The Interprovincial Challenge Cup was the first interprovincial team championship conducted by the RCGA in 1882 and was far from a true interprovincial championship with only member clubs from Ontario and Québec playing. Five years later these matches ended abruptly. It wasn’t until 1927 that the event was brought back for good. In 1962, the Men’s Senior Interprovincial Championship got its start with only three teams playing in the event. Over the next 15 years the event would continue to grow and in 1977 the Phil Farley Memorial Trophy was created for the winning team of the event.

In the 62-year history of the event, two provinces have seemingly separated themselves from the rest of the field in terms of victories; Ontario and Alberta. Ontario was extremely dominant since the event began, until 1986 when Alberta’s newest crop of seniors arrived. In 1985, Bob Wylie won his first Canadian Men’s Senior Championship and in 1986, Alberta won its first Men’s Senior Interprovincial Championship. Alberta would finish 3^rd in 1987 and would then win the next 4 interprovincial championships and seven of the next ten. This was part of a historic run that saw the previous dominance of Bob Wylie, Doug Silverberg, Keith Alexander return on the Senior stage. This group would finish with 8 team wins and 8 individual wins from 1986-1995. The years to follow were ruled by Ontario, with provinces like Quebec, British Columbia, and Nova Scotia winning the occasional title or two.

1988 Men’s Senior Interprovincial Team Winners: Bob MacDonald, Len Brayton, Doug Silverberg, Bob Wylie

Alberta’s luck changed in 2005 with a second-place finish, which kickstarted a run of almost 20 years of podium finishes for Alberta’s senior men. Over the last 19 years, Alberta has two 4^th place finishes, one 3^rdplace finish, and nine championship wins including six of the last seven. The recent success of Alberta on the interprovincial stage at the Canadian Men’s Senior has been led by five players in Alberta with each team having some combination or inclusion of these players who have helped shape the current landscape of men’s senior golf in the province. The reason for their success; the culture at the Alberta Men’s Senior Championship, and an intense focus on the team event at the national event.

 Howard Broun and Frank Van Dornick are seen as trailblazers and leaders at the Men’s Senior Championship in Alberta and an argument against this is hard to come by with 14 interprovincial team championship appearances between the two of them. Howard’s team won the championship in 2006, the first since 1996, and describes the feeling of winning as one being extremely proud of your province.

 “It can almost feel better winning the team championship than the individual at times because you’re proud of the team and your province”

When asked about the recent success and how it seems to have started, Howard had a clear answer:

 “Frank. Frank (Van Dornick) has been so good for so long and we’re lucky to have him. He kind of dragged the rest of us along and elevated the field around him”.

 Frank Van Dornick is not a new name in Alberta, with a storied career including his induction into the Alberta Golf Hall of Fame. His addition to the senior circuit certainly helped boost the competitiveness of the field in the early 2000’s. Frank won five interprovincial championships with the Senior team from 2012 to 2019 and believes it’s a true honour to be a part of this championship story that he has helped create in Alberta.

“It’s terrific to watch truly. The guys I came with valued the team portion and we have a lot of pride within that. The guys put the team first and the competition second. The guys love it.”

 The team spot for a Canadian event is always a coveted position by any competitive golfer in Alberta. What separates the Men’s Senior Interprovincial team is the level of camaraderie that comes with the team. Brian Laubman who is another highly decorated competitive golfer in the province always comes to the tournament with the goal of making the team in his mind.

 “It’s just different at the Senior’s, guys don’t care as much about the team aspect at the Willingdon (Amateur Interprovincial Team). You can see the change at the Mid-Amateur level, but the Senior’s it goes the full way”

 As someone who has played at a high-level throughout his career, he discussed that compared to the Willingdon Cup team, where the players are a little more serious, and the Mid-Amateur teams where you start to get to know the guys but are not close friends yet. “The Senior teams are much closer as you’ve been playing with these guys for 40 years” Laubman explained “at the Canadians, all the Alberta players and their wives are hanging out together and coming together as a group”. He feels that the culture at the Men’s Senior level is what separates them and has helped build this legacy of success.

 Ken Griffith, who didn’t make the team this year but is no stranger to winning the Farley trophy, explains the culture that Laubman points out. “These are all my friends, and we might be competitors, but I’m happy and proud of them”, and he adds “I stayed and watch the groups finish up like others had done for me and I was one of the first people to go over and celebrate with them”.

 Griffith explains that the culture that has been created for the Men’s Senior Championship is a testament to “the work that Alberta Golf has done to grow our high-level competitions” and he sees the sport moving in a positive direction, especially at the Senior level.

 “Being on the team 6 years and winning 4 golds and one silver in that span, what an accomplishment to have multiple championships in this short period of time, it’s a memory I will hold on to for the rest of life.”

 Griffith adds that “Making any Alberta team at any level is a great honour, it’s a great accomplishment. It’s a great rivalry we have at our level because we’re all good friends.” Most importantly though Griffith knows it’s about the competition and enjoying the challenge.

“Going to Nationals and competing against the other teams and setting our goals so high is always a lot of fun. It’s an added pressure and we all enjoy the challenge.”

2023 Men’s Senior Interprovincial Team Winners: Ken Griffith, James Varnam, Brian Laubman

Senan Foley is one of the “new guys” at the Senior level and was informed eloquently by Howard Broun how different it is. “There’s more appreciation and thankfulness on the Senior circuit” he recalls Howard telling him. Senan made the team in 2021 and 2022 and was on it again in 2024. “Being on the team, it adds to the week because you’re there to represent something bigger than just yourself” he notes. The honour of a team spot is not lost on any of these players, as Senan puts it “There’s some added pressure for sure, but pressure is a privilege”.

 Looking to this year, the Men’s Senior team found themselves four back from Ontario after the first day. Laubman recalls calling a team meeting with Foley and David Schultz knowing that they had to get it done.

 “You don’t want to be the team that loses for the other guys before you, it’s about keeping that legacy going” Laubman explained. Foley expressed similar sentiment, “No one wants to let last year’s group down and we take it very seriously”.

 Led by an impressive 68 from Foley on Day 2, who was in so much pain from his elbow that he didn’t know if he could finish the front 9, and David Schultz who felt he had to rally around Senan’s hot hand, Team Alberta brought home their 4^th straight Phil Farley trophy.

2024 Men’s Senior Interprovincial Team Winners: Brian Laubman, David Schultz, Senan Foley

 David Schultz is another familiar name, as an Alberta Golf Hall of Famer and a decorated golfer at every level in Alberta, and he mentions how every year it feels like they have one of the best teams there.

 “You know if you come out as the team from Alberta, you know that we have a really good chance and should always be one of the favourites.”

 The culture at the Men’s Senior in Alberta seems to be the key to the success at the team event every year and all the players will tell you the same thing. Schultz mentions that everyone keeps in contact over the winter and how everyone is excited to see each other in the summer.

 In 2025, the camaraderie of the Men’s Senior Championship will once again be on display at Wolf Creek, as the men will begin the process of preparing to defend their title and continue the legacy that was created before them. Who makes the team in 2025? Can Alberta win five in a row, making it eight in nine years? What we know is the preparation has already begun, and the Men’s Senior Championship will bring camaraderie, excitement, and a winning tradition.