Team Canada: Courtesy - RCGA

Most of the attention paid by the golf media is to the pros - the players, the tours, the big prize money.

So it's easy to forget and overlook the tremendous effort put out by national golf associations to promote competition among amateur golfers.

Few have heard of the Copa de las Americas, the bi-annual international amateur tournament for young golfers supported by the R&A, USGA and RCGA in Canada.

This is the third time for the competition which got underway today at Beacon Hall Golf Club in Toronto.

The Copa de las Americas features teams of four golfers - two male and two female - from 16 countries including the host nation, Canada.

In fact, Canada is defending its title in the Copa, won in 2005 in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico.

It's an interesting format; teams earn points based on individual stroke-play scores. Lowest point totals win.

In 2005, the Canadian men won the men's title while the women struggled and finished third. But the combined points of both the men and women were enough to earn Canada the cup.

This is a wonderful way for young amateurs to play the game at a competitive level while at the same time mixing with players from other parts of the Americas.

It's win-win and truly reflective of the global power of golf today.

And I can't think of another sport that allows competitors to become friends along the way.