MB), Club de Golf Hemmingford (Hemmingford, Qué.), and Antigonish Golf & Country Club (Antigonish, NS). An additional two Fall Series championships will take place in September and October, where players will compete for exemptions into their respective 2023 national junior championships. 

An accomplished field of international competitors will take to Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont., from October 10-15, for the seventh annual World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by Sargent Farms. The event will welcome 25 countries playing as 3-member squads competing for both a team and individual title.

Golf Canada has also confirmed that it will not be continuing with the National Orders of Merit, beginning in 2022. Previously used to track golfer performance, the rankings will be replaced by a comprehensive talent identification system that supports the new Canadian golf high-performance strategy.

Golf Canada and Cub Cadet are excited to announce an integrated partnership that makes Cub Cadet the Official Lawn Mower Partner of Golf Canada and the country’s two National Open Golf Championships, the RBC Canadian Open and the CP Women’s Open.

As the Official Lawn Mower Partner of the RBC Canadian Open and the CP Women’s Open, Cub Cadet will showcase its award-winning product line at both tournaments and engage fans through immersive on-site experiences that exhibit how Cub Cadet lawn mowers can enhance the lawn care experience for homeowners and professionals.

“We are thrilled to welcome Cub Cadet as Golf Canada’s first Official Lawn Mower Partner,” said Golf Canada’s Chief Commercial Officer, John Sibley. “This partnership across our two flagship properties will showcase Cub Cadet’s innovative product line to spectators at the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open, demonstrating the intrinsic connection between golf, premium lawn maintenance and the turf care experience.”  

For more than 60 years, Cub Cadet has been manufacturing innovative equipment that unlock possibilities for lawn care lovers worldwide – from the landscapers who rely on Cub Cadet to make every lawn as pristine as an 18th green, to the neighbourhood enthusiasts globally, whose immaculate yards are their greatest passion.

Cub Cadet’s award-winning and renowned lawn maintenance lineup features residential lawn tractors– the XT Enduro Series^® as well as the Ultima Series™ of zero-turn mowers, featuring both traditional lap-bar control and innovative steering-wheel control. Cub Cadet also offers a full array of zero-emission battery-powered mowers.

“At Cub Cadet, we build tools of strength and precision so our consumers can create the space they envision and live the possibilities they imagine. Partnering with Golf Canada allows us to extend these homeowner possibilities to the back nine and beyond,” said Jennifer Duchesne, Senior Manager, Marketing & Communications for Cub Cadet.

The 2022 RBC Canadian Open will be held June 6-12 at St. George’s Golf & Country Club in Toronto, Ont., with Islington Golf Club as the official practice facility. The CP Women’s Open will be contested August 22-28 at Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont.

Golf Canada and BDO Canada LLP (BDO) have announced an integrated multi-year partnership that will see BDO become the Official Business and Professional Services Partner of Golf Canada and its two signature events – the RBC Canadian Open and the CP Women’s Open.

As the presenting sponsor for all nine Canadian Amateur Golf Championships conducted by Golf Canada, BDO has made a significant commitment to the growth of golf in communities across Canada. BDO will also partner with Golf Canada to develop and further enhance technologies that support the Canadian golfer experience.

In addition to BDO’s support for golf at the professional and amateur levels, Golf Canada will access BDO’s trusted expertise providing accounting, assurance, tax, and advisory services for the National Sport Federation.

“Golf Canada has had an exceptional relationship with BDO as our auditor and professional services firm since 2019 and the work and growth that we have experienced together has brought us to this enhanced next level,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum.

“We are extremely excited about the opportunities for BDO in golf and in working with our team and connected stakeholders. BDO is a world class organization, and we are thrilled to be working with them extensively to expand our use of their services across all of their areas of expertise.”

For BDO Canada, partnering with the National Sport Organization to engage with Canada’s considerable golf audience reflects a firm-wide commitment through sport to give back to communities served across the country.

“We are excited to partner with Golf Canada and become the presenting sponsor for Canadian Amateur Golf Championships,” said Pat Kramer, CEO of BDO Canada.

“This is the next step in our commitment to connecting and engaging with Canadians, through sport. Working alongside Golf Canada, we look forward to supporting Canadian athletes at both the amateur and professional levels.”

Three accomplished golf contributors from Hamilton, Ont. – tireless volunteers Ruth and Ian Giles along with esteemed golf journalist Garry MacKay – will be acknowledged for their tremendous contributions to the sport as the 2022 recipients of Golf Canada’s Distinguished Service Award.

The announcement of the 2022 Distinguished Service Award honourees will be made during Golf Canada’s Annual General Meeting which will be conducted virtually on Thursday, March 3. 

“Golf Canada is extremely proud to recognize two long-serving volunteers in Ruth and Ian Giles along with respected golf journalist Garry MacKay as the recipients of our 2022 Distinguished Service Award,” said Golf Canada President Liz Hoffman.

“Each of their collective efforts has left a meaningful mark on the Canadian golf landscape and it is with great respect and admiration that we honour each of them for their passion and commitment to our sport.”

The presentation of the Distinguished Service Award to this year’s honourees will be celebrated in person during the week of the 108^th playing of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, July 19-22 at Westmount Golf and Country Club in Kitchener, Ont. 

Golf Canada 2022 Distinguished Service Award Honourees:

Ruth & Ian Giles (Volunteer)

The Giles’ pairing are long tenured golf volunteers who have shared their time and passion for the game with both Golf Ontario and Golf Canada, serving on numerous committees at the operational and executive level. Over the past four decades, the Hamilton residents have supported hundreds of local, provincial, national, international, and professional championships as duty roster volunteers in a rules or starting and scoring capacity.

Ruth was previously honoured with the 2007 Golf Ontario Volunteer of the Year, the 2007 Bruce Mitchell Golf Canada Volunteer of the Year, and the Golf Ontario 2011 Dick Grimm Distinguished Volunteer of the Year. She also supported Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board middle school golf tournament over the years. 

Ian served as the President of the Ontario Golf Association (OGA) in 2001 and in 2002 helped lead the association’s amalgamation with the Ontario Ladies Golf Association – today Golf Ontario. Before becoming President, he spent six years as a Golf Ontario Director chairing numerous committees including the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame committee in 2007 and 2008. A Level 3 rules official and past governor with Golf Canada (2003-2012), Ian has given his time to numerous Golf Canada volunteer committees including the Governors Council and has also served on a number Golf Ontario Volunteer committees. In 2014, Golf Ontario named Ian the recipient of the Dick Grimm Distinguished Service Award. 

The Giles’ have been long-time contributors to the Hamilton Halton Junior Golf Tour—Ruth has served since 1999 in a variety of roles including past President (2002-03), secretary and a board member. Ian served as President from 1996-98 and has also contributed over the years as a board member and rules official. The selection of Ruth and Ian Giles marks the first time that a family duo has been selected for Golf Canada’s Distinguished Service Award.

Garry MacKay (Media)

A past President and founding director of the Golf Journalists Association of Canada (GJAC), MacKay is a respected sports journalist who has covered golf for more than 43 years. He first reported on the RBC Canadian Open in 1968 for CKOC radio and is highly respected as the longtime golf reporter for the Hamilton Spectator where he has covered all aspects of the sport from local golf to the professional game. MacKay has also contributed to a multitude of Canadian and international publications during his tenure including Pro Shop, SCOREGolf, Ontario Golf and Golf Canada Magazine.

A decorated journalist across a number of sports, he has garnered a number of achievements including a SCOREGolf Award. MacKay has served on the selection committees for the World Golf Hall of Fame, PGA of Canada Hall of Fame, Ontario Golf Hall of Fame, and the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and has also volunteered his time with the Stanley Thomson Society and Golf Canada’s Heritage Committee. MacKay is also a founding director, current board member, and treasurer of the Golden Horseshoe Athlete of the Year Award as well as a founding director and current chair of the Hamilton Sports Hall of Fame.  He is also a founding director of the Hamilton Halton Junior Golf Tour (1984), an organization he continues to serve on the board of directors and as a volunteer at the registration table, as a rules official, and at the scoreboard. 

MacKay was recognized by Golf Ontario with the 2015 Lorne Rubenstein Media Award and in 2021 was honoured by his GJAC peers with the Dick Grimm Award.

Golf Canada’s Distinguished Service Award has been presented annually since 1993 to recognize individuals who have had an outstanding impact on Canadian golf either nationally or within their community. 

In addition to the 2022 Distinguished Service Award, Golf Canada will also celebrate Ken Casey of St. John’s, N.L. and David Atkinson, formerly Vancouver, B.C. and now Goderich, Ont. as co-recipients of the 2021 Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year.

Another pair of distinguished Golf Canada volunteers – Barbara Allan of Kingston, Ont. and Jim Clark of Aurora, Ont.– will be named Honorary Life Governors for their long serving contributions to the organization. 

Golf Canada’s Annual General Meeting will culminate with Liz Hoffman of Wasaga Beach, Ont., a member of both Mad River Golf Club and The Thornhill Club sworn in to serve a second term as President of Golf Canada. 

Golf Canada is pleased to announce that Ken Casey of St. John’s, N.L. and David Atkinson, formerly of Vancouver, B.C. and now Goderich, Ont. have been named the 2021 co-recipients of the Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year Award. A presentation of the award will take place on Thursday, March 3^rd as part of Golf Canada’s Virtual Annual Meeting.

“Volunteers are integral to the success of golf in this country and on behalf of Golf Canada and all of the provincial golf associations, we are very proud to recognize Ken Casey and David Atkinson for their deep contributions to the advance the game,” said Golf Canada President Liz Hoffman. “They have supported golf in Newfoundland and British Columbia as well as at the national level and have had a major impact on the advancement of the sport in their communities.”

The Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year Award is named in recognition of Toronto native Bruce Mitchell who in 2017-18 was the first Canadian to serve as captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A). Born in Victoria and raised in Edmonton, the former President of the Toronto Golf Club and R&A member since 1988 was just the ninth internationally appointed captain of the R&A, one of the most prestigious volunteer positions in the world of golf. Duties as captain included representing the R&A as a global ambassador and aiding in the R&A’s effort to develop golf around the world.

Now in its 16^th year, candidates for the Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year Award are put forth to Golf Canada for consideration by the respective provincial golf associations in acknowledgment of significant contributions to the game of golf in their community.

Get to Know – Ken Casey (Golf Newfoundland & Labrador)

Golf Newfoundland & Labrador is extremely proud of their long-time friend, Ken Casey.

At 12 years old, he took up the game at Bally Haly Golf Club in St. John’s, N.L. and has enjoyed it for a lifetime. Ken began to volunteer at Bally Haly in the late 1980s where he was elected to serve on the golf committee and several years later was named Golf Captain. In 1990, Ken assembled a group of volunteers to organize the Bally Haly Men’s Invitational (one of the largest in the province) which 30 plus years later continues to draw golfers from all across the province.

In 1994 Ken became President of what was then the Newfoundland Labrador Golf Association (NLGA) and had served the organization across a number of activities and committees over the years. A decade later, he was approached to serve on the Board of Directors of newly formed Golf Newfoundland Labrador ( Golf NL) as Treasurer and after a two-year term, accepted the nomination to serve as President where he spent four years helping to direct the growth and development of the organization.

Ken’s contributions have been felt across the entire organization including the development of a new membership model that provided financial stability. He has also been a champion for new policies to address safe sport, enhancements to the player development program and ensuring that funds were allocated to develop a three-year marketing plan for the organization.

Ken also guided the creation of the Go Golf Booklet initiative and has supported fundraising activities including the development of a junior golf scholarship program.   

Get to Know – David Atkinson (British Columbia Golf)

Although he now lives in Ontario, David Atkinson’s support for the game in British Columbia and nationally has been outstanding.

A constant presence at golf championships in British Columbia, David volunteered as a starter and scorer at a multitude of zone, provincial and national championships as well as the Vancouver Golf Tour. David also has the great honour of serving as the non-playing captain of three Lamley Cup teams.

Administratively, he served seven years on the Board of Directors with of BC Golf including three years as President and three more as Past President. His contributions to the organization were felt across a number of committees including Human Resources, Finance and Governance, and he played an important role helping BC Golf to diversify its Board.

David also plugged in to support the Pacific Coast Golf Association, serving eight years as a Trustee and two years as President in addition to his work at four of the association’s championships.

With Golf Canada, in addition to joining the duty roster at various championships, he served three  years on the Board of Directors and has been an active member of the Governors Council where he participated on and chaired several committees. David has also been active contributor with the Golf Canada Foundation as a member of the Grants and Scholarship Committee.

The entire golf community in New Brunswick is deeply saddened to hear about the passing of John Townsend.

John proudly served as President of the New Brunswick Golf Association in 2004-2005 and was instrumental in the merger to create Golf New Brunswick (Golf NB). A friendly face for us all, John will be greatly missed by many across the province.

Golf New Brunswick would like to extend its deepest condolences to John’s friends and family.

Golf Canada announced today that sports marketing executive Lisa Ferkul has joined the organization as its new Chief Marketing Officer, beginning March 21, 2022. 

Ferkul joins the Executive Team of the National Sport Federation after serving more than ten years with Scotiabank, most recently in the role of Director & Head, Canadian Sponsorship Marketing. Her portfolio of responsibilities included all brand, creative, strategic development, digital and social media as well as relationship management for the Bank’s sponsorship marketing portfolio in Canada inclusive of two verticals: Hockey and Arts & Culture.

“Lisa is a dynamic and accomplished sports executive who will take on an instrumental role in the advancement of Golf Canada’s sport programs and commercial properties as well as our signature golf championships,” said Golf Canada CEO, Laurence Applebaum. “Lisa brings exceptional energy and a depth of leadership that will play a critical role in the continued development and execution of Golf Canada’s integrated marketing, communications, digital strategy.”

“I am beyond excited to be joining the incredibly talented team at Golf Canada at a time when golf is thriving across the country,” said Ferkul. “As a passionate golfer and sports marketer, I look forward to contributing to the growth and development of the sport and will work tirelessly to continue driving that momentum.”

The Toronto resident was also a leader in the development of Scotiabank’s diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy in hockey (hockey for all), extensive growth of the bank’s community hockey programming, and was a key member of the deal team that negotiated the landmark $800MM MLSE partnership expansion including Scotiabank Arena naming rights as well as official bank status of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors.

In 2017, Ferkul was named among the 5 to Watch – Canada’s Sport Business Awards, an annual recognition of five of the most influential and accomplished Canadians under the age of 40 in the business of sport.

A depth of professional association and volunteer experience, Lisa has contributed to a number of organizations including the BlackNorth Initiative; the Sponsorship Marketing Council of Canada; and the Toronto chapter of Women in Sport & Events (WISE).

Ferkul is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario (Honours BA, Kinesiology) and earned a Public Relations Post-Graduate Certificate from the Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning.

Kevin Blue, Golf Canada Chief Sport Officer

The performance of Canadian golfers on the world stage has improved significantly since the implementation of the Team Canada player development program in 2005. Canada is currently represented by 13 players with status on the LPGA or PGA TOUR, a substantial increase from the eight players with major tour status when the national team program was launched. Since 2014, members or graduates of the Team Canada Young Pro Squad have produced 50 professional tournament wins worldwide. 

Canada is positioned to take another leap forward in global golf achievement. Today, Golf Canada is announcing an enhanced commitment to the Team Canada player development program. Our goal is for Canada to reach 30 players with status on the LPGA and PGA TOUR by 2032, completing our transformation into a truly world-class golfing country where Canadians are regularly in contention on both tours. 

The pursuit of this ambitious goal is made possible by significant new philanthropic support from a group of generous donors who are making major gifts to fund enhancements in the Team Canada player development program—beginning with an investment of $13.5 million through Golf Canada Foundation to support the strategic goals of the program. 

Paul McLean, CEO of Turf Care and former president of Golf Canada and Golf Canada Foundation has made a lead gift of $5 million to increase the breadth and depth of financial support for Canadian players across the stages of development for the next ten years. Paul has been a pillar of the Canadian golf community with close relationships to many Canadian touring professionals. We are grateful for Paul’s leadership and support. 

Major gifts have also been committed by The Kavelman Fonn Foundation, John Francis, Jean Monty, David Kaufman, Steve Lister and Dr. Molly Rundle, and a pair of donors who wished to remain anonymous creating an initial pool of $13.5M in incremental funding to support new player development investments over the next decade. These generous donors are part of the Golf Canada Foundation Trustee program, which provides critical philanthropic support for important Canadian golf initiatives such as player development and First Tee. Golf Canada Foundation is continuing to identify Trustees who are interested in supporting the Team Canada player development program and expanding First Tee across Canada. 

Our ambitious strategy for player development is based on extensive research over the past year along with input from stakeholders in Canadian high-performance golf – including those involved at the very highest levels of the professional game. The full analysis and strategic plan can be read in draft form here. In addition, we invite you to attend Golf Canada’s virtual annual general meeting on March 2 for an in-depth presentation about the future of the player development system in Canada. 

In summary, Golf Canada’s updated player development strategy includes the following priorities: 

• Sharpen the specific focus of the player development system on the objective of increasing the number of Canadian players on the LPGA and PGA TOUR, with the goal of 30 players on these tours by 2032. 
• Foster an open and inclusive culture of collaboration among all stakeholders in Canadian high-performance golf – including players, coaches, facilities, professional tours, and provincial associations. 
• Invest in Canada’s player development system at a level that matches and competes with aspirational peers like Australia and England. 
• In partnership with PGA of Canada, increase the depth and diversity of Canadian coaching talent. 
• Broaden the player development system at the junior level by including more players in the national program and creating a national talent identification system for the most promising early-stage juniors. 
• Combine late-stage amateurs and young pro players into an expanded Team Canada cohort that is singularly focused on helping players to launch and sustain successful professional golf careers. Team Canada – NextGen, currently called the National Junior Squad, will include both juniors and developing amateurs. These changes will occur in 2023. 
• Provide housing and training facility access in the US for transitioning professional players. 
• Increase the breadth and depth of support for young professional players. Assign funding based on an individualized analysis of specific player needs. 
• Pay particular attention to off course support in areas such as mental health. Ensure a supportive environment that is in full compliance with Safe Sport policies. 
• Create a need-based system of financial aid for junior and amateur players in the player development program to ensure that financial assistance is provided to families with the most significant financial needs. 
• Build a digital library of educational resources featuring Canadian tour player role models that is available to aspiring Canadian players and their families. 
• Refine the analytics used to evaluate player development progress. Emphasize a data-driven and methodical approach. 
• Re-evaluate the infrastructure and pathway for Canadian professional women’s golf. Develop alternatives to the four-year NCAA pathway while maintaining educational opportunities for the most advanced women. Increase the number of domestic professional playing opportunities for women. 
• Especially emphasize how we can support the development of Canadian golf champions from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds, building on the more diverse participation base that will be created by First Tee – Canada. 

These items will be implemented over the course of 2022 and 2023. One of the first enhancements to occur will be the creation of a national infrastructure for identifying and developing the most promising early-stage juniors in Canada (i.e., ages 10-14). Over time, this infrastructure will increase the volume of high-performing juniors in Canada who have the potential to develop into LPGA and PGA TOUR players. 

To move forward with this system enhancement, Team Canada Women’s Head Coach Tristan Mullally will transition to the newly created position of National Talent Identification Director. In this new capacity, Tristan will provide additional resources to parents and coaches who work with the most promising young juniors in Canada and provide direct coaching to identified early-stage juniors who don’t otherwise have local coaching support. He will also facilitate the development and implementation of local talent identification camps in every province. Tristan’s globally recognized technical skills and extensive experience with elite players will be a significant asset for helping to accelerate the development of Canada’s most promising young juniors. 

Tristan’s transition into this new role will occur gradually over the next several months. A search will begin immediately for a head coach to oversee the women’s program and for an additional assistant coach to complete the remainder of the women’s coaching staff. 

Many people across our country are deeply passionate about Canadian golf and excited for Canada to continue its emergence as a world-class golfing country. Every stakeholder in the Canadian golf industry is involved in developing Canada’s top players in one way or another. Golf facility operators create affordable opportunities for competitive juniors to access courses, PGA of Canada professionals provide important mentorship and coaching to young players, and partners and philanthropists provide critical support so the Team Canada player development program can be resourced for global success. Our goal is to unify the entire Canadian golf community behind this player development effort, as our Canadian players have the best chance to emerge on the world stage when everyone is part of the journey with them. 

If you’d like to ask questions, provide feedback about our plan, or find out more about becoming a donor to the program, please send us an email using this link. 

Go Canada Go!

Kevin Blue, Ph. D. Chief Sport Officer