Golf balls galore supports aviation students through YLW Golf Classic
Published 11:30 am Friday, June 19, 2026
Golf balls rained down from the sky above the Okanagan Golf Club on Thursday evening (June 18) in support of the YLW Scholarship Fund, an initiative that supports students pursuing careers in aviation and aerospace.
Dropped from a helicopter above the driving range, the golf balls were aimed at three different holes, with the three closest to the pins each winning a prize, including round-trip flights through Air North, Porter Airlines and WestJet.
It’s all part of the 2026 YLW Golf Classic, which saw more than 260 golfers completely sell out the 36 holes that belong to the Bear and Quail golf courses, while raising nearly $12,000 for the cause.
Kelowna International Airport (YLW) Chief Executive Officer Sam Samaddar said the money raised this year will help at least three students considering aviation and aerospace as a career path.
“To see the community here representing all kinds of different businesses on every hole just shows how much value there is,” said Samaddar. “Getting a pilot’s licence is very, very expensive… So if we can help in any way, we want to be able to help.”
The YLW Golf Classic has become an annual event at the Okanagan Golf Club, helping a number of students get through school and find work.
Samaddar tells Black Press Media there are more jobs in the aviation sector than most people realize, and that these funds will help students become more than just pilots.
Other major categories in aviation include flight operations, aircraft maintenance, airport administration and air traffic control.
“When we look at the aerospace canvas, you need a pipeline with all the skills and trades to be able to feed into that pipeline. These are good-paying jobs, and kids who are graduating from college aren’t always connected to the aviation side,” said Samaddar.
“We’re trying to connect those two pieces. And when we look at the programs we have at the college or the university, these programs lend themselves to future generations to support aviation, and we want to take advantage of that.”
The 2026 YLW Golf Classic also featured a dinner celebration and silent auction.
The Okanagan Golf Club in #Kelowna hosted the 2026 YLW Golf Classic on Thursday, capping it off with a helicopter ball drop in support of the YLW Scholarship Fund. @KelownaCapNews @BlackPressMedia pic.twitter.com/Xy6olY5GZM
— Brayden Ursel (@BraydenUrsel) June 19, 2026