Gravenhurst, ON – Rated a top 100 course in Canada, Golf Ontario is ecstatic to announce the tee-off of the 2020 Ontario Senior Men’s and Women’s Championship, presented by Durham Artificial Grass, from September 8th to 10th at the stunning Taboo Muskoka Resort and Golf.
Originally a 9-hole course designed by Ron Garl, the course opened in 2002 making its major milestone in Muskoka’s emergence as a top North American golf destination. The renowned course has beautiful panoramic views and innovative use of the Canadian Shield landscape. In 2018, Taboo began renovations to “look at the bunkers and greens complexes, while making the course more challenging for the better player but less penial for the average player”. In speaking with Taboo Muskoka’s Golf Course Designer and Construction Manager, Alan Chudnovsky, he describes the course as a “blend of traditional Muskoka course and a traditional course feel in terms of the green complexes, with many bentgrass roll offs and opportunities to play your ball in the air while on the ground. Many holes have natural environmental protected areas, which have been strategically used in the design to create natural hazards on the golf course”. Players can expect challenging par three’s, “in which you’ll be hitting different types of shots and yardages on all four par three’s”.
The Ontario Senior Men’s Championship will consist of athletes from the following three qualifiers: Oshawa Golf and Curling (August 17), Nobleton Lakes Golf Club (August 24), and Whistle Bear Golf Club (August 25). For leaderboard information on qualifiers, please click the golf course name. Annually contested since 1936, the Ontario Senior Men’s Championship has several past champions returning to battle for the title: three-time winner Michael Jackson (Georgian Bay Club), 2014 Larry Cooper (Mississaugua), 2016 Christopher Kertsos (York Downs G&CC), 2017 John Murphy (Heritage Hills GC), 2018 Mark Brewer (Whitevale GC), and 2019 David Greenaway (Barrie CC). Also joining the field is three-time Ontario Men’s Mid-Amateur Champion, Dave Bunker (Cherry Hill Club).
The field competing in the Ontario Senior Women’s Championship is expected to be exceptionally strong, including two members of the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame. Five-time champion Mary Ann Hayward (St. Thomas G&CC) and three-time champion Judith Kyrinis (The Thornhill Club) are both returning for a chance at an additional title. Make sure to also keep an eye on 2011 Senior Women’s champion Terrill Samuel (Weston G&CC), whose been having a strong season with a second-place finish in the Ontario Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship.
We are also excited to have introduced a Front Line Workers donation program this year as part of our registration process, to give back to the local communities we will be playing in. The Front Line Workers donations from the Ontario Senior Men’s and Women’s Championship will be donated to South Muskoka Hospital Foundation.
First tee off of the day for round one on September 8th is set for 8:00 a.m… To follow the leaderboard, click here for the Men’s and here for the Women’s.
About The Ontario Senior Men’s Championship
Conducted since 1936, The Ontario Senior Men’s Championship event features Ontario’s best male amateur golfers age 55 and over competing over 54 holes of stroke play competition.
Canadian and Ontario Golf Hall of Fame member Nick Weslock, one of Canada’s greatest amateurs of the century, won the event a record 11 times between 1968 and 1980. Other notable past champions include Stu Hamilton (2001, 2006), Mike Jackson (2010, 2011 and 2013) and Ontario Golf Hall of Fame member Warren Sye in 2012.
About The Ontario Senior Women’s Championship
The inaugural Ontario Senior Women’s Championship was conducted in 1962 and since then has been contested annually featuring the province’s best female amateurs age 50 and over.
The event has had several notable past champions including World, Canadian and Ontario Golf Hall of Fame member Marlene Stewart Streit, who captured the title six times. Also, Canadian and Ontario Golf Hall of Famer Gayle Borthwick, who also picked up the trophy six times. Recent winners include Ivy Steinberg (2008 and 2009), Terrill Samuel (2011) as well as Golf Ontario Hall of Fame members Mary Ann Hayward (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2019) and 2017 USGA Senior Women’s Amateur Champion Judith Kyrinis (2016, 2017,2018).
Key Provincial Competitions Protocols/Restrictions (subject to change)
- No caddies permitted. (all events)
- No spectators, including coaches and media, permitted. (**Exception: Players 18 & Under may have one accompanying adult)
- No motorized carts permitted. (**Exception: Single rider carts only for Senior & Disability Championships)
- All events will be a single tee start – no shotguns or split tees.
- Restricted field numbers. (see individual championships)
- Qualifiers will have limited field sizes. Entries will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis.
Click here for the full version of the Championship protocols. **These protocols are subject to change as new guidance is received from the government.
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For more information please contact:
Brianna Christopher, Assistant, Marketing Communications.
Golf Ontario
BChristopher@gao.ca
Peter MacKellar, Manager, Marketing and Communications.
Golf Ontario
PMacKellar@gao.ca
