PGA of BC

E-NEWS

JUNE 27, 2024

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Following an incredible two days of championship golf at Nicklaus North Golf Course, Bryn Parry and Taylor Kim emerged as the 2024 PGA of BC Seniors’ and Women’s champions.

The Seniors’ Championship presented by Honma Golf & Levelwear, which took place Monday and Tuesday, was a hard-fought battle with a fluid leaderboard throughout the event. Seymour Creek Golf Centre’s Parry took his first Seniors’ title with a come-from-behind victory on the final day.

“It feels amazing. I came up here hoping to play well, I didn’t think it would quite go like this. I had a lot of things go my way, especially at the end of the day today with a couple unbelievable up-and-downs that you’re typically not going to make,” said Parry.

The Women’s Championship presented by Honma Golf, Levelwear & GolfBC Group saw the largest field in event history, with 20 women teeing it up this week. Beach Grove Golf Club’s Kim earned a wire-to-wire victory to secure her first career PGA of BC Women’s Championship title.

“It just feels amazing, I had so much fun out here this week. It feels really special to come up here and play well. I would say I was very consistent off the tee; I didn’t really miss any fairways. I think that’s what you need to play solid golf on this golf course,” said Kim.

The PGA of BC extends our gratitude to Honma Golf and Levelwear for their support, and to GolfBC Group for their sponsorship of the Women’s Championship which helped drive a record field. Events like these are not possible without the generous support of our sponsors, and we are very appreciative of their involvement.

Thank you to our rules officials, Jack Croucher and Brian Schreiner, for their tireless efforts leading up to and during the tournament; and to the team of volunteers who aided with registration and scoring.

Finally, the Association thanks Director of Golf Andrew Smart, General Manager Gavin Eckford, Superintendent Aaron Mansbridge and the entire Nicklaus North team for their fantastic hospitality throughout this memorable experience.

To read the full recap, please click here.

The PGA of BC is proud to announce that registration for our 2024 Canucks Junior Golf Week has already surpassed that of 2022 and 2023, with over 700 aspiring junior golfers signed up for camps across the province.

Amidst increased interest this year, we are also pleased to report that 25 of the 52 available camps have already sold out. Registration will remain open until July 5, and we anticipate a steady influx of additional registrants over the next week. The PGA of BC Office Team will be in contact with participating courses to update them on sign-up numbers and provide more information as needed.

We are thrilled to see the growing interest in this important program, and extend our gratitude to all the participating professionals and clubs who will be hosting camps in July. We also thank the Vancouver Canucks for their continued support of this initiative.

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

Recap & Photo via Vancouver Golf Tour

It didn’t take long for London, Ontario’s Ellie Szeryk to find her footing in professional golf. After a T5 finish at the Glencoe Invitational the week prior, Szeryk outclassed the entire BC Women’s Open field in just her 2nd event as a Pro for a 4-shot win over long-time Golf Canada National Team member Brooke Rivers.

With a stern set-up on the final round, Szeryk withheld all challengers for a commanding 4-shot victory over Rivers. Her victory not only earned her a sizeable cheque of $15,000, but equally as important – a spot into the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open at Earl Grey Country Club in July.

Szeryk’s nearest challenger throughout the week was Brampton, Ontario’s Rivers, who played some strong golf, recording rounds of 72, 69, 73 (-2). Not too bad for Rivers’ Professional debut, who cashed a cheque for $8,500 and earned the 2nd exemption spot into the CPKC Women’s Open.

Both Szeryk and Rivers have been part of Golf Canada’s National Team Program for the past 6 years years since junior golf. 

On the Amateur side of the competition, it became a battle between two young junior stars in the making: Seventeen-year-old Pitt Meadows & Team Canada member Luna Lu, and 16-year-old Ha Young Chang of Hazelmere Golf Club in Surrey, BC. 

Lu and Chang would match scores through the first 36 holes with rounds of 71, 73. But it was Ha Young Chang’s steady play that allowed her to earn Amateur medalist honors in this year’s Championship. Both players earned a share of the cash purse with Chang earning $1,200 and Lu earning $1,100. 

To read the full recap, please click here.

The PGA of BC reminds members to register for the 2024 Jack McLaughlin Pro-Junior Championship Series, taking place at four locations strategically hosted at unique locations across the different regions of the province.

The Jack McLaughlin Pro-Junior Championship Series kicks off at Cranbrook Golf Club on June 11. Cultus Lake Golf Club will host the next event on July 22, followed by Shadow Ridge Golf Club on July 24 and Fairwinds Golf Club on July 29.

REGISTER: Cranbrook Golf Club

REGISTER: Cultus Lake Golf Club

REGISTER: Shadow Ridge Golf Club

REGISTER: Fairwinds Golf Club

For more information, please visit our Schedule of Events page, or contact Membership & Events Manager Doug Titterington at doug@pgabc.org.

Throughout the month of June, PGA of BC Professionals are participating in the Golfathon for ALS in partnership with the ALS Society of BC. Golf professionals pledge to golf from sunrise to sunset lending their muscles to support those who have lost theirs to ALS. All donations raised through the Golfathons go to provide direct support to people living with ALS, their families and caregivers to ensure the best quality of life possible living with ALS.

Over the last week, several PGA of BC professionals took part in the Golfathon:

Mayfair Lakes Golf & Country Club's Brian Coe and Shingo Akizuki took part in the initiative on June 19. They played 235 holes each, golfing for 17 hours straight!

Williams Lake Golf & Tennis Club's Rob Yaworski and Brad Fodchuk were joined by several members throughout the day as they completed 85 holes.

On June 19, Fairwinds Golf Club hosted a Golfathon for ALS Banquet & Hole-In-One Shootout, allowing members and guests to watch shots, interact and raise funds and awareness for the ALS Society of BC. Travis Busch, Helene Delisle, Coulton Sheets, & Austin Doherty hit 80 total shots from 95 yards with the closest one finishing 8” from the hole. On June 20, the four professionals also took part in the traditional Golfathon, playing for 17 hours and combining for 420 holes played, 65 birdies and an eagle by Busch.

Summerland Golf & Country Club's Josh Horsthuis, Lynn Reeve, Bradley Elliott, Sam Sullivan and Tom Arisman all participated in the Golfathon on June 20.

Black Mountain Golf Club's Deryl Priebe and Taylen Priebe played 100 holes on June 24, which they walked while carrying their bags!

Chilliwack Golf Club's Ryan Tofani, Dylan Nickel, Kaleb Fisher, Kathy Stecyk and Alex Walker took part in the Golfathon on June 24. The team played 101 holes each, combining for 73 birdies.

Golden Eagle Golf Club's Carson Spooner completed 90 holes, golfing for over 15 hours straight.

Okanagan Golf Club's Lee Ranger, Scott Morin, Oliver Rizun, Sean Nault, Ian Walker and James Grassie all participated in the Golfathon on June 25.

Windermere Golf Club's Bryan Armstrong, Drew Nikirk, James Wilfley and James White participated, playing over 200 holes each throughout the day.

Fairview Mountain Golf Club's Rob Tadey, Ryder Murray and Lisa Deleo, along with club members Justin Brandt and Kevin Schulze, combined to play for 612 holes, with 174 birdies made.

Mount Brenton Golf Club's Jan Best took part in the initiative on June 26.

Follow along each week this month to stay up-to-date with the latest from the Golfathon for ALS. To donate today, please visit the Golfathon for ALS website.

Did you know that research services are available to golf facilities through the BC Golf House Society and Canadian Golf Hall of Fame? If your club is nearing a significant anniversary or milestone, these institutions are excellent resources to learn what historical info, photos or documents may be available within the archives specific to your facility.

Hall of Fame officials recommend starting the process of planning for anniversary celebrations years in advance, to form a committee to spearhead these efforts and to rely on club members as a key source of materials.

Contact Mike Riste at the BC Golf Museum at office@bcgolfhouse.com for information or ideas on how to acknowledge your club's history, and for more info on how the museum has preserved the histories of golf courses throughout the province. The Association extends our appreciation to Riste and the BC Golf Museum for providing archived historic content which was included in our 2023 Awards Celebration.

The Lower Mainland's G&G Tour hosted their latest tournament at Squamish Valley Golf Club on June 17. Kevin Stinson (Cheam Mountain Golf Course) won the event by two strokes, shooting a 4-under 68. Shingo Akizuki (Mayfair Lakes Golf & Country Club) and Zac Carson (Nicklaus North Golf Course) each shot 70 to tie as runners-up.

The Vancouver Island Club Pro Tour held a team scramble event at Bear Mountain Golf Resort's Valley Course on June 25. Sean Hay (Uplands Golf Club) and Eric Wang (Victoria Academy of Golf) took the victory with a 7-under 64. Mark Bicknell (Gorge Vale Golf Club) and Jake Scarrow (Gorge Vale Golf Club) finished as runners-up, one shot back of the winners, while Brad Liptrot (Nanaimo Golf Club) and Zach Anderson (Nanaimo Golf Club) earned third place at 4-under par.

The Westland Insurance Interior PGA Tour hosted their latest event at Sagebrush Golf Club on June 17 for a two-man match play tournament. The duos of Keith Martin and Ryan Stugis, Ethan Danish and Finlay Young, Russ Latimer and Shane Pugliese, and Sam de Sira and Jonathan Garratt have all secured their place in the semifinals.

The Kootenay Pro Tour took on Shadow Mountain Golf Course on June 17. Scott Merriam (Cranbrook Golf Club) emerged victorious by a shot, shooting even-par. Chase Bodoano (The Springs at Radium) finished in second, while Peter Kenneford (Creston Golf Club) earned third place. In a family showdown, Harold Simkins (Bootleg Gap Golf) took fourth place and bragging rights over his son Trevor Simkins, who finished one shot back of his father.

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!

Looking for a place to teach?

At Haus of Golf, enjoy access to Trackman technology and the comfort of a private bay, the perfect combination to teach a golf lesson. All instructors are welcome, simply book in and teach any students at your convenience. PGA Members receive the preferred member bay rental fee. If you are interested in teaching in bulk or a consistent bay rental, or a teaching position on staff, please contact General Manager Jared Siminoff at jared@hausofgolf.ca. 

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

Darryl Simmons' application to the PGA of Canada has been approved and he becomes an Apprentice Professional at Squamish Indoor Golf



Keith Riel's application to the PGA of Canada has been approved and he becomes an Apprentice Professional at Squamish Indoor Golf

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

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.

July 8-9

G&G Brands & Callaway Golf Pro-Assistant Championship presented by E-Z-GO

Copper Point Golf Club, Invermere, BC

July 11

Jack McLaughlin Pro-Junior Championship Series - Kootenay Region

Cranbrook Golf Club, Cranbrook, BC

July 15-22

Canucks Junior Golf Week

July 22

Jack McLaughlin Pro-Junior Championship Series - Lower Mainland Region

Cultus Lake Golf Club, Cultus Lake, BC

July 24

Jack McLaughlin Pro-Junior Championship Series - Interior Region

Shadow Ridge Golf Club, Kelowna, BC

July 29

Jack McLaughlin Pro-Junior Championship Series - Island Region

Fairwinds Golf Club, Nanoose Bay, BC

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