It's only a few more sleeps before things will really get swinging when the Seymour Golf and Country Club hosts this year's B.C. Amateur Golf Championship.
From July 15 to 18, more than 150 golfers from across the province, and even dipping into Washington state and Alberta, will make their way to the North Shore for the 112th annual championship.
The golfers are all pining for the top spot, which is the Bostock Trophy.
"It's the best golfers from in and around B.C.," said Tracey Balogh, host club co-chairwoman for the Seymour country club.
Past winners of the B.C. trophy include Fred Couples, who won in 1979 and competes on the PGA Tour and Champions Tour; Doug Roxburgh, who won his 13th B.C. amateur title in 1996; and Adam Svensson, who's the youngest B.C. amateur champ (he was 16 when he won in 2010) and is considered the No. 1-ranked amateur golfer in Canada.
"Many go on to be on the Canadian Tour or even make it, like Fred Couples has, to the PGA Tour," Balogh said of past amateur winners. "It's just the cream of the crop for the area."
Balogh said since the championship's inception in 1894, the tournament has attracted golfers that most often go on to be famous players.
"These guys have to be really good to get in the tournament," she said, noting that the qualifying rounds are very difficult to pass.
In the meantime, the country club has done its best to prepare for the surge of golfers headed to the Seymour greens, Balogh said.
"I'm proud of the amount of work our club has done to put together the host tournament," she said. "We are certain the players will have the course in the best condition it's been in for many years."
The rough has been grown to its toughest limits, and even the course's regulars have noticed their handicaps going up, Balogh joked.
"My handicaps keep going up every time I get in that rough," she added with a laugh. "We hope the public comes out to enjoy it, as well."
The club's other cochairman of the event, Shawn Clarkin, said the event will showcase the local golf course and North Vancouver as a bonus. "There's more participants this year because of the location," he added. "We're looking forward to this being part of the community."
For more information about the club and the championship, visit seymourgolf.com.
