UXBRIDGE— The Golf Association of Ontario is pleased to welcome the three new members who will be inducted into the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame at a ceremony tentatively set to take place on May 4, 2016 at Wooden Sticks Golf Club in Uxbridge. Dave Mills, John Gordon, and Patty Howard will become the 73rd, 74th and 75th members of the Hall.  In addition, Bill ‘Skip’ Johns will be receiving the Lorne Rubenstein Award, which is presented annually to accredited members of the Ontario media for “major contributions to golf.”

The Ontario Golf Hall of Fame is dedicated to the recognition of extraordinary contributions and accomplishments in the game of golf in Ontario. Founded in 2000 by the Ontario Golf Association and the Ontario Ladies’ Golf Association, the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame is housed at Wooden Sticks Golf Club in Uxbridge.

2016 Ontario Golf Hall of Fame Inductees

Dave Mills

Dave Mills has been involved with the GAO/OGA since 1986. He served on the board of directors from 1989-1997, before being appointed Executive Director in 1997. He turned around an association that was experiencing significant financial and administrative challenges.

Mills led several initiatives during his time as Executive Director including: the GAO Scholarship Program, educational seminars, Golf in Schools, learn to play clinics, new provincial championships, Team Ontario, participation in Canadian and Ontario Summer Games, a partnership with Ontario Golf Magazine to be official magazine of Association, led the process to establish Ontario Golf Hall of Fame and helped to have golf recognized as an “Official Sport” by Sport Canada. Perhaps one of his greatest accomplishments was leading the process to amalgamate the Ontario Golf Association with the Ontario Ladies Golf Association to create one of the largest amateur golf Associations in North America.

Mills is also a certified rules official and has volunteered his expertise at numerous GAO events and at the Canadian Open, Canadian Amateur and Telus Skins Game. He retired from the GAO in 2014, but continues to volunteer at provincial events.

John Gordon

John Gordon left the Canadian Press to become managing editor of SCOREGolf in 1986 and has been involved in the golf industry ever since. Recruited by the Royal Canadian Golf Association (now Golf Canada) in 1990, he initiated their communications and member services departments and was the founding editor of the Golf Canada Magazine. After a stint as executive director of the Golf Association of Ontario, he founded The Gordon Group, specializing in communications and consulting for the golf industry, in 1994. He has contributed to the National Post and Toronto Sun and appeared on multiple television stations as a golf analyst. He has also provided Rogers Sportsnet with online material and served as an associate editor of the Sportsnet Magazine.

Gordon is a past chairman of the NGCOA Canada and has conducted golf-related seminars and presentations across Canada, the U.S., and Scotland. Gordon was a founding board member of the Professional Golf Management program at Georgian College, where he also taught. In 2008, he was hired by ClubLink to build an in-house communications department, re-launch their member magazine and build out more than 50 web sites.

Gordon has written hundreds of articles for golf consumer and trade publications and is the author of eight golf books. John recently has returned to freelance golf writing.

Patty Howard

Patty Howard achieved success as professional golfer and as a teacher. She notched three provincial championships: 1988 Ontario Ladies Professional Championship, 1988 Ontario Ladies Summer Championship and the 1991 Ladies Professional Summer Championship. She also captured a pair of wins on the Florida Mini Tour (now Symetra Tour).

Howard’s impact on the game stretched past her playing career. She was the first female head professional at a private mixed club in Canada. She originally joined the PGA of Canada in 1975 and received Class A status in 1981. She was the first female to sit on the PGA of Ontario Board of Directors.

Howard has been recognized on numerous occasions for her work in the game. Honours she has received include: 2001 YWCA London Women of Excellence Award for Sport, Fitness and Recreation, 2007 Ontario Club Professional of the Year, 2007 Canadian Club Professional of the Year, 2007 Score Golf Club Professional of the Year, 2008 London Sports Person of the Year, 2009 London Sports Hall of Fame Induction, and 2013 London Heart Award.

Bill ‘Skip’ Johns- Lorne Rubenstein Award

Skip Johns began a career in journalism at the Niagara Falls Review in 1957. In 1972 he moved on to the Kitchener-Waterloo Record to continue his top priority: Sports Journalism. Throughout his 58-years in sports journalism, Johns always had a passion for golf. His work also included writing for Ontario Golf News and Golf Scene. Even now at 77-years-old, Johns continues to cover golf online. In 2002, John was honoured, where he started, as he was inducted into the Niagara Falls Virtual Wall of Fame.

UXBRIDGE— The Golf Association of Ontario (GAO) was pleased to hold it’s annual Ontario Hall of Fame induction ceremony on May 6 at Wooden Sticks Golf Course in Uxbridge. Bob Breen, Doug Carrick, Edie Creed and Bill Kerr were inducted as the class of 2015, while Garry McKay was the recipient of the Lorne Rubenstein Media Award.

GAO president Chris Osborne began the evening by introducing the great class of 2015. “When I joined the GAO, I was told I could play lots of golf and meet many cool people. I haven’t seen much of the golf, but I have met many great people and that echoes here tonight. What I like most about golf is it is enjoyed by great people. On behalf of our board, staff, volunteers and Hall of Fame Committee thank you all for coming out and let’s induct this great class.”

The ceremony began with the presentation of the Lorne Rubenstein Media Award to McKay. McKay, who has covered golf for more than 40 years, has written for a number of news publications, golf magazines and hosted golf radio programming. He is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America, the International Network of Golf and is currently the past-president of the Golf Journalists Association of Canada.

“I want to congratulate all of the inductees, they have all had amazing careers,” said McKay. “There are so many people I want to thank, but I really need to thank all of the people in this room because all golfers have great stories and I wouldn’t have had a great career if I couldn’t tell your stories.”

Bob Breen excelled at golf capturing the Ontario PGA Hunt Trophy as a junior, a feat he would go on to do again three times as a senior. He turned pro in 1960 and went on to have tremendous success. He captured 15 victories on the Ontario PGA Tour and another three on the Canadian Tour. Breen also participated in the Canadian Open on 10 occasions, played on the American Tour, where he won the Bahamas International, the Florida tour, where he was a four-time winner, the South American Tour and events on the PGA Tour.

Accepting on behalf of Breen, who passed away in August of 2014, was his son Blair Breen who was visibly emotional about the honour his father was given. “I’m sure that back in the 1950s, when my dad started playing golf he would have never imagined this moment, being inducted into the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame. It is a true honour for him and his legacy to Ontario golf.”

Doug Carrick entered the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame in the builder category. A renowned course designer, Carrick has designed 25 courses in Canada and another four internationally. In addition, he has been involved in the renovations of 45 courses. His courses have earned him numerous awards and have hosted multiple professional events.

“I was traveling in Austria when I received a call from GAO Executive Director Steve Carroll telling me I was to be inducted into the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame and I can tell you I was completely stunned.” said Carrick. “I’d like to thank all of my clients over the years for putting their trust in me to design and remodel their golf courses.”

Edie Creed had tremendous success as an amateur golfer as a member of the Oakdale Golf and Country Club. Her list of accomplishments is long and includes being a 37-time Club Champion at Oakdale. Creed also won the York District Championship in 1982. It was as a senior competitor where Creed made her mark on the game. She captured the Canadian Senior Women’s Championship three times (1979, 1981 and 1982). She also added five Ontario Senior Women’s Championships (1978, 1981-83 and 1986).

Creed talked about her inspiration in golf, her husband Eddie. “I’m honoured to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. I got started in golf all because of my husband Eddie. He always encouraged me to practice and I listened to his advice. While I don’t play golf anymore, my memories are as sharp as the tee, my friendships as long as the fairway. This induction is my eagle.”

Bill Kerr captured the 1945 CPGA Championship, a feat he would go on to replicate in 1960. He also won two Miller Trophy Match Play Championships in 1944 and 1945, another feat he would duplicate while in Quebec in 1947 and 1950.  Throughout his career, Kerr played in six Canadian Opens and the 1961 Masters Championship. He was a five-time winner on the Quebec PGA Tour, the 1956 Bermuda Goodwill Champion, and the 1963 and 1964 CPGA Senior Champion. In addition to his contributions to the game as a head and touring professional, Kerr also served as a two-time President of the Quebec Golf Association and President of the CPGA from 1955-1958.

Accepting on his behalf were Rob Kerr and Bill Kerr III. “Our family is honoured to accept this great award for my father,” said Rob. “He had the chance to play with many great players and also the opportunity to teach many people about the game of golf and he really enjoyed that. It is difficult to have a professional career while running a golf course but he was a determined individual and was able to have a pretty decent career.”

With that the 2015 class entered the hall capping off an excellent Hall of Fame Day celebration.

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UXBRIDGE— The Golf Association of Ontario is pleased to welcome the four new members who will be inducted into the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame at a ceremony taking place on May 6, 2015 at Wooden Sticks Golf Club in Uxbridge. Bob Breen, Doug Carrick, Edith Creed and Bill Kerr will become the 69th, 70th, 71st and 72nd members of the Hall.  In addition, Garry McKay will be receiving the Lorne Rubenstein Award, which is presented annually to accredited members of the Ontario Media for “major contributions to golf.”

The Ontario Golf Hall of Fame is dedicated to the recognition of extraordinary contributions and accomplishments in the game of golf in Ontario. Founded in the year 2000 by the Ontario Golf Association and the Ontario Ladies’ Golf Association, the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame is housed at Wooden Sticks Golf Club in Uxbridge.

2015 Ontario Golf Hall of Fame Inductees

Bob Breen

Robert Breen was born in Guelph, Ont. in 1939, before moving to Brampton. Breen quickly excelled at golf capturing the Ontario PGA Hunt Trophy as a junior, a feat he would go on to do again three times as a senior.

He turned pro in 1960 and went on to have tremendous success. He captured 15 victories on the Ontario PGA Tour and another three on the Canadian Tour. Breen also participated in the Canadian Open on 10 occasions, played on the American Tour, where he won the Bahamas International, the Florida tour, where he was a four-time winner, the South American Tour and events on the PGA Tour.

Success followed Breen when he began competing on senior tours. He captured 17 Ontario Senior PGA Tour wins and won the Canadian Super Senior Championship three times (2001, 2005 and 2007). In 2010, he was the Canadian Diamond Division Canadian Champion. Breen also had the opportunity to play in a pair of USGA Senior U.S. Opens.

In addition to his individual success, Breen also represented Ontario, 23 times in the Ontario/Quebec Titleist Cup Matches. He was also a 10-time member of the Bobby Orr Nabisco Team.

Breen’s contributions to the game of golf go beyond his playing career. He began working in the industry in 1961 as an Assistant Professional at Kleinburg GC and Pine Valley GC (now The National). He moved on to become the Head Professional at Malton GC (now Castlemore) a position he would also hold at Glen Abbey GC, Erin Heights GC and Derrydale GC. Breen passed away in August of 2014. At the time, he was serving as ambassador and teaching Professional at Brampton GC and Mississaugua GC.

Doug Carrick

Don Mills resident, Doug Carrick, enters the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame in the builder category. A renowned course designer, Carrick has designed 25 courses in Canada and another four internationally. In addition, he has been involved in the renovations of 45 courses.

His work has earned him numerous awards including: Best New Course in Canada (six times), Best New Course in Ontario (three times), Best Golf Development (2005, Humber Valley River Course) and Best International Golf Resort (2007, Humber Valley River Course).

Carrick’s courses have hosted multiple professional events including two PGA Tour Canadian Opens (2002, Angus Glen South Course and 2007, Angus Glen North Course), two LPGA Canadian Women’s Opens (2000, Angus Glen South Course and 2004, Legends on the Niagara Battlefield Course) a European Tour event and European LPGA event.

A past president of the Summit GC, Carrick has also served in a variety of roles with the American Society of Golf Course Architects, including president in 2009-10.

In 1985, Carrick established his own golf course design firm Carrick Design Inc.

Edith Creed

Edith Creed was born in Toronto in 1928 and now resides in Schomberg Ontario.  A member of the Oakdale Golf and Country Club, Creed had tremendous success as an amateur golfer.

Her list of accomplishments is long and includes being a 37-time Club Champion at Oakdale. Creed also won the York District Championship in 1982.

It was as a senior competitor though where Creed made her mark on the game. She captured the Canadian Senior Women’s Championship three times (1979, 1981 and 1982). Her victories were also seen at the provincial level as she won the Ontario Senior Women’s Championship five times (1978, 1981-83 and 1986). Creed also added two York Senior Women’s District Championships (1978 and 1985).

Creed represented Ontario in 1966 as a member of the provincial team and then 10 times as a member of the senior provincial team.

She has given back to the game by helping to organize national competitions at Oakdale, along with being a supporter of their junior program.

Bill Kerr

Born in Lisburn, Ireland in 1911, Bill Kerr immigrated to Ontario soon after his birth.  He had numerous affiliations to Ontario courses between 1928 and 1946, before becoming the head professional at Beaconsfield Golf and Country Club in Quebec.

While a resident of Ontario, Kerr captured the 1945 CPGA Championship, a feat he would go on to replicate in 1960. He also won two Miller Trophy Match Play Championships in 1944 and 1945, another feat he would duplicate while in Quebec in 1947 and 1950.

Throughout his career, Kerr played in six Canadian Opens and the 1961 Masters Championship. He was a five-time winner on the Quebec PGA Tour, the 1956 Bermuda Goodwill Champion, and the 1963 and 1964 CPGA Senior Champion.

In addition to his contributions to the game as a head and touring professional, Kerr also served as a two-time President of the Quebec Golf Association and President of the CPGA from 1955-1958.

Kerr passed away in 1997, but his legacy lives on through his family who have continued his work with contributions to the golf industry in Ontario and Quebec in various capacities.

Garry McKay- Lorne Rubenstein Award

Sports journalist, Garry McKay, has been covering golf for more than 40 years. The Hamilton, Ontario resident has written for the Hamilton Spectator along with all of the major Canadian golf magazines as well as periodicals in the U.S. and Germany. In 2009, he also moved into radio hosting the Canadian PGA Golf Radio Show.

He’s a member of the Golf Writers Association of America, the International Network of Golf and is currently the past-president of the Golf Journalists Association of Canada. McKay is a voting member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame. He also sits on the Score Golf Top 100 and the Ontario Golf Magazine Best New Course and Top 50 Course panels.

Highlights from the 2014 Ontario Golf Hall of Fame Ceremony held on May 7 at Wooden Sticks Golf Club. Inductees included: Ken McKee (Lorne Rubenstein Media Award, Dorothy Campbell Hurd Howe, Earl Fritz, John Henrick and Bob Weeks.

UXBRIDGE— The Golf Association of Ontario (GAO) was pleased to hold it’s annual Ontario Hall of Fame induction ceremony on May 7 at Wooden Sticks Golf Course. Earl Fritz, John Henrick, Dorothy Campbell Hurd Howe and Bob Weeks were inducted as the class of 2014, while Ken McKee was the recipient of the Lorne Rubenstein Media Award.

GAO president Jim King summed up the importance of the evening for golf in the province. “Tonight is about honouring our past. I think it is very important that we recognize the accomplishments, contributions and the inspiration that these people have provided for the other side of the equation: the up and coming. So it is really nice to honour them.”

Maxwell McKee delivering his grandfather Ken’s speech.

The ceremony began with the presentation of the Lorne Rubenstein Media Award to Ken McKee. McKee was unable to attend the ceremony, however his grandson Maxwell, delivered his acceptance speech that was written by McKee and members of his family. “Mostly we just wanted this speech to convey sentiments and how much he enjoyed covering the game. From high school to the Masters, he just loved getting there to tell the story in his own way. My grandfather is truly humbled and thankful to have been chosen as the 2014 Lorne Rubenstein Award recipient, my grandfather has the utmost respect for his work.” Maxwell closed with a word of thanks directly from McKee. “I want to thank the Golf Association of Ontario for this award and to all the players, past and present, I could not have done my job without you.”

The first inductee to be recognized was Dorothy Campbell Hurd Howe. In acceptance of the award for Hurd Howe, the Ladies President of the Hamilton Golf and Country Club, Nancy Rundle, where Hurd Howe was a member while she lived in Canada, sent a letter of thanks for the recognition of one of their own. It was delivered by emcee Rod Black. “The Ladies Executive of the Hamilton Golf and Country Club was pleased to hear that Dorothy Campbell Hurd Howe was to be inducted into the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame. While her stay in Canada was only three years, she sure had an impact on the game of golf.”

Jim King presents Earl Fritz with his induction award.

Next, Earl Fritz took to the stage to receive his award. “I never understood how excited one could be until I was called by Dave Mills (retired GAO Executive Director) and told that I would be inducted into the Hall of Fame by the Golf Association of Ontario. I was excited and honoured. I was on a cruise in the Mediterranean at the time. The excitement got to me so much that I had to phone Dave and thank him all the way from Barcelona. I’d like to thank all of the other inductees for all of the work they have done to develop the game of golf. Thanks to everyone who is here and to the GAO for such a big honour.”

John Henrick accepts his induction award from Jim King.

John Henrick then was presented his recognition and shared some of the thought he had before heading out for his Hall of Fame round of golf earlier in the day.  “I can’t thank you enough for this honour. I am so proud to be a member of the golf scene, still as a player. My last competitive round was played in 2008 at Royal Woodbine and I shot a 70 on a par 72 course. My first competitive round I went to caddie but then herd my name called by the pro shop. Our pro told me I was to fill in for one of the pros. I shot a 74. Ladies and gentlemen 61 years later, I’m getting better!”

Kim Locke speaks on behalf of Bob Weeks.

Only earlier in the day the final inductee Bob Weeks notified the GAO that he had a family emergency to tend to and would be unable to attend. However, his friend and colleague from SCOREGolf Kim Locke stepped in to say a few words. “The last thing I wanted to do was to be here speaking for Bob. I know how honoured and excited he was to have the opportunity to be here tonight. The SCOREGolf brand and its success over the years, without Weeksy, would not have grown and might not even exist today.”

Locke closed with the speech that Weeks had sent to him just hours before the ceremony. “I have been so fortunate to be able to travel far and wide, meet people and enjoy this wonderful game of golf on so many levels. The best part of it all is just how many friends I have made, for that I am blessed. Not a day goes by that I don’t realize how lucky I am to do what I do. To be honoured here tonight is humbling and extremely exciting.”

With that the 2014 class entered the hall capping off an excellent Hall of Fame Day celebration.