From July 2 to July 4, Sun Peaks Golf Course held the 2024 BC Senior Women’s Golf Championship.
This tournament is the first of its caliber the golf course has hosted, according to Liz Wilkinson, events and partnerships manager for Sun Peaks Resort LLP (SPR).
Seventy-one participants competed over three categories of senior (50 plus), super senior (60 plus) and super-super senior (70 plus).
Golf course superintendent Keith Lyall said the participants are technically amateurs, but “it is the best that B.C. has to offer for that age category.”
Organizing the tournament
BC golf reached out to Wilkinson 18 months ago about hosting in Sun Peaks. From there, the organizing team met with Lyall and walked the course. The success of the championship will be a barometer, with the possibility of more events coming to Sun Peaks, Wilkinson added.
BC golf championships span from juniors to super seniors for men and women, Lyall said, “so the chances are pretty good we could host another one in the future.”
Wilkinson had to ensure the resort could deliver a positive visiting experience as well. So far, she said they’ve gotten very positive reviews from the ladies.
The tournament was pushed back by three weeks according to Lyall, who said the weather has been detrimental in getting the course adequately prepared for the competition, even with the delay in timing that was preplanned.
“Mother Nature has thrown every possible curveball she could have at us this year, so it’s been a bit of a struggle for sure,” he said, citing rain, snow, frost and winds that are not conducive for making turfgrass look good.
“My recommendation would definitely be to do it later in the season going forward,” he said, but with the usual timing of this tournament, that wasn’t a possibility.
Managing through the weather
On the course, they played from different sets of tees, Lyall explained.
This course is unique in its shorter length, narrowness and elevation change of around 200 metres, he added.
“I think they [were] challenged more from course management as opposed to who can hit the ball furthest.”
On July 1, the ladies did their practice before the tournament’s official start on July 2. During their practice day, Wilkinson said it was pouring with rain.
“Some of them, rather than go out and play 18 holes, chose to just go out and play nine holes just to get a feel of the course.”
The opening of the tournament July 2 started well, with decent weather and players keeping up with the timing.
“There’s some serious, serious golfers out there,” Wilkinson said. “But a lot of the ladies are here just here to have fun and socialize and connect with people that they play with regularly.”