20 #together 16 About Golf Ontario Golf Ontario aims to provide leadership and support for all Ontarians to enjoy golf #together as a lifelong sport. We serve more than 90,000 members and 400 member clubs. We strive to build golf communities across the province, provide high performance junior player development programs, build the game though grassroots programs and initiatives, and provide our members with fun and engaging programming and experiences. www.gao.ca #together #together TABLE OF CONTENTS Volunteers 2 Communities 6 Scholarships 8 Championships 10 Sport 15 Growing the Game 21 Member Clubs 24 Sponsors 27 Championship Schedule 28 Thanks from Golf Ontario 29 #together #together VOLUNTEERS PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE If you are reading this message, you most likely have a love for the game of golf. Although tradition, honour and camaraderie continue to fuel my love for the game, I doubt these are the primary features that will attract new followers. As stewards of golf, what steps can we take to address a more diverse and aging population, new restraints on family and leisure time, all while battling certain predisposed notions about the game? The foundations of the great game of golf are considerable and will assist any evolution going forward. Golf Ontario is a membership driven organization that also enjoys great support from government, sponsors, other associations and our national sports organization: Golf Canada. It is unlikely that this mix of supporters will continue in the distant future and Golf Ontario will have to identify and cultivate new revenue streams if services and programming can continue at the current levels. I have commented, more often than I should, that my motivation for volunteering with Golf Ontario was an attempt to repay a debt I felt was incurred with the Ontario Golf Association. As a young competitor the association provided much opportunity for participants of all ages and abilities. In my case, influencing me so dramatically that I have trouble describing the impact. Much has changed over the last three or four decades but the one thing that has remained consistent is the efforts of our volunteers. No event would run, no committee would function, no task completed without the efforts and dedication of our hundreds of volunteers. I am constantly amazed by those willing to give to this association. The hours of travel, the nights away, the phone calls, the rules seminars, the challenging weather….all endured by our volunteers in an effort to serve the game and Golf Ontario. It should be no secret that the most valuable asset Golf Ontario has is its team of volunteers. As my time with the board nears an end, I have trouble gauging if Golf Ontario is in a better position than when I came on board. Yet again, the association has given me far more than I have given in return, blessing me with a whole new batch of friends and memories. Golf is the greatest sport I know. Golfers are the greatest people I have ever met. My heartfelt gratitude to our volunteers, staff, board members and members for being given the honour of serving this association. Christian Osborne President Golf Ontario Front, from left: Carol-Ann Goering, Mark Hayes, Chris Osborne (President), John Gallinger (Vice President) , Jim King (Past President), 2016 Tony Dunn. Back, from left: Jason Harris, Howard Atkinson, Tim Cain, GOLF ONTARIO Peter Zakarow, Kent Trainor, Tom Hossfeld (OVGA Rep.). BOARD OF DIRECTORS Missing from photo: Ivy Steinberg 2 #together 2016 Ann Douglass Kathy Hill Bruce McCrady Ted Smith VOLUNTEERS Sharon Drabble Lea Hill Joyce Mccrae Tim Smith Bill Duffield Jane Hills Susan McGuigan Robert Spahn Audrey Akins Debbie Duffield Ronald Hodson Bob McLaughlin Rod Speake Lyle Alexander Tony Dunn Liz Hoffman Bob McMenemy Adam Stanley Barbara Allan Ron Dywelska Ron Hogan David McPherson Ross St Germain John Alpaugh Brenda Edgar Catherine Holmes Jim McTavish Bill Starr Wayne Amirault Shirley Egerton Tom Hossfeld Bob Mcwade Ryan Starr Jayne Ammerman Brad Elliott Kathie Houghton Dan Michaud Michael Stawecki Jim Arbuckle Jennifer Ellis Bill Houliston Chris Mifflin Ivy Steinberg Jim Arnold Barry Elson Marion Houliston Randy Millage Glen Stephenson Howard Atkinson Walt Emrich John Hume Dave Mills Mary Stewart Ross Kelly Atkinson Chris Ethier Gilles Hurtubise Lorry Moffatt Marlene Streit Crawford Barkhouse Lynne Marie Fabris Diane Huysmans Daniel Morissette Sharon Sturgis Shelley Bauer David Farron Don Ingram Scott Murfitt Gord Tennant Michael Blackett Gayle Faulkner Richard Innes Bill Muzak Ken Teshima Andrea Blackwell Linda Ferris Elaine Jackson Shirley Muzak Mike Thomas Murry Blair Bryon Fife Bill Johnson Ted Nelligan Les Toll Jack Bontje Bill Fleming Margo Johnston Karen Newman Diane Topping Elaine Bossence Olga Fleming Anna Kerr Patrick Newman Kent Trainor Gerry Bower Jan Flott Vivian Kimball Brian O'Brien Pamela Travers Dick Bowman Olga Foley Gerry Kincaid Rod O'Hara Bruce Trickey Roy Bratty Tom Forestell Jim King Bill Oliver Cathie Trickey Karon Brennenstuhl Susan Forrest Doug Kinny Michael O'Neill Laurence Tulloch Gail Brent Pauline Fortier Jane Kirkpatrick Chris Osborne John Turner Jim Bristow Ralph Franchino Ray Knight Jean Page Richard Turner Donald Bryson Grant Fraser Lindsay Knowlton Peter Palframan Brian Tyers Jake Bryson Colleen French Len Kulperger Pierre Panet-Raymond Karen Vamplew Sheila Buglass Andy Friyia Ron Kulperger Michael Parzai Nelly Van Berlo Dave Bunker Chris Fry Nadine Lamarche Al Penford Hans van Monsjou Patricia Burroughs Jim Furlong William Lattimer Brennan Penney Judy Waldrum Tim Cain John Gallinger Joan Lavin Cindy Pereira Chris Walling Ivan Campbell Ian Giles Roy Lavin Irini Perivolaris Brent Warriner Dan Carruthers Ruth Giles Gord Lawson Mary Power Tim Wasyliniuk Joan Carstairs Carol-Ann Goering Dick Lee Jim Price Judith Weaver Anita Chamberlain John Goodchild Kit Lefroy Kevin Purcell Wayne Weaver Robert Charbonneau Paul Gortnar Linda Leung Wong Bruce Rand Jennifer Webb Betty Chee Georgeanne Grand Jackie Lively Michael Raymond Ron Webb Maggie Chersey Rick Grandin Rob Lloyd Bernie Renwick Cindy Wegg Nelson Cheung Bill Graves Margaret Lockhart Kathy Renwick Morris Whatmore Sally Cirtwill Tim Green Lindsay Leonard Owen Rigg Ruth White Gerry Coons Jeff Grieve Tom Love Kathy Robinson Glenn Whitebread Mike Cope Margaret Grieve Stephanie Lytwyniuk Adam Rose Frank Williams Rick Corin Lee Griffin Steven MacDonald John Rosettis Bill Wilson Carol Cort Yu Gu Scott MacLeod Tony Ross Cindy Wilson Gary Cowan Hugh Hallam Dave MacNaughtan Robert Roy Donald Wilson Glenn Cundari Stu Hamilton Paul MacNaughton Christian Rutherford Blake Wimperis Craig Cupido Kelly Hanson Jim Magee Deborah Sauve Susan Wimperis Janet Dagneau Jason Harris Wayne Makinson Rosemary Scott Paul Winter James Davidson Steve Harris Ginny Marshall John Sharp David Woolley Jim Davidson Mark Hayes Jim Marshall Ruth Siblock Julian Young John Davies Bob Heath John Marshall Wayne Silverman Pat Young Betty Divok Robert Heath Peter Mattsson Gloria Sinclair Rick Young Michael Docherty MaryLou Henderson David McCART Helen Sinclair Peter A.P. Zakarow Bradley Doey Peter Henderson David McClenaghan Al Smith Mark Zecchino John Dorland Diane Higgins Michael McComb Christopher Smith Rick Ziller John Doucette Ray Higgins Marg McCornock Diane Smith #together #together VOLUNTEERS AWARDS & WINNERS From left, Jim Arbuckle (Volunteer of the Year), Ralph Franchino (Dick Grimm Distinguished Service Award) and Elaine Jackson (District 2016 Volunteer of the Year). VOLUNTEER Missing from photo: John Turner (Honorary Life Director) and Colleen AWARD RECIPIENTS French (District Volunteer of the Year). 4 #together 2016 AWARD RECEPIENTS 4 #together #together COMMUNITIES GOLF IN ONTARIO COMMUNITIES Building Golf Communities is not another program....it was, and remains, more than an initiative for Golf Ontario (GO). It's GO telling people about the value of playing golf, giving facilities the tools to do the same and to encourage everyone, customers and consumers, to support the golf industry because doing so helps build a stronger community. The golf community story represents a bottom up approach whereby we lead and support the growth of the sport, our membership and the golf industry at the local level. The ah ha moment, as they say, was the realization we were not perceived as a true partner, because partners make decisions together and our role wasn't the doers, we needed to be the supporters. Building golf communities recognizes partnership as a critical element in order to move forward as an organization and industry, and we need to create this relationship on the basis of trust. This is a change in approach, not a change of direction and builds on the great work of many volunteers, over many years through our Districts. If we want to collectively curb the decline of private club membership and grow our interaction and relationship with the recreational golfer in Ontario, we must do it through the transformed distribution structure or service delivery model, which is the facility. The only way this is possible is if we are working as partners with golf facilities to assist them in the growth of their business...and in turn, grow the sport. As it sits, the business of golf is fractured and often operates in silos, Building Golf Communities is about taking responsibility to support all organizations and collectively service the golf industry. The Golf Barrie story (see page 7), demonstrates that commitment works and all stakeholders can support and participate in driving to a common goal in the same direction. Mike Kelly, Executive Director Golf Ontario Through this Golf Barrie initiative, more than 5,400 kids in Simcoe were exposed to the sport of golf through the Golf in Schools program 2016 alone! In addition, there were 10 field trips conducted throughout the GOLF ONTARIO school year in which students were brought directly to the facilities to COMMUNITIES have golf a experience on the golf course. 6 #together BUILDING GOLF COMMUNITIES GOLF BARRIE In 2016, Golf Ontario embarked on a groundbreaking new strategy to help grow the game of golf from the bottom up.