Michelle Lee is the sixteenth recipient of the volunteer Distinguished Service Award.

Michelle’s volunteerism with golf first began serving as a district representative with the Manitoba Ladies’ Golf Association. In this role, Michelle would visit and advocate for the MLGA with member clubs inside the district.  She also ran the district “Bronze Tournament” where she met numerous women golfers from around the city.  Michelle remained a volunteer of the MLGA until the amalgamation with the Manitoba Golf Association in 2003.

In 2004, Michelle joined the Board of Golf Manitoba where she completed a full 10-year term. During that time, Michelle was very active taking on numerous volunteer roles including the following:

• 2005 – Present: Starter/Scorer/Pace of Play Official
• 2006 – 2010: Marketing Committee
• 2007 – Chair of Membership Committee
• 2007 – 2008: Volunteer Committee
• 2009 – Chair of the Volunteer committee
• 2010 – Chair of Tournament Committee / Co-chair Medical at CN Canadian Women’s Open
• 2013 – Chair Volunteer Committee / Nominating Committee member
• 2013 – Present: Tournament Committee

Of special note in 2007/2008, Michelle assisted Volunteer Committee Chair Bonnie Stephenson in establishing the inaugural Golf Manitoba volunteer Distinguished Service Award.

In addition to her volunteerism with Golf Manitoba, Michelle also volunteered at St. Charles Country Club, her home course.   She joined the Board of St. Charles where she completed three full terms holding the following appointments:

• Chair of Play & Rules
• Honorary Secretary
• Communications Chair
• Membership Committee member
• LRP Committee
• Member of the Ladies Invitational committee (Rossbrook House)
• Member of the Ladies Mackenzie Gathering committee

Michelle continues to sit as a member of the St. Charles Ladies Executive serving as the Communications Chair.

“I feel that I have gained more than I have given as a volunteer to Golf Manitoba,” said Lee. “It is humbling and amazing to be part of a group of distinguished service recipients who have mentored me in the past and who have trained me, and they have inspired me to continue on as a Golf Manitoba volunteer.  My deepest gratitude for the nomination and I am humbled and honored to receive this award.”

“On behalf of the Board of Directors and our entire Golf Manitoba volunteer family, it is my great pleasure and honour to recognize Michelle Lee of the St. Charles Country Club as the 2021 Distinguished Service Award recipient,” said Wayne McWhirter, President of Golf Manitoba.  “Michelle’s leadership and contributions to the sport of amateur golf during her many years of service are admirable and very worthy of this award.  Thank you, Michelle, for all that you have given.”

Golf Manitoba is very pleased to honour Michelle Lee as the volunteer Distinguished Service Award recipient for 2021.

November 10, 2021 – Golf Manitoba is pleased to announce the Selection Committee has chosen their finalists for the 2021 Female and Male Amateur Golfer of the Year Award.  This year’s female and male award winners, along with our Volunteer of the Year, will be announced virtually on the official Golf Manitoba website (golfmb.ca) as well as the official Golf Manitoba Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages on Wednesday, November 17 at 3pm CST.

The finalists for the 2021 Female Amateur Golfer of the Year are Hannah Diamond (St. Charles Country Club), Rhonda Orr (Southwood Golf & Country Club) and Bobbi Uhl (Shilo Country Club).

Hannah Diamond started the 2021 competitive season with a third place finish in the Diamond Athletic Women’s Amateur Championship and placed second in the Mid-Amateur flight. Diamond then went on to play in the 2021 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship where she cracked the top 10 with an eighth place finish.  The St. Charles Country Club member finished the competitive season by making it the round of eight in the Manitoba Women’s Match Play Championship.

Rhonda Orr began her season with a second place finish at the Women’s City & District Championship.  She then went on to finish second at the Diamond Athletic Women’s Amateur and won the mid-amateur flight.  Orr capped off her provincial competitive season with a win at the Hodson Financial Women’s Senior Championship, her eighth senior title in nine years.  Orr then added a seventh place finish at Canadian Women’s Senior Championship.

Bobbi Uhl had a flawless 2021 provincial competitive season.  She started with a win at the Women’s City & District Championship, her first ever title in the event.  She carried that momentum going on to capture the Diamond Athletic Women’s Amateur Championship.  It was the first provincial women’s amateur title for Uhl and her second straight tournament victory. With the amateur win, Uhl has now won every single Golf Manitoba major women’s event including the Junior Girls, City & District, Match Play and Amateur championships.

Three golfers received honourable mention for their play in 2021.  They include Addison Kartusch of St. Charles Country Club (eighth in the Women’s Amateur and winner of the Women’s Match Play Championship), Cala Korman, Golf Manitoba Public Player (seventh in the City & District Championship, tied for fourth in the Girls Junior Championship, ninth in the Women’s Amateur, T57 in the Canadian Junior Girls Championship and runner-up in the Match Play Championship), and Clara Peake, Golf Manitoba Public Player (Junior Girls Champion, 10^th in the Women’s Amateur and T68 in the Canadian Junior Girls Championship).

The finalists for the 2021 Male Amateur Golfer of the Year are Todd Fanning  (Niakwa Country Club)  Braxton Kuntz (Breezy Bend Country Club) and Ryan Sholdice (Breezy Bend Country Club).

Todd Fanning took home a pair of wins on his home course, Niakwa Country Club, at the Diamond Athletic Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship.  He took top spot in the overall championship four shots clear of the runner up and top honours in the Mid-Masters division (40 and over age division) eight shots clear of second.  The double win was the second time Fanning took home double gold in the Mid-Amateur Championship dating back to his victories in 2017.

Braxton Kuntz was a perfect 2-0 in provincial competition in 2021. He led wire-to-wire at the Junior Boys Championship shooting a three-day total of 219 and good for a three-shot victory.  He carried the momentum from his first junior boys title into the Nott Autocorp Amateur Championship where he posted an impressive 16-under par total winning his first men’s amateur title.  With the win, Kuntz set a new Men’s Amateur scoring record in relation to par and becomes only the 4^th golfer in Manitoba golf history to win both the junior boys and the men’s amateur championships in the same year joining Todd Fanning, Rob McMillan and Mike Keast, who also accomplished the feat.

Ryan Sholdice was no stranger to leaderboard in 2021.  He began his competitive season with a third-place finish at the Diamond Athletic Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship.  He then bested that in second place at the Nott Autocorp Men’s Amateur shooting a four-round total of 15-under par.  The Breezy Bend Country Club member went on to compete at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship and placed T58.

Four golfers received honourable mention for their play in 2021.  They include Ben Bandura of Elmhurst Golf & Country Club (T13 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship and second in Mid-Masters division),  Jay Doyle of Niakwa Country Club (fifth in the Mid-Amateur Championship, 2nd in the Mid-Masters Championship, T17 in the Men’s Amateur, T19 in the Canadian Mid-Amateur and fourth in the Canadian Mid-Masters), Jordy Lutz of Elmhurst Golf & Country Club (second in the Men’s Mid-Amateur, fifth in the Men’s Amateur, T41 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship), and Jack Werhun also of Elmhurst Golf & Country Club  (T7 Men’s Amateur, T18 Men’s Mid-Amateur, 11^th Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship).

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 North West Ontario. Its mission is to develop, promote, govern and service the sport of golf for the benefit of all participants. 

For more information:

Brian Munz
Director Communications
Golf Manitoba
204-925-5729
brian@golfmb.ca

WINNIPEG, MB – Wayne McWhirter has been elected as President of Golf Manitoba by members at the 19^th Golf Manitoba Annual General Meeting that was held virtually on November 3, 2021.  McWhirter, a member of the Southwood Golf & Country Club, becomes the 11^th president of the association.

Also elected at the meeting were returning Board members Craig Martin (Assiniboine Golf Club), Bob Peters (St. Charles Country Club), and Ken Warwick (Niakwa Country Club). Two new Board members were also elected and include D’Arcy Lachance (Elmhurst Golf & Country Club) and Matt Simmons (Whitewater Golf Course).

Of special note, Ken Warwick (Niakwa Country Club), concluded his two-year term as president and Vince Mariani (Elmhurst Golf & Country Club), Past President of Golf Manitoba, concluded his 10-year term of Board service. Matt Simmons also assumes his seat on the Board representing the PGA of Canada Manitoba Zone.

The Board of Directors is comprised of dedicated volunteers from across the golf community in the Golf Manitoba jurisdiction. The Board’s duties are to direct the business affairs of the association.

In addition to the election, Golf Manitoba also released its 2021 Annual Report, which includes a recap of the past season, as well as the association’s 2020/21 Financial Statements.

The members of the 2021/22 Golf Manitoba Board of Directors are:

Board Executive

• President: Wayne McWhirter, Southwood Golf & Country Club
• President Elect: Sue Wright-Cassan, Emerald Greens Golf Course
• Vice-President: Bob Peters, St. Charles Country Club
• Past-President: Ken Warwick, Niakwa Country Club
• Treasurer: Kathy Turner, Breezy Bend Country Club

Directors

• Michael Berney, Transcona Golf Club
• D’Arcy Lachance, Elmhurst Golf & Country Club
• James (Jim) Gosman, Golf Manitoba Public Player
• Phil Guenther, Steinbach Fly-In Golf Club
• Craig Martin, Assiniboine Golf Club
• Matt Simmons, Whitewater Golf Club
• Fred Smith, Wildewood Golf Club

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:

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

Golf Canada is pleased to announce its 2020 Future Links Junior Skills Challenge program schedule, which now includes 10 Provincial Qualifiers hosted at member clubs across Canada and will conclude with the 12^th edition of the Future Links Junior Skills Challenge National Event at Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club in Vancouver, BC on August 29-30.

Important Dates for 2020:

• Facility Events:

July 19, 2019 – June 22, 2020 at local Future Links facilities

• Local Provincial Qualifier:

July 5, 2020 at St. Charles Country Club

• National Event:

August 29-30, 2020 at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver, BC

To become an official Future Links Junior Skills Challenge site, a facility must register with Future Links – providing access to program materials and online login information. Offered to golf facilities across Canada at no cost, the objective of the program is to develop key golf skills, while serving as an important introduction to competition.

Following registration, facilities can host a Junior Skills Challenge event at a date of their choosing (not required to report to Golf Canada). Once the event has been completed, players scores are entered to the National Leaderboard by the site coordinators. Participants can track their results to see how they measure up to other players in their age category across their own province or across Canada. The four age categories are 8 and under, 9 to 11, 12 to 14 and 15 to 18 years old. Future Links facilities will host Junior Skills Challenge events between July 19, 2019 and June 22, 2020.

Beginning in 2020, the program structure includes the addition of another level of qualifying events, at the provincial level. On Monday, June 22, 2020 at 12:00pm ET, Golf Canada will select the top four (4) ranked players in each province, in each age and gender category and invite them to compete in their respective Future Links Junior Skills Challenge Provincial Qualifiers. Each province will host a Provincial Qualifier between July 3, 2020 and July 20, 2020 and report scores to Golf Canada thereafter.

Following the Provincial Qualifiers, the top four competitors, in each age and gender category, with the highest scores nationally will be invited to compete in the 2020 Future Links Junior Skills Challenge National Event, hosted by Golf Canada. The National Event will take place on August 29-30, 2020 at the Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club in Vancouver, BC.

For more information and to renew your registration or to register your facility, please visit or log-in at https://futurelinks.golfcanada.ca/

Golf Manitoba is pleased to release its 2020 Championship schedule.

The provincial amateur golf governing body will host 11 championships at 11 different clubs across the province. Golfers who tee it up in Golf Manitoba competitions in 2020 will get a chance to compete at some of the province’s top facilities.

“We are very excited to release our championship schedule for 2020,“ said Jared Ladobruk, Executive Director for Golf Manitoba. “When planning our event calendar, we were fortunate to have so many quality facilities willing to host a Golf Manitoba championship and we are extremely appreciative of their commitment to support our events. Consequently, our participants will be able to experience and test their game on many of our provinces top golf courses.”

The 2020 championship season will officially kick off with the Match Play Championship with the qualifying matches being held May 23 & 24 at the Winkler Golf Club. The championship matches will then move to the St. Charles Country Club from May 30 to June 7.

2020 Championship Schedule

Match Play Championship – Winkler Golf Club / St. Charles Country Club (May 23-June 7)

Women’s City & District & Junior Bantam Championships – Portage Golf Club (June 27 & 28)

Diamond Athletic Women’s Amateur and Men’s Mid-Amateur Championships – Bel Acres Golf & Country Club (July 6-8)

Manitoba Junior Men’s & Women’s Championship – Selkirk Golf & Country Club (July 12-14)

Nott Autocorp Men’s Amateur Championship – Minnewasta Golf & Country Club / Glendale Golf & Country Club (July 16-19)

Senior Men’s & Women’s Championship – Steinbach Fly-In Golf Club (July 27-29)

Ladies Interclub Championship – Carman Golf & Curling Club (August 27)

Men’s Provincial Interclub Championship – Neepawa Golf & Country Club (August 28)

Men’s Senior Interclub Championship – Grand Pines Golf Club (September 1)

Other events on the local golf calendar for 2020 include the Golf Canada junior Future Links driven by Acura Prairie Championship June 12-14 at Quarry Oaks Golf Course in Steinbach, Manitoba and also the Manitoba Summer Games that will run August 9-11 at the Gilbert Plains Country Club in Gilbert Plains, Manitoba.

Entry for registration for most Golf Manitoba championships opens on April 1, 2020. For more information on the events including dates, times, eligibility, host venue and more, please visit our competitions schedule page at golfmb.ca.

adidas Golf Canada Becomes Official Provider of Clothing & Footwear to Golf Manitoba.  Please click here to read more.