Best Time To Nominate True Hall Of Famers Is Now

The majority, about three-quarters as of this writing, of respondents to the current GNN Poll agree that induction into a golf hall of fame should be based on accomplishments and not some arbitrary age or point in somebody’s career that makes them eligible for such an honour.

Some view a hall of fame induction as recognition of an outstanding career in its entirety and therefore, induction should wait until that career is over, at least for the most part.

Other people see an induction while a player is still active as an exclamation mark on a great career that will put that player in the hall of fame anyway, so why not do it sooner than later? Read more

Are Accomplishments Enough For Hall Of Fame Induction?

I may be the lone wolf who isn’t howling about Phil Mickelson at the age of 41 being inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame a week ago in St. Augustine, Fla.

The ones who were making their voices known in protest were really just rehashing an argument that went on a few years ago when Mike Weir was named to the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. Read more

Kane, Ames Up Next For Hall Of Fame? Who Comes Afterwards?

Just out of curiosity, I contact Karen Hewson of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame after last week’s teleconference that announced the late Gordon Witteveen as its lone 2012 inductee. You can read about that here.

Witteveen was a highly-respected superintendent and a deserving recipient of such an honour, even if his name isn’t instantly recognized by the majority of Canadian golfers the way a tour professional grabs attention with such an announcement.

It is our fascination with tour pros that make them conspicuous by their absence when hall of fame honours are handed out, which is why I contacted Hewson. Specifically, I wanted to find out if any nomination had been made for Lorie Kane and Stephen Ames.

The answer was no. Read more

Canadian Golf Hall Of Fame Makes Its Latest Selection

The late Gordon Witteveen, a founding director of the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association and a former association president, will be announced Thursday as the 70th inductee into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

Mr. Witteveen was born in the Netherlands and came to Canada in 1954 at the age of 20. He attended the Ontario Agricultural College and earned a science degree in 1958.

During summer vacations, he worked at Noranda Mines Golf Club in western Quebec and became superintendent of the London Highland Golf Club in Ontario, where he stayed for three years before moving to Northwood Country Club, near Toronto.

It was during his time at Northwood that Witteveen became involved in the founding of the CGSA and GreenMaster Magazine.

In 1973, he moved to the Board of Trade Country Club in Woodbridge, Ont., before designing a nine-hole short course there. In 1999, he retired and operated the nine-hole Pleasant View Golf Course near Brantford, Ont., until 2008.

He passed away at the age of 76 in 2010, leaving a legacy of contributions for superintendents.

Founding director of the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association and member (1966)

Founding editor of CGSA’s GreenMaster Magazine and later a featured columnist

President of CGSA (1970)

GCSAA Board member (1973-1977)

CGSA’s Superintendent of the Year (1983)

CGSA’s John B. Steel Distinguished Service Award Winner (1999)

Co-author, Keeping the Green in Canada A History of Golf Course Management.

Renowned Architect Passes At 97

Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Geoffrey Cornish has died at the age of 97 in Amherst, Mass.

A native of Winnipeg, Cornish is a past president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects. Cornish and his associates designed 240 golf courses in the United States, Canada and Europe.

Cornish began working for Stanley Thompson during the construction of Capilano in Vancouver and would later play a role in the creation of Highlands Links in Ingonish, N.S.

He would also become a noted speaker and author on architecture.

Cornish, who received his bachelors degree in agronomy from the University of British Columbia and his Masters and honourary doctorate from the University of Massachusetts, served overseas in WW II, but rejoined Thompson in 1946.

He left for a five-year association with turfgrass scientist Lawrence Dickinson at the University of Massachusetts and opened his own practice in 1952 in Amherst, Mass.

Cornish joined the American Society of Golf Course Architects in 1967 and served as ASGCA president in 1975-76. He also co-chaired the ASGCA History Committee with Dr. Michael Hurdzan.

Cornish us a past recipient of the ASGCA Donald Ross Award and the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America Distinguished Service Award.

“Mr. Cornish was a true gentleman and exemplified the highest traditions of ASGCA and the game of golf,” said ASGCA president Rick Phelps.

“His exceptional work as a golf course architect, author and lecturer cannot be overstated. Mr. Cornish’s contributions to the profession of golf course architecture and the golf industry will live on for generations,” he added.

Mark Mungeam, a partner in the firm of Mungeam Cornish Golf Design, had similar thoughts.

“He was a true gentleman and wealth of knowledge on golf design and golf in general. He brought so much to public golf as he wanted to create courses that people could really play,” he said.

“Golf, especially in New England, would not be the same without him. Everyone who ever worked with Mr. Cornish knew how he would walk and study a golf course,” said Mungeam.

“He would show up for an 8 a.m. meeting at 6 a.m. and walk the golf course, carefully assessing the layout before the meeting even began,” he added.

Hurdzan said the presence of Cornish and others was a blessing to the ASGCA.

“They never spoke ill of anyone or anything, they were true friends to whomever they met and they gave the game of golf and the profession of golf course design a refined dignity,” he said.

“Geoffrey Cornish was the dean of that group, and he leaves behind a long legacy of great golf courses and golf course designers that he mentored,” said Hurdzan.

For the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame bio of Cornish, click here.

Remembering Jim Barclay

A celebration of the life of Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Jim Barclay will be held on Thursday at 11 a.m. in Toronto, with a reception to follow at St. George’s Golf and Country Club.

For more details on the celebration of life and Barclay’s life, click here.

Hall Of Fame Historian Jim Barclay: 1923-2011

Golf historian and Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Jim Barclay has died at the age of 88.

Best known for his book Golf in Canada: A History, Barclay was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1923 and penned other books such as Canadian Professional Golfers – The Scottish Invasion of 1881-1933, The Toronto Terror, the Life and Times of Stanley Thompson Golf Course Architect and St. George’s Golf and Country Club, Celebrating 75 Years.

Barclay also contributed to several Canadian golf publications over the years and served as volunteer curator of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum.

He became a member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 2008, after being named to the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame two years earlier. His club affiliations include St. George’s in Toronto, where he has been a member since 1980.

Barclay had been fighting a variety of illnesses recently. No funeral arrangements had been announced at this writing.

Hall Of Famer Avoids Centre Stage

Brent Franklin, a 2010 inductee into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, appreciates that honour, but apparently isn’t too big on any ceremony that goes with it. He tells Brad Ziemer of the Vancouver Sun, he prefers to “fade into the background.”

For more on that story, click here.

Industry Notes: October 11, 2011

Team Quebec defeated Team Ontario 17-7 in the Titleist Cup held last week at Toronto Golf Club in Mississauga, Ont. … Golf historian Jim Barclay has been inducted as a builder into the St. George’s Golf and Country Club Hall of Fame in Toronto. Barclay is also a member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and is best known for his book Golf In Canada: A History … A successful grant application submitted by Golf Canada and Golf Quebec to the Quebec Ministry of Education, Recreation and Sport in connection with the province hosting the 2011 CN Canadian Women’s Open will go to the National Golf In Schools program. The grant funding will allow Golf Canada and Golf Quebec to bring the Golf In Schools program to more than 100 elementary schools in the province.

Hall Of Famer Plans To “Be In The Moment”

One of the first orders of business during the week of the RBC Canadian Open in Vancouver is the induction of former PGA Tour player Richard Zokol into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

That takes place Tuesday evening at Marine Drive and Zokol isn’t sure what to expect.

“I have no idea. It’s going to be in the moment, with the culmination at Marine Drive, the week of the Canadian Open and it’s my 25^th  wedding anniversary” said the winner of the 1992 Greater Milwaukee Open.

“It’s not like a golf tournament. I know what that’s like. I don’t know what this is like and I won’t know until I’m in that moment and when I walk up to the podium,” he said.

“I can assure you it will be emotional. It will be very reflective, which I don’t do. I’ve worked and trained my emotions to be in the moment and to detach from the past, so when I do the reflection back and look at the support from the people – my wife and my family and parents – it’s going to be very emotional,” said Zokol.

Industry Notes: Feb. 28, 2011

Adams Golf celebrating a triple crown of sorts a week ago when Aaron Baddeley won at the Northern Trust Open on the PGA Tour, Bernhard Langer took the Ace Group Classic on the Champions Tour and Yani Tseng won the Honda LPGA Thailand. All are Adams players … TaylorMade-adidas has extended its relationship with LPGA Tour star and 2010 U.S. Women’s Open winner Paula Creamer, who will wear the TaylorMade logo on the left side and back of her headwear, used a TaylorMade staff bag, wear adidas Golf apparel and her Paula footwear. Creamer has won nine times on the LPGA Tour and 11 times worldwide and qualified three times for Solheim Cup play. She recently switched to TaylorMade’s new R11 driver … Al Balding and Nick Weslock will be the focus of two Beyond the Fairway: The Legends of Canadian Golf speaker series at the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum on the grounds of Glen Abbey in Oakville, Ont. The Weslock portion of the series will take place March 13, while the Balding portion is schedule for April 9. Both take place from 1-3 p.m. Tickets are available for $25 each or $40 for both. Tickets can be obtained by e-mailing cghf@golfcanada.ca, or by calling 1-800-263-0009, ext. 411.

Zokol Continues To Give Back To Golf

With both Stephen Ross and Richard Zokol going into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame this year, we have two selections that were a lot alike in a few ways.

As I mentioned in my last blog, Stephen Ross did what was best for the RCGA during his tenure as executive director and Richard Zokol was doing the same for Canadian golf in general with some of the opinions he voiced over the years.

You didn’t have to love his opinions or even agree with them, but he was great with junior golf and he gave of himself for junior golf. He was always willing to help anybody who was willing to listen.

He was a great player, but even when his playing days were over, he still stay involved with golf through Sagebrush, his wonderful golf course out west. Even by being involved in advisory roles with the RCGA, he’s done a lot for the game.

He may have had opinions that some people didn’t agree with, but they were his opinions and he stuck by them. I admire somebody who stands up for what he actually believes in.

Besides his playing career, his willingness to give back to the game and his willingness to speak up for the good of the game, he’s just a great guy and very approachable.

I remember one Canadian Open, I was walking down the fairway with some staff during the tournament when he walked by and said, `Hey Kev, how’s it going?’

I wouldn’t bother a player on the golf course because that’s their office, but my staff though it was neat that he would do that in the heat of battle and this wasn’t a Canadian Open held at Angus Glen when I worked there. I don’t care if you saw him at a trade show or the golf course, he always had a big smile and big hello.

When his playing days were over, he didn’t just say that’s the end of my resume. He continued to give back and I think there are so many aspects to Richard Zokol that they add up to a well-rounded inductee into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

Like Stephen Ross, he had the game’s best interests at heart and they both had long careers that demonstrate their commitment to golf. This year is a good one for the Hall of Fame.

Ross Did What Was Best For The RCGA

I was happy to see that former Royal Canadian Golf Association executive director Stephen Ross and ex-PGA Tour player Richard Zokol will be inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

I was lucky enough to deal with Stephen Ross and the RCGA through the Canadian Women’s Open and the two Canadian Opens that were held at Angus Glen during my time at that course in Markham, Ont. Our owner, Gordon Stollery, and Stephen structured a deal and we worked closely with the RCGA for years.

Stephen Ross was nothing but great to me and others. The measure of a man to me is how he treats people, whether it be me, my staff or our ownership group.

During his time as executive director, he could be controversial at times. We all weren’t in agreement with decisions he made or directions he took the RCGA in, but I really don’t think he did anything out of a personal agenda. I think, in his mind, whatever he did was what he thought was best for the RCGA.

There’s nothing wrong with that. When we made decisions on our side, the management groups always did what was best for Angus Glen, as well.

Sure, what is now Golf Canada is a lot different now than when Stephen Ross was running the RCGA. There’s always going to be change. If you’re not moving forward, you’re standing still or going backwards and I like the direction Golf Canada is going in, but Stephen Ross is receiving a well-deserved honour.

He started with the RCGA as a very young man, worked his way up through the ranks and you’ve got to applaud somebody for that. Thirty years is a long tenure and, in this day and age, a lot of people change jobs every five years or less.

His long service shows where his heart was, that he had commitment and that he was very loyal.

In my next blog, I’ll offer my take on Richard Zokol’s induction.

Zokol Fondly Recalls His CPGA Win

The Zokol family has several reasons to celebrate on Tues., July 19, when twin boys Garrett and Conor, 23, and daughter Hayley join mom and dad, Richard and Joanie, on their 25^th anniversary.

Of course, Richard is known to Canadian golf fans as the 1992 Greater Milwaukee Open champion and long-time PGA Tour player, but he says it wouldn’t have been possible without his family.

“The support system and the structure beneath is really the foundation and without it, it’s simply not possible. The primary structure is family and love,” said Zokol, who will have both aspects of his life come together in a double celebration on July 19^th.

On that evening, Zokol will also be inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame just before the RBC Canadian Open tees off a couple of days later at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver. Mike Weir and Globe and Mail columnist Lorne Rubenstein will be the guest speakers.

Zokol joins former Royal Canadian Golf Association executive director Stephen Ross as a 2011 inductee into the hall and while his induction and anniversary will take precedence that evening, it’s worth noting that it will also be 10 years since Zokol won the Samsung Canadian PGA Championship. Read more

Ross, Zokol Named To Hall Of Fame

Ex-PGA Tour player Richard Zokol and former Royal Canadian Golf Association executive director Stephen Ross are the 2011 inductees into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

“It is an honour to be nominated and elected into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. I have worked in golf my entire adult life and it is very rewarding to have my life’s work recognized in this way,” said Ross.

“Congratulations to Richard Zokol and his entire family for his election.  I accept my election to the hall on behalf of my family and all those employees who worked with me over the years and helped make this announcement possible,” he added.

Ross spent 30 years with the RCGA, including 18 as executive director before stepping down in 2007.

He first joined the RCGA as assistant amateur tournament director in 1988 and served as director of amateur tournaments from 1980 to ’88 before being named executive director in 1989.

During his tenure, programs and initiatives introduced included the Future Links junior golf program, the RCGA Foundation university/college grants program and the creation and expansion of the hall of fame.

Other significant moments in Ross’s career include the RCGA’s sale of Glen Abbey in Oakville, Ont., to ClubLink in 1999 and the RCGA’s amalgamation with the Canadian Ladies’ Golf Association in 2005.

A respected rules official, Ross served on the Joint Rules Committee and has officiated at several championships including the British Open, Masters and U.S. Open.

He also created the RCGA’s Rules of Golf certification program, introduced the United States Golf Association’s slope handicapping system in Canada and served on the World Golf Hall of Fame election panel.

Ross is now managing partner at Oak Gables Golf Club and Learning Centre near Ancaster, Ont.

“Being inducted into our country’s Golf Hall of Fame is an immeasurable honour considering the past contributions of Canadian legends of the game beforehand,” added Zokol.  “The feeling of gratitude of just being considered is overwhelming.”

Zokol, 52, was a member of Canada’s 1980 World Amateur Team and the following year, he won the Canadian Amateur, as well as helping Brigham win the NCAA team championship.

He also turned professional in 1981 and spent 22 years on the PGA Tour, a career that included two wins, the 1992 Greater Milwaukee Open and the 1992 Deposit Guarantee Classic, the latter an unofficial victory.

Zokol represented Canada at the 1992 and ’93 World Cups and was a member of the Dunhill Cup team from 1985-87 and 1992-93.

He has already been inducted into the Brigham Young Hall of Fame and British Columbia Hall of Fame and is an honourary member of Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver. He is also the developer and chairman at Sagebrush Golf and Sporting Club in B.C.

Graham Cooke Officially Inducted

The Canadian Golf Hall of Fame welcomed its 66th member in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que., on Monday when Graham Cooke was inducted for his contributions as a standout amateur player and a renowned golf course architect.

As a player, Cooke has won seven Canadian Mid-Amateur titles and four Canadian Senior championships. His 11 national titles are the most ever won by a Canadian male amateur.

Cooke also won the 1965 Ontario Junior championship, the 1981, 1984, 1993 and 1996 Quebec Amateur titles, as well as the 2006 and 2008 Quebec Senior Amateur championships.

He is also a five-time Duke of Kent champion, a four-time Alexander of Tunis champion and has made 27 Willingdon Cup appearances at the Canadian Men’s Amateur as a member of Quebec’s provincial team.

He also served as a Royal Canadian Golf Association governor in 1990 and played an important role in implementing Golf Quebec’s slope and handicapping system for courses.

Cooke attended Michigan State University where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture.

He later apprenticed with Canadian golf course architect Howard Watson before starting his own firm. As a golf course architect, Cooke and his team at Graham Cooke & Associates have worked on more than 100 courses, earning 10 awards for their efforts.

Brent Franklin, whose induction to the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame will take place on July 18 at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver, will mark the final induction of 2010.

Ben Kern, who was inducted in a ceremony on June 10th, was inducted as a builder.

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