CPGA PETER JACKSON TOUR
The Carling of Canada Golf Tour certainly sowed the seeds to fulfil a long time desire of the Canadian Professional Golfers Association (CPGA). Starting in 1966 Carling established the roots to create a national golf tour for aspiring young Canadian golf professionals – the dream of the CPGA. When Carling Breweries withdrew their support after five year in 1970, the dream did not languish in uncertainty for long.
Immediately Imperial Tobacco Company stepped forward to move the dream to new levels. In 1971 under the banner the Peter Jackson Golf Tour (PJT) the company initially established a total purse of $79,000 for prize money for the seven provincial open championships. This monetary support elevated the Imperial Tobacco Company to the main golf sponsor in Canada supplying funding for the Canadian Open and the Peter Jackson Tour. Later the company increased its commitment to include the LPGA Tour and the PGA Senior Tour events. The original commitment meant the company spent half a million dollars on Canadian golf in its first year.
Prior to the commencement of the tour, the CPGA in co-operation with Peter Jackson, appointed David Zink as the Tour Co-ordinator. His main duty: “Mr Zink, who will be directly responsible for the many details involved in the organization of the Peter Jackson Tour, will work through the office of the CPGA and will be in close liaison with the various golf bodies conducting the seven provincial events across Canada.” The organizing group added Al Balding as an ambassador for the PJT local promotional open events. Mark McCormack, Arnold Palmer’s agent, supplied advice as a promotional consultant.
When approached for his comments on the new 1971 Tour, George Knudson, Canadian PGA Tour professional, spoke highly of the new developments. “ I know when I started (1959) we had nothing like this. If I wanted to play in a provincial open it was a case of travelling to the west coast one week and the east coast the next week. I think it’s this type of organization that’s going to breed some young fellows from Canada who’ll wind up out here on the PGA Tour. I know there’s got to be enough young professionals who want it, and Peter Jackson, setting this Tour up the way they are, are going to give the boys a chance.”
The Golf Canada magazine described the uniqueness of the PJT as: “The most enchanting, delicious aspect of this Tour is that anybody with any kind of lifestyle and any kind of swing can play and win. You do not have to be reared in the lore of the game from age three, or play it as if it were some kind of Oriental religious ceremony, or, for that matter, dress for the tour as though you were preparing to pose for the cover of Gentleman’s Quarterly. That’s why the Peter Jackson Golf Tour is providing Canadian golf fans with a travelling microcosm of golf. You really should not miss the tour as it rolls its way across the country, bouncing with life, laughter, and the pursuit of the prize money. Big fun in the Big Land, that’s what it is.”
The seven-year success of the PJT can be assessed by the number of foreign/domestic players who benefited from the level of competition that they successfully obtained their PGA Tour card. Examples include John Mahaffey, Wayne Vollmer, Dave Barr, Jerry Anderson, Rafe Botts. As the total money available each year increased ($79,000 in 1971 – $200,000 in 1977) the number of foreign players increased. As more world professionals joined the PJT the level of competition increased making the events more competitive. Better competition raised the level of professional golf in Canada.
The PJT certainly fulfilled its original mandate: to develop and improve the calibre of Canadian tournament golfers – amateur and professional.
Peter Jackson Tour Ring
This ring was awarded to each Peter Jackson Tour event champion in 1971 and 1972.
The BC Golf Museum is searching for one of these rings for the Museum Collection.