P.E.I. Golf Association Plans Busy YearÂ
The Prince Edward Island Golf Association is getting ready for a busy golf season with a lot of changes in store for Island golfers.
” The Association is introducing a number of initiatives this year including a new membership program and changes to the P.E.I. Amateur Championship ” said P.E.I.G.A. Executive Director Ron MacNeill.
This year a new Gold Membership Card replaces the former handicap card . This new Golf Canada / P.E.I.G.A. joint membership card provides significant benefits for golfers including , insurance for lost golf equipment , a golf club identification system, weekly prizes for submitting scores , a subsription to Golf Canada magazine as well as an official handicap that is recognized world wide . The new Gold Card can be purchased at local coureses or on the Golf Canada website .
” Following last year’s Amateur Championship the Association formed a Competition Committee comprised of local golfers to review the P.E.I. Amateur. This Committee, chaired by Sherry White, made a number of recommendations and as result the tournament will see significant changes this year ” said MacNeill.
The Amateur will move from 36 to 54 holes for all players and will be organized on the basis of handicaps . Players will compete for Men’s , Women’s and Senior championship titles. The 2016 P.E.I. Amateur Golf Championship will be held at Dundarave July 15-17th .
In August the P.E.I. Golf Association will host the 2016 Atlantic Golf Championship at Fox Meadow in Stratford. The Atlantic Golf Championship brings together the best men, women and senior golfers in the region to play for both team and individual trophies. Winners of respective divisions earn exemptions into 2017 National Championships. The 20 players that will represent P.E.I. at the Atlantic Golf Championship will be selected in July through the P.E.I. Amateur tournament.
In June the new ADL Junior Tour kicks off under the direction of the Association’s new Junior Golf Coach , Sean Joyce . The tour provides summer long competition for junior golfers . As well Future Links clinics will be held for juniors of all ages throughout the summer at courses across the province . These clinics are a great way for boys and girls to be introduced to golf . In July Countryview on the south shore will host the C.N. Atlantic Junior Golf Championship which will bring together the best junior golfers in the eastern Canada.
The Association’s Senior Tour’s for men over 55 and women over 50 years of age kick off in May.
” The popularity of these tours is growing with more golfers signing up each year. It’s a great way to keep golfers in the game and our senior’s really enjoy the friendly competition” said MacNeill.
On April 26th the Association is offering a workshop for golfers who might be interested in becoming rules officials or learning how to rate golf courses. This session will be held at Sport P.E.I. at 7:00 pm .
Information about the Association’s programs including the 2016 Tournament Calendar can be found on the Association’s website www.peiga.ca and for the first time this year the Association is offering on-line registration and payment for many of its programs and tournaments.
” It looks like we are going to have a longer golf season than last year which will be much appreciated by local golfers . The P.E.I. Golf Association has a busy schedule and there are lots of exciting things happening ” said MacNeill.