UXBRIDGE— The 2017 golf season is just around the corner and Golf Ontario is proud to announce it’s 2017 championship schedule, which will open for registration on January 23 at noon. Early registration comes with a discount, before prices increase 14 days before an event’s final entry deadline.
“We are once again excited to offer a full championship schedule to all golfers in Ontario,” said Golf Ontario Competitions Manager Larry Longo. “We are pleased to be heading to some of the best courses in the province in 2017 and thank those clubs for hosting our events.”
Once again, the schedule is highlighted by the Investors Group Ontario Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships, which will both be run from July 11-14. The men will take to Ambassador Golf Club in Windsor, while the women will tee it up at Galt Country Club in Cambridge.
The schedule features a full junior program, beginning with the Investors Group Spring Classics, May 20-22, at Wooden Sticks Golf Club in Uxbridge (Boys) and Sleepy Hollow Country Club in Stouffville (Girls). The Investors Group Ontario Junior Boys’ and Girls’ Championships will also be contested during the same week, July 4-7. The boys will play The Rock Golf Club in Minett, while the girls will be at the Elmira Golf Club. One change this year for the juniors is that there will be no final qualifying. New exemptions have been created for juniors, largely base on Golf Ontario Junior Rankings (Junior/Juvenile/Bantam).
One more addition to the junior schedule is the introduction of a junior girls 9-Hole Learn to Compete series.
“Junior events have always been a staple of our championship schedule. By continuing to offer a variety of events to junior golfers, along with new initiatives like the 9-Hole Learn to Compete series, we hope to continue to grow the game at the grassroots level,” added Longo.
The Men’s Match Play Championship returns to the Lake Joseph Club in Port Carling (June 6-9). Lake Joseph hosted the event from 2007-2015 and Golf Ontario is please to be returning in 2017. On the women’s side, the Women’s and Junior Girls’ Match Play Championships will be contested together at Diamondback Golf Club in Richmond Hill, Aug. 8-9. There will be no on-site qualifying for these events this year, but rather participants and seeding will be based on final results from the Women’s Amateur and Junior Girls’ Spring Classic. This change means that in order to compete in the match play championships, players must participate in either the Junior Girls’ Spring Classic or Women’s Amateur.
The Investors Group Senior Women’s Championship will be once again be early in the schedule, as they will be at Wildfire Golf Club in Douro-Dummer, June 27-29. Meanwhile, the Investors Group Senior Men’s Championship will be held at Cedar Brae Golf Club, July 25-27. A change to the men’s championship is that the 60+ Division will now become a 65+ Division, a change that aligns with Golf Canada.
Team competitions officially open the season in Ontario with the Men’s Better Ball Championship at Oakdale Golf & Country Club on May 11. The George S. Lyon will see it’s second year in it’s new spot in the schedule, May 30, after moving from late in the season. This year’s field will be limited to the first 32 teams that register.
2017 should be another exciting golf season in Ontario. To register or view the 2017 schedule visit: https://gao.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gao17/schedule/full.htm?view=detailed&display=date