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TORONTO – Canadian golfing great Mike Weir added another new experience to his storied career on Thursday.

Gold confetti rained down as Weir pressed the button that formally stops trading for the day at the Toronto Stock Exchange.

“I swear, I thought it was still the bell not the button, I guess I’m getting old,” Weir said with a laugh. “It was really fun to do that. Get out to a new network of people, bring golf to the business side of Canada, get those people engaged, not just the golfers.”

The 52-year-old from from Brights Grove, Ont., is the winningest men’s golfer in Canadian history with eight victories on the PGA Tour, including earning the green jacket at the 2003 Masters.

Weir was formally introduced as the captain of the international team for the 2024 Presidents Cup on Wednesday at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

Although Royal Montreal Golf Club will host the next Presidents Cup, Weir said it was “very important” to include all of Canada in the event and give the international event a true home-course experience.

“We have a huge country land-wise to try to bring everybody together as best we can and make sure that they feel like this is part of our golf legacy,” said Weir. “We want people coming from Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, from the East Coast, Halifax.

“I’m hoping they want to come and see the best players in the world compete.”

Weir was the first Canadian to ever play in the star-studded event that sees the best golfers from around the world, minus Europe, play the top players from the United States.

Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., and Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., both played for the international team at the 2022 edition, making it the first time two Canadians played in the tournament.

Weir was an assistant captain for the third time this past September when the Americans won 17 1/2 to 12 1/2 at the Quail Hollow Club outside Charlotte, N.C.

He said that as soon as he was officially named the captain his phone started blowing up with messages from Canadian golfers hoping to make the team in two years’ time.

“We’ve had a WhatsApp chat going for a long time and yeah, I got a bunch of nice texts in there from the guys,” said Weir.

When deciding on the itinerary for a vacation, planning where to go and what to do can be daunting. Plans need to appeal to more than one person’s travel preference to make a memorable trip for all.

Where should you visit? Are the accommodations and food first-class? Will there be a variety of activities or experiences to keep you entertained? And, for golfers, is there quality golf courses to play. These are just some of the questions to consider when trying to select a vacation.

Enter Celebrity Cruises, a proud partner with Golf Canada, inviting you onboard a golf cruise as your next vacation experience.

I’m no stranger to cruising. My first experience with Celebrity Cruises was my 2009 honeymoon – a 10-night Eastern Mediterranean adventure with stunning ports in Italy, Greece and Turkey. It was an unforgettable experience for my wife and I, and a prelude to future Celebrity Cruises to the Caribbean and Alaska. Truth be told, I’ve cruised just about every major cruise line and visited too many ports to recall. Like many travellers with an affinity for cruises, I’m looking forward to my next adventure after the past few years of pandemic disruption to the travel industry.

I can say that playing golf while cruising is a tremendous option, one that is chalk full of advantages that you simply just don’t get from a standard golf trip.

Its more than just golf—a fabulous opportunity to see incredible destinations all in one memorable journey. Add in delectable dining experiences, award-winning theatre shows, and complete relaxation and there’s no travel golf experience quite like it.

Celebrity makes booking your cruise vacation simple—pick your ship, itinerary and cabin, and away you go. Celebrity Cruises visit more than 250 destinations in 70 countries, with a fleet of 16 relaxed luxury ships. The options are endless, including some of the golf courses and destinations listed at the end of the article.

Before the official captain’s welcome on Embarkation Day, here are 10 tips for golfing on your next cruise.

Tip #1 – The Suite Life

Standard cruise staterooms are typically tighter than home living, unless you book into a Celebrity Cruises suite. I prefer rental clubs on vacation, but if you plan on bringing your own clubs, reserve one of these luxurious spaces with plenty of room for your gear.

Tip #2 – Pack Smart

Packing lists for a cruise vacation is your friend, even when you aren’t planning a day on the course! Plan and pack smart, there is nothing worse than scrambling to find appropriate golf wear or paying for overpriced gear away from home.

Tip #3 – Arrive Early – Not Just for Your Round, But for Your Entire Trip!

Give yourself a day before and/or after the cruise to take in the local sights and get out to a local course without the restrictions of port schedule. Book with Flights by Celebrity to guarantee you make it to the ship!

Tip #4 – Plan Your Meals

Eat a hearty breakfast on board to maximize your time and energy on the course; then skip the post-round clubhouse visit – there is Michelin-star dining back on board your ship.

Tip #5 – Take Time to Recover

Celebrity Cruises on-board spas are the perfect place to get a massage, relax and unwind after a full day on the golf course.

Tip #6 – Manage Your Time Ashore

Trying to squeeze 18 into a tight window? Maybe opting for 9 holes is a better option. The Celebrity Cruises Concierge team can help secure your perfect tee-time!

Tip #7 – Keep the Family Happy

Family members bring different interests and the cruise ship is a perfect environment for guests to do their own thing. Plan to meet your family or travel partners at an agreed upon time and place to enjoy some company, if for some reason their interest isn’t golf.

Tip #8 – Confirm the Local Currency

While everything on board may be cashless, your time on the golf course won’t be. Make sure you have the appropriate currency for beverages, extra balls, caddie tips or anything else you may need while ashore.

Tip #9 – Protect Yourself from the Sun

When visiting warmer locations – especially in the Caribbean – the climate can get much hotter than what you are used to back home. Make sure to take appropriate precautions to shield from the sun and stay hydrated! Celebrity Cruises is a relaxed luxury resort at sea with many shaded venues on board!

Tip #10 – Grassy Green

Looking to spend time on the green stuff while sailing at sea? Visit the lawn club aboard many Celebrity Cruises ships. The Lawn Club is the perfect place to play outdoor games, catch a live jazz concert, or just soak up the sun.

From my experience, the most important tip for golfers is No. 6 – carefully plan out your golf experience so you can tee it up without feeling rushed back to the ship. Talk to the concierge and snag some local knowledge onboard before hitting your golf course excursion!

Visit www.celebritycruises.com or contact your travel agent to learn more

Courses Near Celebrity Ports of Call

Scholarship fund in honour of the Canadian golf legendary competitor and administrator will celebrate Bourassa’s deep legacy as a long-time supporter of the game

Jocelyne Bourassa Scholarship Program launched during the Golf Canada Foundation’s annual Trustee Cup as part of Foundation’s $70 million DRIVE Campaign

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One of Canadian golf’s most accomplished and admired ambassadors will be celebrated with a new legacy scholarship fund in honour of the late great, Jocelyne Bourassa.

The Jocelyne Bourassa Scholarship Program will provide impactful education opportunities for women in Canadian golf who are developing their careers as professional coaches or professional players. The goal of the scholarship fund is to advance more Canadian women into positions of prominence as leaders and role models for golf in Canada.

The launch of the Jocelyne Bourassa Scholarship Program was recently announced by the Golf Canada Foundation at Hamilton Golf & Country Club during its annual Trustee Cup, a Foundation event that honours donors for contributions towards First Tee and Team Canada.

The Jocelyne Bourassa Scholarship Program was established through a committee – led by former Golf Canada President Diane Dunlop-Hébert, PGA of Canada Professional Emeritus Debbie Savoy Morel, former LPGA and PGA of Canada Professional Christine Greatrex, and trusted colleague Libby Skinner – who were inspired to give back as a tribute to their friend and mentor. To date the fund has raised over $300,000, with a goal to reach a $750,000 endowment.

“With her LPGA win in 1973, Jocelyne not only inspired an entire nation of golfers but inspired Canadian athletes in their quest to represent Canada in international championships in all sports. Jocelyne went on to make the du Maurier Classic the best recognized and most attended event on the LPGA Tour,” said Diane Dunlop-Hébert, who served as President of Golf Canada in 2012. “She was a beloved and outstanding mentor to golfers and golf administrators everywhere.”

The Jocelyne Bourassa Scholarship Program will provide support to women in two primary ways. The first is funding the educational needs of professional high-performance coaches by enhancing the Golf Canada and PGA of Canada’s Women in Coaching program. The second will provide university scholarship support to Canadian women who wish to continue their post-secondary educations while also competing in professional golf.

To learn more or to donate, click here

Bourassa, who passed away Aug. 4, 2021, is revered as one of the premier athletes and ambassadors for Canadian golf over a distinguished 60-year career. After a successful amateur career that included three Quebec Juniors, four Quebec Amateurs, Bourassa turned professional in 1972 and was named both LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year and Canada’s Female Athlete of the Year.

Bourassa won the inaugural La Canadienne in 1973 (now the CP Women’s Open) in her second season on the LPGA Tour, a signature moment in Canadian golf. She would later become executive director of the former du Maurier Classic (now CP Women’s Open), served on the LPGA Board of Sponsors, and also provided support and mentorship to countless Canadian athletes through her leadership of the Canadian Women’s Tour and the Jocelyne Bourassa Series. Bourassa’s career as a player and administrator was honoured with the Order of Canada as well induction into the Quebec Golf Hall of Fame, Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, and Canada Sports Hall of Fame.

“For the young women who had the privilege of getting to know Jocelyne very well, she was not only an inspiration and a model for all of us, but she was also a mentor who taught us so much about how to be a professional in golf or any field or path we choose in life,” said friend and PGA of Canada professional Anne Chouinard. “She taught us compassion, generosity as well as perseverance and determination. She made the world a better place. We will never forget Jocelyne.”

The launch of the Jocelyne Bourassa Scholarship fund aligns with the Foundation’s new $70 million DRIVE Campaign, a major fundraising campaign launched earlier this year in support of First Tee – Canada as well the Team Canada high performance program. To date, more than 54% (approx. $38 million) of the $70 million DRIVE Campaign fundraising goal has been raised.

“The roll-out of the Jocelyne Bourassa Scholarship Program as an extension of the DRIVE campaign will help develop a pathway for more women to become world-class high-performance coaches and also support the competitive pathway of Canadian athletes pursuing their LPGA Tour dream without having to make educational sacrifices,” said Golf Canada Foundation CEO, Martin Barnard. “Jocelyne has been such an icon in our sport and is now an extremely deserving namesake for this meaningful program.”

For more information or to donate, click here

From Moe Norman to Mike Weir and Sandra Post to Brooke Henderson, Canada has a rich golf history.

But there’s also a little-known golf hotbed in Lunenburg, N.S.

Located on the south shore of Nova Scotia, with a population of 2,396 according to the 2021 census, the port town is home to HB Studios, creator of the new “PGA Tour 2K23” video game.

Founded in 2000 by transplanted Englishman Jeremy Wellard, HB Studios collaborated with various publishers including Electronic Arts on an array of sports games. The studio recruited locally and all over the globe to get expertise in everything from cricket and rugby to soccer, football and golf.

“When I started here, I was definitely one of the local people,” said HB Studios creative director Josh Muise, who has more than 15 years experience with the company. “I was born on the East Coast and grew up out here. I remember walking through the studio the first day and the number of different accents that I came across was certainly delightful and kind of interesting to find in a small sleepy fishing village in Nova Scotia.”

The studio now also has an office in Halifax, with combined staff of about 100 and growing.

“This has become a really major project and it’s become a very big game,” Muise said of the golf title. “We’re very lucky to be able to continue attracting world-class talent and growing the franchise.”

Muise, 40, was born on Cape Breton Island and spent a lot of his school years in New Brunswick. While he admits to some reservations back in the day about moving to “a 1,200- to 1,500-person seasonal fishing village, as beautiful as it was in the postcards,” he is now an unabashed fan of Lunenburg.

“It’s been a wonderful transformation. The town has radically shifted in the last five, 10 years in particular, where you’re seeing a lot of new businesses and you’re seeing a lot of new people coming in. And it’s really become a hotbed.”

The trend toward working remotely has helped bring an influx of young high-tech workers looking to leave the city. The fact that Halifax is only an hour or so away adds to Lunenburg’s attraction.

HB Studios mirrors that growth, as shown by the fact that its newest title features Tiger Woods on its cover.

“The thing that we’re proudest of with that is that we feel like we earned the opportunity,” said Muise, whose name is pronounced muse. “We went from an independent golf game, not all those many years ago, to building up to earning ourself the spot to having the PGA Tour licence come into play and being part of our partnership, ultimately bringing in 2K (Games) and everything that they offer, and then leading up to bringing in Tiger Woods as well.

“The team worked very very hard to put a great game out there. We worked with the community. We were receptive to the feedback. And we kind of grew together. So for it all to culminate with the best, I would say, single-sport athlete of all time on the cover of the box, nothing could feel better.”

That first independent golf game was “The Golf Club,” released in 2014, which eventually became “The Golf Club 2019 featuring PGA Tour.”

In 2020, the studio released “PGA Tour 2K21” for 2K Games. A year later, 2K Games bought HB Studios and signed a deal with Woods.

Today the PGA Tour 2K franchise is the studio’s main focus with 2K Games’ expertise from its NBA franchise helping the studio with the complexities of golf licensing and partners.

Woods and Canadian Brooke Henderson are among the 16 playable pros available at launch in “PGA Tour 2K23,” which was released Oct. 14 for PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One and PC via Steam. Basketball icons Michael Jordan and Steph Curry also appear in the game.

“Being a Canadian studio, it was important for us to try and bring in a great Canadian icon like Brooke,” said Muise.

“She’s a great ambassador for the sport. She’s an all time Canadian legend.” he added. “And (we’re) absolutely thrilled to have her as part of our roster.”

Gamers can also play St. George’s Golf and Country Club, set up in tournament condition as it was for the 2022 RBC Canadian Open in June.

The 2K franchise will have competition next spring, with Electronic Arts getting back into the game with “EA Sports PGA Tour,” boasting video game access to all four majors including the Masters.

“We know that there may be a new product coming into the space but ultimately we feel very confident and very comfortable that golf is where we want to be,” said Muise. “And golf is where we intend on staying. And we’re going to keep building on our current success and pushing it.”

Golf is all about community – friends, family, your local club or course. Everything is connected. It’s part of what makes this game so great.

Canada’s golf community was struck a blow in late September as tropical storm Fiona impacted in the Atlantic provinces with wind speeds up to 177 km/h and sustained winds of over 100 km/h blowing for up to 10 hours in parts of the Maritimes.

Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, said the army would be deployed to help with clean-up efforts.

“This is hands down the most terrifying thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” journalist Rene Roy told the CBC.

“It looks like a bomb went off,” Newfoundland resident David Harvey told the National Post while working with displaced residents at a local Salvation Army.

Nine people are estimated to have died due to the storm, with nearly 13,000 people displaced, and at least 20 buildings destroyed.

One of those buildings was the clubhouse of the Stanhope Golf and Country Club in Charlottetown, P.E.I. It burned down Sept. 24, and the golf course will likely be closed for the balance of the season as there was significant damage there, too.

“This is a real loss for the community. It’s a community club,” said Merlin Affleck, the club’s head professional. “It’s just devastating.”

What’s left of the Stanhope Golf & Country club after a fire. The smell of smoke fills the air #pei #fiona @CTVAtlantic pic.twitter.com/Az5FeSppYG

— Vanessa Lee 李 恬 詩 (@VanessaLeeCTV) September 24, 2022

Plenty of other courses in Eastern Canada escaped from the wrath of the storm relatively unscathed including Cabot Cape Breton, and Digby Pines in western Nova Scotia took to social media to say they were “open as usual.”

Golf Prince Edward Island posted on Twitter on Sunday morning encouraging patience as turf crews assess and clean up any damages. The island is home to more than 25 courses and has long been a popular destination for tourists and Canadians alike to get feet on the fairway.

“Islanders are resilient, and we will get through this together,” the statement said.

pic.twitter.com/KXJVPc4WEB

— Golf PEI (@golfpei) September 25, 2022

After two summers of COVID-19 restrictions, golf in Atlantic Canada was opening its doors at an impressive clip before Fiona made landfall. If there was a silver lining to the time of the storm, the 2022 golf season is much closer to its conclusion than its beginning, and there will hopefully be enough time to get things settled and sorted before shutting things down for the winter.

Ryan Logan, Director of Golf Services at Golf Canada, says it’s no surprise to see the golf community in Eastern Canada band together.

While golf courses in Canada are just starting to exit from the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic – a situation that bonded golf courses unlike ever before – the clubs in eastern Canada will now need to come together again to get things back to relative normalcy before the end of the 2022 season.  

“We’ve seen great strength and heard great stories of community support already,” says Logan. “This was a catastrophic environmental event and Golf Canada knows the staff at impacted clubs will bind together and hopefully be able to come out stronger on the other side.”

Canadian Brooke Henderson joins American star Lexi Thompson and New Zealand’s Lydia Ko as the franchise-first female pros in the PGA TOUR 2K23 video game.

Other pros available in the game include cover athlete Tiger Woods, Will Zalatoris, Jon Rahm, Tony Finau, Collin Morikawa, Rickie Fowler, Justin Rose, Xander Schauffele and Justin Thomas, who graced the 2K21 cover.

Henderson, a 24-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont., has won US$10.4 million in career earnings and currently ranks fifth in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. Ko is No. 4 and Thompson No. 7.

Also featured in the game is St. George’s Golf and Country Club, host of the 2022 RBC Canadian Open.

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The video game is developed by HB Studios in Lunenburg N.S., for 2K Sports.

The deluxe version of the game is scheduled for release on Oct. 11 with the standard edition to follow Oct. 14.

The Club Management Association of Canada (CMAC) has announced their 2022 Awards Program recipients. The awards ceremony will take place Sunday, November 6, 2022 at the National Conference in Vancouver.

The award recipients are:

In addition, the following members will be honoured for recently receiving their Certified Club Manager (CCM) designation:

• Laura Manganaro, CCM, Club Manager, Queen City Yacht Club, Toronto, ON
• Laura Shackleton, CCM, Communications Coordinator, Sunningdale Golf & Country Club
• Christine Stevens, CCM, General Manager/COO, Dundas Valley Golf & Curling Club, Dundas, ON

Kumar Ramjoo, CCM Director of Finance, Donalda Club, Toronto will also be added to the Honour Society.

The annual awards program honours members who have made a significant contribution to the Association and the profession of club management in Canada, supporting CMAC’s mission to offer quality education and networking opportunities. Annually, members are invited to nominate peers in the industry. All nomination submissions are carefully reviewed by the Awards Committee and recipients are selected based on specific criteria.

“I am thrilled with having the opportunity to lead the 2022 Awards Program and recognize these outstanding individuals,” remarked Ryan Woods, Member of the CMAC National Board of Directors and Chair of the Awards Committee. “Thank you to everyone that participated this year.”

“2022 has been a year of exciting change for CMAC with a new brand and the announcement of plans to move CMAC’s headquarters to (TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley) Caledon, Ont., in 2025,” said Suzanne Godbehere, Chief Executive Officer of CMAC. :We will kick off our 2022 National Conference in Vancouver with an awards celebration breakfast. Heartfelt congratulations to the 2022 winners!”

For further details regarding the CMAC Awards Program & Application Process, please visit: CMAC Awards Program.

Information about CMAC’s 2022 National Conference can be found here: Forward to the Future

About the Club Management Association of Canada

The Club Management Association of Canada is the national professional association for individuals involved in the club management profession in Canada. Since 1957, the association has been supporting members with education, certification, networking and member events to facilitate them being the best in the industry. Members include general managers, chief operating officers, assistant general managers, clubhouse managers, golf superintendents, chefs, controllers, food and beverage supervisors, golf professionals, as well as students interested in pursuing a career in club management. CMAC professionals work at private, semi-private and public golf clubs, country clubs, city clubs, faculty clubs and recreation and leisure clubs.

CMAC is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario with over 550 members and 11 branches across Canada.

Two back-to-back wins has Sarah-Eve Rheaume’s confidence at an all-time high.

The amateur golfer from Quebec City won the Glencoe Invitational in Calgary on June 18 with a tournament-best 65 in the third and final round. Rheaume then almost duplicated the feat on July 1, firing a tournament-best 66 on the final day of the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada.

That victory earned Rheaume a berth into the CP Women’s Open, Canada’s national women’s golf championship. It will be her first-ever LPGA Tour event.

“I just had a lot of confidence heading into the final day (of the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada),” said the 22-year-old Rheaume. “I’ve been confident over most of the shots, I’m chipping well around the greens.

“Last round of the Glencoe I played really well to get that going, just seeing the putts rolling in.”

Rheaume finished the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada at 12-under 207, three shots ahead of Min-G Kim and eight shots better than Rebecca Lee-Bentham of Markham, Ont., who finished third.

The 22-year-old Rheaume said Wednesday that she wasn’t intimidated by some of the big names at the event.

“There’s a bunch of good players everywhere, so I just kind of stay focused on my game plan and do my thing and then see how it goes at the end,” said Rheaume.

She intends to play in the North & South Women’s Amateur Championship on July 12 and then the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship the week after that.

In a sport as storied and historic as golf, Golf Canada is pleased to recognize the 63 member clubs celebrating significant milestone anniversaries in the 2022 calendar year.

Highlighting the group are five member clubs who have been in operation since 1897, speaking to the cross-country passion that Canadians house for the sport.

All clubs celebrating an anniversary will receive a display plaque from Golf Canada to mark the occasion. Clubs reaching their centennial anniversary will also receive a commemorative framed letter, and clubs reaching the 125-year mark will receive a framed historical print.

125 Years

Calgary Golf & Country Club – Calgary, Alta.

Napanee Golf & Country Club – Napanee, Ont.

Old Lennoxville Golf Club – Sherbrooke, Que.

Peterborough Golf & Country Club – Peterborough, Ont.

The Riverside Country Club – St. John, N.B.

100 Years

Ashburn Golf Club – Halifax, N.S.

Briars Golf Club Ltd. – Sutton, Ont.

Burlington Golf & Country Club – Burlington, Ont.

Cedar Brae Golf Club – Scarborough, Ont.

Cedarhurst Golf Club – Beaverton, Ont.

Cherry Hill Golf Club – Ridgeway, Ont.

Connaught Golf Club – Medicine Hat, Alta.

Dufferin Heights Golf Club – Stanstead, Que.

Dunany Country Club – Wentworth, Que.

Glenboro Golf & Country Club – Glenboro, M.B.

Highland Country Club – London, Ont.

Hollinger Golf Club – Timmins, Ont.

Idylwylde Golf & Country Club – Sudbury, Ont.

Lookout Point Country Club Ltd. – Pelham, Ont.

Marine Drive Golf Club – Vancouver, B.C.

Oakwood Inn & Country Club – Grand Bend, Ont.

Pembroke Golf Club – Pembroke, Ont.

Penticton Golf & Country Club – Penticton, B.C.

Point Grey Golf & Country Club – Vancouver, B.C.

Portage Golf Club – Portage la Prairie, M.B.

Red Deer Golf & Country Club – Red Deer, Alta.

Redstone Golf Resort – Rossland, B.C.

Club de Golf Rosemère (Fontainebleau) – Blainville, Que.

Royal Mayfair Golf Club – Edmonton, Alta.

Sandy Hook Golf Club – Sandy Hook, MB

Club de Golf St-Jean – Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que.

The Thornhill Club – Thornhill, Ont.

Uplands Golf Club – Vaughan, Ont.

Uplands Golf Club – Victoria, B.C.

Club de Golf Val-Morin – Val-Morin, Que.

75 Years

Cowichan Golf & Country Club – Duncan, B.C.

Pinebrook Golf & Country Club – Calgary, Alta.

50 Years

Ainsdale Golf Course – Kincardine, Ont.

Beauty Bay Golf Club – Kenora, Ont.

Cedar Glen Golf Course – Williamsburg, Ont.

Kedron Dells Golf Club – Oshawa, Ont.

Club de Golf du Parc Kingsway – Aylmer, Que.

Le Grand Vallon – Beaupré, Que.

Club de Golf Le Loup de Baie St-Paul – Baie Saint-Paul, Que.

Club de Golf Les Saules – Rimouski, Que.

Golf & Academy Longchamp – Sherbrooke, Que.

Murray Hills Golf Course – Brighton, Ont.

Nackawic Golf & Country Club – Nackawic, N.B.

Outlook Riverview Golf Club – Outlook, S.K.

Pine View Golf Course – Gloucester, Ont.

Club de Golf Rivière Rouge – Coteau-du-Lac, Que.

Club de Golf Ste-Flore – Shawinigan, Que.

Club de Golf St-Jean-de-Matha – St-Jean-de-Matha, Que.

Club de Golf St-Jérôme – St-Jérôme, Que.

25 Years

Bell Bay Golf Club – Baddeck, N.S.

Dragonfly Golf Links Ltd. – Renfrew, Ont.

ElleGolf – Calgary Women’s Golf Club – Calgary, Alta.

Innisfil Creek Golf Club – Cookstown, Ont.

Club de Golf l’Empress – Rimouski, Que.

Lake Joseph Golf Club – Port Carling, Ont.

Métropolitain d’Anjou – Anjou, Que.

Royal Charbourg – Quebec City, Que.

The Meadows Golf and Country Club – Niagara Falls, Ont.

The boxes weren’t flying off the shelves. They weren’t even making it onto the shelves. The Masters has gone gnome-mad.

Yes. Gnomes. The must-have item at the Masters this year isn’t any of the shirts or pullovers or caps with the tournament’s logo that can only be bought by those who are lucky enough to have secured a way onto the grounds of Augusta National.

Instead, the gnome is all the rage. Just ask Tom Frettoloso, who left his house at 4 a.m. on Tuesday to get to Augusta National and was headed back to his vehicle by 8 a.m. – without having seen a single golfer take a single swing.

He had a bunch of souvenirs, including two gnomes. He wouldn’t say how he got two; signage in the store said the Masters was limiting them to one per person.

“I’m self-employed and need to get to work,” said Frettoloso, a house painter, who was weaving his way toward the gates while thousands of people were walking the other way onto the Augusta National grounds. “But I’ve gotten the gnomes just about every year. I got a ticket for the practice round and here I am and now I’m done.”

Gnomes made their Masters debut in 2016 and were a quick hit, though nobody seems to remember them being as much of a phenomenon as they are this week.

There’s a couple different versions of gnomes this year; the one that hundreds of people were lined up to get Tuesday morning was this year’s version of a caddy, standing about a foot high, dressed in a green-and-white striped Masters shirt, khakis, green-and-white shoes, a yellow cap and with a bag of clubs slung over his right shoulder.

Asking price at the Masters: $49.50 USD.

Asking price online: Most were going for somewhere between $150 and $500 on Tuesday, depending on where you looked. The smaller version -a mini-gnome in the traditional white Masters caddie attire – could be had for considerably less.

On Tuesday, a worker at the store tried to reload the shelf with more product. The mission was futile: Shoppers were grabbing them as soon as they went on the shelf, and sometimes right from the worker himself.

“People will buy anything,” someone mused in the checkout line.

That they will, whether it’s gnomes, shirts, belts, hats and anything else they can get with the Masters logo. There’s countless reasons why: not everyone can get to the Masters since the ticket is among the toughest in sports, and the Masters also doesn’t sell merchandise online – except for some images, the Masters Journal and the Masters Annual that recaps tournament week.

And for the record, many on-site shoppers got bad news once they got into the Masters store Tuesday.

The gnomes were gone.