UXBRIDGE— The Golf Association of Ontario (GAO) was pleased to hold it’s annual Ontario Hall of Fame induction ceremony on May 7 at Wooden Sticks Golf Course. Earl Fritz, John Henrick, Dorothy Campbell Hurd Howe and Bob Weeks were inducted as the class of 2014, while Ken McKee was the recipient of the Lorne Rubenstein Media Award.

GAO president Jim King summed up the importance of the evening for golf in the province. “Tonight is about honouring our past. I think it is very important that we recognize the accomplishments, contributions and the inspiration that these people have provided for the other side of the equation: the up and coming. So it is really nice to honour them.”

Maxwell McKee delivering his grandfather Ken’s speech.

The ceremony began with the presentation of the Lorne Rubenstein Media Award to Ken McKee. McKee was unable to attend the ceremony, however his grandson Maxwell, delivered his acceptance speech that was written by McKee and members of his family. “Mostly we just wanted this speech to convey sentiments and how much he enjoyed covering the game. From high school to the Masters, he just loved getting there to tell the story in his own way. My grandfather is truly humbled and thankful to have been chosen as the 2014 Lorne Rubenstein Award recipient, my grandfather has the utmost respect for his work.” Maxwell closed with a word of thanks directly from McKee. “I want to thank the Golf Association of Ontario for this award and to all the players, past and present, I could not have done my job without you.”

The first inductee to be recognized was Dorothy Campbell Hurd Howe. In acceptance of the award for Hurd Howe, the Ladies President of the Hamilton Golf and Country Club, Nancy Rundle, where Hurd Howe was a member while she lived in Canada, sent a letter of thanks for the recognition of one of their own. It was delivered by emcee Rod Black. “The Ladies Executive of the Hamilton Golf and Country Club was pleased to hear that Dorothy Campbell Hurd Howe was to be inducted into the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame. While her stay in Canada was only three years, she sure had an impact on the game of golf.”

Jim King presents Earl Fritz with his induction award.

Next, Earl Fritz took to the stage to receive his award. “I never understood how excited one could be until I was called by Dave Mills (retired GAO Executive Director) and told that I would be inducted into the Hall of Fame by the Golf Association of Ontario. I was excited and honoured. I was on a cruise in the Mediterranean at the time. The excitement got to me so much that I had to phone Dave and thank him all the way from Barcelona. I’d like to thank all of the other inductees for all of the work they have done to develop the game of golf. Thanks to everyone who is here and to the GAO for such a big honour.”

John Henrick accepts his induction award from Jim King.

John Henrick then was presented his recognition and shared some of the thought he had before heading out for his Hall of Fame round of golf earlier in the day.  “I can’t thank you enough for this honour. I am so proud to be a member of the golf scene, still as a player. My last competitive round was played in 2008 at Royal Woodbine and I shot a 70 on a par 72 course. My first competitive round I went to caddie but then herd my name called by the pro shop. Our pro told me I was to fill in for one of the pros. I shot a 74. Ladies and gentlemen 61 years later, I’m getting better!”

Kim Locke speaks on behalf of Bob Weeks.

Only earlier in the day the final inductee Bob Weeks notified the GAO that he had a family emergency to tend to and would be unable to attend. However, his friend and colleague from SCOREGolf Kim Locke stepped in to say a few words. “The last thing I wanted to do was to be here speaking for Bob. I know how honoured and excited he was to have the opportunity to be here tonight. The SCOREGolf brand and its success over the years, without Weeksy, would not have grown and might not even exist today.”

Locke closed with the speech that Weeks had sent to him just hours before the ceremony. “I have been so fortunate to be able to travel far and wide, meet people and enjoy this wonderful game of golf on so many levels. The best part of it all is just how many friends I have made, for that I am blessed. Not a day goes by that I don’t realize how lucky I am to do what I do. To be honoured here tonight is humbling and extremely exciting.”

With that the 2014 class entered the hall capping off an excellent Hall of Fame Day celebration.

OAKVILLE – Golf Canada is pleased to announce the names of the athletes who have been selected to the new Team Canada Young Pro program.

In all, five athletes – three female and two male – have been chosen to the inaugural Team Canada Young Pro Squad, with four of the members coming from Ontario. Developed in partnership with the PGA of Canada and supported in large part by the Golf Canada Foundation, the Young Pro program was created to bridge the gap between amateur and professional performance on the international golfing stage.

“There has been a critical gap for our top amateur golfers making the difficult jump to professional golf and the launch of the Team Canada Young Pro initiative is designed to bridge that gap,” said Golf Canada CEO Scott Simmons. “We have seen tremendous results for Team Canada amateur athletes at national, international and collegiate competitions. With the launch of Young Pro, we expect those strong results to carry over to the professional ranks including the PGA and LPGA Tours, the various developmental tours and ultimately the Olympic Games beginning in 2016.”

A trio of LPGA players including Rebecca Lee-Bentham of Toronto, Jennifer Kirby of Paris, Ont., and Sue Kim of Langley, B.C., will join the new Young Pro squad. All three players are graduates of Golf Canada’s National Amateur Squad and have secured full playing status for the LPGA Tour’s 2014 season. Bentham, 22, was the top-earning Canadian on the LPGA Tour last season after finishing a personal best T-11 at the Evian Championship. Kirby, 23, earned her spot after a fifth place finish at the LPGA’s Final Qualifying in December. Kim, 23, secured her full card by finishing in sixth on the LPGA’s Symetra Tour’s Volvik Race to the Card.

“I feel so fortunate to once again, have the opportunity to be a part of a program that is so dedicated to developing players,” said Rebecca Lee-Bentham. “Golf Canada, without a doubt, has helped me tremendously throughout my amateur career and has led me to where I am today. It is an honour to represent Canada each week on the LPGA tour and having the opportunity to play for Canada at the Olympics would mean more than words can describe.”

“I am incredibly grateful to have been selected for the Young Pro program,” said Jennifer Kirby. “Golf Canada has always been supportive of my career and I am proud to be an ambassador of this important program in my inaugural season on the LPGA Tour.”

On the men’s side, Web.com Tour players Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., and Toronto’s Albin Choi debut as the first two male members of the Team Canada Young Pro program. A two-time Canada Amateur champion, Hughes, 23, finished the 2013 season atop PGA TOUR Canada’s Order of Merit after capturing the Cape Breton Celtic Classic. Choi, 22, is also a former Canadian Amateur champion who earned his ticket to the Web.com Tour after a 15th place finish at final qualifying in December.

“I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to be a part of Team Canada and the new young pro squad,” said Mackenzie Hughes. “The coaching and support staff has played a big role in my development and my transition to pro golf. I also want to thank the Golf Canada Foundation as well as all the sponsors and donors that have made this program possible.”

“I am very excited to be back with the national team and part of the program,” added Albin Choi. “I have been with Team Canada for over six years and have always appreciated the support and having a team around me. Most pros lose that support structure from a national or college team as soon as they turn pro and it’s easy to get lost. It’s great to have an opportunity to have a team behind me with my best interests in mind.”

Each member of the Young Pro squad will receive funding as well as access to Team Canada’s coaching staff and sport science experts. Men’s National Squad coach Derek Ingram and Women’s National Team coach Tristan Mullally will provide coaching to their respective Young Pro players. In addition, the athletes will have access to Team Canada’s sport science staff that includes psychologist, Dr. Adrienne Leslie-Toogood, strength and conditioning coach, Jason Glass, nutritionist, Nicole Springle and physiotherapist Greg Redman.

“I congratulate Golf Canada on the launch of this exceptional program,” said PGA of Canada CEO Gary Bernard. “The commitment Golf Canada has shown in collaborating with the PGA of Canada in our world class teaching and coaching certification programs is commendable.”

The Team Canada Young Pro initiative has been in the works for more than a year as an extension of Golf Canada’s National Amateur Team program. The 2014 launch is a direct result of the fundraising support of the Golf Canada Foundation.

“On behalf of the board of the Golf Canada Foundation, we’re proud to help support these talented young golfers in their pursuit of competitive golfing excellence,” said Golf Canada Foundation CEO Martin Barnard. “In the coming months, we look forward to announcing more fundraising activities as well as donors and corporate partners to extend the program to more Canadian athletes.”

The new Member Club Schedule is up and running. You can find it by clicking here or under the membership tab in the menu above.

UXBRIDGE, ON— The Golf Association of Ontario’s (GAO) Team Ontario wrapped up their preseason exercises, April 25-27, with one final team camp at the Legends on the Niagara Battlefield golf course, site of the 2014 Canadian Junior Boys’ Championship. The camp was designed as a jumpstart for the athletes as they begin their competitive seasons. The camp featured a three-round tournament, the Team Ontario Cup, along with daily training sessions with strength and conditioning coach Andrew Hoermann.

Max Sear

“The big thing was really to jump start the team for the season,” said coach Reggie Millage. “The Team Ontario Cup was a great way to get them in that competitive mode, shake off the rust and fine tune technical issues, especially with the late start to the season this spring.”

This was the second time the GAO held a cup competition for the team that simulated an official tournament. On the boys’ side of the competition, it was a two-horse race with Max Sear and Sam McNulty putting distance between them and the rest of the team. Heading into the final round, Sear held a three shot lead, but McNulty shot an impressive 4-under par on the final round and with Sear 1-under for the day, a playoff was needed. Sear birdied the first playoff hole to take the boys side in a thriller. Both finished the tournament at 1-under par for the three rounds.

As for the girls, Monet Chun came up with a great final round finishing even for the day (14-over for the competition) and was able to hold off Annika Haynes to capture the title.

Sam McNulty

“Some of the players were very good throughout the three rounds,” added Millage. “Sam’s 68 on the final round really stood out as well as Max’s whole competition, which was very consistent. As for the girls, I think Monet’s game is really rounding into form. It is nice to see her put everything together. I felt Annika really hit and drove the ball well and pushed Monet in that final round.”

In addition to what was seen on the course, Millage reported that across the board, the teams’ strength and conditioning test results were up. “We really saw an increase in speed that translated to the course, even though they battled some tough weather conditions.”

With many players beginning their competitive schedule in the coming weeks, Millage said the camp was a great opportunity for the players to see what they needed to work on individually. “We used the launch monitor and ShotByShot to get feedback and statistics on what they need to work on.”

Monet Chun

Heading into the first major event, the Spring Classic May 17-19, Millage says he just hopes all of the team members can play to their potential. “I think they all left with something to work on. We are now in the process of transferring to our in-season facility Granite Golf Club. I will still see them regularly whether they stop in or at tournaments, but I think that now they are truly better prepared for this season.”

UXBRIDGE, ON— It was a top 10 finish for the Golf Association of Ontario’s (GAO) team at the Manuel Prado Cup in Lima, Peru. The team of Dave Bunker and Mike Rutgers combined for a four round total of +20 leading them to a tie for eighth spot.

On the individual side, the Carlos Raffo Cup (play simultaneously), it was Bunker finishing in a tie for 11^th at +8 and Rutgers ending in a tie for 18^th at +12.

Dave Bunker

The team, which was selected by their 2013 Men’s Mid Amateur Ranking, got out to a rocky start on the first day, but was able to settle down and gain consistency as the tournament progressed.

“Our team result was not too bad considering the scores we shot in the first round. From then on, we managed to jump up the leaderboard each day,” said Bunker.

“I feel that we played pretty solid overall, finishing strong in the last three rounds,” added Rutgers.  “We just struggled with the short game. We both hit it very well, overall, and took a lot of positives going forward for the 2014 golf season.”

Bunker (81-72-72-71) really found his stride after the first round and continued to charge up the leaderboard, ultimately finishing just outside the top ten. “Overall I think that I played fairly well, other than the first round. I hit the ball solidly and managed the course well,” said Bunker. “The greens are very tricky, the biggest progression through the week was putting and chipping. Each day you get a better feel for breaks and speed.”

As for Rutgers (77-73-75-75), his first round too was his highest score but he found consistency throughout the event. He also pointed to the tough greens as the major influence on his scores. “I feel like I hit the ball really well other than a few bad swings each round.  The only thing that really frustrated me during the whole tournament was the greens, the grain was going so many ways, so I had difficulty with the speed and line.”

Mike Rutgers

The individual competition was won by Chile’s Guillermo Pereira who shot an amazing -11 under for the tournament. He was followed by countryman Rodrigo Rivas at -4 and the team captured the Manuel Prado Cup at -15 (21 strokes better than second place).

“The competition was great. The champions from Chile played incredibly well on a difficult golf course,” said Bunker.

“The competition itself was first class. I travelled, played and represented Team Ontario with my father-in-law which was a great experience for me, I had a great time,” added Rutgers.

Both players felt that the tournament helped give them a jumpstart for the season. They both said they were able to outline areas to work on and can now turn their attention to this summer’s events.

WINDSOR— Alyssa Getty of the Golf Association of Ontario’s (GAO) U19 Team Ontario has won the 2014 Windsor-Essex Sports Person of the Year (WESPY) Award for Female Golfer of the Year. It is the second year in a row that she has won the award.

Getty was named the winner at the ninth annual awards ceremony on April 15 at the Cabota Club in Windsor.  Last year, Getty was both the youngest nominee and winner of the award.

The 17-year-old from Kingsville, just east of Windsor, plays out of the Kingsville Golf and Country Club. Getty has been playing the sport since the age of five and has been competing since she was nine.

After winning the Ontario Federation of Schools Athletic Association (OFSAA) Championship in 2012, Getty followed it up with a third place finish in 2013. Other top 2013 finishes included: a tie for second at the Ontario Juvenile Girls Championship in Renfrew; an eighth place tie at the 2013 Canada Summer Games, in Sherbrooke, QC.; and a tie for fifth at the 2013 Royal Canadian Junior Girls Golf Championship in Pickering.

“It is great to see our Team Ontario members being recognized in their own communities for their achievements – for activities both on and off the golf course,” said Mary Ann Hayward, GAO Manager of Sport Performance. “We know they all excel in golf and it is great that they are getting the recognition against other elite athletes in their communities.  Hopefully this brings recognition to golf as sport for other young athletes in the area, as well as greater recognition to our GAO player development programs.  I think it is even better that they are getting recognized for non-golf related attributes – be it academics, leadership or volunteering. It speaks to the well roundedness of the individual, which is something we value in the overall development of the athletes in our Team Ontario program.”

In addition to the WESPY Award, Getty has also been chosen as a finalist for the 2014 USGA-AJGA Presidents’ Leadership Award. The AJGA, in conjunction with the USGA, annually awards select boys and girls who exemplify the spirit of volunteerism, charity, and leadership.

Getty is currently attending Kingsville High School and has verbally committed to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for 2015.

By Brent Long

Imagine being a 12-year-old and landing your very first job washing golf carts at a nine-hole course in Kemptville, Ont. Well, that’s where it all began as Henry Brunton discovered a passion for golf at Rideau Glen Golf Club that drove him to become a world-leader in coaching, education and junior golf development.

Brunton took his thirst for learning to nearby Rideau View Country Club as a young assistant working for PGA of Canada Head Professional Paul Sherratt, then to the University of Ottawa where he earned a Bachelor degree in Physical Education and has never stopped reading, learning, teaching, coaching and mentoring others.

Over the years, Brunton has picked up many awards as he has been on the leading edge of golf development for more than 25-years. However, Brunton was deeply touched earlier this year when he picked up the PGA of Canada Tex Noble Award, for Professional Development at a presentation ceremony during Canada Night at the PGA 2014 Merchandise Show in Orlando, FL.

“I only knew Tex Noble as a pen pal of sorts. I never met him in person. As an apprentice at Rideau View, I had to fill out my progress reports at the end of each year and submit them to Tex, who was the Education Director for the PGA of Canada at the time,” Brunton says of the process that went on for five years. “From the comments that I got back from him, I could tell he was a gentleman who genuinely read the reports and provided positive feedback and encouragement. For me it was very stimulating to read his comments, so to receive an award with his name on it is very gratifying.” In 2009, Henry was named National Junior Leader of the Year by the Canadian PGA.

Fast forward to 2014 and Brunton is still turning pages and heads. Anyone who has followed Brunton’s career knows he published, “Journey to Excellence” in 2009 and “High Performance Golf” in 2012. What you probably don’t know is that booth books have been translated into Chinese and will be released next month in China – which is sure to increase his international exposure.

Also on the horizon is a trip to Australia is September to make presentations at the World Scientific Congress of Golf and the Australian PGA Coaching Summit.

Before that www.collegegolfplacement.com will be launched by Henry Brunton Golf as a consulting service for young golfers and their parents from around the world who are looking for guidance when it comes to pursuing and NCAA golf scholarship. The focus is to work with 12 to 17-year-olds as they move along the pathway and to highlight their accomplishments and videos on the site for NCAA coaches to review.

On the U.S. front, Brunton is expecting his VISA any day now, which would also allow him to set up shop in the United States. He’s also been contracted by several American PGA Sections to make professional development presentations later this year and into 2015. Brunton’s partnership with Dr. Rick Jensen from Boca Raton, FL., also continues to grow as they will announce up to 12 seminars for LPGA and PGA golf teachers and coaches across the US for 2014, including at least one in Canada for the very first time.

On the home front, Henry Brunton Golf continues to flourish with a wide selection of programs for both adults and junior golfers at Eagles Nest GC and Bathurst Glen GC, near Toronto, with winter programs conducted at The Metro Golf Dome & The Golf Lab and at the PGA Center for Learning and Performance in Port St. Lucie, FL. This spring, Brunton, a PGA of Canada Master Professional, will also assume duties as National Spokesman for the National Golf Course Owners’ Association Canada Kids Play Golf initiative to increase awareness around the sport and point children and parents to local PGA of Canada professionals for learning opportunities.

It all goes to show that you should never under estimate a youngster with passion who is working in the back shop cleaning golf carts or taking his first lesson with a PGA of Canada member – that passion could change the world as we know it!

GAO Productions presents the 2014 Team Ontario!