TORONTO – St. George’s Golf and Country Club will welcome Ian McQueen as its new Golf Course and Property Manager effective January 30, 2017.

McQueen has held the same position at nearby Islington Golf Club since 2012, and comes to St. George’s with more than 17 years of golf course management experience in both public and private club settings.

St. George’s was designed by Stanley Thompson in 1929 and following the ice storm of 2014 the classically designed course underwent an extensive restoration of its greens that saw the conversion of original push-up Poa annua greens to USGA bentgrass greens led by consulting golf course architects, Tom Doak and Ian Andrew.

“Since I started in the golf industry it has been a dream of mine to work at Canada’s top private club. I am honoured and excited for the opportunity to be part of such a historic club”, said McQueen about making the move to St. George’s.

Ian started his career with Caves Valley Golf Club in Maryland and further developed his craft holding the Golf Course Superintendent position at The Club at Bond Head and Assistant Superintendent at Magna Golf Club. As Superintendent at St. George’s Golf and Country Club, he will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of managing over 165 acres of land and maintaining the Club’s International Audubon Certification.

St Andrews, Scotland – The merger of the Ladies’ Golf Union (LGU) and The R&A has been finalized and will come into effect January 1, 2017.

The heads of agreement between the two organisations was signed in June leading to the integration of the LGU’s business operations and its members of staff into The R&A group of companies. An agreed governance structure has also been implemented to give LGU Board members representation on relevant R&A Committees.

The R&A will assume responsibility for staging the LGU’s championships and international matches next year. The Ricoh Women’s British Open will continue to be managed by IMG in 2017 under the existing agreement with the LGU.

“The integration of the two organizations puts us in a better, stronger position to realize our collective vision for growing the game of golf around the world,” said Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A. “Our combined resources and staff expertise will help us to achieve our shared aims for the development of golf, including increasing girls’ and women’s participation and encouraging more families to enjoy golf as a recreational activity.”

A message to @LadiesGolfUnion associations about the merger with The R&A. https://t.co/jtx4gWqIFW pic.twitter.com/lD7GI697h1

— The R&A (@RandA) December 19, 2016

adidas Golf Canada has joined forces with the Bring Back the Game initiative, a campaign which places priority on extending a platform for all individuals to experience the true love of golf, regardless of any physical or mental challenges.

Todd Keirstead, champion of Bring Back the Game, works to provide a welcoming environment where individuals can overcome any challenges or obstacles. With the help of adidas Golf, the initiative recently covered the unique stories of four athletes who had the opportunity to play a practice round at the Manulife Classic with Canadian Golf Hall-of-Famer Lorie Kane and LPGA Tour professional Danielle Kang.

Watch their experience below in the video titled “Golf’s Power to Heal.”

Click here to learn more.

Mary Parsons of Delta, B.C., has been nominated for the Sport BC Junior Female Athlete of The Year Award.

Parsons, who had an outstanding 2016 season with four significant victories, will find out on March 8th, 2017 during the awards ceremony dinner being held at the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel in Vancouver, whether she will be adding another honour to her name.

Included in her list of accomplishments this past summer were wins in the CN Future Links Pacific Championship, BC Junior Girls Championship, MJT Boston Pizza National Championship and the Kent Ford Motors Bouctouche East Coast Jr. Girls Championship.

She also had 2nd place finishes in the BC Women’s Amateur, BC High School AA Individual Championship (in a mixed gender field) and the MJT Season Opener event in Coquitlam. She was 3rd in the Canadian Junior Girls Championship, the AJGA Under Armour Canadian Championship and the CJGA BC Junior Open.

Parsons also recorded a T4 in the CJGA Western Canadian Junior and was 9th in both the Junior Americas Cup and the CN Future Links Ontario Championship giving her a total of 13 Top 10 finishes in significant events this past season.

Along with recently signing her commitment to the Indiana University Hoosiers Women’s Golf program, Parsons also was named to the Team Canada National Development Squad, a goal she had set for herself from the start of the year.

Parsons was nominated by British Columbia Golf President Patrick Kelly and Kris Jonasson, Executive Director of British Columbia Golf. The 2015 winner was West Vancouver’s Emily Overholt for swimming.

The University of Victoria Vikes Men’s Golf Team (50 points) have been named the best University/College golf team in Canada at the mid-season point of the 2016-17 golf season, as selected by the Golf Coaches Association of Canada.

The Vikes earned all five 1^st place votes based on results from various Conference championships and fall team scoring averages.

The UBC Thunderbirds (41 points) came in second followed closely by the Laval Rouge et Or (40 points).  The Queens Gaels (30 points), and Waterloo Warriors (28) round out the top 5.

The Western Mustangs and New Brunswick Varsity Reds (18 points) tied for sixth place, followed by the Camosun Chargers (16 points), and Niagara College Knights (12 points) who are ranked ninth.  The University of the Fraser Valley Cascades complete the top 10 with 7 points.

Other teams to receive votes were the Humber College Hawks, Manitoba Bisons, Alberta Golden Bears, Calgary Dinos, and Concordia Stingers.

Full men’s rankings:

On the women’s side, the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds Women’s Golf Team (50 points) topped the mid-season rankings. The Thunderbirds also earned all five 1st place votes based on results from various Conference championships and 2016 fall team scoring averages.

The Ontario University Association champion Toronto Varsity Blues (41 points) came second, followed closely by the RSEQ champion Laval Rouge et Or (40 points). The Canadian College Athletics Association champion Georgian College Grizzles (35 points), and Victoria Vikes (33 points) round out the top 5.

The Waterloo Warriors (24 points) and Montreal Carabins (21 points) are sixth and seventh place respectively, followed by the Western Mustangs (14 points), and Humber Hawks (9 points) who are ranked ninth. The Fraser Valley Cascades round out the top 10 with six points.

Full women’s rankings:

UXBRIDGE— With the holiday season right around the corner, Golf Ontario is ready to help shoppers find the perfect gift for the golfer on their list. Golf Ontario is proud to announce the 12 Days of Golf fundraising campaign, which officially gets underway December 1st and will run until December 12th.

“This is a great way for golfers to purchase exclusive tee times to the best golf courses in Ontario,” said Golf Ontario Director of Business Development Tracey McElrea.

Devil’s Pulpit, Wildfire Golf Club and Brampton Golf Club are just some of the exciting courses that will be up for grabs.

Wildfire Golf Club

“Our goal is to make this a one-stop shop for people looking for gifts for golf enthusiasts,” McElrea added. “Once a foursome has been purchased, it will be wrapped exquisitely and couriered right to the purchaser’s address so that it is ready in time for the holidays.”

The best part about the campaign is that all of the proceeds will go towards the Golf In Schools Program.

“We are pleased to be putting the proceeds towards the Golf In Schools Program in Ontario,” McElrea explained. “The Golf In Schools Program helps to shape the lives of young people and reinforces values like integrity, respect and perseverance through the game of golf, all of which are core values of Golf Ontario.”

When the 12 Days of Golf begins December 1, multiple foursomes will be available for auction each day. The items will only remain live in the auction for one day, so bidders are encouraged to check back each day to see what foursomes are available. Once the first day is complete, a new set of foursomes will be posted. All items will have a minimum bid, depending on the course, and will have a Buy It Now feature, in case there is an item that is a must have.

Golf Ontario and Golf Canada would like to thank the participating courses for supporting this outstanding initiative.

The auction will be accessible through Golf Ontario’s main webpage (gao.ca) and will also be live on Golf Ontario’s eBay page beginning December 1st.

Winter Park, Fla. – Global Golf Post today announced its men’s and women’s amateurs of the year for 2016, as well as its fourth annual All-Amateur teams for men and women.

Three-time British Seniors Amateur champion Chip Lutz was selected as the male Amateur of the Year, while UCLA senior Bronte Law was named the female Amateur of the Year. Lutz is an American, while Law is from England.

“Each fall, The Post labors to find the two players who epitomize the best of the amateur game: a man and woman whose legacy is an inspiration for others,” The Post’s Steve Eubanks wrote for the magazine’s Nov. 28 edition. “Lutz won his third British Seniors Amateur championship in August and followed it up with a low-amateur finish at the U.S. Senior Open … Law became the only player other than Stacy Lewis to win 5 points in one Curtis Cup. She also charged from seven shots back to win the European Ladies’ Amateur and then made the cut in the Ricoh Women’s British Open. Law put an exclamation point on her summer by capturing the deciding point for England in the European Ladies’ Amateur Team Championships, the first victory for England in that event in 23 years.”

In addition, The Post unveiled its fourth All-Amateur selections for men and women in the amateur, mid-amateur, and senior amateur categories. A total of 201 players from 29 countries were recognized for on-course excellence in 2016.

“Amateur golf is a part of the DNA of The Post,” said founder and publisher Jim Nugent. “We take great pride and similar joy in supporting the amateur game, globally.”

Amongst the 178 players worldwide selected for the awards, nine Canadians were recognized at the amateur, mid-amateur and senior amateur levels.

Here is a list of the Canadians and their respective categories:

Men’s Amateur:

• Jared du Toit – Kimberly, B.C. (Honourable Mention)
• Hugo Bernard – Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que., (Honourable Mention)

Men’s Mid-Amateur:

• Garrett Rank – Elmira, Ont. (First-Team)
• Kevin Carrigan – Victoria, B.C. (Honourable Mention)

Women’s Mid-Amateur:

• Christina Proteau – Port Alberni, B.C. (Second Team)
• Shelly Stouffer – Nanoose Bay, B.C. (Second Team)

Men’s Senior:

• David Schultz – Calgary (Honourable Mention)

Women’s Senior:

• Judith Kurinis – Thornhill, Ont., (First-Team)
• Helene Chartrand – Pincourt, Qué. (Honourable Mention)

To see the entire award winners list, click here.

Click below to listen to the media teleconference.

(Oakville, Ont.) – Golf Canada announced today that after 10 years at the helm, CEO Scott Simmons has made the decision to depart the organization in early February 2017.

Originally hired to lead Canada’s National Sport Federation for golf in the summer of 2007, Simmons will continue to lead the organization during the transition period and assist Golf Canada’s Board of Directors in the search for a successor as CEO.

“This was a very personal decision, and a difficult one,” said Simmons, who had previously worked as the association’s Director of Sales, Marketing and Communications from 1992 to 2000. “It has been an honour to represent and lead Golf Canada for the past 10 years but I felt the time was right to seek out new challenges.”

“Together with our staff, volunteers and many partners, I am proud of what we’ve accomplished to advance game of golf in this country and am excited for what comes next—both for me personally and for this storied organization,” added Simmons.

In making the announcement, Roland Deveau, President of the Golf Canada Board of Directors, noted that Simmons has led the organization through significant changes since returning in 2007.

“Scott has moved Golf Canada to a new level of professionalism, and for that we thank him sincerely. While we will miss his contributions, the Board respects and understands his decision to leave,” said Mr. Deveau.

During his tenure as CEO, Simmons successfully transitioned the organization from a golf association and governing body to the National Sport Federation (NSF) for golf in Canada. That transition included a corporate rebrand in 2010 from the Royal Canadian Golf Association to Golf Canada. He also worked with the association’s executive committee on a revised governance structure that streamlined volunteer leadership from 35 individuals to an 11-member Board of Directors.

Simmons helped to secure and renew title sponsorships of the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open through 2023 and 2018 respectively. The organization’s commitment to sport development in partnership with the PGA of Canada and the provincial golf associations included increased investment in Future Links, Canada’s national junior golf program, as well as the introduction of the Golf in Schools program in 2009.

Golf Canada’s commitment to Long-Term Player Development and high performance has also included an increased investment in the national amateur golf team program as well as support for a young pro program under the Team Canada umbrella. Simmons also helped to reposition fundraising activities through the Golf Canada Foundation, which brings together corporate and philanthropic champions in support of Canadian golf.

“Rebranding to Golf Canada, strengthening our relationship with member clubs and connecting with a greater share of Canadian golf enthusiasts have been core to our strategic plan under Scott’s direction,” added Deveau. “Golf Canada has grown our junior and sport development programs into world-class models now emulated by other countries and Scott has been instrumental in the association working collaboratively with provincial, national and international partners.”

A search for Simmons’ successor as Golf Canada CEO will begin immediately.

After 10 years working to support the game of golf in Canada I shared the news today that I will be stepping down as CEO of Golf Canada..1/2

— Scott Simmons (@golfcanadaguy) November 23, 2016

It has been an honour and privilege to lead Golf Canada! Many thanks to all the staff and volunteers I’ve had the pleasure to work with!

— Scott Simmons (@golfcanadaguy) November 23, 2016

Thank you to @golfcanadaguy for 10 years of loyal service to @TheGolfCanada Good luck with the next phase of your career!! #golfcanadagolf

— Roland Deveau (@rolliecangolf) November 23, 2016

FAR HILLS, N.J. – Diana Murphy has been nominated to serve a second one-year term as the 64th president of the United States Golf Association by the USGA Nominating Committee, as the organization prepares for its 123rd year of service to the game of golf.

In addition, there are three newly nominated candidates for the 15-member Executive Committee: Thomas Barkin, Stephen Beebe and William Siart. Their collective experience encompasses expertise in strategic planning and nonprofit leadership, as well as a passion for environmental sustainability. If elected at the USGA’s Annual Meeting on Feb. 4, 2017 in Washington, D.C., they will replace retiring members William Fallon, Malcolm Holland and Asuka Nakahara.

The committee also nominated Mark Newell, a four-year Executive Committee member, as president-elect. The new officer position replaces the role of vice president eliminated in 2016, and supports succession planning for future association leadership. Newell, who served as USGA general counsel in 2011-12, currently chairs the USGA Rules of Golf Committee. He has focused significant efforts on a multi-year Rules modernization project led by the USGA and The R&A, and he continues to provide support and leadership toward the development of a world handicap system.

Current officers Sheila Johnson and George Still have been nominated to continue their service as secretary and treasurer, respectively. The eight committee members nominated to continue their service are: Michael Bailey, Stuart Francis, Thomas Hough, Robert Kain, Martha Lang, Gregory Morrison, Mark Reinemann and Clifford Shahbaz.

In addition, Robert Weber has been nominated to serve a second term as USGA general counsel.

Calgary – Alberta Golf has announced the 2016 Player of the Year recipients.

“We are thrilled to celebrate our winners and two junior achievers for their performances over the course of the 2016 season that led to their successes on both the Provincial and National Orders of Merit,” said Randy Robb, Alberta Golf’s Manager of High Performance Sport. “These rankings recognize our athletes’ incredible accomplishments while also providing them with a measuring stick for their continued development as a player.”

The Player Rankings are used to identify and give recognition to top performing amateur & junior golfers across Alberta who has achieved success in the golf season. The Alberta Golf Rankings are based on those Championships that represent an high standard of competition. A point system is used based on the scores and results of the players in the approved events in order to objectively rank each individuals performance.

The objective of the Alberta Golf Rankings is to provide a Provincial comparison/ranking system for Alberta’s top junior/amateur players which will enable players to compare themselves to their counterparts across the country. The Alberta Golf Player Rankings is also used to select Camp invitations, Multi-Sport Games (Western Canada Games/Canada Summer Games) participants, High Performance Team Members and the invitations for the PGA of Alberta Junior Masters.

Being named the Player of the Year is a true testament to the dedication, hard work and commitment to achieve the goals set at the beginning of each competitive season.

The 2016 Player of the Year winners are:

Junior Boys Division:

1. Brendan MacDougall
2. Chandler McDowell
3. Max Sekulic
4. Max Murchison
5. Ethan Choi

Juvenile Boys Division:

1. Chandler McDowell
2. Max Murchison
3. Ethan Choi
4. Kai Iguchi
5. 5. Ethan de Graaf

Bantam Boys Division:

1. Ethan Choi
2. Marko Banic
3. Hunter Thomson
4. Caden Park
5. Thomas Sluka

Junior Girls Division:

1. Kenna Hughes
2. Sharmaine Rapisura
3. Kehler Koss
4. Katy Rutherford
5. Annabelle Ackroyd

Juvenile Girls Division: 

1. Annabelle Ackroyd
2. Taylor Stone
3. Lauren Koenig
4. Jessica Marks
5. Reese Martin

Bantam Girls Division: 

1. Annabelle Ackroyd
2. MacKenzie Baustad
3. Kaitlyn Wingnean
4. Tillie Claggett
5. Stephanie Chelack

Mens Amateur Division:

1. Evan Holmes
2. Matt Williams
3. Scott Secord
4. Jordan Irwin
5. Brett Hogan

Ladies Amateur Division:

1. Kat Kennedy
2. Jaclyn Lee
3. Quinn Fitzgerald
4. Lauren Diederichs
5. Erin Farner

Senior Mens Division:

1. Frank Van Dornick
2. David Schultz
3. Brian Brown
4. Christopher Hairrell
5. Howard Broun

Senior Ladies Division:

1. Lynn Kuehn
2. Cheryl Newman
3. Joan Wilson
4. Susan Plum
5. Barbara Flaman/ Susan Thomson

Boys Junior Achiever of the Year 

 Logan Carver

1. T21 Canadian Junior Boys Championship
2. 14th Alberta Men’s Amateur Championship
3. 3. T7 Alberta Junior Boys Championship

Girls Junior Achiever of the Year 

 Claire Emery

1. 9th Alberta Junior Girls Championship
2. 5th Future Links Western Championship
3. 1st CJGA RedTail Landing event