New formats. New finals. New sponsor.
12 JUN 2018
By Brent Long
With new competition formats and a great new sponsor 2018 Interclub participants can look forward to twists aimed at making this year’s qualifiers and championship even more exciting.
In a move to change things up, the ladies will now play in regional clusters similar to the men, with a new scramble format being introduced, while the men are going to return to beautiful Muskoka for a two-night championship final, instead of making the trip to ClubLink’s properties in Florida. All this with the help of a new presenting sponsor – Unilock – that has come on board this season!
The WestJet Men’s Interclub Championship finals presented by Unilock will be held at Rocky Crest GC and The Lake Joseph Club for cluster winners on September 5 & 6 with all participants staying at Sherwood Inn for the two nights.
“Nothing beats two or three summer days in Muskoka playing two of Canada’s top golf courses, so we’re returning to Ontario cottage country,” says Scott Reycraft, Manager of Special Events at ClubLink. “We’re going to be taking the finals up a notch or two, to create an uber Muskoka event for the eight teams (48 players) that qualify for the finals. Everyone will get their own room at Sherwood Inn, we’ll be providing bus transportation to and from the golf courses during the event. It will be an unforgettable culinary experience and we will be partnering with our sponsors for some added surprises.”
The first round will be played at Rocky Crest on Wednesday, September 5 and for the afternoon all participants will be bused to The Lake Joseph Club to compete in a three-man scramble. Day 2 will consist of the WestJet Shootout on the first hole of the Academy Course at The Lake Joseph Club, where a few lucky players will take home flights thanks to WestJet. The teams will then play the final round at Lake Joseph Club before heading back to Sherwood Inn for a closing dinner and awards.
“I think this is going to be a spectacular event this year. We’re really trying to give our members an unsurpassed golf experience that will showcase our courses and partners,” Reycraft added.
The WestJet Men’s Interclub presented by Unilock consolation finals will be played as usual at Rocky Crest/Lake Joseph Club on September 23 & 24.
Ladies’ Interclub Update
On the women’s side, the key change is a switch to five regional clusters in the GTA instead of the traditional single 23-team regional qualifier. There will also be one cluster championship in the Ottawa area and another for the Quebec Clubs.
“We’ll now have four or five teams in each of the clusters so that will make from smaller, more intimate competition to allow for the players feel more comfortable and hopefully develop closer relationships with women from other teams,” says Scott Reycraft, Manager of Special Events at ClubLink.
“We’re hoping the changes will be more inclusive and will encourage more Members to consider trying their hand at competitive golf in a less intimidating setting,” Reycraft added.
The top teams from the women’s cluster qualifiers will playdown for the overall championship title ClubLink Ladies’ Interclub presented by Unilock that will be played on September 16 & 17 at Rocky Crest and at the Lake Joseph Club. The consolation finals featuring teams from all other clubs will be held at the same time.
Another new twist will be a change of format at this year’s championship and consolation finals where the Club Captain and three qualifiers from each team will now play in teams of two for a two-person best ball and a two-person scramble.
“It was time for a change and I think the changes are going to add a little mystery to the events this year. We are going to have to think a little differently than we have in the past and that should create more excitement,” says Angie Anderson from Eagle Ridge GC. She likes the creation of the mini clusters, that should create a little rivalry among opponents in the pods and allow the women to meet and build better relationships with each other.
“It’s nice to have something different to shoot for. There will be more strategy involved when it comes to picking your teams for the scramble and best ball. I think that will bring the teams closer together because you’ll be playing as part of a two-person team in your group and it will be more about the team than individual scores as in the past.”
ClubLink is also excited to introduce Unilock as the sponsor of the Interclub Championships. We know ClubLink members appreciate their outdoor spaces – look where they play golf. You choose your home course and membership carefully and when it comes to landscaping at home or the cottage, members should be considering what’s truly important to them when it comes to creating spectacular spaces.
“A landscape project should not be about price because you will lose all perspective of your space and the possibilities. A Unilock Authorized Contractor will work with you to realize the full potential of your space and then eliminate or stage the project as your budget allows,” says Carolyne Planck, Territory Manager for Unilock, which is based in Georgetown, Ontario where there is a 1.5-acre outdoor showroom that highlights Unilock products and materials. To learn more about the Unilock Georgetown Outdoor Idea Center, click here.
When planning a landscape project people should understand that the professional landscape contractors are booked months in advance and “readily available” contractors should be considered suspect. “One of our greatest strengths is bringing a project to life in the design stage with 3-D imagery, so people can see their vision with a 3D rendering before the project begins,” Carolyne adds.
As part of Unilock’s sponsorship, ClubLink Members will be given access to contractor pricing, a conceptual 3D design, free delivery and a free consultation/estimate. A package of benefits “unavailable to anyone else, anywhere”, said Planck when asked about the unique value offering to ClubLink Members.
Later this summer, keep your eye on on your inbox as ClubLink Life Weekly will be featuring a series of updates on a project being constructed by Green Ace, the “Picasso” of of landscaping – follow Green Ace on Instagram. He truly creates unique spaces for every homeowner. “One of the greatest assets for Unilock is our strong working relationships with our Unilock Authorized Contractors - we know their work and we know them.”
“It is our goal that your landscape project experience is seamless and executed to perfection. This is accomplished by marrying your type of project with the expertise of one of our Unilock Authorized Contractors,” Carolyne says.
We hope you will join ClubLink and Unilock this fall for a wine and cheese presentation - dates and locations will be announced. If you are interested in attending, or for more information about Unilock, please contact Carolyne Planck: carolyne.planck@unilock.com or 416-254-4544.