by Joe McLean
The wrap-up for the 2022 golf season for the PGA of Canada – Ottawa Zone was held at the Brookstreet Hotel in Kanata, Ontario on Wednesday, October 12 in conjunction with the BPG Buying Show.
PGA of Ottawa’s President Marc-Andre Piette and Executive Director Carol Ann Baxter handled the announcements and presentations throughout the evening.
Recapping the 2022 PGA of Ottawa golf season, Carol Ann announced the winners on the Flagstick.com PGA Ottawa Tour.
FLAGSTICK.COM PGA OTTAWA TOUR WINNERS
COBRA PUMA GOLF Spring Open at Casselview Golf & Country Club
Michel Dagenais, Kingsway Park & Graham Gunn, GUNNGOLF (Senior)
COBRA PUMA GOLF Summer Open at Renfrew Golf Club
Michel Dagenais, Kingsway Park & Graham Gunn, GUNNGOLF (Senior)
Club EG Pro/Pro Presented by Labatt’s at Eagle Creek Golf Club
Joe Diflorio, GolfTEC Ottawa & Reggie Harmer, 19th Tee / John Doolan, Smiths Falls & Malcolm Trickey, PGA of Canada (Senior)
Seniors’ Championship at Mississippi Golf Club
Steve Hall, Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club
Assistant’s Championship at Mississippi Golf Club
Allen McGee, Edgewood Links
Cleveland Srixon Golf Zone Championship Presented by Nike at Loyalist Golf & Country Club
Lee Curry, Camelot Golf & Country Club / Graham Gunn, GUNNGOLF (Senior)
Match Play Championship
Denis Girard, Casselview / Marc Lacombe, Hylands (Senior)
Fall Open at Smiths Falls Golf & Country Club
Gord Percy, Smiths Falls / Darrell Buchanan, The Meadows (Senior)
FLAGSTICK.COM PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
This award is earned by the PGA of Ottawa Professional who accumulates the most points on the Flagstick.com Order of Merit based on tournament participation and results.
Based on season-long competition, Casselview’s Denis Girard was announced as the Flagstick.com Player of the Year for the PGA of Ottawa. GUNNGOLF’s Graham Gunn was also announced as the Flagstick.com Senior Player of the Year.
Carol Ann and Marc-Andre then announced the following prestigious awards.
HARRY HEREFORD TEACHER OF THE YEAR
This award bestows a special recognition on a PGA of Canada Member who has performed outstanding service as a golf instructor. Guidelines for consideration include: outstanding teacher; initiation and/or implementation of unusual and/or special teaching programs; publication of articles, books, magazines.
Derek MacDonald from the Royal Ottawa Golf Club, for the second year in a row, was announced as the PGA of Ottawa’s Teacher of the Year over fellow nominees Brett Claggett-Woods from the Canadian Golf & Country Club and Jake Haime from the Kevin Haime Golf Centre.
Derek was also the 2018 Junior Leader of the Year in the Ottawa Zone.
KEVIN HAIME JUNIOR LEADER OF THE YEAR
This award is designed to pay recognition to PGA of Canada Members who are leaders in junior golf who: demonstrate involvement in promotion and development of junior golf; support of National Junior Programs; proven interest, concern and ability to provide opportunities and experience for juniors to learn and play; outstanding character.
Kristen MacLaren from the Cataraqui Golf & Country Club was announced as the PGA of Ottawa’s Junior Leader of the Year over fellow nominees Matt Robinson of Matt Robinson Golf and Jake Haime from the Kevin Haime Golf Centre.
Kristen had previously won the Assistant Professional of the year twice in the Ottawa Zone.
MANUFACTURERS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE YEAR
This award recognizes the individual who displays outstanding contributions to the Zone; exceptional customer service, and goes above-and-beyond to support his/her brand.
PING Canada’s Andre Borys, for the second time in his career, was announced as the PGA of Ottawa’s Manufacturer’s Representative of the Year over fellow nominees Gavin Corbeil from Acushnet Canada who had previously won this award on six occasions and TaylorMade Golf Canada’s Shawn Perno.
EXECUTIVE PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR
This award is one of the honors the Association can bestow on a working Executive Professional whose total contributions to the game best exemplify the complete PGA of Canada Professional. This award embraces a wide range of services executed by the Executive Professional including: leadership; outstanding management; service to the Association and the game of golf; highly esteemed amongst colleagues.
Chris Barber from The Landings Golf & Learning Centre, for the second consecutive year, was announced as the PGA of Ottawa’s Executive Professional of the Year over fellow nominee Tony Dunn from The Marshes Golf Club.
HAROLD BLACKMAN APPRENTICE PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR
The PGA of Canada Apprentice Professional of the Year Award is the highest honor the Association can bestow on a working Apprentice Professional. Guidelines for consideration include: outstanding leader and role model; ambitious; professional development and must be working in a pro shop at a golf course and be an Apprentice Professional at the beginning of the year.
Ben Lockhart from the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club was announced as the PGA of Ottawa’s Apprentice Professional of the Year over fellow nominee’s Pasquale Mongillo and Carol Ann Baxter, both from Archie’s Family Golf Centre in Cornwall, Ontario.
CLASS “A” PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR
The PGA of Canada Class “A” Professional of the Year Award is the highest honor the Association can bestow on a working Class “A” Professional at a golf course whose contributions to the game best exemplify the PGA of Canada Class “A” Professional. The candidate should demonstrate outstanding qualities of leadership, customer service and be a well-regarded role model to other PGA of Canada Professionals and must be working in a pro shop at a golf course.
Tara McInroy from the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club was announced as the PGA of Ottawa’s Class “A” Professional of the Year over fellow nominees John Doolan from the Smiths Falls Golf & Country Club and Dave McDonald from the Royal Ottawa Golf Club.
BUD MALLOY CLUB PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR
This award is one of the honors the Association can bestow on a working club professional whose total contributions to the game best exemplify the complete PGA of Canada Professional. Consideration should be given to: quality of leadership; managerial skills; record of service to the Association and the game of golf; regard for other PGA of Canada Club Professionals and their regard for him/her.
Marc Peterson from the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club was announced as the PGA of Ottawa’s Head Club Professional of the Year over fellow nominees Sarah-Andrea Landry from the Rivermead Golf Club and Gord Percy from the Smiths Falls Golf Club.
Marc has also previously won Teacher, Assistant and Executive Professional of the Year awards in the PGA of Ottawa Zone.
PGA OF OTTAWA LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Darrell (Bucky) Buchanan from The Meadows Golf & Country Club, who is retiring after 27 years at The Meadows, 38 years as a PGA of Canada Member and 42 years in the golf business, was awarded the PGA of Ottawa’s Lifetime Achievement Award by Carol Ann Baxter in an emotional introduction.
Flagstick was able to get an interview with Darrell Buchanan before the awards presentations and asked him how he felt about this award which is not given annually.
“Receiving this award probably means I’m going to break down later while giving my speech”, were Darrell Buchanan’s first words. He continued, “It’s got a lot to do with my assisting in the building of The Meadows from scratch and it’s really a part of me. I’m getting emotional already. I never really looked at it as a legacy per sea. I’ve always just gone in every day and done my job and making sure everything was ready to go. I think back to what I’ve accomplished and what is going to be there after I leave. This award is a big deal and it means a lot to me. It’s also nice to be recognized by my peers. A number of guys stepped up to the plate to nominate me and I’m honored.”
