Oakville, Ont. (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada is pleased to announce that Nancy Spineti Delle Donne of Montreal has been named the 2020 recipient of the Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year Award. A presentation of the award will take place on Thursday, March 4 as part of Golf Canada’s Virtual Annual Meeting.

For more than 20 years, Nancy has been a major contributor to Golf Quebec and Golf Canada as an expert in Handicapping and Course Rating.

In 2014, Nancy was named Chair of the Golf Canada Course Rating and Handicap Committee, a position she held proudly until the end of 2020. During this time, she played an integral  role in the national launch of the new World Handicap System which was rolled globally in 2020.

“Volunteers are a driving force behind golf in this country and we are proud to recognize Nancy Spineti Delle Donne for her deep contributions to Handicapping and Course Rating this past year and over the last 20 years,” said Liz Hoffman, Golf Canada’s 1^st Vice President who will sworn in as the Association’s 119^th President during the Annual Meeting. “Nancy’s contribution to the game and her support in the execution of an important golf service has made and major impact. She has carried those responsibilities with excellence and is truly deserving of this recognition.”

Nancy was Chair of the Golf Québec Course Rating and Handicap Committee from 2008 to 2020 and served on the Golf Québec Board of Director from 2008 to 2015.

During her tenure with Golf Quebec, Nancy helped to train course rating teams across eight regional associations. She would visit 40+ member clubs a year and has rated nearly 90 courses. Her commitment to the craft included meticulous data collection and support documentation to ensure the highest standard of Golf Quebec’s course rating services.

Nancy has also served as Golf Quebec’s feature presenter for handicap seminars and played an instrumental role in training a province-wide network of club Handicap Committees who supported countless members in establishing a valid Handicap Index. From 2011 to 2014, she was also Chairperson of the Golf Québec Membership Committee.

A public player with provincial contributions dating back to 1997, Nancy was recognized for her exceptional service as Golf Quebec’s 2004 Volunteer of the Year, and in 2020, Golf Québec Board of Directors celebrated her retirement from the association by naming her an Honorary Governor.

Now in its 15^th year, candidates for the Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year Award are put forth to Golf Canada for consideration by the respective provincial golf associations in acknowledgment of significant contributions to the game of golf in their community.

The Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year Award is named in recognition of Toronto native Bruce Mitchell who in 2017-18 was the first Canadian to serve as captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A). Born in Victoria and raised in Edmonton, the former president of the Toronto Golf Club and R&A member since 1988 was just the ninth internationally appointed captain of the R&A, one of the most prestigious volunteer positions in the world of golf. Duties as captain included representing the R&A as a global ambassador and aiding in the R&A’s effort to develop golf around the world.

Congratulations to Nancy Spineti Delle Donne of Montreal, Que. on being named the 2020 Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year!

Liz Hoffman has served on Golf Canada’s Board of Directors since 2012 and has been a recognized leader in Canadian sport as an athlete, coach, and administrator.

She honed her executive leadership skills over a 39-year career with the University of Toronto including 16 years as Director of Athletics and High-Performance. She has been active with many sport organizations, serving as a past president of Canadian USport and Ontario University Athletics and as an officer and board member of both Ontario and Field Hockey Canada. She also served on the Board of Directors of Coaches of Canada and as a member of the Sport Development Committee of Swim Canada.

During her time with Golf Canada, she has contributed across a multitude of committees, councils and working groups including most recently serving as Chair of the Compensation Committee, the World Junior Girls Steering Committee and as a member of the Ad Hoc Committee on Governance Renewal. She has previously chaired the Amateur Competitions, Sport Development and Human Resources Committees, as well as the Ad Hoc Committee to Review the COC Report. She has been a member of the Audit and Risk Committee, the Diversity Enhancement Working Group, and the Volunteer Services Working Group. Hoffman is also a member the Board of Directors of the Golf Canada Foundation, serving on the Executive Committee as Secretary and chairing both the Scholarships & Grants and the Women’s Fund Committees.

A past President of the Golf Association of Ontario, she was also the non-playing captain of Canada’s Women’s Team at the 2012, 2014 and 2016 World Amateur Team Championships and served as Golf Canada’s delegate to the Biennial meeting of the International Golf Federation in 2018. In 2020, she participated as a program mentor in the R&A’s Women in Golf Leadership Development Program and also joined the PGA of Canada’s Diversity and Inclusion Task Force. She has been active as a tournament chair and starting & scoring official at Golf Canada amateur, professional, and international competitions.

A former provincial, national, and international golfer who won both the Ontario Junior and Quebec Women’s Amateur Championship, Hoffman is a member of both the Thornhill Golf Club and the Mad River Golf Club and shares her passion for the game with her husband Rick and their sons Matt and Mark.

In late July, Golf Canada and the Golf Canada Foundation joined together to launch the COVID-19 GOLF RELIEF FUND, an initiative aimed at supporting golf courses in helping employees and golfers stay safe while also thanking front-line workers through encouraging additional play and welcoming juniors to further experience the game.

As part of the RELIEF FUND, golfers and golf fans across the country were able to participate in a digital sweepstakes campaign featuring significant prizing across Canada and the U.S. in 2021.

Golf Canada and the Golf Canada Foundation would like to thank everyone who participated in the sweepstakes and supported the COVID-19 Golf Relief Fund thus far.

We are excited to announce and congratulate our sweepstakes prize winners below:

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We are not done yet… You can still help by getting behind the COVID-19 Golf Relief Fund!

Donations to the RELIEF FUND will be accepted throughout the season.

Click here to learn more about the COVID-19 Golf Relief Fund

Despite the challenges of the pandemic in the communities where we live, work and play, golf has seen a strong increase in rounds played across the country. Interest in the game and the golf experience among avid players, new enthusiasts, and juniors has been encouraging with golf’s re-emergence through COVID-19. Golf is well positioned for continued success moving forward and as the season begins to wind down, take a moment to be proud of the industry’s collective efforts to keep golfers and course staff safe in 2020.

Like many of you, I’ve always been diligent about maintaining an accurate handicap. The reasons are ridiculously obvious: I want to know if my game is improving (or not) and I want to ensure that when I compete in net events, I’m being honest and equitable with my fellow competitors.

I never really thought about the mechanics of the system, perhaps because I was too lazy or disinterested to read through the ponderous Handicap Manual (now called the Rules of Handicapping). I gave full credit to the boffins who came up with the convoluted doorstop but never cared to interview the geniuses behind the curtain.

And then, this year, along came the World Handicap System.

Perhaps because of the restrictions due to COVID-19, golfers had more time on their hands. In any case, I’ve never been asked more handicap-related questions at the course or on social media. So, taking a cue from the manuals that accompany your new car or fridge or TV, here’s my version of a “Quick Start Guide” for the World Handicap System.

Why a new handicap system?

Why not? Golf now has both a globally recognized set of Rules as well as a worldwide handicap system. Even if you never travel outside Canada, you can be assured you are playing the same game as every other golfer around the world. The new system may require some tweaking after it’s been in effect for a while but it’s doubtful there will be another significant revision in the near future.

How does the new World Handicap System work?

At one of the meetings of the 23-member committee tasked with creating the new system, a USGA delegate compared understanding the intricacies of the handicapping system with air travel.

“I have no idea how an airplane works. I don’t understand jet propulsion, aeronautics and so on, but I trust that when I get on that plane, it will get me safely to the destination I intended.”*

Likewise, the process of coming up with the World Handicap System would make your head spin, so just concern yourself with the final outcome.

But if you’re in quarantine or a masochist or one of those aforementioned boffins, you can review the Rules of Handicapping here.

Has the Course Handicap calculation changed?

Yes. To your benefit. Under the old system, there might have been just a two- or three-shot difference in your Course Handicap from the front to back set of tees, despite the fact that those tee decks might be separated by 1,500 yards.

Under the new system, that difference now might be 10 to 12 shots because the par of the course has been integrated into the calculation.

Why doesn’t my Handicap Index go up when I post a high score?

Under the old system, the low 10 of your most recent 20 scores were used to calculate your Handicap Index. Under the new system, the low eight are used. So that bad score may not enter into the calculation. Similarly, using the most recent eight scores instead of 10 may have lowered your Index.

What the heck is Net Double Bogey?

“Net Double Bogey” has replaced the old Equitable Stroke Control system (ESC).

Now everyone’s maximum score for handicap purposes is net double bogey. Simply put, this is the par of the hole PLUS two strokes (double bogey) PLUS any handicap strokes you may be allowed on that hole.

If you don’t want to have to figure that out when you’re posting your score, let the Golf Canada Score Center do it for you. When you enter your score hole by hole, the Score Center automatically adjusts for net double bogey.

And for those of you complaining about posting scores hole by hole: You play the game hole by hole so why not post your score that way? It takes only a couple of minutes and provides some interesting data.

Here’s my Super Easy Quick Start Guide:

Post all your scores hole by hole immediately after your round. Let the Golf Canada Score Centre take care of the rest. And check out the new app which makes the process even easier.

(*Thanks to Craig Loughry, Director of Golf Services at Golf Ontario, for this anecdote and other invaluable assistance with this article. Loughry was the Canadian representative on the World Handicap Operations Committee.)

With ongoing uncertainty around the COVID-19 pandemic, Golf Canada continues to evaluate all aspects of our business to make informed and responsible decisions within the best interests of our athletes, staff, volunteers, host clubs, partners and other stakeholders health and well-being.

Golf Canada has made the decision to cancel the 2020 NextGen Prairie Championship that was scheduled to be held June 12-14 at Quarry Oaks Golf Club.

The decision to cancel this competition was not taken lightly, but we believe it is the best course of action. The safety and well-being of our competitors, tournament staff and volunteers along with our host site members and staff are paramount to Golf Canada. We also appreciate that all Canadians are dealing with health and travel concerns along with more pressing matters of uncertainty.

Golf Canada has also made the decision to cancel all 2020 Future Links Junior Skills Challenge Provincial Qualifier events and this includes the Manitoba event that was scheduled for July 5, 2020 at St. Charles Country Club. Golf is only beginning to get underway in most regions of the country and it was the lack of time for facilities to run local qualifying events, combined with the current provincial restrictions on group gatherings that led to this decision.

At this time, the Future Links Junior Skills Challenge National Event remains on the event schedule, set for August 30 at Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club in Vancouver, B.C. Golf Canada will continue to monitor the guidelines of government and health experts to assess any impact to the event. Should the National Event be hosted as scheduled, Golf Canada will operate under the previous qualifying structure whereby the top-ranked players from across the country on the online National Leaderboard, in each of the four age categories, will be invited to compete at the event.

Golf Canada is pleased to announce its 2020 Future Links Junior Skills Challenge program schedule, which now includes 10 Provincial Qualifiers hosted at member clubs across Canada and will conclude with the 12^th edition of the Future Links Junior Skills Challenge National Event at Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club in Vancouver, BC on August 29-30.

Important Dates for 2020:

• Facility Events:

July 19, 2019 – June 22, 2020 at local Future Links facilities

• Local Provincial Qualifier:

July 5, 2020 at St. Charles Country Club

• National Event:

August 29-30, 2020 at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver, BC

To become an official Future Links Junior Skills Challenge site, a facility must register with Future Links – providing access to program materials and online login information. Offered to golf facilities across Canada at no cost, the objective of the program is to develop key golf skills, while serving as an important introduction to competition.

Following registration, facilities can host a Junior Skills Challenge event at a date of their choosing (not required to report to Golf Canada). Once the event has been completed, players scores are entered to the National Leaderboard by the site coordinators. Participants can track their results to see how they measure up to other players in their age category across their own province or across Canada. The four age categories are 8 and under, 9 to 11, 12 to 14 and 15 to 18 years old. Future Links facilities will host Junior Skills Challenge events between July 19, 2019 and June 22, 2020.

Beginning in 2020, the program structure includes the addition of another level of qualifying events, at the provincial level. On Monday, June 22, 2020 at 12:00pm ET, Golf Canada will select the top four (4) ranked players in each province, in each age and gender category and invite them to compete in their respective Future Links Junior Skills Challenge Provincial Qualifiers. Each province will host a Provincial Qualifier between July 3, 2020 and July 20, 2020 and report scores to Golf Canada thereafter.

Following the Provincial Qualifiers, the top four competitors, in each age and gender category, with the highest scores nationally will be invited to compete in the 2020 Future Links Junior Skills Challenge National Event, hosted by Golf Canada. The National Event will take place on August 29-30, 2020 at the Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club in Vancouver, BC.

For more information and to renew your registration or to register your facility, please visit or log-in at https://futurelinks.golfcanada.ca/

Team Manitoba finished in 5th place at the 2019 Golf Canada Canadian Senior Men’s Championship that was held September 10-13 at the Ceder Brae Golf Club in Scarborough, Ontario. The team of Garth Collings (Breezy Bend Country Club), 2019 Senior Men’s Champion Mike Walker (St. Boniface Golf Club) and Bruce North (Carman Golf & Curling Club) posted a two-day team score of 297 to put them at +13 for the event and 15 shots back of the winning team from Alberta in the inter-provincial team competition.

Final team results >>

Individually, both Garth Collings and Bruce North made the cut and finished T15th and T38th respectively. Ken Warwick of Niakwa Country Club also made the 36-hole cut finishing in 66th place.

Final individual results >>

Next on the national stage, Team Manitoba heads out to the Covered Bridge Golf & Country Club in Hartland, New Brunswick for the 2019 Golf Canada Canadian Junior Men’s Championship. Jacob Armstrong (Southwood Golf & Country Club), Neel Soni (St. Charles Country Club) and Josh Shuster (Pine Ridge Golf Club) will represent the province in the inter-provincial team championship August 12-15.

Also playing in the event and from Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario include Jack Taylor (Elmhurst Golf & Country Club), Jack Moro (Chapples Golf Club, Thunder Bay) and Jordan McDonald (Breezy Bend).

Austin Dobrescu of Shilo Country Club continued his hot play this season with a T31 finish at the Golf Canada Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship that was played August 5-8 at the Glen Arbour Golf Course and The Links at Brunello in Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia. Dobrescu, a member of Team Manitoba that finished 5th in the Willingdon Cup inter-provincial team championship, was the lone Manitoban to make the cut in this year’s event shooting rounds of 76-74-72-71 for a 293 total. Equally impressive in his feat, Dobrescu was in a tie for 11th for Canadians who made the cut in what has now become a top international event on the world amateur golf circuit.

See final leaderboard >>

Adding to his impressive finish at the Canadian Amateur, Dobrescu, who plays collegiate golf for the Chicago State NCAA Division I Cougars, started the season with a win at the Golf Manitoba Match Play Championship, finished T3rd in the Elmhurst Invitational and had a runner-up finish in the Nott Autocorp Men’s Amateur Championship.

Upon his return to Manitoba, Dobrescu will have little time to rest as he was recently awarded a sponsor’s exemption into the 2019 Players Cup, the local stop on the PGA Tour Canada Mackenzie Tour, that will take place August 12-18 at the Southwood Golf & Country Club.