Kim Valleau named PGA of Canada Class "A" Professional of the Year
Congratulations to Kim Valleau of The Winston GC for receiving the 2022 Stan Leonard Class “A” Professional of the Year honour! The Award is the highest honour the Association can bestow on a working Class “A” Professional at a golf course whose total contributions to the game best exemplify the PGA of Canada Class “A” Professional
Wes Heffernan Wins his Second Mike Weir Male Player of the Year Award
Another dominant year included wins at the PGA Championship of Canada and the Cobra Puma Golf PGA of Alberta Assistants’ Championship. Heffernan also added runner up finishes at the Zone Championship and the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada.
His win at the PGA Championship was certainly the highlight. Just a few weeks after playing in the RBC Canadian Open, Heffernan looked right at home at Beacon Hall Golf Club, dominating throughout the week to claim the P.D. Ross Trophy.
This is Heffernan’s second time winning the Mike Weird Player of the Year Award, first winning in 2019 after claiming the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada at TPC Toronto.
PGA of Alberta Office Hours Update - Closed Dec. 19th - Jan. 2nd
The Professional Golfers’ Association of Alberta would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! The office will be closed starting December 19th and will open again on Tuesday, January 3rd, 2023. We look forward to reconnecting with everyone in the new year.
The Assistants Board is excited to present their first webinar of 2023 on;
"Planning and Implementing Successful Leagues and Events at Your Facility".
This will be the first 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.
Stay tuned for the panelist announcement
Date
Time
Location
Capacity
January 13th, 2023
10:00am-11:15am
Zoom Conference Call
Unlimited
*Reminder this is free to all members*
Association News
Run for the Board of Directors or Assistants’ Board in 2023
Interested in running for a position on either the PGA of Alberta Board of Directors or Assistants’ Board of Directors in 2023? If yes, click the link below (login required) for more information and to be directed to the online Nomination form. Deadline to submit your interest is Friday, January 20th, 2023 at 11:59pm.
Board of Directors The Board of Directors sets all policies, rules and regulations for the PGA of Alberta, meeting on a quarterly basis to conduct the business affairs on behalf of the members. There are between nine and twelve members elected to the PGA of Alberta Board of Directors, all are Class "A" members of the PGA of Canada. Elections to the Board are held every year at the Annual General Meeting in March and election terms are set at three years.
Four (4) spots are open for election in 2023 for the Board of Directors. Click here to see the current Board.
Assistants’ Board of Directors Assistant Professionals (Class "A") and Apprentice Professionals also have a voice in the Association, through the Assistants’ Board of Directors. Up to nine Class "A" members or Apprentice Professionals are invited to run annually for two-year Committee terms on the Assistants’ Board of Directors, and upon election assume a portfolio, and attend Committee meetings consistent with those on the Board of Directors.
Five (5) spots are open for election in 2023 for the Assistants’ Board of Directors. Click here to see the current Assistants’ Board.
REMINDER - SAVE DRAFT FEATURE You can save your forms online before submitting. Please follow the steps below:
You must be logged into your account to be able to save your draft
Save Draft button is located at the bottom of every form on the website
To find Saved Drafts, please go to "My Account" or "Manage Account" > My Saved Drafts
Click "Edit" beside the form you want to update
Submit when finished
Golf Show News
Two Days Left for Early Bird Pricing at Alberta Golf Shows
The Association is excited to get the Calgary & Edmonton Golf Shows back up and running after being cancelled the last three years. Please be advised that Early Bird Exhibitor pricing is available until Friday, December 16th for both Shows. Be sure to take advantage of the discounted rates and don’t miss out on being a part of the first Alberta Golf Shows in four years!
Why Exhibit at the Shows? #1 - Promote your facility/company to over 7,000 passionate golfers throughout the province. The Calgary Show sees approx. 4,000 - 4,500 attendees and the Edmonton Show sees approx. 2,500 - 3,000 attendees.
#2 - Your facility/company has the opportunity to sell green fees (bundle packs), products, memberships, lesson packages, league play, simulator leagues, and whatever else your facility/company has to offer to the thousands of golfers in attendance.
#3 - Take advantage of the upswing of new golfers the industry has experienced over the last three years. This is a perfect opportunity to expose your brand to new demographics in a fun environment.
#4 - Support the Association and Industry - With the cancellation of the Golf Shows over the last three years, the 2023 Shows will give the PGA of Alberta and Exhibitors the chance to give back to Albertans that have supported golf facilities and the industry during the pandemic.
#5 - Top 100 Points - New this year, all PGA of Alberta members at a facility that exhibits at either Golf Show will receive 5 Top 100 points for the new program year! See standings HERE.
Questions If you have any questions, please contact Trevor Rioux at [email protected]. Click links above to Register (login required).
We are deeply saddened to announce the recent passing of PGA of Alberta member Andy Black. Andy has been a lifelong member of the Association becoming a Class "A" member of the PGA of Canada in 1973 and receiving his 25-year milestone in 1998. He passed away in December at the age of 77 years.
Andy had a notable career as the Head Professional of Earl Grey GC in Calgary which lasted 27 years before he retired in 2004. During that span, Andy won the PGA of Alberta Seniors’ Championship in 1998, and won again two years after he retired in 2006, making him one of eight members to win multiple Seniors’ Championships. Our thoughts are with Andy’s family and friends during this difficult time.
A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, December 17th at 2:00pm at the Earl Grey Golf Club in Calgary.
PGA of Canada News
Craig Gibson Wins PGA Head Professional Championship of Canada
When Sirocco Golf Club Head Professional Craig Gibson stood on the 16th tee on Thursday afternoon, he trailed by four strokes.
That left just three holes to make up those four strokes on his playing partner, Rob Tadey, who entered the day with a one-stroke lead at the PGA Head Professional Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf and supported by G&G Brands.
Oh yah; he also trailed Stephen Cox by four strokes; who was about to tee off on No. 18 at about the same time Gibson was hitting his tee shot on the par 3 16th at Verrado Golf Club just outside Phoenix, AZ.
Peeking at the leaderboard around this time, Gibson knew he needed something special to happen if he was going to stamp his name in PGA of Canada championship history.
The next half hour you almost had to see to believe:
2:34 PM: Gibson nails 30-foot birdie putt on 16 to move to -9, trialing Cox and Tadey by 3.
2:45 PM: Cox hits his second on the par-5 18th short left of the green into the desert, takes an unplayable lie and moves backwards on-line with the pin up a 30-foot, 45-degree grade hill to take a drop in (less dense) desert, ending up with a bogey to finish at -11, one back of Tadey.
2:47 PM: Gibson hits it to an inch on No. 17 to move to -10.
2:55 PM: With a one-stroke lead, Tadey hits his approach shot left, losing his ball in the desert, and makes a double bogey with his provisional to finish at -10.
3:05 PM: Gibson hits a tidy chip to kick-in length for birdie on 18 to finish at -11.
Gibson vs. Cox playoff.
Four playoff holes later, Gibson fought back tears on the 18th green after making his fourth birdie on the hole of the day.
The six-footer he made on his 22nd hole of the day wasn’t just for him – not this time – but also for his wife and baby daughter at home, 2,500 km away.
“I can’t wait to take a picture of Georgia [his daughter] and the trophy,” said Gibson, who celebrated Georgia’s first birthday alongside his wife Courtney just weeks before making the trek to Verrado Golf Club. “It’s special. I started to kiss my ball marker with her name on it, so this one, it is awesome.”
Gibson was stellar all week long, firing 66-68-71 to finish on top at the final PGA of Canada national championship of the season.
Congratulations to the following Professionals from Alberta for all finishing inside the top 25 at the Championship:
Craig Gibson Sits One Stroke Back of Lead at PGA Head Professional Championship of Canada
After two rounds of competition, Craig Gibson (Sirocco GC) sits only one stroke back of the lead at 10-under at the PGA Head Professional Championship of Canada. Craig is playing his best golf right now after firing back-to-back rounds of 66-68 at the Verrado Golf Club just outside of Phoenix, AZ. He shot a bogey-free round yesterday and will look to do the same today as he attempts to win his first PGA of Canada major. Craig tees off in the final group this morning at 10:50am.
Sitting inside the top 20 of the tournament from Alberta includes the following members:
Congratulations to Team Alberta for finishing in third place in the InterZone competition at the Championship. The team consisted of Stefan Cox, Kevin Black, Adam Bruce (GOLFTEC Sherwood Park), and Weston Gillett (Lacombe G&CC).
