Palmer Settles In To Jasper

The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge has named Alan E. Palmer its new head golf professional.

Palmer began his professional golf career as an assistant professional at Elm Ridge Country Club in Montreal and went on to work at several prestigious golf courses, including a stint in 2004 as an assistant at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass., and as golf shop merchandiser at Augusta National in 2004-2005.

He also served as associate professional at St. George’s Golf and Country Club in Toronto and golf professional at Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic. In 2008, he was appointed to his most recent position as associate professional at Beacon Hill Golf Club in Aurora, Ont.

Palmer holds a diploma in Business Administration and Professional Golf Management from Georgian College in Barrie, Ont.

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A Chat With Bob Vokey

Wedge wizard Bob Vokey had some interesting things to say during a brief chat with GolfScene recently, including an audio feed where he discusses PGA Tour rookie Graham DeLaet from Weyburn, Sask.

In the story you’ll find out a little bit about Bob’s rather profound impact on the wedge design business, his perspective on the groove issue, an observation in relation to design principles, some advice for the recreational player, as well as a few minutes worth of audio clips where Vokey discusses, among other things, why he thinks that DeLaet will make it out on tour.

You can check out the audio and the story here.

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Hall of Fame Names Three New Inductees

The Canadian Golf Hall of Fame has named Graham Cooke, Ben Kern and Brent Franklin as its 2010 inductees.

“Graham Cooke, Brent Franklin and Ben Kern have each amassed their own unique golf-related legacies and are fine examples of what makes golf such a great sport,” said Hall of Fame chair David Shaw.

“Each of our 2010 inductees made tremendous contributions to the game and it is only fitting that, as such, they are recognized for their accomplishments.”

Cooke, also a renowned course designer, and Franklin will be inducted as players, while Kern goes into the Hall of Fame as a builder.

The following is a quick look at the careers of each of the inductees:

Graham Cooke

• Seven Canadian Mid-Amateur championships.
• Four Canadian Senior championships.
• 1965 Ontario Junior Championship.
• 1981, ’84, ’93. ’96 Quebec Amateur championships.
• 2006, 2008 Quebec Senior amateur championships.
• Five-time Duke of Kent champion.
• Four-time Alexander of Tunis champion.
• 27 Willingdon Cup appearances.
• RCGA governor (1990).
• Contributor to Golf Quebec’s slope and handicapping system.
• Graham Cooke & Associates has worked on over 100 courses.

Brent Franklin

• 1983, ’84 Canadian Junior Boys’ championship.
• 1983, ’84 British Columbia Junior Boys Championship.
• Earned scholarship to Brigham Young.
• Three All-American selections including Honourable Mention (1985), First Team (1986), Second Team (1987).
• 1985 Alberta Amateur championship.
• 1985, ’86, ’87 Canadian Amateur champion.
• Member of Canadian team that won 1986 World Team championship.
• 1988 Canadian PGA champion.
• Canadian Tour rookie of the year (1988).
• Four runner-up finishes on Japan Golf Tour (1989-95).

Ben Kern (to be inducted posthumously)

• Organized first International Teaching and Coaching Symposium.
• Board of directors, Canadian PGA
• Coordinated Canadian PGA teaching manual.
• Played on PGA Tour.
• Worked with RCGA in developing what is now the CN Future Links program.

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Meet GNN’s Newest Blogger

GNN welcomes its newest blogger, who will join Tiffany Gordon, Kevin Thistle, Kyle German, Tom Jackson and GNN editor Ian Hutchinson with regular contributions.

Reporting from Atlantic Canada, Ted Stonehouse is head professional and general manager of the Bell Bay Golf Club in Baddeck, N.S.

Ted is a three-time Canadian PGA national award winner after being named the 2002 Club Professional of the Year, 2003 Merchandiser of the Year and 2007 Jack McLaughlin Junior Leader of the Year.

He also sits as chair of Golf Cape Breton.

Ted’s first blog will appear later this week on GNN.

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Another Honour For “Mr. Canadian Open”

Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Dick Grimm has received yet another honour, with his induction last week into the Oakville Sports Hall of Fame in Oakville, Ont.

Grimm, known as “Mr Canadian Open,” for his work on the national championship from 1965 to 1993, attended the ceremony in Oakville with his son Richard and two grandchildren.

As part of the induction, Grimm was presented with a silver plate by former LPGA Tour player and Oakville native Sandra Post, another member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. In typical Grimm fashion, he credited tournament volunteers for their work during his days at the helm of the Canadian Open.

Grimm serves as Open chairman in 1965 at the Missisaugua Golf and Country Club and would later serve as chairman in 1970, ’75, ’77, ’78 and ’79, while serving as president of the Royal Canadian Golf Association in 1974.

After serving as an RCGA governor from 1969-74, Grimm became an honorary life governor in 1975 before serving as the RCGA’s director of professional tournaments from 1983-93. He went on to become Canadian Tour commissioner from 1993-97.

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Bouchard, Armitage Join RCGA

Remi Bouchard joins Blair Armitage as new regional directors of membership development for the Royal Canadian Golf Association and will play an important role in establishing the new Golf Canada brand.

Bouchard will be responsible for the growth of membership programs as well as managing allied association and partner relationships in Quebec and New Brunswick, while Armitage will have the same responsibilities in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.

Bouchard and Armitage will also assist with the development and execution of Golf Canada-branded membership programs. They will also recruit, train and manage Golf Canada Ambassador volunteers and help increase the profile and awareness of Team Canada.

Remi is perhaps the most well known native golfer to Quebec,” said RCGA chief operating officer Peter Beresford. “His experience, both as a touring pro and teaching pro make him one of the most recognizable faces in the Quebec golf community.”

“Blair is also incredibly well-respected for his club management expertise and proven record of success and will play a huge role in helping the RCGA to fully engage the golf industry in Western Canada as we drive our membership initiatives.”

The RCGA previously announced that it had hired former Canadian PGA executive director, Steve Carroll as its regional director of membership and business development for Ontario and Eastern Canada.

Bouchard has been a golf professional at Le Mirage Golf Club, in Terrebonne, Que. since 1992, and represented the club in competitions at both the provincial and national levels.

From 2001-2004, in collaboration with Sports Business International, Bouchard also helped develop and teach a business training program which uses golf as the teaching platform.

An accomplished professional golfer, Bouchard also has more than 20 years experience in sponsor relationships and recruiting.

He’s been named professional of the year five times by the Quebec PGA, has more than 70 victories as a pro over past 20 years and is a former Quebec junior and amateur champion.

Armitage recently served as general manager of the Quilchena Golf and Country Club in Richmond, B.C. Prior to working at Quilchena, he was GM of the Dalewood Golf and Curling Club in Port Hope, Ont.

He is also the immediate past president of the Canadian Society of Club Managers, Pacific Branch, and a director of the British Columbia Golf Marketing Alliance.

Armitage is a former elite figure skating competitor and coach, having competed in Canadian national events as well as the World Championships.

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CGSA Names Award Winners

Dean Piller and Mitch Davidson have been named by the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association as winners of the 2009 Environmental Achievement Award and Gordon Witteveen Award, respectively.

The CGSA Toro Environmental Achievement Award is presented to a superintendent member that has completed an environmental project that puts into practice an Environmental Management Plan as outlined in the CGSA Environmental Management Resource Manual.

Piller, the superintendent at Cordova Bay in Victoria, B.C., is a 25-year CGSA member and a former association president. He won the Witteveen Award in 1998 and 2002.

Cordova Bay was the recipient of the 2003 Saanich Environmental Award for the development and construction industry and is certified as an Audubon Sanctuary with the Audubon Society.

Cordova Bay’s project summary from 2006-2009 was to improve greens, soil physical properties and drainage venting.

The plan has 14 separate objectives as part of the Environmental Management Program and incorporates several initiatives from an irrigation audition, implementing a crayfish rehabilitation project to aid in algae/duckweed reduction, reducing fungicides by 50 per cent and reusing aerification cores on the rough as topdressing material.

The Gordon Witteveen Award is presented to the superintendent or assistant superintendent who is judged to have authored the best article written and published in the GGSA GreenMaster Magazine in the previous year.

Mitch Davidson wrote An Experience of a Lifetime in the May/June, 2009 issue.

Davidson is the assistant superintendent at Wascana Country Club in Regina and is a three-year member of the CGSA, as well as the 2008 Future Superintendent of the Year Award winner. He will receive a plaque and a cash award from the Toro Corporation at the Canadian International Turfgrass Conference and Trade Show in Toronto on Feb. 28.

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Reality Sets In For Jeff Boismier

Jeff Boismier jokes that it is time for him to get back to reality after living the life working for general manager/director of golf operations Rob Roxborough in the golf shop at Magna Golf Club in Aurora, Ont., last summer.

“I had the best summer of my 20 years in the golf business,” said Boismier, best-known for his 10-year stint at National Pines in Barrie before ClubLink Corporation took over there.

“I helped in the (Magna) pro shop, I played with the members, I helped with member events and I taught with Danny (King),” he added. “Looking at what’s in front of me, I’m sure glad I had that summer because I don’t think it’s going to happen this summer.”

Boismier’s responsibilities have multiplied as he takes over as general manager of Deer Creek Golf and Banquet Facility in Ajax, Ont., a complex that includes 45 holes between the North and South Courses, the Glen Cedars Golf Club, a teaching academy, as well as banquet and restaurant facilities.

Tom Arnott is also joining Deer Creek as head professional.

“This is a big operation,” said Boismier. “Anywhere you go, the first two years, you’re going to work your butt off getting it like you want.”

Boismier was fast-tracked into a job that his predecessor Terry Knox was planning to vacate following the 2010 season. Knox will now serve in a consulting role instead.

“Terry made it easy for the facility and the (Coughlan) family by saying, `You’ve got two guys that can carry you forward,’” said Boismier of Knox’s decision to move into the consulting role. “They were going to choose between one and the other.”

“We were so pleased with the quality of candidates that it presented an opportunity to fast-track succession planning. The generosity and cooperation of outgoing Terry Knox allowed the company to make the investment in the future now,” said club president Scott Collins.

Boismier says the new position offers him the opportunity to work in all aspects of a golf course operation, reminding him of his days at National Pines. He also spent a couple of years helping launch Muskoka Bay and a year at Nearly New.

He also noticed something else at Deer Creek that was similar to his days at National Pines, which was a big reason he took the new position.

“It was primarily finding a good work environment with good people. The rest will take care of itself,” said Boismier.

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