PGA of BC

E-NEWS

AUGUST 22, 2024

Driven by passion and enthusiasm for cutting-edge technology and design, Sunice continues to advance the latest in performance outerwear, layering systems and sportswear for wherever your favorite sport or activity takes you. And like its customers, Sunice is always looking forward to next season.

Evoking their namesake, Bobby Jones products are the definition of class, using only premium-quality materials to create classic, timeless designs that exude confidence on and off the course. The Bobby Jones brand has been a mainstay in the golf industry since the 1990s and is sold in the finest private clubs, resorts and golf courses worldwide. 

Sunice and Bobby Jones are Silver-level Preferred Partners of the Association and Presenting Sponsors of the PGA of BC Professional Development Program. Visit Sunice and Bobby Jones online to learn more.

Lindsay Bernakevitch once again etched his name into the history of the PGA of BC Championship, securing his second title in dramatic fashion. Despite the pressure of a missed short putt to clinch the victory on the final hole, the Victoria Golf Club Director of Golf displayed resilience and poise, triumphing on the first playoff hole against Kevin Stinson and Andy Lin, who tied Bernakevitch at 7-under par after 36 holes. This victory saw Bernakevitch lift the William Thompson Trophy as PGA of BC Champion for a second time, having also won the title in 2011.

The 2024 Axis Insurance PGA of BC Championship presented by GOLFTEC was held on the pristine grounds of Morgan Creek Golf Course. The field of 120 competitors battled over two rounds to take their place among an elite list of past champions.

Bernakevitch fired a 68 on Monday to sit two strokes back of Round One leader and 2023 champion Zach Olson (Chilliwack Golf Club). Round Two was a tightly contested clash, with Bernakevitch, Stinson (Cheam Mountain Golf Course), Lin (Pacific Golf Academy), Luke Bogdan (Cheam Mountain Golf Course), Jonnie Motomochi (Morgan Creek Golf Course), and Olson all holding a share of the lead at different points of the competition Tuesday.

With Stinson in at 7-under and Lin putting on the 18^th hole to finish at 7-under, Bernakevitch needed a short putt for par to win the Championship. As he stood over the ball, seconds from tapping the putt, the blaring sounds of a car horn erupted in the near distance to break the crowd’s silence of anticipation. Bernakevitch’s putt rolled wide right, and he tapped in for bogey to tie Stinson and Lin, a sudden-death playoff on the horizon.

The three competitors headed to Morgan Creek’s challenging first hole, a par-4 dogleg to the right, with water in front of the green. Bernakevitch, Stinson and Lin each flew their tee shots to the middle of the fairway. On their approaches, both Stinson and Lin ended up short of the green in the rough, while Bernakevitch’s approach shot settled on the green above the hole. Stinson and Lin's chips for birdie both came to rest an estimated 12-15 feet from the hole. Bernakevitch rolled his putt for birdie and the victory downhill, with the ball trickling towards the hole as the large crowd waited in suspense for the putt to drop, only for the ball to stop an inch from the hole, giving him a tap-in for par. Lin’s putt for par rolled past the hole, Stinson’s par putt just missed, and Bernakevitch clinched the sudden-death playoff victory.

To read the full recap, please click here.

The PGA of BC is proud to announce our newest partner, Air North, Yukon's Airline. The Yukon-owned airline, with service throughout many BC locations and across Canada, joins the Association as our Preferred Airline Partner. Air North, Yukon's Airline, founded in 1977, is a pillar of the Yukon community, with 49% ownership by the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation. Air North is thrilled to offer PGA of BC members an exclusive discount on flights between Whitehorse and Kelowna, Vancouver, Victoria, Toronto and Ottawa.

Information on this exclusive discount, including a code to unlock Members’ preferred pricing, is available at the PGA of BC’s Member Benefits & Corporate Discounts page (Log-in required).

The Association saw the need for a preferred airline partner to better facilitate ease and convenience of travel for golf professionals in BC and with Air North's support, we look forward to connecting members with an airline that is committed to those advantages.

The PGA of BC extends its gratitude to Air North, Yukon's Airline for their generous support of golf professionals in BC. For any questions regarding the exclusive members discount, please reach out to PGA of BC Business Development Manager Dan Czerwenka at dan@pgabc.org.

To read the full announcement, please click here.

The PGA of BC is pleased to announce that registration for the 2024 Fall Trade Show is now open. Members and vendors are encouraged to register at the links below:

Member Registration: PGA of BC Fall Trade Show

Vendor Registration: PGA of BC Fall Trade Show

The PGA of British Columbia is pleased to allow limited access to Golf Retail Buyers (non-member facilities) at the 2024 PGA of BC Fall Trade Show. A maximum of four (4) badges may be purchased for each retailer at a cost of $75.00 per badge. We regret to inform that due to the sensitivity of the information obtained at the Show, no access will be granted to the General Public without prior approved credentials. 

Non-Member Registration: PGA of BC Fall Trade Show

After the success of last year’s event and positive feedback from PGA of BC members, the show will again be taking place at the River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond, BC on Tuesday, October 29 and Wednesday, October 30. The River Rock serves as a convenient, vibrant, and engaging venue for the Fall Trade Show and will also host the PGA of BC Awards Night, sponsored by Tribal, on October 29. Additionally, the PGA of BC is excited to offer social and entertainment programming throughout the event. All of this housed under one roof allows for an accessible and effective opportunity for golf Professionals and Vendors to network and conduct business over the course of the two-day event. The River Rock Casino Resort is conveniently located less than 10 minutes from Vancouver International Airport and 20 minutes from the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal and Downtown Vancouver.

The PGA of BC Fall Trade Show has featured industry exhibitors showcasing an array of products, including equipment, apparel, carts, accessories, golf balls, footwear, training aids, software, sunglasses, signage, and storage solutions, to name a few. The Trade Show serves as a one-stop-shop for all retailer facilities in British Columbia. This event is attended by the majority of the PGA of BC membership, representing over 150 golf facilities throughout the province, making it the industry's largest trade show in British Columbia.

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

Competitors registered for the Srixon/Cleveland Golf Club Professional Championship presented by Nike Golf & Mobilicab can reserve their stay at the Coast Bastion Hotel in Nanaimo for a preferred PGA of BC rate. The room block and discounted pricing will be available until August 30.

To book your stay, please visit this link and enter the code: 5536076

To register for the Club Professional Championship at Nanaimo Golf Club on September 30-October 1, please click here.

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

Did you know the PGA of Canada has a Code of Professional Conduct and Safe Sport Policy?

Safe Sport refers to the process and measures implemented to protect and effectively care for the health, well-being, and human rights of all participants in the PGA of Canada community, especially children and youth. Individuals participating in all disciplines of golf in Canada, including athletes, coaches, officials, sport administrators, volunteers and others should be able to engage in a sport environment free from abuse, discrimination and potential harm. 

All PGA of Canada Professionals and anybody involved with golf in Canada in any form are encouraged to read the PGA Code of Professional Conduct and Safe Sport Policy to ensure a safe and healthy environment for all golfers and athletes.

The Lower Mainland's G&G Tour hosted their latest tournament at Nicklaus North Golf Course on July 29. Kevin Stinson (Cheam Mountain Golf Course) set the course record with an 11-under 60, including an eagle and nine birdies, to win the event by five strokes. Khan Lee (GreenTee Country Club) finished in runner-up position with a 6-under 65. Zac Carson (Nicklaus North Golf Course) earned third place, shooting a 5-under 66. Please click here to read more about Stinson's all-time performance.

The Vancouver Island Club Pro Tour competed at Cordova Bay Golf Course on August 13. Jake Scarrow (Gorge Vale Golf Club) took the victory in commanding fashion with an impressive 64 (-8), which included an eagle on the par-5 18th. Kevin Maxwell (Crown Isle Resort & Golf Community) earned runner-up honours, shooting a 2-under 70, while Arthur Brown (Storey Creek Golf Club) and Lucas Nonni (Bear Mountain Resort) shared third place at 71.

The Westland Insurance Interior PGA Tour held a tournament at Fairview Mountain Golf Club on August 12. Sharing the victory after both shooting 67 (-5) were Rob Tadey (Fairview Mountain Golf Club) and Lionel Taylor (Monte's Golf Shop). Ethan Danish (GOLFTEC Kelowna) earned second place, finishing one shot off the lead with a 68. Alec Hubert (Kamloops Golf & Country Club)shot 69 to round out the top three.

The Kootenay Pro Tour took on Golden Golf Club on August 12. Scott Merriam (Cranbrook Golf Club), Graeme Kreiner (Golden Golf Club) and Jerome Thorne (Eagle Ranch Golf Resort) tied for the victory after each golfer finished with a 73. Jamie Curiston (Wildstone Golf Course) was one shot back of the lead, shooting a 74 to earn runner-up honours.

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!

Hitting Nets available for purchase

Marine Drive Golf Club has hitting nets available for purchase.

The hitting bays come in four different sections. The specs of each of the four sections:

1) 1 hitting bay 15 feet wide, 12 feet high and 24 feet long.

2) 3 hitting bays 36 feet wide, 12 feet high and 24 feet long.

3) 4 hitting bays 48 feet wide, 12 feet high and 24 feet long.

4) 4 hitting bays 48 feet wide, 12 feet high and 24 feet long.

Please contact Padraic O’Rourke for details at padraic@marine-drive.com

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

Keir Smith has joined Eagleview Golf Range and becomes Head Teaching Professional



Vancouver Golf Academy has changed to Scratch Indoor Golf & Academy

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.

September 11-14

PGA Assistants' Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf

The Redwoods Golf Course, Langley Township, BC

Register Here

September 30-October 1

Srixon/Cleveland Golf Club Professional Championship presented by Nike Golf & Mobilicab

Nanaimo Golf Club, Nanaimo, BC

Register Here

October 29-30

PGA of BC Fall Trade Show

River Rock Casino Resort, Richmond, BC

Member Registration

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