Like any other sport, the future of the game lies squarely on the shoulders of the country's junior golfers.
And to ensure the game is in good hands, most golf clubs have an in-house junior golf program where the young golfers learn the game's basics from Canadian Professional Golf Association teaching pros.
Besides playing in local tournaments, these golfers are afforded the opportunity of playing in sanctioned events designed to attract competitive golfers, giving them the opportunity of playing against the best provincial and national golfers in a fun but competitive atmosphere.
In Western Canada, a junior golfer can compete in the McLennan Ross Sun Junior Tour or the Maple Leaf Junior Tour.
While the McLennan Ross Junior Tour schedules the majority of its tournaments in Alberta, there also is a tournament held in Golden, B.C.
Golfers following the Maple Leaf Junior Tour can play at tournaments inked in for play at some of western Canada's most challenging golf courses. Competitors in this tour have the opportunity of also playing across Canada as well.
This year, the Maple Leaf Junior Tour has 54 tournaments slated for play on the Boston Pizza National Junior Tour.
One tournament on the Maple Leaf Junior Tour has already been played in Western Canada, two weeks at the Olds Central Highland Golf Course.
A record number of golfers took to the links as the tournament attracted 93 golfers to the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour's Mountain View Credit Union series.
With the large registration, the talent was deep as the tournament attracted college golfers, who have just completed their year at colleges from both Canada and the United States.
A veteran player of the MJT, Derek Field of Calgary, won the event by firing rounds of 71-76 for a two-day total of 147. Field, 18, has just returned from his first year of playing for the California Lutheran University golf team.
Placing second two shots behind Field was Lethbridge golfer Jason Fritz who fired rounds of 76-73 for a two-day total of 149.
Another Alberta golfer, Connor O'Reilly of Edmonton, took third place by carding a two- day total of 151 with rounds of 76-75.
In the boys 13 and under group, Crossfield golfer Carter Cissel, placed first with rounds of 79-82 for a total of 161. With rounds of 79-84 for a 163 total, Martin Martin of Calgary placed second.
With a 151, another Calgary golfer, Aaron Crawford, won the boys 14-16 division.
Topping the female golfers was Kat Kennedy of Okotoks with a 162 total. One shot back with a 163 total was Sydney MacDonald of Calgary.
Next stop on the MLJT is at the Elmwood Golf Course in Swift Current, Sask. from July 2 to 3.
