PGA of BC

E-NEWS

NOVEMBER 1, 2023

Coming to you LIVE on November 10 at 3:00pm PST, Foresight Sports Canada is excited to present their very first live webinar: Foresight Talks. This first session will be hosted by Golf Talk Canada’s very own Mark Zecchino, and the featured speaker will be Ralph Bauer.

Mark Zecchino is a PGA of Canada Professional who has worked in the golf industry for over 30 years. Formerly representing Augusta National and The Masters Broadcast in Canada behind the camera lens for 11 years, in 2009 he launched Canada’s only National Golf Talk Program (Golf Talk Canada). Today along with Bob Weeks and Adam Scully, Golf Talk Canada is still Canada’s only National Golf Talk Program on the TSN Television & Radio Network. Mark is also the only Canadian member of the PGA Tour Radio Live Play By Play Team, as well as a Host for PGA Tour LIVE TV coverage on ESPN+ & TSN+. Once again in 2024, Mark will be a member of the TSN Major Coverage crew starting in April with The Masters in Augusta Georgia. 

Ralph Bauer has coached on the PGA Tour for the past 16 years, with his students this year winning almost $40 Million. He is the Director of Instruction at Hamilton Golf & Country Club and the Co-Founder of the Tour Read Green Reading system. Ralph was one of the first 2-3 Coaches to use the GC Quad on the PGA Tour. He is on The Foresight Sports Advisory Board along with Swing Catalyst. Ralph has also coached Team Canada at the Olympics as well as the President's Cup. He is looking forward to sharing concepts and ideas he has learned from working with new golfers to PGA Tour Players.

Foresight Sports Canada looks forward to diving into some exciting and interesting topics, ranging from how Ralph utilizes the GC Quad on Tour to provide his players with the best data for performance, to his life on Tour and what that experience was like for him. 

Foresight Sports Canada is a Silver-level partner of the PGA of BC and the presenting sponsor of the Association's Education Series. To register for Foresight Talks, please click here.

The PGA of BC is proud to announce the winners of the Association's 2023 Awards.

We were thrilled to recognize the winners at the 2023 Awards Celebration presented by Tribal on the evening of Wednesday, October 25 at the River Rock Casino Resort. Thank you to everyone who attended the Celebration and showed their support for all the incredible and deserving winners. To view a comprehensive list of all winners, please click here.

Thank you to all members and industry professionals who attended the 2023 PGA of BC Buying Show and Awards Celebration. We extend our appreciation to Buying Show sponsor Boxto Golf, and to Awards Celebration sponsor Tribal.

We additionally would like to thank Troy Slogocki from iScoreGolf for providing audio & visual presentation services for both the Buying Show and our Awards Celebration. The digital screens provided by iScoreGolf gave us the opportunity to enhance the visual flair of the event and put on an improved Awards Celebration presentation. 

We are always looking to improve our show each year and value the feedback from attendees. If you have any questions or would like to provide additional feedback outside of the context of a survey, please feel free to reach out to Programs Manager Dan Czerwenka at [email protected].

To complete the post-event member survey, please click the link below:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/R98R6ST

Information via the PGA of Canada

Pay your membership dues in full by November 1, 2023 via cash, cheque or online banking, OR choose the 3-month payment plan option and be automatically entered into a draw to win one of three PGA of Canada gift cards (1 x $1,000, 2 x $750), which can be used toward any PGA of Canada or Zone service, including education and professional development, tournament entry fees or even future membership dues. 

Pay by cash, cheque or online banking by November 1, 2023 to receive a discount of $17.50 (plus tax) on your annual membership. *not applicable to Life Professionals*

Payments made after today will be subject to a late fee penalty.

Click here to see exclusive insurance rates available to PGA of Canada Members and Apprentices.

Haus of Golf and G&G Brands are thrilled to introduce the G&G Tour Winter Series.

This monthly event series for PGA of BC professionals features 3 tournaments over the winter, with the top 12 players in the points race advancing to the Winter Championship in February!

FORMAT OF PLAY

Following the NEXT Golf Tour format and style of play, competitors will play 18 holes of individual stroke play at Haus of Golf using TrackMan technology. Players have a determined timeframe to enter and compete and can play at their convenience throughout the week.

Putting will be automated, based on the following guidelines:

• 9’ or closer : 1 putt
• 10’ to 59’ 11” : 2 putts
• 60’+ : 3 putts

Please note this event series is open to PGA of Canada professionals only.

TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

In each event, players are awarded points based on their finish. After St. George's in January, the top 12 players will be invited to compete in a special, same-day Tour Championship on February 4, 2024.

ENTRY FEE

G&G TOUR MEMBERS – $120

NON-MEMBERS – $140

REGISTER HERE

Entry fee includes the bay time at Haus of Golf to compete. For more questions, please reach out to Haus of Golf General Manager Jared Siminoff at [email protected].

Information via the PGA of Canada

Tee Talks Live, a multi-day professional development conference for PGA of Canada Members and Apprentices, is back, this December 1-3 in Ottawa, ON.

The conference is also open to non-members to attend!

This year's conference is held at a spectacular event, with an array of speakers covering teaching & coaching, golf operations and blended and other related topics over the three days.

In addition, there will be a tremendous blend of networking events, socials, keynote speakers and interactive sessions throughout the conference to ensure YOU get the most out of this opportunity.

The lineup of speakers will continue to evolve as we move closer to the conference, with multiple announcements expected throughout the spring and summer.

Please register by November 15, 2023 and don't miss out on this incredible opportunity for education and networking!

For more information, please contact Kendra Isaak, PGA of Canada Director of Operations at [email protected]

The deadline to submit 2023 PGA of BC Professional Development Program points is December 1, 2023.

Please ensure all PDP point submissions are filled out HERE.

The deadline for Apprentice Professionals to meet their education requirements is also December 1, 2023.

To maintain Active Status, Apprentice Professionals are expected to meet the annual credit minimum for their Training Year by December 1. Any credits above the minimum requirement will count towards the following year deadline.

Failure to fulfil these expectations will result in an adjustment of membership status effective December 1, until the outstanding requirements are met for a maximum of two years.

Example of total credits required for each training year:

In the first year, the following courses are required:

Instructor of Beginner Golfers Workshop

Respect in Sport for Activity Leaders

History & Background of the PGA of Canada

Career Literacy Part 1: Map Your Career Path

The additional 10 Core Credits and 15 Elective Credits can be achieved at any point over the six-year tenure.

Caelan Booth has left Fairview Mountain Golf Club

Charles Beneteau has left Revelstoke Golf Club

Miao (Lincoln) Li has successfully completed the National Training Academy and becomes a Class "A" Professional 

Ryan Fisher has transferred from the Alberta Zone and joins Fairmont Hot Springs Resort as an Apprentice Professional 

Charles Maxwell's application for Life Designation has been approved

Craig Wilkinson has resigned from the PGA of Canada 

Christine Wong has successfully completed the National Training Academy and becomes a Class "A" Professional

Nathan Grieve has resigned from the PGA of Canada

Mark LaVigne has returned from his Leave of Absence

Edwin MacDonald has left Kokanee Springs Golf Resort

William Byrne has left The Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club and joins Haus of Golf 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 [email protected] to notify us of the post.

Vernon Golf & Country Club - Assistant Professional

The Rise Golf Course - Assistant Golf Professional

Summerland Golf & Country Club - Apprentice/Assistant Golf Professional

Tour Development Academy - Assistant/Apprentice Golf Professional

Fairview Mountain Golf Club - Assistant Golf Professional

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.

February 5 & 6, 2024

Spring Education Seminar

CONTACT THE PGA OF BC OFFICE TEAM