The Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame to honour 2018 inductees September 24, 2018

Three new Honoured Members and an Honoured Team will be added: Greg Holden and Alan (Al) Scott will be added in the Builder Category; the late Alexander (Sandy) Weir will be inducted in the Athlete/Builder Category; and the 1974 Men’s Team (Steve Bannatyne (Rossmere), Ted Homenuik (Rossmere), the late Barry McKenzie (Rossmere) and Gavin Speirs (Southwood), that won the first Willingdon Cup for Manitoba, will be inducted in the Team Category (Career highlights for all Inductees below).

“The Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame is very proud to welcome the individuals who have devoted so much time and talent to contribute to the game of golf. The team was able to accomplish something no other Manitoba men’s team had done to that point after many decades of effort. They have all earned their place as Honoured Members” said Don MacDonald, President of the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame and 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.

For more information about members of the Golf Hall of Fame and Manitoba’s rich golfing history, please go to the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame website at: www.manitobagolfhalloffame.com.

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 from the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame website.

For further information, contact:
Don MacDonald (204) 771-3825 or by email at dmacdona@mymts.net

2018 Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame Honoured Member Inductees
Career Highlights

• Born St. Boniface, Manitoba in 1951
• Educated at Erickson High School, University of Manitoba and Fairview College Diploma Turf
• Superintendent of Clear Lake Golf Course since 1993
• Wrote the environmental section of the successful bid for Clear Lake Golf Foundation to Parks Canada in 1993 to operate Clear Lake Golf Course
• Nickname is “Turf”
• Has spearheaded many initiatives over 25 years including organic fertilizer programs and non-chemical approaches to controlling weeds and disease
• One of most innovative superintendents including installing composting toilets which saves up to 300,000 gallons or water each season and collects up to 10,000 litres of used cooking oils to run 7 pieces of equipment
• Manitoba Eco-Network Environmental Stewardship Award – 2009
• Finalist Canadian Tourism Achievement Association Conservation –2012
• Little Saskatchewan River Conservation District Award — 2012
• Manitoba Golf Superintendents Association “2012 Superintendent of the Year”
• Canadian Golf Superintendents Association “2017 Superintendent of the Year”
• Been an active member of CGSA, serving on board from 2003 to 2012 and is a Past President of the CGSA

Sandy Weir

• Born in Selkirk, Scotland in 1892
• Came to Canada in 1913 living in Weyburn, Edmonton, Regina and Saskatoon before moving to Winnipeg in the 1920s
• Won Saskatchewan Open in 1919; Won Saskatchewan Men’s Amateur in 1920 and 1924
• Low Amateur in 1925 Manitoba Open
• Runner-up in 1925 Western Canadian Men’s Amateur
• Semi-Finalist in Canadian Men’s Amateur in 1926
• Won Manitoba Men’s Amateur in 1929 playing out of Niakwa
• Played in 1930 British Open Championship
• Won Manitoba Men’s Amateur in 1934 playing out of Winnipeg Beach
• Manitoba Senior Age Champion in 1944
• For over 25 years wrote the column “Tee Topics” for the Winnipeg Free Press
• Strong supporter of junior golf in Manitoba
• Described by Maurice Smith as “…never happier than when he was playing or discussing golf”
• Passed away February 4, 1968

Alan (Al) Scott

• Born in Loughborough, England in 1963
• Class “A” PGA of Canada
• University of Manitoba Certificate in Management
• Director of Golf Course Operations for Lakeland Golf Management
• Golf Professional:
  • Assistant/Associate Elmhurst Golf and Country Club – 1982 to 1988
  • Head Professional Selkirk Golf and Country Club – 1989 to 1997
  • Head Professional Grand Pines Golf Course (Lakeland Golf Management) – 1997 to 2005
  • Director of Golf Links at the Lake Golf Course (Lakeland Golf Management) – 2006 to present
• Manitoba PGA Professional of the Year in 1992 and 1993
• Manitoba PGA Player of the Year in 1995
• Multiple winner of one day Professional Events, e.g. Pro Ams with low competitive scores of 64 in St. Charles Pro Am; 65 in Rossmere Crown Life Pro Am; 66 in Niakwa Pro Am and 66 in Pine Ridge Pro Am
• Was member of Manitoba Assistant Professionals Board of Directors in the middle 80’s and moved on to the Manitoba Zone Board where he served on multiple committees and was President in 1995 and 1996
• In 1993, joined the Canadian PGA Board of Directors, served on multiple committees, and was President in 2004 and 2005
• During his presidency of CPGA the organization was without an Executive Director for 11 months during which Al led the Association as a volunteer for the betterment of the CPGA and as a result the CPGA enjoyed a positive financial turnaround under his leadership
• Involved in initial meetings between RCGA and CLGA that led to the development of the Future Links Junior Program
• Also involved in discussions that led to the creation of the National Allied Golf Associations
• Strong supporter of golf development, especially junior golf
• Al started the “Selkirk Little Swingers” that introduced over 500 children to golf between the ages of 4 to 9 over a 6 year period
• In the CPGA biography for Al he was commended for his “…passion & devotion to the game, his loyalty & his tireless dedication to the Canadian PGA. He is a true ambassador, a leader & one of the Association’s most memorable national officers.”

Manitoba Men’s Amateur Team — Winners of 1974 Willingdon Cup

• First Manitoba Men’s Amateur Team to win the Willingdon Cup which was first competed for in 1927
• Members of team were Steve Bannatyne (Rossmere – Manitoba Amateur Champion), Ted Homenuik (Rossmere), Barry McKenzie (Rossmere), Gavin Speirs (Southwood) and Bill Doyle (non-playing captain)
• Conducted over 36 holes at Niakwa
• Total of 348 was 4 shots better than defending champion British Columbia and 6 shots better than Ontario