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Golf in 2020: Looking back on a year you’ll never forget

TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley

The COVID-19 pandemic has infected millions and killed hundreds of thousands around the world. Almost without exception, everyone was affected in some way. Its effects extended beyond the physical toll, causing emotional, psychological and economic impact. We were hard-pressed to find ways to stay positive and active. Many turned to golf as an outlet, even therapy of sorts.

“What an incredibly strange and challenging year,” Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum said in an interview with The Canadian Press. “Golf has been a silver lining, a bright light, call it what you may, in giving people a bit of a break from the pandemic.”

Record rounds were registered across the country consistently throughout the year, played under strict precautionary COVID-19 protocols.

 

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While participation grew across the country, most tournaments and social gatherings at golf clubs were cancelled or postponed, including the RBC Canadian Open and the CP Women’s Open. The Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada cancelled its season. All Golf Canada’s national championships and many provincial association tournaments were shelved.

“We’re going to look back on 2020 and say, ‘amongst all the challenges, amongst a lot of really difficult situations for so many people, golf was a bright light that we built from,’” Applebaum said.

For example, the COVID-19 Golf Relief Fund initiated by Golf Canada and the Canadian Golf Foundation raised more than $400,000. The fund subsidizes non-medical personal protective equipment for golf course employees as well as sanitization, hygiene and protective material expenses. It also subsidizes rounds of golf for front-line workers as well as juniors.

What follows are some of the top golf-related stories from 2020, a very different year. These are just some of the headlines. Details on these stories and many others are available under News on the Golf Canada website.

January

The new World Handicap System came into effect with the goal of making the game more enjoyable by providing a consistent means of measuring performance and progress and to enable golfers of differing abilities to compete or play a casual round with anyone else on a fair and equal basis.

Jared du Toit, a member of Golf Canada’s Young Pro Squad, won the PGA TOUR Latinoamerica Qualifying Tournament Mexico.

Grace McCann of Windsor, Ont., a past president of the former Canadian Ladies’ Golf Association, passed away at the age of 85.

The Golf Journalists Association of Canada named Brooke Henderson (female professional), Corey Conners (male professional), Garrett Rank (male amateur) and Brigitte Thibault (female amateur) as players of the year for 2019.

February

Charlie Beaulieu of Lorraine, Que., was elected for a second term at Golf Canada’s annual meeting. Liz Hoffman of Thornhill, Ont., and Dale Jackson of Victoria remain as first and second vice-president respectively. Bill MacMillan of Eastern Passage, N.S., received the Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year Award. Volunteer Richard Smith of Regina and golf journalist Ian Hutchison of Newmarket, Ont., received Golf Canada’s Distinguished Service Award.

Celeste Dao of Notre-Dame-de-L’lle-Perrot, Que., a graduate of Team Canada’s National Junior Squad, won the NCAA’s Gold Rush tournament in California.

Golf Canada named the 2020 Young Pro Squads: Hugo Bernard, Jared du Toit, Stuart Macdonald, Taylor Pendrith, Chris Crisologo and Joey Savoie for the men and Jaclyn Lee, Brittany Marchand and Maddie Szeryk for the women.

 

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March

As the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic enveloped not only Canada but the world, governments ordered the shutdown of non-essential businesses, which in most provinces included golf courses.

The Summer Olympics, scheduled to begin in July in Tokyo, are postponed until 2021 due to the pandemic. They will still be called the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, however.

April

Canadian Scott Pritchard, previously vice-president of the Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada, is promoted to executive director.

May

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, most golf courses across Canada did not open on schedule this spring. Although those in British Columbia were never ordered to close, those in other provinces were shuttered until they were allowed to open when stringent anti-COVID safeguards were in place. New Brunswick courses opened April 24 with the balance of the provinces following suit throughout the month of May.

Golf Canada announced the formation of the Golf Industry Advisory Council, a volunteer group of experienced professionals to support Golf Canada’s Board of Directors and management team. The council will include course owners, operators, general managers, superintendents and professionals as well as executives from the golf equipment, apparel and footwear industry.

Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame announced Lorie Kane of Charlottetown was among six athletes and five builders who will receive the Order of Sports award, Canada’s highest sporting honour.

The Prince Edward Island Golf Association named Alison Griffin as its new executive director.

The PGA TOUR announced that it would resume without spectators in June. The Tour had suspended play since The Players Championship was cancelled in March.

June

Despite months of planning, the celebration of the 125th anniversary of the founding of Golf Canada on June 6, 1895, also fell victim to the pandemic. Nevertheless, the historic occasion was commemorated virtually with pivotal moments in Canadian golf being recalled on social media platforms using the hashtag #GolfCanada125.

Golf Canada announces that St. George’s Golf and Country Club will play host to the 2021 RBC Canadian Open. The 2020 championship, scheduled for St. George’s, was cancelled due to the pandemic.

July

Team Canada’s Brigitte Thibault of Rosemere, Que., won the Women’s Western Amateur in Illinois.

The LPGA Tour announced it would resume July 31 without spectators after having suspended play in February.

August

Golf Canada and Canadian Pacific announced that Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club will play host to the 2022 CP Women’s Open.

 

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The Golf Canada Women in Coaching Program, a partnership between Golf Canada and the PGA of Canada with the goal of putting the sport on the path to further balance between the sexes at a high level, was announced.

The new and free Golf Canada app was launched, allowing golfers nationwide to record and track their scores, trace where they have played and provide detailed game statistics as a game improvement tool.

The PGA TOUR announced that the 2024 Presidents Cup will return to The Royal Montreal Golf Club. The event, which pits the top male pros from the U.S. against the best from the rest of the world (except Britain and Europe), was held there in 2007.

Golf Canada and U.S.-based First Tee announced the launch of First Tee-Canada. The partnership will bring First Tee’s youth development emphasis to strengthen Golf Canada’s junior golf activities —previously conducted under the Future Links brand — that reach kids in schools and at golf facilities. The innovative First Tee curriculum will focus on empowering young people to build strength of character through the game of golf.

 

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September

The third annual CP Women’s Leadership Summit, held virtually due to the pandemic, provided inspiring stories and a networking opportunity along with accepting donations for the B.C. Children’s Hospital Foundation. Hosted by TSN anchor Lindsay Hamilton, speakers included golfers Lorie Kane and Brooke Henderson, Olympians Marnie McBean and Perdita Felicien and other prominent women in leadership positions. “It was a success story for us,” said Mary Beth McKenna, assistant RBC Canadian Open tournament director who has co-led the event since it began.

The Golf Journalists Association of Canada announced that Kim Locke of Toronto, founder and president of SCOREGolf, was the 2020 recipient of the Dick Grimm Award. The association’s highest honour is awarded in memory of the late Richard Grimm whose legendary service to the RBC Canadian Open and the Canadian golf industry remains unparalleled.

Laurent Desmarchais of Bromont, Que., a member of Team Canada’s junior squad, went wire-to-wire to win the season-ending Canada Life Series Championship at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley.

October

PGA TOUR Champions rookie Mike Weir of Bright’s Grove, Ont., had victory in sight leading by three strokes heading into the final round of the Dominion Energy Charity Classic in Virginia but fellow rookie Phil Mickelson denied him the win. It was Weir’s third top-10 finish in eight starts on the tour.

PGA of Canada member Jennifer Greggain of Chilliwack, B.C., was named coach of the National Junior Squads by Golf Canada, working with head coach Robert Ratliffe.

Findlay Young of Prince George, B.C., a former Golf Canada president and honourary life governor, passed away at the age of 92.

November

Twenty-nine athletes, male and female, were named by Golf Canada to represent Team Canada as part of the 2021 national Amateur and Junior Squads. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all athletes from the 2020 squad were able to return in 2021, provided they met team eligibility criteria.

Aaron Cockerill of Stone Mountain, Man., finished T4 at the JoBurg Open in South Africa, his best career finish on the European Tour.

The Economic Impact of Golf in Canada (2019) report, conducted on behalf of the national Allied Golf Associations (We Are Golf), was released. Among its findings were that the Canadian golf industry generated $18.2 billion in economic benefits, employs the equivalent of nearly 249,000 people through direct and spin-off effects and contributed to $10.6 billion in household income.

Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., finished in a tie for 10th at the Masters, which was postponed from its traditional April date due to the pandemic. That finish guaranteed him a spot in the 2021 Masters.

 

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Golf Genius Software, the leading worldwide provider of tournament management solutions, announced that Golf Canada and the provincial golf associations will begin using Golf Genius Tournament Management for their competitions in 2021.

So while what lies ahead for 2021 remains unclear, we can only hope that when we compile next year’s “Year in Review,” life as we know it will have returned to a semblance of normality, on the course and off.

Thoughtful holiday gifts for the golfer in your life

Golf gifts for the holidays

Anyone who knows me knows I love Christmas. Heck, I even own a Santa suit and still think my grandson believes I’m the real thing when I show up at his house on Christmas morning.

So, as you read on, please don’t label me the Golfing Grinch.

With that disclaimer, and I am sure I speak on behalf of avid golfers everywhere, spare us the trinkets and trash when buying a gift for us this year.

I don’t want another plastic clicker to count my strokes or a gopher headcover or a tee shaped like a martini glass or … You get the picture.

Actually, I didn’t know what I wanted until I read a tweet from Listowel Golf Club. “Merry Golfmas!” I shouted.

“Golf clubs have the answer to the eternal question of what to buy the golfer,” says the tweet’s author, Brenden Parsons. Parsons, the club’s director of operations, says your local golf facility most likely offers a variety of gift options that will make for a very special Christmas for the golfer on your list — or yourself.

Here are a few examples. Check with your local golf facility to see what they offer.

Online Shopping

Listowel GC offers an online store featuring gift cards of various denominations, golf clubs, footwear and apparel. One unique option is the Christmas Date Night Box which, depending on which level you select, offers a variety of appetizers and even wine. Share it with your partner or even arrange a Zoom party where everyone enjoys their own “Date Night” selection at home. Call it a virtual office Christmas party. “Our food and beverage team came up with the concept,” says Parsons. “It somewhat offsets the fact that there will be no Christmas or New Year’s parties this year.”

Visit the Golf Canada online shop to select logoed gear ranging from apparel, footwear, bags and balls to mementoes of the association’s 125th Many items are discounted for holiday shopping.

There’s a selection of top-level golf garb in FootJoy’s online Holiday Gift Guide and a dozen personalized Titleist balls is a perfect stocking stuffer.

Check out your provincial association’s website for golfy gifts. For example, a couple offer 2-for-1 cards for green fees and Golf Ontario hosts a “12 Days of Christmas” auction. Worth a look!

Gift Cards

The ubiquitous gift card is put to good use by many golf clubs. The options range from cash value redeemable at the course to paying part or all of a membership and/or a cart package, packs of green fees, lessons, club fittings and other services. “This reinforces the value of the club professional,” says Adam Frederick, communications manager for the PGA of Canada. “They are great retailers and experts in instruction and club fitting. This is especially important if you are looking for a gift for a new or junior golfer. Get them started on the right track.”

Donations

Make a donation to the Golf Canada Foundation in the name of the gift’s recipient. The Foundation, a registered Canadian Amateur Athletic Association, raises and grants funds for the advancement of golf in Canada in five main areas: junior golf, collegiate golf, women’s golf, high-performance golf and heritage.

Members at Cataraqui Golf and Country Club in Kingston, Ont., get a chance at an additional 20 per cent off their holiday purchase if they drop off a non-perishable food item at the pro shop.

Lessons

If you live in the Greater Toronto Region, how about a gift certificate for a one- or two-hour fitting session at the Titleist National Fitting Centre located at Eagle’s Nest Golf Club? (Call 905-553-8555 for details.) Specialty shops like Modern Golf, TXG, GolfTEC and others offer winter specials for club fittings, lessons and more.

Ladies’ Golf Club of Toronto offers a variety of services including a holiday cooking class and their own label honey and chutney. Glencoe Golf and Country Club in Calgary has an online holiday marketplace.

Aside from providing great value, patronizing your golf club helps support the industry which, like us all, has suffered due to the economic downturn caused by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Another aspect of giving a gift certificate for future golf-related activities or purchases is that it provides a much-needed sense of optimism for a 2021 golf season full of promise, good health and lots of time outside on the course.

Merry Golfmas!

Golf Manitoba Alumni

Cockerill closes out South African Open in a tie for 18th

Aaron Cockerill
Aaron Cockerill (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

SUN CITY, South Africa — Christiaan Bezuidenhout won a second straight tournament on the European Tour when he finished with a 69 for 18 under par overall and a convincing five-shot victory at the South African Open on Sunday.

The 26-year-old South African became the first player since Justin Rose in 2017 to win European Tour events on consecutive weeks. Bezuidenhout won the Alfred Dunhill Championship, also in South Africa, last weekend and now has three career tour titles.

Bezuidenhout took a five-shot lead into the final round at Gary Player Country Club at the Sun City resort and maintained that advantage over Jamie Donaldson of Wales, who also closed with a 69. Dylan Frittelli of South Africa (71) was third on 11 under.

Canadian Aaron Cockerill of Stony Mountain, Man., was in the hunt after firing a 68 on Friday, but shot 72 on Saturday and followed that up with Sunday’s 74 to tie for 18th at 3 under.

After starting with a run of pars, Bezuidenhout made bogey at No. 8. But he recovered with three straight birdies after the turn and had four birdies in all on the back nine to consolidate his lead.

“It’s any South African golfer’s dream to win his national open,” Bezuidenhout said. “It’s unreal.”

His story is something of an inspiration after he nearly died as a child because of an accidental poisoning. That incident led him to be prescribed medication to help with anxiety and a stutter but the medication resulted in a doping ban when he was an amateur. The two-year ban in 2014 was later reduced to nine months.

Sunday’s victory took Bezuidenhout up to fifth in the Race to Dubai money list rankings ahead of the season-ending World Tour Championship in Dubai starting on Thursday. Patrick Reed of the United States leads the season standings ahead of Tommy Fleetwood, Collin Morikawa, Lee Westwood and Bezuidenhout.

Inside Golf Manitoba

Happy Holidays from Golf Manitoba

The entire staff at Golf Manitoba hopes you enjoy a safe and happy holiday season and we extend our best wishes for the New Year.

Please be advised of our hours of operation for Golf Manitoba during the holidays.

Hours of Operation 

Closed beginning Wednesday, December 23, 2020 and will reopen at 9 a.m. on Monday January 4, 2021.

Inside Golf Manitoba

Golf Manitoba Announces New Hires in Provincial Coaching

Golf Manitoba is pleased to announce the hires of Bri-ann Tokariwski as the Head Coach for the Junior Women’s Development Program and Derrik Goodwin as Head Coach for the Junior Men’s Development Program.

As development team coaches, Tokariwski and Goodwin will lead Golf Manitoba in the skill development of Manitoba’s top and aspiring junior golfers. Both will take on a number of responsibilities including designing and administering a provincial development program, providing ongoing coaching support to targeted athletes on the competitive pathway, coaching at regional, provincial and national competitions and collaborating with allied partners to support enhanced excellence.

Tokariwski joins Golf Manitoba as the organization’s first female development head coach and is no stranger to coaching and high-performance golf.  An alumni of the Golf Manitoba junior development program, Tokariwski has won eleven Golf Manitoba titles including three women’s amateur championships, a junior championship and represented the province ten times on six amateur and four junior women’s interprovincial teams. She was also the head coach of the University of Manitoba Bison women’s golf program from 2016-19. For the past three years, she assisted Golf Manitoba with its junior women’s development program and was head coach of Team Manitoba in the women’s golf competition at the 2019 Western Canada Summer Games.

This past summer, Bri-ann was accepted into the Golf Canada Women in Coaching Program, an initiative designed to provide PGA of Canada women professionals with the tools necessary to coach at the highest levels. Bri-ann is a PGA of Canada assistant professional at the Elmhurst Golf & Country Club and was recently recognized as the 2020 PGA of Canada Manitoba Zone Apprentice of the Year.

“I am very honoured and excited to be the Junior Girl’s Development Coach. I have watched so many fantastic juniors go through this program and I am excited to work with the next generation of golfers in the province,” said Tokariwski. “It is really special to have been apart of the first group that went through this program as a junior and know how much this program means to the members of the team. I truly believe that programs like these can show young girls that they not only can make golf a lifelong sport, but they can excel at anything they put their minds to. Garth created such an inspiring and strong program that has grown the game, I know I have some big shoes to fill!”

Derrik Goodwin also brings with him an extensive background in coaching and high-performance golf.  The 2016 and 2018 PGA of Canada Manitoba Zone Player of the Year is entering his fifth year of coaching, two as head coach, with the University of Bison men’s golf program. He is an associate golf professional at the St. Charles Country Club and was recently recognized as a four-time award recipient by the PGA of Canada Manitoba Zone as 2020 Teacher of the Year, Junior Leader of the Year, Class A Professional of the Year and the Professional Development Award.

“I am extremely excited to have the opportunity to grow the sport of golf on a provincial level,” said Derrik Goodwin. I admire the things Garth Goodbrandson has done for athlete development and look forward to the challenge of growing this program even further.”

“Both Bri-ann and Derrik have a tremendous energy and enthusiasm for junior golf and coaching and we are thrilled to have them lead our junior development teams,” said Jared Ladobruk, Executive Director of Golf Manitoba. “We are excited about the leadership and expertise they bring as our association strives to provide opportunities for excellence for Manitoba’s top and aspiring young golfers.”

 

About Golf Manitoba – Golf Manitoba is provincial sport organization (PSO) for amateur golf in Manitoba. Its mission is to develop, promote, govern and service the sport of golf in Manitoba and Northwest Ontario for the benefit of all participants.

For more information:

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

Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame

Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame Announces Class of 2020

1967 Manitoba Junior Men's Team

WINNIPEG – The selection committee for the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame and Museum is pleased to announce the class of 2020. This year’s honoured inductees include Brian Gilhuly, Tom Kinsman, Rhonda Orr and the 1967 Manitoba Junior Boys Canadian Inter-provincial Team Champions.

Brian Gilhuly, 1940-2017 (Builder)

  • Selkirk Golf & Country Club member of the Board of Directors (1960-1974 & 1986-2017)
  • Selkirk Golf & Country Club Treasurer (1988-2017)
  • Golf Manitoba volunteer from 1980 to 2017
  • Golf Manitoba member of the Board of Directors (1989-2010)
  • Finance Chair for Golf Manitoba (1980-2005)
  • Golf Manitoba Course Rater (1991-2017)
  • Golf Manitoba Handicap & Course Rating Chair (2001-2017)
  • Rated over 300 golf courses in Manitoba and Northwest Ontario
  • Bequeathed over $100,000 to the Selkirk Golf & Country Club
  • Donated over $100,000 to the Golf Manitoba Scholarship Fund

Tom Kinsman (Builder)

  • PGA of Canada head professional at the Southwood Golf & Country Club 1991-2018
  • PGA of Manitoba Professional of the Year (1995)
  • PGA of Manitoba member of the Board of Directors (1995-2002)
  • PGA of Manitoba President (1998-2000)
  • Four-time PGA of Manitoba Teacher of the Year (1999, 2000, 2004 & 2011)
  • Won six PGA zone professional titles
  • Players coached won 39 provincial championships and 4 national championships

Rhonda Orr (Athlete)

  • Seven-time Manitoba senior women’s champion (2013-14, 2016-20)
  • Seven-time Manitoba senior women’s interprovincial team member (2013-19)
  • Qualified for the USGA Senior Women’s Championship (2016, 2018 & 2019) making it to the round of 32 in 2019
  • Seven top-20 finishes in the Canadian Senior Women’s Championship (T13 – 2013, T19 – 2014, 8th – 2015, T4th – 2016, T13 2017, T18 – 2018, T11th – 2019)
  • Three-time Golf Manitoba Female Amateur Golfer of the Year award winner (2016, 2018 & 2019)

1967 Manitoba Junior Boys Canadian Inter-provincial Team Champions

  • Steve Bannatyne – Winnipeg, MB
  • Manfred Broavac – Port Arthur, ON
  • Dave Hill – Winnipeg, MB
  • Kenneth Redfern – Winnipeg, MB
  • Dr. Dwight Parkinson – Winnipeg, MB (non-playing captain)

Feature image above (left to right): Manfred Broavac, Steve Bannatyne, Kenneth Redfern, Dave Hill, Dr. Dwight Parkinson (non-playing captain)

The 1967 Manitoba Junior Men’s Interprovincial team finished in 1st place shooting a 36-hole team score of 619 and seven shots ahead of second place Team British Columbia (626).  The team championship was conducted during the first two days of 1967 Canadian Junior Men’s Championship that was held August 21-24 at the Toronto Golf Club in Toronto, Ontario.

An Induction Ceremony for the 2020 Class will be held when it is safe to do so and a further announcement will be made when a date is selected.

About the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame & Museum Inc. – The Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame & Museum Inc. was formed to acknowledge the contributions and accomplishments made by Manitobans as competitors, both amateur and professional, builders and course superintendents to the game of golf.  It is a tripartite organization, the partners being Golf Manitoba, Manitoba Golf Superintendents’ Association and the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) of Manitoba. The annual induction ceremony is sponsored by the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation.

Individual members and member clubs wishing to nominate an individual (amateur or professional golfers, superintendents, builders, media, etc.) for the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame may obtain nomination forms through any of the three member organizations or at manitobagolfhalloffame.com.

Support Local and Give the Gift of Golf this Holiday Season

Red Christmas decoration between the white golf balls

Christmas shopping will certainly be different this year, but it’s also an opportunity to think about new ways to give the gifts of the season. For those with a golfer on their list, below are a number of ways to be creative and put something special under the tree while supporting the local golf economy too.

Gift cards

Consider purchasing a gift card for a family member, friend or even for yourself! Many public and semi-private golf courses offer gift cards or pre-paid multi-game packs available by calling or emailing the pro shop. Check out our member club directory for a listing of golf courses in your region.

Lessons

Could the golfer on your list benefit from a lesson or two or a spring tune-up? If so, consider contacting your local PGA of Canada professional to purchase a lesson, lesson package or even lessons for the whole family! With some of the best instructors in the country located right here in Manitoba, pre-paid lessons are a great gift idea and helps to support your pro during the off-season.  Click here for the local PGA of Canada pro directory.

Gear & tech

Nothing brings more joy to the avid golfer than unwrapping a dozen of the latest and greatest golf balls, new kicks or the hottest golf gadet. Many local pro-shops carry a great selection of stock during the off-season and have access to supplier inventories to help you find the perfect gift for your golfer. Contact your local pro or favourite club and find out what products and services they are providing and if they offer curb-side pick-up or delivery.

Golf Manitoba/Canada membership

The Golf Manitoba/Canada membership is a must-have for every Canadian golfer. From annual equipment protection coverage, keeping an official handicap index and exclusive access to special offers and discounts, members enjoy the following suite of game-enhancing benefits:

  • Incident protection of up $6,000 in total annual coverage for damaged, lost or stolen golf equipment and golf cart and window damage coverage
  • An Official Golf Canada Handicap Index through the NEW World Handicap System
  • Access the Golf Canada Score Centre to post scores and track golf stats
  • Golf Canada App that includes GPS distances for over 1,400 courses in Canada
  • Exclusive offers on event tickets & merchandise
  • Exclusive offers from Golf Canada, Levelwear, AVIS and Hilton
  • Golf benefits with RBC Insurance for home and auto
  • Free access to online rules education access
  • Membership dues are reinvested into Grow the Game programs such as Golf in Schools, mobile clinics and junior development teams

For more information on the Golf Manitoba/Golf Canada membership and to purchase, please visit join.golfcanada.ca. You can also contact the Golf Manitoba office HERE.

Inside Golf Manitoba

Golf Manitoba Announces the Retirement of Garth Goodbrandson

Winnipeg, MB – After 23 years with Golf Manitoba, Garth Goodbrandson will retire as the Director of Player Development at the end of 2020.

Goodbrandson first began his career with Golf Manitoba in 1997 after 16 years as a PGA of Canada club professional. The move into coaching and leadership as the Director of Player Development for Golf Manitoba made him the first full time coach hired by any provincial golf association.

During his tenure with Golf Manitoba, Garth introduced thousands of young people to the sport of golf through golf in schools and rural instruction programs. In addition to grassroots programming, Garth became one of the top high-performance golf coaches in the country with many of his athletes achieving success at the junior, collegiate, amateur, and professional levels.

Photo: Bison Sports

In 1999, Goodbrandson, along with co-founder Derek Ingram, had a vision to expand high-performance golf opportunities by establishing the University of Manitoba golf program. Since the program’s inception, Goodbrandson has coached every Bison team until his retirement in the fall of 2019.  During his 20-year career with the Bisons, Goodbrandson’s teams amassed over 30 wins with the most notable coming in 2014 when the men’s team won the Canadian University & College Championship.  In recognition for winning the national championship, Goodbrandson was named Canadian University Golf Coach of the Year in 2014 and received the City of Winnipeg Outstanding Achievement Award in the same year.  The golf team was names as a finalist for the 2014 Manitoba Sportswriter/Sportscaster Team of the Year.

Throughout his career, Goodbrandson has been recognized by his peers and numerous golf and sports associations for his dedication and commitment to coaching. Some notable highlights include being inducted to the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame in 2016, awarded the PGA of Manitoba Coach of the Year in 2017, 2018 and 2019 and most recently, he was honored as the

Sport Manitoba Male Coach of the Year in the spring of 2020.

“As the long-time coach of Golf Manitoba’s Development programs, Garth was a leader and pioneer in many areas.  Passion, dedication and care went into every program he developed but he was also extremely successful at the provincial and national level,” said Derek Ingram, Golf Canada Men’s National Amateur and Olympic Team Coach when reflecting on his fellow professional and long-time friend.

“Garth is an expert coach and has one of the best records over a long career, consistently punching above the provinces weight class. A lot of provincial and even national programs that exist now are an offshoot of Garth’s Golf Manitoba programs that he crafted. More important than his record, Garth is of the highest character, caring, thoughtful and loved by students, coaches, professionals and industry leaders alike.”

Goodbrandson, in addition to providing support for the introductory to elite level players, has coached over 20 provincial teams at national events since 1998 and has been instrumental in establishing ongoing development programs for Canada, Western Canada and Manitoba Summer Games golf teams in the province.  He was a member of the Golf Canada Coaching Team from 2004 through 2007 and the Tournament Director with the Maple leaf Junior Tour from 2004-2020.

“Garth’s contributions to golfers in Manitoba are unmatched and we are thankful to have had him on our team for the past 23 years,” Golf Manitoba President Ken Warwick said, “He will be greatly missed.”

Garth Goodbrandson

Resume:

  • PGA of Canada Class “A” Professional since 1982
  • PGA of Canada Level IV Teaching & Coaching Certification
  • Director of Player Development for Golf Manitoba 1997-2020
  • Co-founder and head coach of the University of Manitoba Golf Team 1999-2019
  • Bison Men won 2014 Canadian University Championship
  • Bison Men named as finalist for the 2014 Manitoba Sportswriter/Sportscaster Team of the Year
  • Member of the Golf Canada Provincial Coaching Staff 2004-2007
  • Trained in the PGA of Canada NCCP New Competitive Development Program in 2009
  • PGA of Canada Coach of Developing Competitors certification in 2013
  • Head Coach for Team Manitoba at the Canada Summer Games 2009, 2013 & 2017
  • Coached at the Manitoba Summer Games in 2012 and 2016
  • Head Coach for Team Manitoba Western Canada Summer Games 2011, 2015 & 2019

Recognition & Industry Awards:

  • PGA of Canada Junior Leader of the Year in 1999
  • PGA of Manitoba Junior Leader of the Year in 1999 & 2000
  • Nominated for 2006 Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Instructors in North America
  • Named on the National Post’s top 50 teachers in Canada in 2007
  • Received City of Winnipeg Outstanding Achievement Award in 2014
  • Received the 2014 PGA of Manitoba Professional Development Award
  • University of Manitoba 2012/13 Coach of the Year
  • Golf Canada’s 2014 Award for the Canadian University Male Coach of the Year
  • Inducted into Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame & Museum in 2016
  • PGA of Manitoba Coach of the Year in 2017, 2018 and 2019
  • Recipient of the University of Manitoba Pat Gill Legacy Award in 2019
  • Recipient Sport Manitoba Janet Arnott Memorial Train to Train Award in 2020
  • Sport Manitoba Male Coach of the Year Award in 2020

“Golf Manitoba owes a debt of gratitude to Garth for all he has done for our association and our golf community,” Golf Manitoba Executive Director Jared Ladobruk said. “Throughout his career, Garth has shown an incredible passion for coaching and has created many wonderful opportunities for young Manitoba golfers. He is a gentleman, a consummate professional and has been a tremendous ambassador of our association and of golf over the years. We are sad to see him move on but at the same time extremely happy for him as he begins this new adventure.”

 

About Golf Manitoba – Golf Manitoba is provincial sport organization (PSO) for amateur golf in Manitoba. Its mission is to develop, promote, govern and service the sport of golf in Manitoba and Northwest Ontario for the benefit of all participants.

For more information:

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

Golf Manitoba Alumni

Cockerill posts career best finish at Joburg Open

Aaron Cockerill
Aaron Cockerill (Photo by Luke Walker/Getty Images)

JOHANNESBURG – Canadian Adam Cockerill has posted a career-best fourth-place finish on the European tour.

Cockerill, from Stone Mountain, Man., ended with a 68 for 13-under at the Joburg Open on Sunday, tied with South African Brandon Stone and Steve Surry of England.

The trio were six strokes back of winner Joachim B. Hansen.

“Personal best T-4 finish on the European Tour this week,” Cockerill said in a post to his Twitter and Instagram accounts. “Getting closer and closer.”

Currently ranked 118th, the 28-year-old is the only Canadian on the tour.

Hansen of Denmark overturned a three-shot deficit with nine holes remaining to win his first European Tour title Sunday.

Hansen closed with a composed, bogey-free 67 to win on 19 under par, two shots clear of 20-year-old Wilco Nienaber of South Africa. Nienaber carded a final-round 70 and saw his chance at a first tour title slip away with bogeys on his last two holes.

Nienaber took a one-stroke lead into the final round at Randpark Golf Club and extended his advantage to three with three birdies from No. 4.

Hansen birdied Nos. 10, 12 and 14 to get into a tie for the lead before Nienaber bogeyed No. 17 after almost finding the water to the left of the green.

Nienaber then dropped another shot on the last as Hansen saved par from a greenside bunker to seal his victory.

“It was a fun battle out there with Wilco,” Hansen said. “I kept the head calm out there and we stuck to the plan in terms of where we wanted to hit our drives and approaches. I kept pushing. It started slowly but suddenly the birdies came on the back nine.”

Shaun Norris of South Africa was third on 16 under after finishing with a 66.

The Joburg Open returned to the European Tour schedule this year for the first time since 2017. It’s the first of three straight tournaments in South Africa before the season-ending World Tour Championship in Dubai from Dec. 10-13.

Golf Manitoba Alumni

Cockerill tied for 3rd after first round of Joburg Open

Aaron Cockerill
Aaron Cockerill (Photo by Luke Walker/Getty Images)

JOHANNESBURG — South Africans Wilco Nienaber and Shaun Norris both shot an 8-under 63 Thursday to share the first-round lead at the Joburg Open, which made its return to the European Tour schedule for the first time since 2017.

Aaron Cockerill of Stony Mountain, Man., who played his first round bogey-free and made two birdies on his last three. Cockerill ended the day one back of the lead at 7-under 64.

American Johannes Veerman joined Cockerill in a tie for 3rd — both players completed late-afternoon runs at Randpark Golf Club in Johannesburg.

Rhys Enoch, Adilson da Silva, Richard McEvoy, Benjamin Follett-Smith and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano all carded 65s and were another shot back.

On a morning of low scores, Nienaber and Norris both made eagles at the par-5 No. 12. Nienaber also had nine birdies but was held back by three bogeys. Norris made six birdies to go with his eagle and didn’t drop a shot all round.

The 20-year-old Nienaber turned pro last year and his best finish in a tour event is fourth. His power was on show at Randpark as he unleashed a 439-yard drive off the tee on the par-5 No. 4. He nearly picked up a second eagle there as his putt hit the cup but didn’t drop.

Norris is also seeking a first European Tour title, although he’s won twice on the Asian Tour. He put together a strong finish by making five birdies on his last seven holes.

The Joburg Open is the first of three straight European Tour tournaments in South Africa before the season-ending World Tour Championship in Dubai on Dec. 10-13.