Play Golf Alberta Becomes Title Sponsor of the PGA of Alberta Junior Masters
The PGA of Alberta is excited to announce a new partnership with Play Golf Alberta as the Title Sponsor of the Association’s Junior Masters event for the next three years! This year’s event will be hosted at Wolf Creek Golf Resort in Ponoka on May 19 & 20.
Thanks to this new partnership with Play Golf Alberta, invited players will now receive FREE entry into this year’s event! Juniors will not have to pay an entry fee to participate in the tournament which includes two rounds of golf at Wolf Creek GR, meal after each round, and prizes. Invitations for this year’s Junior Masters will be sent to players later this month.
The Junior Masters is a 36-hole invitational Junior Golf Tournament organized each year by the PGA of Alberta. This tournament exists to provide the top 40 boys and top 20 girls in the province with a highly competitive and affordable golf experience through its partnership with Wolf Creek GR. Celebrating its 32nd year in 2022, this event is initiated to provide elite level competition to a limited field of Alberta’s top junior golfers.
"Play Golf Alberta is excited to become the Title Sponsor of the PGA of Alberta Junior Masters" said Jeff Sveen, Play Golf Alberta Owner. "We’re so proud to be able to give back to Junior Golf in Alberta and partner with the PGA of Alberta. Looking forward to a great tournament at Wolf Creek".
About Play Golf Alberta… Play Golf Alberta Ltd. is owned and operated byJeff Sveen, a member of the PGA of Canada since 1989. In 2010, Play Golf Alberta began as a one-stop website for online tee times.
In 2018, Play Golf Alberta launched a new website enabling golfers to book tee times online, in real time and interfaced directly to golf course tee sheets. As of spring 2019, up to 4 players can be booked online with over 25,000 rounds of inventory available to golfers with No Membership or Booking Fees.
For more information on Play Golf Alberta, please visit their website www.playgolfalberta.comor contact their Representative below:
Congratulations to the following members for reaching their 25 & 50 Year milestone as a Class "A" Member of the PGA of Canada in 2022! All members were recognized at the Annual General Meeting on March 16th for their outstanding dedication to the Association and golf industry. With such an accomplishment, the National office will recognize each members milestone with a special gift!
Hole In One Insurance Program Now Open - Purchase Today!
Add some excitement to your tournaments and club leagues this season by purchasing Hole in One Insurance through the PGA of Alberta HIO program! In partnership with Foster Park Brokers Inc., the HIO program provides members and non-members the opportunity to purchase affordable HIO insurance for your club, corporate, and charity events!
What Denominations Can I Purchase? Any denomination from $500 to $50,000 per hole can be purchased online. Should you wish to purchase more than $50,000 per hole, please contact [email protected] for a custom quote. On coverage up to $100,000, PGA of Alberta members will always receive the best possible premium from Foster Park Brokers.
What are the Benefits of PGA of Alberta HIO Program?
Competitive industry rates
Low prize limit amounts available for purchase (under $5,000)
Fixed rate for field sizes from 32 to 199 players
Easy to purchase online
Purchase for one event OR for an entire season worth of events at once
Modify your events by contacting the office based on any changes that occur throughout the season
Fees/Premium waived if tournament is cancelled due to inclement weather
No dealing with the insurance company directly
Supporting the Association and golf industry
How Do I Purchase? Coverage can be easily purchased on the PGA of Alberta website with the following steps:
Login to the website and select ‘My Hole In One’ under ’Manage Account’ or ’My Account’
Select the ’Create New Event’ button
Follow the step-by-step instructions that will guide you through the easy purchasing process. It’s as simple as that!
*If you are a non-member of the PGA of Alberta and interested in purchasing, please contact Marlene Sanderson at the PGA of Alberta office (see contact info below).
Questions? If have any questions on how this program can work for you, please contact Marlene Sanderson (E: [email protected] or P: 403-256-8894 / TF: 1-888-866-6140).
The Assistants Board is excited to present their fourth webinar on"How To Structure Lessons and Maximize Teaching Revenue". The Panelists joining us will be;
Scott Stiles - Earl Grey GC
Riley Fleming - Lynx Ridge GC
Josh Fleming - 365 Golf
Chad Feener - Leduc GC
This will be the last of four webinars produced by the assistants board with the intention of providing professional development for all assistants within the industry. This will produce an avenue for networking and relationship building so members can continue to further their careers.
Date
Time
Location
Capacity
March 24th, 2022
10:00am-11:00am
Zoom Conference Call
Unlimited
*Reminder this is free to all members*
Tournament News
Tournament Schedule Now Live
The 2022 tournament schedule is now live on the website! Be sure to check out the schedule and mark your calendar with your favourite events.
Tournament Registration will open for ALL tournaments on: Friday, March 25th at 10am. Please read the information below for important updates on the tournament program and new initiatives being implemented this season so you know what to expect.
Tournament Registration Tournament registration will follow the same process as last season allowing members to register for all events once opened. Members will not have to pay for each event until 28-days prior to the tournament date.
Eligibility Form The 2022 Tournament Eligibility Form is available on the PGA of Alberta website. The form is required to be filled out by every member playing in a PGA of Alberta sanctioned tournament this year.
After the form has been submitted and approved by the PGA of Alberta office, the member will receive notification by email stating they are able to register for events online once registration opens on: Friday, March 25th at 10am.
Withdrawal Policy The Withdrawal Policy for 2022 will be as follows:
Withdrawal up to 28-days prior to event date, before Payment Deadline = 100% Refund
Withdrawal after Payment Deadline but 14-days prior to event date = $50 Administration Charge
Withdrawal less than 14-days prior to event date but before Registration Deadline = 50% Refund of entry fee
Withdrawal after draw is posted, after Registration Deadline = No Refund
The registration deadline date will continue to be Wednesday’s at 4pm of the week prior to the event date. This gives administrative staff, host venues and players more time to plan their schedules in advance.
Pro-Assistant We are pleased to be bringing the event back to Jasper Park Lodge GC in 2022. For anyone that missed the event last season, be sure to take advantage this time around since feedback from the tournament survey was overwhelming. The office will announce several room blocks in the coming weeks. We encourage you to sign up once registration opens (if eligible) and secure your room as early as possible to take advantage of the preferred rates.
Pro-Ams The format for Pro-Am events (Pro-Junior, Pro-Senior and Pro-Lady) will continue as a Team Net Stableford in 2022. This will ensure scoring is transparent and the focus remains on the team aspect for these events.
Ladies’ Division For 2022, we will be continuing with the Ladies’ Divisions added to all our Pro-Pro team events to give female Professionals more opportunities to compete against each other in addition to the Ladies’ Championship. Based on survey feedback from female Professionals, team events are the most preferred tournaments for their demographic.
To register once registration has opened, please sign up for the Ladies’ Division team event offerings (Best-Ball & Scramble) you want to play in and during the registration process, please indicate who your partner will be.
Seniors’ Division We will again be hosting two Seniors’ Division events added to Golf Supply House Series events. Members must be 50 years or older by the tournament date to be eligible to participate in this division. Please be advised that there is only 1 Seniors’ Division event on the schedule currently, discussions are ongoing and Seniors’ Division #2 will be announced soon.
If eligible, we encourage you to participate this season as it gives you the opportunity to play in more events with members of a similar age.
Skins Tournament Skins will again be included as part of the entry fee for all stroke play events this season (Golf Supply House Series and Championships) and will again continue to be 20$ per 1 Day event and 40$ for 2 Day events.
Herb Paterson Named Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient with the PGA of Alberta
The Association is proud to announce the late Herb Paterson as the newest Lifetime Achievement Award recipient for the PGA of Alberta. Herb was unanimously selected by the Board of Directors to become the second recipient of this prestigious Award in the Industry Pillar, following Jack Skellern who received the honour in 2014.
About Herb Paterson… Born in 1925, Herb Paterson is probably best known for his salesmanship, having bought out his father-in-law’s Titleist distributorship in the early 1960’s. Herb started at Jim Morrison Ltd. in 1957, and since his territory was Canada, he travelled across the country by car to service his accounts. He had a remarkable, distinguished and enviable 48-year career as the exclusive distributor for Titleist.
Herb grew the business from a modest annual sales volume of $250,000 to $36+ million by acquiring the exclusive Titleist distribution rights to Fiji, Samoa, Guam, Alaska, Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand and Hawaii, in addition to Canada. He would store Titleist, Bag Boy and Etonic products in his basement so that he could be as responsive to his customers as possible.
In 1980, Herb brought his son, David, into the business and they would continue growing the business until 1993, when Acushnet purchased his business. For the next three years, Herb would stay on as a consultant, finally retiring from the day-to-day grind in 1996. But Herb would continue as an ambassador for the company, attending educational seminars and networking events to keep the Titleist name front of mind for golf professionals.
Herb started the Alberta - BC professional team matches that included the seniors and the ladies, which was a great way for Professionals in the two provinces to get together and exchange ideas.
Before Acushnet bought the business, Herb sponsored the PGA of Alberta Assistants’ Championship Pro-Am which was always well attended. Herb supported Association events, got to know all the Golf Professionals in the area and would give them free golf balls.
After Acushnet took over, he never stopped participating in PGA of Alberta events; attending the Buying Show, Spring Seminar and always spending his own money to remain connected.
Named Honourary Life Member by the PGA of Canada in 2008, Herb was the first recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award in the British Columbia Zone in 2001.
Outside of golf, Herb also distinguished himself. During the Second World War, Herb joined the Royal Canadian Air Force, serving as Navigator with the rank of Pilot Officer. After the war ended, Paterson attended the University of British Columbia, graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce degree.
On Feb. 24, 2015, Herb peacefully passed away after a hard-fought battle with cancer, having just turned 90 years old two weeks earlier. He was survived by sons David, Alan, daughter Carolyn; grandchildren Colin, Hilary, Alana and Rachel, his second wife of 16-years Emilie, and his Titleist family and legion of friends throughout the golf industry in Canada and the USA.
Click Here to watch PGA of Alberta Member and former Association President John D. Wilson (Priddis Greens G&CC) presenting the Award who had a close relationship with Herb.
Click Here to view past Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients with the PGA of Alberta.
Education News
Podcast S3E7 Now Live
Episode 7 brings Golf Architect, Riley Johns from Canmore, AB, to the podcast where he will be discussing the wonderful world of golf architecture. Riley will be sharing:
Where he sees the industry moving after Covid-19
The journey from designing a facility from start to finish
What he has learned working with Tom Doak and Ben Crenshaw
What courses he has worked on and designed
For any professional with an interest in golf course design, this is a must listen. Thank you to Troy Mills (Jasper Park Lodge GC)for hosting Riley Johns.
Stay tuned in the coming weeks Josh Fleming (365 Golf) will be hosting the final 2 podcasts for this season.
The Annual General Meeting of the Members of the Professional Golfers’ Association of Alberta will be held this week on Wednesday, March 16thstarting at 10:00am MST. The AGM will be held virtually through Zoom. Please see the below updates for the meeting. Special Guest – We are pleased to announce that recent PGA of Canada Hall of Fame Inductee Mr. Don Price (pictured above) will be a special guest at the AGM. Don will be recognized for his contributions to the Alberta Zone which includes some of the following; being a Board Member for over 10 years, the Zone National Director, and serving as Association President from 1976 - 1980. He is also a two-time PGA of Alberta Lifetime Achievement Award recipient in both the Leadership and Association Builder pillars. Don will also be saying a few words at the meeting!
Board Elections– Voting for the Board and Assistants’ Board Elections is being executed online through a secure voting platform. Deadline to vote is March 16th, just after the start of the AGM. Please contact [email protected] if you have not received an email for voting instructions. Please note there will be no floor nominations.
Top 100 Points- Members will receive 3 Top 100 points for attending the virtual AGM. Members MUST attend the live stream to receive points. No points will be given for watching the recorded version of the AGM.
Tiffany Gordon Re-Elected as National Director for Alberta Zone
The PGA of Canada is pleased to announce that after a week-long election in the Alberta zone, Tiffany Gordon of Carnmoney GC will continue to represent Alberta on the PGA of Canada National Board of Directors. There were 99 votes total in the Alberta election (22% of eligible Class “A” voters).
The 2022 PGA of Canada AGM is scheduled for May 12, 2022. More details will follow in the coming months about timing and location of the event.
All members will be invited to attend, however, as defined in the by-laws of the PGA of Canada, only Class “A” voting members of the Association may vote.
Exhibitor Registration Now Open for the 2022 PGA of Alberta Buying Show
Exhibitor Registration for the 2022 PGA of Alberta Buying Show is Now Open! The PGA of Alberta would like to invite your company to attend this annual Show being hosted on October 18 – 20 at the Calgary BMO Centre. Attendee Registration for PGA Members and Green Grass Facilities will open in April.
The purpose of the Buying Show is to bring Golf Professionals, Equipment Manufacturers and Sales Representatives all together in the same building, in order for them to prepare their inventories for the following season. Over the course of the three days, nearly 1,200 people gather from across the province and country to conduct business and look at what’s new and exciting in the golf industry in a professional setting. The Buying Show is an event that is restricted to PGA of Canada Members, Non-PGA of Canada Facilities and Golf Industry Equipment Manufacturers and Suppliers.
The registration process for Exhibitors is simple and can be completed online by visiting the PGA of Alberta website. Click on the following links for the Exhibitor Information Package which includes details on Exhibitor Benefits, Show Schedule, Booth Rates, Show Terms & Conditions, etc., or to register your company for the Show.
The Education Committee will be hosting 2 teaching summits this year. These events are a great opportunity to learn from some of the great teaching pros in Alberta and down south. Spots will be limited for both events so make sure you mark the registration dates on your calendars.
The 2022 Alberta Teaching Summit is a two day event at a premier local facility, where PGA of Alberta Golf Professionals congregate to share ideas and improve their standing as teachers of the game. The goal of this program itself, is to elevate the collective skills of PGA of Alberta Golf Professionals as instructors and coaches. This Teaching Summit is open to all PGA of Alberta members looking to improve their abilities, strategies, and methods, especially those who are looking to find their strengths and pathway as instructors and coaches. This year’s edition of the Alberta Teaching Summit will feature 4 leading professionals from within our association to facilitate the event over both days, leading participants through different themes and topics. Participants will also enjoy lunch in the clubhouse each day, and a round of golf following Day 1.
The goal of the committee is to rotate this event to a central and north location over the next 2 years.
South Teaching Summit
The Education Committee is working to bring back a teaching summit to a south USA destination. Stay tuned as we get closer to the season for more details regarding this event.
PGA of Canada News
PGA of Canada Tee Talks Live - Register Today
To help with your professional development, the PGA of Canada has two remaining sessions occurring on consecutive Monday’s - March 7 & 14 - each being one-and-a-half hours in length and commencing at 12 PM MST. This speaker series is FREE to all PGA of Canada members.
This year’s series will build on last year’s topic about resiliency and leadership through challenging times. PGA professionals are the most important individuals in the country when it comes to growing the game. From the grass roots level on, golfers from coast-to-coast trust and respect PGA professionals. That’s why it is more important than ever to keep learning from industry experts to spark creativity and maximize your business’s opportunities. Golf is shifting more-and-more towards the forefront of consumers minds, it’s time to keep that trend going! To Register: Click here for details and to register
Association News
Board Elections - Reminder to Vote
Please be reminded to submit your vote for the 2022 PGA of Alberta Board of Directors and Assistants’ Board elections if you have not done so already. If you are a member of the PGA of Alberta and did not receive an email with instructions on how to vote, please contact [email protected].
Board of Directors Election (8 Nominees) Four spots are open for election for the Board of Directors. Voting will close just after the start of the AGM on March 16th.
Assistants’ Board of Directors Election (7 Nominees) Four spots are open for election for the Assistants’ Board of Directors. Voting will close just after the start of the AGM on March 16th.
The 2022 golf season is just around the corner and we hope you are looking forward to the upcoming Tournament Season beginning in May. The schedule will officially be released after completion of the Annual General Meeting onWednesday, March 16th. Registration will open for ALL events the following week on Friday, March 25th @ 10:00 AM. We have a great line up of events which include Championships, Golf Supply House Series, Pro-Ams, and Pro-Pro Team events supported by a top-notch list of Sponsors & Partners.
The 2022 Tournament Eligibility Form is NOW available for submission online. Click here for 2022 Eligibility Form. This form is required to be filled out by every member playing in a PGA of Alberta sanctioned tournament this year. You will receive an email communication when the form is available for submission.
The Education committee will be hosting one teaching summit in the province on June 13th and 14th at The Glencoe. Registration for the event will open on March 7th at 10am. Mark your calendars as this event is limited to 14 spots.
Assistants Board PD Series #4
"How to Structure Lessons and Maximize Teaching Revenue"
The last webinar for the assistants board will be held March 24th at 10am. These are a great way to learn from your fellow golf professionals, as well as build a network within the membership. This webinar is offered free to all PGA of Alberta Members so take advantage.
