WATCH | Kartusch commits to Bowling Green State University
Golf Manitoba would like to congratulate Addison Kartusch (Team Manitoba / St. Charles Country Club) on signing with Bowling Green State University.
Golf Manitoba Director of Communications Brian Munz caught up with Kartusch to talk about joining the Falcons and her 2023 season.
Golf Manitoba members set new score posting record in 2023
It was a record breaking year for Golf Manitoba members who posted 283,431 rounds to the Golf Canada Score Centre in 2023. The season total represents a 28.5% increase over 2022 (220,576) and an 8.5% increase over the previous record set in 2021 (261,224).
Of the 283,000 rounds posted, over 138,000 rounds were posted using the Golf Canada App. Golf Canada is also on pace for a record setting year of score posting projecting over 10 million rounds posted nation wide.
The top five member clubs for score posting during the 2023 Active Season were as follows:
1. Breezy Bend Country Club – 21,952
2. Pine Ridge Golf Club – 20,563
3. St. Charles Country Club – 19,135
4. Niakwa Country Club – 18,600
5. Elmhurst Golf & Country Club – 17,579
All Golf Manitoba/Golf Canada members receive access to score posting under the World Handicap System. Any game played at an official Golf Manitoba/Canada Member Club or any club worldwide that has an official Course and Slope Rating under the World Handicap System qualifies towards establishing and maintaining an official Golf Canada Handicap Index.
Not a member? Join Canada’s largest golf community here.
Golf Manitoba announces 2023/24 Board of Directors
The 2023/24 Golf Manitoba Board of Directors was announced at the Golf Manitoba Awards presented by AVID GOLF at the Glendale Golf & Country Club. The twelve-member board was elected during the associations 21st Annual General Meeting.
The Board of Directors is comprised of dedicated volunteers from across the golf community in the Golf Manitoba jurisdiction of Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario.
The Board’s duties are to direct the business affairs of the association.
The members of the 2023/24 Golf Manitoba Board of Directors are:
OFFICERS
President: Susan Wright-Cassan, Emerald Greens Golf Course
President Elect: Bob Peters, St. Charles Country Club
Vice-President: Matthew Simmons, Whitewater Golf Club
Past-President: Wayne McWhirter, Southwood Golf & Country Club
Treasurer: Kathy Turner, Breezy Bend Country Club
DIRECTORS
Michael Berney, Delahunt Golf & Country Club
John Braun, Pine Ridge Golf Club
D’Arcy Lachance, Elmhurst Golf & Country Club
Craig Martin, Minnewasta Golf & Country Club
Justin Price, Glendale Golf & Country Club
Janice Rees, Windsor Park Ladies
Fred Smith, Wildewood Golf Club
In addition to the election, Golf Manitoba also released its 2023 Annual Report, which includes a recap of the past season, as well as the association’s 2022/23 Financial Statements.
About Golf Manitoba – Golf Manitoba is the governing body for golf in the province of Manitoba and Northwest Ontario. Its mission is to develop, promote, govern and service the game of golf for the benefit of all participants.
For more information:
Brian Munz
Director of Communications
Golf Manitoba
204.899.1092
brian@golfmb.ca
WATCH | 2023 Year in Review
Thank you to everyone who made the 2023 season our most successful yet in Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario.
Please enjoy the memories with us.
Golf Manitoba honours Volunteers of the Year
Don Hargot has been honoured as the 19th recipient of the Golf Manitoba Volunteer Distinguished Service Award. The announcement was made during the 2023 Golf Manitoba Awards presented by AVID GOLF hosted at Glendale Golf & Country Club.
Don fell in love with the sport of golf over 40 years when he joined St. Charles Country Club, where he is still an active member today.
Since 2001, Hargot has dedicated over 2000 hours in his primary volunteer role as a member of the course rating team. He has rated 90 courses across Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario.
Don has also volunteered as a pace of play official, tournament starter, and scorer.
He has also volunteered many hours at his home course serving as Club Captain and on the handicap committee.
Through Don’s decades of volunteering he has become a true Golf Manitoba advocate. He is always a friendly face and a positive influence within the volunteer family.
It is with great pleasure that we welcome & congratulate Mr. Don Hargot as our 2023 Distinguished Service Award recipient.
Also recognized were six individuals who reached milestone volunteer anniversaries with Golf Manitoba.
5 YEARS
Marissa Naylor
10 YEARS
Rick Kaye
Wayne McWhirter
15 YEARS
Jim Gosman
20 YEARS
Bill Barbaza
30 YEARS
Harvey Goehring
For more information about volunteering with Golf Manitoba, please visit golfmb.ca/volunteering.
WATCH | Bohunicky on Golf Manitoba Awards presented by AVID GOLF
Following the Golf Manitoba Awards presented by AVID GOLF at Glendale Golf & Country Club, AVID GOLF Founder & CEO Luc Bohunicky spoke about last night’s event and their connection in the golf community.
For more information about AVID GOLF, click here.
WATCH | 1on1 with Braxton Kuntz
Braxton Kuntz of Breezy Bend Country Club talks with Golf Manitoba Director of Communications Brian Munz about being named the 2023 Male Amateur Golfer of the Year.
Kuntz was unable to attend in person as he continues his studies at Ball State University in Indiana.
WATCH | Orr discusses winning the 2023 Female Amateur Golfer of the Year
Following Wednesday night’s Golf Manitoba Awards presented by AVID GOLF at Glendale Golf & Country Club, Rhonda Orr of Southwood Golf & Country Club met with the media to talk about this year’s honour.
Orr & Kuntz named Female & Male Amateur Golfers of the Year
On behalf of Selection Committee members Clayton Dreger, Jill Hardy, Adam Speirs and Ken Wiebe, Golf Manitoba is pleased to recognize the 2023 Amateur Golfer of the Year Award winners.
This year’s recipients were announced on October 25, 2023, at the annual Golf Manitoba Awards presented by AVID GOLF that was held at the Glendale Golf & Country Club.
Rhonda Orr of Southwood Golf & Country Club is the 2023 Female Amateur Golfer of the Year.
Orr, 62, from Winnipeg, won the Hodson Financial Women’s Senior Championship and Super Senior Championship. She finished third in the Diamond Athletic Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, fourth at the British Columbia Women’s Senior Championship, T7 at the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship and ninth at the Diamond Athletic Women’s Amateur Championship. The Southwood Golf & Country Club member also qualified for the U.S. Senior Women’s Open.
Orr has won the last eight consecutive and 10 of the last 11 Hodson Financial Women’s Senior Championships. With the selection, it is the fifth time that Orr has been recognized as Female Amateur Golfer of the Year (2016, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023).
Braxton Kuntz of Breezy Bend Country Club is the 2023 Male Amateur Golfer of the Year.
Kuntz, 19, from Winnipeg, won the Manitoba Match Play Championship presented by St. Vital Dental Centre and the Nott Autocorp Men’s Amateur Championship. Representing Nicholls State University (NCAA) south of the border he placed fourth in the Gulf Coast Collegiate Championship, T6 at the Colin Montgomerie Invitational and T7 at the Tunica National Intercollegiate Championship. The Breezy Bend Country Club member was also T8 at the Elmhurst Invitational and T9 at the Glencoe Invitational.
Kuntz was the first player in Manitoba to win both the Manitoba Junior and Men’s Amateur Championship in back-to-back seasons (2021 and 2022). He is also just the third player to have won the Men’s Amateur Championship in three consecutive years (Todd Fanning 1990, 91, 92 and R.J Reith 1935, 36, 37).
With the selection, it is the third time in as many years that Kuntz has been named Male Amateur Golfer of the Year (2021, 2022, 2023).
Kuntz was unavailable to attend the awards banquet in person as he is currently in his junior year at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.
About the Golf Manitoba Amateur Golfer of the Year Award – The 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 Northwest Ontario. Its mission is to develop, promote, govern and service the sport of golf for the benefit of all participants.
Finalists announced for 2023 Female & Male Amateur Golfer of the Year
Golf Manitoba is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2023 Female and Male Amateur Golfer of the Year Awards.
This year’s female and male award finalists were chosen by the selection committee of Clayton Dreger of Golden West Radio, Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Free Press as well as former Golf Manitoba Junior and Amateur Champions Jill Hardy and Adam Speirs.
The winners will be announced at the Golf Manitoba Awards presented by AVID GOLF on Wednesday, October 25, 2023 at the Glendale Golf & Country Country Club.
The 2023 Female Amateur Golf of the Year Finalists are Addison Kartusch, Cala Korman, Jeri Lafleche and Rhonda Orr.
Kartusch, 17, from Winnipeg, won the Manitoba Match Play Championship presented by St. Vital Dental Centre and the Women’s City & District Championship. She finished second in the Junior Division of the Elmhurst Invitational, third at the Golf Canada NextGen Prairie Championship and fourth in the Junior Girls Championship presented by the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation. The St. Charles Country Club member also placed seventh in the Diamond Athletic Women’s Amateur Championship, 31st in the Juvenile Division of the Canadian Junior Girls Championship and T42 in the Canadian Junior Girls Championship.
Korman, 18, from Killarney, won the Golf Canada NextGen Prairie Championship at the Evergreen Golf Course in Nipawin, Saskatchewan. She finished second in the Diamond Athletic Women’s Amateur Championship and third in the Junior Girls Championship presented by the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation. The Golf Manitoba Public Player member also placed T35 on the leaderboard at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship and 78th at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship.
Lafleche, 16, from Winnipeg, won the Diamond Athletic Women’s Amateur Championship, finished second at the Junior Girls Championship presented by the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation, third in the Junior Girls Division at the Elmhurst Invitational and was a semi finalist in the Championship Flight of the Manitoba Match Play Championship presented by St. Vital Dental Centre. The Clear Lake Golf Course member also completed the Canadian Junior Girls Championship T32 on the leaderboard in the Juvenile Division and T46 in the overall championship.
Orr, 62, from Winnipeg, won the Hodson Financial Women’s Senior Championship and Super Senior Championship. She finished third in the Mid-Amateur Championship of the Diamond Athletic Women’s Amateur Championship, 4th in the B.C. Women’s Senior Championship, T7 at the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship and ninth at the Diamond Athletic Women’s Amateur Championship. The Southwood Golf & Country Club member also qualified for the U.S. Senior Women’s Open.
The Golf Manitoba Awards selection committee would also like to recognize Charmaine Hayden (2nd place at the Mid-Amateur Championship of the Diamond Athletic Women’s Amateur Championship and 3rd place at the Women’s City & District) and Crystal Zamzow (Champion of the Junior Girls Championship presented by the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation and Champion of the Junior Girls Division at the Elmhurst Invitational) on their accomplishments during the 2023 season.
The 2023 Male Amateur Golfer of the Year finalists are Jay Doyle, Todd Fanning, Braxton Kuntz and Marco Trstenjak.
Doyle, 56, from Winnipeg, won the Hodson Financial Senior Men’s Championship and finished sixth in the Mid-Masters Championship of the Diamond Athletic Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship. The Niakwa Country Club member also placed T20 on the leaderboard at the Diamond Athletic Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship and T48 at the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship.
Fanning, 55, from Winnipeg, finished second in both the Hodson Financial Senior Men’s Championship and the Diamond Athletic Men’s Mid-Masters Championship. The Niakwa Country Club member placed third at the Nott Autocorp Men’s Amateur Championship, T8 at the Diamond Athletic Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship and T12 at the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship.
Kuntz, 19, from Winnipeg, won the Manitoba Match Play Championship presented by St. Vital Dental Centre and the Nott Autocorp Men’s Amateur Championship. South of the border he placed fourth in the Gulf Coast Collegiate Championship, T6 at the Colin Montgomerie Invitational and T7 at the Tunica National Intercollegiate Championship. The Breezy Bend Country Club member was also T8 at the Elmhurst Invitational and T9 at the Glencoe Invitational.
Trstenjak, 23, from Winnipeg, won the Elmhurst Invitational. He finished 2nd in the Manitoba Match Play Championship presented by St. Vital Dental Centre and finished seventh at the Nott Autocorp Men’s Amateur Championship. The Elmhurst Golf & Country Club member also place T45 on the leaderboard at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.
The Golf Manitoba Awards selection committee would also like to recognize Curtis Markusson (Mid-Masters Champion at the Diamond Athletic Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship) and Patrick Perrin (Diamond Athletic Men’s Mid-Amateur Champion) for their play during the 2023 season.
Tickets are available for purchase until 5pm on Friday, October 20th by contacting Golf Manitoba at (204) 925-5730 or by email at info@golfmb.ca.
Tickets are $25 per person, appetizers and food stations included.
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.
Past Amateur Golfer of the Year recipients >>
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:
Brian Munz
Director of Communications
Golf Manitoba
(204) 899-1092
brian@golfmb.ca