RICHMOND, BC (PGA of BC) - Shania Remandaban served as Captain of the UBC Women’s Golf team that amassed a staggering number of titles at the Canadian and NAIA levels during her time with the program. Despite receiving scholarship offers from several American universities and colleges out of high school, Remandaban stayed close to home and represented BC alongside her dominant teammates. Now, after joining the PGA of BC last year, Remandaban is working as an Apprentice Professional at Vancouver Golf Club, where she serves as the club’s junior program coordinator.

Being recruited to the United States for college is a scenario which she said was the goal for most successful amateurs playing in BC. However, Remandaban decided to blaze her own trail and join the UBC Thunderbirds Women’s Golf squad. The unparalleled success of the team, including against American schools in the NAIA, has inspired more top BC amateurs to stay local and represent their province and country, said Remandaban.

“Ever since we started finding success in Canada, more great junior golfers are choosing to stay in Canada. I’m really proud that I can help support Canadian golf.”

Despite the challenges introduced by COVID-19, the Thunderbirds returned from the pandemic hiatus and won both Canadian and NAIA championships two years in a row, closing out Remandaban’s university golf career with an emphatic finish. Remandaban spoke of the cohesion and communication present each year on the team, and how their success was defined by their ability to trust and lean on each other. “The teammates that I won those championships with are some of my best friends today.”

Following an illustrious and memorable time at UBC which included the Thunderbirds being named the 2022 Sport BC Team of the Year, Remandaban wanted golf to remain as a core aspect of her life. After successfully earning membership in the PGA of BC last year, she was hired as an Apprentice Professional at Vancouver Golf Club, located in her hometown of Coquitlam. Remandaban said one of her key goals as she looks ahead to her future is to develop junior golfers. She is building towards that goal through her work as Vancouver Golf Club’s junior program coordinator. Remandaban is also a coach with First Tee, a youth development program offered by Golf Canada that introduces the game of golf and its inherent values to young people. She is grateful for her wide range of experiences with juniors.

“The First Tee program is quite low cost and is often subsidized, so I reach a much different demographic than we could reach at a private club. The more junior golfers I can work with, the better.”

Remandaban said she believes increasing women’s representation in the golf industry is the best way to attract more female golfers. The more women working at a facility, the more likely other women will join that club.

“I’m really lucky that I actually have another female professional at my facility. We try to make programs tailored by women, for women. To get more women playing golf, we need an environment thoughtfully created by women, for other women. There are sometimes little details that maybe a man wouldn’t think as much about, but I’ve been through it.”

One example of a little detail that men may not often consider is the placement of tee boxes. Remandaban said that golf course designers could focus more on placement, with greater thought given to the front tees. “A big thing that golf courses can do is make tee boxes that are more thoughtful for women. Often, golf courses are built with a men’s tee in mind, and the front tee is just placed in front of those. It’s just not as enjoyable if they build tee boxes that aren’t designed for the shorter hitters.”

Remandaban credits the top coaches she has had the opportunity to work with for her pursuit of a career in the golf industry. “I’ve had some really, really world-class coaches who worked with me. I’ve picked up a lot of good techniques and teaching practices and best habits from those people that I look up to.”

Her golf journey has come full circle as Remandaban now serves as a similar role model to other junior golfers hoping to follow her path as an elite college athlete and incredible leader.