The LPGA is unveiling its new brand positioning that embraces its history and pushes toward the future with two simple words: Drive On.

Drive On is clearly rooted in golf, but it’s a bigger idea. It captures the power and potential in each of us and celebrates the hard work, focus, and tenacity that it takes to achieve our goals.

That the LPGA has refined its brand positioning isn’t remarkable. What is remarkable is the process that led us here.

Over the past few years, the LPGA has had more new corporate partners come on board than at any time in its history. The growth of the LPGA and the strength of these partnerships reflects the quality of our Tour, the approachability of our athletes, the expertise of our Teaching and Club Professionals and the relentless dedication of everyone that is connected through our networks and associations.

In a very real sense, our sponsors, players and fans have led us to “Drive On.” More and more companies want to be associated with what the LPGA and its members stand for – on and off the golf course. They see our athletes as positive, visible leaders and role models who represent the important values of diversity, authenticity, a commitment to excellence and fierce determination. And they appreciate our nearly 70-year track record of “driving on” to break barriers and provide opportunities for women.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

This is for every girl. Let’s crush it ?? #DriveOn

A post shared by CP Women’s Open (@cpwomensopen) on Mar 20, 2019 at 10:00am PDT

Drive On isn’t just about golf and it isn’t just about women. For girls and boys, women and men. It’s about the fire that burns inside you when you discover your passion. It’s about the motivating power of big dreams and the resolve to defy convention and stereotypes. It’s about finding the vision to see beyond what has already been done and to believe something greater is possible.

We think the time is right to celebrate that spirit of determination – that drive – within. This is the moment to shine a light on the stories of dedication, resilience and sheer grit that it takes to excel.

For nearly 70 years, the LPGA has been “driving on” to create greater opportunity for women. Standing on the shoulders of our 13 Founders and the other outstanding women who came before them, the members of the LPGA today are fully prepared to carry the future on their shoulders. Crushing it everyday so that today’s youth can crush it for the next generation.

Presidents Cup International Team Captain Ernie Els announced Korea’s K.J. Choi, South Africa’s Trevor Immelman and Canada’s Mike Weir as his final three captain’s assistants for the 2019 Presidents Cup, which will return to The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia for a third time Dec. 9-15, 2019. Els previously named Australia’s Geoff Ogilvy as captain’s assistant in late November.

Weir will return for his second stint as a captain’s assistant after serving for Nick Price at the 2017 Presidents Cup. He has competed in five Presidents Cups (2000, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009) and was a teammate of Els four times. The eight-time PGA TOUR winner is 13-9-2 all-time at the Presidents Cup and one of five International Team members with 10 or more match wins in the competition. In 2007, the Presidents Cup was staged in Canada for the first time, and Weir put on a show for his Canadians fans with a 3-1-1 record that was capped by a thrilling 1-up victory over Tiger Woods in Singles.

“The Presidents Cup has been a big part of my career. I grew up playing a lot of team sports and when I made my first Presidents Cup team in 2000 it was really one of the highlights,” Weir said. “So it’s been special to still be part of the team as an assistant to Nick and now Ernie. We have a long history. We’re basically the same age, we’ve played a lot of golf together so it’s going to be really fun to try to get the Internationals over the line this time.”

Of his eight PGA TOUR victories, Weir’s most triumphant moment came with his breakthrough playoff win at the 2003 Masters – one of three titles he collected that season.

“I’ve played on the same International Team with Mike on four occasions and he’s one of the most passionate guys I know when it comes to the Presidents Cup,” Els said. “I also worked alongside Mike as a captain’s assistant in 2017 and he brought a considerable amount of experience and input into our team room and provided a positive influence on our players. His presence will be invaluable as we seek to regain the Presidents Cup.”

.@MikeWeir is back as one of 4 @PresidentsCup Assistant Captains for the #IntlTeam, working with @TheBig_Easy pic.twitter.com/eTfYC6zvad

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) March 19, 2019

Choi will return as an assistant for the second time after serving as vice captain to Nick Price when the Presidents Cup made its debut in Korea in 2015. A three-time Presidents Cup competitor (2003, 2007, 2011), Choi owns a 6-8 overall record and posted a 3-2 mark in 2011 at Royal Melbourne, where he partnered with fellow captain’s assistant Ogilvy to win two Four-ball matches.

“I’m personally very happy and honored,” Choi said. “You need amazing teamwork to win the Presidents Cup. It’s our role as captain’s assistants to bring together players of different nationalities and have them blend well together. It’s our role to have them open up to us and help relieve some of the pressure they might feel.”

Choi’s more than 20 professional victories worldwide included eight career PGA TOUR titles, which were highlighted by his dramatic playoff win at THE PLAYERS Championship in 2011. Considered Asia’s most successful golfer to date, Choi spent 40 weeks inside the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking.

“As the most successful Asian golfer on the PGA TOUR, K.J. certainly commands a lot of respect amongst our players and I believe he will fire up our guys at Royal Melbourne,” Els said. “K.J. has a calm demeanor, which will be a valuable asset in our team room and out on the golf course during the heat of battle. I’ll be counting on K.J. to impart his vast experience of being a three-time International Team member as well as a captain’s assistant when we map out our strategies during the competition.”

Els also tabbed fellow South African Immelman, who will make his debut as a captain’s assistant with two Presidents Cup berths on his resume (2005, 2007); he and Els shared one Presidents Cup appearance together in 2007. In 2017, Immelman served as the first-ever International Team Captain for the Junior Presidents Cup, which debuted at Plainfield Country Club just days prior to the Presidents Cup at Liberty National.

After competing for years in the ⁦@PresidentsCup⁩ excited to be back to help captain ⁦@TheBig_Easy⁩ bring the cup back to the internationals! ?? pic.twitter.com/r89nZyTYeB

— Weirsy (@MikeWeir) March 19, 2019

“I’m very excited. I can’t wait really. I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunities to play in ’05 and ’07, and it was a very enjoyable time in my career,” Immelman said. “For me, I probably know [Ernie] better than any of the other people on TOUR and so hopefully that’s what I can bring to the team is the fact that I really understand the captain. I know his history, I know his record, I obviously hold him in great esteem and so maybe I can be a good conduit from players to the team captain.”

Immelman is a two-time PGA TOUR winner whose career is highlighted by his victory at the 2008 Masters, where he edged Tiger Woods by three strokes. He also teamed with Rory Sabbatini in 2003 to win South Africa’s most recent World Cup of Golf title.

“I have known Trevor for a very long time and trust him fully to know that he will be an integral element in our team,” Els said. “As a fellow competitor, Trevor is as steely as they come and I am sure this attribute will rub off positively onto our players. When I played in the same team as Trevor in 2007, he was one of our most determined players and I know he will contribute to our cause in Australia.”

HAMILTON, March 19, 2019 — RBCxMusic, in partnership with Golf Canada, is pleased to announce a new concert series, featuring Grammy-nominated and internationally acclaimed duo, Florida Georgia Line (FGL), and JUNO award winners and homegrown rock band, The Glorious Sons, taking place at the 2019 RBC Canadian Open.

The concert series will be held on the iconic grounds of the Hamilton Golf and Country Club on June 7 and 8, 2019, and will offer an enhanced experience for golf fans, music lovers and players alike.

Global entertainers Florida Georgia Line are well known for their innovative artistry and chart-topping songs – including their 16th #1 hit “Simple” and breakout 11X-PLATINUM smash “Cruise.” Their fourth studio album CAN’T SAY I AIN’T COUNTRY (BMLG Records) recently arrived, racking up over 473,000 album consumption globally to date, and debuting at #1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The project features current chart-rising single “Talk You Out of It.” The pair will launch their North American 2019 CAN’T SAY I AIN’T COUNTRY TOUR this summer. Canadians will have the opportunity to see FGL live in concert at the RBC Canadian Open on June 7, 2019 – their only Canadian stop this year.

“We’ve always had an epic time performing in Canada,” says FGL’s Tyler Hubbard. “Our Canadian fans sure know how to bring the party!”

FGL’s Brian Kelley adds, “We just can’t wait to be back and play our new songs!”

“This is exciting news”, said Team RBC ambassador and PGA TOUR professional Dustin Johnson. “I’m a big fan of Florida Georgia Line, and this concert series is a great opportunity to open up this tournament to a whole new fan base.”

In addition, The Glorious Sons, hailing from Kingston, ON, will be performing on Saturday June 8th, 2019 at the concert series. The band have ten consecutive top-10 songs on Canadian Rock radio including the Gold-certified single “Everything Is Alright”, and recently enjoyed four weeks at #1 on the U.S. rock charts with their hit single “S.O.S. (Sawed Off Shotgun)”. They are currently on their headline “S.O.S. Tour” in the United States, which has included sell-out performances in Philadelphia, Detroit, Minneapolis, Chicago, Denver and Buffalo.”

“It’s very exciting to have Florida Georgia Line and The Glorious Sons perform at this year’s RBC Canadian Open,” said Mary DePaoli, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, RBC. “We are committed to creating an unforgettable fan experience, and our new concert series is a unique opportunity to connect golf and music fans of all ages.”

Tickets are all-inclusive: your tournament day pass is your concert ticket.

“Adding the Concert Series is another special moment in continuing to elevate the RBC Canadian Open experience, and welcoming new audiences to the golf course,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “We are thrilled that RBC has integrated the RBCxMusic platform with their incredible support of the RBC Canadian Open.”

The RBC Canadian Open’s return to the historic Harry Colt designed course in 2019 is timed perfectly – marking the 100-year anniversary since the renowned club originally first hosted the Open. This year will be the sixth time the Hamilton Golf and Country Club has played host to Canada’s National Open Championship (1919, 1930, 2003, 2006 and 2012).

In addition to the concert series, the tournament will feature new spectator enhancements, including a local foodie and patio experience, junior initiatives, the RBC Hall of Fame Day celebration and the return of The Rink, awarded 2018 best-in-class element by the PGA TOUR. 

Tickets go on sale Friday, March 22 at 10:00 a.m and will be available for purchase at RBCCanadianOpen.com. Tickets are $75 (plus taxes and service charges). The event is General Admission / All Ages. Your tournament day pass is your concert ticket.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – On the 18th green at TPC Sawgrass, Laurence Applebaum was laughing and chatting with whomever was around.

Usually standing on that intimidating tee – with water up the left-hand side and a thin fairway – you’re not happy at all. But Golf Canada’s CEO caught Canadians Nick Taylor and Corey Conners coming through in the final hole of their practice round, and how could he not be happy?

Taylor and Conners were wearing shorts. Applebaum was clad in a grey monotone ensemble, the pop of colour reserved for the red in the Golf Canada logo on his shirt. It was like a scene you might stumble upon at any golf club in the country when a trio of friends got together at the end of a round – it just so happened that two of the three are some of the best golfers in the world.

“They’re true professionals on the PGA Tour,” said Applebaum on the veranda of the iconic clubhouse at TPC Sawgrass. “It seems like the vibe amongst those guys is that every week there is a different guy who is finding his groove. Roger Sloan, for example, had a couple great weeks, and to have Adam Hadwin leading that class… it’s so good to have those guys on the Tour and they’ve been great ambassadors for golf in Canada.”

The Canadians in the field this week at The Players Championship – Adam Hadwin rounds out the Canadian contingent – are only a small part of global group Applebaum has connected with already.

As the CEO of Golf Canada, he’s been thrilled to continue to drive the momentum of the organization forward – ‘momentum’ he said, is probably the one word to sum-up the last 12 months or so.

Applebaum, with his second Annual Meeting as CEO in the rearview – where Golf Canada announced its three-year strategic plan – was happy to mix business with pleasure this week in Ponte Vedra Beach.

Martin Slumbers, the chief executive of the R&A, Jay Monahan, the commissioner of the PGA Tour, Canadian golf hall of famer Mike Weir, and Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada president Jeff Monday are just some of crew Applebaum has talked with. He’s enjoyed sharing the good-news story behind this year’s RBC Canadian Open.

“The new date. The new purse. The extension of the RBC sponsorship. The recent news that we’ll have three direct qualifiers from the RBC Canadian Open into the British Open is going to be wonderful,” he said. “We have such a great snowball effect of what’s going on.”

The commissioner, Applebaum said, was instrumental with the new date and helping to bring three partners – RBC, Golf Canada, and the PGA Tour – together to make the upcoming RBC Canadian Open a special one.

He said although the PGA Tour is a big professional sports organization, it’s also a really intimate family.

“They’ve wrapped their arms around Canada,” he said.

With The Players becoming the signature event of the PGA Tour, it’s become a spectacle with the global golf community invited. There are things the organizing team will bring from The Players to the RBC Canadian Open this year.

“When you spend any time here, you realize it’s a little beach town outside Jacksonville, Florida, and it’s become a mecca for golf fans. Golfers, sports fans, people looking for fun things to do – like family entertainment – and they’ve brought food, music, a real spectacle in the middle of March which is really nice,” said Applebaum.

“We’ve learned a lot from what they’ve done. We’ve really got to build our own identity for the RBC Canadian Open and it’s going to be the start of summer when our new event is, which is really exciting.”

Not only is there exciting news around the RBC Canadian Open, but Canadian golf as a whole, said Applebaum.

There are eight Canadians with PGA Tour status this year – nine if you count Graham DeLaet, who is on a major medical exemption and 10 if you count Weir, as a past major champion – which is the most ever.

He also points to the success of Team RBC members Dustin Johnson (as world no.1) and new Team RBC member Webb Simpson (as defending champion at The Players) as something else that’s been a positive through late 2018 and early 2019.

“We want to keep that momentum going,” he said – with a smile, of course.

Youth on Course – the non-profit organization providing young people with subsidized golf, college scholarships, caddie programs and paid internships, in partnership with Golf Canada and Alberta Golf – breaks international ground and brings affordable junior golf to Canada.

Initially, Youth on Course will be launching as a two-year pilot in the province of Alberta and will be recognized under the umbrella of Canada’s National Junior Golf Program – Future Links. With 17,000 junior member golfers and nearly 1,400 Golf Canada member clubs from coast to coast, Golf Canada will evaluate the results of the pilot prior to expanding the program nationwide.

In Alberta, the list of courses offering junior golf rounds for $5 or less are:

• Goose Hummock Golf Resort
• Westlock Golf Course
• RedTail Landing Golf Club
• Whitetail Crossing Golf Club
• Eagle Rock Golf Course
• Olds Golf Club
• River Spirit Golf Club
• Heatherglen Golf Course
• Serenity Golf Club
• McCall Lake Golf Course (18 & par 3)
• Shaganappi Golf Course (18 & 9)
• Banff Springs Golf Club (Tunnel 9)

“Golf Canada and Alberta Golf continually inspire and nurture a new generation of golfers by providing access to affordable rounds,” says Adam Heieck, CEO of Youth on Course.  “With the highest per-capita golf participation in the world, Youth on Course’s expansion will benefit the sport’s sustainability.”

Youth on Course will be a significant addition to the existing Future Links suite of programs and offers an on-course application for facilities to offer to youth, eliminating golf’s barrier of affordability and providing more opportunities for kids to play golf. Golfers, ages 6-18 will be able to join the Youth on Course international network, getting access to 1,000 golf courses in 27 different states.

“When first introduced to Youth on Course, we felt it was a very strong initiative to advance junior golf and we are pleased to be involved in this pilot stage for the program in Canada,” says Jeff Thompson, Chief Sport Officer of Golf Canada. “Together with Alberta Golf and our participating partner courses, we are eager to give community access to golf at an unprecedented level of affordability.”

Golf Canada runs a variety of grassroot level programs under the Future Links brand, aimed at introducing and developing the game of golf amongst Canadian youth. A national junior program conducted in partnership with the PGA of Canada and Canada’s 10 provincial golf associations, Future Links is focused on three primary pillars of engagement – an in-school program, facility programs and outreach programming, all of which have contributed to the success of Future links, which has eclipsed the mark of 1.7 million youth engaged in golf.

Operating in every U.S. region, Youth on Course has more than 50,000 active members. Since 2006, juniors have played more than 10 million holes and 765,000 rounds while the organization has helped generate more than $5.2 million in tee-time revenue reimbursed back to individual golf courses. In addition to subsidized rounds, Youth on Course also facilitates paid internships, a caddie program and nationwide scholarships. They have awarded 223 students with college scholarships totaling more than $1.4 million in financial support. The current Youth on Course scholarship retention rate is ninety-four percent, with 80 students already graduated.

For many of us trying to squeeze in the last few rounds of the season, or for those planning on heading south this winter, it’s important to note the “active season” in the region, province or country you’re playing in.

Golf Canada’s Handicap System stipulates every player is responsible for returning all acceptable scores into one’s scoring record from rounds played on courses observing their active season, which is part of the golf season when courses have acceptable playing conditions.

Ultimately, it is the responsibility of authorized provincial golf association to declare active and inactive periods, and it is the responsibility of the area club and golfers to observe these dates for posting purposes.

Each year, provincial associations analyze numerous factors to determine their active seasons. This ensures consistency of when scores would be posted by the majority of golfers to help keep Handicap Factors accurate.

Scores made at any golf course observing an inactive season are not acceptable for handicap purposes. The rationale behind this is that posting scores during inactive seasons (periods of poor course conditions) could artificially increase a player’s Handicap Factor.

Scores made at a golf course in an area observing an active season must be posted for handicap purposes, even if the golf club from which the player receives a Handicap Factor is observing an inactive season. The club’s Handicap Committee must make it possible for a player to post these away scores at the beginning of the active season.

For example, if a player belonging to a golf club in Ontario plays golf in Florida during January, any scores made in Florida are acceptable and must be returned to the player’s Ontario golf club. If the player is also a member of a golf club in Florida, scores must be posted to the player’s Florida club.

In Canada, the active season in each province is as follows:

BC = Mar. 1 – Nov. 15
AB = Mar. 1 – Oct. 31
SK = Apr. 15 – Oct. 31
MB = Apr. 15 – Oct. 31
ON = Apr. 15 – Oct. 31
QC = Apr. 15 – Oct. 31
NS = Apr. 15 – Oct. 31
NB = May. 1 – Oct. 31
PE = Apr. 16 – Nov. 14
NL = Apr. 1 – Nov. 30

It’s also important to note that if you are travelling to other countries, you should determine their active seasons to prevent posting unacceptable scores. Your home club needs all acceptable scores from the “off-season” as well to ensure your Handicap Factor is accurate once recalculated at the beginning of the season.

For a detailed list of active and inactive schedule in the United States, click here.

For more information on handicapping, click here.

To enter your scores for an official handicap, become a Golf Canada member here.

Prologue:

Blair Armitage is Golf Canada’s Regional Director, Western Canada.  In 2019 Golf NB will complete its four year transition to the new Golf NB / Golf Canada Membership Model.  While each province has its own unique variations on membership, Clark Stork’s article from Golf Saskatchewan’s website on March 11, 2019, Blair’s thoughts, comments and information provided ring true for Golf Canada’s National Membership Platform, the Golf Canada Gold Membership, regardless of provincial boundaries.

Written by Clark Stork

For the past decade Blair Armitage has been Golf Canada’s voice of reason for member clubs and players across Western Canada.

With plenty of course management experience in both Ontario and British Columbia the national governing body of golf called upon Armitage to help rebrand their image and be the face for Golf Canada from B.C. to Manitoba. Known as the Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA) just over ten years ago, everyday Canadians didn’t understand what the organization did, or that it even existed. That’s when Armitage came on as one of Golf Canada’s regional directors. In fact, Golf Canada was more recognizable to people than the RCGA and the organization hadn’t been incorporated yet, so Armitage said a rebranding was necessary and his employment with Golf Canada began.

“We decided then and there that we would get heavily involved in starting a communication effort with our various facilities,” he said.

Armitage travels to golf clubs across the four western provinces speaking with managers providing updates on what Golf Canada memberships do for both facilities and golfers. He will be in Saskatchewan in the first week of April and will see about six member clubs and six clubs that have since left the Golf Canada membership family for various reasons. Armitage said clubs can reach out to him for more details on Golf Canada benefits.

“It usually happens when there has been an issue. Generally, the issues we experience come about because there’s been some miscommunication or the facility is having technical difficulties with our score posting or access to the score centre. If they have difficulties they go online, have a look at who’s who, up pops my name and I will get a call,” he explained.

Armitage said about 10 to 12 years ago lots of clubs left the organization, mostly due to financial reasons. He’s working hard to redevelop those relationships. He said Golf Canada has increased their value with hopes of providing more value for member clubs.

“We’ve improved the value of being involved with Golf Canada over the past decade. There are more things for both the facility and the average golfer in terms of what we call the benefit package,” he said.

When Armitage speaks to golf course management, he has a trio of items he brings to their attention. He seeks clubs that haven’t had a visit from either a Golf Canada or Golf Saskatchewan representative in some time. Armitage likes to speak with the course manager and golfers at the facility, he said he focuses on facilities left the membership and he works to get regular golfers to be members of Golf Canada. One way to do so is advertising their “incident protection plan.”

“We provide a reimbursement program for people if they lose their clubs, have them damaged or stolen or whatever anywhere in the world, not at their golf club but anywhere in the world. It could be in Africa, the airplane lost them, they can file for a reimbursement up to $2,500,” Armitage said.

The benefit package includes what Golf Canada calls “bad shot insurance” too. Up to $2,500 in damage is covered for broken windows on homes or vehicles at the course. Golf cart damage is also covered through the program. For more details see our membership page.

You can hear more from Armitage below who joined Golf Saskatchewan’s Clark Stork ahead of his first Saskatchewan visit of 2019.

Always check your yardage. Golfers who compete at the highest level, value their yardage guide as critical to performance—a roadmap for collaboration that fosters fact-based decision-making in the moments when execution matters most. Developed through meaningful consultation with our provincial, national and international partners, Golf Canada’s 2019–2022 Strategic Plan is our yardage guide—a roadmap for operational, competitive and commercial success that outlines the most critical priorities of our business.

Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum officially kicked off the Annual Meeting with a presentation on Golf Canada’s new Strategic Plan, a foundational framework built through collaboration that when executed with precision will advance the sport and drive Golf Canada’s vision to be a world leader in golf.

February 26, 2019

Golf Canada is pleased to announce that Jeff Hutt of Fredericton, NB has been appointed as Golf Canada’s full-time Regional Director in Atlantic Canada.

Jeff, who was previously splitting his time between Golf Canada and his position as Director of Marketing with Golf New Brunswick, will now focus his time to better serve member clubs and support the execution of Golf Canada’s non-affiliated player strategy Atlantic Canada.

Jeff’s depth of industry insight, past experiences and established network of club contacts across the region will help strengthen the collaborative relationship between Golf Canada and the Atlantic Provincial Golf Associations while delivering enhanced service to our member clubs.

“I am really excited to be joining Golf Canada in a full-time capacity. “As I expand my role, my focus is to work with our provincial associations to better support our partner facilities in the implementation of our programs and services. I also look forward to helping grow an enhanced member experience for both non-affiliated players and members of partner facilities.”

Born in Halifax, N.S., Jeff moved to Fredericton, N.B. where he grew up in a golfing family. He was a member at Fredericton Golf Club where he participated in the junior program. As a teenager, he worked as a summer student at Kingswood Golf Course and went on to Holland College in P.E.I. where he enrolled in their Golf Club Management Program. After graduation, he returned to the University of New Brunswick to earn a degree in Hospitality and Tourism.

Over his 19-year career, Jeff has developed a strong skill set and industry network across the golf industry in New Brunswick and Atlantic Canada.  He spent 10 years at Kingswood Resort in various roles before joining Golf New Brunswick as Manager of Marketing and Junior Programs. Over the next nine years, he held various roles with Golf N.B. including his most recent position as Director of Marketing. In 2015, Jeff added to his responsibilities and worked with Golf Canada on a part-time basis as the Regional Director for Atlantic Canada.

Jeff remains an avid golfer carrying a 5.8 handicap factor and enjoys playing the game both left and right handed.

Contact Information

Jeff Hutt
Regional Director, Atlantic Canada
E – jhutt@golfcanada.ca
P – 1.506.260.6599

DORVAL, Qué. – Golf Canada’s 2019 Annual Meeting culminated on Saturday, March 2 with the election of Charlie Beaulieu of Lorraine, Qué., to serve as the National Sport Federation’s President.

Beaulieu succeeds 2018 President Leslie Dunning in leading Golf Canada’s Board of Directors. Liz Hoffman of Thornhill, Ont., becomes 1^st Vice-President and Dale Jackson of Victoria assumes the role of 2^nd Vice-President.

“I am honoured to assume this post as the 115^th president of Golf Canada,” said Beaulieu. “There is a great enthusiasm in the game right now and I believe we have a real opportunity to be innovative in how we advance the sport and make the game more accessible. Together with the Board of Directors, I am looking forward to working closely with CEO Laurence Applebaum and our committed staff, volunteers and partners for the betterment of golf in Canada.”

Charlie Beaulieu joined Golf Canada’s Board of Directors in 2011 and has  served the organization on a variety of committees during his tenure. Formerly the President of the Fédération québécoise de golf, he chaired a special taskforce which led to the amalgamation of the Fédération québécoise de golf and Golf Québec. The Québec Golf Federation includes representatives from the golf course owner’s association, the provincial professional golf association, the regional golf associations and amateur golfers, all aligned in promoting the development of the game.

A member of Le Mirage Golf Club, Beaulieu brings more than 30 years of corporate, real estate and entrepreneurial experience across a variety of businesses. Together with his family—through an annual golf tournament held in honour of their late father—he has helped the Roland Beaulieu Foundation, raise over $1.2 M over the past 20 years for various charitable causes in Québec.

Left to right: Leslie Dunning, Charlie Beaulieu, Laurence Applebaum

Beaulieu, Hoffman and Jackson will lead Golf Canada’s 2019 Board of Directors which also includes Rob MacDonald of Winnipeg, Man., David Atkinson of Vancouver, B.C. Susan MacKinnon of Calgary, David McCarthy of Toronto and Adam Daifallah of Montreal as well as new Directors Jean Stone-Seguin of Ottawa and Patrick Kelly of Vancouver. Also remaining on the Board is past President Leslie Dunning of Calgary.

Golf Canada Releases Strategic Plan (2019-2022)

During the Annual Meeting, CEO Laurence Applebaum also presented Golf Canada’s three-year Strategic Plan (2019-2022) to increase Canadian participation and excellence in golf.

Annual Report & Financial Statements

Click here to read Golf Canada’s 2018 Annual Report, which includes a recap of the past season, as well as the organization’s 2018 Financial Statements, which were both released during Golf Canada’s Annual General Meeting.

Raymonde Michaud Honoured with Volunteer of the Year Award
Raymonde Michaud of Rivière-du-Loup, Qué. was recognized as Golf Canada’s 2018 recipient of the Volunteer of the Year Award. This marks the 13^th year in which the association has honoured volunteers for their efforts and commitment to grow the game in their community. Click here for more on Volunteer of the Year honouree Raymonde Michaud.

Raymond Gaudet, Daniel Caza and Jean-Claude Gagné honoured as Recipients of Golf Canada’s Distinguished Service Award:
Created in 1993, Golf Canada’s Distinguished Service Award has been presented annually to recognize individuals for their outstanding contributions to the game of golf in Canada. This year’s recipients  respected Québec golf club owner and industry advocate Raymond Gaudet, veteran golf journalist Daniel Caza and long-time volunteer Jean-Claude Gagné. Gaudet, Caza and Gagné were recognized during Golf Canada’s Annual Meeting dinner on Saturday, March 2. Click here for more information on the 2019 Distinguished Service Award honourees.

Images, Panel Sessions & Presentations from Golf Canada’s 2019 Annual Meeting:

A snapshot of photos from Golf Canada’s 2019 Annual Meeting is available here while a link to the various panel sessions and presentations that took place is available here.

Golf Canada’s 2019 Annual Meeting took place February 28 to March 2 at the Montreal Airport Marriott In-Terminal Hotel in Dorval, Québec.