Winning team to gain an exemption into the R&A 9 Hole Challenge
at Royal Troon
The stage is set for the inaugural BDO National Golf League Championship, taking place on Saturday, May 25, just days before the start of the 2024 RBC Canadian Open at the historic Hamilton Golf and Country Club.
Last season, over 10,000 participants from 107 leagues from coast-to-cost began their journey of competing for Canada’s first league golf national championship. Fifty-two teams of two (104 golfers total) will be 18-holes away from a shot at glory and being crowned the first ever BDO National Golf League champions.
Travel expenses to the BDO National Golf League Championships for all participants are covered by Golf Canada. An opening reception will be held on the Friday evening prior to the championship round on Saturday, May 25 at the Hamilton Golf and Country.
In addition, the winning team will receive an expenses-paid trip to represent Canada at The R&A 9 Hole Challenge at Royal Troon in Troon, Scotland, one-week prior to the 152nd Open Championship. This will mark the first time that Canada will participate in the 9 Hole Challenge. For more information on the R&A 9 Hole Challenge, please visit randa.org/en/nine-hole-challenge.
The BDO National Golf League was launched by Golf Canada ahead of the 2023 season as a nationwide, season-long competition to enhance weekly recreational league experiences for men, women and junior golfers. Scoring follows a 9-hole net stableford format that takes place during a six-week period of a club’s league season. Within those six weeks, the best four scores are used to determine the individuals that would advance to the next stage of the competition – the provincial championships.
The provincial championships were contested in the fall of 2023 over 13 regional tournaments across all 10 provinces between September and October, competing for spots into the league championship in Hamilton. For the full list of results from the BDO National Golf League Provincial Championships, click here.
The storied Hamilton Golf and Country Club will play host to the inaugural BDO National Golf League Championship in the days leading up to the start of the 2024 RBC Canadian Open. Participants will walk the same fairways and compete on the historic course prior to the stars of the PGA TOUR descending upon Hamilton Golf and Country Club for the seventh time in the National Open Championship’s history.
One pairing that qualified out of the New Brunswick regional playoff, Nora Ringuette and Doreen Vienneau from the Pine Needles Golf and Country Club, found the season-long league both challenging and enjoyable.
“The National Golf League creates a season long, positive, and friendly competition. The stableford scoring makes it fair and more challenging for low handicap players, you really need to bring your A game,” said Ringuette.
Vienneau added, “this is just amazing, never assumed when I joined this new league that we (I) would actually make it to Ontario (national championship). I feel very privileged.”
A mother and son duo will also be competing in Hamilton. Sue Kupper and son Josh were one of the teams to qualify from Alberta, representing the D’Arcy Ranch Golf Club in Okotoks, Alta.
“I feel like this event will be a high point in my golf life. I love golf and am thankful that I get to golf with my son weekly in the mixed league at D’Arcy Ranch. To share this experience with him will be fun for both of us,” said Kupper.
An integral part of the league is the charity aspect, with 100% of the proceeds benefitting First Tee – Canada in each province. First Tee – Canada is a youth development program striving to bring accessible and inclusive pathways to golf participation at schools, community centres, and golf courses across the country. In the first season of the BDO National Golf League, there was strong philanthropic support for First Tee – Canada, with gifts directly impacting youth within the province where the money was raised. To learn more about First Tee programming and ways to get involved visit firstteecanada.ca
“We are incredibly pleased with the successful launch of the BDO National Golf League that culminates in crowning the inaugural champions in May at the Hamilton Golf and Country Club,” said Kevin Blue, chief sport officer, Golf Canada. “The league has seen a great representation of women and men across the country competing within their own leagues, while working towards a goal of competing for a national championship. In addition, a major aspect of this league is the money raised for First Tee that helps grow the game in our country.”
Registration is now open for the 2024 BDO National Golf League, and to sign-up or get more information, please visit nationalgolfleague.ca.