A generation of Hamilton youth will soon experience the lasting impact of the RBC Canadian Open’s proud return to the Hamilton Golf Country Club.
Golf Canada, in partnership with RBC, the City of Hamilton and the Hamilton Golf and Country Club Foundation, along with the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board and Hamilton Catholic District School Board, announced today a number of youth initiatives that will make the 2019 RBC Canadian Open more junior-accessible than ever before, while creating a meaningful golf legacy in the Hamilton Wentworth region.
Beginning with the 2019 event, which runs from June 3-9, the RBC Canadian Open Youth Initiative will span a five-year period through to the Open’s return to Hamilton Golf and Country Club in 2023.
One element of the new Youth Initiative will see golf programming introduced into schools across the Hamilton Wentworth region, with a goal to deliver programming to nearly 100 schools over the next five years. The Hamilton Golf and Country Club Foundation will lead the school fundraising efforts in 2019, working closely with Golf Canada Foundation, the official charity of the RBC Canadian Open.
For the first time ever, RBC Canadian Open School Days will take place during early week practice rounds on Monday and Wednesday of tournament week. Participating schools from the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board will visit on Monday, June 3 while Hamilton Catholic District School Board schools will visit on Wednesday, June 5.
With free admission for participating students and teachers, the School Days experience is credited to the RBC Canadian Open’s new June date on the PGA TOUR schedule. In addition to watching world-class golf, students will get a behind the scenes tour of Canada’s National Open Championship, including visits to The Rink, a tour of the CBS TV broadcast operation, pictures with the iconic RBC Canadian Open trophy, autograph sessions and a variety of junior golf activities.
Golf Canada will also work collaboratively with the City of Hamilton’s three 18-hole municipal golf courses (King’s Forest Golf Course along with the 36-hole Chedoke Golf Club – Beddoe Course and Martin Course) as well as the Hamilton Fore Golf program to engage youth golfers at the RBC Canadian Open. Each of the three courses will have juniors participate in Golf Canada’s Walk with a Pro event during the Wednesday Pro-Am.
“When we announced that Hamilton Golf and Country Club would host a pair of RBC Canadian Opens, we worked with officials from the City of Hamilton and the Club to develop a robust youth initiative that could have a lasting impact in the community,” said RBC Canadian Open Tournament Director Bryan Crawford. “Introducing more youth to the game through the school system, connecting with the city’s municipal courses and bringing juniors out to the golf course to watch the world’s best players compete will be really special for kids across the region.”
Golf Canada will work with various stakeholders to secure funding for the RBC Canadian Open Youth Initiative. The Hamilton Golf and Country Club Foundation will be the main source of funding in year one with other community partnerships to be explored in the years when the tournament is not hosted in the Hamilton area.
“Creating a community legacy was an important element to our Foundation getting behind the RBC Canadian Open Youth Initiative in 2019 and 2023,” said Al Scott, Vice President of the Hamilton Golf and Country Club Foundation. “Our goal with Golf Canada was to create a junior golf legacy around the RBC Canadian Open’s return to the Hamilton Wentworth region and give back to the community where we live, work and play.”
Golf Canada also offers a Student Volunteer Program to encourage juniors to earn their community volunteer hours as part of the RBC Canadian Open (or CP Women’s Open). Juniors looking to participate will pay a reduced fee of $40 which includes a uniform and weeklong volunteer badge.
The RBC Canadian Open is also pleased to offer FREE admission to children aged 12-and-under. Juniors aged 13 to 17 can also take advantage of a reduced priced Youth Ticket.
More information about the 2019 RBC Canadian Open including tickets, corporate hospitality and volunteer information is available at www.rbccanadianopen.com.
