Pheasant Glen will host Canada’s top junior golfers May 7-11 next year with the Golf Canada Future Links Pacific Championship.
The event will bring 156 competitors and their families from across Canada to the Qualicum Beach Parksville area for one of the highest ranked junior events in the country.
PGA of Canada professionals, Robert Ratcliffe, director of instruction and head professional/manager, and Gord Melissa, have been successful in assisting junior golfers achieve golf scholarships in Canada and the U.S.
“We have placed students in NCAA scholarship programs over the past three seasons and we expect a couple more in the next year or two,” said Melissa.
Pheasant Glen graduates include two-time Future Links Champion Zach Anderson of Nanaimo (a freshman at Washington State University), Brayden Eriksen (senior at Utah Valley), Greg Palmer (junior at New Orleans University) and Michelle Waters (freshman at Simon Fraser University). They have each received a scholarship through the Pheasant Glen Golf Academy.
Ratcliffe, head coach of Canada’s National Junior Development Team said “Team Canada members will be attending this event. The boys and girls National development teams trained at Pheasant Glen during a weekend camp to take advantage of what might be the best training facilty in B.C.”
The athletes, who traveled from various parts of Canada had great things to say about Qualicum Beach and they may have assisted in Golf Canada’s decision to bring the event to Pheasant Glen.
“The training facility at Pheasant Glen is great. The team really enjoyed their time at the course and in Qualicum Beach” said Ratcliffe.
“At the local level, Pheasant Glen offers three levels of programs to juniors aged 18 years and younger,” said Melissa.
The introductory program begins with a junior membership that includes unlimited golf and use of the driving range and one hour group sessions once a week from April to August.
The second is a high school golf program offered to Kwalikum and Ballenas Secondary students that includes a junior membership, unlimited golf and use of the driving range, four hours of group sessions a week during school hours and PE credits.
The third is an elite program for competitive juniors that want to play tournament golf and have a future in golf, a golf scholarship, a career in the golf business or they want to play professionally.
Students in this program have come from across the country or are enrolled in the International Program with School District 69 and live with home stay families. There are over 60 junior members at Pheasant Glen.
“Some of these students will be participating in the Future Links Championship in May,” said Melissa.
Pheasant Glen will also host the 2016 B.C. Men’s Amateur Championship.
— NEWS Staff/Submitted by Pheasant Glen