PGA of BC

E-NEWS

APRIL 4, 2024

The vision of 2UNDR was simple. Inspired by the kangaroo pouch, 2UNDR set out to create a high-performance men’s athletic underwear with the versatility of everyday use. Using the most advanced construction techniques and materials, 2UNDR separates your equipment from your body to reduce unwanted skin-on-skin contact. With more support than a standard brief and improved airflow to keep you cool, 2UNDR products provide the best fit, comfort and style a man could ever need.

2UNDR was designed in Vancouver but is worn everywhere. Brand ambassadors include PGA Tour stars Rickie Fowler and Matt Every, plus many other major and action-sport athletes throughout North America.

Part of the Rampion Enterprises Ltd. brand family, 2UNDR is a Bronze-level Preferred Partner of the Association and presenting sponsor of the PGA of BC’s Golf Shop of the Year Award. Rampion Enterprises Ltd. is the presenting sponsor of the 2024 Sponsor-Media Appreciation Invitational.

Registration to host camps for Canucks Junior Golf Week is now open. Interested host facilities can register as participants at the sign-up form HERE.

Canucks Junior Golf Week runs from July 15-22, and camps can be hosted any days during the week. Host facilities will be reimbursed $20/participant, and campers will be given a free Canucks gift. Last year, we once again had over 600 kids participate at more than 30 golf facilities throughout the province. Since the program returned after a multi-year hiatus due to COVID-19, nearly 1,300 youth have taken part in this initiative. As we look to continue to grow Canucks Junior Golf Week, we encourage facilities to participate in this rewarding and valuable program.

The Association would like to thank presenting sponsor, the Vancouver Canucks, for their ongoing support of this important initiative. 

For more information, please contact Programs Manager Dan Czerwenka at dan@pgabc.org.

As the weather warms up and we approach the start of competitive play, online registration for the 2024 PGA of BC tournament season is now open! We are thrilled to be welcoming you all back to our championships and can’t wait to see you this season.

Members are encouraged to register for tournaments as early as possible, as spaces are projected to fill up quickly.

All our championships will provide players the opportunity to earn points towards the Kal Tire Cup Order of Merit standings.

The Association is grateful to all our generous sponsors that make the PGA of BC championships possible. For more information, please contact Executive Director Mark Strong at mark@pgabc.org.

To register for all tournaments, please visit our Schedule of Events page. To read a full championship season preview with information on each tournament, please click here.

The PGA of BC is excited to announce updates to our existing points races, the Kal Tire Cup Order of Merit and Sunice & Bobby Jones Medal Professional Development Program, as well as unveil our new points race: the Community Engagement Program.

Summary and points breakdown for 2024 Points Races

The PGA of BC’s Kal Tire Cup Order of Merit has been updated to better recognize golf professionals for not only their performance but also their participation across a wider range of competitions throughout British Columbia and Canada.

The PGA of BC’s Sunice & Bobby Jones Medal is presented to the Association’s leading points getter from its Professionals Development Program. Starting in 2024, the PDP has undergone significant changes, with a new, narrowed focus primarily on education as well as golf-industry volunteerism. These modifications to the PDP signify an evolved perspective on professional development within the PGA of BC, stressing the importance of education and involvement in the PGA of BC as a key component of industry leadership and excellence.

Launching in 2024, the PGA of BC’s Community Engagement Program aims to recognize golf professionals across British Columbia who prioritize community involvement, public volunteerism, and other charitable efforts. This initiative rewards active involvement in key community events like the Golfathon for ALS, Junior Golf Week and Women’s Golf Week, with points awarded for promoting, participating in, and fundraising for these and other community initiatives.

The program also values broader community involvement, such as volunteer work, engagement in other sports, and various fundraising activities, recognizing the diverse contributions of golf professionals beyond the course.

Crucially, the program places a strong emphasis on the use of social media as a powerful tool for professionals to positively promote the PGA of BC, including education events and tournaments. This strategy aims to increase the Association’s visibility and accessibility, making it more public-facing and enhancing reputation and brand growth.

With the introduction of our new Community Engagement Program for the 2024 season, the Association is pleased to share social media best practices to ensure recognition of members’ social media engagement and help them earn Community Engagement Program points.

Social Media Best Practices

PGA of BC members are encouraged to utilize their social media platforms to enhance the Association’s visibility by posting and engaging with PGA of BC content. For their social media activity to be recorded for points race purposes, members are encouraged to use three new hashtags to promote the PGA of BC. #PGABCplays can be used for any content related to the Association’s tournaments and other competitive events; #PGABClearns is intended for use when posting about the Association’s various education initiatives; and #PGABCcares is designed for any posts related to PGA of BC community initiatives such as the Golfathon for ALS, Women’s Golf Week and Canucks Junior Golf Week, as well as other examples of volunteerism and charitable activities.



A full breakdown of the Association’s best social media practices for engaging with the PGA of BC is available at the link above. This includes information on the Association’s Social Media Policy, a summary of how points are distributed in relation to social media engagement and promotion, and several key tips for how best to engage with and promote the PGA of BC via social media. The social media best practices also include a list of recommended event-specific hashtags.

The PGA of BC invites members to attend our next presentation scheduled as part of the Virtual Education Series presented by Foresight Sports Canada. Par Six Golf founder and president Colby Johansson will host a webinar on "Six problems with your golf club's social media," taking place April 15 at 1:00pm PT online via Zoom.

Johannson is the visionary behind Par Six Golf, a nationally recognized media

company specializing in golf course marketing. Under his leadership,

Par Six has grown to work with over 75 golf clubs and resorts across the

country, producing results time and time again. A passion for golf and

extensive experience in marketing is a trademark for not only Johannson, but

his entire team at Par Six.

From establishing purpose and defining unique value propositions to

crafting compelling messages and optimizing content, he will unveil the secrets

to unlocking social media success for your club. Don't miss this opportunity to

learn actionable insights and elevate your club's online presence.

To learn more about the upcoming presentation, please read the info sheet available here. Members can register for the individual presentation here, or sign up for the Virtual Education Bundle for access to all upcoming 2024 virtual presentations as well as an archive of webinars from earlier this year.

To learn more about Par Six's work with Canadian golf courses, please click here.

Chad Fitz is the Production Manager on a new golf comedy series which will be shooting in and around Vancouver from May 29th, 2024 to September 10th, 2024. The company name is Far Away Productions Canada Ltd. 

Fitz is looking for highly skilled golf experts who can act as photo doubles for two of their actors. Please see below for the body types required for each photo double.

This position would perform on camera on set during golf scenes, replacing actors for specific golf shots when the cameras do not see the actor's face. 

Candidates should email their resume to chadmfitz@gmail.com, along with current photos, their height, and their weight. 

Candidates would need to be fully available to the production from May 29, 2024 to September 10, 2024. They would not be required every day, however they need full flexibility as the shooting schedule frequently changes. 

Candidates should live in or near Metro Vancouver.

As the characters are golf professionals, the production is only looking for candidates who are either scratch golfers or very close to a 0 handicap. 

PHOTO DOUBLE #1

- Male 

- Approximately 5'10"

- Athletic physique / thin

- Caucasian 

- Age range in late 30s to late 40s 

- Ideally blonde hair, but not critical

PHOTO DOUBLE #2

- Male

- Approximately 5'9"

- Slim build (approximately 130 - 140 lbs)

- Caucasian or Hispanic 

- Age range in late teens or early 20s 

- Ideally brown hair, but not critical

Did you know that PGA of BC members can receive exclusive discounts at INDOCHINO through the Association's partnership with the custom suiting brand?

This month's discount is active from April 5-15, with members able to save 25% off their purchase with use of the discount code. The code is available on our Member Benefits & Corporate Discounts page (log-in required). The code is valid online and in-person at any INDOCHINO showroom.

For more information, please contact INDOCHINO's Shayna Green at shayna.green@indochino.com.

The Lower Mainland's G&G Tour kicked off the 2024 season at Capilano Golf & Country Club on March 25. Mike Haraguchi (Capilano Golf & Country Club) earned the victory with a 65, beating out runner-up Bryn Parry (Seymour Creek Golf Centre) by a single shot. Six competitors in the talented field tied for third with a 67.

The Vancouver Island Club Pro Tour's season got underway March 12 at Victoria Golf Club. Mark Bicknell (Gorge Vale Golf Club) won the event, while Ben Griffin (Uplands Golf Club) earned second and Jayme Young (Arbutus Ridge Golf Club) rounded out the podium in third place.

The Westland Insurance Interior PGA Tour will begin their season April 8 at Penticton Golf & Country Club for a two-person event.

The Kootenay Pro Tour's 2024 schedule gets underway on April 15 at Copper Point Golf Club with a Pro-Scratch format event.

Make sure to read the Regional Tour Roundup every week to stay up-to-date with the achievements of our members and to never miss any information!

The UBC Thunderbirds Men's Golf team, coached by PGA of BC professionals Chris MacDonald, Tim Wilson, Patrick Lago and Tyler McNeil, finished in 16th place at the Seattle U Redhawk Invitational at Chambers Bay on April 1-2 against a deep field of Division 1 teams. Mackenzie Bickell tied for 23rd on the individual leaderboard to pace all non-Division 1 competitors. The Thunderbirds compete in the Warrior Invitational hosted by Lewis-Clark State College in Idaho on April 15-16. To read the full recap via UBC, please click here.

The UBC Thunderbirds Women's team, coached by McDonald, Wilson, McNeil and Keri Moffat, dominated the RMC Intercollegiate field en route to a 36-stroke victory in the event. Bo Brown was the leader for the team, shooting even par (71-73-72) and taking home medalist honours as the low individual. Brown's teammates all performed admirably, with all five UBC golfers finishing 11th or better in the individual standings. The team will resume competition at the Warrior Invitational on April 15-16.

SFU Red Leafs Men's Golf, coached by PGA of BC pros Matt Steinbach, Krysta Schaus and Matt Cella, travelled to Chambers Bay for the Seattle U Redhawk Invitational on April 1-2. The team secured a 13th-place result in the tournament. The Red Leafs were lead by Denby Carswell and Brendan Obrian, who tied for 51st on the individual leaderboard. The team competes in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Men's Golf Championships in Coeur D'Alene, Idaho April 22-23.

The SFU Red Leafs Women's Golf team, coached by Steinbach, Schaus and Cella, competed in the Colorado State Pueblo Pack Spring Invitational on March 24-25. The Red Leafs earned a runner-up finish at the tournament with an impressive performance. SFU's Meera Minhas won the event and captured her third GNAC Player of the Week award this season, posting a team-record score of 67-73 in the 36-hole event. The team wraps up regular season play at the Sonoma State Spring Invitational on April 8-9. To read the full recap via SFU, please click here.

The UVic Vikes Men's Golf team, coached by PGA of BC pros Justin Clews and David Rands, competed in the Seattle U Redhawk Invitational, where they earned an 18th-place finish. Owen Croft was the low individual for the Vikes, with a T35 finish on the individual leaderboard. The team heads to Paragould, Arkansas on April 29-30 for the Continental Athletic Conference Championships.

The UVic Women's team, also coached by Clews and Rands, emerged victorious at the Simpson University Spring Invitational in Redding, California with a whopping 25-stroke margin of victory. The Vikes' Lana Rummel and Cindy Koira tied for second-place on the individual leaderboard to propel the team to their dominant win. They head back to California April 8-9 for the TMU Women's Spring Invitational in Santa Clarita.

The UBCO Heat Men's Golf team, coached by PGA of BC pro Clay Stothers, wrapped up their Spring season at the Vikes Spring Shootout in Victoria. The Heat earned a fifth-place finish, with Max Regier pacing the team and finishing in 11th-place on the individual leaderboard. Ryan Gillis also finished inside the top-20. To read the full recap via UBCO, please click here.

The UBCO Women's team, also coached by Stothers, closed out their Spring schedule by taking home the victory at the Vikes Spring Shootout, with an incredible 18-shot win to earn the gold. Emily Cornwall led the way for the Heat as she captured the individual title at the tournament by firing a two-round total of 7-over par to hold off teammate and runner-up Julia Alexander-Carew by one shot. To read the full recap via UBCO, please click here.

The UFV Cascades Men's Golf team, coached by PGA of BC pros Sean Douglas and Connor O'Dell, competed in the Seattle U Redhawk Invitational, where they finished in 15th place. Eli Greene shot +2 to pace the Cascades and earn a T23 place on the leaderboard, while Ben Whiton finished one stroke back of Greene. To read the full recap via UFV, please click here.

The UFV Women's team competed in the Vikes Spring Shootout, finishing in third place overall. The Cascades were guided by the strong play of Morgan Best, who captured a third-place finish among all golfers. Lucy Park joined Best in the top ten. To read the full recap of the Vikes Spring Shootout via UFV, please click here.

For more information on BC's collegiate golf programs, including their 2023-24 results and schedules, please visit the links below:

UBC Men's | UBC Women's

SFU Men's | SFU Women's

UVic Men's | UVic Women's

UBCO Men's | UBCO Women's

UFV Men's | UFV Women's

If you would like to place an advertisement in the Classifieds section, please contact Marketing & Communications Manager Graham Abraham at graham@pgabc.org to place a listing.

MEMBERS ON THE MOVE

Ian Henson goes from Head Professional to Executive Professional at Bighorn Golf & Country Club

Darrin Lessard's application to the PGA of Canada has been approved and he becomes an Apprentice Professional at Royal Colwood Golf Club

Jake Rose has left Modern Golf Vancouver and has joined The Vancouver Golf Club as a Class "A" Professional

Derek Schade has transferred from the National Zone and joins Sunset Ranch Golf & Country Club as Head Professional

Braeden Cooper has transferred from the National Zone and joins Gorge Vale Golf Club as an Apprentice Professional

For all Members on the Move information, please click HERE.

Associate/Assistant Golf Professional - Castlegar Golf Club

General Operations Manager/Assistant Professional - Golden Eagle Golf Club

For any job postings that have been approved and published on the PGA of BC website, the Association will share relevant social media posts to assist your facility in the search for a candidate. We will share one post/story per job posting. Please ensure that you tag the PGA of BC's social media account in any post or story relevant to the posting. To ensure that we share the post/story in a timely matter, please also reach out to Communications & Marketing Manager Graham Abraham at graham@pgabc.org to notify us of the post.

For all job opportunities listed on the PGA of BC website, please click HERE (Log-in required).

For all job opportunities listed on the PGA of Canada website, please click HERE.

April 15

Virtual Education Series presented by Foresight Sports Canada

Par 6 Golf: "6 Problems with your Golf Club's Social Media"

REGISTER HERE

May 9

Virtual Education Series presented by Foresight Sports Canada

Aaron Volpatti: "The Power of Visualization; in Golf, and in Life"

May 21

Tournament of Champions presented by PING Canada & Motocaddy

Highland Pacific Golf, Victoria, BC

REGISTER HERE*

*Cancellation deadlines for PGA of BC tournaments are 30 days prior to the event. Please ensure that you communicate your withdrawal to the PGA of BC Office Team before this date.

CONTACT THE PGA OF BC OFFICE TEAM