Glendale Golfs – Winnipeg

With many good years still ahead, Weir to enter Hall.

At first blush, it might seem a bit too soon.

But the more you think about Mike Weir being inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame this summer, the more sense it starts to make.

Weir’s lasting legacy as a golfer was secured in Canada when he beat Len Mattiace in a playoff to win the Masters in 2003. Everything he’s achieved on the course since — two more PGA Tour wins, beating Tiger Woods at the Presidents Cup in Montreal — has simply added to his resume.

Any future successes will presumably fall into the same category.

In addition to that, the left-hander from Bright’s Grove, Ont., has spent the better part of a decade as the face of the sport in this country and undertaken a number of ventures that will extend his name and reach well beyond the golf course.

With the Canadian Open set to be played for the 100th time this July at Glen Abbey — the very place where the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame resides — the people in charge of the Hall decided the time was right to honour the country’s most accomplished professional of all-time.

“He has provided Canadians with many proud moments and has shown golfers in Canada there are no barriers to success in this great game,” chairman David Shaw said yesterday. “Although the Hall of Fame committee has no doubt that his achievements both on an off the golf course will continue, we believe … it is the right time to bestow this truly deserved honour on this man.”

Even Weir admits to being a little surprised when he first heard the news.

However, there is plenty of precedent in golf for players to be honoured in such a way during the course of their careers.

Vijay Singh is already a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, as are a number of active LPGA members.

In fact, Weir is only a 40th birthday and two more PGA Tour victories (or one major win) away from inclusion in that Hall himself.

That there is still more to achieve suits Weir just fine. The 38-year-old hopes to keep playing competitively for years to come.

“I’m far from being done,” he said. “My accomplishments up to this point are great and I’m very proud of them, but I’m still far away from being done.”

Even though his focus remains on playing the game, there’s no denying the growing number of interests he has outside of it.

Ultimately, those things might end up defining his legacy more than the inclusion in the Hall of Fame.

Weir’s newest initiative is a course design business that will see him work with Brantford, Ont., architect Ian Andrew — a partnership that was officially announced yesterday after a lengthy selection process. Those men have already made plans to create some affordable courses for young Canadians, giving them a chance to trace Weir’s own roots in the game.

He first played golf on a par-3 course at the local Holiday Inn in Sarnia before moving on to Huron Oaks, which provided a modest test as he started to progress in the game.

“I got used to scoring well on that golf course,” said Weir. “I remember shooting 63 when I was about 16 years old and getting used to that aspect of really making a lot of birdies.

“When your swing develops, you already have that mentality of not being scared of shooting 10-under par because you’ve been used to making those birdies.

“I think that’s a good progression for a kid.”

While he and Andrew also hope to create resort courses, they appear just as committed to public designs — if not more so.

It’s long been rumoured that Weir’s first course would be completed on a piece of land near Predator Ridge in Vernon, B.C., but that may not end up being the case. The debut project could actually be a place where golfers of all ages and abilities can play.

“We’re quite interested in the idea of developing a public facility for one of the cities,” said Andrew. “I think both of us have this soft spot for public golf. …

“There’s always the possibility that we might end up doing a public course first.”

If that were to happen, it certainly might raise a few eyebrows.

The same can be said of the announcement Weir is set to become the 64th member to enter the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. While there are other worthy selections, each of those people will have to wait another year.

In the end, it’s really no surprise that Weir is on his way in — only that it will happen this summer.

That shouldn’t be a big problem as long as the Hall doesn’t list his career accomplishments in any permanent way.

“Hopefully that’s not the end of it,” said Weir. “Maybe we can keep open space for a continuation.”

http://www.winnipegsun.com/sports/golf/2009/02/06/8284791-sun.html

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Cathy Burton may be getting her due for past accomplishments both on and off the links, but the two-time Manitoba amateur champion is still on the cutting edge of teaching the sport to kids.

Burton will be the first female to enter into the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame as both an athlete and a builder as the latest inductees were announced yesterday.

“That’s real neat,” Burton said from Calgary. “Knowing the kind of people who have gone in before … it’s an honour to be named in the same elite class that they were.”

Joining Burton in the hall will be Dr. Billy Parker Jr., Lynda Palahniuk and the late Jack Swanson.

Aside from winning the two provincial amateur titles, the Brandon native won the Saskatchewan women’s amateur, was a member of six straight national amateur teams — with Canada winning the 1987 Commonwealth Championship — and was twice a finalist for Manitoba Golfer of the Year.

“Being selected to play in the DuMaurier Classic (now the Canadian Women’s Tour) as an amateur was a highlight,” said Burton, 48. “The same year, the Manitoba Ladies Golf Association exempted me for playing in the provincials because I was away so much. Being part of the Commonwealth team that won the championship in Australia was special.”

But Burton, who also turned pro, really made her mark when she turned to coaching/teaching. She was a leading force in the founding of the LPGA Girls Club in Manitoba in 1994, the first move into Canada for that program and a fore-runner to the Future Links Girls Club program.

“If I would have had a full-time coach, I would have been more disciplined and I think it would have been a better player,” said Burton, who was also a national junior women’s coach. “That’s why I wanted to give something back to the sport.”

Burton, who is still a teaching pro at a course in Calgary, will unveil a new program called Little Peeps for kids aged four to six this fall.

Both Parker and Palahniuk will be inducted as players. Parker, 52, won the Canadian juvenile title, the Manitoba High School, three Manitoba junior men’s, four Manitoba men’s amateur, and two Manitoba Match Play Championships, and was a medallist in match play competition in 1995. He was also named Manitoba Golfer of the Year twice.

“It’s a great honour because a lot of good players have gone into the hall of fame,” said Parker, who now works in Edmonton. “It’s a nice feeling to be remembered.”

His best memories were winning the Canadian juvenile and the three Manitoba junior crowns and finishing top three at the junior nationals all three years.

Palahniuk (nee Smith), 57, won two Manitoba junior women’s, four Manitoba women’s amateur, the Saskatchewan women’s amateur and the 2003 Canadian senior women’s crowns.

“It’s pretty exciting,” Palahniuk said from Kelowna, B.C., where she now lives. “That’s been a goal of mine for a number of years. I’ve had a pretty good record playing the Canadians and winning the seniors in 2003 (out of B.C.) was probably the highlight for me.”

Swanson, who was involved as an executive in a number of different capacities, including both RCGA and MGA president, is being inducted as a builder, posthumously.

The seventh annual induction ceremony will be held at the McPhillips Street Station Casino on Oct.
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Award will be presented at the Association’s 2009 Annual General Meeting in Halifax

Halifax, N.S. (RCGA) – The award will be presented on Saturday, January 17th at the Association’s Annual General Meeting at the Marriott Harbourfront Hotel in Halifax, N.S.

“I am truly honoured to be receiving this award from the RCGA, although it comes as a pleasant surprise because I know there are so many people who make significant contributions to the game,” said Wong. “I’m passionate about the sport of golf and that’s always been my main motivation – although, it is nice to be recognized for your hard work.”

Wong has had a renowned impact on helping to shape the game of golf in Canada. During his tenure as an RCGA Governor (1982-1991) and Associate Governor (1992-1997), he served on both the Rules and Handicap and Course Rating Committees.

In 1989, Wong made a most important contribution to the game of golf in Canada. As Chair of the Handicap and Course Rating Committee (1987-1991), he brought forth a recommendation that the RCGA adopt the USGA Slope System. The RCGA went on to approve the use of the Slope System at the 1990 Semi-Annual Meeting.

The process of Slope rating all RCGA courses began in 1991 and was fully adopted by all provincial golf associations in 1995, allowing Canadian golfers’ handicaps to be adjusted from course to course.

Under Wong’s leadership, the Handicap and Course Rating Committee went on to conduct Slope System training seminars across Canada, training more than 125 course raters in becoming fully versed in the Slope System.

Throughout the years, Wong was also a member of the USGA Handicap Procedures Committee where he worked closely with the USGA’s “Pope of Slope” Dean Knuth. Other accolades included certification as a Rules official; refereeing at the Canadian Open; acting as Head Referee at the Canadian Junior Boy’s Championship; and being one of only four individuals to serve two terms as NSGA President (1979 and 1980).

A standout golfer past and present and an endeared humanitarian, Wong is well respected in the Nova Scotia golf community and spends a great deal of his time building the junior golf program at his home club – Pictou Golf Club in Nova Scotia. He was also inducted into the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame in 1998.

“I can’t say enough how truly thankful the RCGA is for the inspired efforts of Bob Wong,” said 2008 RCGA President Andrew Cook. “With a tireless passion for the game of golf, he is emblematic of how one individual can certainly make a difference. He is indeed a most worthy recipient of the 2009 RCGA Distinguished Service Award.”

http://golfvancouver.blogspot.com/2009/01/bob-wong-to-be-honoured-with-rcga.html

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Bundled up to the point of being unrecognizable, Rick Ewasko burst into the restaurant at Shooters Family Golf Center and made a bold proclamation.

“This left-handed club is pretty good out there!” he said yesterday afternoon. “I’m going to shoot left-handed when the summer comes.”

That remains to be seen, but using the wrong stick on a makeshift track on the last day of February is what the Shooters second-annual snow golf tournament is all about.

Hatched by owner Thomas Parry, the tourney is designed for friends and members to have a good time and raise some money for charity.

“We were looking for something to break up the winter blues,” he said. “Last year, it was perfect weather. I was like -2 C degrees and there was no wind. Couldn’t ask for better conditions.”

This time around, Mother Nature was not so forgiving for the winter duffers. Despite the blinding sun, a strong north wind made the -15 C temperature feel closer to -30 C.

But that didn’t stop the 88 entrants from grabbing an iron and a couple of tennis balls before heading out to the nine-hole, par-36 course.

“The longest hole is 85 yards, but it’s a par five,” Parry said. “There are no rules out there, either. People are using horns, I saw someone get tackled — it’s just all about fun.

“Last year, two people shot a 37. Out there … that’s an amazing number.”

There were some impressive shots yesterday.

Ewasko drained his tennis ball on the par-four, eight hole in just two shots. That was upstaged with the sounds of cheering off in the distance as someone blasted an ace through the bitter wind.

While that was going on, others were looking for their tennis balls, having buried them in the soft fairways.

“Luck,” joked Tom Gough when asked what the key to being a successful snow golfer is. “I don’t have any wiser words for you. The trick is to get under the ball, like you’re in a sand trap. It’s like one big giant sand trap out here.”

Parry said all proceeds of the Shooters winter golf tournament will go to CancerCare Manitoba. His sister Rebecca passed away from cancer last year.

http://www.winnipegsun.com/news/winnipeg/2009/03/01/8577561-sun.html

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Ron Solomon pulled off on what he calls an “unexpected” victory in the Master’s Division of the Israel Open, held recently at the Gaash Golf Club.

Solomon, who made aliyah some 2-1/2 years ago, won in the over-50 age group, where he competed against 40 other participants.

“It felt great winning the tournament,” Solomon said in an e-mail interview. “Before the tournament, there was a website set up with predictions on how players might finish, and my name wasn’t even mentioned, as not many people knew me. Now I’m getting phone calls from people asking me to join them for a game. It seems I’ve earned some respect in golf circles.

“Although there are some other tournaments [in Israel] throughout the year, this was the big one,” Solomon added.

As a result of his victory, Solomon, 57, is currently “playing golf two or three times a week, which is considerably more than before I won the Israeli Open.” The Gaash Golf Club is located on Kibbutz Gaash, about 15 kilometres north of Tel Aviv on the Mediterranean Sea.

While working as an elementary and high school teacher in Winnipeg, Solomon enjoyed golf as a hobby and tried to learn whatever he could about the game. Shortly after moving to Israel, he landed a job teaching the sport to children, ages eight to 17, at the Caesarea Golf & Country Club. (Israel’s only other golf club)

“I haven’t really played in many tournaments before, and this was my first one in Israel. The only other tournament I ever won was the club championship at Winnipeg’s Glendale Golf and Country Club, but that was back in 1989,” he said.

Solomon said he hopes to play for Israel’s golf team in the master’s division in the Maccabiah Games in July.

“Winning this tournament gives me a good chance to make the team. There are three qualifying rounds to make the team. One was in January, another in February and the third in March or April. These qualifying rounds don’t have as much merit in making the Maccabiah team, since the Israel Open was the main qualifying tournament. But I’ll practice two or three times a week prior to these qualifying games,” Solomon said. (more…)

The Royal Canadian Golf Association will break with one tradition to confirm another by announcing today that the CN Canadian Women’s Open is coming to Winnipeg next summer.

The 2010 LPGA Tour event will be played at historic St. Charles Country Club, likely in August. This year’s US$2.75 million championship will be played near Calgary. Next year’s tournament was scheduled to be played in the eastern half of the country, in keeping with the regular east-west alternation, but the centre of Canada will just have to do.

“I’m just thrilled for them; this is very cool,” said Gail Graham, Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame member, former president of the LPGA Tour and now president of the LPGA Tournament Owners Association.

Graham, a two-time LPGA winner and a former St. Charles member, said Winnipeggers are going to be dazzled by the stars that will come out next summer.

“CN and the RCGA have done such a great job making this event big,” Graham said. “It does not have the designation of major, but it has the feel of a major.”

This year, our Open’s purse is the third-richest on the LPGA Tour despite not being one of the four majors. Canada’s tournament lost its “major” designation when duMaurier ended its sponsorship in 2000.

“If you’d seen what duMaurier had done, you’ll be excited about what CN and the RCGA have done,” Graham said. “When we talk about best practices, they’re always at the top.

“This tournament will give you the feel of a national championship. This is a big deal.”

The LPGA Tour’s players have certainly made it feel like an elite event in recent times. They have flocked to the championship in recent years, including at last year’s competition at Ottawa Hunt, which drew 48 of the top 50 money-winners.

Winner Katherine Hull led the field, which included Lorena Ochoa, Cristie Kerr, Paula Creamer, Suzann Petersen, Se Ri Pak, Michelle Wie, the since-retired Annika Sorenstam, Canadian star Lorie Kane, Julie Inkster, Morgan Pressel, Natalie Gulbis and Brittany Lincicome.

In Ottawa, nearly 69,000 fans took in the week’s action, a tournament record likely to be challenged by Winnipeg, given the impressive successes of past events at St. Charles like the 1992 duMaurier and the 2000 AT&T Canada Senior Open.

Graham said Tuesday that Winnipeg can almost bank on such an elite field for 2010, and not just because of the money that will be offered.

“Look, players play to win,” she said. “The money’s great, but if you ask, the majority will say they want to win and have the trophies in their trophy cases. That’s why I played.

“Plus, with the (LPGA’s shrinking) schedule going the way it is, players are looking for places to play.”

The LPGA Tour’s players will be impressed with the 2010 site chosen by the RCGA and CN, Graham added.

“I know the players love the older, traditional golf courses, and St. Charles is just that,” she said. “Coming to a golf course that is well-established, one that’s got big trees, narrow fairways and smaller greens, it gives you the impression of a really big tournament, one that’s got a lot of history to it.

“This is how the game’s meant to be played.”

Graham said the traditional venues excite the world’s best female players in the same way the PGA Tour’s members have been raving about the likes of Hamilton and Shaughnessy at the Canadian Open in recent years.

“Absolutely, the really traditional ones get everyone excited about playing,” Graham said. “Me, for instance, I’m thinking about trying to qualify for next year’s (U.S. Women’s) Open because it’s at Oakmont.

“They love the old-style, storied golf courses. It’s so cool to say you won at somewhere where great players have come out of. It works on our tour, too.”

After a couple of RCGA snubs, Winnipeg had been confirmed in 2007 as a possible location for a future women’s Open, but association officials said last year that it wouldn’t be until at least 2011, once CN worked out an extension of its sponsorship deal for the championship. The current deal expires at the end of next year.

But when the RCGA’s preferred location, chosen but not announced and likely in Montreal, ran into issues with clubhouse construction that wouldn’t be complete by next summer, a last-minute search was required, a search that led to Winnipeg.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/golf/top-lpga-stars-to-swing-by-46214572.html

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THE doubts are almost as hard to control as a hook but Dauphin’s Ryan Horn has put yet another wave of them to rest in his budding professional career.

The 25-year-old former Manitoba junior champion had a break-out day Sunday in the final round of the Canadian Tour’s Jane Rogers Championship of Mississauga, finishing fourth alone and earning enough cash, $6,000, to retain full Canadian Tour membership for 2008.

With just one tournament left in 2007, Horn is now No. 51 on the money list with $10,263 and all-exempt status for 2008 is assured, that privilege reserved for the top 80 money winners each season.

Both he and Winnipeg’s Adam Speirs, who was also in the top 10 last week (ninth), are entered in this week’s finale in Barrie, Ont., the $200,000 Canadian Tour Championship.

“I feel like a big weight’s been lifted off my shoulders,” Horn said via phone from Barrie on Monday. “I can just come out and free-wheel this week.”

The unheralded, unassuming lefty has resolved plenty of personal uncertainty in his rookie season on the tour.

He arrived by breezing through last fall’s qualifying school after playing almost no competitive golf in 2006, and he started the Canadian Tour season by making the first four cuts.

“Then, I thought I’d make them all,” Horn admitted. “But there are ups and downs, the little doubts get bigger and then you wonder if you’ll make another one.

“There are so many ups and downs and it’s so different, competitive golf and just playing around.”

Horn missed four straight cuts and after breaking that streak in Edmonton, missed again at the Free Press Manitoba Classic at Pine Ridge.

After that tournament, he took time off for a mid-season recharge.

“It helped me get the putter going again; being home for a month was so nice,” Horn said. “I played in Dauphin a few times and broke the course record twice.”

A pair of 61s at Dauphin Lake within the space of the week were just the tonic of confidence he needed.

He went to Montreal and played solidly, jumping into contention in seventh spot after three days in a tournament dominated by all of the tour’s best players. Sunday stung him, however, and a four-over 76 dropped him all the way to 27th spot.

“I was pretty nervous,” Horn said. “I had a lot riding on it. I was 100th on the list and putting a lot of pressure on myself trying to get into that top 80.

“It was a learning experience. I was in the fourth-last group, my name was on the leader board. I waited all year to see my name on that board so of course I was watching that.

“All of that helped me coming into (Mississauga). You just never give up and learn from your mistakes.”

Horn stumbled early again on Sunday last week, but after a two-over front nine, settled down to shoot four-under 31 on the back. That 68 followed his Saturday 62.

“I was pretty pumped on the weekend because I had thought I’d missed the cut,” he said. “I just told myself on Saturday there was no longer any point to being scared.”

That Montreal experience had paid off, as had an unusual glimpse into final-round pressure earlier in the year.

In May in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico, Horn had missed the cut but caddied for Speirs on the weekend. His fellow Manitoban played in Sunday’s final group and finished in a tie for second.

“I think it was a good thing for him,” said Speirs, No. 22 on the tour’s money list at $19,533.

“In Montreal for Ryan, that’s just part of the learning curve and now the one thing he’s probably learned is that everybody gets nervous.”

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/golf/story/4029467p-4640580c.html

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