It was another special night at Niakwa Country Club as the golf community gathered to celebrate the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame Class of 2021.
The festivities had been on hold due to COVID, however those in attendance were honoured and welcomed with open arms.
The 2021 Class included Donna Brownridge, Derrick Chlopecki, Gerald Morrissey, and the 1991 Manitoba Junior Girls Interprovincial Team Champions.
In the Athlete category, Brownridge finished 3rd in the Manitoba Amateur in 2001 and qualified for the interprovincial Women’s Amateur Team in 2001 (alternate), 2002 and 2003. She qualified for the Western Amateur Team in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 while also qualifying for the Manitoba Women’s Senior Team in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2012. In 2003, Team Manitoba finished in 3rd place. Brownridge was a member of the winning Nassau League team representing Elmhurst G & CC in 1986, 1987, 1999, 2006, 2007, 2014 and 2014. She was a member of the winning team in the Manitoba Ladies Interclub Championship representing Elmhurst G & CC in 1976, 1979, 1986, 1987, 1989, and 1990. Her resume includes twice winning the Tamarack women’s match play along with twice winning the Elmhurst Club Championship and won the Elmhurst Ladies’ Open.
In addition to her playing record, Donna had a long history of club volunteerism acting as captain of the Elmhurst Ladies Nassau Team from 2003-2006 and 2011-2013. She was also the Nassau League President in 2014-15. Brownridge also served for 12 years on the Elmhurst Board of Governors and become the first (and only) female president in the club’s 114-year history (as of April 2020). Brownridge was also the researcher and author of the golf history book “Elmhurst – The Home of Champions” that was completed in 2014.
Donna Brownridge passed away on December 18, 2020.
In the Builders Catagory, Chlopecki started his career in the golf industry in 1987 as the Equipment Technician at the Rossmere Country Club. In 1991 he assumed the role of Superintendent. Derrick was hired in 1993 as Superintendent at the Pine Ridge Golf Club, a position that he still holds to this day. During his 29 years at Pine Ridge, Derrick has consistently delivered exceptional course conditions for its membership and has hosted numerous club, provincial, national and professional events including an impressive 22 years as the host Superintendent of the Manitoba Open. Derrick has been the host Superintendent 23% of all Manitoba Opens hosted in the events 100+ year history.
Chlopecki, a long-time member of the Manitoba Golf Superintendents’ Association, was named Superintendent of the Year by his peers in 2017.
Morrissey joins the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame in the Athletes Category following his time as the head golf professional at the Rossmere Country Club from 1958 to 1991. “Moose” as his peers would call him, lived his 34-year golf career by playing and promoting the sport to which he devoted so much to. During his tenure, he amassed an impressive playing record including two-time PGA of Manitoba Zone Senior Champion, 4-time Kenora Open champion, 3-time Falcon Beach Open champion, 2-time Pine Falls Open champion, 2 Brandon Western Open Championships, won the PGA of Canada Team Pro-am at Disney World in Florida, 3 top-ten finishes in the Manitoba Open in addition to numerous PGA of Manitoba Zone events and pro-am victories. In 1991, he was awarded the PGA of Manitoba Zone Club Professional Award.
Morrisey was also an avid promoter of the sport where he taught golf lessons at the Y.M.C.A, and local schools. He also organized indoor golf lessons and numerous golf tours and trips for his members and students to within Canada, the South Pacific, Europe and Australia and New Zealand.
A 62-year member of the PGA of Canada, Morrissey served as the president of the PGA of Manitoba Zone in 1967-68, was a member of the Board of Directors for the PGA of Canada from 1966-68 and was vice-captain of the PGA of Canada in 1968. In 1997 and at the PGA of Canada Annual Meeting, he was awarded Life Membership status.
The 1991 Manitoba Junior Girls Interprovincial Team of Raina Best, Brionie Brown, Angela Daykin and Christine Power entered the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame in the Team Catagory.
They finished in first place, on home soil, by shooting a 36-hole team score of 500 and six shots clear of second place Team Alberta (506). The team championship was conducted during the first two days of 1991 Canadian Junior Girls Championship that was held August 21-24 at the Pine Ridge Golf Club in Sunnyside, Manitoba.
To view the photo gallery from the 2021 induction ceremony, please click here.
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.