Golf Canada and BDO Canada LLP (BDO) have announced an integrated multi-year partnership that will see BDO become the Official Business and Professional Services Partner of Golf Canada and its two signature events – the RBC Canadian Open and the CP Women’s Open.

As the presenting sponsor for all nine Canadian Amateur Golf Championships conducted by Golf Canada, BDO has made a significant commitment to the growth of golf in communities across Canada. BDO will also partner with Golf Canada to develop and further enhance technologies that support the Canadian golfer experience.

In addition to BDO’s support for golf at the professional and amateur levels, Golf Canada will access BDO’s trusted expertise providing accounting, assurance, tax, and advisory services for the National Sport Federation.

“Golf Canada has had an exceptional relationship with BDO as our auditor and professional services firm since 2019 and the work and growth that we have experienced together has brought us to this enhanced next level,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum.

“We are extremely excited about the opportunities for BDO in golf and in working with our team and connected stakeholders. BDO is a world class organization, and we are thrilled to be working with them extensively to expand our use of their services across all of their areas of expertise.”

For BDO Canada, partnering with the National Sport Organization to engage with Canada’s considerable golf audience reflects a firm-wide commitment through sport to give back to communities served across the country.

“We are excited to partner with Golf Canada and become the presenting sponsor for Canadian Amateur Golf Championships,” said Pat Kramer, CEO of BDO Canada.

“This is the next step in our commitment to connecting and engaging with Canadians, through sport. Working alongside Golf Canada, we look forward to supporting Canadian athletes at both the amateur and professional levels.”

Golf Canada’s 2022 Annual Meeting culminated on Thursday, March 3^rd with the election of Liz Hoffman of Wasaga Beach, Ont. to serve a second term as the 116^th President of the National Sport Federation.

Hoffman, a member of both Mad River Golf Club in Creemore, Ont. as well as The Thornhill Club in Vaughn, Ont. is joined by Vice-President Dale Jackson of Victoria, B.C. in leading the 13-member Board of Directors who will work closely with Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. 

Based on the report of Golf Canada’s Nominating Committee, Hoffman and Jackson will be joined on the 2022 Board of Directors by returnees Alison Chisholm of Rothesay, N.B., Adam Daifallah of Montreal, Que., Diane Drury-Clarke of Montreal, Que., Shawn Evans of Kitchener, Ont., Patrick Kelly of Victoria, B.C., Susan MacKinnon of Calgary, Alta., Peter Major of Calgary, Alta., David McCarthy of Toronto, Ont., Jean-Sébastien  Monty of Montreal, Que., and Rai Sahi of Mississauga, Ont., along with new addition Michelle Collens of Vancouver, B.C. 

“In 2021, the organization and our sport continued to grow with pace and 2022 is going to be another special year. Our National Open Championships are back, Canadian high-performance golf is accelerating, First Tee – Canada will continue to roll out across Canada, industry collaboration with our provincial and national partners has never been stronger, and most importantly, people are enjoying the game and everything it has to offer.”   

Long time Golf Canada volunteers Barbara Allan of Kingston, Ont. and Jim Clark of Aurora, Ont. were recognized at the Annual Meeting for their contributions to the association as Honorary Life Governors. Golf Canada’s 2022 Annual Meeting was conducted virtually over two days, March 2-3 with volunteers, staff, member clubs, and key industry stakeholders participating.

2021 Annual Report & Financial Statements

Click here to read Golf Canada’s 2021 Annual Report, which includes a recap of the past season, as well as the organization’s 2021 Financial Statements, which were released during Golf Canada’s Annual General Meeting.

Feature Presentations

Golf Canada’s 2022 Outlook & Operational Plan – presented by Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum

Keynote Address: Fireside Chat with International Golf Federation President & World Golf Hall of Fame Member, Annika Sörenstam – hosted by Golf Canada President Liz Hoffman

Canadian Golf High-Performance Strategy – presented by Golf Canada Chief Sport Officer Kevin Blue

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Safe Sport – Introduced by Golf Canada Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Safe Sport, Laura Wilson

Ken Casey and David Atkinson named co-recipients of the 2021 Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year… 

In the continued celebration of volunteerism, Golf Canada also recognized Ken Casey of St. John’s, N.L. and David Atkinson, formerly of Vancouver, B.C. and now Goderich, Ont. as the 2021 co-recipients of the Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year Award. Now in its 16^th year, candidates for the Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year Award are put forth to Golf Canada for consideration by the respective provincial golf associations in acknowledgment of significant contributions to the game of golf in their community.  Click here for more.

Volunteers Ruth & Ian Giles along Golf Journalist Garry McKay to Receive Golf Canada’s 2022 Distinguished Service Award…

Golf Canada announced that three accomplished golf contributors from Hamilton, Ont. – tireless volunteers Ruth and Ian Giles along with esteemed golf journalist Garry McKay – will be acknowledged for their tremendous contributions to the sport as the 2022 recipients of Golf Canada’s Distinguished Service Award. The presentation of the Distinguished Service Award will be celebrated in person during the week of the 108^th playing of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, July 19-22 at Westmount Golf and Country Club in Kitchener, Ont.  Click here for more.

Three accomplished golf contributors from Hamilton, Ont. – tireless volunteers Ruth and Ian Giles along with esteemed golf journalist Garry McKay – will be acknowledged for their tremendous contributions to the sport as the 2022 recipients of Golf Canada’s Distinguished Service Award.

The announcement of the 2022 Distinguished Service Award honourees will be made during Golf Canada’s Annual General Meeting which will be conducted virtually on Thursday, March 3. 

“Golf Canada is extremely proud to recognize two long-serving volunteers in Ruth and Ian Giles along with respected golf journalist Garry McKay as the recipients of our 2022 Distinguished Service Award,” said Golf Canada President Liz Hoffman.

“Each of their collective efforts has left a meaningful mark on the Canadian golf landscape and it is with great respect and admiration that we honour each of them for their passion and commitment to our sport.”

The presentation of the Distinguished Service Award to this year’s honourees will be celebrated in person during the week of the 108^th playing of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, July 19-22 at Westmount Golf and Country Club in Kitchener, Ont. 

Golf Canada 2022 Distinguished Service Award Honourees:

Ruth & Ian Giles (Volunteer)

The Giles’ pairing are long tenured golf volunteers who have shared their time and passion for the game with both Golf Ontario and Golf Canada, serving on numerous committees at the operational and executive level. Over the past four decades, the Hamilton residents have supported hundreds of local, provincial, national, international, and professional championships as duty roster volunteers in a rules or starting and scoring capacity.

Ruth was previously honoured with the 2007 Golf Ontario Volunteer of the Year, the 2007 Bruce Mitchell Golf Canada Volunteer of the Year, and the Golf Ontario 2011 Dick Grimm Distinguished Volunteer of the Year. She also supported Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board middle school golf tournament over the years. 

Ian served as the President of the Ontario Golf Association (OGA) in 2001 and in 2002 helped lead the association’s amalgamation with the Ontario Ladies Golf Association – today Golf Ontario. Before becoming President, he spent six years as a Golf Ontario Director chairing numerous committees including the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame committee in 2007 and 2008. A Level 3 rules official and past governor with Golf Canada (2003-2012), Ian has given his time to numerous Golf Canada volunteer committees including the Governors Council and has also served on a number Golf Ontario Volunteer committees. In 2014, Golf Ontario named Ian the recipient of the Dick Grimm Distinguished Service Award. 

The Giles’ have been long-time contributors to the Hamilton Halton Junior Golf Tour—Ruth has served since 1999 in a variety of roles including past President (2002-03), secretary and a board member. Ian served as President from 1996-98 and has also contributed over the years as a board member and rules official. The selection of Ruth and Ian Giles marks the first time that a family duo has been selected for Golf Canada’s Distinguished Service Award.

Garry McKay (Media)

A past President and founding director of the Golf Journalists Association of Canada (GJAC), McKay is a respected sports journalist who has covered golf for more than 43 years. He first reported on the RBC Canadian Open in 1968 for CKOC radio and is highly respected as the longtime golf reporter for the Hamilton Spectator where he has covered all aspects of the sport from local golf to the professional game. McKay has also contributed to a multitude of Canadian and international publications during his tenure including Pro Shop, SCOREGolf, Ontario Golf and Golf Canada Magazine.

A decorated journalist across a number of sports, he has garnered a number of achievements including a SCOREGolf Award. McKay has served on the selection committees for the World Golf Hall of Fame, PGA of Canada Hall of Fame, Ontario Golf Hall of Fame, and the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and has also volunteered his time with the Stanley Thomson Society and Golf Canada’s Heritage Committee. McKay is also a founding director, current board member, and treasurer of the Golden Horseshoe Athlete of the Year Award as well as a founding director and current chair of the Hamilton Sports Hall of Fame. He is also a founding director of the Hamilton Halton Junior Golf Tour (1984), an organization he continues to serve on the board of directors and as a volunteer at the registration table, as a rules official, and at the scoreboard. 

McKay was recognized by Golf Ontario with the 2015 Lorne Rubenstein Media Award and in 2021 was honoured by his GJAC peers with the Dick Grimm Award.

Golf Canada’s Distinguished Service Award has been presented annually since 1993 to recognize individuals who have had an outstanding impact on Canadian golf either nationally or within their community. 

In addition to the 2022 Distinguished Service Award, Golf Canada will also celebrate Ken Casey of St. John’s, N.L. and David Atkinson, formerly Vancouver, B.C. and now Goderich, Ont. as co-recipients of the 2021 Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year.

Another pair of distinguished Golf Canada volunteers – Barbara Allan of Kingston, Ont. and Jim Clark of Aurora, Ont.– will be named Honorary Life Governors for their long serving contributions to the organization. 

Golf Canada’s Annual General Meeting will culminate with Liz Hoffman of Wasaga Beach, Ont., a member of both Mad River Golf Club and The Thornhill Club sworn in to serve a second term as President of Golf Canada. 

TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley announced on Wednesday the return of The Road to TPC Toronto presented by COBRA PUMA GOLF, an event series for junior golfers taking place across Ontario this season.

After a successful launch in 2021, The Road will once again consist of a series of 36-hole regional qualifying tournaments, where competitors in girls and boys divisions will play to earn a spot in the season-ending finale at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in July along with prizes from COBRA PUMA GOLF.

“It was a thrill to meet and welcome so many outstanding young competitors to TPC Toronto last year, and we believe this year’s event series will be a great complement to the schedules of talented junior golfers across Ontario this season. We look forward to another season of strong competition, great prizes and fun on the course,” said TPC Toronto Tournament and Programming Director Brad Parkins.

Each regional qualifying tournament field will be open to girls and boys, aged 18 and under as of August 1, 2022 on a first come-first serve basis. The top six boys and three girls from each regional qualifier will advance to the finale at TPC Toronto at Osprey

Valley, in Caledon, Ontario, July 17-18. At The Finale, 60 of the province’s best junior golfers will compete in the 36-hole championship event, with prizing for top boys’ and girls’ finishers.

Beginning in May, The Road to TPC Toronto presented by COBRA PUMA GOLF will visit the following sites for qualifying events:

• Loyalist Country Club (Bath, Ont.) May 14-15
• Seaforth Golf & Country Club (Seaforth, Ont.) May 28-29
• Idylwylde Golf & Country Club and Timberwolf Golf Club (Sudbury, Ont.) June 4-5
• Bridgewater Golf & Country Club (Fort Erie, Ont.) July 4
• Deer Creek Golf & Banquet Facility (Ajax, Ont.) July 11

The Finale will once again be a part of the Osprey Valley Open presented by Votorantim Cimentos – CBM Aggregates, an official PGA TOUR Canada event. Competitors at the Finale will compete in the final round alongside a PGA TOUR Canada player in a unique Pro-Am format, providing players with a special inside-the-ropes experience.

COBRA PUMA GOLF will provide equipment and apparel prizes for outstanding junior golfers at each event, with the boys’ and girls’ champion following the finale at TPC Toronto earning a prize pack, including a custom fitting for a COBRA KING Putter.

“Last year we saw a promising start to the Road to TPC Toronto event series and are excited to see its growth and evolution in the summer of 2022,” said Dwayne Boecker,

Head of Golf for COBRA PUMA GOLF – Canada. “It offers a fantastic development opportunity for competitive juniors as well as engagement with our performance brands, both of which we passionately support.”

Competitions will be operated with detailed COVID-19 safety protocols in place in accordance with each host facility’s established practices.

Online registration for tournaments is now open at theroadtotpctoronto.com.

Golf Canada is pleased to announce that Ken Casey of St. John’s, N.L. and David Atkinson, formerly of Vancouver, B.C. and now Goderich, Ont. have been named the 2021 co-recipients of the Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year Award. A presentation of the award will take place on Thursday, March 3^rd as part of Golf Canada’s Virtual Annual Meeting.

“Volunteers are integral to the success of golf in this country and on behalf of Golf Canada and all of the provincial golf associations, we are very proud to recognize Ken Casey and David Atkinson for their deep contributions to the advance the game,” said Golf Canada President Liz Hoffman. “They have supported golf in Newfoundland and British Columbia as well as at the national level and have had a major impact on the advancement of the sport in their communities.”

The Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year Award is named in recognition of Toronto native Bruce Mitchell who in 2017-18 was the first Canadian to serve as captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A). Born in Victoria and raised in Edmonton, the former President of the Toronto Golf Club and R&A member since 1988 was just the ninth internationally appointed captain of the R&A, one of the most prestigious volunteer positions in the world of golf. Duties as captain included representing the R&A as a global ambassador and aiding in the R&A’s effort to develop golf around the world.

Now in its 16^th year, candidates for the Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year Award are put forth to Golf Canada for consideration by the respective provincial golf associations in acknowledgment of significant contributions to the game of golf in their community.

Get to Know – Ken Casey (Golf Newfoundland & Labrador)

Golf Newfoundland & Labrador is extremely proud of their long-time friend, Ken Casey.

At 12 years old, he took up the game at Bally Haly Golf Club in St. John’s, N.L. and has enjoyed it for a lifetime. Ken began to volunteer at Bally Haly in the late 1980s where he was elected to serve on the golf committee and several years later was named Golf Captain. In 1990, Ken assembled a group of volunteers to organize the Bally Haly Men’s Invitational (one of the largest in the province) which 30 plus years later continues to draw golfers from all across the province.

In 1994 Ken became President of what was then the Newfoundland Labrador Golf Association (NLGA) and had served the organization across a number of activities and committees over the years. A decade later, he was approached to serve on the Board of Directors of newly formed Golf Newfoundland Labrador ( Golf NL) as Treasurer and after a two-year term, accepted the nomination to serve as President where he spent four years helping to direct the growth and development of the organization.

Ken’s contributions have been felt across the entire organization including the development of a new membership model that provided financial stability. He has also been a champion for new policies to address safe sport, enhancements to the player development program and ensuring that funds were allocated to develop a three-year marketing plan for the organization.

Ken also guided the creation of the Go Golf Booklet initiative and has supported fundraising activities including the development of a junior golf scholarship program.   

Get to Know – David Atkinson (British Columbia Golf)

Although he now lives in Ontario, David Atkinson’s support for the game in British Columbia and nationally has been outstanding.

A constant presence at golf championships in British Columbia, David volunteered as a starter and scorer at a multitude of zone, provincial and national championships as well as the Vancouver Golf Tour. David also has the great honour of serving as the non-playing captain of three Lamley Cup teams.

Administratively, he served seven years on the Board of Directors with of BC Golf including three years as President and three more as Past President. His contributions to the organization were felt across a number of committees including Human Resources, Finance and Governance, and he played an important role helping BC Golf to diversify its Board.

David also plugged in to support the Pacific Coast Golf Association, serving eight years as a Trustee and two years as President in addition to his work at four of the association’s championships.

With Golf Canada, in addition to joining the duty roster at various championships, he served three  years on the Board of Directors and has been an active member of the Governors Council where he participated on and chaired several committees. David has also been active contributor with the Golf Canada Foundation as a member of the Grants and Scholarship Committee.

Golf Canada announced today that sports marketing executive Lisa Ferkul has joined the organization as its new Chief Marketing Officer, beginning March 21, 2022. 

Ferkul joins the Executive Team of the National Sport Federation after serving more than ten years with Scotiabank, most recently in the role of Director & Head, Canadian Sponsorship Marketing. Her portfolio of responsibilities included all brand, creative, strategic development, digital and social media as well as relationship management for the Bank’s sponsorship marketing portfolio in Canada inclusive of two verticals: Hockey and Arts & Culture.

“Lisa is a dynamic and accomplished sports executive who will take on an instrumental role in the advancement of Golf Canada’s sport programs and commercial properties as well as our signature golf championships,” said Golf Canada CEO, Laurence Applebaum. “Lisa brings exceptional energy and a depth of leadership that will play a critical role in the continued development and execution of Golf Canada’s integrated marketing, communications, digital strategy.”

“I am beyond excited to be joining the incredibly talented team at Golf Canada at a time when golf is thriving across the country,” said Ferkul. “As a passionate golfer and sports marketer, I look forward to contributing to the growth and development of the sport and will work tirelessly to continue driving that momentum.”

The Toronto resident was also a leader in the development of Scotiabank’s diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy in hockey (hockey for all), extensive growth of the bank’s community hockey programming, and was a key member of the deal team that negotiated the landmark $800MM MLSE partnership expansion including Scotiabank Arena naming rights as well as official bank status of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors.

In 2017, Ferkul was named among the 5 to Watch – Canada’s Sport Business Awards, an annual recognition of five of the most influential and accomplished Canadians under the age of 40 in the business of sport.

A depth of professional association and volunteer experience, Lisa has contributed to a number of organizations including the BlackNorth Initiative; the Sponsorship Marketing Council of Canada; and the Toronto chapter of Women in Sport & Events (WISE).

Ferkul is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario (Honours BA, Kinesiology) and earned a Public Relations Post-Graduate Certificate from the Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning.

Golf Canada will host its 2022 Annual Meeting this week (March 2-3) utilizing a virtual format as the National Sport Federation looks ahead to the 2022 season.

The Annual Meeting brings together Golf Canada’s Board of Directors, staff, and volunteers as well as representatives from Canada’s provincial golf associations and other industry stakeholders.

The opening day session of the Annual Meeting on Wednesday, March 2^nd runs from 1-3 p.m. with feature presentations that include:

• Golf Canada’s 2022 Outlook & Operational Plan – presented by Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum

• Keynote Address: Fireside Chat with International Golf Federation President & World Golf Hall of Fame Member, Annika Sörenstam – hosted by Golf Canada President Liz Hoffman

• Canadian Golf High-Performance Strategy – presented by Golf Canada Chief Sport Officer Kevin Blue

• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Safe Sport – Introduced by Golf Canada Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Safe Sport, Laura Wilson

The event continues on Thursday, March 3^rd with the association’s virtual Annual General Meeting beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET which will include the release of the 2021 Annual Report & Financial Statements.

Golf Canada will also introduce its 2022 Board of Directors including the re-election of Liz Hoffman of Wasaga Beach, Ont., a member of both Mad River Golf Club and The Thornhill Club, to serve a second term as the association’s President.

In addition, Golf Canada will celebrate outstanding contributions to the game of golf including a presentation of the 2021 Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year Award to co-recipients Ken Casey of St. John’s, N.L. and David Atkinson, formerly of Vancouver, B.C. and now Goderich, Ont.

Golf Canada will also announce the 2022 recipients of Golf Canada’s Distinguished Service Award. The honourees will be celebrated in person later this summer during the week of the 108^th playing of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, July 19-22 at Westmount Golf & Country Club in Kitchener, Ont. 

To watch a live stream of Golf Canada’s Annual Meeting, click the links below:

Day 1 – Annual Meeting Presentations on Wednesday, March 2 (1-3 p.m. ET)

Day 2 – Golf Canada Annual General Meeting on Thursday, March 3 (1:00 p.m. ET)

Palm Beach, Fla. – Beginning last Thursday, the Honda Classic marked the first stop of the four-week ‘Florida Swing’ for the PGA TOUR. It would also mark 28 year old Adam Svensson’s second top 10 finish of the 2022 season to date.

In January, Svensson finished T7 at the Sony Open in Hawaii. With the T9 finish in Palm Beach, Svensson moved up 13 spots in the World Golf Rankings from 181 to 168th.

“I’ve just been working really hard. In the two weeks off I practiced every single day,” said Svensson. “Eight to ten hours a day, and just found something and [am] sticking to it.”

Svensson was no stranger to the layout having previously posted a 7-shot victory at PGA Resort and Spa’s Championship Course in 2015 to win Q-School.

“I just feel like I play good in the wind for some reason,” said Svensson on his comfort with the difficult course. “I’m able to control the golf ball, I like to hit it against the wind, hit it low and kind of create shots where, if there’s no wind, it’s more of just hitting the shot. So, yeah, just love playing in the wind.”

Nick Taylor would also land inside the top 20 shooting 3-under 67 in the final round to finish T16. Taylor Pendrith would finish T25, with Mackenzie Hughes T48 and Roger Sloan T55.

Full leaderboard here.

Golf Canada is undertaking an integrated and multi-faceted enhancement of its high-performance program to accelerate Canada’s position in the global professional golf landscape. 

The National Sport Federation announced today a strategic framework for its player development program with a stated primary objective to increase the cumulative number of Canadian athletes on the LPGA and PGA TOUR to 30 by 2032. 

The enhancements to Golf Canada’s player-development program are outlined in a detailed update authored by Chief Sport Officer Kevin Blue and will be presented in full at Golf Canada Annual General Meeting on March 2. 

“Canada has made significant progress in the development of world-class golfers in the past decade and is poised to take another step forward,” said Blue. “Over the past year, we undertook an in-depth analysis of global golf, consulted with numerous stakeholders who are involved in Canadian high-performance golf, and created the framework for an updated strategic plan for Canada to develop more world-class golfers.” 

Golf Canada’s enhanced investments in player development are financially supported by a group of generous donors who have made initial major gifts totalling $13.5 million through the Golf Canada Foundation. Paul McLean, CEO of Turf Care and former president of Golf Canada and Golf Canada Foundation has made a lead gift of $5 million – the single largest gift ever directed towards Canadian high-performance golf. 

“The achievement of our players on tour is a source of pride for everyone involved in Canadian golf,” said McLean who served as president of Golf Canada in 2015.

Major gifts were also committed by The Kavelman Fonn Foundation, John Francis, Jean Monty, David Kaufman, Steve Lister and Dr. Molly Rundle, and a pair of donors who wished to remain anonymous. These generous donors are part of the Golf Canada Foundation Trustee program, which provides critical philanthropic support for important Canadian golf initiatives such as player development and First Tee. Golf Canada Foundation is continuing to identify Trustees who are interested in supporting the Team Canada player development program and expanding First Tee across Canada. 

The strategic enhancements for the Team Canada player development program were shaped by in-depth feedback from numerous stakeholders in Canadian high-performance golf and a global comparative analysis of other countries’ efficiency success in producing world top-200 players. The analysis considered factors such as participation base, culture, and financial investment into high-performance golf, with particular focus on countries such as Denmark, Sweden, Australia, and England that that are geopolitically and culturally similar to Canada. 

“Canadian performance on the world golf stage continues to advance significantly since the original implementation of the player-development program and this is a transformational moment for Canada to take the next step forward towards the top-levels of global golf,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum.

One of the first enhancements to occur in 2022 will be the creation of a national infrastructure for identifying and developing the most promising early-stage juniors in Canada (i.e., ages 10-14), with Team Canada Women’s Head Coach Tristan Mullally transitioning to the newly created position of National Talent Identification Director. In this new capacity, Mullally will provide additional resources to the parents and coaches who work with the most promising young juniors in Canada. He will also facilitate the development and implementation of local talent identification camps in every province. 

Mullally will transition into the new role over the coming months and a search will begin immediately for a head coach to oversee the women’s program as well as an additional assistant coach to complete the women’s coaching staff. 

The enhancements to Golf Canada’s High-Performance program build on the support that Canadian athletes have received in their development years from their family, member clubs, personal coaches, university programs and provincial golf associations. In addition to Golf Canada Foundation and the generosity from the major donor Trustee program, Golf Canada’s High-Performance Program and Team Canada are proudly supported by RBC, Canadian Pacific, Audi, Titleist, FootJoy, COBRA PUMA GOLF, Foresight Sports, Heritage Canada, Bear Mountain Resort, Citi Canada (Young Pro) and the Canadian Olympic Committee. 

Golf Canada will continue to seek stakeholder feedback on the systemic enhancements to the player development system over the coming weeks. A formal presentation will be made on March 2 as part of Golf Canada’s Annual Meeting. 

The performance of Canadian golfers on the world stage has improved significantly since the implementation of the Team Canada player development program in 2005. Canada is currently represented by 13 players with status on the LPGA or PGA TOUR, a substantial increase from the eight players with major tour status when the national team program was launched. Since 2014, members or graduates of the Team Canada Young Pro Squad have produced 50 professional tournament wins worldwide. 

Canada is positioned to take another leap forward in global golf achievement. Today, Golf Canada is announcing an enhanced commitment to the Team Canada player development program. Our goal is for Canada to reach 30 players with status on the LPGA and PGA TOUR by 2032, completing our transformation into a truly world-class golfing country where Canadians are regularly in contention on both tours. 

The pursuit of this ambitious goal is made possible by significant new philanthropic support from a group of generous donors who are making major gifts to fund enhancements in the Team Canada player development program—beginning with an investment of $13.5 million through Golf Canada Foundation to support the strategic goals of the program. 

Paul McLean, CEO of Turf Care and former president of Golf Canada and Golf Canada Foundation has made a lead gift of $5 million to increase the breadth and depth of financial support for Canadian players across the stages of development for the next ten years. Paul has been a pillar of the Canadian golf community with close relationships to many Canadian touring professionals. We are grateful for Paul’s leadership and support. 

Major gifts have also been committed by The Kavelman Fonn Foundation, John Francis, Jean Monty, David Kaufman, Steve Lister and Dr. Molly Rundle, and a pair of donors who wished to remain anonymous creating an initial pool of $13.5M in incremental funding to support new player development investments over the next decade. These generous donors are part of the Golf Canada Foundation Trustee program, which provides critical philanthropic support for important Canadian golf initiatives such as player development and First Tee. Golf Canada Foundation is continuing to identify Trustees who are interested in supporting the Team Canada player development program and expanding First Tee across Canada. 

Our ambitious strategy for player development is based on extensive research over the past year along with input from stakeholders in Canadian high-performance golf – including those involved at the very highest levels of the professional game. The full analysis and strategic plan can be read in draft form here. In addition, we invite you to attend Golf Canada’s virtual annual general meeting on March 2 for an in-depth presentation about the future of the player development system in Canada. 

In summary, Golf Canada’s updated player development strategy includes the following priorities: 

• Sharpen the specific focus of the player development system on the objective of increasing the number of Canadian players on the LPGA and PGA TOUR, with the goal of 30 players on these tours by 2032. 
• Foster an open and inclusive culture of collaboration among all stakeholders in Canadian high-performance golf – including players, coaches, facilities, professional tours, and provincial associations. 
• Invest in Canada’s player development system at a level that matches and competes with aspirational peers like Australia and England. 
• In partnership with PGA of Canada, increase the depth and diversity of Canadian coaching talent. 
• Broaden the player development system at the junior level by including more players in the national program and creating a national talent identification system for the most promising early-stage juniors. 
• Combine late-stage amateurs and young pro players into an expanded Team Canada cohort that is singularly focused on helping players to launch and sustain successful professional golf careers. Team Canada – NextGen, currently called the National Junior Squad, will include both juniors and developing amateurs. These changes will occur in 2023. 
• Provide housing and training facility access in the US for transitioning professional players. 
• Increase the breadth and depth of support for young professional players. Assign funding based on an individualized analysis of specific player needs. 
• Pay particular attention to off course support in areas such as mental health. Ensure a supportive environment that is in full compliance with Safe Sport policies. 
• Create a need-based system of financial aid for junior and amateur players in the player development program to ensure that financial assistance is provided to families with the most significant financial needs. 
• Build a digital library of educational resources featuring Canadian tour player role models that is available to aspiring Canadian players and their families. 
• Refine the analytics used to evaluate player development progress. Emphasize a data-driven and methodical approach. 
• Re-evaluate the infrastructure and pathway for Canadian professional women’s golf. Develop alternatives to the four-year NCAA pathway while maintaining educational opportunities for the most advanced women. Increase the number of domestic professional playing opportunities for women. 
• Especially emphasize how we can support the development of Canadian golf champions from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds, building on the more diverse participation base that will be created by First Tee – Canada. 

These items will be implemented over the course of 2022 and 2023. One of the first enhancements to occur will be the creation of a national infrastructure for identifying and developing the most promising early-stage juniors in Canada (i.e., ages 10-14). Over time, this infrastructure will increase the volume of high-performing juniors in Canada who have the potential to develop into LPGA and PGA TOUR players. 

To move forward with this system enhancement, Team Canada Women’s Head Coach Tristan Mullally will transition to the newly created position of National Talent Identification Director. In this new capacity, Tristan will provide additional resources to parents and coaches who work with the most promising young juniors in Canada and provide direct coaching to identified early-stage juniors who don’t otherwise have local coaching support. He will also facilitate the development and implementation of local talent identification camps in every province. Tristan’s globally recognized technical skills and extensive experience with elite players will be a significant asset for helping to accelerate the development of Canada’s most promising young juniors. 

Tristan’s transition into this new role will occur gradually over the next several months. A search will begin immediately for a head coach to oversee the women’s program and for an additional assistant coach to complete the remainder of the women’s coaching staff. 

Many people across our country are deeply passionate about Canadian golf and excited for Canada to continue its emergence as a world-class golfing country. Every stakeholder in the Canadian golf industry is involved in developing Canada’s top players in one way or another. Golf facility operators create affordable opportunities for competitive juniors to access courses, PGA of Canada professionals provide important mentorship and coaching to young players, and partners and philanthropists provide critical support so the Team Canada player development program can be resourced for global success. Our goal is to unify the entire Canadian golf community behind this player development effort, as our Canadian players have the best chance to emerge on the world stage when everyone is part of the journey with them. 

If you’d like to ask questions, provide feedback about our plan, or find out more about becoming a donor to the program, please send us an email using this link. 

Go Canada Go!

Kevin Blue, Ph. D. Chief Sport Officer