Golf Ontario kicked off its 2024 championship schedule with the Ontario Junior Players Invitational Monday in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Team Ontario’s Nobelle Park of Rattlesnake Golf Club and last year’s second-place finisher, leads in the girls’ division thru 36 holes. Park delivered commendable scores of 74 and 73, securing a two-stroke advantage over her Team Ontario teammate Aryn Matthews of Bigwin Island Golf Club, who posted scores of 72 and 77, finishing at 3-over par.

In the boys’ division, Next Wave athlete Gabriel Mainella of the Summit Golf & Country Club, climbed to the top of the leaderboard with solid rounds of 74 and 73, bolstered by eight birdies on the first day. He enters the final round with a one-stroke lead over Team Ontario’s Bode Stephen of Cataraqui Golf & Country Club, who carded rounds of 72 and 75 to stand at 5-over.

The 77-player field features many of Ontario’s top junior golfers, all of whom are looking to take home the championship title from the challenging and beautiful Moorland Course at the Legends Golf Resorts.

The competitions biggest change this year is the extension to 54 holes, an increase from last year’s 36 holes. Furthermore, participants have the opportunity to earn points towards the World Amateur Golf Ranking and Junior Golf Scoreboard rankings.

“It was great to see how well the players handled the 36 holes today, we should be in for an exciting finish,” Ontario Players Invitational Tournament Director Connor Doyle says.

The tournament concludes on Tuesday with the final 18 holes, starting at 8 a.m. from both the 1st and 10th tees.

For the full leaderboard and final round tee times, CLICK HERE.

QUOTABLES

“I’m nervous for tomorrow … but I hope play wel l… it’s tough competition.”
— Nobelle Park, Team Ontario Athlete,

“Today was definitely fun. I started off the day really well with an even par… but quickly kind of on the back stretch … lost a little bit in the second round.”
— Aryn Matthews, Team Ontario Athlete

“The conditions were tough, it was windy and cold in the the start of the morning. Feel like I did really good at the start. Pushed through the windy conditions.”
— Gabriel Mainella, Next Wave Athlete

FAST FACTS

Seven of the Top 10 Girls are Team Ontario Athlete

Lowest Girls Score of the day: Team Ontario’s Alexa Ouellet, 69

Six of the Top 10 Boys are Team Ontario

Lowest Boys score was 72: By 5 players

Course scoring average was 81.6

Team Ontario athlete and third-place finisher at last year’s Junior Players Invitational, Jordan Hwang of Emerald Hills Golf & Country Club, currently sits third again.

Social Handles: @thegolfontario on Instagram, Facebook and X

Golf Ontario’s 2024 championship schedule kicks off in Myrtle Beach, S.C., with the Ontario Junior Players Invitational.

The 77-player field features many of Ontario’s top junior golfers, all of whom are looking to take home the championship title which will be contested March 11-12 at impressive Moorland Course at the Legends Golf Resorts.

This year marks the event’s second installment, featuring significant updates. Notably, the competition will extend over 54 holes, an increase from last year’s 36 holes. Furthermore, participants will now have the opportunity to earn points towards the World Amateur Golf Ranking and Junior Golf Scoreboard rankings.

John Lawrence, Golf Ontario’s Director of Competitions and Performance, expressed enthusiasm about this year’s enhancements to the events. “Launching our championship season with the Ontario Junior Players Invitational is thrilling,” Lawrence says. “Expanding the championship to 54 holes and including ranking points elevates the players’ experience, mirroring the collegiate competition atmosphere.”

The invitational will see players take on 36-holes on Monday, with the final 18-holes coming on Tuesday.

This year’s field includes all 16 Team Ontario members as well as 10 Next Wave athletes. The field is rounded out by an impressive group of players who were offered invites based on their 2023 performance.

For first round pairings, CLICK HERE.

FIELD NOTES

Among the 78-players in the 2024 Ontario Junior Players Invitational, there are:

Team Ontario: All 16 members of Team Ontario are in the invitational’s field. They are: Alexa Oueullet; Angela Cai; Aryn Matthews; Bridget Yu; Kaprice Park; Nobelle Park; Shelby Hardwick; Wendy Li; Ben Sheridan; Bode Stephen; Chase Jerome; Dawson Lew; Graydon Laughlin; Jordan Hwang; Nathaniel Yoo; Rylan Hall.

Next Wave: 10 of the 15 athletes from the recently announced 2024 Next Wave program.

Top Junior Golf Pathway Ranking Players: Boys—Jordan Hwang, No. 4, U19 and U17; Chase Jerome, No. 1, U15. Girls—Nobelle Park, No. 2, U19, U17 and U15.

Youngest Players: Ava Gilbert, 12. Max Li, 13.

PLAYER NOTES

Brampton Golf Club’s Manav Bharani, winner of the 2023 Ontario Bantam (U15) Boys Championship makes his Players Invitational debut.

2023 Ontario Super Camp and Junior Tour Champion, and Team Ontario athlete Alexa Ouellet of Weston Golf and Country Club.

Last year’s runner up, the No. 2-ranked player on the 2023 Junior Golf Pathway Rankings and Team Ontario athlete Nobelle Park of Rattlesnake Golf Club.

Team Ontario athlete and third-place finisher at last year’s Junior Players Invitational, Jordan Hwang of Emerald Hills Golf & Country Club.

FAST FACTS

Championship Venue: The Moorland Course at The Legends Resort

Championship Dates: March 11-12

Field: 78 players

Format: 54-hole, stroke play

Leaderboard Link: https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/9986953813031962870

Fun Fact: Golf Digest once rated the Moorland Course the 37th toughest golf course in America.

Social Handles: @thegolfontario on Instagram, Facebook and X

Golf Ontario proudly introduces the 2024 Next Wave Junior Development Program, designed to nurture and elevate the skills of Ontario’s young golfers.

This thoughtful initiative aims to blend specialized training with ongoing support, providing a solid foundation for the province’s future stars to shine in the competitive golf landscape.

“We’re so proud and excited to introduce the Next Wave Junior Development Program and all the 15 young athletes who will be part of the program in 2024,” says Golf Ontario’s Chief Sport Officer, Ryan Finn. “We truly believe this program aligns with everything we’re already doing with the Junior Golf Pathway, but also adds another layer of development that is directly aimed at junior golf athletes who are looking to advance in their competitive journey.”

The 2024 Next Wave Junior Development Program includes members (with their personal coaches in parentheses):

• Sierra Kowlayshyn, Sawmill Golf Course (Travis Glass, PGA of Canada)
• Ava Gilbert, Summit Golf & Country Club (Sean Burke, PGA of Canada)
• Kirsten Lee, Brampton Golf Club (Sean Casey, PGA of Canada)
• Cole Thompson, Lookout Point Country Club (Adam Steinschifter, PGA of Canada)
• Ben Julie, Sawmill Golf Course (Doug Lawrie, PGA of Canada)
• Matthew Simpson, Lambton Golf & Country Club (Sean Casey, PGA of Canada)
• John Yang, Summit Golf & Country Club (Trevor Wallman, PGA of Canada)
• Tristan Zhang, Summit Golf & Country Club (Trevor Wallman, PGA of Canada)
• Josh Ye, Summit Golf & Country Club (Trevor Wallman, PGA of Canada)
• Aiden Pavey, Hidden Lake Golf Club(David Banks, PGA of Canada)
• Bo Dong, Angus Glen Golf Club (Dong Hee Lee)
• Sadie Wu, Station Creek Golf Club (Dong Hee Lee)
• Gabriel Mainella, Summit Golf & Country Club (Tyler Marchand, PGA of Canada)
• Landon Van Loon, Upper Canada Golf Course (Tristan Mullally, PGA of Canada)
• Michael Vivone, Royal Ottawa Golf Club (Derek MacDonald, PGA of Canada)

Targeted towards junior-aged athletes competing in local, regional, and provincial championships, the program is dedicated to helping them fulfill their aspirations of becoming members of Team Ontario, Team Canada, and earning spots on collegiate golf teams. The program is centered around the mental, physical, technical, and tactical facets of golf, the program offers early access to specialized team training; setting the stage for their future achievements.

Next Wave athletes will enjoy exclusive benefits, such as: Coaching support from Team Ontario Head Coach, Reggie Millage; sessions with Team Ontario Mental Performance Coach, Dr. Charles Fitzsimmons, strength and conditioning coaching by Dr. Nick Martichenko; Next Wave athlete clothing from adidas Golf Canada; and access to the TaylorMade Performance Lab.

Additionally, Next Wave athletes can sign up for exclusive Team Ontario programs like Training Days, March Break Training Camp, and the Spring Training Camp.

Selection for the program is based on the athletes’ competitive performances and rankings in the U13, U15, and U17 divisions of the Junior Golf Pathway from the last season.

Golf Ontario looks forward to the prospects the Next Wave Junior Development Program offers to Ontario’s emerging golf stars and the association extends gratitude to TaylorMade Golf Canada, Adidas Golf Canada, and Humber College for their support of this transformative initiative.

Uxbridge – Golf Ontario proudly announces the 2024 Team Ontario Roster which features 16 of the provinces top performing U19 golfers. The selected athletes have demonstrated exceptional skill, dedication, and results, earning them their place on the 2024 Team. Four members will return from the 2023 team, and will be eagerly joined by twelve new athletes.

The 2024 Team has four returning athletes that include Aryn Matthews (Bigwin Island Golf Club), Alexa Ouellet (Weston Golf & Country Club Ltd.), Jordan Hwang (Emerald Hills Golf & Country Club), and Graydon Laughlin (Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club). These Team Ontario veterans had some great achievements in 2023, two wins for Alexa at the Ontario Women’s Four Ball and Super Camp & Junior Tour Championship, Jordan advancing to Match Play at the U.S Junior Amateur Championship, a breakthrough season for Aryn with four top 10 finishes all while making the cut at Canadian Women’s Am and Canadian Junior Girls and 3 top 10 finishes from Graydon including the NextGen Atlantic Championship.  

Team Ontario has six new additions joining on the female side, who all had top-rated success in the 2023 Championship season. For the first time in Team Ontario history there will be twin sisters, Nobelle and Kaprice Park (RattleSnake Point Golf Club) who finished 2^nd (Nobelle) and 4^th (Kaprice) in the U17 Junior Golf Pathway Rankings. Joining the Park sisters Bridget Yu (Golf Canada Club) with a second-place finish at the NextGen Atlantic Championship. Alongside them is Shelby Hardwick (Summit Golf & Country Club) with 7 top 10 finishes, Wendy Li (Summit Golf & Country Club with a T11th at the Ontario Junior Girls’ Championship and 7^th place finish at Super Camp and rounding off the team is Angela Cai (National Pines Golf Club) who finished T2nd at the Ontario Juvenile Championship and is the top ranked AJGA player on the team. 

The new additions to the boy’s Team includes six players with some strong achievements over the course of this past season including being the top-ranked players on the Junior Golf Pathway. Starting off the boy’s lineup is Ben Sheridan (Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club) with 5 top-10 finishes this season. Joining him is Nathaniel Yoo (Meadowbrook Golf Club), who has had a great return to junior golf and finishing his season off with a 4^th place finish at the Ontario Super Camp Championship. Alongside them, Dawson Lew (Players Club – Markham) with a victory under his belt at the National Team Challenge and a T15 at the Ontario Junior Boys’ Championship, and Rylan Hall (Whistle Bear Golf Club) with 4 top 10’s this season. Finishing off the team on the boys side is Chase Jerome (Royal Ottawa Golf Club) with a 1^st place finish at the NextGen Fall Series East Championship and Bode Stephen (Cataraqui Golf & Country Club) with a second place finish in the NextGen Atlantic.

The team will be led by Head Coach Reggie Millage, PGA of Canada Class “A” professional as he heads into his 11^th season as Coach of Team Ontario. Millage is excited to share, “The anticipation of every new season of Team Ontario is energizing and exciting. There is something unique this year though as we have assembled one of the youngest teams I can remember. With so many new great young athletes it’s really going push the ceiling higher of what this group can accomplish in junior golf and beyond.” Supporting Millage is Mental Performance Coach Dr. Charles Fitzsimmons, Physical Performance Coach Dr. Nick Martichenko, who will help enhance the athlete’s skill through fitness, nutrition, and mental performance. Dr. Charles Fitzsimmons is not only one of the top Mental Performance Coaches in Ontario, he is also a 2 time Canadian Mid-Am Champion. Alongside Charles is Dr. Nick Martichenko who helped Professional Tennis Player Denis Shapovalov get to the #10 player in the world. It is no doubt that the team is in great hands.

The team started off their off season training this past weekend in Oakville at the Burloak Indoor Golf facility. Next week the Team will be heading down to Orlando, Florida, for the first opportunity to play on green grass together at International Junior Golf Academy, Bishop’s Gate. The team will spend the week focusing on training, team development and competing in their first tournament together. Following Florida Camp, the team will begin indoor training sessions at Humber College Golf Lab, followed by their second Florida camp in February. In March, Team Ontario will be heading to Myrtle Beach for another camp, and to compete in the Ontario Junior Players Invitational and Can-Am Matches. The team will conclude the off-season training with the final Spring camp as a team in Niagara. The athletes will receive continued support from coaching staff throughout the season.

Congratulations to all of the 2024 Team Ontario members. Golf Ontario, along with our members, volunteers, and partners, look forward to cheering the team on throughout the 2024 competitive season.

About Team Ontario

The Team Ontario program is a unique opportunity for identified athletes in Ontario. These athletes can expect to receive the very best in coaching services, training/competitive opportunities, and peer support as they continue their journey toward excellence in golf and life. Being selected to be part of the Team Ontario program is a tremendous accomplishment but the hard work and dedication doesn’t end at selection. The Team Ontario program places considerable emphasis on developing lifelong excellence in all facets. As such, athletes in the program will receive guidance on themes like time and self-management, strength and conditioning, sports psychology, nutrition, tactical strategies, and technical feedback.

Mission: To develop Ontario’s best junior golfers into world-class players on and off the course

2024 Team Ontario Values: Hard Working, United, and Resilient

About Golf Ontario

Golf Ontario is Ontario’s Provincial sports organization focused on enhancing participation, elevating performance, and supporting the passion of golfers in Ontario. With over 100,000 individual members and 500 member clubs, Golf Ontario is one of the largest golf associations in the world. From rating courses and keeping the integral rules of the game intact to growing the game at the grassroots level and hosting the best amateur tournaments in Canada, Golf Ontario is a passionate group dedicated to Shaping Lives Through Golf.

Team Ontario would like to thank partner Adidas, as their official clothing provider.

Instagram/Twitter/Facebook: @TheGolfOntario

To stay informed on Golf Ontario’s championship play, events, and additional updates, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, and like us on Facebook.

UXBRIDGE – Golf Ontario is excited to announce the return of the Ontario Junior Players Invitational to the 2024 Golf Ontario Championship Schedule. The 2024 tournament is scheduled to take place March 11-12, 2024 at Legends Golf Resort – Moorland Course in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and is exclusively for 78 of the top Junior (U19) Boys & Girls from Ontario.

Legends Golf Resort offers five of the best championship golf courses available in Myrtle Beach and the surrounding states of South and North Carolina. On site, the resort features more than 70 on-site villas which will be highlighted as the host accommodations for the 2024 Ontario Junior Players Invitational. Players and families will receive preferred rates for the villas and by staying on-site, players will have unlimited access to the resort practice facilities. Legends Golf Resort is home to the largest driving range in the Myrtle Beach area. For more information about accommodations and practice facilities, please visit the Legends Golf Resort Website.

New for this year the tournament will feature a 3^rd round to the tournament making it a 54-hole competition, seeing 36 holes on day 1 and 18 holes on day 2. The addition of the 3rd round will now make this event eligible for World Amateur Golf Rankings and Junior Golf Scoreboard ranking points.

The Ontario Junior Players Invitational provides Ontario junior players with an opportunity to participate in a competition to prepare them for the upcoming golf season. The purpose of adding the 3^rd round is to give players a collegiate-type atmosphere with the 54 holes over 2 days.

“We’re proud to bring this important tournament back for its second year in 2024 and provide our junior players an impactful opportunity to compete against an elite field and prepare for the 2024 season. This tournament is a great talent identification and representation of all the hard work Ontario junior players are putting in the winter months. We should be in for another exciting year” said Chief Sport Officer Ryan Finn

Tournament invitations will be sent to all exempt junior players based on their 2023 performances. Players that are not exempt still have the opportunity to apply and compete in the tournament. Following December 31, 2023, the remaining spots in the championship will go to players on the pending list. These players will be accepted into the tournament field based on the player’s past performance as determined by the Tournament Selection Committee. The remaining players not yet accepted at that point will be tournament alternates and moved into the tournament if a spot becomes available.

For more information about the championship, please go to the Official Tournament Website or contact Tournament Director Connor Doyle at cdoyle@gao.ca

APPLY TO THE TOURNAMENT HERE

In addition to the tournament on March 11-12, Golf Ontario will be offering an exclusive training experience with Team Ontario athletes and coaches during the 2023 March Break. Details will be announced in the coming weeks.

About Golf Ontario

Golf Ontario is Ontario’s Provincial sports organization focused on enhancing participation, elevating performance, and supporting the passion of golfers in Ontario. With over 100,000 individual members and 500 member clubs, Golf Ontario is one of the largest golf associations in the world. From rating courses and keeping the integral rules of the game intact to growing the game at the grassroots level and hosting the best amateur tournaments in Canada, Golf Ontario is a passionate group dedicated to Shaping Lives Through Golf.

Instagram/Twitter/Facebook: @TheGolfOntario

To stay informed on Golf Ontario’s championship play, events, and additional updates, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, and like us on Facebook.

Uxbridge, Ontario – Golf Ontario is delighted to announce the appointment of Alexandra Taylor as the Manager of Junior Performance. In this pivotal role, Alexandra will be responsible for managing the strategy for Golf Ontario’s Junior Performance program.

Taylor has been an integral member of the Golf Ontario team since 2021, supporting and implementing GO’s Regional Support Strategy as Regional Coordinator as well as assisting Team Ontario as a coach and mentor.

As the Manager of Junior Performance, Alexandra will manage all of our junior golf initiatives, including the delivery of the Junior Golf Pathway, Junior Tour relations, Player ID, Next Wave athlete development, and the coordination for Team Ontario. With a commitment to nurturing a positive and encouraging environment, Taylor will play a key role in shaping lives through golf.

“With a true passion for the game and a proven drive to support young athletes in reaching their highest potential, we are thrilled to have Alex take on this role,” said Golf Ontario’s Director of Competitions and Performance, John Lawrence.

Taylor expressed excitement about the opportunity, stating, “I am honoured and thrilled to take on the role of Manager of Junior Performance at Golf Ontario. Junior golfers represent the future of the sport, and I am committed to providing them with the best possible support and guidance to help them achieve their full potential. I am honoured to be appointed to this position and I am eager to contribute my skills and dedication to the success of junior golfers in Ontario. I believe through collaboration and innovation, we can elevate our program to new heights.”

Alexandra’s passion began as a junior where she competed in the Drive, Chip and Putt National Championships with her two older brothers. She then continued to develop as an athlete by competing on the Niagara Junior Tour, Ontario Summer Games team as well as Golf Ontario and Golf Canada Championships. After her junior golf journey, Alexandra was an NCAA golfer achieving 3 time All-Conference Golfer at Grand Valley State University in Michigan where her team participated in the NCAA DII National Championship three out of her four years. Alex continues to enjoy playing at a high level, competing in Provincial and National Amateur Championships.

Taylor is set to begin her new role, effective November 20^th, 2023.

For more information about Golf Ontario’s junior golf initiatives and upcoming events, please visit https://juniorgolfpathway.ca/

About Golf Ontario

Golf Ontario is Ontario’s Provincial sports organization focused on enhancing participation, elevating performance, and supporting the passion of golfers in Ontario. With over 100,000 individual members and 500 member clubs, Golf Ontario is one of the largest golf associations in the world. From rating courses and keeping the integral rules of the game intact to growing the game at the grassroots level and hosting the best amateur tournaments in Canada, Golf Ontario is a passionate group dedicated to Shaping Lives Through Golf.

Instagram/Twitter/Facebook: @TheGolfOntario

To stay informed on Golf Ontario’s championship play, events, and additional updates, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, and like us on Facebook.

The third and final round in the fifty four hole Ontario Junior Tour Championship at FireRock Golf Club is complete, with Alexa Ouellet of Weston Golf & Country Club and Jager Pain of Station Creek declared champions of the 4^th annual event.

Despite the forecast calling for a mostly cloudy day with periods of light rain, the first wave of players were treated to stunning pink and red skies as they warmed up on the range prior to the first pairings heading out from the first tee at eight am. Throughout the day, players dealt with mist, warm sun, light rain and a swirling wind.

Ouellet, who was the clubhouse leader each day, finished an impressive nine under par over fifty four holes of golf with scores of 68, 71 and 71. In second place was youngster Shauna Liu from Station Creek with scores of 72, 73, 68 for minus six and in third overall was Nobelle Park of RattleSnake Point at minus four following rounds of 73, 73 and 69.

There was far more movement up and down the leaderboard with the boys field, but Jager Pain was consistent over all three days and held his round one lead all the way to the final hole of play. Pain finished at minus four following rounds of 70, 70 and 72. His final round playing partners of Luke Smith (Thornhill Club) and Brayden Card (Galt Country Club) finished second and third respectively. Smith shot 73, 73 and 68 for two under par and Card was plus one after shooting 73, 72 and 72.

Ontario Provincial Head Coach Reggie Millage commented after the final round that “The results on both sides were really impressive. There were competitors chasing leaders across the board and it was a shootout on course. FireRock was set up under true championship conditions with yardage to match at over 6000 and 7000 yards respectively.”

View full results here.

Tournament photos available on our Facebook page .

About Golf Ontario

Golf Ontario is Ontario’s Provincial sports organization focused on enhancing participation, elevating performance, and supporting the passion of golfers in Ontario. With over 100,000 individual members and 500 member clubs, Golf Ontario is one of the largest golf associations in the world.  From rating courses and keeping the integral rules of the game intact to growing the game at the grassroots level and hosting the best amateur tournaments in Canada, Golf Ontario is a passionate group dedicated to Shaping Lives Through Golf.

Instagram/Twitter/Facebook: @TheGolfOntario

To stay informed on Golf Ontario’s championship play, events, and additional updates, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, and like us on Facebook.

For more information, please contact:

Nick Taylor, Chief Marketing & Development Officer – Golf Ontario,

ntaylor@gao.ca

John Lawrence, Tournament Directorjlawrence@gao.ca

September 21st, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Uxbridge – Golf Ontario is pleased to announce a multi-year sponsorship renewal with Foresight Sports Canada.  The commitment from Foresight has many layers, including being recognized as the “Official Launch Monitor and Golf Simulator Partner” of Golf Ontario, and continuing as a “Founding Partner of the Junior Golf Pathway”.

To celebrate the renewal of the agreement and demonstrate their commitment to the ongoing development of the Junior Golf Pathway, the company is also the “Presenting Sponsor” of the inaugural Golf Ontario Junior-Am Fundraising Tournament taking place at FireRock on September 25^th in conjunction with the Ontario Super Camp and Junior (U19) Tour Championship also presented by Foresight Sports Canada.

Foresight is a global leader in the development of golf performance, entertainment, and game enhancement solutions and is known as one of “The Most Trusted Launch Monitors in the World”. Their products support golfers to Play Smart, Play Anytime, Play Anywhere and Play Healthy. Across North America, the company supports the ongoing development of junior golfers through their industry leading UpNext™ program, which is their new Junior Player Development Program specifically designed to connect today’s best and most passionate players with our game-changing technology.

Ryan Finn, Chief Sport Officer with Golf Ontario remarked that, “Golf Ontario is committed to developing the next wave of talented junior golfers from across the Junior Golf Pathway. To have the full support of Foresight Sports Canada, as a partner in providing best in class technology that has a direct impact on the coaching and development of so many young aspiring golfers is invaluable.”

In announcing the renewal, Aaron Hardy of Foresight Sports Canada said, “We are thrilled to partner with Golf Ontario and share access to our world-class products with their participants and members. We are particularly passionate about supporting the next wave of junior golfers as you can see by the many areas of Golf Ontario’s programming that we support.”

About Foresight Sports Canada

The exclusive distributor of industry leading sports measurement and analysis technologies for Entertainment and Coaching applications from leading global brands Foresight Sports, Swing Catalyst and PuttView.

Foresight products include launch monitors, simulators, performance/entertainment software, and smart mobility solutions for a variety of sports and games. Foresight Sports first golf launch monitor, the GC2 “Game Changer” Smart Camera System was introduced to the market in 2010 and within six years became the best-selling professional-grade launch monitor ever created.

In 2017, Foresight Sports unveiled its ground-breaking four-camera GCQuad launch monitor. Featuring complete ball, club head, and putting data in a compact and portable unit, the GCQuad set a whole new standard of accuracy for performance analytics, and has been awarded Golf Digest’s Editors’ Choice Award for Best Launch Monitor for four consecutive years. The GCQuad has also become the launch monitor of choice for more PGA Tour players, top golf retailers and manufactures, and coaches and fitters than any other technology.

About Golf Ontario

Golf Ontario is Ontario’s Provincial Sport Organization focused on enhancing participation, elevating performance, and supporting the passion of golfers in Ontario. With over 100,000 individual members and 500 member clubs, Golf Ontario is one of the most significant golf associations in the world. From rating courses and keeping the integral rules of the game intact to growing the game at the grassroots level and hosting the best amateur tournaments in Canada, Golf Ontario is a passionate group dedicated to Shaping Lives Through Golf.

Learn more about Golf Ontario Partners and Sponsors

For more information, please contact:

Nick Taylor, Chief Marketing & Development Officer, Golf Ontario NTaylor@gao.ca

Aaron Hardy, President, Foresight Sports Canada ahardy@foresightsports.ca

Junior players interested in the UpNext™ Player Development Program can apply online at:https://lp.foresightsports.ca/upnext/

We caught up with just some of the passionate girls and women across our community recently, and asked them to share what it means to them to be a woman in golf in Ontario, and if there was a moment in their golf experience that made a major impact on them.

We know that sport has the power to change lives. Girls who play golf tend to learn teamwork, self- reliance, resilience and confidence. All powerful skills that can create great leaders. I love watching young women playing golf and I’m very proud to be associated with both Golf Ontario and Golf Canada who provide so many opportunities for both young and older women to learn the sport, compete in the sport and to support the sport. We are so fortunate in Ontario to have many excellent female role models as players, as coaches, as volunteers, as golf course owners and even as golf course architects. And, as we all know, “if you can’t see, you can’t be it”. So on March 8th, let’s celebrate all that International Women’s Day means to golf and to all the opportunities that we have and can continue to create for female golfers. “Play like a Girl”

Growing up, media coverage for the LPGA tour was not very big. Only recently, it started to change and women in golf are beginning to gain the attention and recognition they truly deserve. As a woman in golf, I believe I have the opportunity to represent this community to further develop the game for future generations. The sport has given me many new opportunities to grow and learn invaluable skills. I hope to inspire other girls to become more involved in sports and continue the progress we are making for female athletes today.

I always felt like golf was always a very male dominated sport, I didn’t know many other female golfers and women’s golf was almost never broadcasted on TV. I’m glad to say that female golf is gaining its proper recognition now, and it means the world to me that I am a part of the generation where female golf is growing immensely. Golf means the world to me, and I am so proud that I am able to represent females in golf for Ontario. I hope that my fellow female competitors and I can continue being role models for the female golfers in the making.

Women in Sports have come a long way in the last few years with pay raises, more tournaments/tours, and more recognition on television. One of the sports that I have seen the most improvement in is golf. There is so much talent for women in sports and in golf right now, and I think we can prove to the world that we should be recognized. Women in Golf is an awesome movement to bring more women into this sport and help them feel belonged, and I think Golf Ontario is doing a great job by promoting this event every year and helping it grow. The more we can teach and get women interested in golf, the more we can help this sport grow in all parts of the world for everyone!

In my family tree, I am the only female athlete to have come far enough to play in provincial, national, and international tournaments at a junior age. I have tremendous support from my whole family and our friends. But, the most support I get is from my little cousins! They love to ask me about my tournaments and find out if I have won, and watch me play. They are so interested to learn and play golf when they grow up and go play in these high-level tournaments. When they ask me if I can teach them golf, and they say “I want to be like you when I grow up,” it inspires and motivates me to become better every day. I think to myself that one day I will be inspiring many more little girls to start playing golf, and grow this sport for the girls out there that can truly bring out their talent!

I joined my golf club shortly after graduating and I didn’t know a soul. Over the past 47 years, I have participated in many events, draws and competitions. I started without a handicap and I’m now a single digit golfer. Most importantly, I have met hundreds of people through golf some I include in my family circle. These lasting connections will last a lifetime.

I think it is very important for women in business to participate in golf. Personally I started to golf when I first started at a law firm and the men left to go golfing but the women were not invited. Many women miss out on important business development and mentoring opportunities when they don’t know how to golf. Learning to golf is not only enjoyable but can be very helpful in a woman’s longer term career objectives.

Golf has and continues to play a significant role in my life, in wonderful and meaningful ways. Starting back as a student, I fondly recall enjoying the landscape and sunshine of Ontario summers outdoors on the golf course on a beverage cart. In my professional career as a finance professional, I have had the fortune of occupying leadership roles at member golf facilities, and at present here at Golf Ontario. Our vision of Golf for All and mission to shape lives by connecting people to positive golf experiences are statements that resonate, and are congruent with my personal values and philanthropic desires. Our association’s path forward is exciting!

As a Woman working in Golf, I am driven to be a positive influence and supporter of others in both the accounting profession and in business management, particularly in sport. In my personal life, golf talk continues – my husband also works in the golf industry as a Turfgrass Professional, we met nearly 20 years ago on course, sharing many friends in this wonderful industry. Today we raise our two young children with an active lifestyle, and cherish the memories we make as a family together, often on the golf course.

For me this means so much more than just women playing the great game of golf. I would love to see in future years more women in the business of golf, whether that be reporting, managing or even creating golf courses. I am most excited to see Golf Ontario venture into creating hype over working in golf and all the benefits that come along with the game!

I will never forget the time when we hosted the 2019 University College National Championship and a players parents came up to me to say how their daughter couldn’t believe that it was a woman in charge of running the facility. Throughout the week I had many young ladies ask me about my career path and how I came to hold my position in golf. This was encouraging for me as they now can see someone who they can relate to in a senior leadership position as well as opening the conversation surrounding female empowerment in sport.

This International Women’s Day, Golf Ontario celebrates and acknowledges all the many contributions made by these young girls and women that are just a small part of the fabric of our golf community across Ontario. We thank them for being part of our mission to shape lives by creating positive golf experiences for all.