WINNIPEG – Golf Manitoba is pleased to announce that Diamond Athletic Medical Supplies is the new title sponsor of the 2019 Manitoba Men’s Mid-Amateur and Women’s Amateur Championships, with the event to be known as the Diamond Athletic Men’s Mid-Amateur and Women’s Amateur Championships.

The Manitoba Men’s Mid-Amateur is the provincial stroke-play championship for males ages 25 and up while the Women’s Amateur is the provincial stroke-play championship for women ages 12 and up.  The top three players in each event will earn a spot to represent Manitoba in their respective Golf Canada national championships.

“Diamond Athletics is thrilled to enter into this sponsorship agreement with Golf Manitoba,” said Gerald Diamond, owner of Diamond Athletic Medical Supplies. “Our family, staff and certainly many thousands of our clients share a real passion for golf and all that it embodies. For us the fit is very natural and one that we are proud to add as one of our community and healthcare sponsorship initiatives.”

“We are very happy to partner with Diamond Athletic as the title sponsor of our Mid-Amateur and Women’s Amateur Championships for 2019,” said Vince Mariani, President of Golf Manitoba. “Diamond Athletic is a respected supplier of athletic medical supplies and they strive to provide solutions for athletes to achieve their best. As these two events provide the stage for the province’s top female and mid-amateur male golfers to showcase their best, it is fitting for our two organizations to work together on these two championships.”

The Diamond Athletic Mid-Amateur and Women’s Amateur Championships will be held July 2-4, 2019 at the Selkirk Golf & Country Club.

About Diamond Athletic Medical Supplies: Diamond Athletic Medical Supplies is a local family-run supplier of athletic and medical supplies and has been in business since 1946. Diamond Athletic is located at 75 Poseidon Bay, Unit 185 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Learn more at diamondathletic.com.

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 Northwest Ontario for the benefit of all participants.

Recognized by Sport Manitoba as the Provincial Sport Organization for golf in the province, Golf Manitoba is responsible for promoting participation in and a passion for the sport of golf in Manitoba and North West Ontario. Golf Manitoba is also involved in national golf events through its affiliation with Golf Canada.

For more information:

Jared Ladobruk
Executive Director
Golf Manitoba
204.925.5729
jared@golfmb.ca

Together Golf Canada, Golf Ontario, and Golf Manitoba believe they can continue to improve the golf experience for golfers and facilities in Northwestern Ontario, by delivering new membership benefits. In particular, the new Incident Protection Plan for member golfers will be an important element of value for golfers in this region.

Howard Atkinson, President of Golf Ontario, stated his excitement for this new partnership. “On the heels of our new agreement with the Northern Golf Association (NGA), this is another great step in supporting all corners of the Province together with our friends from Golf Manitoba.”

“We’re very excited about this announcement which aligns nicely to our partner focused priorities in our new strategic plan” added Mike Kelly, Executive Director at Golf Ontario. “This is a great opportunity for Golf Ontario to elevate our service and strengthen our relationship with the entire Thunder Bay golf community.”

President of Golf Manitoba, Vince Mariani, conveyed a similar message. “We are equally excited for this teamwork and fully support the plan with our friends from Golf Ontario in servicing members of both provincial associations.”

“This agreement is important to Golf Manitoba because it helps to better serve our members in Northwestern Ontario,” said Jared Ladobruk, Executive Director at Golf Manitoba. “By aligning efforts, we can use our collective resources in a more efficient manner to help maintain and grow membership and increase participation in the sport of golf in Northwestern Ontario.”

Mike Kelly will kick off the event on May 11th with a brief introduction, followed by remarks from Jared Ladobruk, and Ryan Logan from Golf Canada. The groups will then get together for the official signing of the agreement. Following the signing, Golf Ontario and Golf Manitoba will jointly be hosting a Rules Seminar for all interested participants.

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 95,000 individual members and 400 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.

Follow Golf Ontario @TheGolfOntario on Twitter and Instagram, and Like on Facebook

About Golf Manitoba

Golf Manitoba’s vision is to develop, promote, govern and service the game of golf in Manitoba and North West Ontario for the benefit of all participants. They are responsible for promoting participation and a passion for the game of golf in Manitoba and North West Ontario. Golf Manitoba conducts championships, programs and services to help shape the present and future of golf in Manitoba and North West Ontario. Assisting in the delivery of the National Golf in Schools & Future Links Programs, training our young athletes for the Manitoba Games, Western Canada Games and Canada Games and supporting the University of Manitoba Bison golf program are some example of player development in our province.

Follow Golf Manitoba @golf_manitoba on Twitter, and Like on Facebook

For more information:

Jared Ladobruk|
Executive Director
Golf Manitoba
jared@golfmb.ca
204.925.5729

The Golf Manitoba Championship season will officially open with the Match Play Championship Qualifier May 25 & 26 at Portage Golf Club.

The format for the event is 18-holes each day of stroke play.  The low 32 amateur male players, low 16 senior male players and low 16 amateur female players after 36-holes will advance to the Championship competition. The Match Championship matches will be held June 1-15 at both Minnewasta Golf & Country Club and Breezy Bend Country Club.

The match play qualifier is open to all Golf Manitoba/Canada member amateur players ages 12 & up. Deadline for entry for the qualifier closes on May 20, 2019 at 11:59pm.

For more information and to register >> http://bit.ly/2019MatchPlayQualifier

The Manitoba Golf Scholarship Fund has been providing financial assistance to young golfers for over 30 years. Since 1986, the Fund has awarded over 180 scholarships totalling over $205,000 to young men and women who are pursuing post-secondary studies in Canada. For 2019, the Fund will see some exciting new changes including a rebranding initiative that will hope to create more awareness around the program as well an increase in the number of annual awards available.

For 2019, the Fund will officially change its name from the Manitoba Golf Scholarship Fund to the Golf Manitoba Scholarship Fund to better align its relationship with Golf Manitoba. By leveraging a name change as well introducing a new visual identifier, these changes will help to increase the visibility of the Fund within the local golf community. “We feel that until recently, the Fund was not necessarily perceived as being connected to Golf Manitoba and that perhaps our young golfers were not aware that these awards were available for them to apply for,” said Fund President, Dennis Langrell. “It is our hope that better aligning the Fund with the Golf Manitoba brand enhances the Funds visibility within the golf community and that we’ll see an increase in the number of annual applications.”

The Fund is also in the process of transferring over all capital assets into a trust managed by The Winnipeg Foundation. Upon completion of the transfer, the Fund value will more than double its current value of just over $200,000. The increase is attributable to a substantial endowment from the estate of long-time Golf Manitoba volunteer, the late Brian Gilhuly, capital contributions from David Hill in support of the Dr. Dwight Parkinson Memorial Scholarship and from a matching funds program of The Winnipeg Foundation.

As the Fund grows, so does its annual offering of awards.  For 2019, there have been two new scholarships created and one existing scholarship perpetuated within the last few months. The Brian Gilhuly Memorial Scholarship will provide an annual award of $2,000 and the Dr. Dwight Parkinson Memorial Scholarship will also provide an annual award of $2,000. The Fund will also administer an annual award of $2,000 in memory of the late PGA of Canada golf professional, Craig Yahiro.

“We are extremely grateful to those individuals and organizations who have generously contributed to the Golf Manitoba Scholarship Fund over the past 30 years,” said Golf Manitoba President, Vince Mariani. “With a substantial and growing capital fund means we can provide more awards to assist young people in their pursuit of furthering and enhancing their education and can continue to do so for many years to come.”

Application Process

Golf Manitoba Scholarship Fund awards are available to all Golf Manitoba members in addition to those young people who are currently involved with golf either through employment or participation such as playing on a high school golf team. Scholarships are awarded based largely on academic achievement, however golf ability and community involvement are also considered.

To apply, applicants can visit golfmb.ca/scholarship to download an application form. The annual deadline for applications is is June 30th.

Donations To The Fund

The Fund greatly appreciates the incredible support it has received over the past 30 years and looks to the local community for support. The Fund has been greatly assisted in building its Capital Fund through the generosity of Golf Manitoba, various golf clubs and other organizations and individuals. The greater the Fund, the greater the academic assistance it will be in a position to provide.

If you or your golf club would like to support the Fund, you can make a donation on-line or by sending a cheque to the Fund at:

Golf Manitoba Scholarship Fund Inc.
420 -145 Pacific Avenue
Winnipeg MB R3B 2Z6.

Donate Today >>

As the Golf Manitoba Scholarship Fund is a registered charitable organization with the Canada Revenue Agency, all donations will yield a tax-deductible receipt.

For more information about the Fund, please visit golfmb.ca/scholarship.

About the Golf Manitoba Scholarship Fund: The Manitoba Golf Scholarship Fund is a registered charity, the object of which is to provide financial assistance to young golfers entering or continuing in a post-secondary educational institution in Canada. Since 1986, the Fund has awarded over 180 scholarships totalling over $205,000 to 36 different golf clubs throughout Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario.

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.

Recognized by Sport Manitoba as the Provincial Sport Organization for golf in the province, Golf Manitoba is responsible for promoting participation in and a passion for the sport of golf in Manitoba and North West Ontario. Golf Manitoba is also involved in national golf events through its affiliation with Golf Canada.

For more information:
Jared Ladobruk
Executive Director
Golf Manitoba
204.925.5729
jared@golfmb.ca

It is with regret but warm wishes that we announce the retirement of Golf Manitoba staff member, John Lamarche. John was the Director of Administration with Golf Manitoba where he held that position for the past 14 years. John was instrumental in the operation of Golf Manitoba where he provided leadership and expertise in managing the accounting and financial aspects of the association.

We send our best wishes to John as he takes this long and much deserved vacation!

WINNIPEG – (Golf Manitoba) Golf Manitoba is proud to announce that the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation has donated $60,000 to Golf Manitoba to support junior golf programming and the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame. Working cooperatively with the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation, Golf Manitoba will apply the donation to benefit grassroots and high-performance junior golf programs, the University of Manitoba Bison Golf female and male programs and the annual induction ceremony conducted by the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame and Museum.

In 2018, the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation was established with a mandate to support junior golf in the province of Manitoba. The Foundation will eventually commit a total of $3 million dollars to an endowment that will aid in supporting the development of new generations of golfers through grassroots golf initiatives and high-performance programming.

“We are extremely excited about the impact the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation will have in supporting and growing the sport of golf in the province,” said Vince Mariani, President of Golf Manitoba. “As far as we know, this type of personal commitment to golf, and amateur sport for that matter, is unprecedented in Manitoba.”

“For 2019, the donation will have an immediate impact on our regional Golf in Schools program, a key grassroots program that delivers basic golf skills instruction through the school system,” said Jared Ladobruk, Executive Director of Golf Manitoba. “More funding means we can expand our capacity and visit more schools thereby introducing more young people to golf. The increased funding gives us the ability to train and certify early years educators who will then be able to deliver basic golf skills instruction as part of physical education programing. By training and certifying educators, we expand our Golf in Schools capacity and can now introduce more young girls and boys to the sport of golf with physical literacy in mind. Linking golf to physical literacy I believe is an opportunistic area for the future of the sport and hopefully this serves to grow the game even further.”

“Another key area of golf benefiting from the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation donation is Golf Manitoba’s interprovincial junior golf teams,” added Ladobruk. “This new funding will offset the costs of travel and equipment for the girls and boys who have earned the right to represent Manitoba in national competitions conducted by Golf Canada. This generous funding will reduce the financial barriers that come with participation in national competitions and will mean that Golf Manitoba’s best young golfers will not be denied the opportunity to compete against the nation’s best due to financial constraints.”

The University of Manitoba Bison Golf Program will also benefit from the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation donation. Funding will be allocated to support both the men’s and women’s programs. The Bison Golf Program is celebrating its 20th year in 2019 and the program is entirely self-funded through sponsorships and donations.

Golf Manitoba will now also fund external junior golf charitable programs through the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation donation. Existing junior golf programs will be able to apply for funding which will be evaluated by Golf Manitoba to determine eligibility with further announcements to follow.

Additionally, proceeds from the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation donation will provide support to the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame which recognizes and celebrates those who have made extraordinary contributions in the Manitoba golf community as well as nationally and internationally. A goal of the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame is to make known the achievements of its Honoured Members and Teams to serve as inspiration to future generations which is consistent with the goals of the Alex and Peggy Colonello Foundation to support junior golf. The 2019 induction ceremony is scheduled to take place in late September.

The donation from the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation was facilitated through the Golf Canada Foundation and its partnership with Golf Manitoba. Golf Canada Foundation is a Registered Canadian Athletic Amateur Association (RCAAA), and as such is recognized by the Canadian Revenue Agency as a qualified donee. Gifts received by Golf Canada Foundation qualify for an official donation receipt.

About Alex & Peggy Colonello: Peggy Colonello served as president of the Manitoba Ladies’ Golf Association in 1974 – 76 and was an active participant at her home course, the Elmhurst Golf & Country Club, where she and husband Alex had been members since the 1940s.

Peggy also served a two-year term as president of the Canadian Ladies’ Golf Association from 1982-83. During her time on the national executive, Peggy attended World and Commonwealth championships in Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Columbia, Britain and Switzerland, including the various Canadian events in which she participated. Peggy was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 1994 and was an inaugural inductee into the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame on September 29, 2003.

Alex Colonello first moved to Winnipeg in 1941 where, in 1949, Bay Bronze Company asked him to start a machinery division for them. Alex eventually bought control of the company in 1973 becoming President until his retirement in 1996. In 1998, Alex purchased the golf accessory line from Bayco Industries to form Bayco Golf Inc. Alex Colonello passed away in 2013 at the age of 93.

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.

Recognized by Sport Manitoba as the Provincial Sport Organization for golf in the province, Golf Manitoba is responsible for promoting participation in and a passion for the sport of golf in Manitoba and North West Ontario. Golf Manitoba is also involved in national golf events through its affiliation with Golf Canada.

About the Golf Canada Foundation:  The Golf Canada Foundation is the leading source for Golf Philanthropy in Canada, awarding more than $7.76 million in grants and scholarships since inception in 1979. Golf Canada Foundation’s mission is to inspire young players to build strong core values and character while living a healthy lifestyle. Golf Canada Foundation is a Registered Canadian Athletic Amateur Association (RCAAA), and as such is recognized by the Canada Revenue Agency as a qualified donee. A qualified donee is an organization that can receive gifts and issue official donation receipts for those gifts.

For more information:
Jared Ladobruk
Executive Director
Golf Manitoba
204.925.5729
jared@golfmb.ca

From April 22-26, Golf Canada will be celebrating all donations made towards the Future Links, driven by Acura Golf in Schools program in support of the third annual Adopt a School Week.

The week represents a coast-to-coast celebration to mark the efforts of all Golf in Schools adoptions. Since the program’s inception in 2009, adoptions have accounted for close to 50% of the over 3,800 registered schools delivering the curriculum. Together, Golf Canada, the PGA of Canada the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA), and all provincial partners have aligned to celebrate the generosity of golf enthusiasts across the country.

“Golf Canada recognizes the many investments made by Canadians across the country in support of the Golf in Schools program,” said Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s chief sport officer. “It is in the industry’s best interest to support the continued growth of the sport at the grassroots level, which in turn benefits the future membership of facilities.”

For the first 30 adoptions, any golf facility, PGA of Canada professional or individual who adopts a school into the Golf in Schools program from April 22-26 will see their adoption matched with a school of their choice. This matching grant is possible due to Golf Canada’s partnership with the Canadian Seniors Golf Association (CSGA).

In 2018, 263 new schools were adopted, introducing an average of 120 students per school to golf.

A Golf in Schools donation includes the full program kit, which features safe, age-appropriate golf clubs along with a teacher-friendly learning resource. Developed in conjunction with the PGA of Canada and Physical Health Education (PHE) Canada, the learning resource incorporates Life Skills into the curriculum—placing added focus on transferrable skills both on and off the golf course.

The Intrapersonal Life Skills—perseverance, goal-setting and emotional regulation—are meant to instill focus while the Interpersonal Life Skills—honesty, teamwork and respect—embody a sense of sportspersonship.

Following Adopt a School Week, Golf Canada will be announcing all elementary, intermediate and high school adoptions conducted in 2019.

To adopt a school in your community, visit golfcanada.ca/adoptaschool

Old Man Winter is finally loosening his grip on golf courses across the country and many of you are already shaking off the rust of a Canadian winter and heading to the first tee, ready to post those scores for handicap purposes.

Good for you!

But did you know that those scores can only be posted in Canada during what is called the “Active Season” in your province?

While some lucky folks in more temperate climes (that’s you, British Columbia) can already post their scores, the rest of us have to wait until the middle of April or later.

From west to east, Active Seasons are: B.C., March 1-Nov. 15; Alberta, March 1-Oct. 31; Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia, April 15-Oct. 31; New Brunswick, May 1-Oct. 31; P.E.I., April 16-Nov. 14; Newfoundland and Labrador, May 1-Oct. 15.

Why is there such a thing as an “Active Season”?

“Active Season exists to help eliminate scores that might adversely affect the calculation of a handicap because they are generally not played under what we call `mid-season` playing conditions,” said Craig Loughry, Golf Canada’s representative on the World Handicap Committee.

“Generally, outside the Active Season, conditions are soggy, wet, lots of leaves (potential lost ball or bad lie), cool, etc., which makes the course play a little longer and different than mid-season (virtually little to no roll on tee shots, which means a loss per drive of about 20 yards. On an average course that has 14 driving holes, that could mean a 280-yard difference just on yardage alone.

“Greens are also much more receptive and generally slow compared to mid-season. It’s a combination of these things which distort how the course plays from which it was rated (we assume mid-season when the majority of rounds are played) and what the expected scores would be in optimum conditions, so we set an Active Season to help mitigate the effect of scores played in the shoulder season.”

While those dates aren’t likely to change in 2020, there will be a significant updating of the handicap system starting Jan. 1 when the new World Handicap System is implemented.

For the past four years, Loughry has represented Canada as Golf Canada’s representative on the World Handicap Committee, sitting beside the other major golf associations from around the globe in an effort to make the system more equitable, flexible, consistent and understandable.

Significantly, the committee—Loughry calls it “the United Nations of handicapping”—will meet in Toronto this fall, its first gathering ever outside the United States, Britain and Europe.

“We hope by informing golfers of the impending changes this far in advance, they will have the opportunity to review the changes and comment on them,” Loughry says.

A limit of net double bogey per hole will be allowed for handicapping purposes and the maximum Handicap Index will be set at 54.0, regardless of gender, to encourage more golfers to measure and track their performance to increase their enjoyment of the game.

Perhaps the most obvious change for Canadians is that the term “Handicap Factor” used in this country for years will become “Handicap Index” to align with the USGA terminology and which will be used worldwide. But the new system will adopt Canada’s practice of updating handicaps daily in all countries, as opposed to the current USGA model.

A list of 9 useful tips for the World Handicap System can be found here.

The committee’s research shows that your Index is unlikely to change significantly from your previous Factor. Only 54 holes worth of scores will be required for an initial Index and your Index will eventually be averaged using the best eight of your last 20 scores posted.

One very notable innovation is the Playing Conditions Calculation which “analyzes how players have performed that day compared to their expected performance on that golf course. It will naturally include weather and course setup (reflected in the scores) and if expected results fall outside a tolerance level, an adjustment will apply to all scores played on that course for that day.”

Have a look at the changes and take advantage of the opportunity to comment.

As for me, when the Active Season starts here in Ontario, I’ll already be posting scores via the Golf Canada app from South Carolina where the Active Season never ends. My snow blower’s broken.

The 2019 Tournament registration is now open.  For information on each event and to register for a championship please view our schedule.

On April 13, three members of the Manitoba golf community will be recognized for their achievements and contributions in 2018 during the annual Sport Manitoba Night of Champions.

Rhonda Orr of the Southwood Golf & Country Club has been nominated in the Labatt Open Female Athlete of the Year category. Rhonda had an impressive 2018 golf season where she won the Manitoba Senior Women’s Golf Championship, finished t18th in the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship and also qualified for the USGA Senior Women’s Amateur Championship. Rhonda was also named the Golf Manitoba Female Golfer of the Year in 2018. Also nominated in this category is Kelsey Wog – Swimming, Kaitlyn Lawes – Curling, Emily Potter – Basketball and Jennifer Saunders – Racquetball.

Justin McDonald (Breezy Bend) and Todd Fanning (Niakwa), have both been nominated in the Nott Autocorp Open Male Athlete of the Year category. Justin McDonald had a memorable 2018 season taking top spot at both the Nott Autocorp Men’s Amateur and the Manitoba Mid-Amateur championships. Justin went on to secure a top-40 finish in the Canadian Mid-Amateur Championship and was also named the Golf Manitoba Male Golfer of the Year. Todd Fanning also had another banner year where he successfully defended his Golf Canada Canadian Mid-Masters title contested at the Victoria Golf Club.  Rounding out the male nominees include Andrew Harris – Football, Mitch Hupe – Tenpin Bowling, Patrick Lamont – Trap Shooting, Matthew Lehman – Table Tennis, Tyler Mislawchuk – Triathlon, David Onyemata – Football, and Dennis Thiessen – Curling.

Long-time Golf Manitoba volunteer Rick Thain has been nominated in the Great-West Life Outstanding Volunteer category. Rick served in a variety of volunteer capacities at the international, national and provincial levels including his role as president of the Manitoba Golf Association in 1995. Rick’s commitment to volunteerism is unparalleled. By providing his time, expertise and enthusiasm, he was an instrumental part of Golf Manitoba being able to deliver its programs, events and services that helped to develop, promote and grow the game of golf in the province over the course of the past forty years.

Each year, Sport Manitoba’s annual Night of Champions presented by Manitoba Chicken Producers, celebrates sports excellence in Manitoba. Manitoba is rich with countless remarkable sport people of all ages with amazing stories of success, service and dedication. We have young individual athletes and teams garnering national and international attention for their athletic abilities, volunteers of all ages dedicating their time to ensure a brighter, stronger amateur sport system in Manitoba, officials who guarantee decorum and fair play, and coaches who lead, develop, and mentor Manitobans who participate in sport. Held annually in the spring.