Team Canada

Golf Canada announced today that Derek Ingram of Winnipeg has been named Head Coach of the Men’s National Amateur Golf Team.

A two-time recipient of the PGA of Canada’s Teacher of the Year Award, Ingram has spent the past two years as Women’s Head Coach for Team Canada.

Prior to being named Women’s Head Coach at the end of 2009, Ingram served the previous five years as Men’s Assistant Coach for Team Canada. A seven-time winner of the Manitoba PGA Teacher of the Year Award, Ingram has been involved with the Golf Canada’s High Performance Program for the past 11 years.

The 41-year old Ingram will replace Henry Brunton, who is leaving his role as Men’s Head Coach as of September 30, 2011.

“I’ve really enjoyed the last two years with the women’s program and have learned a great deal that I believe I can bring to my new role as Men’s Head Coach with Team Canada,” said Ingram, a recent inductee into the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame. “With a great deal of young up and coming talent in Canadian women’s golf, I’m proud of the progress we made with the program and believe the groundwork is laid for a new coach to come in and hit the ground running. Now I’m excited for this next challenge in my coaching career and look forward to helping to develop more Canadian world class athletes.”

Ingram also looks forward to building on the success of the men’s program, taking over the reins as Men’s Head Coach from his friend and long-time colleague Henry Brunton.

“Henry (Brunton) was a driving force with Team Canada and the Men’s National Team Program,” added Ingram. “Not only has he done so much for Canadian high performance golf, he is a great coach and teacher as well as a friend. I wish him the very best of success in the next phase of his coaching career and personal journey.”

For Golf Canada’s Chief Sport Officer Jeff Thompson, Ingram’s intimate knowledge of the men’s game and previous experience with the National Team Program made him the best candidate to lead the Men’s National Amateur Team.

“Derek has been a valuable member of our Team Canada coaching staff over the past 11 years and has proven himself to be a world-caliber coach and gifted teacher with the ability to both educate and motivate high performance athletes,” said Thompson. “We conducted a comprehensive search of potential candidates and felt that Derek had the coaching expertise, playing experience from his time competing on the Canadian Tour and comprehensive knowledge of high performance golf to move the Men’s National Team program forward.”

Ingram will take over officially as Men’s Head Coach at the end of September. Until then, he will continue to lead the Women’s National Team and assist with Golf Canada’s search for his replacement.

Golf Canada has begun the search to fill the position of Women’s Head Coach of Team Canada. The posting will be circulated within the PGA of Canada and also sent to other international golf federations.

Golf Canada expects to fill the position by late September in time for the selection of the 2012 National Amateur and Development Teams in early October.