Sun Peaks Golf Course has introduced a Junior Monthly Medal Program this summer to inspire young golfers in the community to compete.

With a growing number of junior golf members, Doug Wilkinson, golf supervisor and instructor at Sun Peaks Golf Course, said he wanted to build upon the junior section and make it stronger.

This summer, Sun Peaks has held two Junior Monthly Medal tournaments, one in June and one in July. Junior golfers ages 10 to 18 still have two more chances to win a medal this year, with the next tournaments taking place Aug. 26 and Sept. 16.

Expanding on golf for juniors

Growing up in a small town in Scotland where he began golfing at the age of 12, Wilkinson wanted to replicate what they had there in Sun Peaks.

“We had a strong junior section within that course,” he said. “They did a lot of events for us, monthly medals and other competitions and stuff like that.”

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Prior to the introduction of the program, Sun Peaks Golf Course began offering lessons to juniors. This summer, they ran three training camps for young golfers of different skill levels.

Wilkinson said he’s hoping to launch some team events as well, where pairs can play against each other.

Part of his hopes to grow the junior section in Sun Peaks, he said, is continuing and expanding on the Junior Monthly Medal Program each year.

As the program’s just taken off, the logistics are still being developed. Part of this includes making a profit. This year, money from registration went into prizes.

“What I’d like to do as we move forward into next year is start to look at getting some of the local businesses there to perhaps sponsor one of the medals and perhaps put up some prizes,” Wilkinson said.

June and July brought in an average of six players per tournament.

To increase turnout, this winter the golf course is going to be planning and providing information when people book their memberships. This way, the program can be up and running at the onset next year.

With more juniors playing, the program can be categorized into age brackets, with prizes for best of each, as well as top overall score.

There may be more to come during this first year still, to cap off the program.

“I want to have, towards the end of September, a Junior Championship where we actually have the juniors playing off and we have a junior champion,” Wilkinson said.

Each medal program is nine holes, but this championship would be 18 holes.

“It will be open to everybody, whether they played in any of the medals or not,” he said, adding that it will be handicapped so everybody has a fair shot at winning.

Based on calculations from previous scores, a handicap is the number of strokes allowed to be taken off one’s score on each hole.

For the duration of the Junior Monthly Medal Program, registration is open with a $10 cash entry for anyone who comes into the Pro Shop, phones them at 250-578-5431 or emails at golf@sunpeaksresort.com.