JNJG visits the Canadian Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour
On the 10th August JNJG sent 4 lucky JNJG members, Annika Boyd, Yerin Kim, Corey Lamb and Lachlan Jones off to Jasper Canada to play in the 2018 Maple Leaf Junior Tour International Players Championship. The team played at Jasper Park Lodge which has just been voted the number 2 course in Canada! The JNJG team walked away with some sensational results taking our 1st and 2nd in the girls section and 1st in the boys.
For full results click on the link below and for some thoughts and reflections from the four juniors that went away see below their comments.
https://www.maplejt.com/tour.php?id=2018017&p=results
Corey Lamb (Concord Golf Club)
I was at school when I checked the email and one from JNJG popped up. An official invitation to play golf in Canada. Was this real. I got Mum to check and yes sure enough it was an official invitation to represent JNJG in Canada.
I had been a bit down on myself at the time as my golf just had not been the best.
The inspiration this gave me was unbelievable.
The next hurdle was to obtain a passport. No problems Mum had this covered.
Fast forward 3 months and here we were at the departures lounge at Sydney airport.
Not looking forward to the 16 hour flight Tanya made it bearable for this rookie traveller.
Not sure if it was the adrenalin or what but not much sleep was had on the 16 hour flight but with Dubbo the other male lucky enought to also be representing JNJG this was bearable.
On arrival in Calgary it was shopping and a bit of sightseeing even though we were dead on our feet.
It was awesome to stay at such an amazing hotel and they just loved our accent.
A great day the following day was had travelling down to Jasper. With a few stops along the way and some sightseeing but no golf.
We finally arrived in Jasper very late at night so still no golf.
As the tournaments preferred accommodation choice we checked into the hostel very late at night.
My 1st thoughts were OMG all these people in the one room how am I ever going to play good golf.
In this was room was Trent who was like the tournament director who made our stay such a memorable one.
We had a practice round and the course was unbelievable. It was in mint condition.
For the practice round we were in groups with other Canadianas not my old mate Dubbo.
Day 1 my tee time was very late in the afternoon but we filled in time by just chillin.
I played alright golf with 2 over. My group being an awesome bunch.
At the completion of day 1 I was sitting in 2nd position.
Day 2 was an early tee time so we arrived at the course a bit earlier for a warm up and ready to play some awesome golf.
The draw was seeded today so I was happy to be playing with Canada's best as the players had to qualify to get to this tournament.
Having had some mixed holes I still felt I had a very solid round with 3 birdies on the front nine.
Day 2 I was seeded number 2 by 2 shots.
I needed another quick message home to Mum to send through some more money as I really wanted to purchase a Jasper Park Lodge shirt as a wonderful memento of this wonderful trip.
Day 3 and I was seeded in the last group and feeling alright.
I was 5 under thru 5 holes and realised that I may well of been now 2 in front rather then 2 behind.
Finishing the front nine 3 under and 2 in front of the next closest opponent in my group I knew I had to just keep it together for the back nine.
The other player in my group Ryan playing some terrific golf.
Then a birdie on 15 put 3 shots between me and him.
Pending other players on the course this seemed all so surreal.
I finished my round with my Aussie teammates all there on the back of the 18 th hole
Certainly, a memory that will last forever.
Finishing this unbelievable tournament with a round of 65 6 under was enough for me to bring the silverware back home.
So proud to have represented JNJG who have given my game so much.
Thank you all @ JNJG
Yerin Kim (Strathfield Golf Club)
I had an unforgettable trip to Canada, experiencing international tournament play for the first time and sightseeing tourist destinations that provide quite a different scenery to Australia. The drive to Jasper; stopping by Banff, Lake Louise and the glacier mountains was truly amazing, experiencing a bit of Canadian culture with a Beavertail and taking photos with the breathtaking views at Lake Louise. We all got soaked with rain during the practice round and the clouds covered the mountains surrounding the golf club. The clouds cleared up during the first round and we all took our cameras out to take a snapshot of the mountain ranges. The girls in Canada were very welcoming and we all became friends very quickly. I also really enjoyed our trip to Calgary Olympic Park before our long plane trip back to Sydney. Even though I didn't get the result I wanted, I learnt so much about my game and would like to thank JNJG for giving me this wonderful experience.
Thank you.
Annika Boyd (Pymble Golf Club)
Being selected to represent Jack Newton Junior Golf in Canada was one of the best experiences of my life. Playing overseas taught me to play confidently and become a more independent individual. Jasper Park Lodge was one of the best courses I have played and to take home the win was an incredible feeling. Travelling around Canada was amazing, all the site seeing that we did with friends, made the trip one to remember and I am grateful for the opportunity
Lachlan Jones (Concord Golf Club)
My experience at Canada,
I had a great time in Canada, the plane trip was long but once we arrived I met some great people who I am still in contact with today, I sent them some photos of the Kangaroos on our Dubbo course and they were shocked. Canada is an awesome place with huge mountains and great scenery and the weather was much warmer than the frosts that we have been getting each morning at home, I saw a moose and bear in the wild so that was pretty cool. The Canadian people are really nice and they all seem to have a pickup truck.
The Golf Course was superb and the players I played with were great too, I did not play my best golf but I still had a fantastic experience playing in a different country at different altitudes.
I would like to thank Tanya and Jack Newton Junior Golf for this wonderful experience.
