PGA of BC

E-NEWS

JULY 24, 2024

Groundwork Athletics is a personal training and group training studio located in the heart of Downtown Vancouver. At GWA we empower busy professionals to achieve physical and mental resilience within a vibrant community.

At Groundwork Athletics you get training based on a solid educational foundation and years of on-the-floor experience. We believe in teaching movement. We want to help your body function optimally while at the same time challenging you and pushing you to improve your health & fitness. We are always creative and innovative in what we deliver while keeping you safe and working at a level that is appropriate for you.

Your needs come first! We believe in hard work, setting goals, and challenging our clients to achieve more than they ever thought possible. We always maintain a fun, positive, and rewarding environment.

Groundwork Athletics offers personal training, group training, corporate group training, nutrition coaching and Active rehab.

Included in your Member Benefits package, Groundwork Athletics continues to offer to all PGA of BC Professionals one free personal training session, one free in-person or virtual nutrition assessment with 50% off your first month, as well as meal ideas and stretching routines upon request. New this year, we will also offer to all members one complimentary fitness consultation and assessment, and one complimentary group fitness class.

If you want to learn more, email donny@groundworkathletics.ca or visit our website at www.groundworkathletics.ca!

The most recent event in the 2024 Jack McLaughlin Memorial Pro-Junior Championship Series took place at Cultus Lake Golf Club on July 22. Fifteen teams made up of a PGA of BC professional and three junior golfers competed in the two-net Best-Ball tournament.

Congratulations to Quilchena Golf Club's John Vu (Pro), Sera Akizuki, Emily Stewart and Jack Wallace for their victory in the tournament, shooting 17-under par to win by one stroke.

Cheam Mountain Golf Club finished as runners-up at 16-under par, represented by Kevin Stinson (Pro), Noah Reddicopp, Isaiah Reddicopp and Nick Buckle. Professionals also competed in a separate birdies pot, which Stinson won with nine birdies. Squamish Valley Golf Club's Yamato Chiyasu (Pro), Langdon Moore, Cody Simmons and Matthew Moses earned third place at 12-under par for the event.

Thank you to Professional Kris Kowalski and the entire Cultus Lake Golf Club team for their first-class hospitality.

The next edition of the Series takes place at Shadow Ridge Golf Club today, followed by Fairwinds Golf Club on July 29. Stay tuned for a full recap of the Jack McLaughlin Memorial Pro-Junior Championship Series at the end of the month.

Full Results:

Jack McLaughlin Memorial Pro-Junior Championship Series: Cranbrook Golf Club

Jack McLaughlin Memorial Pro-Junior Championship Series: Cultus Lake Golf Club

Cultus Lake Golf Club, host of Monday's Lower Mainland Pro-Junior Championship Series event, will be hosting the Cultus Lake Open next month.

The Cultus Lake Open runs from August 9 to August 11.

August 9: Par 3 Challenge & After Party

August 10: Round One & Banquet

August 11: Round Two & Prize Presentation

To register online today, please visit golfcultus.com.

The PGA of BC is thrilled to release the first standings update for the new Replay Golf Supplies Trophy Community Engagement Program, recognizing outstanding professionals who prioritize community involvement, public volunteerism and charitable efforts.

This initiative rewards active involvement in key community events like the Golfathon for ALS, Canucks Junior Golf Week, and Women's Golf Week, with points awarded for promoting, participating in, and fundraising for these and other community initiatives. 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 educational 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.

Leading the standings, Ryan Tofani (Chilliwack Golf Club) has earned 21 total points through his dedication to Association initiatives like the Golfathon for ALS and Women’s Golf Week, as well as his consistent promotion of these initiatives and PGA of BC tournaments via his social media. Derek Orr (Iron & Wood Simulators) currently lies in second place with 16 points, while Cindy Soukoroff (St. Eugene Golf Resort & Casino) is third with 14 points this season.

Please click here to view the full standings.

Information on the Community Engagement Program, including a detailed breakdown of points allocation, is available HERE. We strongly encourage members to familiarize themselves with this information. Information on Social Media Best Practices for points accumulation is available HERE.

As this program is newly introduced, we understand that you may have earned points that are not yet tallied in the official standings. If you believe you have earned points that have not been added to the standings, please ensure you fill out the Points Requisition Form with all supporting documentation. For all questions and concerns, please reach out to Communications & Marketing Manager Graham Abraham at graham@pgabc.org.

The PGA of BC extends our gratitude to Replay Golf Supplies and owner Lee Burgham for their generous support of the Community Engagement Program. 

Canucks Junior Golf Week took place July 15-22, with over 800 youth from across the province taking part in camps hosted by PGA of BC professionals. Many of these junior golfers experienced the sport for the very first time. Dozens of PGA of BC facilities participated in this year's program, which has seen nearly 7,000 juniors introduced to golf since 2014.

The PGA of BC extends our gratitude to every facility and professional that hosted camps this year. Their dedication to growing the game among BC youth is greatly appreciated.

We also thank the Vancouver Canucks for their continued support of the initiative, allowing the Association to facilitate a successful program that continues to grow each year.

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

PGA of BC professional Lionel Taylor (Monte's Golf Shop) won last week's Penticton Open at Penticton Golf & Country Club, shooting a course record 62 (-8) in the final round for a huge come-from-behind victory.

Trailing 36-hole leader Dallas Chelick by eight strokes heading into the final round, Taylor piled up six birdies and an eagle to shoot 62 and take the Penticton Open title, setting the Penticton Golf & Country Club course record in the process. Taylor finished the tournament at eight-under par, one shot better than runner-up Chelick.

Taylor's victory comes on the heels of several other fantastic showings this year. Earlier this season, he set the course record at Kelowna's Black Mountain Golf Club with a 61. In June, Taylor earned runner-up honours in the PGA of BC Assistants' Championship at Oliver's Nk'Mip Canyon Desert Golf Course. The wind at Nk'Mip presented a massive challenge for competitors, yet Taylor found a way to overcome the conditions, shooting a final round 71 to best the field average by more than 13 strokes. Taylor will be competing in next month's PGA of BC Championship at Surrey's Morgan Creek Golf Course, where he will look to continue his recent form.

To read a detailed article breaking down Taylor's win at the Penticton Open via Keith Lacey of the Penticton Herald, please click here.

With the 2024 Paris Olympics kicking off this week, did you know that some PGA of BC members have Olympic pasts of their own?

Craig Young (Royal Colwood Golf Club) competed for Team Canada at the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary, placing 12th in men's ski ballet (also known as acroski), which was a demonstration sport at the time.

That was just one highlight of a tremendous career Young had in freestyle skiing. He made 121 World Cup starts in acroski, aerials and moguls between 1984 and 1992, earning more than three-dozen top-10 finishes, including a podium result in acroski in Calgary in 1990.

Meanwhile, Alan Kristmanson (Whistler Golf Club) was a member of the Canadian men's basketball team that placed sixth at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.

His most notable performance came in a near-upset of the American squad, when Kristmanson put up 25 points in a 76-70 defeat.

For his impressive career as a player and later an NBA broadcaster, providing colour commentary for Vancouver Grizzlies games on Sportsnet, Kristmanson was inducted into the BC Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008.

The Lower Mainland's G&G Tour hosted their latest tournament at Meadow Gardens Golf Club on July 15. Doug Morgan (Richmond Country Club) and Curtis Baldwin (Meadow Gardens Golf Club) shared the victory, shooting a 4-under 68 to pace the field. Three golfers tied as runners-up at 2-under par: Brad Clapp (Ledgeview Golf Club), Steven Lecuyer (Seymour Creek Golf Centre) and Michael Caan (Riverway Golf Course).

The Vancouver Island Club Pro Tour competed at Gorge Vale Golf Club on July 16. Winning the event by three strokes at 2-under par, Jake Scarrow (Gorge Vale Golf Club) earned the victory with his strong play. Sharing second place with scores of 73 were Christof Appel (The Golf Performance Project), Nate Ollis (Cordova Bay Golf Course), and Mark Bicknell (Gorge Vale Golf Club).

The Westland Insurance Interior PGA Tour held the Pro/Super Challenge at Shadow Ridge Golf Club on July 15, with teams made up of a PGA of BC professional and a Superintendent. Josh Johnston (Pro) and Jonathan Peters (Gallagher's Canyon Golf Club) took the victory with a Total Net score of 59. Mark Kitts (Pro) and Garett Squire (Shadow Ridge Golf Club) earned second place, finishing one stroke behind the lead with a Total Net score of 60. Finishing in third place with a Total Net score of 61 were Adam Blair (Pro) and Tom Donaldson (Vernon Golf & Country Club).

The Kootenay Pro Tour took on Trickle Creek Golf Resort on July 15. Scott Merriam (Cranbrook Golf Club) and Dan Bourgeois (Wildstone Golf Course) tied after 18 holes shooting matching -4 68s. Bourgeois finally broke the tie on the third playoff hole to take the victory. Harold Simkins (Bootleg Gap Golf) earned third place with a 3-under 69.

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!

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

Joshua Betson’s application to the PGA of Canada has been approved and he becomes an Apprentice Professional at Marine Drive Golf Club

Lydia Wang’s application to the PGA of Canada has been approved and she becomes an Apprentice Professional at 3D Golf Performance

Kendall Keeley has transferred from the Alberta Zone and joins Sandpiper Golf Club as an Apprentice Professional

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 29

Jack McLaughlin Memorial Pro-Junior Championship Series - Island Region

Fairwinds Golf Club, Nanoose Bay, BC

August 19-20

Axis Insurance PGA of BC Championship presented by GOLFTEC

Morgan Creek Golf Course, Surrey, BC

Waitlist Registration

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

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