Volunteers have been at the heart of Golf Manitoba since its founding in 2003 and prior to that for both the Manitoba Ladies’ Golf Association and the Manitoba Golf Association. The time and expertise volunteers donate year after year enable Golf Manitoba to achieve its goals.  The volunteer contribution, dedication and commitment are vital to the growth of the organization.

Each year, Golf Manitoba recognizes the outstanding individual contributions of a long-serving volunteer through its Distiguished Service Award. The criteria for the award is long-time service to Golf Manitoba (including Manitoba Golf Association & Manitoba Ladies’ Golf Association); going above and beyond the expectations of a volunteer; proving to be an advocate for the game and the Association, demonstrated commitment to amateur golf in Manitoba and Northwest Ontario and displaying qualities of a positive role model for other volunteers.

After 27-plus years of service to the game of golf, Lou Spado, will be honored with the Golf Manitoba Distinguished Service Award on October 23 at the St. Charles Country Club during the 2019 Golf Manitoba Annual Awards Reception.

Lou’s impactful volunteer career started in 1992 where he joined the Manitoba Golf Association as a starter and scorer for tournaments. In 1994, Lou served as the MGA representative for his home club, the St. Boniface Golf Club. His passion for volunteerism lead the retired Winnipeg police detective to obtain his certification as a Rules Official in 1996, a credential that he still holds to this day. In 2000, Lou joined the MGA Board of Directors which ultimately led to his two year term as President of Golf Manitoba from 2005 to 2007. More recently, Lou received his Level 3 Rules Referee certification through Golf Canada. In addition to these roles, Lou has served on a variety of Golf Manitoba sub-committees including co-chair of the Rules Committee, marketing, membership and tournament committees.

Golf Manitoba is very pleased to honour Mr. Lou Spado as the Distinguished Service Award Recipient for 2019.

WINNIPEG, MB – The Golf Manitoba Amateur Golfer of the Year Award Selection Committee has announced the finalists for the 2019 Male and Female Amateur Golfers of the Year award, which will both be presented during the Annual General Meeting and Awards Reception on Wednesday, October 23 at the St. Charles Country Club.

The female nominees for 2019, and in alphabetical order, are: Hannah Diamond (St. Charles Country Club), Charmaine Mackid (Breezy Bend Country Club) and Rhonda Orr (Southwood Golf & Country Club).

Hannah Diamond of St Charles started the year with a win at the Golf Manitoba Women’s Match Play Championship. The win was her second in a row in the event. She followed her Match Play victory with a runner-up finish in the Diamond Athletic Women’s Amateur Championship. The runner-up finish in the amateur helped to earn Diamond the opportunity to represent Manitoba in the inter-provincial team competition at the 2019 Golf Canada Women’s Amateur Championship where the team finished 5^th in the event.

Charmaine Mackid started her 2019 competitive campaign by making it to the semi-finals in the Women’s Match Play Championship. She also took the first women’s stroke play event of the year with a win at the City & District Championship and also finished 4th in the Diamond Athletic Women’s Amateur Championship.

Rhonda Orr won the 2019 Women’s Senior Championship; it was her fourth straight title in the event and 6th Senior crown in the last 7 years. Orr went on to represent Manitoba in the 2019 Golf Canada Senior Women’s Inter-provincial Team Competition where the team finished 5th. Individually, Orr finished 11th in the stroke play portion of the championship. Orr also finished 5th in the Diamond Athletic Women’s Amateur Championship. Orr also qualified for a second straight year to compete in the 2019 USGA Senior Women’s Amateur Championship where she qualified for the match play portion of the event and winning her first match and making it to the round of 32.

Four female golfers received honourable mention for their performance in 2019 and include Kate Gregoire of Quarry Oaks Golf Club (2019 Manitoba Junior Women’s Championship and 7th in the Women’s Amateur), Cala Korman of Kilarney Lakeside Golf Club (2nd in the Junior Bantam Championship and 3rd in the Manitoba Junior), Marissa Naylor of Pine Ridge (3rd in the Women’s Amateur) and Crystal Zamzow of Swan River Golf Club (Junior Women’s Bantam Champion and 4th in the Manitoba Junior Women’s Championship).

The Male Amateur Golfer of the Year nominees for 2019, and in alphabetical order, are: Colwyn Abgrall (Southwood Golf & Country Club), Jacob Armstrong (St. Boniface Golf Club) and Austin Dobrescu (Shilo Country Club).

Colwyn Abgrall of Southwood had a successful start to his year with a runner-up finish in the Match Play Championship. He followed that performance with a 7th place in the Grey Owl and a 3rd at the Elmhurst Invitational. At the Nott Autocorp Men’s Amateur, he led the event after the second round and completed the run with a win, his first Amateur crown. Abgrall went on to represent Manitoba at the 2019 Golf Canada Men’s Amateur Championship where the team finished in 5th place. Abgrall completed his 2019 campaign by tying for medallist honours at the regional Qualifier in Fargo, ND to earn a spot in the United States Amateur that was held at the Pinehurst Golf Resort in North Carolina, USA.

Jacob Armstrong of St. Boniface Golf Club kicked off his 2019 campaign with a T3rd in the Golf Canada Future Links Prairie Championship. The finish earned him direct entry into the 2019 Golf Canada Junior Amateur Championship. Armstrong didn’t require that exemption as he went on to win the Manitoba Junior Men’s Championship and a spot on team Manitoba. Armstrong helped the team to a 6th place showing and a T59th individually in the Golf Canada Junior Men’s Championship. Armstrong also finished T10th in the Elmhurst Invitational, won two Maple Leaf Junior Tour events and T12th in the Nott Autocorp Men’s Amateur Championship.

Austin Dobrescu of Shilo Country Club took the first men’s event on the Golf Manitoba calendar with a win at the Match Play Championship. He followed that up with a 3rd place finish in the Elmhurst Invitational. That was followed up with a runner-up finish at the Nott Autocorp Men’s Amateur which earned him a spot on team Manitoba that competed in the Golf Canada Men’s Amateur Championship. The team went on to finish in 5th place; Dobrescu was the only Manitoban to make the cut in the event where he finished in a tie for 31st overall and T11th among all Canadians to make the cut. Dobrescu also competed in the Players Cup where he posted opening rounds of 78-75.

Six male golfers received honourable mention for their play in 2019 and include Garth Collings of Breezy Bend (Senior Match Play Champion, T3rd in the Manitoba Senior, T15th Canadian Senior), Eric Johnson of Breezy Bend (2019 Mid-Amateur Champion), Drew Jones of Shilo Country Club (Semi-Finalist in Match Play Championship and winner of Elmhurst Invitational), Braxton Kuntz of Breezy Bend (2nd in Manitoba Junior and silver medalist in Western Canada Summer Games), Jordy Lutz of Elmhurst Golf & Country Club (3rd in Nott Autocorp Men’s Amateur, 11th in Mid-Amateur and T38th Golf Canada Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship) and Neel Soni of St. Charles Country Club (T3rd in Future Links Prairie Championship, 3rd in Manitoba Junior and T72 in Golf Canada Junior Men’s Championship).

About the Golf Manitoba Amateur Golfer of the Year Award – The Golf Manitoba Amateur Golfer of the Year award recognizes outstanding performance by Manitoba golfers in all levels of competition with the first award presented in 1975. In 2015, the award was re-established to include both a female and male category.

About Golf Manitoba – Golf Manitoba is the governing body for golf in the province of Manitoba and North West Ontario. Its mission is to develop, promote, govern and service the sport of golf in Manitoba and North West Ontario for the benefit of all participants.

For more information:

Jared Ladobruk
Executive Director
Golf Manitoba
204-925-5729
jared@golfmb.ca

Garth Goodbrandson, Director of Player Development with Golf Manitoba and PGA of Canada member, was recognized and honoured by his peers on October 8 when he was awarded the 2019 PGA of Canada Manitoba Zone Coach of the Year at the annual PGA of Canada Manitoba Zone Awards Ceremony.

Goodbrandson has been with Golf Manitoba since 1997 and was one of the first PGA of Canada members to assume the role of Player Development with a provincial golf association. Garth oversees all aspects of the Golf Manitoba Player Development portfolio including junior player development from grassroots to high-performance, multi-sport games team development and selection, coaching and technical sport instruction. In addition to his post with Golf Manitoba, Garth is the co-founder and former head coach of the University of Manitoba Bison Golf program where he recently celebrated 20 years with the team.  In 2014, Garth led the Bison men to their first ever national championship that was captured on the Bison’s home course at Southwood Golf & Country Club.

This year’s award is the third straight year that Garth has received recognition as Coach of the Year when he was also honored in 2017 and 2018.

About the PGA of Canada: The PGA of Canada was established in 1911 and is the second oldest and third largest professional golf association in the world. The PGA of Canada is a non-profit Association comprised of 3,700 golf professionals across the country. The PGA of Canada develops, promotes, and supports members in living a better life and earning a better living. The Association consists of the National Office located in Acton, Ontario and nine Zone Offices across the country.

The PGA of Manitoba are golf professionals and golf leaders in the community committed to preserving the well-being of the game within the province of Manitoba.

It is with great sadness to announce the sudden passing of long-time Golf Manitoba volunteer, colleague and friend, Barry Hooke.  He was 68 years old.

Barry had been involved with the Manitoba golf community for many years where he had taken his passion for the game and devoted his personal time in an effort to promote, govern and grow the sport of golf especially in the rural communities. Specifically with Golf Manitoba, Barry competed in numerous events, served on volunteer committees, was a member of the Board for 10 years and was also a rules official. Barry and his gentle presence will be greatly missed…

For his obituary, please follow the link below:

https://www.mckenziesportagefuneralchapel.com/notices/Barry-Hooke

A celebration of Barry’s life will take place on Saturday, October 5, 2019 from 2:30-4:30pm at the Victoria Inn, 3550 Victoria Avenue in Brandon, Manitoba. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Barry can be be directed to the Heart & Stroke Foundation, Golf Manitoba Scholarship Fund Inc. or to a charity of your choice.

• Heart and Stroke Foundation of Manitoba 1379 Kenaston Boulevard, Winnipeg MB R3P 2T5
  Web: http://www.heartandstroke.ca
• Golf Manitoba Scholarship Fund Inc. 420-145 Pacific Ave, Winnipeg MB R3B 2Z6

A new junior program recently completed it’s second season this past August at the Gilbert Plains Country Club in Gilbert Plains, Manitoba. The program is run by local club members and program founder Ryan Rauliuk and Ron Chapen with the goal to introduce young people ages 8-14 to the sport of golf in a relaxed and fun environment.

Every Wednesday afternoon in July, juniors are offered the opportunity to play 9 or 18-holes and parents and grandparents are encouraged to walk the course with their children. The program follows a relaxed structure and mimics a “house league” format similar to minor hockey with desired outcomes such as getting boys and girls to play together, learning how to play the game, learning golf etiquette and of course to have lots of fun. Juniors receive a golf shirt for participating and also a snack during each play day.

The program is fortunate to have received support from Scott McCallum, General Manager of the Gilbert Plains Country Club. The course ensures tee-times are available and also helps to encourage junior participation by offering lessons and club memberships for only $100 per junior.

Program coordinator Ron Chapen also notes that this program is a way to help stimulate interest in the golf club. “If we continue to get more people out and show the parents and grandparents what a golf course is all about, the better it will be,” said Chapen who is also the former general manager of the Dauphin Lake Golf Club,  “Adults bring their kids out, go to the pro shop, and then to the restaurant. All this helps keep our golf courses going.”

Chapen says the program grew in 2019 with 32 participants up from 28 in 2018. He says plans are in the works to expand the program in 2020 by encouraging participation in juniors 7 years of age and younger.

The 2019 season concluded with a wind-up event including a fun team game along with dinner and prizes for all participants.

Do you know of  a special interest golf story happening in your area or at your local golf club?  If so, please send your story to us at jared@golfmb.ca.

Team Manitoba finished in 5th place at the 2019 Golf Canada Canadian Senior Men’s Championship that was held September 10-13 at the Ceder Brae Golf Club in Scarborough, Ontario. The team of Garth Collings (Breezy Bend Country Club), 2019 Senior Men’s Champion Mike Walker (St. Boniface Golf Club) and Bruce North (Carman Golf & Curling Club) posted a two-day team score of 297 to put them at +13 for the event and 15 shots back of the winning team from Alberta in the inter-provincial team competition.

Final team results >>

Individually, both Garth Collings and Bruce North made the cut and finished T15th and T38th respectively. Ken Warwick of Niakwa Country Club also made the 36-hole cut finishing in 66th place.

Final individual results >>

Shilo Country Club and Elmhurst Golf & Country Club are the 2019 Men’s Provincial Inter-club Champions.

The championship was conducted September 3 at the Glendale Golf & Country Club. Teams of four competed in the stroke play event where the best three of four counted toward to overall team total.  The event included both a City and Rural Division.

In the Rural Division, the Shilo team (pictured above) of Austin Dobrescu, Drew Jones, Brad Pardy and Dale Coulter posted the lowest score of the day with a 228 total. In the runner-up position was Minnewasta Golf & Country Club (Spencer Norrie, Kelly Friesen, Dale Giesbrecht and Duke Wiebe) with a 235.

Full Rural Division results >>

In the City Division, the Elmhurst team of Ben Bandura, Jordy Lutz, Jack Werhun and John Multan shot 230 to take top spot. Finishing in second was the team from across the street at Pine Ridge Golf Club of Tyler Hall, Riley Hall, Que Doan and Ryan Terdik shooting 235.

Full City Division results >>

The low score of the day goes to Pine Ridge member Ryan Terdik who carded a 2-under par 70 in very windy and wet condtions.

Full individual results >>

The Men’s Provincial Inter-club was the last official Golf Manitoba event on the 2019 championship schedule. On behalf of the Board of Directors, staff and volunteers of Golf Manitoba, we want to express our sincere gratitude to all our members who competed this past year as well to our host clubs who helped make this another great championship season!  We will see you again in 2020.

The teams from the St. Boniface Golf Club (pictured above) and the Carman Golf & Curling Club took the city and rural division titles respectively at the 2019 Golf Manitoba Senior Inter-club Championship that was held August 27 at the Links at the Lake Golf Club in Gimli, Manitoba.

In the city division, the team of Mike Walker, John Butler, Bill French and Dave Weseen shot a team total of 232, good enough for a four shot victory over the teams from Niakwa Country Club and Breezy Bend Country Club who tied at 236.

City division results >>

In the rural division, Bruce North, Wayne Giesbrecht, Bill North and Lionel Walz of Carman posted 234 for a 16 shot victory over Selkirk Golf & Country Club and Larters at St. Andrews Golf & Country Club who also tied at 250.

Rural division results >>

Individually, the low round of the day went the Dan Scanlon of Kildonan Park who shot a +1 score of 73 in rainy and windy conditions. Bruce North of Carman was next at 74 and Bill French of St. Boniface rounded out the top three with a 75.

Individual scores >> 

Next on the Golf Manitoba championship calendar, and the last event of the 2019 season, is the Men’s Provincial Inter-club Championship being held September 3 at the Glendale Golf & Country Club.

The Golf Manitoba Women’s Inter-club A & B Championships were held August 26 at the Carman Golf and Curling Club with 15 teams competing in the A event and 11 competing in the B event. Teams of four played with the low three of four scores counting toward the overall team total.

In the women’s A gross event, the team of Charmaine Mackid, Shelley Muir, Lynn Smith and Jen Finch from Breezy Bend Country Club (pictured above) took low gross honours shooting a score of 253. Southwood Golf & Country Club (Heather Shayna, Matty Leung, Fran Povoledo & Trish Jordan) finished second at 258.

In the women’s A net event, Glendale Golf & Country Club (Shannon Wales, Christine Scalena, April Calderon-Roy & Kathy Issac) took the top spot shooting a team score of 214. Finishing in a close second was the home team of the Carman Golf & Curling Club (Kathy Wikdahl, Liliane Fargey, Linda Revel & Kathy Adams) at 219.

Full inter-club A results >>

In the women’s B gross event, Southwood Golf & Country Club (Pat Harding, Drin Jones, Pam Kok & Janet Driver) took top spot with a score of 305. In the runner-up position was Larters at St. Andrews Golf & Country Club (Terry Bowles, Karen Kearny, Rina LaClaire & Kim Ward) shooting 310.

In the women’s B net event, the Kildonan Ladies club (Maureen Vos, Heather Glaser, Bev Letvak and Lillian Haas) shot 225 to take the title with the team from Selkirk Golf & Country Club (Stephanie Cole, Kathy Bird, Martha Cinch and Dot Dmyterko) finishing second, and on a countback, at 227.

Full inter-club B results >>

Next up on the inter-club schedule is the Men’s Senior Championship, August 27 at Links at the Lake in Gimli and the Men’s Provincial Championship, September 3 at the Glendale Golf & Country Club.

Golf Manitoba is pleased to announce that Golf Canada has provided a $2,500 coaching grant to the association for 2019. Golf Canada is working cooperatively with the provincial golf associations across the country and the grant is designed to assist the provinces in helping to offset the costs associated with high-performance coaching and player development.

Golf Manitoba understands and believes in a strong player/coach relationship. Therefore, the association employs a full time Director of Player Development who is active in the field working with players. The goal of the Director of Player Development is to identify and work with athletes who show interest and promise in developing their sport and golf skills; ultimately this will lead to more high-performance players coming up through the various programs within Manitoba and North Western Ontario.

Garth Goodbrandson is the Director of Player Development for Golf Manitoba. Garth is a Class “A” PGA of Canada Professional; respect in sport certified, trained as a Coaching of Development Competitor (CDC) and completed the Level IV Teaching & Coaching Certification Program through the PGA of Canada.

Golf Manitoba Player Development Objectives:

• To support the Canadian Sport Policy of enhanced participation, excellence, capacity and interaction
• To develop golf within the province against each of these four goals
• To address physical fitness and health for the population under the umbrella of the Canadian Sport for Life (CS4L) philosophy
• To optimize talent identification and athlete preparation for individuals wishing to participate at the highest level
• To develop our youth to be physically literate, active for life or to reach the podium
• To make a more focused approach to all areas within the Player Development Program, specifically with respect to the High-Performance programs for junior boys & girls
• To identify specific needs in specific areas of the region covered by Golf Manitoba
• To develop and implement a training program for the 2019 Western Canada Summer Games (girls and boys)
• To utilize educational materials provided by Golf Canada and to promote the source of this material
• To increase the time players spend with the coach in competitive and non-competitive environment
• To enhance the competitive calendar for the high-performance juniors
• To involve the players in structured preparation camps lead by the coach and Sport Science consultants
• To involve the players in Sport Science & Medicine Programs to develop their knowledge, skills and abilities in the areas of strength & conditioning, nutrition, mental training, biomechanics and physiotherapy/athletic training

For more information:

Garth Goodbrandson, PGA of Canada
Director of Player Development
Golf Manitoba
204-925-5730
garth@golfmb.ca