Golf Ontario

Golf Ontario Proudly Announces New Manager of Fund Development

Today, Golf Ontario is proud to announce a critical new hire that will join our staff on Monday, March 20th to support our 2023-2026 Strategic Plan Golf For All.

Raphael Root joins Golf Ontario in this important revenue generating role to support the immediate investment in, and long term sustainability of our strategic pillars across Participation, Performance, Membership and Organizational Strength. He will prioritize the establishment of this new department and related operational strategies and best practices within the portfolio if work.

Raphael is a fundraising and sport professional with over 7 years of robust experience in sports and non-profit industries. He comes to Golf Ontario from The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation where he supported the Donor Experience and Stewardship Impact team as well as the Corporate & Community Partnerships team. During his time with the Foundation, he helped manage fundraising for the Journey to Conquer Cancer which is a family-friendly run/walk event that raised over $965,000 for cancer research. Then after, he moved to the Donor Experience team where he helped deliver impact by stewarding and recognizing countless major giving donors.

Raphael is also a veteran on the operational side of sports entertainment with more than 7 years of experience with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE). Bringing fans to their feet by creating unforgettable experiences for various properties including the Toronto Marlies, Toronto Raptors and Raptors 905.

Raphael holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto and a Post-Graduate degree in Sport & Event Marketing from George Brown College. The energy of being around competition and sports at a world-class level is what drives Raphael. He is looking forward to the opportunity to help advance the sport of Golf in Ontario.

Nick Taylor, Chief Marketing & Development Officer shared that, “Raphael is joining our team at the perfect time.  With our Strategic Plan launched this winter, and new leadership at the Executive and Board levels, he will have a tremendous opportunity to leverage that leadership expertise, and share the story around our vision and mission with prospective donors and existing supporters as we put the pieces in place to support immediate impact on our programming and long term sustainability and growth of the organization.”

About Golf Ontario

Golf Ontario is Ontario’s Provincial Sport Organization focused on enhancing participation, elevating performance, and supporting the passion of golfers in Ontario. With over 100,000 individual members and 500 member clubs, Golf Ontario is one of the largest golf associations in the world. From rating courses and keeping the integral rules of the game intact to growing the game at the grassroots level and hosting the best amateur tournaments in Canada, Golf Ontario is a passionate group dedicated to Shaping Lives Through Golf.

For more information please contact:

Nick Taylor, Chief Marketing & Development Officer, Golf Ontario,

NTaylor@gao.ca