Golf New Brunswick (Golf NB) is pleased to announce the 2021 Golf NB Players of the Year. 

The Player of the Year (POY) is a ranking system that awards points to players based on tournament results throughout the golfing year. It is designed to promote golf development through competition and celebrate the individual achievements of golfers in New Brunswick.

NB Men’s Player of the Year

Michel Landry – Fredericton Golf Club

2021 proved to be a successful campaign and once again a year filled with silverware for Fredericton’s Michel Landry. An impressive stretch of play over three days at the NB Men’s Amateur Championship would lead to Landry capturing his fourth provincial amateur title. Landry’s impressive play would continue at the Mactaquac Invitational and West Hills Invitational where he recorded under-par rounds of 69 and 67 to win both club events. Stellar play throughout the year would see Landry secure 114.0 POY points from four qualifying events.

Building off of his impressive 2020 season, Country Meadows’ Stu Musgrave participated in all five of Golf NB’s Player of the Year events in 2021. Consistent play would see Musgrave finish second in the Taylormade NB Men’s Player of the Year Challenge with 48.5 points.

Finishing in third position is former Team NB player and Westfield member, Stuart Earle.  Earle recorded a third-place finish at the NB Men’s Amateur Championship to amass a season total of points 48.0.

For more information on the TaylorMade NB Men’s Player of the Year Challenge – CLICK HERE

NB Senior Men’s Player of the Year

Darren Ritchie – Hampton Golf Club

Performing on the biggest stages, Hampton’s Darren Ritchie had an incredible 2021 golf season. His victories at both the New Brunswick Senior Men’s Championship and the Canadian Senior Men’s Championship would propel him to the top of the season-long NB Senior Men’s Player of the Year leaderboard. Capturing a total of 164.5 POY points from three qualifying events, Ritchie would secure the race for the NB Senior Men’s Player of the Year Crown by a small margin over Grand Fall’s Denis Beaulieu.

Beaulieu finished the year with a remarkable 163.8 points from seven qualifying events. His second-place finish in the NB Senior Men’s Play of the Year Challenge caps off a successful season for the Saint Quentin native.

Finishing 19.3 points behind Beaulieu in third place is Fredericton’s Sonny Phillips. The past New Brunswick Champion completed the season-long race with 144.5 points after participating in nine events, including the Canadian Senior Men’s Championship in La Malbaie, Quebec.

For more information on the NB Senior Men’s Player of the Year Challenge – CLICK HERE

NB Ladies’ Player of the Year

Leanne Richardson – Country Meadows

A name synonymous with New Brunswick Ladies’ Golf sits atop the 2021 Royale NB Ladies Player of the Year standings as Country Meadows’ Leanne Richardson tallied an incredible 211.0 points on route to capturing the 2021 Royale NB Ladies Player of the Year Championship.

Impressive play throughout the season saw Richardson claim 3 individual crowns, including the 2021 NB Ladies’ Amateur & Mid-Amateur titles along with a T18 finish at the Canadian Women’s Mid-Senior Championship in Bromont, Quebec.

2020 Player of the Year Champion, Maureen O’Donnell finished in second, 36.5 points behind Richardson with a season total of 174.5 POY points. The Fredericton Golf Club (FGC) member participated in 9 qualifying events highlighted by a 4th place finish at the NB Ladies’ Provincials, 2 wins, 5 Top-5 finishes, and 2 Top-10’s.

Miramichi’s Paula Napke-Flanagan locked down third position thanks to her successful run of play which included, a win at the Sussex Ladies Invitational and the FGC Open, along with five Top-5 finishes combining for a season total of 167.1 POY points.

For more information on the Royale NB Ladies Player of the Year Challenge – CLICK HERE

NB Junior Boys Player of the Year

Nicholas Ritchie – Hampton Golf Club

Like father, like son… The Ritchie name is becoming a consistent sight on both Provincial and National leaderboards. A great run of form and consistent play sees Hampton’s Nicholas Ritchie, son of NB Senior Men’s & Canadian Senior Men’s Champion Darren Ritchie, capture the 2021 NB Junior Boys Player of the Year Challenge. A season-high of 72.6 POY points was enough to secure the victory in New Brunswick’s Order of Merit competition.

Ritchie’s 2021 campaign was highlighted by a T23 finish at the New Brunswick Amateur, a 3rd place finish at the NB Under-19 Championship at his home course of Hampton, followed by a victory at the Gage Junior Invitational.

Finishing 12.6 points behind Ritchie was Covered Bridge & JH Sports’ Daniel Kirby. A stellar win at the FGC Junior Invitational and a T38 finish at the Canadian Junior Boys Championship at Vallée du Richelieu contributed to Kirby’s season total of 60.0 POY points.

Securing a third-place finish in the season-long Order of Merit race would be Devon Gionet. In his last season of junior golf, the Miramichi native finished second at the NB Under-19 Championship, securing him 56.0 POY points.

For more information on the NB Junior Boys Player of the Year Challenge – CLICK HERE

NB Junior Girls Player of the Year

Mackenzie Deveau – Royal Oaks

Royal Oaks’ Mackenzie Deveau had a successful 2021 season as she claimed her second consecutive Golf NB Junior Girls Player of the Year crown. 

Deveau’s play during the NB Ladies Provincials and NB Under-19 Championship earned her 14.0 and 17.5 POY points respectively, totaling 31.5 POY points for the season.

Finishing 2.5 points behind Deveau in the race is Riverside’s Addison McClune who’s victories at the NB Under-19 & Under-17 Championships saw her finish the season with 29.0 points.

Rounding out the top-3 in the Golf NB Junior Girls Player of the Year Challenge would be Riverside’s Callie Taylor. An impressive run of play throughout the 2021 season would see Taylor finish with 25.5 points, 3.5 points behind clubmate, Addison McClune. 

For more information on the NB Junior Girls Player of the Year Challenge – CLICK HERE

LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. and ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – The R&A and the USGA have announced that a new Model Local Rule (MLR G-10) will be available beginning on 1 January 2022 to provide those running professional or elite amateur golf competitions with the option of limiting the maximum length of a golf club (excluding putters) to 46 inches.

The proposal was announced in February 2021, which opened a notice-and-comment period to allow the industry the opportunity to provide feedback as part of the equipment rulemaking procedures. The comments received from the golf industry, including players, professional tours and equipment manufacturers, were carefully considered before the decision to proceed with the new MLR was reached.

The R&A and the USGA issued an Area of Interest notice in 2014 indicating that research was being conducted into the impact of club lengths of more than 48 inches on hitting distance and whether that limit remained appropriate. A proposed change to the limit was subsequently put forward in 2016 but was put on hold in 2017 when the Distance Insights project got underway.

Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “We have taken time to consult fully with the golf industry, including players, the main professional tours and equipment manufacturers, and have considered their feedback carefully. We believe this is the right thing for the game at this time and it will provide tournament organisers with the flexibility to choose for themselves within the framework of the Rules. We are working hard to maintain an open, collaborative and considered dialogue with these key stakeholders as we continue to evolve the Equipment Standards Rules to ensure they reflect the modern game.”

Mike Whan, Chief Executive Officer of the USGA, said, “We’ve worked closely with our industry partners to ensure the future for golf remains strong. Admittedly, this is not the ‘answer’ to the overall distance debate/issue but rather a simple option for competitive events. It’s important to note that it is not a ‘Rule of Golf,’ and as such, it is not mandated for the average, recreational golfer. Rather, this is an available tool for those running competitive events.”

The proposals submitted in February for changes to the testing method for golf balls and the testing tolerance for spring-like effect are still under consideration. The governing bodies plan to consider feedback on these proposals in line with the responses to the broader Area of Interest – Research Topics notification, which are due by 2 November.

The detail of MLR G-10 can be found here.

For more information visit www.RandA.org and www.usga.org. 

Golf New Brunswick (Golf NB) is excited to share the following job opportunity

The New Brunswick Golf Association (Golf NB) is looking to fill the position of Executive Director (ED). This is a great opportunity for an individual to apply their experience and skills in the areas of vision, strategy, innovation, and enhancing relationships with sponsors, members, and partner facilities.

Please CLICK HERE for a full Job Posting

APPLICATION DEADLINE: October 18, 2021

APPLICATIONS
Interested professionals, please forward your resume and cover letter, in confidence to Golf NB’s President Judy Astle.

Email: jastlenb4@gmail.com

Thank you to all that apply; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

______________________________________________________________________

LA MALBAIE, QUE. – The 59^th playing of the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship wrapped up today with Darren Ritchie securing the title to etch his name into the John Rankin Memorial Trophy.

The St. John, N.B. native from Hampton Golf Club held the lead for the majority of the tournament, finishing 2 over par 72 to become the first Senior Men’s Champion since Gene Elliot captured the title in 2019. It was the first Canadian Men’s Senior title for the 57-year-old Ritchie.

“I took a lot of years off to be with my family and to take care of them,” said Ritchie. “To get back to playing and to come up here and succeed the way that I did, it’s an unbelievable feeling.”

Ritchie is no stranger to excellence with Canadian Amateur Champion, World Amateur Team Member, New Brunswick Player of the Year, and New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame Member listed among other accolades in his resume. When asked about his recent success in the tournament, Ritchie pointed to experience and a great starting lead.

“It goes back to the start of the week. I hit the driver so good that I could stand there and just know that it’s going up the middle of the fairway. Whenever I had to make a 3-footer for par, I was fortunate. I made a lot of them this week and a lot of the other guys struggled with it. My golf game is good right now and I just can’t wait to play again.”

With the win, Ritchie receives an exemption into the 2022 U.S. Senior Amateur championship to be contested at The Kittanset Club in Marion, Mass.

Joe Miszk of Niagara Falls, Ont., and Luc Guilbault of Drummondville, Que. tied for runner up, each finishing with a score of 7 over.

A 65-and-over Super Senior Championship ran concurrently throughout the championship with Michel Roy securing the Governor’s Cup with a score of 13 over. The runner up was Mark Bennett from Toronto, Ont. who finished the tournament with a score of +17.

The 2022 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship will be held September 6-9 in Red Deer, Alta.

Additional information, including a full list of competitors and scores can be found here.

For Complete Results – Click Here

For Immediate Release

The 61 competitors in the 2021 Atlantic Golf Championship at Mill River Golf Course in O’Leary, PEI were treated to beautiful fall weather this weekend.

After the postponement of this event in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021 marks the seventh installment of the Atlantic Golf Championships where teams from New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland & Labrador compete for both the “Atlantic Cup”, and individual exemptions over eight (8) separate division and four age categories, into the 2022 Canadian Championships. 

In the Amateur Men’s division it was Prince Edward Island’s Jason Campbell (75, 74) of Andersons Creek Golf Club who took the lead on day one and didn’t look back on his way to victory over Nova Scotia’s Mitchell Campbell (78, 78) of Oakfield Golf Club and Team PEI teammate, Nick Dolomount (79, 78), also from Andersons Creek Golf Club.

Nova Scotia’s Cristal Romero of Eaglequest Grandview Golf & Country Club posted impressive scores of 76, 75 on a challenging Mill River course and took the division title over teammate Abbey Baker (85, 82) of Ashburn Golf Club and PEI’s Joanne Ghiz (85, 88) of Belvedere Golf Club. 

On the Men’s Mid-Master side, New Brunswick’s Stuart Musgrave (74, 77) of Country Meadows Golf Club earned the title and narrowly avoided a playoff over Nova Scotia’s Craig Hollett (80, 72) from Eagleguest Grandview Golf & Country Club. Third in the division was NS’s Rob Watt (76, 79) of Truro Golf Club.

Prince Edward Island’s Melissa Castle (82, 84) of Belvedere Golf Club claimed the Mid-Master Ladies division title over New Brunswick’s Erin Musgrave (84, 86) of Country Meadows Golf Club and Nova Scotia’s Venita Theriault (95, 94) of Truro Golf Club.

The Senior Men`s division had an exciting one-hole playoff finish which saw NB’s Pat Flanagan (79, 81) from the Miramichi Golf & Country Club win over PEI’s Sid Stead (78, 82) of the Links at Crowbush Cove).  Nova Scotia’s Derrick Forgeron (82, 79) of Eaglequest Grandview Golf & Country Club rounded out the top three in the senior men’s division.

The Senior Women’s division also came down to a playoff between New Brunswick’s, Leanne Richardson (81, 81) of Country Meadows Golf Club and Nova Scotia’s Joanie McCarville (82, 80) of Ashburn Golf Club. The Team NB rep, Richardson was able to par the 18^th hole and walked away with the title.  PEI’s Myrna Millar (85, 81) finished in third position.

Sonny Phillips (78, 77) of Fredericton Golf Club took the Men’s Super Senior title for New Brunswick over PEI’s Mel Bernard (81, 84) of Andersons Creek Golf Club.

Mill River’s Paula Buote (85, 88), used her home turf advantage to win the Women’s Super-Senior title over NS’s Debi Karrel (87, 87) of Ashburn Golf Club and NB’s Mary Rossignol (91, 90) of Fredericton Golf Club.   

In the race for the Atlantic Cup, Team Prince Edward Island’s consistency in all divisions led them to victory in a tight competition over Team New Brunswick and Team Nova Scotia.

For more information on the Atlantic Golf Championships – Click here

For more information on the Mill River Resort please visit: https://millriver.ca/

For more information on the Golf Newfoundland Labrador – Click Here

For more information on the Prince Edward Island Golf Association– Click Here

For more information on the Nova Scotia Golf Association – Click Here

For more information on the Golf New Brunswick– Click Here

The year started with 8 teams but only 2 remained for the 2021 Past Presidents Cup Inter-Club Challenge, held at the Lakeside Golf & Country Club on September 18^th & 19^th. The Past Presidents’ Cup, Inter-club Challenge, now in its 21^st year, is a competition run by Golf New Brunswick where clubs enter a 16-player team (divided into five different handicap flights).

This year, Terrain de Golf de la Vallée de Memramcook Valley Golf Club & the Westfield Golf & Country Club were the final two teams to face off for the title of 2021 Past Presidents’ Cup Champions.

The participants in the Past Presidents’ Cup Inter-Club Challenge are divided into five handicap flights as follows;

Players were met with summer conditions at Lakeside for Saturday’s first round of the final. After a captain’s meeting prior to the start of play, the matches took to the course with the A Flight leading the field, rounded out by the E flight members assuming the duty as the anchors. With no shortage of skill and passion on both teams, Saturday’s first-round would prove to be a hard-fought points battle.

Saturday’s results would total 63 points for Memramcook and 81 for Westfield. A mere 18 points would be the difference heading into Sunday with both clubs eager to finish strong. As per the competition rules, the first team to 145 points will win the Past Presidents’ Cup.

Day 2 brought high winds and cool temperatures compared to Saturday. Pleased with Round 1, both captains elected to keep the same match-ups for Sunday’s final round. Beginning at 8:40, the A Flight golfers took to the tee with each team attempting to leave it all on the course in the battle for the elusive Past Presidents’ Cup.

Firey play and tight matches would see Memramcook secure 69 points to Westfield’s 75 on Sunday. A two-day total of 156 would see the Westfield Golf & Country Club secure victory in the 2021 Past Presidents’ Cup.

A hard-fought weekend of golf in Lakeside proved to have no shortage of fun and memories for both teams. At the conclusion of play, the total scores finished Memramcook 132 | Westfield 156.

Golf New Brunswick (Golf NB), a not-for-profit organization founded in 1934, is the official governing body for amateur golf in New Brunswick.  In January of 2006, the New Brunswick Golf Association (NBGA) officially merged with the New Brunswick Ladies Golf Association (NBLGA), resulting in one united governing body for amateur golf in the province.  Programs offered by Golf NB to its 10,000 members include: 12 provincial events, rules of golf education, course rating and handicap services, junior golf development programs and member club marketing initiatives.

Golf New Brunswick (Golf NB), and the entire golf community are deeply saddened to hear the passing of John H. Estabrooks.

John was a valued & influential member of the golfing, and sporting landscape in Atlantic Canada. John’s legacy will be remembered as a proud multi-time NB Amateur Champion, New Brunswick Golf Association Honorary Life Governor, and 1981, 1982 Association President. His impacts as a competitor, administrator, and volunteer will be felt for years to come.

Golf NB joins the rest of the sporting community in Atlantic Canada in sending our thoughts and deepest condolences to the Estabrooks family and Golf NB looks forward to continuing to celebrate John’s legacy through the playing of the annual Estabrooks Cup on October 2nd & 3rd at the Club de Golf Memramcook Valley Golf Course.

Lukas Weese

The 12th edition of the Junior Skills Challenge National Event is in the books. 

Played at the picturesque TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Caledon, Ont., a selection of top Canadian junior golfers showcased their skills in one of Golf Canada’s signature events. In partnership with the PGA of Canada and Cobra-Puma Golf, this event saw participating golfers compete in putting, chipping, and driving competitions. It culminates a year-long process, which consisted of 80 qualifying events across Canada and 1,500 junior golfers. 

The winners of the Junior Skills Challenge National Event received prizing courtesy of Cobra-Puma Golf with the winners of the 15 to 18 age groups receiving exemptions into their local NextGen Championship in 2022. 

Below are the winners in each of the age groups: 

Boys 8 and under:  

Carrick Frizzell (Hartlen Point Golf Club) captured the Boys 8 and under title honours. Hailing from Halifax, N.S., Frizzell recorded a score of 140. South Surrey, B.C. native Benjamin Hannela (Peace Portal Golf Club & Langley Junior Development Program) finished second posting 100 while Borden Nicholson of Brule Point Golf Course placed third with a score of 80.

Girls 8 and under: 

Four participants competed in the Girls 8 and under division. Emily Joy (The Glencoe Golf & Country Club) of Calgary finished in first place with a score of 115, dominating the putting portion with a 40 on the 5-feet and 30 on the 10-feet. 

Eily Kim (Pitt Meadows Golf Club) of Burnaby, B.C., placed second, with a total of 100. Kim, like Joy, also had a strong putting performance, posting a 40 on the 10-feet competition. 

McKinley Stewart (Sawmill Golf Course) of Fenwick, Ont., placed third (75) while Barrie, Ont., native Brynlee Chappell (Vespra Hills Golf Club) finished fourth (65). 

Boys 9 to 11: 

One of the closest competitions during the Junior Skills Challenge was the Boys 9 to 11 division. Calgary native Luke MacDonald (The Glencoe Golf & Country Club) secured the title with a 185 score, thanks in large part to his driving (multiple 30 scores) and putting (40 on the 5-feet). 

Noah Moreau (Club de golf Lotbinière) of Saint Gilles, Que., placed second, only 20 points shy of first with a score of 165. Dutton, Ont., product Andrew Sudicky finished with 100+ points in third, recording a score of 115. 

Girls 9 to 11: 

Former Drive, Chip and Putt champion Alexis Card (Galt Country Club) continued her strong play with a complete performance, winning the Girls 9 to 11 division with a score of 205. The Cambridge, ON native shined in the driving portion of the event, posting 30+ point scores in the first, second and third driving competitions. 

Claira Frizzell (Hartlen Point Golf Club) also shined with her driving, finishing in second place (145). Brooke Halbauer (Leduc Golf Club) of Edmonton, Alta., placed third registering 100 points. 

Boys 12-14: 

Jager Pain (Eagles Nest Golf Club) recorded the best score out of any golfer at the Junior Skills Challenge on Sunday, posting a score of 265. Winner of the 2018 MJT Ontario Series tournament, Pain delivered impressive scores in the driving and putting portions, recording 30 and above with the driver and all ’40s with the putter. 

Robin Benoit (Golf Saint-Prime sur le Lac) placed second with a score of 160 while Calgary, Alta., native Andrew Leon (Lakeside Golf Club) finished third with 120 points. 

Girls 12-14: 

The Girls 12-14 division came down to the wire, with all four golfers separated by just 25 points. 

Tatum Lohnes (Osprey Ridge Golf Club) came out on top with 160, which included a 40 on the 5-feet putting portion. Sitting in second just five points back of Lohnes was Claire Hu (Whitlock Golf and Country Club), who demonstrated her impressive driving abilities with two scores in the 30’s. 

Just 20 points back of first, Sophie Dhaliwal (Wingfield Golf Club) placed third with a score of 140. Rosemere, Que., native Alexandra Botsis (Club de Golf Rosemere) finished fourth recording 135 points. 

Boys 15-18: 

Like Jager Pain in the Boys 12-14 category, John Kingdon (Sawmill Golf Course) had multiple 40 scores en route to winning the Boys 15-18 competition. The Grimsby, Ont., native recorded scores of 40 in two of the driving events and the 5-feet putting competition. Last season, Kingdon won two tournaments on the Golf Ontario circuit; the US Kids Niagara—Southbrook and U15 NDJT Bridgewater. 

Finishing second was Jackson Wingert (The Willow’s Golf & Country Club) with a score of 175. Toronto amateur Griffin Patterson (Centennial Park Golf Course) placed third with 140 points. 

Girls 15-18: 

Fresh off of winning the 2021 Ontario Juvenile (U17) Girls Championship Title in Windsor, Ont., Joline Troung (Trafalgar Golf & Country Club) captured top honours in the Girls 15-18 event at the Junior Skills Challenge. The Mississauga, Ont., native posted a score of 230, the best among the Canadian girls competing at TPC Toronto. Troung’s best individual score was a 40 in the 5-feet putting competition. 

In second place was Ava MacDonald (Antigonish Golf Club) with a score of 175. MacDonald, like Troung, also recorded a 40 in the 5-feet putting portion. 

Sarah Maude Lefebvre (Golf Saint-Prime sur le Lac) placed third posting 115 points. The St-Prime, Que., native showcased her powerful driver, recording a 40 in the second driving event.

For more information on the Junior Skills Challenge National Event, click here.

TORONTO – Score Media and Gaming Inc. (TSX: SCR; Nasdaq: SCR) (“theScore” or “the Company”) announced today that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Score Digital Sports Ventures (Canada) Inc. (“theScore Bet”), has entered into a multiyear agreement with Golf Canada to become its Official Gaming Partner. The exclusive partnership makes theScore Bet the first ever gaming partner for Golf Canada and its prestigious National Open Golf Championships – the CP Women’s Open and the RBC Canadian Open.  

The partnership, which begins in 2022, provides theScore Bet with access to activate across Golf Canada’s high-profile events and large digital footprint. As an exclusive gaming partner of the RBC Canadian Open and the CP Women’s Open, theScore Bet will be able to engage fans through a variety of on-site activations, including creating members club experiences for theScore Bet users, as well as digital activations through both tournaments and Golf Canada’s channels.

Bill C-218, which legalizes single event sports betting, was proclaimed to come into force on August 27, 2021, with regulated online iGaming and sports betting offerings from private operators expected to commence in Ontario later this year. Both the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open will be held in Ontario in 2022. The RBC Canadian Open is scheduled to be held in the Greater Toronto Area in 2023 and 2024. 

“We are thrilled to welcome theScore Bet as Golf Canada’s first Official Gaming Partner,” said Golf Canada’s Chief Commercial Officer, John Sibley. “theScore brand is already synonymous with sports coverage in Canada and we’re enthusiastic about the opportunity to team up to help build awareness for theScore Bet. Through Golf Canada’s entertainment properties and channels, theScore Bet will have direct access to engage with our large membership of devout Canadian sports fans.”

“We are proud to be Golf Canada’s first ever gaming partner and align theScore Bet with their organization and Canada’s marquee professional men’s and women’s golf events,” said Aubrey Levy, Senior Vice President of Content and Marketing, theScore. “This partnership provides us with highly engaging access points to introduce theScore Bet to a broad and endemic audience of golf fans. With the RBC Canadian Open taking place in Ontario for all three years and the CP Women’s Open in the province for at least the coming year, it provides us an amazing foothold to interact with Canada’s passionate golf community around two of the most popular golf events in the country.” 

The 2022 RBC Canadian Open will be held June 6-12 at St. George’s Golf and Country Club in Toronto with nearby Islington Golf Club hosting the championship’s practice facility. The 2022 CP Women’s Open takes place August 22-28 at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club in Ottawa.  

In March 2021, theScore Bet was named Official Betting Operator of the PGA TOUR across the United States and Canada, pending the enactment of enabling legislation and regulation, and receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals. 

theScore Bet is an immersive and holistic mobile sports betting platform that includes a wide range of pre-game and in-play betting across all major sports leagues and events, and a comprehensive variety of bet types. When paired with theScore’s flagship mobile app, theScore Bet offers a deeply personalized user experience and uniquely integrated media and betting ecosystem.

Garry McKay

Volunteers. Golf in Canada can’t do without them and for many who try it, it becomes a life-long passion.

Tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of Canadians volunteer every year at all levels of golf – from local junior events up to and including the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open.

“The volunteers at our recent Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship at Ambassador Golf Club in Windsor absolutely loved what they were doing,” said Golf Canada president Liz Hoffman, who enjoys attending tournaments and getting to hang out with volunteers.

“Whether they were walking scorers, spotters or bringing out water and fruit for the players they loved every minute of what they were doing, and it was contagious.”

Hoffman says if you consider all the roles and responsibilities volunteers have as part of Golf Canada’s board, councils and committees, helping at championships and qualifiers, or who serve as referees or work on handicapping and course rating and then factor everything that happens at the provincial level there is no doubt golf in Canada couldn’t function without them.

“They (volunteers) are integral, right across the country,” she says. “They’re the machine.”

Jim Clark, an Aurora, Ont., resident, first volunteered to work the Canadian Open in 1984 after hearing about it when he was curling.

“I was on the caddy committee,” he explains. “I just loved it. Standing in the parking lot at Glen Abbey and meeting the players as they got out of their cars.

“I enjoyed it so much I did it the next year, and the next year and the next year. And I’ve never missed one since.”

In time, Clark became a governor of the Royal Canadian Golf Association (now Golf Canada) and he has worked every significant tournament Golf Canada has been involved in.

But why?

“It can be long hours and exhausting, but it gave me an energy,” he says. “It was the highlight of my year many times. That’s why I kept going back.”

Clark said volunteering in golf gave him a feeling of being part of a team and he loves to talk about the friendships he’s made through working golf tournaments and how volunteers come from all walks of life.

“We had a doctor who ran a parking lot at the Canadian Open,” he said. “He took a week off from his practice to direct cars in the parking lot.”

Hoffman’s introduction to volunteering in golf was not unlike Clark’s.

It happened in 2006 because the University of Toronto, where she was director of athletics and high-performance sport, was hosting the Canadian University/College Championship at Thornhill G&CC, where she’s a member.

After that experience she volunteered at the club level, then with Golf Ontario. And now, 15 years later, she is president of Golf Canada.

Both Hoffman and Clark agree that it’s not hard to get volunteers back for a second or third time because they see they’re making a difference and are having fun doing it.

“Once people do it they love it and they’ll go back,” said Clark. “The hard part is getting them out for the first time because some people can be intimidated by it.”

That’s one of the reasons Hoffman is on a crusade to broaden golf’s volunteer base in Canada.

“I’ve had so many parents come up to me and say, “if you ever need volunteers let me know because I’ll help in any way I can,’” says Hoffman who points out the reason they ask is because they simply don’t know how to get involved.

For starters, you don’t have to be a great golfer or even a golfer, period.

“We welcome applications from all individuals who share our values and may contribute to increasing equity diversity and inclusion in our sport,” says Hoffman. “We want to look inside and outside our sport.

“We want to broaden our volunteer base and underrepresented groups are key. We need to make sure we reach out to them and let them know who we are and how to get involved.”

Golf Canada has made it simple to sign up as a volunteer. For starters, you can simply go to www.golfcanada.ca/volunteer-opportunities to get more information on how to volunteer with Golf Canada.

Or if you prefer, you can call Golf Canada or your provincial golf association and ask, “how do I volunteer?”

You can reach Golf Canada at 905-849-9700 or toll-free at 1-800-263-0009.