• Top Five Image From Social Media

    Our round-up of eye-catching images from social media and websites up and down the island...

    #1
    Newt Crossing At Morningstar


    Morningstar  Superintendent, Ryan O’Halloran caught this little fellow crossing one of their cart path early one morning in mid March.

    In an Instagram post, O’Hallorans said, "We think he is a Roughskin Newt - found near wetlands and forest in the south coast area of BC.  If we are correct (and if there are newt experts who can confirm!) that orange underbelly is a warning to not touch them.  They secrete a neurotoxin so you'll want to keep your dogs away too! Just one of our many forms of wildlife that make Morningstar their home.”

    It turned out they did not have to go too far to find an expert. Greens crew member Kyle Jones replied, “Self proclaimed newt expert here! They do produce a neurotoxin but only when threatened and it is deadly when ingested. Handling usually doesn't cause them to excrete but its better not to try and if you do just use a glove or wash your hands. I have had to move many and many off of greens before mowing. For some unknown reason to me; in the morning when they're all going on their morning commute they will all be heading in the same direction (usually west) no matter where they were on the course!”
    By The Way… In researching this piece, we cane across a pretty funny but useful youtube that Kyle did on fixing ball marks. See it HERE

    #2


    There are many great backdrops to golf courses here on Vancouver Island. One of the more unique and spectacular ones is when snow is dusting Mt. Arrowsmith while you can be playing golf in 15 degree Celsius weather. This picture posted by the folks at Pheasant Glen on Instagram from mid March is simply awesome.

    #3


    “Love getting to spend time with the SD62 kids @RoyalColwoodGC…  What a great group of kids!” Royal Colwood’s Professional staff run a lot of junior programs. This image posted on X/Twitter is for School District 62 whose program is run by Randy Dunbar . Shown are the members of the SC62 Academy plus Professionals mac McLeod and Craig Young. Shout out to Young who is celebrating 25 years as a PGA of Canada member and 23 years at Royal Colwood.

     #4


    This great picture is taken by professional photographer and PGA of BC Pro Chelsey Sweet-COulter (@CSweetMedia) during the Super Bowl Sunday Scramble held at Highland Pacific. In a post to X/Twitter, Highland Pacific said “Thanks to our members and guests who came out in support of our first event of the year!”

    You can contact Chelsey to bring a professional lens and eye to your next tournament by contacting her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

    #5
    Zone Six (Chemainus GC and North) has a very active Junior Tour with a whopping 15 events over a 14 week period. Shown above are two of the Tour’s competitors showing some great swings. The inset image is their “Junior of the Year” trophy. Additional annual “Keepers” trophies are crafted each year by brothers Edgar and Herb Rice of ‘Coast Salish Journey’. Edgar has passed on and Herb, a Master Wood Carver of the Snunaymuxm (Nanaimo) nation, carries on the tradition. Herb has given permission that we, BCGA Zone 6 Juniors, be allowed to adopt the ‘Bear’ as our Emblem. Find out more HERE



    Bonus Image #1

    This image shows how Victoria Golf Club Agronomy department continues to be cutting edge (pun intended). Each GPS point allows Superintendent Paul Robertson to measure moisture content in the soil precisely. This information can be used to control the amount of watering needed and identity if there is a break in an irrigation line.   
    During a five-day Spring course aeration / reno, more than record 900 GPS points (measurements) were collected in one day. See a video of the first day of work HERE

     

    Bonus Image #2

    Long Beach GC is one of the best nine-hole tracks in the province but the Wild West Coast weather can mean a round of golf can be hit or miss. No more... Their indoor simulator set up looks like a must-play.

    Find out more HERE

  • Zone Six Island News & Notes

    New Hire At Morningstar, Sandy Harper Honoured, Special Dinners At Fairwinds, Junior Tour Info And 2024 Tournament Dates...

  • Naturally Pacific Resort Enters Market At Top End

    The addition of the hotel component to the existing golf facility at the Naturally Pacific Resort puts an exclamation point on a development that has been on the mark since day one…

  • GoFundMe Page Started To Assist Golf Workers Losing Homes In BC Wildfires

    With the terrible wildfires that are wreaking havoc in our province many from all walks of life are suffering and those who work in the golf industry are also being affected.

    Adam Blair, the General Manager of the Vernon Golf & Country Club and past General Manager of the Talking Rock Resort at Quaaout Lodge, has started a GoFundMe page to assist friends and past co-workers who have lost their homes due to the Lower Adams Lake Fire/Bush Creek East.

  • AV Macan Profiled On Firm & Fast Podcast

    Well regarded Canadian golf architect Jeff Mingay recently was interviewed  by Shane Derby about our region's most prolific designer...

  • Mid & North Island News & Notes

    Moves, deals and details of what is happening from Nanaimo to Gold River...

  • Pheasant Glen Submits Plans for New Clubhouse and Lodge

    Pheasant Glen Golf Resort announced at the start of March that plans for its new Clubhouse and Lodge have been submitted to the Town of Qualicum Beach.

  • Meet Jamie Moran

    Crown Isle’s new Director of Golf (left) has returned to BC after more than a decade in Atlantic Canada and he brings an impressive resume...

  • Zone Five Men’s Championship Setting Up For Big Turf War

    Look for some really fast and super-smooth greens at both Olympic View and Arbutus Ridge during the Zone Men’s Championship later this month, not to mention some serious trash talking...

  • Video Clip: Vertical Mowing to Increase Surface Firmness

    The top-rate manicure of Uplands GC is no accident. Here, master Superintendent Brian Youell explains how they make their fairways run firm and fast...

  • Mount Brenton GC Celebrates 75th Anniversary

    Mount Brenton Golf Course celebrated their 75th-anniversary by installing a legacy flagpole with three flags unfurled, one of which is the new MBGC banner. 

    This official dedication took place on April 23, the original opening date of the course. Also, two celebratory “feather” banners were be installed, one on the first tee, and the second one on the 10th.

  • Another Victoria Golf Club Caddie Lands Prestigious Evans Scholarship

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    When he began caddying for members at Victoria Golf Club two years ago, Aleksej Milojevic had no idea how profoundly it would change his life.

    He was 15 and as green as the grass he walked on to complete his first caddying loops on the scenic oceanside layout. Milojevic knew very little about golf or life...

  • Morningstar Scores Multiple BC Amateurs

    The well regarded island course will host next year's BC Amateur and again in 2030...

  • A Walk In The Park: The Hundred Years Of Uplands

    As Uplands Golf Club celebrates their 100th anniversary, member Frank Wilson has chronicled its past century in an amazing book.
  • Mood Swing Invitational Raising Awareness

    Highland Pacific will be hosting the 2nd annual Mood Swing Golf Invitational next month to raise awareness and funds for mental health...

  • Three Island Courses Make Score's Top 125

    Altogether 24 courses from across BC made the raters' cut...

  • From Top To Bottom On The Famed Vancouver Island Golf Trail (Part 3)

    Who Wouldn’t Be Entranced By The Beauty & Challenge Of One Of The Great Holes On The Valley Course At Bear Mountain? (Photos by Gord Montgomery / Inside Golf)

    By Gord Montgomery, Inside Golf

    VICTORIA, British Columbia — When you plan a golf trip, the most important thing, of course, is the golf. You want top-end tracks, great hospitality from the pro shops you visit, and pristine turf conditions wherever you tee it up. You’ll find all of that, and more, on the wonderful Vancouver Island Golf Trail. Here, from the beautiful city of Victoria in the south to the charm of the Campbell River in the north, this journey is a joy from beginning to end.

  • Cowichan GC Turns 75: The AV Macan History Of The Club

    This A.V. Macan design first opened to golfers in 1949 and its history may provide a few surprises…

  • From Top To Bottom On The Famed Vancouver Island Golf Trail (Part 2)

    Don’t Let The Tight Fairways At The Fairwinds GC Fool You — This Is An Outstanding Play With Great Birdie Opportunities Throughout Its 18 Holes.
    (All Photos by Gord Montgomery / Inside Golf)

    By Gord Montgomery, Inside Golf

    PARKSVILLE, British Columbia — When you plan a golf trip, the most important thing, of course, is the golf. You want top-end tracks, great hospitality from the pro shops you visit, and pristine turf conditions wherever you tee it up. You’ll find all of that, and more, on the wonderful Vancouver Island Golf Trail. Here, from the beautiful city of Victoria in the south to the charm of Campbell River in the north, this journey is a joy from beginning to end.

  • From Top To Bottom On The Famed Vancouver Island Golf Trail (Part 1)

    While The Fairways & Greens At Crown Isle Golf Resort Are Large & Inviting, The Numerous Water Hazards Spread Throughout The Layout Make It A Challenging, But Fun, Play. (Photo by Gord Montgomery / Inside Golf)

    By Gord Montgomery, Inside Golf

    COURTENAY, British Columbia — When you plan a golf trip, the most important thing, of course, is the golf. You want top-end tracks, great hospitality from the pro shops you visit, and pristine turf conditions wherever you tee it up. You’ll find all of that, and more, on the wonderful Vancouver Island Golf Trail. Here, from the beautiful city of Victoria in the south to the charm of Campbell River in the north, this journey is a joy from beginning to end. And oh, yeah — year-round golf doesn’t hurt either!