After a four-year pause due to COVID-19, the National Allied Golf Associations (NAGA) are on Parliament Hill leading National Golf Day and discussing with Parliamentarians the many positive benefits of golf for Canadians.

The golf industry representatives are also releasing the results of a new Canadian Golf Economic Impact Study highlighting golf’s financial contributions and incredible popularity as the number one participation sport in Canada.

National Golf Day also celebrates golf’s physical and mental health benefits, its safe sport attributes, social merits, environmental stewardship, diversity, life skills for youth, and economic value to the business community. National data indicates that hundreds of thousands of Canadians have entered the sport since Covid-19, totaling six million Canadian golfers and further strengthening golf’s status as the number one participation sport in the country.

“Canadians played 74 million rounds of golf in 2023, a considerable 24% increase from the last Study in 2019,” stated Jeff Calderwood, CEO of the National Golf Course Owners Association Canada, and Chair of NAGA.

“Existing golfers have been playing more often and new golfers have been taking up the game at impressive levels,” said Calderwood. “The broad appeal of golf as a safe, healthy, outdoor recreation that can be enjoyed by all ages, genders, abilities, and budgets, anywhere in Canada, generates continued growth in the game. The impressive economic impacts that are then generated reflect that popularity.”

NAGA conducts an economic impact study every five years to measure such financial contributions as employment, charitable support, tourism, and gross domestic product. The sport and business of golf are thriving post-pandemic and continue to be an important economic engine for Canadians and their communities across Canada. Some of the highlights from the Canadian Golf Economic Impact Study include:

• Golf contributes a massive amount to Canada’s GDP at $23.2 billion, an increase of $4 billion since the previous Study.
• Golf supports 237,000 person-years of employment, illustrating its importance as a vital source of livelihood for countless Canadians. Nearly 135,000 Canadians work directly in golf, with 45,000 being student employment.
• Golf-related activities generated over $14.2 billion in labour income, sustaining families and generating significant economic spin-off spending.
• $382 million was raised through golf activities for charities across Canada, a return to the pre-Covid-19 range and tops among all participation sports.
• Approximately 6 million Canadians played golf in 2023, an all-time high for the number one participation sport in the country, generating 74 million rounds played.
• Golfer spending totalled $14.2 billion in 2023.
• Golf course operations contributed $8.1 billion to Canada’s GDP.
• Capital expenditure by golf course operations in 2023 was $907 million.
• Taxes paid to governments by the Canadian golf industry were $4.7 billion in 2023.

“Golf is a sport that brings so many benefits to Canadians – not just the economic contributions. It is also a holistic solution to many of life’s necessities and an activity that can enjoyed for a lifetime,” said Laurence Applebaum, CEO, Golf Canada.

“Golf is a healthy, safe activity, promoting environmental stewardship, providing exceptional social value, and is great for business. And importantly, we’re seeing tremendous diversity in our growth with incredible levels of engagement,” said Applebaum. “In addition, the recent success of our Canadian LPGA and PGA Tour Pros has further propelled the enthusiasm for the sport, with such stars on the world stage as Brooke Henderson and Nick Taylor.”

Other attributes of Canadian golf include:

• 18 holes of golf burns up to 2000 calories, a very healthy 15 km walk and active exercise in nature.
• 95% of golfers in Canada feel that golf is very good for their mental health, which has also been clinically proven.
• 83% of Canadian golfers state that the social aspects of golf are important to them and improve their lives.
• Spectator interest in professional golf is at an all-time high. The RBC Canadian Open and CPKC Women’s Open are setting records for attendance and commercial success.
• Golf is a trusted Safe Sport environment for both recreational and competitive play.
• Canadian golf has been experiencing great diversity, including a 6% increase in active women golfers and 33% growth in BIPOC golfers in 2023.
• Off-course golf including simulator play and virtual golf experiences have bolstered the growth in  participation.
• Sustainable golf has become a leading environmental stewardship movement in Canadian golf, with golf courses throughout the country embracing sustainability pledges and best practices.

Golf flourished during the pandemic as the nature of the sport easily allowed for social distancing while delivering a social recreation experience that could not be found elsewhere.

With golf now better recognized as an important part of the solution, and all of the health, social and economic benefits, the positive spotlight on golf and its impact on Canadian communities has since sustained most of that increased demand.

In summary, the study clearly shows that golf is good for Canada and Canadians.

RattleSnake Point Golf Club’s Nobelle Park was crowned victorious at Golf Ontario’s Junior Girls U19 Spring Classic at London, Ontario’s FireRock’s Golf Club.

After posting a career low (66) in round one, Park set herself up for success for the rest of the championship.

In the final round, she secured the victory after a thrilling two-hole playoff win over Team Canada’s Michelle Xing (NextGen) and Team Ontario’s Wendy Li.

Park, Xing (Maple Downs Golf Club) and Li (Summit Golf & Country Club) each shot a two-day (shortened from 54-holes due to rain) a score of 7-under-par 139.

Angela Cai (Heron Point Golf Links) finished in solo fourth at 4 under, while Grace Henderson (RattleSnake Point Golf Club) rounded out the top five.

The top ten players from the Junior Girls’ Spring Classic have earned exemption into Golf Ontario’s Womens Amateur Championship.

For the full leaderboard, Click Here.

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Scarboro Golf & Country Club’s Matthew Javier won the 2024 Ontario Junior (U19) Boys Spring Classic at Wooden Sticks Golf Club after a dazzling final round.

Javier shot a final round 7-under-par 65 to clinch the win, finishing three shots clear of his nearest competitor. With the 54-hole total of 202—14-under-par, Javier sets a new low scoring championship mark.

Javier, who is part of Team Canada – Next Gen program, finished three strokes ahead of runner-up Aidan Talent (Royal Ashburn Golf Club), who had a great final round, shooting 6-under-par 66. Whistle Bear Golf Club’s Rylan Hall rounded out the top three at 10-under

Luke Smith (The Thornhill Club) won the U17 division for the second straight year, after finishing the championship at 9-under-par.

The top five players in this tournament have qualified to the Canadian Junior Boys Championship in Innisfail, AB. They are: Matthew Javier, Aidan Talent, Rylan Hall, Luke Smith & Rowan MacDonald (Royal Ottawa Golf Club).

In his four-year playing career, Javier has won the Ontario Juvenile (U17) Championship twice in 2022 and 2023, and now, he adds the Ontario Junior (U19) Boys Spring Classic to his resume.

For the full leaderboard, Click Here.

The Ontario Junior Girls Spring Classic Championship kicks off at FireRock Golf Club this Victoria Day long weekend in London.  

The 60-player championship showcases the province’s rising junior girls’ golf talent, with seven featured players from Team Ontario and two featured players from Next Wave. As the young athletes take the course, they each seek to take home the Randolf Jay Millage Ttrophy at the end of the weekend.  

Taking place over 54-hole, FireRock Golf Golf Club hosts the Ontario Junior Girls Spring Classic Championship for the second year.  

FIELD NOTES

Among the 60-players in the 2024 Ontario Junior Girls Spring Classic, seven are Team Ontario members, while two are Next Wave players. 

Team Ontario Players: There are seven members of Team Ontario taking part. They are: Aryn Matthews (Big Win Island Golf Club); Nobelle Park (Rattlesnake Golf Club); Kaprice Park (Rattlesnake Golf Club); Shelby Hardwick (The Summit Golf & Country Club) ; Angela Cai (Heron Point Golf Links); Wendy Li (Cedar Brae Golf Club) and Bridget Yu (Golf Canada Club).  

Next Wave: Two athletes who are part of Golf Ontario’s Nexgt Wave development prrogram will be participating: Sierra Kowalyshyn (Sawmill Golf Course) and Kirsten Lee (Brampton Golf Club) 

Youngest Player: Riviera Lindholm (St. Georges Golf & Country Club) 11- years- old 

PLAYER NOTES

Michelle Xing, a standout on Team Canada, has claimed titles such as the 2024 NextGen Ontario Champions (which was played last week at FireRock), the 2022 Ontario Junior Girls Match Play Championship and the 2022 Ontario Bantam U15 Championship.  

Nobelle Park, an exceptional Team Ontario member, clinched victory at the 2024 Ontario Junior Players Invitational.  

Aryn Matthews, another Team Ontario member, has made her mark with  a runner-up finish at this year’s Ontario Junior Players Invitational and a third-place finish at the 2024 NextGen Ontario Championship.  

QUOTES

Connor Doyle, Tournament Director: “The Ontario Junior Girls Spring Classic will be one to watch this weekend. The highly competitive field will feature many of the top junior girls in Ontario including members of Team Ontario and Team Canada. FireRock Golf Club will serve as a great test for the players this weekend and we should be in for an excellent three days of golf.”

FAST FACTS

Championship Venue : FireRock Golf Club, Komoka, Ont. 

Championship Date: May 19-21  

Field: Sixty-players  

Leaderboard Link: https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/10230944137356560471 

Fun Fact: At 16-years-old, Brooke Henderson won the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada at FireRock Golf Club.  

Format: 54-holes, stroke play. A cut will come after 36-holes to the low 40 players. 

Social Handles: @thegolfontario on Instagram, Facebook and X

The 2024 Ontario Junior Boys Spring Classic heads to Wooden Sticks Golf Club in Uxbridge from May 19-21.

The 60-player field features Ontario’s top male junior golfers, all of whom looking to capture the Randolf Jay Millage Trophy.

The 54-hole championship begins Sunday at 12 p.m. with a cut coming after 36-holes.

For first round pairings, CLICK HERE.

FIELD NOTES

Team Ontario: Of the eight male Team Ontario members, six of them are in the field at Wooden Sticks. They are: Ben Sheridan (Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club); Bode Stephen (Cataraqui Golf & Country Club); Dawson Lew (Players Club – Markham); Graydon Laughlin (Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club); Nathaniel Yoo (Meadowbrook Golf Club); Rylan Hall (Whistle Bear Golf Club).

Next Wave: The recently announced 2024 Next Wave program will be represented by seven of its 15 golfers: Ben Julie (Sawmill Golf Course); Cole Thompson (Lookout Point Country Club); Matthew Simpson (Lambton Golf & Country Club); Aiden Pavey (Hidden Lake Golf Club); Bo Dong (Golf Canada Club – Ontario); Gabriel Mainella (Summit Golf & Country Club); Michael Vivone (Royal Ottawa Golf Club).

Four of Team Canada’s NextGen male golfers will also be competing: Luke Smith (The Thornhill Club); Isaiah Ibit (Camelot Golf & Country Club); Matthew Javier (Scarboro Golf & Country Club); Eric Zhao (Bayview Golf & Country Club).

Top Junior Golf Pathway Ranking Players: Bode Stephen, No. 1, U19 and U17; Dawson Lew, No. 2, U19 and U17; Spencer Shropshire, No. 3, U19 and U17.

PLAYER NOTES

Last year’s Junior Boys Spring Classic Champion Isaiah Ibit (Camelot Golf & Country Club), who also ranked first in last year’s U19 Boys’ Junior Golf Pathway Rankings.

Luke Smith (The Thornhill Club) and Andrew Aquino (The National Golf Club of Canada) both finished tied for third in last year’s Junior Boys Spring Classic. Smith also won last year’s Junior Boys Championship.

Gabriel Mainella (Summit Golf & Country Club) recently won the 2024 Ontario Junior Players Invitational.

Jager Pain (Golf Canada Club – Ontario) comes in fresh off his win at the 2024 Ontario NextGen Championship.

The winner of the last two Ontario Juvenile Championships, Matthew Javier (Scarboro Golf & Country Club).

Last year’s Ontario Bantam) Champion, Manav Bharani (Brampton Golf Club) is also in the field.

QUOTES

Rob Watson, Tournament Director: “This event is annually one of the strongest playing fields for junior boys in the country. This year, we have a very strong field, which only reinforces why this event is so competitive.”

Reggie Millage, Head Provincial Coach: “The Junior Spring Classic was started by my father in a time when opportunities for the best juniors to play against each other were very limited early in the season. Initially it was a stand-alone event, which became one of the strongest and most anticipated ones of the new Ontario golf season. That anticipation only elevated once it became a Golf Ontario Championship in 1995. It is truly an honour to have my name etched in the first two slots on the trophy named in honour of my dad and something I continue to cherish year after year.”

FAST FACTS

Championship Venue: Wooden Sticks Golf Course

Championship Dates: May 19-21

Field: 60 players

Format: 54-hole, stroke play, 36 Hole Cut – Low 40 & Ties

Leaderboard Link: https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/10230937104817375312

Fun Fact: Twelve of the 18 holes at Wooden Sticks were inspired by various famous holes from around the world of golf.

Social Handles: @thegolfontario on Instagram, Facebook and X

The Ontario Senior Women’s Ada Mackenzie Matches Team was victorious with a 12-8 win over the squad from Upper New York. The matches are an annual two-day event and were hosted this year at the Heron Point Golf Links in Ancaster, Ont.

Ontario’s championship team consisted of: Debbie Court, Carolyn Gallinger, Shelley Lothian, Mei Wang, Sandy Byckowski, Denise Schaefer, Kim Legge, Jayne Chalmers, Judith Kyrinis and Meredith Standford.

The Ada Mackenzie Matches have been conducted since 1960 and are an annual team event with Upper New York State. The format for the competition consists of two match-play rounds. The first day consists of Chapman-format team matches. Chapman format is where both players drive, then hit each other’s tee shot for the second shot, before the best ball is selected and players play alternately on the selected ball for the remainder of the hole. The second day features Better-Ball matches.

Six winners were crowned Tuesday at The Club at Bond Head for the 2024 Ontario Champion of Champions.

This championship featured a field of 247 players—the largest of the season—drawn from over 100 clubs throughout Ontario, with each participant a club champion from their respective home club. 

The event took place on the north and south courses at The Club at Bond Head, with competitors vying for titles in various divisions including men’s, women’s, junior boys’, senior men’s, senior women’s, and junior girls’.

Winners

Ethan Frost of Tangle Creek Golf and Country Club won the Junior Boys’ division after a 2-under-par 69.

Julia Alexander-Carew of Credit Valley Golf and Country Club won the Junior Girls’ division after an even-par 72.

Kyle Gordon of Coppinwood Golf Club won the Men’s division after a 6-under-par 65.

Elizabeth Tong of The Ladies’ Golf Club of Toronto won the Women’s division after an even-par 70.

Robert Gibson of Cedar Brae Golf Club won the Senior Men’s division after a 2-under-par 70

Lynn Lean of Spring Lakes Golf Club won the Senior Women’s division after a 12-over-par 84.

For the FULL LEADERBOARD, CLICK HERE.

Golf Ontario’s in-province 2024 Championship schedule kicks off on Tuesday with the Ontario Champion of Champions event.

This championship features a field of 247 players—the largest of the season—drawn from over 100 clubs throughout Ontario. Each participant is a club champion from their respective home club. 

The event will take place on the north and south courses at The Club at Bond Head, with competitors vying for titles in various divisions including men’s, women’s, junior boys’, senior men’s, senior women’s, and junior girls’.

“The Ontario Champion of Champions is set to be an exciting showcase of some of the best golfing talent from across the province,” says John Lawrence, Golf Ontario’s Director of Competitions and Performance. “This championship is particularly special as it celebrates the achievements of club champions from our incredible member facilities all over Ontario.”

For the full player roster and more championship details, CLICK HERE.

FAST FACTS:

Championship Venue: The North and South Courses at The Club at Bond Head.

Championship Date: May 14.

Field Size: 247 players.

Golf Ontario Member Clubs Represented: 122.

Format: 18-hole stroke play, with six divisions.

Pairings: CLICK HERE

The First: The first Ontario Champions of Champions took place in 1946.

Impressive List: Past champions include Ontario Golf Hall of Fame members Mary Ann Hayward, Bill Morland, Gerry Kesselring, Warren Sye, and Stu Hamilton.

Hall of Famer: Newly inducted Ontario Golf Hall of Famer Ashley Chinner (Coppinwood Golf Club) tees it up in the senior division.

Record Holder: Patrick Suraj won the senior men’s division championship a record six times.

The Next Wave: Next Wave Junior Development members in the field include Sierra Kowalyshyn (Sawmill Golf Course), Ava Gilbert (Summit Golf and Country Club) and Cole Thompson (Lookout Point Country Club). 

The Club at Bond Head: When the South Course opened in 2005, it was named as one of the “Top New Courses” by Golf Digest. A year later when the North Course opened, The Toronto Star named it as the “Top Public Golf Course in the GTA.”

Social Handles: @thegolfontario on Instagram, Facebook and X.

Golf Ontario held one of its most cherished events recently: the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame ceremony.  

Two new inductees were welcomed into the Hall of Fame, while a longtime journalist was presented with a distinguished award at the ceremony that saw more than 150 in attendance at Wooden Sticks Golf Club. 

Inducted in the Builder Category was the late Anne Edgar Dodds-Hebron, whose husband, Rick, accepted the award in her honour. Dodds-Hebron was a dedicated figure with decades of amazing achievements in the Ontario golf community. Her commitment and passion for sharing her knowledge of the game led her to teaching the rules of golf for the respective Golf Management programs at both Niagara Falls Community College and Toronto’s Humber College. She is also a certified rules referee for the Golf Association of Ontario, Golf Canada, and other members of the golf community.  

Ashley Chinner was the inductee in the Player Category. Chinner had a phenomenal career as both an amateur and professional golfer, whilst giving back to the sport. He turned pro in 1989 when he joined the Canadian Tour and would go on to compete in tournaments in over 25 countries. During his playing days in the 1990s on the Korn Ferry Tour, Chinner won the PGA Championship of Canada in 1996 and finished tied for 13^th at the PGA Tour’s RBC Canadian Open in 1998.  

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The recipient of the 2024 Lorne Rubenstein Media Award, presented by Lorne Rubenstein himself, was Robert Thompson, an award-winning reporter and an influential marketer and journalist for almost three decades. Thompson has won numerous Golf Journalism of Canada Awards (GJAC) for his work of covering the sport and is a three-time winner of the Kenneth R. Wilson award for magazine writing. His writing has appeared in well-known papers and magazines such as the National Post, the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, Listed magazine and so many more. Thompson is also the author of seven books and has interviewed a wide range of prime ministers, sports legends, pop stars and economists. 

“On behalf of Golf Ontario, I would like to extend our congratulations to Anne, Ashley, and Robert. Their unwavering dedication and remarkable contributions have left an indelible mark on the sport in our province,” says Golf Ontario CEO Kyle McFarlane.  “This year’s induction ceremony was filled with emotion as we honoured their extraordinary achievements and celebrated their passion for the game alongside family, friends and industry colleagues.” 

Of those 150 strong in attendance, 10 are current Ontario Golf Hall of Fame members. Marlene Stewart Streit, Stu Hamilton, Cathy Sherk, Mary Ann Hayward, Lorne Rubenstein, Sandra Post, Patty Howard, Judith Kyrinis, Bob Beauchemin and Gary McKay were all in attendance. 

Esteemed Canadian sportscaster and presenter, Rod Black, guided the ceremony for a second straight year as Master of Ceremonies. The evening started with an emotional tribute to recently passed Ontario Golf Hall of Famers: Sam Young, Bob Panasik and Ken Tarling.  

The Ontario Golf Hall of Fame is dedicated to the recognition of extraordinary contributions and accomplishment in the game of golf in Ontario. Founded in 2000 by the Ontario Golf Association and the Ontario Ladies’ Golf Association, the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame is housed at Wooden Sticks Golf Club in Uxbridge.  

Golf Ontario is excited to announce the return of Junior Golf Drive!

This year’s event will be hosted at Granite Golf Club on Monday September 9.

Please consider joining us for this highly anticipated event which features 18-holes of golf with carts, registration gifts, breakfast, three-course lunch meal, prizes, and a silent auction. All while raising important funds for Golf Ontario’s Junior Golf programs, such as: The Junior Golf Pathway, Next Wave Program and Team Ontario. 

Supporting Junior Golf not only creates future golf champions for Ontario and Canada, but provides all the young athletes in our programs a springboard to future success outside of golf and allowing them to reach their fullest potential.  

We thank you for supporting Golf Ontario and we hope to see you on September 9 at Granite Golf Club! 

Spots are limited – Register your foursome today by visiting: www.juniorgolfdrive.ca