LINKS APRIL 2014

UXBRIDGE, ON— The Golf Association of Ontario (GAO) has been forced to make site and date changes to their 2014 championship schedule. The major change will see the Men’s Mid Am Championship move both its site and date in addition to some of the qualifiers.

“With the late start to the season, and damage that has been done to some of the courses, specifically greens, we have had no choice but to find alternatives for some of our events,” explained Dave Colling, GAO Director of Rules and Competitions.

The major change comes to the Men’s Mid Amateur Championship. The event was scheduled to take place June 17-19 at the Burlington Golf and Country Club but because of the damage they incurred during the winter, the championship needed to be moved. Now, the Men’s Mid Amateur Championship will take place at Taboo Resort June 23-25, with the practice round on Sunday, June 22.

“We want to thank Taboo for stepping up and offering to host the event on such short notice,” added Colling. “The entire GAO community has been very supportive in dealing with this situation as a result of the tough winter. We thank all the clubs who have helped with not only the new championship site but also the qualifiers.”

For a full list of the changes to qualifiers and the revised GAO Tournament schedule visit: http://gao.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gao14/schedule/index.htm

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.

TORONTO— One of the Golf Association of Ontario’s (GAO) own was honoured on April 10 at Sport Alliance Ontario’s annual Ontario Sports Awards. Past GAO President Liz Hoffman, from Thornhill, Ont., was awarded the 2013 Syl Apps Volunteer Achievement Award at the ceremony held at the Toronto Airport Marriott.

The award, named after the former NHLer and Canadian pole-vaulting champion, recognizes volunteers who have contributed to the development of sport throughout the province.

To be eligible for the award, the recipient has to have made strides for one or more organizations for a minimum of 10 years, by promoting the sport, having a history of involvement as an athlete, coach official or administrator, or by building or developing sport. Nominations for the award are submitted by Provincial Sport Organizations.

Hoffman has been involved in golf since she was young. As an athlete, she captured both the Ontario and Quebec junior amateur championships and went on to be a member of the national team.

She joined the GAO as a volunteer in 2007, while she served as the Athletics Director for the University of Toronto. She went on to become president of the GAO in 2009 serving on numerous committee’s such as: Hall of Fame, Scholarship, Governance, and Finance, while also chairing the Sport Development Committee and volunteering as a tournament official at championships across Ontario.

Hoffman helped in the launch of Junior Golf Development Centres, which provide developmental pathways and coaching support for juniors, while providing guidance in securing provincial grants to help fund new programs. Currently, Hoffman is a board member with Golf Canada and Chair of both the Human Resources and Sport Development Committees.

The Ontario Sport Awards Program was formally established in 1975, but started in 1965 with honouring sport achievements. Since that time the province has provided an awards program that has recognized thousands of amateur athletes, coaches, volunteers, officials and sponsors who support the Ontario sport system. The awards program is a gala event hosted by the Government of Ontario and is a celebration of excellence.

UXBRIDGE, ON— It is going to be a family affair for the Golf Association of Ontario’s (GAO) entry in the 2014 combined event in Lima, Peru: The Manuel Prado Cup (Team) and Carlos Raffo A. Cup (Individual), April 20-26. This year the GAO will be represented by Dave Bunker, who will be playing in this event for the sixth time, and his son-in-law Michael Rutgers, who will make his first appearance.

Bunker, 47, who ranked second in the GAO’s Mid-Am Order of Merit standings, for 2013, resides in Woodbridge and is a member at the Brampton Golf Club. He has won many Ontario Championships including: the 2008 Amateur; 2003 and 2010 Match Play; 2007 and 2010 Mid-Amateur; 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2012 Mid-Master; and 2009 and 2010 Public Player. His best finish in Peru was in 2007 when he finished second in the individual competition and in 2010 when his team finished seventh. He will no doubt be looking to atone for last year when he was disqualified for signing a wrong scorecard.

“I wasn’t very happy last year, having to DQ myself after the first round. It was a long way to travel for that to happen. So, I’m looking forward to having some good things happen this year,” said Bunker. “This event is a really nice way to begin the competitive season. The golf course is a very strong test and the players are treated first class in every aspect during the tournament week.”

With the late start to the season, Bunker knows it is difficult to establish performance goals for the event, but he still has an idea of what he would like to achieve. “I guess I’d say I’d like us string together as many quality shots as possible and see where that takes our rounds. If both of us could manage to finish in the top 15 and we could get the team into the top five, then I think that would be a good week.”

As for Rutgers, 29, he was selected for the competition after the top-ranked Mid-Am declined the invitation. He was the third ranked 2013 Mid-Am in the province. He resides in Windsor and is a member of Erie Shores Golf and Country Club. Rutgers is a former pro that got his amateur status back before the 2013 season and went on to finish second at the Mid-Am last season. For Rutgers, it is all about taking advantage of the opportunity.

“I consider the opportunity to represent Ontario in Peru a privilege and am very excited to head to South America for the first time,” said Rutgers. “It will be a fun and great experience not only to visit a foreign country but also to compete against some of the best amateurs in the world.”

Rutgers is not only excited about the opportunity but also with the fact that he will be playing with his father-in-law. “Playing with Dave is always a great experience. We always enjoy playing together, competitive rounds included. Dave has prepped me for Peru as best he can, offering his own personal experiences, hints and tips for managing the course. He is an excellent resource and always ready to help me prepare. Also, knowing that he has been there before is comforting, being that this will be my first time playing in this particular tournament.”

“I think we’ll make a great team,” said Bunker. “We have played together many, many times and know each others’ games as well as we know our own.”

The event, sanctioned by the Peruvian Golf Federation, is hosted by the Lima Golf Club and has been running since 1988. The tournament is open to players with three or less handicaps and draws amateur golfers from all across the Americas and Europe. The players will have two practice rounds (April 21-22) before the first of the four rounds begins on April 23.

The team competition takes the two members scores over the four days and the lowest aggregate is the winner. For the individual competition, the lowest score after 72 holes is declared the winner.

For more information on the event or for round by round results see: www.limagolfclub.ore.pe.

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!

Without the Volunteers who give their time for the love of the game we would have no tournament golf in the province of Ontario.

I remember playing in my first GAO event several years ago so nervous and somewhat disorientated that I had arrived at the first tee to tee off but my tee off was the 10th tee and it was now. The nice volunteer realizing I had made an honest mistake quickly grab a golf cart and delivered me several hundred yards to the tenth. I arrived just in time to hit my drive without a penalty. Could you imagine what the outcome would have been if I had of missed my tee time it may have been the end of competitive golf for an embarrassed young man.

Thanks for the time you take, one day it will be my time to be the volunteer.
– LARRY COPPER

I cannot say thank you enough to all the volunteers for the GAO golf tournaments. We would not have any tournaments without their help. To take a day off either work or retirement just to volunteer at one of our golf tournaments is certainly an unselfish act.

I know many of the players go out of their way to thank the volunteers for their efforts. Thank you very much for making tournament golf a reality for the many competitive golfers across Ontario.
– LARS MELANDER

Thank you to all GAO Volunteers! Your dedication and hard work are instrumental in everything we do. I’m so lucky to have met so many of you over the years and in turn developed great friendships. Thank you all for being such great teammates over the years!
– KYLE MCFARLANE

Thank you to your rules official at silver lakes g.c. during the mid am qualifier last year.
In 2004 I was involved in a car wreck with a drunk driver … this incident left me with many injuries … some that will remain with me forever. I was an avid golfer who just loves the game.  my balance was affected due to the head injury I suffered in 2004 … after years of working with a team of dr’s I wanted to try to return to the game I loved so very dearlyand missed so very very much. Golf is hard for a person who has suffered a brain injury.

There is so much going on during a round of golf that many take for granted. I hit a driveon the 14th down the right side almost O.B. landing in casual water … my playing partners thought I should drop in one area …  a rules official came up and said that was not correct… drop here to get relief from the casual water. I was very tired by the 14th … and not being able to quote the rules like I could prior to 2004. Your official saw that I was having trouble … I was upset … not mad just upset and having trouble with the situation.  He had a very calming influence on the me/the situation … my partners said drop here … no that is not giving you relief under the rules … please drop here.  this official’s interaction with me was a very positive one … that I will not forget.  My score that day was not a positive one but the time spent with your official was !!! Thank you so very much.
– LARRY

I have had the privilege of being named GAO volunteer of the year and Distinguished GAO volunteer of the year, but I still remember the first time I worked a qualifying site at Hamilton Golf & Country Club because it was the first time I met fellow volunteer, Dr. Bill Wilson.  I thought I had met a lot of (at that time OGA) volunteers, but I had never met Bill and we lived in the same city.  By the time I got to the course, Bill had everything under control, and if I remember correctly, everything went well.  Bill and I still work qualifying sites in our District together and there can’t be many more volunteers as knowledgeable and dedicated as Dr. Wilson.
-RUTH GILES

On behalf of the Golf Association of Ontario Handicapping & Course Rating department, we would like to thank our dedicated volunteers for the countless hours and effort they put in each year.

A typical year for our volunteers includes rating (on average) 70 courses per year with an estimated 170,000+ hours of assistance.

Our success as an organization depends on our volunteers. The selfless commitment and efforts of our raters is most certainly appreciated. We express our sincere gratitude to have such dedicated individuals conducting this work with the Golf Association of Ontario and Golf Canada.
– CRAIG, MARCUS and SHAUN

Thank you to all our Volunteers!  Each year I have the pleasure of working with volunteers at the club, district and provincial levels; your passion and dedication is truly amazing. Thank you!
– SANDY DAVIDSON

The GAO has a dedicated and experienced group of volunteers who make our extensive tournament schedule possible.  Thank you!
– DAVE COLLING

ODE TO OUR GAO VOLUNTEERS

Our GAO volunteers are second to none,
Without their help, our events wouldn’t get done,
From starters, to scorers, and of course, rules officials,
For GAO golfers, they are all so beneficial.

Many show up at the crack of dawn,
Many leave after the last player has gone,
They will wear black shirts in the heat of July,
And still greet players with a big smile and “Hi”.

The selfless gift of time and support,
They do so much to help our sport,
Lending a helping hand to golfers here,
Day after day, and year after year.

So, in honour of National Volunteer Week,
Let this be the time, that we players speak,
We are so very indebted to all GAO volunteers,
And thank you sincerely, as a new season nears.
– Mary Ann Hayward

By Brent Long

From being Rookie of the Year at Ferris State College in 1985 to being honoured as PGA of Ontario Golf Professional of the Year for 2013, it’s been a memorable journey for Mark Ahrens.

As a kid from Toronto, Ahrens started playing junior golf with his brother Brian at the Donalda Club, where his parents Lyle and Heidi and Brian remain active members. It was during this time that Mark picked up a passion for the game that set him on a course to become recognized as one of the province`s premier golf professionals.

“It’s a true honour to be recognized by the PGA of Ontario as the Golf Professional of the Year,” says Ahrens who is looking forward to this 16^th season as Head Professional at Kawartha Golf & Country Club in Peterborough. “This past year started off with a great win at the PGA of Ontario Tournament of Champions with our members Marc Savard and Marilyn Self. Then I had an opportunity to play in the PGA of Canada Wildfire Invitational, which was an awesome experience that I was able to share with my family and my two boys were able to play in the pro-am. To close out the year with this award is very gratifying, to me it’s for more than just one year, it’s being recognized for the hard work and dedication to the game over the years.”

After Ferris State, where Ahrens took the Professional Golf Management Program, only one of two offered in the United States at the time, he spent two years as an assistant at The Toronto Hunt under Head Professional Bill Morrison and then seven years as an assistant at York Downs G&CC under Bruce McCarrol.

He spent two years as the Head Professional at Tam O`Shanter GC in Toronto before applying for the position at Kawartha, to replace Al Hosick, who was the club’s Head Professional from 1968 to 1998 and was the PGA of Ontario Club Professional of the Year in 1987.

The move to Peterborough turned out to be perfect for Mark and his wife B.A. as they started to raise a young family. Truth be told, golf is a family affair in the Ahrens household. B.A. looks after the golf shop books, works in the shop on men’s night, plays with the ladies on ladies’ night, helps out with the merchandising and fills in where needed. Their two boys learned the game at an early age at Kawartha and it`s in their blood. Ryan, 16, is working with PGA of Canada Master Professional Henry Brunton and is hopeful of a golf scholarship, while Mitchell, 18 is currently in his first year of the PGM Program at Georgian College.

As for the secret behind his success at Kawartha, Ahrens says being there when needed, being part of the fabric of the club and providing a first-class member experience is essential to longevity at a club for a head professional. It`s also about connecting with the 630 members and their families on a personal level. Kawartha has consistently had one of the top junior programs in the province average in excess of 100 youngsters per year and 2013 was no different with 120 signed up for leagues, programs and clinics.

“Mark has transformed Kawartha into one of the best serviced clubs anywhere in the country, says Ian Webb, Executive Professional at Credit Valley G&CC. “Mark leads by example; he is an astute businessman as his golf shop consistently parallels big city clubs in sales and service. He represents the best of what the PGA has to offer in professionalism, integrity and enthusiasm for the game. Ahrens has also mentored close to 15 up-and-coming PGA of Ontario members who have passed through his shop over the years.

“Mark’s conduct and level of involvement at our Club and in the community is the envy of other area Clubs. He provides constructive input when asked and attends all Golf committee meetings; it’s important to him. He has instilled his qualities and approach to customer service in all of his staff from his assistant professionals to his back shop staff. Mark Ahrens is a person that doesn’t just wear the title Professional, he lives it,” says Tom Waudby, President, Kawartha G&CC.

GAO Productions presents the 2014 Team Ontario!

By Brent Long

It’s been back to basics for Mike Martz over the past three years and he’s been loving every minute of it.

After nearly two decades as a head golf professional, Martz switched gears in 2011as he left behind the daily grind of managing golf course operations to join the Golf Performance Center at Whistle Bear and work with kids.

Since that time Martz, 50, has found his stride coaching and teaching young golfers while committing himself to becoming a leader in the field by attending and completing several PGA of Canada conferences including Coach of Developing (CDC) training, Coach of New Competitors (CNC) training and certification among other learning opportunities.

As a 12-year-old Martz started shining shoes at Conestoga GC and over a 17-year period worked his way up to being the club’s head professional. From there he went on to spend three years as an associate at Westmount G&CC before spending 14 years as the Head Professional for the City of Kitchener’s two municipal layouts. Now, his commitment to youth golf is paying off as he has been named The PGA of Ontario Junior Leader of the Year for 2013 and is looking forward to a super busy 2014. Martz will coach upwards of 250 young golfers this year – 80 per cent of his clients are junior golfers.

“With my degree in Kinesiology and a love for teaching youngsters, the transition to coaching has been smooth,” says Martz, a former US long drive champion who spent close to two decades doing clinics with legendary Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Moe Norman including Norman’s last one in 2004 at Lionhead G&CC. “So many kids are left on their own to try and figure this game out and it can be a challenging journey. I try to come in there and give them some guidance and create a pathway for them to follow. I have seen a lot of children in the 11 to 13 age group who go through a growth spurt or an awkward stage and we just try to work on other aspects of their games until their growth settles down.”

He’s entering his third season as coach for the “New Competitors” team at Whistle Bear Golf, which is composed of 12, 9- to 14-year-old boys, and just added the Girl’s High Performance Team to his duties. “Mike is always committed to advancing his skills as a coach and is the first to register for educational opportunities. He has a thirst for all knowledge that will allow him to best progress his young students,” says Dave Smallwood, Director of Instruction at The Golf Performance Center at Whistle Bear.

At the grass roots level Mike runs eight one-week long summer camps for boys and girls aged 7-15 years at Guelph Lakes GC that has expanded to spring and fall sessions. He also leads an introductory program for mainly new to the game participants program for the Cambridge Junior Golf Association that includes 64 children from Cambridge. They receive two lessons from Martz and access to play Saginaw GC.

Mike was named Team Waterloo Regional Under 17 Head Coach for the Golf Association of Ontario in November along with Angella Lee who acts as the team’s strength and conditioning consultant. He’s working twice a month with a team of 12 boys and girls ranging from 10 to 16 years of age. They travelled together for a team competition over March Break in Myrtle Beach against regional teams from York and Ottawa.