The University of the Fraser Valley golf program is joining forces with the Vancouver Golf Tour to stage the 2015 UFV Cascades Pro-Am.
This year’s edition of the annual fundraising tournament for UFV golf runs June 15 at Chilliwack Golf Club, and for the first time, it will be an official VGT event. Each foursome will feature one VGT pro and three amateurs, playing a two-best ball team format.
The VGT will add another layer of professionalism to the event by providing live scoring, and the pros will be battling for a piece of a $5,000 prize purse.
Amateurs, meanwhile, will be competing for $10,000 in prizes, and will enjoy a hole-in-one contest, West Coast buffet, silent auction, and more.
2013 Cascades Pro-Am champ James Lepp (left) and UFV coach Chris Bertram.
The entry fee is $200 for amateurs and $175 for pros, and the registration form can be obtained at by emailing chris.bertram@ufv.ca or by clicking here (MS Word format).
“This event is our way of connecting with the individuals and businesses in the community who have been so instrumental in the success our program has had over the past 10 years,” Cascades golf coach Chris Bertram said. “Yes, it is a fundraiser, but it is also a great day to give back to the people who have helped us grow.”
Over the years, the Cascades’ fundraising tourney has featured an impressive array of local golf luminaries.
Ray Stewart, the former PGA Tour and Champions Tour golfer from Abbotsford, was instrumental in launching the event five years ago. Stewart’s son Brett played for the Cascades for five seasons.
Past tournament champions include fellow Abbotsford products Adam Hadwin (2014 Web.com Tour money list champ, current PGA Tour golfer) and James Lepp (2005 NCAA individual champ, Canadian Tour winner). Nick Taylor, who has a win on the PGA Tour this season (Sanderson Farms Championship), posted a runner-up finish at the UFV tourney in 2012.
“It has been wonderful to be involved in an event like this when you get to see the direct results in the young men and good players that the UFV golf program produces,” Stewart said. “The community has been very supportive and hopefully will continue to do so for many years to come. We can all take pride in their many accomplishments through the years and kudos to Coach Bertram for his role with the team.”
The VGT, now in its ninth season, has proven instrumental in developing local golf talent. Under the guidance of commissioner Fraser Mulholland, the tour has been a springboard for many young pros, with the likes of Hadwin and Taylor advancing all the way to the PGA Tour.
“I am really excited about the newly formed partnership with the UFV Cascades golf program and highlighting their fundraising Pro-Am as an official event on the Vancouver Golf Tour,” Mulholland said. “We have been fortunate to witness the development of many great young golfers from the UFV golf program play on the VGT both as amateurs and graduate on as some of our top professionals. This is a testament to the efforts of Coach Chris Bertram the past 10 years.
“The Cascades Pro-Am is integral to the fundraising for the UFV golf program and we are thrilled to play our part in bringing in our live scoreboards and operational team to make the event as exciting as we can for both the pros and amateurs in the event. Both Chris and Ray Stewart have done an amazing job with the fundraiser and have always drawn a great field of pros including PGA Tour players Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin. This year’s event will once again give amateurs an opportunity to play with some of Canada’s top professionals playing on the VGT, showcasing their skills over Chilliwack’s testing layout.”
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