Golf Manitoba is pleased to announce its 2024 Winter Rules Education Series which includes virtual, in-person and self-guided learning opportunities. Sessions include both beginner and intermediate sessions on the Rules of Golf, Level 1 Rules of Golf Certification, Provincial and National Certifications.
The first of the winter education series will be a Rules of Golf for the beginner session on January 25, 2024 from 7-8:30pm. The session is free for all Golf Manitoba/Canada members.
Are you interested in learning more about the Rules or have a desire to referee at the provincial level? If so, please contact David Borowski, Director of Competitions & Rules by email.
For more information and to register for one of our winter Rules sessions, please visit golfmb.ca/rules.
Travel calm, cool, collected and covered with Golf Manitoba and Manitoba Blue Cross
Golf Manitoba
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Up to $1,500 for golf cart related accidents
Up to $1,000 for any travel related incidents
Join today and receive member-exclusive benefits for the low price of $59.95 for a full 12 months of membership.
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Golf Canada announces Canadian Collegiate Invitational added to 2024 Amateur Championship schedule
Golf Manitoba
New men’s intercollegiate team championship at Öviinbyrd Golf Club will mark the first NCAA Division I golf event held in Canada
Oakville, Ont. – Golf Canada is pleased to announce the creation of the Canadian Collegiate Invitational tournament that will take place at Öviinbyrd Golf Club in MacTier, Ont. from September 15 – 17, 2024.
The tournament will be conducted by Golf Canada and co-hosted by Kent State University and Penn State University who are both led by Canadian head coaches, Jon Mills (Kent State) and Mark Leon (Penn State). The tournament will feature NCAA Division I men’s golf teams with prominent Canadian ties along with the team champions of the 2024 Canadian University/College Championship.
Joining the co-hosts from Kent State and Penn State will be Miami University (Ohio), University of Michigan, Michigan State University, University of Missouri, University of Notre Dame, Rutgers University, and Washington State University. Also competing will be the 2024 Canadian University/College Men’s Team champions crowned next spring at Idylwylde Golf & Country Club in Sudbury, Ont.
The inaugural Canadian Collegiate Invitational marks the first time that an NCAA Division I men’s golf tournament will be played in Canada.
In addition, the selection camp tournament for the Team Canada – NextGen boys squad will be contested concurrently with the Canadian Collegiate Invitational at Öviinbyrd Golf Club as Canada’s best junior boys look to qualify for the 2025 Team Canada – NextGen squad. Invitation criteria for the selection camp will be made available early in the new year.
“We are excited to add a new tournament to our Amateur Championship schedule and we thank Kent State and Penn State for co-hosting this invitational as we welcome some of the top Division I NCAA collegiate programs to compete in Canada for the first time,” said Mary Beth McKenna, Director, Amateur Championships and Rules, Golf Canada. “We also extend our thanks to Öviinbyrd Golf Club and the partners Paul McLean, Peter Schwartz and Rob Fraser for their gracious support in hosting this inaugural invitational at their golf course. We are also excited to concurrently run our Team Canada – NextGen selection camp tournament, which will provide high-level junior players the opportunity to compare themselves with top-tier NCAA competition.”
Öviinbyrd Golf Club is one of Canada’s premier golf courses, designed by Thomas McBroom and opened in 2004 in Muskoka, Ont. The 7,118-yard layout is set amongst the forests and exposed granite of the Canadian shield in Ontario’s famous cottage country and will create a challenging and memorable experience for the players. Öviinbyrd’s recently renovated practice facility features world class training conditions and state-of-the-art technology and will benefit players participating in both the NCAA event and the Team Canada – NextGen selection camp.
“The Öviinbyrd members and management team look forward to sharing our unique club culture with some of the best NCAA college players and top Canadian junior boys in the fall of 2024,” said Lindsay Franklin, General Manager, Öviinbyrd Golf Club. “With Muskoka as the backdrop to this inaugural event, we are excited to give back to Canadian golf, while creating memorable experiences for the players and helping to advance Canada as a world-class golf country.”
The inaugural championship will be contested over 54 holes in two days, with 36 holes played in the opening round and 18 holes in the final round. The team component will feature five members per team with the top four scores for the round counting to the overall team score. The individual competition will be stroke-play with the winner receiving an exemption into the 2025 RBC Canadian Open and the top-five receiving exemptions into the 2025 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO.
Consideration is on-going for the addition of a women’s NCAA Division I tournament in parallel with additional opportunities to expand the women’s competitive golf schedule in Canada. The full 2024 Amateur Championship schedule including the Team Canada – NextGen Girls selection camp tournament will be announced in the new year.
ABOUT THE TEAMS…
Kent State Golden Flashes (Co-Host) The Golden Flashes earned four top-10 finishes this fall, including a second-place finish at the Gopher Invitational in September. Kent State are led by head coach Jon Mills of Belleville, Ont. and have three Canadians currently on their roster with Team Canada – NextGen member Ben MacLean of Niagara Falls, Ont., Chris Vandette of Beaconsfield, Que. and James Newton of Ottawa. 2023 NextGen Ontario winner Isaiah Ibit of Ottawa will be a freshman in the fall of 2024. Kent State has been a feeder program to the PGA TOUR for Canadians in the past with Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes and Taylor Pendrith all having played for the Golden Flashes during their collegiate careers.
“Kent State has long been associated with excellence in Canadian golf, and we are very excited to welcome other college teams to compete in Canada for the first time and experience Muskoka in the fall,” said Jon Mills.
Penn State Nittany Lions (Co-Host) The Nittany Lions earned four top-10 finishes during the fall season. Penn State are led by head coach Mark Leon of Toronto and have one Canadian on the roster—Zach Smith of Brampton, Ont.—who will be a sophomore in 2024.
“As a proud Canadian and Penn State Nittany Lion, I’m very proud to be hosting some of the best NCAA programs at the Canadian Collegiate Invitational at Oviinbyrd. Canada continues to emerge as a globally significant golfing country and Penn State looks forward to this groundbreaking event,” said Mark Leon.
Miami (Ohio) RedHawks The RedHawks have earned four top-10 finishes during the fall season including a pair of fourth place finishes at the Island Resort Collegiate and the Virtues Intercollegiate. Miami features two Canadians on the roster—Cameron Pero of Bloomfield, Ont. and Michael Weber of Burlington, Ont.—who will both be entering their junior years in 2024.
Michigan Wolverines The Wolverines have had a successful fall season winning two tournaments in September. Michigan won their season opener, the Island Resort Intercollegiate, finishing at 30-under and followed it up a couple weeks later winning the Virtues Intercollegiate with a score of 34-under. Michigan closed the fall season with a runner-up finish at The Clerico. Michigan’s Director of Sports Performance and Assistant Coach is Matt Hoffman of Thornhill, Ont. The Wolverines also have two Canadians on their roster—Hunter Thomson of Calgary, Alta. and Bavake Sihota of Caledon, Ont.—who will both be seniors in 2024.
Michigan State Spartans The Spartans finished as runners-up in the Folds of Honor Collegiate tournament in September. 2023 Canadian Men’s Amateur Champion and 2023 World Amateur Team Championships Team Canada member, Ashton McCulloch of Kingston, Ont. will be entering his senior year for the Spartans in 2024.
Missouri Tigers The Tigers enjoyed a strong fall season with one win and one runner-up finish in six tournaments. The Tigers were co-winners with Wake Forest at the Chicago Highlands Invitational in September after finishing at 31-under. Missouri opened the season with a runner-up finish at the Golfweek Collegiate Kickoff, finishing 13-under.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Notre Dame are led by head coach John Handrigan of Bracebridge, Ont. and have one Canadian on the roster—Owen Mullen of Truro, N.S.—who will be a senior in 2024. The Fighting Irish won their first tournament of the fall season, the Folds of Honor Collegiate by overcoming a five-shot deficit on the final two holes of the tournament, finishing at 8-over.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights The Scarlet Knights earned five consecutive top-10 finishes during the fall season. Current senior and team captain Xavier Marcoux is a Canadian citizen and represents Canada in competition.
Washington State Cougars The Cougars have had a strong fall season earning four top-five finishes in five tournaments. The Cougars finished as runners-up at the Golfweek Fall Challenge and the Oregon State Invitational and added a third-place finish at the Visit Stockton Pacific Invitational. 2021 Canadian Men’s Amateur champion and Team Canada member Max Sekulic of Rycroft, Alta. is a recent graduate.
GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 30: Aaron Cockerill plays his second shot during day two of the 2018 Australian PGA Championship at Royal Pines Resort on November 30, 2018 in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)
Golf Manitoba
Manitoba’s Aaron Cockerill opened his 2023/24 DP World Tour campaign this past week at the Joburg Open in Johannesburg, South Africa. Cockerill completed the 72-hole event at a 3-under par on rounds of 68-70-70-69 finishing T32. The finish earned Cockerill $7,707 euros and 24 Race to Dubai points.
For complete results of the Joburg Open, please click here.
Next up for Cockerill is the Investec South African Open Championship November 30-December 3 being played at the Blair Atholl Golf & Equestrian Estate, Lanseria, in Johannesburg, South Africa.
It may be mid November in Manitoba, but golfers are still taking advantage of above seasonal temperatures at Southside Golf Course.
With double digits recorded earlier this week, Golf Manitoba Director of Communications Brian Munz caught up with Southside Golf Course General Manager Jaclyn Steep for the latest on their 18 hole facility.
For tee times, click here or call the proshop at (204) 254-6709.
10 competitors from Manitoba, including six members of Team Manitoba, were in Arizona this weekend taking part in the 2023 Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour’s National Championship.
The 54 hole event was played at the Wigwam Golf Resort.
Peewee Boys Division
6th: Ryder St. Laurent (Golf Manitoba Public Players Club) 78-80-79-237 10th: Owen Conrad (Team Manitoba / St. Charles Country Club) 81-83-80-244
The R&A and USGA announce 2024 World Handicap System™ revisions
Golf Manitoba
(St Andrews, Scotland and Liberty Corner, NJ, USA) – The R&A and the USGA today announced the first update to the World Handicap System™ (WHS™) as part of an ongoing review of the Rules of Handicapping™ and Course Rating System™ with a continued emphasis on accuracy, consistency and equity. The latest revisions will go into effect January 17, 2024.
Many countries have seen significant increases in the number of scores being submitted for handicapping purposes since the WHS was introduced, reflecting golf’s broadening appeal. More than 100 million scores have been posted each year, unifying millions of golfers through a standard measure of playing ability. The 2024 update leverages the performance data gathered from around the world, in addition to feedback received from many of the 125 countries now using the system.
Significant updates to the WHS include:
Inclusion of Shorter-Length Golf CoursesWithin the Course Rating System: The overall length requirements for Course Rating in the WHS will be significantly reduced. A set of tees on an 18-hole course may be as short as 1,500 yards [1,370 metres] to be eligible for a Course Rating and Slope Rating®, and a set of tees on a 9-hole course may be as short as 750 yards [685 metres]. This change is intended to expand the WHS to thousands of shorter length courses, including par-3 courses, and enable more golfers to obtain and use a Handicap Index.
Use of an Expected Score for a Hole Not Played: Improvements have been made to the method used to handle holes not played, which will now be based on a player’s expected score rather than a score of net par. This new method will produce a 9-hole or 18-hole Score Differential that more accurately reflects a player’s ability. As golfers across the world are playing more 9-hole rounds, an expected score can also be used to convert a 9-hole round into an 18-hole Score Differential. For some countries, this means that 9-hole scores will be considered in the calculation of a player’s Handicap Index immediately after the day of play, rather than waiting to combine with another 9-hole score.
Playing Conditions Calculation Adjustments Made More Frequent: The Playing Conditions Calculation (PCC) has been modified to increase the likelihood of an adjustment for abnormal playing conditions. National associations were given discretion, beginning in July 2022, to introduce this revision within their computation platforms, which will be complete by 1 April 2024.
Enhanced Guidance on Conducting a Handicap Review: The role of the Handicap Committee is vital to the success of the WHS and the Rules recommend that a Handicap Review is conducted regularly, or at least once a year to ensure a Handicap Index® remains reflective of a player’s ability. New reporting tools have been developed that national associations can incorporate into their handicapping software to assist Committees in conducting the review process effectively and consistently.
Since its inception, the WHS has embraced the many ways golf is played around the world by giving national associations scope to apply regional discretionary items, with the objective for greater alignment over time. For this reason, the governing bodies expect countries to continue to shift the way they calculate Course Handicaps so that they are relative to par, making a golfer’s target score to “play to handicap” more intuitive.
Golfers are encouraged to visit their national association’s website to learn more about the discretionary items that apply to their region. Contact details for national associations can be found on the WHS website here: www.whs.com/#association.
The R&A and the USGA have also recently launched a new WHS Software Accreditation and Interoperability Programme to help ensure that there is consistency and accuracy in the calculation of handicaps worldwide, and to assist with the retrieval of a Handicap Index and the return of away scores from country to country.
Claire Bates, Director – Handicapping at The R&A said, “We have made good progress in the early stages of the WHS but we know there are always areas that can be improved as we gather more data and information on the system from around the world. Conducting a regular review process is important in terms of good governance and enables us to examine some of the key areas in which we have received feedback. We will continue to work with the handicapping bodies and national associations around the world to ensure that the WHS is providing golfers with a system that provides a sensible balance between inclusivity and integrity, making it as easy as possible to get a Handicap Index, subject to meaningful safeguards.”
Steve Edmondson, Managing Director – Handicapping & Course Rating at the USGA said, “The game of golf continues to evolve and the WHS has embraced those changes in a dynamic way to help all golfers, everywhere they play. It is a monumental time in golf, and improving both the accessibility of obtaining a Handicap Index and leveraging powerful data and technology to easily and accurately track performance is a great step forward.”
The R&A and the USGA jointly launched and govern the WHS to provide a modern and responsive system, that gives an accurate reflection of a player’s demonstrated ability. It is calculated by incorporating the Rules of Handicapping and the Course Rating System and is administered by a range of handicapping bodies and national associations around the world.
The more flexible and accessible nature of the system has led to the introduction of successful initiatives from a number of national associations aimed at making it easier to obtain a Handicap Index and be part of the WHS.
Mirroring the review processes of other areas of governance in golf, including the Rules of Golf and the Rules of Amateur Status, reviews of the WHS will continue to be conducted at regular intervals, taking into consideration performance data and feedback to help identify areas for improvement.
To learn more about the World Handicap System please visit www.WHS.com.
Golf Manitoba members set new score posting record in 2023
Golf Manitoba
It was a record breaking year for Golf Manitoba members who posted 283,431 rounds to the Golf Canada Score Centre in 2023. The season total represents a 28.5% increase over 2022 (220,576) and an 8.5% increase over the previous record set in 2021 (261,224).
Of the 283,000 rounds posted, over 138,000 rounds were posted using the Golf Canada App. Golf Canada is also on pace for a record setting year of score posting projecting over 10 million rounds posted nation wide.
The top five member clubs for score posting during the 2023 Active Season were as follows:
1. Breezy Bend Country Club – 21,952 2. Pine Ridge Golf Club – 20,563 3. St. Charles Country Club – 19,135 4. Niakwa Country Club – 18,600 5. Elmhurst Golf & Country Club – 17,579
All Golf Manitoba/Golf Canada members receive access to score posting under the World Handicap System. Any game played at an official Golf Manitoba/Canada Member Club or any club worldwide that has an official Course and Slope Rating under the World Handicap System qualifies towards establishing and maintaining an official Golf Canada Handicap Index.
Not a member? Join Canada’s largest golf community here.
Golf Manitoba announces 2023/24 Board of Directors
Brian Munz
The 2023/24 Golf Manitoba Board of Directors was announced at the Golf Manitoba Awards presented by AVID GOLF at the Glendale Golf & Country Club. The twelve-member board was elected during the associations 21st Annual General Meeting.
The Board of Directors is comprised of dedicated volunteers from across the golf community in the Golf Manitoba jurisdiction of Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario.
The Board’s duties are to direct the business affairs of the association.
The members of the 2023/24 Golf Manitoba Board of Directors are:
OFFICERS
President: Susan Wright-Cassan, Emerald Greens Golf Course President Elect: Bob Peters, St. Charles Country Club Vice-President: Matthew Simmons, Whitewater Golf Club Past-President: Wayne McWhirter, Southwood Golf & Country Club Treasurer: Kathy Turner, Breezy Bend Country Club
DIRECTORS
Michael Berney, Delahunt Golf & Country Club John Braun, Pine Ridge Golf Club D’Arcy Lachance, Elmhurst Golf & Country Club Craig Martin, Minnewasta Golf & Country Club Justin Price, Glendale Golf & Country Club Janice Rees, Windsor Park Ladies Fred Smith, Wildewood Golf Club
In addition to the election, Golf Manitoba also released its 2023 Annual Report, which includes a recap of the past season, as well as the association’s 2022/23 Financial Statements.
About Golf Manitoba – Golf Manitoba is the governing body for golf in the province of Manitoba and Northwest Ontario. Its mission is to develop, promote, govern and service the game of golf for the benefit of all participants.
For more information:
Brian Munz Director of Communications Golf Manitoba 204.899.1092 brian@golfmb.ca
