ItB次元官网网址檚 a golf course that has produced three golfers who have combined to win an NCAA Championship, four PGA Tour wins and numerous amateur and junior titles.

ItB次元官网网址檚 not a high-end private course such as Shaughnessy or Point Grey but rather a smaller public course out in the Fraser Valley by the name of Ledgeview Golf Club in Abbotsford and it has produced the likes of James Lepp, Adam Hadwin and this yearB次元官网网址檚 Canadian Open Champion in Nick Taylor.

Taylor became the first Canadian to win the Canadian Open Championship since 1954 when his 72-foot putt for eagle on the fourth hole of a playoff against Tommy Fleetwood this past Sunday provided this country one of its most historic sports moments.

It marked the third PGA Tour win for Taylor and his first tour victory since the 2020 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. It also capped off a B次元官网网址楥anadian Triple CrownB次元官网网址� for Taylor, who also has a Canadian Junior Championship (B次元官网网址�06) and Canadian Amateur Championship (B次元官网网址�07) to his credit.

HadwinB次元官网网址檚 PGA Tour win was at The Valspar Championship in 2017 and he has 23 Top-10 PGA Tour finishes on his resume. He actually had a strong performance in the Canadian Open, finishing in a tie for 12th, but made more headlines for being tackled by a security guard when he made a dash to join Taylor and his caddy David Markle in their victory celebration.

Lepp became the first Canadian male to win the NCAA individual championship while at the University of Washington in 2005. He also won two Canadian Junior Amateur championships, four B.C. Amateur titles and two Canadian Tour wins to boot.

B次元官网网址淚t must be something in the water,B次元官网网址� jokes Lepp, when asked why Ledgeview has produced this trio of golfers.

Ledgeview Golf Club isnB次元官网网址檛 the longest course B次元官网网址� from the tips itB次元官网网址檚 a par-70, 6,131-yard layout B次元官网网址� but what this course lacks in length, it makes up for in a vast array of shots that are needed to be successful.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a little bit of luck having all three of us from there but the course also has a lot to do with our development. ItB次元官网网址檚 perfect for a junior golfer because itB次元官网网址檚 not that long. So, when youB次元官网网址檙e 10 or 11 years old, youB次元官网网址檙e playing a smaller championship course. It actually preps you for when you graduate to longer courses,B次元官网网址� explains Lepp, who no longer golfs competitively as he focuses on several business endeavours.

The fact that Ledgeview is a mountain course forces anyone playing it to learn how to play various lies.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 got a lot of slope and you are forced to golf. There are no flat lies out there, so you are forced to adapt. You are ahead of the game because you learn how to golf. ThatB次元官网网址檚 the defense of the course B次元官网网址� the slope. ItB次元官网网址檚 only 6,100 yards, so you have to be on the right side of the hole. You have to have a short game to keep the ball close to the hole if you donB次元官网网址檛 hit the green. TheyB次元官网网址檙e all good things for building a strong skill set,B次元官网网址� explains Lepp.

And if the course layout wasnB次元官网网址檛 challenging enough, Lepp notes that LedgeviewB次元官网网址檚 greens are some of the best around.

B次元官网网址淲hen we grew up the greens were known as some of the nicest greens in Western Canada. They were always smooth and quick,B次元官网网址� he notes.

The one thing that Ledgeview didnB次元官网网址檛 have during the time that Lepp, Hadwin and Taylor were developing their games was an outstanding junior program but Lepp is quick to point out thatB次元官网网址檚 changed.

B次元官网网址淚 think now with what Brady Stead is doing with the junior program B次元官网网址� heB次元官网网址檚 the junior coordinator B次元官网网址� heB次元官网网址檚 doing a lot of great things now. But when Nick and I were out there and Adam, the junior program was just kind of like junior night. YouB次元官网网址檇 go out there and play. There wasnB次元官网网址檛 any coaching or instruction really. Not that they werenB次元官网网址檛 trying to do that but it was just part of that era. That wasnB次元官网网址檛 a big thing back then at any course,B次元官网网址� says Lepp.

As for the impact that TaylorB次元官网网址檚 win will have on young golfers in Canada, Lepp draws comparisons to Mike WeirB次元官网网址檚 Masters win in 2003.

B次元官网网址淚 was at the University of Washington and we were playing an event at the University of Illinois. We were driving home from the tournament, and we stopped at an ApplebeeB次元官网网址檚 - or something like that- and I couldnB次元官网网址檛 even eat because I was watching the Masters. I was so nervous for Weir to win and he did and it inspired us. And now 20 years later, NickB次元官网网址檚 win is doing the same for a lot of young Canadian golfers. IB次元官网网址檓 sure there are plenty of kids at Ledgeview with the junior program that they have set up that would have been watching that that would have had butterflies in their stomach. Now theyB次元官网网址檙e going to be that much more excited to put in that extra effort in trying to become the next Nick Taylor,B次元官网网址� says Lepp.

The title page on the Ledgeview Golf website boasts a headline that reads B次元官网网址淲here Legends Are BornB次元官网网址�.

With TaylorB次元官网网址檚 win at the Canadian Open serving as inspiration, Ledgeview just might produce another legend.

Veteran B.C. sports personality Bob B次元官网网址渢he MojB次元官网网址� Marjanovich writes twice weekly for Black Press Media. And check out his weekly podcast every Monday at Today in B.C. or your local Black Press Media website.

READ MORE:

READ MORE: