PGA of BC

E-NEWS

MAY 2, 2024

Tagmarshal’s innovative technology provides courses with full, real-time operational oversight and reporting. Using a hybrid of advanced GPS technology, AI and powerful algorithms based on data from more than 50 million rounds, performance-driven managers can effectively manage pace and flow of play to enhance the player experience, increase efficiency through automation, and generate additional revenue.

The latest intuitive and customizable software upgrade to the Tagmarshal system, showcased at the 2024 PGA Show in Orlando, features advanced data visualization tools with in-depth analytics and reporting to drive better decision-making.

“The tool has been invaluable for managing our members and staff. The team at Tagmarshal is professional and attentive and our Club loves the product.” Matt Johnson, General Manager/COO, Royal Mayfair Golf Club

Tagmarshal partners with private, daily fee, public and resort courses, including 35 of the Top 100 US courses and more than 500 courses globally, as well as several golf management groups. Partners include Canadian courses like Royal Mayfair, Golden Golf Club, St. Eugene Resort, Fairmont Jasper Park, Priddis Greens, Ladies Golf Club of Toronto, Wooden Sticks, St. George's Golf and Country Club and Donalda.

Whether you’re a private club or a $40 daily fee course, watch our demo at tagmarshal.com/demo to find out how Tagmarshal will transform your operation. Alternatively, reach out to Stephen Knoop, Managing Director of Tagmarshal International, at stephen.knoop@tagmarshal.com to schedule a live demo.

The 2024 PGA of BC Sponsor-Media Appreciation Invitational presented by Rampion Enterprises Ltd. took place at Burnaby's Riverway Golf Course Monday, where competitors were treated to lush fairways and first-class greens. The tournament made its return for the first time in five years, with nearly 70 sponsors and members of the media and 30 PGA of BC professionals participating. The Association was thrilled to welcome our many partners in the industry for a fantastic day of golf and networking.

This event provided an opportunity to foster relationships amongst sponsors, media and other stakeholders of the sport in our province. The establishment and development of these relationships and the promotion of the Association through both social and traditional media channels highlights the value of bringing a diverse group together. The PGA of BC is thrilled to have seen business and media connections flourish throughout the tournament.

The PGA of BC would like to thank Rampion Enterprises Ltd. and Vice President of Sales Chad Haralson for their incredible support of the Association. Rampion's commitment to competitors enriched an incredible and entertaining tournament.

All photos taken of competitors and their groups are available HERE.

We are so appreciative of the amazing staff at Riverway Golf Course who helped make the tournament such a great success. Thank you to Burnaby Golf Services Director of Operations Hal Eremko, Riverway Golf Course Head Professional Sean Spottiswood and the entire Riverway team for their hard work and support for the PGA of BC.

The Association extends our gratitude to all the supporting sponsors who contributed prizes and tee gifts to enhance the Sponsor-Media Appreciation Invitational. Competitors were thrilled with a phenomenal assortment of prizing on behalf of our generous partners. For more information on the Sponsor-Media Appreciation Invitational supporting sponsors and draw prize contributors, please click here.

Photos of draw prize winners are available HERE.

Tee gifts were distributed to all amateur competitors to enhance the experience and provide a lasting memory of the event. Thank you to Donna Klaassen of Ventura Sales, Bindu Sidhu of Pocket Brush and Steven Choi of GFJ Golf for their kindness in providing tee gifts.

The PGA of BC invites members to attend our next presentation scheduled as part of the Virtual Education Series. NHL veteran, performance coach, author and keynote speaker Aaron Volpatti will host a presentation on "The Power of Visualization; in Golf, and in Life" on Thursday, May 9 at 10am PT online via Zoom.

Volpatti is a former NHL player and a pioneer in visualization and performance mindset. He holds a B.Sc degree in Human Biology from Brown University. His hockey career, post-secondary studies, and personal experiences led Volpatti to develop his unique practice. He is dedicated to teaching others how to find their true grit through visualization. He has a truly inspiring story of overcoming a tremendous amount of adversity. 

After a horrific campfire accident in 2005, Volpatti was airlifted to Vancouver General Hospital. He suffered second and third degree burns to 40% of his body and was told his hockey career was over. With no scholarship offer heading into his last year of Junior hockey and a recovery that would last years, he faced insurmountable odds to obtain a scholarship to Brown University, let alone a career in the NHL. After several surgeries and a gruesome recovery, he returned to the ice just 4 months after his injury and signed with Vancouver Canucks 5 years later in 2010. 

In his 5th professional season with the Washington Capitals, Volpatti was hit from behind into the boards and underwent a spinal fusion surgery that forced him to retire. The events that soon followed this unplanned retirement thrust him on a very dark path; chronic pain, loss of identity, divorce, and family trauma. 

Today, Volpatti is focused on inspiring people around the world through his coaching and speaking engagements. His journeys and successes wouldn’t have been possible without the extremely powerful visualization practice he developed.

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 Volpatti, please visit his website.

We extend our thanks to Foresight Sports Canada for their support of the Interactive Education Series.

The PGA of BC invites members to our upcoming Interactive Education Series event hosted by Patrick Lago, taking place Monday, May 13 from 10am to 2:30pm at Lago Golf Academy in Coquitlam.

Join Lago, Swing Catalyst Brand Ambassador and Director of Instruction at Lago Golf Academy, for a 4 hour education session. We will cover how the best golfers in the world use ground reaction forces and the common mistakes that the average golfer makes and how to fix them. This session will also include a live demonstration where some of the participants will be able to use the Swing Catalyst dual motion plates. We will go over the data/findings and demonstrate quick and easy fixes to their swing technique. The interactive experience includes lunch for all participants.

Lago learned the great game of golf at the young age of 10 under the encouragement of his father. After a successful junior career in Southern Ontario, he went on to receive a diploma in Professional Golf Management at Humber College in Toronto. He then became a PGA of Canada professional in 2007 and is now a Class “A” Teaching Professional.

Lago has honed his teaching skills under the tutelage of many great instructors, including Bob Beauchemin, who is ranked in the top 50 golf instructors in Canada, and Andy Hilts who has been named top 40 instructors under 40 in the United States.

With over 25,000 lessons taught with award winning golf technology, Lago is committed to improving golfers of all skill levels and helping his students achieve their goals.

To learn more and to register today, please click here.

We extend our thanks to Foresight Sports Canada for their support of the Interactive Education Series.

The PGA of BC is pleased to offer a discounted hotel rate for competitors at the COBRA PUMA GOLF Assistants' Championship, taking place June 3-4 at Nk'Mip Canyon Desert Golf Course in Oliver. Holiday Inn & Suites Osoyoos has generously offered a rate of $169 per night, excluding taxes.

The group cut off date will be May 15, 2024. Reservations cannot be confirmed on group rates beyond May 15, should any guest wish to cancel their existing reservation it can be cancelled free of charge on or prior to May 15.

All bookings for the group rate must be made through this link:

Holiday Inn & Suites Group Booking Rate

To register for the COBRA PUMA GOLF Assistants' Championship, please click here.

For more information, please contact Membership & Events Manager Doug Titterington at doug@pgabc.org.

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 May 3-13, 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 PGA of BC's Tournament Manual includes new policies regarding tournament withdrawals.

Registrants will be charged a $50 administration fee if withdrawing within 30 Days before the start of the event. For example, with the COBRA PUMA GOLF Assistants' Championship set for June 3-4, registrants must withdraw by this Saturday, May 4 to avoid the administration fee.

If a registrant withdraws from the event within 14 Days before the start of the event, they will forfeit their entry fee, unless the position is filled by another player. In the case that a waiting list has been created, entry fees may be refunded less a $50 cancellation fee should the position be filled by another player.

Members who do not have priority into events and are on the waitlist will be notified of any open spots in the event 21 Days before the start of the event.

21 Days before the start of the event registration will be on a first come first serve basis.

Note: At the discretion of the PGA of BC Office, a full refund may be given to the withdrawing competitor in instances of extenuating circumstances. Injuries occurring prior to the entry deadline must be disclosed at time of registration or at the time of injury, whichever occurs later. Failure to do so will result in the competitor forfeiting their entry fee if withdrawal from the Championship is necessary due to said injury. 

The Lower Mainland's G&G Tour held a tournament at Riverway Golf Course on April 22. Steven Lecuyer (Seymour Creek Golf Centre) earned the victory, shooting a 4-under 68 to best the field. Josh Legge (University Golf Club) was one shot back at 3-under par to finish as runner-up. Eight competitors tied for third, shooting 2-under par.

The Vancouver Island Club Pro Tour event was played at Highland Pacific Golf on April 16. Ben Griffin (Uplands Golf Club) and Brad Liptrot shared the victory at 3-under par, while Jamie Moran (Crown Isle Resort & Golf Community) finished one shot back of the lead to round out the top-three.

The Westland Insurance Interior PGA Tour traveled to Two Eagles Golf Course for an individual match play competition on April 22. The tournament has reached its quarterfinals, with eight golfers vying for the match play title.

The Kootenay Pro Tour's 2024 schedule got underway April 22 at Creston Golf Club. Nicklaus Kennedy (Granite Pointe Golf Club) took home the win with a 1-under par 71. Harold Simkins (Bootleg Gap Golf) made a late round charge, going 4-under par on the back nine and earning second place. Chase Bodoano (The Springs at Radium) earned third place, shooting 75.

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, won their fourth straight conference title at the Cascade Collegiate Conference Championship, which took place April 29-May 1 at Loomis Trail in Blaine, Washington. Senior Dylan MacDonald was 8-under par for the event to secure his first career individual win. MacDonald and Manu Gandhi tied exactly in scoring average to share the CCC Co-Player of the Year Award. Coach MacDonald was named Men's Golf Coach of the Year, and all five UBC golfers were named to the All-Conference Team. The Thunderbirds will defend last year's national title at the NAIA Golf National Championships May 21-24.

The UBC Thunderbirds Women's team, coached by McDonald, Wilson, McNeil and Keri Moffat, steamrolled their competition to win a fourth straight CCC conference championship. Jessica Ng won the individual conference championship in a dazzling performance. Elizabeth Labbe was named CCC Player of the Year and tied as runner-up at the conference championship with teammate Grace Bell. Labbe, Bell and Bo Brown were all named to the All-Conference Team. Ng and Una Chou missed out on the All-Conference Team due to their participation in NCAA Division 1 events which prevented them from competing in enough CCC tournaments, but would have easily made the team with their incredible scoring averages. The team will seek another national title at the NAIA Golf National Championships. To read a full recap of the men's and women's teams results at the CCC Championship via UBC, please click here.

SFU Red Leafs Men's Golf, coached by PGA of BC pros Matt Steinbach, Krysta Schaus and Matt Cella, competed in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Men's Golf Championships in Coeur D'Alene, Idaho on April 22-23. The Red Leafs earned a runner-up finish, with the team combining for 6-under par across the event. Michael Crisologo took home medalist honours, shooting 13-under par across three rounds for a five-stroke margin of victory. Crisologo was also named GNAC Player of the Year, while teammate Denby Carswell was named Conference Freshman of the Year. The team participates in the NCAA Division 2 Regional Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico beginning May 9.

The SFU Red Leafs Women's Golf team, coached by Steinbach, Schaus and Cella, travelled to Coeur D'Alene, Idaho for the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Women's Golf Championships on April 22-23. SFU won the event with a commanding 14-stroke victory. Dana Smith earned medalist honours, shooting 2-under par for the tournament. Sueah Park and Meera Minhas joined Smith in the top-five on the individual leaderboard. The Red Leafs will compete in the NCAA Division 2 Regional Championships in Stockton, California starting May 9.

The UVic Vikes Men's Golf team, coached by PGA of BC pros Justin Clews and David Rands, captured its third-straight Continental Athletic Conference Championship on April 30 at Paragould Country Club in Arkansas. Owen Croft captured individual medallist honours, posting the top individual finish with rounds of 70, 68, and 71 to finish at -1 overall on the par-70 course. Taking second individually was Aiden Craig-Steele, posting the tournament's lowest round one score of 68, followed by rounds of 71 and 76 to finish at +5 overall. Croft won the CAC Player of the Year award, while Craig-Steele and Zach Ryujin were named to the All-Conference Team. Coach Clews was honoured as the Conference Coach of the Year. The Vikes will travel to Georgia for the NAIA National Championships on May 21-24. To read the recap via UVic, please click here.

The UVic Women's team, also coached by Clews and Rands, won their second straight tournament at the TMU Women's Spring Invitational in Santa Clarita on April 8-9. Cindy Koira posted the Vikes' top finish, earning second place among all individuals. Teammate Mya Rowan also excelled, finishing in third place. The Vikes will compete in the NAIA Women's National Championship in Silvis, Illinois on May 14-17. To read the full recap via UVic, please click here.

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. The Heat will compete at the Canadian University/College Championship on June 3-6. 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. UBCO will compete at the Canadian University/College Championship on June 3-6.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. UFV will compete at the Canadian University/College Championship on June 3-6. 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. The Cascades will compete at the Canadian University/College Championship on June 3-6. 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

Full Swing Kit Launch Monitor (Brand new) - $4,900

Endorsed by Tiger Woods, the Full Swing Kit launch monitor retails for $4,999 USD and can be yours for $4,900 CAD! More information on the product is available here.

For inquiries, please contact Jeff Palmer at jeff@highlandpacificgolf.com or call 250-478-4653 ext. 7.

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

Kevin Stinson goes from Teaching Professional to Head Teaching Professional at Cheam Mountain Golf Course

Simon Hassel has joined Bear Mountain Golf & Tennis Resort as an Apprentice Professional

Joel Harrison has transferred from the Ontario Zone and joins Big Sky Golf & Country Club as Head Professional

Derek Whipple has left Acushnet Canada

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.

May 9

Virtual Education Series presented by Foresight Sports Canada

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

REGISTER HERE

May 13

Interactive Education Series presented by Foresight Sports Canada

Patrick Lago: "Ground Force Reaction & Common Mistakes Golfers Make"

Lago Golf Academy, Coquitlam, BC

REGISTER HERE

May 21

Tournament of Champions presented by PING Canada & Motocaddy

Highland Pacific Golf, Victoria, BC

REGISTER HERE

June 3-4

COBRA PUMA GOLF Assistants' Championship

Nk'Mip Canyon Desert Golf Course, Oliver, BC

REGISTER HERE

CONTACT THE PGA OF BC OFFICE TEAM