Golf Ontario Announces 2025 Ontario Golf Hall of Fame Inductees
Golf Ontario is proud to announce that Alena Sharp, Archie Berube, Grant Fraser, and Charles Blair MacDonald will be inducted into the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2025. Additionally, Doug Ball will be honoured with the prestigious Lorne Rubenstein Media Award for his outstanding contributions to golf photojournalism.
The Ontario Golf Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place on May 7 at its home, Wooden Sticks Golf Course in Uxbridge, Ont.
“Each of our 2025 inductees has made a profound impact on golf in Ontario, and we look forward to celebrating their incredible achievements on May 7,” said Golf Ontario CEO Kyle McFarlane. “The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is always a special occasion—bringing together past and present inductees to honour their legacies and celebrate the great game of golf in our province.”
2025 Inductees
Alena Sharp, Player Category
Alena Sharp has enjoyed a remarkable professional golf career spanning more than two decades on the LPGA Tour. A standout junior, amateur, and collegiate player, she captured several prestigious titles, including the Canadian Junior Championship (1999); Ontario Junior Championship (1997, 1998); and Ontario Ladies Amateur Championship (1999), attending New Mexico State on a golf scholarship, where she honed her skills and established herself as a standout player before turning professional in 2003.
Since joining the LPGA Tour in 2005, Sharp has secured victories on the Epson Tour (two wins), West Coast Ladies Tour (four wins), Cactus Tour (two wins), and Canadian Women’s Pro Tour (three wins). A four-time PGA of Canada Women’s Champion, she has proudly represented Canada on the international stage, competing in three Olympic Games (2016, 2021, 2024), the 2008 World Cup, and the 2023 Pan Am Games, where she earned a bronze medal.
In addition to her success on the course, Alena is known for her commitment to promoting the game of golf and inspiring the next generation of golfers, especially young women. She is also a vocal advocate for mental health awareness and has used her platform to promote positive conversations surrounding mental well-being in sports.
Off the course, Sharp enjoys engaging with her fans and remains deeply involved in charitable initiatives, including those aimed at growing the game of golf in Canada. With her talent, perseverance, and positive influence, Sharp continues to make a significant impact on the LPGA Tour and the sport of golf as a whole.
Archie Berube, Builder Category
Archie Berube is a dedicated volunteer, leader, and advocate who has played a pivotal role in the growth and revitalization of the Northern Golf Association (NGA) for over 25 years. His contributions to the game of golf in Northern Ontario over the past several decades are nothing short of remarkable. As a steadfast leader, Berube has been a guiding force for the NGA, helping to navigate its most challenging years and secure a future of growth and success for golfers in the region.
In the late 2000s, Archie recognized the need for change and began to recruit younger, energetic members to the NGA board of directors. This new wave of leadership helped the organization find its footing, embracing social media and fostering positive engagement with member clubs. Under Mr. Berube’s guidance, the NGA re-established a crucial dialogue with Golf Ontario, setting the stage for a revitalized relationship that would benefit all parties involved. By 2016, significant progress had been made, leading to the drafting of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the NGA, Golf Ontario, and Golf Canada. In November 2018, under Berube’s leadership, the NGA signed the MOU, marking a major milestone in the organization’s history and securing its place in the provincial and national golf scene.
Thanks to Berube’s vision and determination, the NGA has grown substantially since 2009, expanding from 12 member clubs to 33 by 2024. The organization’s successful collaboration with Golf Ontario and Golf Canada has allowed Northern Ontario to host more Provincial and National Golf Championships than ever before, including events like the 2022 Golf Ontario Junior Boys Championship and the 2024 Golf Ontario Mid-Amateur Championship. Berube’s leadership has played a critical role in securing these prestigious events for the region, benefiting not only the NGA but also local communities that have hosted these competitions.
Beyond his work with the NGA, Berube is deeply involved in the broader golf community. He serves as a volunteer at Golf Ontario qualifiers and Provincial Championships and is a member of the Northern Ratings Team, responsible for over 30 golf course ratings in Northern Ontario since 2018. He also plays a significant role at the Hollinger Golf Club, where he oversees the Starter/Marshal Program and contributed to the club’s expansion to an 18-hole facility.
Berube’s dedication to the sport of golf extends beyond his volunteer work. He has been instrumental in developing grassroots programs, and under his leadership, the Hollinger Golf Club was a finalist for Golf Canada’s National Facility Awards in the Grassroots Junior Program category. His contributions have been recognized on a provincial level with his induction into the Timmins Sports Heritage Hall of Fame in 2018.
Archie Berube’s legacy in Northern Ontario golf is one of perseverance, leadership, and unwavering commitment. He has helped shape the future of the sport in the region, ensuring that it remains vibrant and accessible for generations to come. As the Northern Golf Association prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2026, Mr. Berube’s efforts will be remembered as a cornerstone of the organization’s success. His influence on the game, his community, and the people he has mentored will continue to resonate for many years to come.
Grant Fraser, Builder Category
Grant Fraser is a pioneer in golf management education. For more than 30 years, the programs Fraser established have impacted a new generation of golf industry leaders in Ontario and across Canada.
In 1995, Fraser started the first Professional Golf Management (PGM) Program in Ontario at Humber College for the PGA of Canada. In 1998, Fraser received the College’s Innovator-of-the-Year Award in recognition for what he created. Twenty-twenty five marks the 30th anniversary of the program.
In 1999, Fraser recognized a need to expand the breadth of golf management education which included all facets of the business including food and beverage, turf, sales, general management and administration, etc. With support from the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, and ClubLink Corporation, Fraser launched the Golf Management Institute of Canada (GMIC), the first, and only, online golf management program in Canada. As well as offering its own online proprietary program in golf operations management, the GMIC, under Fraser’s direction, established numerous academic partnerships which included Niagara College, Georgian College, the University of Guelph, and Wilfrid Laurier University.
In 2004, both Fraser and the GMIC received the Canadian Award for Training Excellence from the Canadian Society for Training and Development (CSTD). In 2024, the GMIC celebrated its 25th year anniversary.
The GMIC’s program is offered in partnership with McMaster University’s Centre for Continuing Education and is the only online golf program in Canada delivered by a Canadian University. For his contribution to continuing education, Fraser was presented with McMaster University’s Appreciation and Exceptional Service award in 2018.
Beyond education, Fraser has shared his expertise internationally, including teaching in China and the U.S., and has made significant contributions to golf media as an award-winning writer and photographer for Flagstick magazine, and panelist for top course rankings. A dedicated industry leader, he has served on the boards of the Golf Journalists Association of Canada, Canadian Junior Golf Association, and the Hamilton/Halton Junior Golf Tour, among others. He has also volunteered on numerous committees for Golf Canada, the PGA of Canada, and Golf Ontario.
Currently, Fraser is working with Golf Canada as the Manager, Home for Canadian Golf, where he is involved in the relocation of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and construction of Golf Canada’s new national headquarters at TPC Toronto Osprey Valley.
For his work as an educator and impact on the current generation of golf industry professionals, Fraser was named an Honorary Director of the PGA of Canada in 2019.
Charles Blair MacDonald, Builder Category
Born in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Charles Blair Macdonald is regarded as the “Father of American Golf Course Architecture.” In 1893, he built the first 18-hole course in the United States, Chicago Golf Club, and pioneered the concept of replicating famous golf hole designs from Great Britain and Europe, a practice that continues to influence course design today.
Beyond his architectural contributions, Macdonald helped found the United States Golf Association (USGA) in 1894 and played a key role in adopting the Royal and Ancient (R&A) rules as the official rules of golf in North America. An accomplished player, he won the inaugural U.S. Amateur Championship in 1895 and claimed victory at Niagara-on-the-Lake Golf Club’s first international tournament that same year.
His legendary course designs, including National Golf Links of America on Long Island in New York and Mid Ocean in Bermuda, have left a lasting impact on the game. In 2007, he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame as one of only two Canadians to receive the honour.
Doug Ball, Lorne Rubenstein Media Award
Doug Ball’s career in photography and golf spans decades, capturing some of the sport’s most iconic moments. Born in London, Ont., in 1946, he developed a passion for photography at an early age, learning from his father, a Royal Canadian Air Force photographer. After starting his career with United Press International in 1966, he joined the Canadian Press in 1967, beginning a journey that took him around the world before he returned to Canada to work for the Ottawa Journal in 1972. That same year, he also played professional hockey in France.
Rejoining the Canadian Press in 1973, Doug turned his focus to golf photography, covering PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour events, including major championships in North America and beyond. Based in Montreal, he captured historic moments such as Jocelyne Bourassa’s win at La Canadienne, Jack Nicklaus’s playoff loss to Tom Weiskopf in 1975, and Tiger Woods’ first Masters victory in 1997. He was also on hand for Mike Weir’s triumph at the 2003 Masters, among many other career highlights.
Beyond golf, Doug’s photography portfolio includes iconic images of Pierre Trudeau’s pirouette at Buckingham Palace, Wayne Gretzky’s final NHL game, and multiple Stanley Cup and Olympic moments. He also played a key role in golf operations, serving as Director of Golf at Devil’s Pulpit after its founders, Trivial Pursuit creators Scott Abbott and Chris Haney, turned to him for his expertise.
A widely respected photographer, Doug’s work has been featured in ClubLink, SCOREGolf magazine, and numerous golf books, including his 2005 publication, Life on a Press Pass, with his brother Lynn. His impact on golf and sports photography has earned him widespread recognition, including the Lorne Rubenstein Media Award.
The Ontario Golf Hall of Fame is dedicated to the recognition of extraordinary contributions and accomplishments 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, Ont.
2024 Ontario Golf Hall of Fame Class Inducted
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 13th at the PGA Tour’s RBC Canadian Open in 1998.
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.