IBGA EVENTS - RESULTS

2024 Canadian Championships and the Mutual Fire Insurance Western Canadian Blind Golf Championships

The 2024 ISPS Handa Canadian Championships

July 8th and 9th, 2024

Bootleg Gap Golf, Kimberley BC

Tournament Host Post Event Report

The Canadian Open was hosted in the City of Kimberley BC. The opening ceremonies kicked off the week with flagbearers from their re-presenting countries walking to the first tee during the Canadian anthem. The mayor of Kimberley welcomed all participants to the area and offered well wishes to all for a great week in the Canadian Rockies. The opening day was also the practice round of the Canadians. This was made a team best ball scramble and included local golfers to participate and see and experience what blind golf is all about. For the first time in several attempts to have local golfers participate we were able to have 15 local golfers come out.

The weather for the entire week was clear skies and extreme hot weather with 30 to 34 degrees each day. Fortunately, everyone was provided a flat of bottled water as well as daily water with their bagged lunches that wee provided. The General Manager of Bootleg Gap Golf also personally went out and purchased additional water to hand out at the starters tent each day.

Leading into the last few days of everyone's arrival to BC, WestJet had caused potential disruption to many of our participants flights. Fortunately, we dodged cancellations, and our participation was 45 participants, which included 12 international players.

BC Golf were a big sponsor and in addition were going to provide two scoring officials for the week. They met challenges securing officials and finally secured two officials that were a couple and were willing to come out for the week. Unfortunately, 24 hours before arriving the lady official sadly had a heart attack and they were unable to attend. With no officials on the course, both events experienced longer rounds than anticipated or wanted. The heat was also a major factor slowing up play.

We also had BC Golf set up our two events in the Golf Genius software scoring system. This system also allowed us to complete the registration process if we wanted but we did not use that function, and separate registration processes went well. Scoring wise the system also allowed us to enter scores but not allow us to share any results with the leaderboard. The system was also supposed to share tee-times and other updates too, which some received, and some did not.

The second event being a Stableford event was more successful from set up to scoring and post event results. We were also able to use the scorecard function for this event and had no issues.

The outcome to using Golf Genius is we will have a sighted board member and volunteer to learn the system in the year leading up to the 2025 events. They will learn the system functions and then build the events from the beginning to ensure full functionally and success.

Following the conclusion of the final round of the Canadians, Canadian golfer George Thirkill had experienced heat stoke symptoms sitting in the clubhouse. Precautions were taken and with parametric knowledgeable staff on hand admin mistered care and an emergency visit to hospital visit took care of Mr. Thirkill.

Lifetime Achievement Award

This award is given out to an individual or individuals who have given back to blind golf over many tears and have made significant contributions on and off the golf course.

This year's recipient is Doug Penner from Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Doug has been a member of Blind Golf Canada for over 31 years while serving and being president of Western Canadian Golf, presently still on the BGC Board and hosted many competitions in Manitoba. Doug has travelled all over the US, Canada, and abroad for his many tears in blind golf and has represented Canada and BGC proudly.

Event Results

• Overall Low Net Champion: Orlando Rameriz USA

• Overall Low Net Runner-Up: Jason Bastable England

• B1 Men's Gross Champion: Darcy Furber Canada

• B1 Men's Low Gross Runner-Up: Haydon Foulds Canada

• B2 Men's Low Gross Champion: Derek Kibblewhite Canada

• B2 Men's Low Gross Runner-Up: Orlando Rameriz

• B3 Men's Low Gross Champion: Jason Bastable England

• B3 Men's Low Gross Runner-Up: Kevin McBride Canada

• B4 Men's Low Gross Champion: Umesh Singh Canada

• B4 Men's Low Gross Runner-Up: Garth Hiltz Canada

• Ladies Low Gross Champion: Julie Moroney Canada

• Ladies Low Gross Runner-Up: Johanna Camarota Canada

• Ladies Low Net Champion: Julie Moroney Canada

• Ladies Low Net Runner-Up: Jan Dinsdale Northern Ireland

• Stable ford Champion: Kevin Frost Canada

• Stableford Runner-Up: Ronald Boef Holland

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Summary

Overall, both events were extremely successful not only with record participation, but with weather, transportation, accommodations, food and beverage services, including banquet meals and lunches.

Again, these events would not be successful without the work of a strong and dedicated committee. Its this committee that will now be moving forward and focused on 2025 and hosting the Canadian and World Championships in Simcoe, Ontario. Therefore, I would like to provide my sincere thanks and appreciation to the committee for all their hard work over the last year.

• Gerry Nelson

• Kostantino Beltsis

• Hugh Montgomery

• Laurie Montgomery

• Lori Smith

• Joan Lang

• Virginia Harder

• Deanna Morgan

• Brian Morgan

• Derek Kibblewhite

Additionally, along with this committee we had dedicated volunteers that worked the entire week to assist out committee in driving these events to success.

Therefore, I also extend huge gratitude and thanks to:

• Samantha MacKinlay

• Troy Morin

• Darcy Douma

• Jennifer Shade

• Lenora Vanderweyde

• Vicki, Devin, Merlin, and Melina Syfchuk

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