At this year’s Volunteer Appreciation Days across Ontario, Golf Ontario paid tribute to the incredible efforts of our more than 250 volunteers.
As part of the three celebrations (which took place in September at Craigowan Golf Club, Wooden Sticks Golf Course and Brockville Country Club), we proudly revealed the 2024 recipients of the Volunteer of the Year Award and the Dick Grimm Distinguished Service Award.
These prestigious awards honour individuals whose dedication has made a significant and lasting impact on golf in Ontario. Their unwavering support continues to drive Golf Ontario’s mission to ‘Shape Lives Through Golf.’
Dick Grimm Distinguished Service Award Recipient: Sally Cirtwill
Sally, a Level 3 National Golf Canada Rules Official, has been a dedicated volunteer with Golf Ontario since 1998. As she considers stepping back from her role, this year may mark her final season as one of our most esteemed referees.
For decades, Sally has generously devoted her time and energy, traveling countless miles to ensure our events run smoothly.
Earlier this season, the parent of a Golf Ontario Junior Player, who is now competing at the amateur and collegiate level, shared a heartfelt message. He mentioned that Sally has talked about retiring for years, but he believes this time she may truly mean it. He expressed deep gratitude for Sally’s kindness and professionalism, stating that she will be greatly missed by his family and many others when she does decide to retire.
Sally’s presence at events is always a highlight, with players, parents, and friends eager to greet her warmly. She embodies the essence of Golf Ontario’s mission—creating meaningful connections and enriching lives through golf.
Her unwavering passion, commitment, and love for the game make Sally a standout choice for the prestigious Golf Ontario Dick Grimm Distinguished Service Award.
When she does retire, Sally will no doubt relish more summer days spent at home, enjoying her love of fishing and getting back on the golf course herself.
The Dick Grimm Distinguished Service Award is named in honour of Richard H. Grimm, known as “Mr. Canadian Open” for his contributions from 1965 to 1993. The award, first presented in 2005, recognizes individuals who have shown exceptional commitment to amateur golf in Ontario through volunteerism. Recipients demonstrate leadership, integrity, and dedication while embracing Golf Ontario’s mission and values.
Volunteer of the Year Award: John Sharp
John Sharp has been a dedicated volunteer with Golf Ontario since 2011, serving as a Level 3 Rules Official. He exemplifies the spirit of the game and reflects Golf Ontario’s core values. John’s interactions with players are always positive and encouraging, all while maintaining professionalism. He consistently arrives early for his volunteer shifts and stays late to help with any unfinished tasks, demonstrating remarkable dedication and organizational skills during championship preparations.
John is well-connected within the golf community and is warmly greeted by many when he steps onto a course—a testament to the respect and admiration he has earned over the years.
One of John’s standout qualities is his openness and willingness to guide new volunteers, offering advice and support as they begin their journey with Golf Ontario. He extends this same mentorship to the summer interns, even assisting with course markings at events near him, regardless of whether he’s scheduled to volunteer.
John is also a great team player, regularly organizing dinners with fellow officials and volunteers, fostering camaraderie among the team.
Through his actions, John truly embodies Golf Ontario’s mission of shaping lives through positive golf experiences.
Volunteer of the Year Award: Margaret McCornock
Marg has been a dedicated and long-serving volunteer with Golf Ontario since 2012.
Her journey as a volunteer began with Golf Quebec in 2007 as a golf course rater, quickly rising to the position of rating leader by 2010. When many courses transitioned to Golf Ontario in 2012, Marg seamlessly continued her role as a rating leader, bringing her expertise to a new audience.
In addition to her work as a course rater, Marg also served on the Ottawa Valley Golf Association Board of Directors as the Director of Course Rating and Handicaps for a decade, from 2012 to 2022. Even after stepping down from this position, she continues to lead course rating teams for both Golf Ontario and Golf Quebec.
Marg’s leadership and commitment have been exceptional throughout her tenure. Her vast experience and knowledge in course rating have been instrumental in developing a skilled team of over 10 raters in the Ottawa Valley, with many others waiting to learn from her. Drawing from her teaching background, Marg has been an enthusiastic mentor, helping new raters grow into their roles with patience and dedication.
At the start of each rating season, Marg organizes refresher courses for both new and experienced raters, ensuring that the team is up-to-date with the latest information from the Course Rating System Guide and the provincial rating sessions. She also played a key role in the adoption of new technologies, offering on-course training to raters—both seasoned and novice—on how to use tablets to record rating data, while emphasizing the importance of understanding the reasoning behind the data collection.
For her work ethic, leadership, teaching ability, willingness to embrace new technologies, and her commitment to completing challenging course rating assignments—averaging three ratings a month during the summer—Marg is truly deserving of the title Golf Ontario Volunteer of the Year 2024.
Volunteer with Golf Ontario
At the heart of Golf Ontario, our volunteers are the lifeblood in a variety of critical areas, including championships, rules, course rating, and governance on committees and our board of directors. They are the sport’s ambassadors and an essential part of our team, enabling us to deliver exceptional programming and experiences to golfers, partners, and industry stakeholders.
Interested in becoming part of the Golf Ontario volunteer family? Find out more about the opportunities and rewards on our Volunteering Resource page HERE.
