The PGA of BC’s 2022 Davie Black Professional Development Award presented by Dexim Golfwear is just the most recent recognition that St. Eugene Golf Resort & Casino’s Director of Golf Operations has received…

Soukoroff won the same award in 2020 and also was the PGA of BC Dick Munn Golf Professional of the Year in 2018. The same year she was selected as the NGCOA BC Chapter Fore Season Golf Professional of the Year. Prior to that, she was named Class 'A' Professional of the Year for Kootenays/North Region in both 2015 and 2016.

In recent years, Cindy has been a perennial contender in the PGA of BC Professional Development Program annual Order of Merit. In 2022, she placed 11th and earned the most points for the Participation component (Volunteering and involvement with Awards & Buying Shows). She also has been a two-term member of the PGA of BC Board and was elected to the VP of Administration role earlier this year.

These accolades are a natural progression from a career that started more than 20 years ago.

The Fernie native got her start when she worked in the Fernie GC's back shop under Mike Will. That led to working with Greg Pidlaski at the Kelowna Golf and Country Club where Greg encouraged her to join the PGA of Canada.

A return to her hometown to work with Doug Robb was followed by a move to St. Eugene Resort & Casino in 2007 as an Associate Golf Professional. Nine years later she became their Class 'A' Head Golf Professional and is now the Director of Golf Operations.

Cindy has been a huge supporter of bringing women into the game and the industry and sits on the advisory panel for BC Golf’s Women’s Golf Project website (click HERE to learn more about this ). She has also served on the PGA of Canada’s Diversity & Inclusion Task Force.

Earlier this month, BC Golf connected with Cindy and got her thoughts on topics ranging from her teaching philosophy to balancing one’s personal and professional life…

Why did you become a PGA of Canada Professional?
I initially joined the association to stay connected to the game that had given me so many opportunities through junior golf and a University scholarship. After graduating with a Physical Education Degree from UAB it presented an opportunity to combine my dream of teaching others and my passion for the game.

If you had to share one piece of advice with a new member of the PGA Of Canada, what would it be?
I would encourage all new members to engage in association events and grow their network even if it means stepping out of their comfort zone to do so. Fellow PGA members throughout the province and country are happy to share knowledge gained through experience and are some of the best resources available.

Who has influenced your career the most, and how?
This is a tough one to narrow down as so many people have contributed to my development. I am so grateful for the support and knowledge gained from working directly with Doug Robb in Fernie, Greg Pidlaski in Kelowna and Max Sherwood at St. Eugene. Brian Schaal at Copper Point Golf Course has been another great influence in my career simply leading by example. He and his staff are always involved in association and community events and he always makes time for others who reach out.

What is a common misconception that golfers make about what your job entails?
I think the greatest misconception is that the "off-season" provides down-time. It is not always understood how much planning, programming and preparation is done during those months to be able to focus on our member and guest services throughout the season. I also am not playing golf all the time. As a golf professional, it doesn’t mean I’m a professional golfer; I don’t get out to golf as often as people may think that I do. My goal is to play at least one 18 or 9-hole round per week and sometimes it doesn’t happen. So, sure I have my great rounds, but sometimes I have rounds where my goal may be even with some of the amateur golfers out there.

St Eugene has hosted the RBC Scramble for quite a few years and you were a member of the PGA of Canada RBC Scramble Task Force. What makes this event so attractive to players and what are your thoughts on the recent changes?
Team events in general have been thriving in recent years and I think the ability to be with your friends enjoying a round is the main factor. The opportunity to play the Cabot courses at the National Final for the RBC has additional draw and many of the teams that we have taken to the regional finals have simply loved the experience playing with a PGA of Canada Professional. Our Head Professional, Mike Pearson, and I had the opportunity to be part of the task force that put forth some recommendations. I believe the recent changes have created a more level playing field utilizing handicaps and have also provided more opportunities for low gross and women’s only teams to advance to the National Final!

The all-women RBC Scramble team that represented St. Eugene Resort & Casino in 2021

You have been a strong advocate for encouraging more women to get involved with golf. What do you see as the most important thing(s) to further that progress?
I want to help women find the right opportunities for their continued enjoyment in the game whether they play competitive, just for fun, or both! Creating welcoming environments and being aware of all programs, not only at our own facility, but in the entire area is a great place to start. There is such a wide range of events from social to competitive that there is something for everyone who is interested and the more fun we are all having the more interest it generates to the non-golfer.
See a short Q&A video on this topic HERE

Talk about what you learned from being part of the PGA of Canada’s Diversity & Inclusion Task Force. What do you see happening as a result of the task force’s report?
It was a great honor to be selected as part of the Task Force to connect with other PGA of Canada members with the sole purpose of creating an inclusive space for all. It helped me to look at our own accessibility and inclusiveness through a different lens and realize that there is a lot of potential for growth within our organization. I have been so fortunate throughout my career to be surrounded by so many allies but also recognized how important it is to be an ally for others. It has been great to see continuous gains that benefit women’s programming, benevolent funds so those going through challenging times and also adjustments to the Playing Ability Test for men, women and people with different abilities.
Read their report HERE)

You have a family. Is it a challenge to balance your personal and professional life?
Absolutely, although I know I’m not alone. I try to make the best of the time spent in the evenings and weekends with the girls and we are fortunate to spend most Sundays as a family of 4. I find the hardest thing is missing our girls sporting events when they fall on dates we’ve pre-planned resort instructional programs or events. They work so hard and of course I want to be there to show my support.

You have been a big supporter of the ALS Golfathon. It looks like a lot of fun but also a great way to raise awareness.
Since 2016 myself and the other PGA of Canada Professionals at St. Eugene have participated in the PGA of BC Golfathon for ALS to raise awareness and funds for the ALS Society of BC. The highest hole count for me in one day was 201 holes starting in the dark at 4:00 am and playing until after 10:00 pm in 2019.

What is your most cherished golf memory?
Having my husband as my caddie when I passed my PAT is the memory I cherish the most....and I have a lot of amazing golf memories. Our first 9-hole round at St. Eugene with our girls would be a close second though.

You have a slightly unusual teaching philosophy.
I definitely enjoy teaching guests in a way that merges traditional practices with some ‘out of the box ideas’ to keep enjoyment in the game at all levels. I really like to see where people are at first, what their abilities are. Then I can make adjustments from there, because sometimes you can’t just go by the textbook as everyone has different capabilities. So I work with what they are able to do so I can make it comfortable for them; even though it may not be a technique shown in a book. (Read more on this HERE)

As an instructor, what advice would you have for amateur golfers looking to get better and score lower?
When it comes to lowering your strokes and bettering your game, it all comes down to your time. I know it’s obvious to say, but our ability to improve depends on the time we put into practicing. A lot of people don’t have a lot of free time, so their goal may be to learn simple improvements and tips they can remember without overthinking. It often comes down to one specific area of your game or swing that needs work or improvement. If you pick the thing that is affecting your game or swing the most and really focus on that, sometimes the score or swing will come together with it. People forget to go back to the basics, especially the really skilled players. Rather than focusing on small tweaks and fine tuning, sometimes you need to look at the things you started with on day one. Like your set up, your weight transfer, your balance; all things that can start to fade away.

To close, St. Eugene is a special golf course. Talk about what makes it such a great track in your mind.
There are so many great facets to St. Eugene as a property and none of it would have been possible without the vision of the Ktunaxa Nation members years ago. In regards to the golf course itself, the Les Furber design starts with a couple of extremely forgiving driving holes which allows you to swing freely if you haven’t had quite enough warm-up time. The dynamics start to shift after the opening couple of holes as it winds through the tree-lined fairways and eventually down to the St. Mary’s River. The 4 different tee boxes and the incredible work by our maintenance team to maintain playability at all levels means the course has something for everyone. The view coming down the 18th fairway toward the Resort and Fisher Peak is one that can be etched in your mind for a very long time. Beyond the course and layout the people are what make the Resort truly special and I will forever be grateful to play a small role in our guests experience.

To contact Cindy Soukoroff, you can email her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call St. Eugene's Pro Shop at: 250.420.2060