VOLUME 5 ISSUE 3 A 2017 golf season adapted to all types of players A robust recovery at Club de golf Saint- Prime-sur-le-lac-St- Jean The #GETOUTPLAYGOLF campaign,
Volume 5 Issue 3 Message from the Executive Director Jean-Pierre Beaulieu A decade of progress August 2007. This is when I started working as Executive Director of Golf Québec. Already ten years. A decade devoted to implement, with the help of our employees, exciting initiatives promoting active participation in the game of golf by more players. 10 years later, 2017 will be the most interesting golf season to this date. guarantee her a card to play on the LPGA Tour, next year. This is exciting news. I am confident that it will be interesting as our industry is gradually reintegrating its rightful place as a leader on the sports scene. Despite the heavy rainfalls of this past month of April, let s not forget that the 2016 golf season registered a 6% increase in the number of golf rounds played in Québec*. Our future still looks good! For instance, this spring, we witness an exciting record of visitors at the Montréal and Québec City golf shows. In April, courses started to open for play and golfers were able to enjoy excellent course conditions right away. From day one, the greens of our Southern Québec facilities were impeccable, offering midsummer-like conditions. Things are looking promising! To get us even more eager to get out and play, two young Québec women are extremely successful on the international professional stage. An Eastern Townships native, Maude-Aimée LeBlanc is experiencing one of her best golf seasons on the LPGA with a 7th place at the Australian Open, among others. A Québec City resident, Anne-Catherine Tanguay keeps on collecting great finishes on the Symetra Tour. She is currently 4th on the world s money ranking. Maintaining her place within the top 10 would Anne-Catherine Tanguay (Photo by Gab Roux) Everything seems to line up for a domino effect that will stimulate our youths and incite them to discover the sport of a lifetime. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdv1synltsq
Golf Québec and the industry have quite an impact In complement to this good news, I must say that I am very proud of our Get Out, Play Golf communication campaign. There is only one main goal to this campaign: contribute to increasing the number of golf rounds played in the coming golf season. We must democratize our sport. Make it more attractive, accessible and fun, focused on leisure and its social aspect. The communication campaign will create a buzz within the industry. It will make people talk about the game, get the attention of beginners and occasional golfers. By mid-may, you will see it on television, hear it on the radio, and discover it on your social networks. Be part of this community momentum, get into golf! https://www.facebook.com/get-out-play-golf- 1371348482933303/?ref=ts&fref=ts I would like to challenge each of you personally. This season, contribute to this promotional campaign in three easy ways. 1 Bring a child to the golf club on May 28 to celebrate Canada s National Golf Day. 2 Play golf with a woman. 3 Introduce someone new to the game. I am convinced that 2017 will be known as the year when the golf industry was revitalized with many more amazing years to come. Now, put your magazine or your electronic tablet down and Get Out, Play Golf! * NCGOA Statistics, November 2016.
Communication Get Out, Play Golf! In 2016, the number of golf rounds played in Québec increased by 6% (NGCOA). This is excellent news. Yet, the industry is still facing clear challenges. We must incite Quebecers to rediscover the fun of playing golf and the enjoyment of a day spent in the outdoors. Create a buzz Launched in 2016 on the main television networks with a 30-second advertising spot, the Get Out, Play Golf communication campaign will literally explode this summer. It will be on TV, on the radio, in social networks, and supported by public figures. It will leave you speechless. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdv1synltsq Inciting golf amateurs to play more often and seduce new segments of clientele; this is quite an exciting challenge. This summer, Golf Québec will lead a communication campaign launched in collaboration with its industry partners. The only goal of this joined initiative is to contribute to increasing the number of golf rounds that will be played throughout the 2017 season. Golf is an exciting and stimulating physical activity that brings families, friends, and colleagues together in a laid-back sports environment. It s a fun, social activity that is more affordable and accessible than ever. It all depends on the venue, the timing, and the playing format. A television ad aired on many channels, four advertising spots in rotation on five radio channels of the Cogeco Group (Radio circulation 730, CKOI 96.9, 98.5, The Beat 92,5 and Rythme FM), as well as dynamic content published on social networks including a brand new Get Out, Play Golf Facebook page. This is what we are looking forward to in order to promote participation in the game. Many contests will also be announced. Moreover, two well-known golf fans will actively support this campaign. They are: Philo Lirette, radio host on the CKOI drive-home show, and Daniel Melançon, host and sports reporter on TVA. Most of all, our sport provides the population with a great opportunity to develop a healthy lifestyle. It caters to all tastes and clienteles. It must be said, it must be experienced, and it must be known. This is exactly the goal of our 2017 campaign. This campaign will create a buzz uniting the golf industry. It will make people talk about the sport while getting the attention of new and occasional golfers. Media will chime in, and everyone will be able to interact on social networks. By mid-may, you will feel connected to this great initiative! GO ON The golf season is here. Get out, play golf! Over 300 courses await you.
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Competition The Men s Provincial Tour is taking off The month of May is traditionally dedicated to the Spring Open. Six qualifiers are held around the province leading to the presentation of the Spring Open, the first event comprised in the Turkish Airlines Men s Provincial Tour.. Once again, this annual rendezvous gathering amateur and professional golfers will be launching the Golf Québec competitive season at the Beaconsfield Golf Club, on May 26. This will be the beginning of a very busy schedule bringing amateur golfers to travel around the province. Summerlea will be host, in June, to the Mid-Amateur Provincial Championship while Elm Ridge will receive the U25 Championship (formerly known as the Future Pros Championship). In July, excitement will reach its peak with the Triple Crown composed of the Alexander of Tunis to be held at Rivermead, the Duke of Kent at the Royal Québec Golf Club, and Men s Amateur Provincial Championship presented at Eagle Creek. The season will come to an end with the Antoine- Loranger Players Championship at Le Blainvillier. An exciting race The golf season will most likely be full of surprises and the race for the Golfer of the Year title will be fierce. Throughout the summer, it will be possible to keep an eye out for the evolution of the provincial ranking with the Turkish Airlines Men s Order of Merit. Joey Savoie, 2016 Québec Amateur Champion A natural partnership Partner of the Men s Provincial Tour for the second consecutive year, the four-star airlines also provides avid golfers with a once in a lifetime opportunity. Every year, Turkish Airlines organize the World Golf Cup Amateur Series composed of 100 qualifying events, in 60 countries worldwide. This year, the Québec qualifier will take place on August 14, 2017, at Le Fontainebleau. The Grand Final of the Turkish Airlines World Golf Cup Amateur Series will take place in Belek, Antalya, in Turkey, in October. Turkish Airlines flies to more countries in the world than any other airline and as such, we have enjoyed positive outcomes through strategic partnerships established with key golf organizations from around the world. The Turkish Airlines Men s Provincial Tour is composed of seven events: https://quebec.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/quebec17/schedule/golfquebechomme/index.htm Spring Open Beaconsfield May 26 Men s Provincial Mid-Amateur Championship Summerlea June 6 to 8 U25 Championship Elm Ridge June 27 to 30 Duke of Kent Royal Québec July 7 and 8 Alexander of Tunis Rivermead July 16 and 17 Men s Provincial Amateur Championship Eagle Creek July 24 to 27 Antoine-Loranger Players Championship Le Blainvillier September 24 and 25
On the course A 2017 golf season adapted to all types of players Just like the Turkish Airlines Men s Provincial Tour, every Golf Québec activity is gradually returning to their normal operations to cater to our participants, of all ages and skills levels. Our goal is to present them with the most dynamic 2017 golf season. Women s Provincial Tour https://quebec.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/quebec17/sch edule/golfquebecfemme/index.htm Cup will close the competitive season at Le Blainvillier, in September. Ladies: Get Out, Play Golf On June 8, a clinic designed specifically for women will gather players of all skills levels at Golf Le Mirage. Under the supervision of renowned professionals, this activity will help them master their short game whether they are novice or expert players. Those who appreciate competing will start their season with the Women s Provincial Match Play Championship which will gather the very best on the Order of Merit at the Royal Bromont Golf Club, at the end of May. In June, they will get to visit the Summerlea Golf and Country Club for the Mid- Amateur Championship followed by Elm Ridge for the U25 Championship. Traditionally, the Jocelyne Bourassa Series will be used as qualifiers to identify the Québec teams for the national championships. The Debbie Savoy Morel Cup will take place in June at Le Mirage while the Women s Provincial Championship will be held in July, at the Dufferin Heights golf club. http://www.golfquebec.org/en/pages.asp?id=121 In addition, many Golf Fore the Cure events will be presented throughout the province this summer. Promoting the participation of women in the game of golf while supporting medical research to fight breast cancer and help those who suffer from it, what a great cause! http://www.golfquebec.org/en/pages.asp?id=6 Provincial Junior Tour https://quebec.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/quebec17/sch edule/golfquebecjr/index.htm Noémie Paré, 2016 co-winner of the Nancy Walker Sportsmanship Award Last but not least, the Suzanne-Beauregard Commemorative Tournament will be presented in August, at Kanawaki, and the Women s Players This year again, junior players will be spoiled by Golf Québec with close to a dozen provincial and national tournaments representing thirty days of high calibre competitions. The first events of the season, the Québec Junior Open presented by the CJGA at Hawkesbury in May as well as the Future Links Québec Championship to be held at Milby by Golf Canada and the
Optimiste Classic at Glendale in June, will be used to identify the Québec delegation for the Canada Games. Organized every four years, this prestigious event will take place in Winnipeg, in August. provide elementary students with the opportunity to explore our sport even more by facilitating their access to a friendly golf environment. Montréal: https://quebec.bluegolf.com/ bluegolf/quebec17/schedule/ cpdmtl/index.htm Québec City: https://quebec.bluegolf.com/ bluegolf/quebec17/schedule/cic12/index.htm The younger players will enjoy their Pee-Wee and Bantam Classic at North Hatley, in May, and the Bantam, Pee-Wee, and Mosquito Championship in Drummondville, in August. For junior and juvenile golfers, the Boys and Girls Provincial Junior Championships will take place at Beauceville in July. It will be the pinnacle of their golf season. Finally, the Graham Cooke Junior Invitational will gather players of 18 years old and under at Château Bromont, in August, and the Inter- Regional Championship will close the season in Cornwall, in September. Where can you play? Where can you learn? Following its golf development goals, Golf Québec is not only organizing tournaments and championships. On the contrary! We are providing a large selection of activities enabling children to discover the fun of playing golf. For instance, your children had the opportunity to discover the game through the Golf in School program presented within their Phys. Ed. classes? They liked it? http://www.golfquebec.org/en/pages.asp?id=134 This summer, the First Drive program will invite children of 7 to 12 years old to play for free at participating clubs when accompanied by a paying adult. http://www.golfquebec.org/en/pages.asp?id=267 To assist families in finding their best options, Golf Québec also publishes on its website golfquebec.org the list of known day camps conducted by golf clubs this summer. http://www.golfquebec.org/en/pages.asp?id=421 More than ever, you will witness the creation of new groups supervised by a Community Golf Coach. http://www.golfquebec.org/en/pages.asp?id=389 In these structures, children will discover the game of golf and will naturally evolve towards the Junior Golf Development Centres (JGDC) which are providing complete age appropriate training services. http://www.golfquebec.org/en/pages.asp?id=246 Everything is set to stimulate the participation of new players and to incite existing golfers to play more often. This summer, do not hesitate any longer! Get Out! Play Golf! Events of the First Drive Tour will be presented in the Montréal and Québec City areas, which will
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Club profile A robust recovery Club de golf Saint-Prime-sur-le-lac-St-Jean was saved by a strong junior development program and revitalized by many new activities catering to all types of golfers from those who want to discover the game of golf to those who would like to improve their skills. Lambert is now debating whether or not he should implement a second ladies night! http://www.golfstprime.qc.ca/ Avoid financial disaster and a potential closure. This is exactly what was done last year at Club de golf St-Prime when Jonathan Lambert, Head Coach, revamped the facility with a new policy focusing on juniors and women. New programs were also implemented to promote participation. Most of all, as he is already very active within the local school board, Lambert wanted to encourage new players to discover the game of golf and share his passion for our sport. Pampered juniors This summer, Club de golf junior Saint-Prime-surle-lac-St-Jean offers many junior packages such as Future Links, Intermediate, and Excellence to meet diverse needs of new and existing players. It is also possible to borrow new equipment for those who don t own their own set of clubs. Throughout the golf season, over 36 hours of clinics will be offered with the help of Louis Lapierre who is in charge of junior programs. Besides its summer camps, St-Prime will also present the Méga Weekend Golf Toitures Hillman from July 19 to 22. Many special guests will be in attendance to take part in the various activities including a long-drive contest, a Drive Chip & Putt, as well as very popular night competitions. This is one of the most fun family activities. Special guests will join participants of the Méga Weekend Golf Toitures Hillman in numerous exciting competitions For the second consecutive year, the club will be presenting a Golf Fore the Cure event combining golf with hot yoga on hole #7. The activity is held at sunset, facing the splendid Saint-Jean Lake. This is quite an outstanding and unforgettable scenery. We feel that it is crucial for us to focus on children and women as the development of our future clientele depends on these two new target groups, confided Lambert. And you? What are you waiting for to register in their events? #GetOutPlayGolf View the event s video clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riqjsfgx9yw. Obvious potential At St-Prime, it is also quite obvious that women are a key potential clientele. Every Thursday night, they have the opportunity to discover the fundamental skills of golf in specially designed clinics. As these events are quite popular, Jonathan
Development Two new JGDC join the network The network of Junior Golf Development Centres (JGDC) recognized throughout the province is welcoming two new facilities that recently acquired their certification. They are Le Centre de golf Lanaudière and Club de golf Les Cèdres. The JGDC initiative provides a clear golf developmental pathway with comprehensive coaching support for golfers between the ages of 5 18. These centres will create a systematic approach to developing junior golfers which benefits players, families, coaches and golf facilities. The end result is a system which can provide support to players demonstrating a desire and high level of competency while fostering the life-long passion for golf. #GetOutPlayGolf Tour at Lanaudière: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3kslb699gy At Club de golf Les Cèdres, children are the top priority. From now on, golfers will see the crest confirming that our club is a first class facility in Canada, recognized for the quality of its junior golf programs, mentioned Kimberly Nadeau, spokesperson of the club. The two Head Coaches, Luc Deschamps and François Bernard, are following a structured and fun plan enabling junior development. This season, they will launch a series of junior events including the very first edition of the Parent-Child Classic in which twosomes will measure up to each other in a friendly competition presented in collaboration with the Eastern Townships Regional Association. A highly motivating environment in which perseverance and progress will be facilitated. Le Centre de golf Lanaudière, extremely dedicated to developing the participation of families in the game of golf, is looking forward to develop young players through numerous activities supervised by their Head Coach, Dominique Morency. With their facilities, expertise, and passion, Lanaudière wishes to encourage children to surpass themselves in a highly motivating environment. Many options are offered: group or private lessons, day camps, golf introduction lessons, junior elite club. Overall, everything is ready to cater to the needs of children of all skills levels. Learning golf at Les Cèdres: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfewryqawsq Junior Golf Development Centres are implemented in all regions of the province. As a result, it is now easier for children to discover the magical ambiance of golf. What are you waiting for to visit your local JGDC?
Clubs Sites Head coaches Beauceville www.golfbeauceville.net Fred Colgan / François Langevin Chicoutimi www.golfchicoutimi.com Jonathan Moreau Cowansville www.golfcowansville.com Pierre Dugas / Maxime Paiement Du Moulin www.golfdumoulin.ca Michel Martin Gray Rocks www.golfgrayrocks.com Louis Bourgeois Lanaudière www.golf-lanaudiere.com Dominique Morency Le Mirage www.golfmirage.ca André Désy Le Versant www.golfleversant.com Martin Morency Les Cèdres www.golflescedres.com Luc Deschamps / François Bernard Lévis www.golflevis.com Pierre-Luc Darveau Lorette www.golflorette.ca Fred Colgan / Guillaume Cloutier Stoneham www.golfstoneham.com Fred Colgan / Patrick Rhéaume Vallée du Richelieu www.valleedurichelieu.com Marc-André Guimond Venise www.clubdegolfvenise.ca Pierre Lallier For more information on the JGDC, visit: http://www.golfquebec.org/en/pages.asp?id=246.
Women s activities Renewed interest This summer, women are quite pampered as many golf clubs are now offering activities that are specifically designed to help them discover the game in a social and friendly environment. For the longest time, inciting women to play golf has been quite a challenge for facilities that are striving to give them the opportunity to explore the game and develop their skills. Nowadays, more golf clubs are focusing on reaching this clientele which is perceived as a key element in the development of golf s future. dynamic and social environment for women who like to get together after a hard day s work. More women s clinics then ever For several years now, Golf Québec has been teaming up with Golf Le Mirage to conduct women s clinics. Once again, on June 8, Debbie Savoy Morel and her team of well-known golf professionals will present a clinic on the Short game / The scoring game. http://www.golfmirage.ca/ For instance, Club de golf Coaticook stands out of the crowd with its commitment towards women s golf. Their ladies golf association, supervised by President Vicky Boudreau, conducts activities every Thursday night to help 44 women improve their technical skills and game. For example, we organize Vegas evenings and two-ball, best ball events alternating with individual and team activities, explained Mrs. Boudreau. http://www.clubdegolfcoaticook.ca/ Personalized advices provided by renowned professionals Women s clinic: http://www.golfquebec.org/en/pages.asp?id=121 On June 12, the Eastern Townships Regional Association will also present a women s golf clinic at Club de golf Royal Estrie in collaboration with Marie-Josée Rouleau. http://www.estrie.golf/ A fun day of golf amongst women The number of ladies joining this Association increases every year. Fun activities create a At Le Centre de golf de Lanaudière, the great potential of women as a new clientele is very obvious. A series of new activities was implemented to stimulate their interest for the game of golf. More specifically, the club offers group lessons for women in a 5 to 7 laid back activity, a golf league gets together every
Thursday night and a summer league gathers ladies for dinner after a 9-hole round. http://www.golf-lanaudiere.com/ Many other clubs cater to women with personalized activities. For instance, at Club de golf Domaine Rouville, over 200 female golfers get together regularly and the St-Prime golf club has exciting women s programs. http://www.domainederouville.com/fr/ http://www.golfstprime.qc.ca/ Ladies, do not hesitate to contact your golf clubs to find out about their activities. Get Out, Play Golf! http://shopca.nivosport.com/