Golf Ontario was saddened to learn of the passing of 2012 Lorne Rubenstein Media Award winner Wally Crouter on March 28 at the age of 92.

After spending more than 50 years on air before his retirement in 1996, Wally Crouter was best known as Canada’s longest serving radio morning host. As the beloved morning voice of Toronto’s CFRB 1010, Crouter had the number one radio show in Canada with a weekly audience reach of more than 629,000 listeners.

Born in 1923 in Lindsay, Ontario, nine-year-old Wally broke into radio as a boy soprano in 1932. After serving overseas in the Second World War, he joined the Army Show and worked in allied services radio in Britain, Rome, Paris and North Africa. After his discharge in 1946, he returned to Canadian radio as an announcer at CHEX in Peterborough before coming to Toronto to join CFRB in 1946. Crouter was inducted into the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 1996.

As an avid golfer, Crouter’s love of the game was well known to his listeners and he could often be found on the course with golf legends such as Sam Snead, Al Balding, Moe Norman, and Arnold Palmer. He was credited with helping to raise millions of dollars for charity through many different endeavors including his fundraising golf tournaments.

Golf Ontario sends condolences to Crouter’s family and friends.

UXBRIDGE – To help build excitement for the first day of the 2016 golf season, the Golf Association of Ontario (GAO) is encouraging golfers and non-golfers alike to dress like a golfer on April 15.

The GAO is encouraging everyone to wear their best golf attire and to take photos and tag the GAO on Twitter (@GAOGolf), Instagram (gaogolf) and Facebook (facebook.com/GAOGolf) or by using the hashtag #DressLikeAGolfer. The best dressed male and female will win a complete golf outfit courtesy of adidas golf Canada. Winners will be selected by the GAO and announced on April 17.

Also, watch for members of the GAO who will be at busy intersections throughout downtown Toronto, during the morning rush hour, wearing their golf gear and helping to search for the best-dressed golfers.

So on April 15 dress in your finest golf attire, snap a picture, tag the GAO on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and help kick off the 2016 golf season for your chance to win great golf clothing from adidas golf Canada!

Photos courtesy of drivechipandputt.com

AUGUSTA, GA— Two young golfers will be representing Ontario at the 2016 Drive, Chip, & Putt Finals April 3, at Augusta National Golf Club. Toronto’s Vanessa Borovilos and Richmond Hill’s Elaine Giantsopoulos will both take part in the championship after working through local, sub-regional and regional qualifiers.

For Borovilos, from the Trafalgar Golf & Country Club, she will compete in the Girls’ 7-9 age group and Giantsopoulos, from York Downs Golf & Country Club, will compete in the Girls’ 12-13 division.

This will be the second consecutive year that Borovilos competes in the event. In 2015, she finished fourth with 18 total points, just four off the lead. This year she advanced through a local qualifier at the Buffalo Tournament Club, sub-regionals at the Harvest Hill Golf Club in Orchard Park and regional qualifier at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont Pennsylvania.

Borovilos, who credits her dad for introducing her to the game, started putting at just two and a half years of age. By three, she was hitting balls and won her first tournament at the age of five. She cites qualifying for her second consecutive Drive, Chip, & Putt Finals as her biggest achievement. Now she will have another chance to improve on last year’s finish.

Giantsopoulos won her local qualifier last season, but a third place finish in her sub-regional ended her run to Augusta. This year, with that experience, she progressed through her local qualifier at Ravenwood Golf Club in Rochester, sub-regional at Harvest Hill Golf Club and regional at Oakmont.

Playing golf since she was nine, Giantsopoulos is a 16.4 handicap. Inspired to get into the game by her brother, Giantsopoulos says she watched last year’s finals and missing out just motivated her to work harder to qualify this year.

All 80 of the final qualifiers (40 boys and 40 girls) in four age division (7-9, 10-11, 12-13 and14-15) will all compete for the division titles, April 3 at Augusta National Golf Club.

Team Ontario edged by South Carolina at Can Am Junior Team Matches

MURRELS INLET, S.C.— The Golf Association of Ontario’s (GAO) Team Ontario, along with Ontario members of Golf Canada’s National Development Squad, and other top Ontario juniors were in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina at the Wachesaw Plantation Club for the annual Can Am Matches, March 19-20, with the South Carolina Junior Golf Association.

The opening day, which featured team matches, was extremely successful for Team Ontario as they were able to win 72 points, keeping the match all-square heading into the final day of singles matches. While things were close on the second day, the hosts were able to hang on to win by a slim margin of 221.5 to 210.5. South Carolina took the singles matches 149.5 to 138.5.

What makes the matches unique is that unlike traditional match play, all matches are played in full and points are awarded for each hole.

Round 1 Results:

Round 2 Results:

UXBRIDGE— In preparation for the spring launch of the Golf Association of Ontario’s (GAO) new Strategic Plan, significant upgrades to the existing Operational Committees have been announced. Many committees will be eliminated and replaced with Golf Advisory Teams that will help review the tactics outlined in the new strategic plan.

“Our goal is to align our feedback and advisory mechanism with our new strategic direction in an effort to build the sport together,” said Mike Kelly, GAO Executive Director. “We want to focus our volunteers’ time and support towards answering the question ‘how are we doing?’ and then integrate all feedback and recommendations to ensure our implementation plan is effective.”

The new Golf Advisory Team model will aim to support the GAO’s new Strategic Plan. The GATs will help to accomplish the goal of becoming the Best Provincial Sport Organization in Canada; innovate golf by providing industry leading services; drive more people to play the sport and encourage more children to get into the game; support golf clubs/facilities and all people involved in the game by aligning golf organizations, creating positive partnerships and ensuring that golf remains the most popular sport in Ontario.

The GAT’s input on the strategic plan comes at a vital time for the golf industry as it prepares for the return of the sport at the 2016 Rio Olympics. The GAO recognizes how important it will be to capitalize on the exposure of the sport and to channel that exposure into more people playing the game.

In 2016, there will be six GATs:

1. Golf Communities – local collaboration with all golf industry stakeholders to build the sport together;
2. Golf Services – designing, marketing and delivering services and benefits for facilities and golfers at all levels;
3. Next GEN – initiatives to build a stronger and larger base of junior golfers in Ontario;
4. Communication – how to effectively deliver relevant information to the right people, at the right time;
5. Championships – Ensure the delivery of world class Championship events;
6. Course Rating and Handicapping – effective course rating and handicapping services to our members;

Remaining intact are a trio of committees. The Hall of Fame, Scholarship and Team Selection committees will continue to operate in their current structure.

“Ultimately, the goal of restructuring our Operational Committees is to optimize support for our staff in the operation of our golf business as we further the objectives of the Government of Ontario’s Sport Plan,” added Kelly.

The GAO is currently seeking enthusiastic and motivated individuals from the Industry for its 2016 GATs. For more information on the specific GATs or to volunteer click here: https://gao.ca/volunteer/gat

Hall of Fame’s 75^th, 76^th & 77^th inductees to receive highest honour in Canadian Golf

OAKVILLE, Ont. (Golf Canada) – The Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum is proud to announce that two-time Canadian Men’s Amateur champion Warren Sye of London, Ont., and renowned golf journalist Bob Weeks, of Toronto, Ont., have been elected as 2016 inductees into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame along with Canadian LPGA Tour legend Lorie Kane of Charlottetown, P.E.I.

Kane and Sye are being inducted under the player category, while Weeks will be inducted as a builder. With their inductions, the trio will become the 75^th, 76^th and 77^th honoured members of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

“For over 40 years, the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame has recognized the accomplishments of outstanding individuals and their tremendous impact on the game of golf in Canada,” said Sandra Post, Chair of the Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee. “Each member of our 2016 class of inductees has demonstrated passion, dedication and excellence in shaping the place of golf within the Canadian sporting landscape. It is with great pride that we welcome them to stand alongside the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame’s honoured members.”

WARREN SYE

Warren Sye’s outstanding amateur career took off in 1986 when he represented Canada at the World Amateur Team Championship; that year, Canada captured the World Amateur title and won the Canadian Sport Council (formerly known as the Sports Federation of Canada) “Sport Team of the Year” award. Sye went on to represent Canada three more times at the World Amateur Championship.

Sye excelled provincially, capturing the Ontario Amateur Championship five times between 1988 and 1996. He also claimed the Ontario Champion of Champions title in 1983 and again in 1991.

His success nationally includes a pair of victories at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship (1990 and 1994). During that time, he was also a member of four Willingdon Cup teams representing Ontario. He captured the Ontario Senior Championship title in 2012.

His extraordinary accomplishments as an amateur golfer were recognized by SCOREGolf Magazine, winning their “Male Athlete of the Year” award in 1985, 1990, 1994 and 1996. In 2003, Warren Sye was inducted into the Etobicoke Sports Hall of Fame and the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame.

BOB WEEKS

Bob Weeks is a golf analyst and senior reporter for TSN, where he provides coverage of the sport from across the globe. During his time as a journalist, he has covered more than 60 major golf championships, as well as hundreds of top Canadian and international championships.

Weeks began his career in golf media with SCOREGolf in 1987 and rose to the position of editorial director in 2012, overseeing all content at the media company. He hosted SCOREGolf TV for 16 years and spent 20 years as the voice of the SCOREGolf Show – a daily 90-second golf radio program heard in more than 70 markets across the country.

In 2009, he was recognized on the National Post’s list of the most influential people in Canadian golf and ranked sixth overall. An award-winning writer, Weeks has written for GOLF Magazine, Golf Digest, Golfweek, the Globe and Mail, Maclean’s, as well as countless other publications throughout the world.

Weeks, who began playing golf at the age of 11 in P.E.I., has been a proud member of Weston Golf and Country Club in Toronto for more than 40 years.

He is a member of the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame and a winner of the Golf Journalists Association of Canada’s Dick Grimm Award. In 2015, Weeks was presented with a Distinguished Service Award by Golf Canada for outstanding contributions to the game. In addition to golf, Weeks is a respected curling journalist who in 2016 will also be inducted to the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame.

LORIE KANE

Lorie Kane started playing the game of golf at the age of five. As her interest and talent grew, she came under the tutelage of Canadian Golf Hall of Fame honoured member Jack McLaughlin, whom she still credits as an inspiration and major influence in her career.

Provincially, she won the P.E.I. Junior Girls Championship twice and was the P.E.I. Women’s Amateur Champion nine times between 1983 and 1992. Her extraordinary amateur career saw her represent Canada on several occasions, including as a member of the Canadian Commonwealth Team and the Canadian World Amateur Team, as well as taking part in the World Cup. In 2015, Kane represented Canada in the first-ever golf competition at the Pan Am Games.

Kane turned professional in 1993 and three years later earned exempt status on the LPGA Tour. Over the next several years, she accumulated 34 Top-10 finishes, nine of which were runner-up results. In 2000, Kane captured her first professional win at the Michelob Light Classic in St. Louis and also won three more times on the LPGA Tour that same year. Nationally, she captured the Canadian PGA Women’s Championship from 1996-1999 and again in 2001.

Throughout her career, Kane established herself as one of the most popular LPGA Tour players with players and spectators. Her accomplishments garnered her the Heather Farr Player Award in 1998 and the Mousie Powell Award in 2000. In 2006, Kane was presented with the Order of Canada.

She is known for her generosity and dedication to charitable organizations, having been the Kidsport P.E.I. official spokesperson since its inception in 1997 and currently serves as the ambassador for the CP Has Heart charity campaign.

With her induction, Kane becomes the first native of P.E.I. to be inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

When Charlie Burke created the Baden Coffee Company in 1997, he had two passions. One was for coffee, and the other for golf. For years he wanted to bring his two passions together and in 2015 he did. The result was Pipeline Coffee.

“The idea with Pipeline and with the name is that we are giving back to the grassroots of golf. Proceeds from every pound of coffee go back to junior golf. We are doing our small part. We love golf as a family and as a business. We sell to golfers, to people in the golf business and we just want to see it have success,” said Charlie.

The Burke family has been involved with golf in the province for a number of years. Charlie’s son Cameron grew up progressing through Golf Association of Ontario (GAO) programs and was the Canadian Amateur Champion in 2008 and 2009. He now competes on the Web.com Tour.

The Baden Coffee Company, located in the town of Baden, outside of Kitchener/Waterloo, supplies signature coffees to over 400 businesses in Southern Ontario. These included restaurants, colleges and universities, healthcare providers, retail outlets, cafes and of course golf courses.

While the Baden Coffee Company offers numerous coffees, there is something special about Pipeline. “We have developed a relationship with a family in Nicaragua that we buy directly from,” said Burke. “We were there twice in 2015 to establish the relationship with this family and make sure we pay more for the raw coffee so that their sustainability is better. Pipeline comes from that one farm, so it is going to be the same every year.”

Now with proceeds from each pound sold going back to junior golf initiatives, through the Golf Association of Ontario, Burke is hoping that he can get more of an on-course presence for the coffee so that it is not only available to drink at golf courses but also to purchase.

Baden Coffee Company has already made a $1,200 donation to the Golf Association of Ontario for the 2015 sales of Pipeline. “I hope the donation we give to the Golf Association of Ontario is only a start. We want to be able to give back to what we feel passionate about,” said Burke.

Pipeline has already made its way onto a handful of courses including: Westmount Golf & Country Club, Deer Ridge Golf Course, Innerkip Highlands Golf Club, The Ridge at Manitou and Cutten Fields Golf Club.

“Since switching, our members have been very complimentary towards Pipeline. The coffee has a much bolder taste that has been well received. We have also set up a donation box that will go to Junior Golf as well,” said Rishi Thakker, Food and Beverage Manager at Cutten Fields.

With that support as the starting point, Burke continues his goal to get more clubs to carry Pipeline for their members and guests to help give back to junior golf. “We are trying to take a passion we have with coffee, and a passion for golf and put the whole thing together,” added Burke.

For more information on Pipeline, the Baden Coffee Company or to order, contact Charlie Burke at: 519-634-5807, charlie@badencoffee.com or http://badencoffee.com.

Coral Springs, Florida— The Golf Association of Ontario’s (GAO) Team Ontario was in Coral Springs, Florida, Feb. 4-8, for their second winter training camp of 2016. The team took part in on course, physical and psychological training at the Heron Bay Golf Club before participating in the Future Collegians World Tour (FCWT) Junior Golf Open (Feb. 6-7) also at Heron Bay.

The event turned out to be a good one for Team Ontario as they took four out of the six medals including a clean sweep of the podium on the girls’ side. Richmond Hill’s Monet Chun walked away with the gold, London’s Isabella Portokalis took the silver and Halton Hill’s Alexandra Naumovski earned the bronze. On the boys’ side it was Langton’s Peyton Callens who picked up the bronze medal.

“We were pleased with the approach Team Ontario athletes took in this FCWT event, given the time of the year, and the challenging weather conditions on day two,” said GAO Director of High Performance Andrew Moss. “Seeing where our athletes are at in the middle of winter provides great feedback to the players, and their personal coaches.  The strength of our girls’ team was very evident, and sends a great message to young female athletes across Canada.  With the strength of our golf development programs, there are great opportunities for young female athletes to access great sport experiences and education opportunities, through golf.”

Chun, 15 from the Summit Golf & Country Club, got out to an early lead during the opening round and never looked back. She finished round one at four-under (68) notching five birdies on the day. She took a one-shot lead into the second round and finished the day at even-par (72) to win the tournament by six strokes at four-under (140).

Portokalis, 14 from West Haven Golf & Country Club, also had a strong opening round finishing at three-under (69). She did fall back on the second day with a four-over (77) but her first round had given her enough of a cushion that she was able to hang on for second at two-over (146).

As for Naumovski, 18 from the Brampton Golf Club, she had a consistent tournament finishing the opening round one-over (73), which included a hole in one at the par 3 11^th, and a second round of two-over (74) to finish third with a total of three-over (147).

For Callens, 16 from the Delhi Golf & Country Club, he posted two steady rounds of 72 to card an even par (144) over the two-round event.  Callens was the only player to break par in round two, with unusually cold, wet, and windy conditions.

“A big thanks to our Head Coach Reggie Millage, and our support team of Nick Martichenko and Judy Goss, for the work they did with our team members throughout the training sessions and competitive rounds,” added Moss.

Team Ontario will now prepare for the Can-Am Junior Team Matches (March 13-20), an annual competition with the South Carolina Junior Golf Association, in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina— Three members of the Golf Association of Ontario’s (GAO) Team Ontario will be heading south to compete in the inaugural Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship. The event takes place February 13-15 at TPC Myrtle Beach in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina.

Peyton Callens, Ty Celone and Jake Bryson will be part of the Canadian contingent that will compete in the three-day competition, an event that has juniors from China, Japan, Philippines, Sweden, United Kingdom along with representation from eight different US states.

Celone, a resident of Long Sault, Ont. captured the CJGA Mizuno National Junior Golf Championship defeating fellow member Callens in a playoff. Both finished the four-day tournament at five over-par (293). Celone, also finished runner-up at the winners-only Nike Golf Junior Championship. In addition, Celone notched a fifth-place finish in the Ontario Juvenile Championship.

Callens, of Langton, Ont. was the winner of the CJGA PING Canadian Junior Match Play Championship defeating Mitchell MacLeod in the finals, 2&1. Entering the match play portion as the fourth seed, Callens defeated the 13th, fifth, and eighth seed before knocking off the second seeded MacLeod in the finals. Callens recently captured a bronze at the Future Collegians World Tour Junior Golf Open at Heron Bay Feb. 6-7.

Bryson, of Dunrobin, Ont. is a second year member of Team Ontario. Last season he was fifth at the Canadian Juvenile Boys’ Championship.

Also in the field, from Port Lambton, Ont., is former Team Ontario member Brendan Seys.

“Dustin is thrilled with the quality of the field we have attracted to TPC Myrtle Beach,” said Allen Terrell, Director of Coaching/Managing Partner of the Dustin Johnson Golf School. “Dustin wanted to ensure we had a high quality international field, and we have met that goal. The experience for the players, from the time they check-in until the final putt drops, will be as good as any in junior golf.”

The first round begins this Saturday at 9 a.m. For complete tournament details including tee times, schedule of events and results please visit www.worldjuniorgolfchampionship.com.

With files from CJGA

UXBRIDGE— The Golf Association of Ontario (GAO) and media partner Bauder Media Group are excited to announce the launch of the new Ontario Golf News (OGN) newsletter and website. The new publication, titled OGN Digest, will take the place of the quarterly OGN e-Magazine that GAO members were receiving along with the GAO’s monthly newsletter.

“The GAO is excited to build on our partnership with Ontario Golf News and launch this fresh and impactful Digest edition to the industry and those who love the play the sport across Ontario,” said Mike Kelly, GAO Executive Director. “With a new strategic plan, OGN Digest aligns perfectly with our objective to transform our relationship with golfers, clubs and stakeholders.”

OGN and the GAO’s monthly newsletters have been good communication tools for the past few years. Yet with the change in consumption of media, a new approach was needed. Members will now receive a weekly edition, beginning February 5 and will see it grow to a twice-a-week publication during the golf season from March 16 to September 30. With content being distributed on a timelier basis, readers will be more engaged than they were in the past.

“We’ve enjoyed the relationship we have built with the Golf Association of Ontario and their membership over the last three years,” said Jeff Bauder, President/Publisher of Bauder Media Group. “We’re excited to introduce this new communication platform for the golfers of Ontario. The expanded format will provide more timely updates on golf news and events from all around the province, better serving both the avid and casual golfer who call it home.”

In addition, with more frequent content, the new platform will provide more opportunity to inform members about current events/initiatives right before they are happening as opposed to weeks in advance.

In conjunction with OGN Digest, OGN is launching a new website that will be a hub for all golf stories across the province. The goal of the partnership is to not only have GAO content but provincial golf content available to Ontario golfers.